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Charters serving students with special needs
A new research report from the Center for Learner Equity takes a systemic look at the provision of education for students with special needs. It focuses on the fact that charter schools, with their greater autonomy and relative freedom to innovate programming as compared to traditional district schools, could help fill service gaps evidenced by the data. An interesting read.
Maryland takes steps toward solving longstanding charter/district frictions
Speaking of which, the Maryland State Board of Education issued a decision earlier this week that charter schools in the state must share the cost of educating special needs students with traditional districts, but should also receive nearly the same level of per-pupil state funding for the purpose as districts do. Both statements are groundbreaking in themselves, but there’s even more to celebrate. This is the first of a series of promised decisions which are aimed at clarifying and codifying the standing of charters in Maryland’s public education ecosystem after decades of animosity and wrangling between them and districts. Sounds like an important plan and an excellent start!
Seeking more funding parity
The Indiana Charter Innovation Center is a brand new organization formed to advocate for charter schools in the Hoosier State. President and CEO Scott Bess chatted with the Indiana Capital Chronicle this week, talking about his group’s immediate agenda. Item One is trying to get per-pupil funding closer to parity with traditional district schools and includes a call for sharing local property tax revenue with charter schools. “We may not close the gap entirely,” he says, “and that may be impossible to do, but we have to at least close it some.” Go get ‘em!
Looking to the future of charter schools
Late last week, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools CEO Starlee Coleman, sat down for in in-depth interview with Micah Sagebiel of the Philanthropy Roundtable. She sums up the first 30 years of the charter movement and is excited about where that history will lead in the future. Interestingly, she cites increased capacity—and especially funding for new and expanded facilities—as one of the highest priorities of the sector.
Legal action against Columbus City Schools continues
Gongwer Ohio provided an interesting update on the transportation fiasco for hundreds of charter and private school students served by Columbus City Schools. Among all the other pending lawsuits for inadequate services in recent years is a building class action suit. This week we learned that there may be more 80 charter and private schools in the class when all is said and done. That’s a huge number of impacted families, a lot of material harm, and a big obstacle for district lawyers
Apply to be the Executive Director of the Mountaineer Charter School Alliance
West Virginia’s Mountaineer Charter School Alliance is looking for its inaugural Executive Director, tasked with leading the newly-formed organization to catalyze the development and sustainability of public charter schools in West Virginia. The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to supporting charter schools and experience in issue advocacy, education reform, or public policy. The Executive Director will lead and manage the organization’s strategic initiatives, with a focus on legislative advocacy, fundraising, and providing technical assistance to member schools. The work will be based in a virtual office in West Virginia and require frequent travel to the state’s capital, Charleston. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, click here.
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