Extractions: Making Schools Work Better for All Children Charter Schools in Michigan Law: Passed in 1993 Rank : 5th strongest of the nation's 40 charter laws CER Grade : A Schools Students LOSE-LOSE LEGISLATION: Michigan lawmakers have resurrected a bill that died earlier this month that would curtail the flexibility and freedom of charters and put them needlessly under additional state regulatory control. The move was designed as an attempt to compromise between those who wanted to lift the cap on charters to allow for more of these independent public schools and those who want to put them permanently into oblivion. Many charter proponents see this as a lose-lose, including the school leaders who will have to contend with new education bureaucracy oversight. Link to summary of the pending legislation. MICHIGAN COMMISSION DOES HATCHET JOB ON CHARTERS A review of Michigan charter schools conducted by a politically-appointed body offers misleading and inconsistent conclusions. "As is the case with many political commissions, the group ignored the facts. It neglected the growth in state test scores in many charter schools, or why parents - who are taxpayers and deserved their attention - choose them. And they chose to ignore the evidence in Michigan that charter schools have spurred public school districts to improve," said CER President Jeanne Allen. Read more in the
Michigan Charter School Evaluation standards of The Program Evaluation standards (Utility, Feasibility michigan CharterSchool Evaluation The Evaluation Center Western michigan University http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/charter/micharter.html
Extractions: Charter schools offer students alternative and diverse educational programs, with the goal of improving academic achievement. The intention behind this new form of public schooling is that by providing further autonomy to schools, they can pursue innovative teaching practices and create a diversity of school options from which parents can choose. During the last three years, the number of charter schools (i.e., public school academies) in Michigan has grown rapidly and currently includes 106 operating schools across the state. The Evaluation Center is one of two organizations asked by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to evaluate the charter school initiative in Michigan. While we have not been charged with the task of evaluating individual schools, we will collect a large amount of school-specific data from the 51 schools that we visit. In evaluating the overall initiative, we will collect data and information from charter schools, authorizing agencies, management companies, MDE officials, as well as representatives of traditional public schools and intermediate school districts. This particular evaluation was started in the autumn of 1997 and will be completed in December 1998.
The Center For Education Reform charter school States That Have Strong (2001), Massachusetts (1993), michigan (1993), Minnesota (1991), Missouri school Choice · school Spotlight · Search · standards and Testing http://edreform.com/charters.htm
Connecticut Charter School Evaluation students meeting state standards for reading and michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP), michigans official state assessment test, the average charter school http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/charter/ctcharter.html
Extractions: and Links Charter schools offer students alternative and diverse educational programs, with the goal of improving academic achievement. The intention behind this new form of public schooling is that by providing further autonomy to schools, they can pursue innovative teaching practices and create a diversity of school options from which parents can choose. During the 5 years, 19 charters were granted. Four schools have since closed and 2 converted to magnet schools. The Evaluation Center was asked by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) to evaluate the charter schools and the charter school initiative in Connecticut. While we have not been charged with the task of evaluating individual schools, we will collect a large amount of school-specific data from the operating schools that we visit. In evaluating the overall initiative, we will collect data and information from charter schools, Department of Education officials, as well as representatives from local districts. This particular evaluation was started in September 1997 and concluded in September 2002.
Charter School In Michigan Evaluation of the michigan charter school Initiative. Evaluation of the michigan more information michigan Model Correlation to Health standards Benchmarks return http://www.gudos.com/talk-show-transcript.htm
Charter School Michigan Evaluation of the michigan charter school Initiative. Welcome to the. michigan For more information michigan Model Correlation to Health standards Benchmarks return to http://www.silvermage.net/teen-driving-law-in-georgia.htm
Extractions: Evidence suggests that competition for students among traditional and charter public schools is providing powerful incentives for all public schools to improve. Expanding school choice to include parental options among even more public-and private-schools would lead to even more positive education reforms. "The debate over whether to have more choice in the public schools in this country is essentially over. The positive parts of choice are just too powerful." Posted: Friday, March 31, 2000 Thousands of Michigan families are on waiting lists to get their children admitted to a district- or university-sponsored charter school. Current law limits the number of charters state universities can authorize to 150. In 1993, when Governor John Engler signed Michigan's charter-school law, Dr. Jeremy Hughes, superintendent of the Dearborn City School District, decided he wasn't going to wait to see whether his district would begin losing students to charters. "When the ink was barely dry on the charter-school legislation," Hughes says, he got his team together and came up with an idea that could compete with charter schools for students: "Theme Schools and Academies."
