New Year's Resolutions for Charter School Parents

Depending on the charter school, defining roles can be difficult. Because parents are often active in charter schools, especially as board members, it's tough to decide where a parents limits are.

Seeing that parents are crucial to their students' success, I decided to put them second in order behind board members. So, parents, you also can improve in your role in your school. In looking at the coming year why not make the following resolutions?

1. I will spend more time helping my child learn
2. I will ask the teacher for suggestions for solving problems
3. I will spend time volunteering in the classroom
4. I will become more aware of the political challenges my charter school faces
5. I will understand the needs of the school as a whole and its community and not just my child
6. I will take any criticism to the proper sources
7. I will hold the school accountable for its role in the educational process
8. I will hold myself accountable for my role in the educational process

The biggest factors in student learning are parent involvement and teacher quality. So, parents, resolve to support your child in school. Don't criticize the school to your student. If you have criticism go through channels to resolve the problem and be gracious. Running a charter school is a difficult task. Through my past employment and current work, I'm pretty familiar with the operation of at least a dozen charter schools in Colorado. None of the leaders, whether of young or veteran schools, have said, "This is easy."

Positive parents who work with their students at home and ensure they are keeping up are the greatest educational gifts for both students and teachers. Charter schools can be great educational models for children and society. One key is parents and school working together as a team.

New Year's Resolutions for charter school board members

Now, if you are a charter school board member, don't take this wrong. We can all do better. That's the reason that most of us make resolutions in the first place. You may not have a lot of things to change about yourself, but perhaps your board as a whole does.

Also, some of you board members may want to ask your school leaders or other board members if you might want to take up some of these resolutions. Those of you who are not board members may want to take this as advice if you plan to become a board member, and others may simply want to remind your school's board members about these resolutions. Feel free to distribute freely to board members who need them.

In the new year, I will:

• read packets ahead of time.
• always vote first with the long-term benefits of students in mind.
• limit my comments to only those observations that are essential to help the board make a good decision.
• keep in mind my role and how it is distinct from an administrator's role.
• keep in mind that I am only one board member and have no authority on my own.
• remember that I am not at the school day in and day out.
• make time to spend in the classrooms and buildings of the school I lead—while they are being a school, not just at special events.
• thank a teacher, principal, and fellow board member for their extra sacrifices.

Being a charter school board member is hard job, and the pay isn't so great--at least not in dollars. So, to those of you who have volunteered your precious time and talents to be a board member: Thank You. I thank you also for considering these resolutions and whether or not they apply to you. Be honest with yourself. You can be a better board member in 2010. Happy New Year, charter school board members.

Public school should have the same benefits as...public schools

In an opinion letter to the Mail Tribune, a southern Oregon news source, Curt Ankerburg argues that the local school district should charge market rate rent to the local charter school. While I could simply rely on the fact that charters are public schools for my argument, I'd like to address Mr. Ankerburg's arguments head on as this issue seems to be coming up again and again in different forms.

1. The charter school is "the equivalent of a private school." The problem is that a private school is privately funded and privately owned. Neither of these is that case with a charter school. A charter school is a public school founded by state law and funded by the tax payers. This argument has no merit at all.

2. The charter school has a separate school board. Ankerburg says that the school district only has authority over the charter school on certain issues. This is the nature of a charter school. This does not make it less of a public school. It makes it a different kind of a public school. The reason that charters only submit to the board of the district is that there is a contract to which the district has already agreed. He also says, "there is a distinct separation between the two entities." The problem is that the distinction does not mean that the charter school is not a public school. In addition, subsidiaries of corporations are distinct entities. This doesn't mean that one should charge the other market rates. The funding comes from the same place. They are related even if distinct.

3. The charter school's director is not a qualified administrator by the district standards. This argument is irrelevant to whether the school ought to pay rent or not. This is a smokescreen because Ankerburg doesn't like the fact that charter schools are allowed to hire unlicensed administrators. This again is part of charter school law and says nothing about whether or not the school is a public institution or a public school. In fact, if the law allows hiring such a director, then it is exactly by public law that the even occurs. The fact that a charter school is a different kind of school doesn't make it a private school. It makes it different. This type of argument is typical of supporters of the traditional failed model of schools who don't want innovation or change or can't believe that someone who doesn't check their boxes could possibly run a successful school.

4. Approximately 30 students of the charter school are from other districts. The problem is that most districts want out of district students as they provide additional funding. Besides, give me a break, are 30 students in a building really going to break the bank?

