Why should we consider converting our school to a public charter school?
Converting to public charter school status permits parents, teachers, and administrators to create the kind of school they want for the children who attend. They can do this because public charter school status confers independence, control, and significantly increased funding at the school level.
Each charter school is an autonomous public school organized as a non-profit corporation governed by its own board of trustees. The trustees have exclusive control over the school's budget, instructional methods, personnel, and administration. Charter schools hire whom they please, spend their funding as they see fit, and, within the bounds of their charter, control their own curriculum and instructional methods.
Because charter schools are not connected to DCPS, their funding comes directly from the D.C. government. The amount of funding is prescribed by the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula. Under the Formula, all public school students in the District receive the same amount of funding regardless of where they attend school. The funding for students who choose to attend DCPS schools goes to the DCPS central administration, which funds the individual DCPS schools on the basis of the "Weighted Student Formula." On the other hand, each charter school receives 99.5% of the funding it is entitled to under the Formula (.5% goes to the chartering boards for administrative overhead). Charter schools also receive a per-student facilities allowance, which permits them to acquire, renovate, or expand their school buildings.
In addition to greatly increased D.C. funding, new charter schools receive a federal startup grant once they are approved or conditionally approved. This year's startup schools are each receiving more than $110,000 in fiscal year 2004 under this 3-year grant, which can be used for planning, professional development, and many other purposes. Charter schools also are free to pursue private funding from the many foundations and individuals interested in supporting them.
What are the risks?
Unlike traditional public schools, public charter schools can be closed down if they do not perform well. Charter schools that mismanage funds or break the law can be closed down at any time. Schools whose students do not improve academically can be closed down after five years. A conversion school that is closed down for any reason is likely to revert to a school-system school.
What happens to our current students if we convert?
Under the School Reform Act (D.C.'s charter school law), students enrolled in a converting DCPS school receive preference in admission to the charter school, as do their siblings. All students within the neighborhood boundaries of the converting school also receive preference. Any remaining seats are filled by students from around the District.
What about teachers and staff?
Conversion requires the endorsement of 2/3 of the school's full-time teachers (see below). After conversion, the board of trustees determines who works at the charter school. Former DCPS teachers who work at a charter school receive "creditable service" under the District's retirement system for the entire period of their employment at the charter school. These teachers may elect to remain in the District's system or to transfer into the charter school's retirement system once it establishes one.
What is the process for converting a DCPS school into a charter school?
Those wishing to convert the school must submit an application (known as a "petition") to either the D.C. Public Charter School Board or the Board of Education, the District's two chartering boards. Applications are accepted by these boards once a year, usually in the spring, for schools starting in September of the following calendar year (thus, approved applicants who filed in spring 2005 will start their schools in September of 2006).
The application process is rigorous and requires a complete description of the proposed school's educational program, business plan, and student, staff, and other policies. As part of the process each school must develop an "accountability plan" by which its chartering board will measure its success in improving the academic performance of its students.
There are special application requirements for conversion schools. Chief among these is that 2/3 of the parents of students attending the school and 2/3 of its full-time faculty must approve the conversion. There also are special notice requirements, such as providing a copy of the petition to parents who have children in schools that feed the converting school or who live within the converting school's attendance boundaries.
How do we get started?
The first step is to study the petition form and become thoroughly familiar with the application process. Next, you should begin educating your teachers, parents, and the community in which your school sits about the pros and cons of conversion. Once there is general agreement about moving forward, you should pull together a steering committee or founding board to begin the process of developing a shared vision and mission for your new school and to prepare the petition. FOCUS can help you with all these steps.