The Commission On Charter Schools accountability system, including tougher academic standards and reforms work willno doubt improve charter school education in the state of michigan for many http://charterschools.msu.edu/finrpt/presrel041002.html
Extractions: COMMISSION CALLS FOR TOUGHER ACADEMIC STANDARDS, REFORMS AND INCREASE IN CAP Lansing, Mich., April 10, 2002 - The Commission on Charter Schools called for an enhanced accountability system, including tougher academic standards and reforms, for Michigan's charter schools. The Commission presented its report, "Charter Schools in Michigan," to the Michigan Legislature today at the state capitol. It includes numerous recommendations ranging from annual testing for grades three through eight to raising the cap on a contingency basis. "I would like to thank Michigan State University President Peter McPherson and the members of the commission for taking on this important but difficult task," said Senate Majority Leader Dan L. DeGrow (R-Port Huron). "Their hard work will no doubt improve charter school education in the state of Michigan for many years to come."
Charter School Specifics Excel Academies (charter schools located in Arizona and michigan). specific standardsdeveloped by the charter school, statewide standards are usually http://www.nwrel.org/charter/specifics.html
Extractions: Standards Definition The basic charter school concept is encompassed in the idea of " autonomy for accountability ". Charter schools are public schools of choice that are granted a specific amount of autonomy (determined by state law and the local charter) to make decisions concerning the structure, curriculum, and educational emphasis of the school. In return for this autonomy, charter schools are held accountable for the academic achievement of the students in the charter school, and the school faces suspension or closure if accepted performance standards are not met. The charter school typically receives between 85 percent to 95 percent of the public school funds for each student enrolled. Most charter schools are newly established schools, but some are conversion schools-those that previously existed as either public or private schools. Charter schools are as likely to have minority enrollments as other public schools. Charter schools do tend to be smaller than other public schools. Other than these similarities, there are few other generalizations that can be made about charter schools. The variety of curriculum focus is extensive-the sky does not limit the creative endeavors of charter school developers and operators. History of Charter Schools Minnesota was the first state to establish legislation allowing for the creation of charter schools in 1991. Since then, 34 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have enacted some variation of charter school legislation. As of September 1998 there are more than 1200 charter schools that exist in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Letters | Standards | NW Education can shoot baskets well. Lance Magmer Manistee Middle school Manistee,michigan. Washington's charter Wars. Your article Stuck on http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu/2001fall/letters.html
Extractions: High Standards for All In This Issue Taking a Second Look at Standards A Delicate Dance on Eggshells Birth of a Standard ... Subscribe I am in the eighth grade. When my class plays dodgeball [" The Death of Dodgeball Fall 2000 ], two teams are made discretely. Then each captain calls out his or her team. When the game starts, nearly all the people play. When someone is weak and can't throw very well, they get in close or slip around behind him (when we play, there are about 15 feet where both teams can go). For example, when I have the ball I charge, get in close, throw or tag, and move out. By the way, I am not that strong (in throws, anyway), and I have no hand-eye coordination. I can't run very well, but I can still play dodgeball and get people out and play a good game. Oh, and even overweight people can do good in dodgeball if they can shoot baskets well. Lance Magmer Manistee, Michigan Your article [" Stuck on the Starting Blocks Spring 2001 ] relies mostly on Jim Spady's version of reality about the "charter school wars" in Washington. Jim is certainly entitled to his viewpoint, but I'm surprised that you would present it as if it were the only perspective or the full story. One could argue plausibly that Washington would have charter schools by now if it were not for the character of Jim and Fawn Spady's activities to promote them. The Spadys antagonized many possible supporters with their self-righteousness and politics of personal attack. In their rhetoric either you were with them or you were corrupt or selfish. In 1996, Jim debated Rosemary McAuliffe in one of my graduate classes, and he devoted perhaps a third of his time to personal attacks on her character and integrity. A good number of my students who were attracted to the idea of charter schools were appalled by Jim's behavior.
