For Your Information

Vol. 21, No. 22
December 22, 2009

Click here for past issues of the For Your Information newsletter.

STATE BOARD DISCUSSES CHARTER SCHOOLS IN CALLED WORK SESSION

The state Board of Education could soon see draft charter school legislation before a revised proposal goes to the Alabama Legislature, which convenes Jan. 12.

If Alabama does become the 41st state to allow charter schools, local boards of education could authorize and sign charter schools within their school districts but may need to register with the state Department of Education to ensure their application, oversight and renewal process meets muster. The state board may also be able to step in and grant a charter anywhere in the state to reach low-performing students as long as the charter school had already applied to the local board. In addition, charter school funding would heavily depend on student enrollment since per pupil dollars - state, federal and possibly local - could follow the students to their charter school.

Of course, the language presented at the Dec. 22 called work session by ex-officio state board president Gov. Bob Riley and his policy analyst isn't etched in stone. Time, however, is of the essence.

Riley says Alabama stands to win a $200 million chunk of the $4.35 billion in federal education funds through Race to the Top. States with charter school laws have what state Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton called an 8 percent advantage over Alabama during the application process. The first round of Race to the Top applications are due in January and a second competitive process ensues in June.

Riley advocated for the state's ability to "check that box" and receive the 40 points allocated out of 500 Race to the Top points for having a charter school law. He also expressed support for expanding the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, the Alabama Reading Initiative and First Class state-funded pre-K, should Alabama receive Race to the Top funding. (RTTT funds would not be used for charter schools.)

Riley and Morton said they don't expect an explosion of new charter schools in the state but a small effort that Riley said would be best driven by the "passion" of the local boards and communities.

Several state board members raised questions and issues from, including the positive impact charters appear to have on disadvantaged students and how local politics could potentially stymie the approval of charters.

"We have in the state of Alabama a preponderance of knowledge about things that work for our children," said state board member Ella Bell. "I'm wondering if this grant were not available, would we be having this same discussion about aggressively putting excellence in place for all schools or are we simply trying to develop a mechanism to help us to meet whatever the criteria?"

Members Ethel Hall and Stephanie Bell shared concerns about local-level roadblocks to charter schools. Hall asked the question of whether local boards could review the charter applicants "objectively" and "police themselves." The state board, however, was warned about creating a "shot-gun wedding" with an appeals process that puts the local board at odds with the charter school. The possibility of having charter schools apply to the state board first also was mentioned, which the governor's policy analyst said isn't recommended at this time.

Riley emphasized that charter schools are public schools open to all students and are held to the same accountability standards, though these schools have the "ability to be more innovative, creative and flexible." For example, newly formed charter schools may be free to hire and fire without fear of tenure laws. There are also two types of charter schools, start-ups and existing public schools that convert into charter schools.

Riley and his policy analyst dismissed claims that charter schools would re-segregate schools - neither by race or, as raised by state board member Greg Warren, students' ability.

Register for Charter Schools 101 Webinar/Teleconference
Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. Central Time

Register now to participate in the Alabama Association of School Boards' January 19 Charter Schools 101 Webinar/Teleconference from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. central time. 

If you're keeping your ear to the ground for pertinent education issues, it's likely you've heard "public charter schools" thrown about a few times. Well, AASB wants to help school boards learn the terminology and basic concepts behind public charter schools.

Join former National School Boards Association attorney Thomas Hutton as he provides a basic primer on charter schools and discusses the local implications of public charter schools, including local boards of education as charter school authorizers. Following that presentation will be a question and answer period and an opportunity for callers to provide their feedback on the charter school issue.

• Listen to the discussion. 
• View the presentation on your computer. 
• Ask questions electronically or via telephone. 
• Provide AASB with your frank feedback. 

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? 
Registration is only $35 per individual caller and $35 per school system (using one phone line). Only groups within boards of education/school systems may register as a group. The contact who registers a group should provide a list of ALL group participants along with their titles, including school board members, to AASB by close of business on Jan. 20. Send that list to dhendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org. 

ACADEMY CREDIT
PARTICIPATING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE 2 HOURS OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ACADEMY CREDIT FOR PARTICIPATING.

There are only two ways to ensure a board member receives credit: 

1. Register individually ($35 per school board member) 

2. The contact who registers a group should provide a list of ALL group participants along with their titles, including school board members, to AASB by close of business on Jan. 20. Send that list to dhendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org. 

Register today for this timely webinar/teleconference on charter schools, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 19. The authorization code will be provided upon registration. To find out more, contact dhendricks@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or call 800/562-0601.

Register for AASB's
Jan. 11-Feb. 18 Winter District Meetings

Register or download the brochure for the Jan. 11-Feb. 18 AASB Winter District Meetings and better understand the legislative edict from the Student Harassment Prevention Act that requires each school board to adopt a local policy by July 1, 2010. Review the model policy created by the state Department of Education, as directed by the statute, to guide local boards of education. Student Anti-Harassment: What Boards Should Know will feature Dr. Sue Adams, retired director of the state Department of Education's Prevention and Support Services Section. Participants will also receive a fiscal/legislative look ahead, as well as updates on AASB news and the mandate for putting local board training policies in place by March 1, 2010.

Join AASB and eBoards for Jan. 21 and 27
Webinars on Paperless Board Meetings

Introduction to eBOARD: Paperless Meetings, Strategic Planning and More!
Join us for a Webinar 9-10 a.m. (Central) 

on January 21
 
or January 27

— Denise L. Berkhalter,
publicrelations@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org

Alabama Association of School Boards:
Celebrating 60 years of developing excellent school board leaders through quality training, advocacy and services.