Charter School Accountability Update -- May 2002 As public schools, charters are subject to the standards, testing and charter/whatspublic.html(It should be noted that michigan charter school leaders have http://www.charterfriends.org/cfi-accountability-may02.html
Extractions: ACCOUNTABILITY BACK to Accountability Main Page CFNN ACCOUNTABILITY UPDATE MAY 2002 A periodic update on developments on charter schools and accountability US DEPARTMENT OF ED SCHEDULES MEETINGS ON NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND The U.S. Department of Education has scheduled a series of five meetings around the country to discuss and get advice on implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 , adopted last year by the Congress. According to a Department press release, the meetings are designed to educate the public about the critical need for challenging content standards and high-quality assessments in K-12 education, and to give the public an opportunity to comment on new rules for standards, assessments and academic progress under the new law. "For No Child Left Behind to work, we need the input, energy, enthusiasm and expectations of entire communities. We're working to engage the public like never before to help us implement this historic law," Education Secretary Rod Paige said in announcing the meetings. "This new law is all about improving student achievement and accountability for resultsand we won't know how we're doing unless we have challenging standards and tests that measure student progress. As we travel to these communities, we look forward to hearing from parents, educators, policy makers and those who will be most affected by the new law." The one-day public meetings (all 9 am 5 pm) will take place May 6
2002-03 Charter School Competitive Grant Program MDE Administrators. , michigan Curriculum and standards, , MDE Programsand Services, 200203 charter school Competitive Grant Program. http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-5235_5856_5871-55163--,00.html
COE > News Briefs > 2000 > Public Schools Are Answering The Bell Have michigan's charter school law (passed in 1993) and its schools of choice undertraditional public schools that decades of tougher standards and greater http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/news/news-briefs/00/answerbell.htm
Extractions: Matthew Ladner In 1993, when Gov. John Engler signed Michigan's charter school law, Dearborn City School District Supt. Jeremy Hughes decided he wasn't going to wait to see whether his district would begin losing students to charters. "When the ink was barely dry on the charter school legislation," Hughes says, he got his team together and came up with an idea that could compete with charter schools for students: "Theme Schools and Academies." In the next few years, Dearborn City Schools adopted its own curricular themes such as character education, creative arts, engineering technology, extended school year, multi-age classes, gifted and talented, history and others. Parents could choose the curricular theme that suited them so they emphasis outside the district's school. Did it work? Hughes believes it did. Today, despite competition from four nearby charter schools, other charters in the adjoining Melvindale and Detroit districts and "schools of choice" in the adjoining Dearborn Heights district, Dearborn City Schools has increased enrollment. The last figures available show a rise from 14,229 students in 1994-95 to 16,263 in 1998-99.
Charter School: A Trojan Horse To Home Schooling school standards) are detailed guides to what children must A Casa de Mesa charterschool staff stated the material is sectarian. michigan charter schools have http://www.afhe.org/charter_schools.htm
Extractions: Charter schools are growing in Arizona. There are now about 170 charter schools located across the state. Most of the schools are traditional schools with buildings where children are taught by paid teachers. But some charter schools are actively soliciting enrollment of home schoolers in their "distance learning programs." This is presenting choices and tensions for home school families as they consider if there can be a union of charter and home school. What is home schooling? First and foremost, it is the most private of private educations. Home schooling is parents keeping the responsibility and authority to educate their children as they deem right. The state statutes require parents to notify the county school superintendent of their intent to home educate. Parents agree to cover the subjects of math, reading, language arts, science and social studies. The specifics of values, worldview, content, texts, materials, sequence, testing and methods is not addressed, but left totally to the discretion of the parent. How, when, where, why, what and to what extent education takes place is left entirely in the control of the parents. What is a charter school? First and foremost it is a government or public school. Charter schools are established by receiving permission to form a public school. The charter school must include a comprehensive program of instruction which fulfills the Arizona Essential Skills requirements, testing and evaluation of each student. The charter school receives permission to exist from either a school district governing board, the State Board of Education or the State Board for Charter Schools, all of which are governmental entities. The law states in A.R.S. (Arizona Revised Statutes)15-183:
NEA Home result in a degradation of standards for the of minority students enrolled in michigan'scharter schools has In Los Angeles, a charter school principal used http://www.nea.org/nr/nr990414.html
Extractions: Weak Laws Open Doors to Abuses That Hurt Kids WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Education Association (NEA) is calling on state legislatures to strengthen charter school laws, warning state lawmakers not to repeat the mistakes of many states who have suffered the effects of unaccountable charter school regulation. "Charter school laws without adequate accountability measures open the door to gross abuses that hurt students," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Charter schools must serve their communities and be fully accountable to taxpayers. Charters can be vehicles for streamlining administration, increasing parental and community involvement, and expanding the menu of education choices and options. Short-sighted laws will damage, if not discredit, the value of the charter school movement." NEA recommends that charter laws require charter schools to meet state standards and to provide comprehensive reports to the public about progress and challenges facing the schools. These measures must ensure that
National Association Of State Boards Of Education tuition for their students to attend via the Internet a school whose charter theydid not grant. michigan STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DIVIDED OVER standards. http://www.nasbe.org/Membership/Headline_Review/10_25_02.html
Extractions: UTAH CHAIR REQUESTS EXPANSION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. Utah's Chairman of the State Board of Education, Kim Burningham, told a legislative committee that lawmakers should expand the state's charter school program by simplifying the state funding structure, removing the enrollment cap and providing more support to local districts. The state board agreed to the recommendations of consultants from Utah State University after getting a positive evaluation of the state's first eight charter institutions. Although the state board supports the expansion, it wants lawmakers to shift authority over charter schools to local districts. "We believe our charters are best when they are aligned with their local districts," Burningham said. The original law gave the state sole charter-granting authority, however last year the Legislature gave districts authority to grant charters. So far, only one has done so.
Report: NCJW Charter School Recommendations the health and safety standards of the fastest growing means of charter school management(almost Nearly 70% of michigan's charter schools (approximately 180 http://www.ncjw.org/issues/families-publiced-charterstatement.htm
Extractions: NCJW Home Issues Using the following criteria, NCJW Sections should work with their local, state and federal legislators to further refine and develop charter school legislation where it now exists and should work to give strong input where such legislation is being developed by states: Be open to all students Adequately provide for students with special needs, including at-risk students, those with limited English proficiency, and students with disabilities Engage in proactive outreach to ensure that all eligible students and their families are aware of their options Be accountable to, and generally chartered by local school boards in the districts where they are located Involve parents/families in decision-making processes Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools that require fiscal responsibility, open records and procedures, and accountability Adhere to federal and state laws and constitutional provisions that protect the health, safety, and civil and constitutional rights of children Undergo a regular, independent evaluation to determine if they are providing students with an education at least comparable to public schools and fulfilling their mission of innovation
National Heritage Academies - Vanguard Charter Academy Lawsuit of Kent County, State of michigan and my is a document issued by Vanguard Charterschool Academy entitled Establishing school standards which I http://my.voyager.net/~freethought/nha/daughert.htm
Extractions: 5. That as recently as October and early November of 1998, outside groups were allowed to distribute and disseminate materials of a religious nature, including materials such as “focus ante family” by placing these materials on the shelves and tables in the room on the school premises designated as the “parents room".