5. The building is the district asset and the district has a fiduciary duty to the taxpayers. There are two points here. One is that the building is built with taxpayer money and that the assets could be sold to the highest bidder. Because most of the students are district students and the building was funded by tax payers as an educational building, it makes sense that the best way to fulfill the fiduciary role is to provide education for these district students. Otherwise, other taxpayer money would have to be used to fund a separate facility. In addition, selling school buildings to the highest bidder might make sense if there were ways to assist charter schools in having decent facilities. The fact is that the building is a school building and its best use is to provide education for school aged children.

Ankerburg reveals his true point at the end of the letter. He believes there are two choices--the existing failing educational model or private schools. In other words, he doesn't like charter schools and wishes they didn't exist. The fact is that charter schools do exist, and they exist by law. They are legal public entities. Just because Mr. Ankerburg and others do not charter schools is no reason to deny them the basic rights of other schools. Charter school parents pay taxes too. In fact, they often pay double as they pay taxes to repay bonds issued for non-charter school buildings, but then have to help their charter schools fund building payments as well.

Ankerburg is right that the current situation isn't fair. It isn't fair that charter schools are public schools, but are treated as second class citizens when it comes to facilities. Perhaps Denver Public Schools should be seen as a model in this regard. If they have empty space, they share with charter schools and provide space at the cost of operating the space. In this way charters become part of the DPS fold. There is a friendly competitive/cooperative arrangement. DPS wants to do what is right for kids. People like Ankerburg are more concerned with their politics than with the kids. Let's make education what it should be--working for families and children so that the kids can become productive adults.

"Privatizers" used by opponents to stereotype charter schools

There are all sorts of names we call other groups of people in order to make them into objects rather than subjects. Once done, we can do just about whatever we want with them. We can twist them into pretzels so that their shape is nothing like what they really are.

It seems that the more I read about charter schools, the more I understand that tactics of those opposed to them. The term that I love to hear is "privatizer." The reason that I love it is that it isn't true. Charter schools are public schools and are responsible to the public. They must take all students and cannot discriminate based on special educational needs. They can't discriminate based on prior preparedness. In fact, many charter schools specialize in working with lower income and children who are behind in their educational achievement.

However, if you are predetermined that anyone who doesn't support the existing traditional failed educational structure that supports employees over students and the system over results, then you call your opponents names. This is because there are few valid arguments remaining.

So, opponents use the creepy earie word "privatizer." The school could have the greatest educational system, methods and outcomes in the world, but would still be evil. It's a bit like the right's use of the word "communist" for President Obama. Nevermind that he has never advocated the elimination of private ownership of capital, the label is placed and so fear is expected.

The fact is that those on the far left would like others who are not as radical to fear charter schools. Because they don't have arguments, they attempt to place fear in people's hearts by claiming that charter schools are "privatizing" education. The truth is that charter schools are trying to change education to be more student and parent and result focused. They aren't trying to make it "private." Most charter leaders that I know do not want to own their schools. They just want to educate children in the best way they know how. They want some freedom to use methods that are often proven, but not used or acknowledged by existing traditional schools. Often these methods are not adopted because they seem conservative, or would require teachers to teach in ways that are not "their" style, or might require re-education.

In any case, the use of the word "privatizers" takes the place of real discussion about what is going on in education, the validity of existing models, and the strong desire for innovation shown by many educators. Instead of putting labels on people, let's discuss what is appropriate. If someone has an issue with what appears to be privatization, let's discuss what that might be and if it's valid. Is it fear? Is it fear of loss of jobs? Is it fear that education will get worse? Let's get those fears on the table and see which are realistic and which are not. Then let's let charter schools have their day in court. Charter schools are still a young movement, and many have shown great promise. Why not figure how they are doing so and how to replicate those successes? Why throw them into a heap as "privatizers" rather than educators?

Holiday cheer for charter schools

The holiday season is a time for reflection and for cheer and joy and love, and a lot of things that we need to think about year round. As the season is now here and kids are out of school and teachers get a brief break, I thought I'd reflect on some of the things that I've thought about this year in the charter school world.

Charter schools are still an anomaly and while they've increased in number and the number of states that they are in, parents and often employees don't always realize the privilege it is to have a charter school. Charter school supporters need to continue to realize that charter schools still need to prove themselves. This is not a time to get comfortable. Charter schools that have relaxed need to wake up and again become part of the reform movement that they were intended to be.

Charter school leaders shouldn't be surprised that they are attacked, often for petty reasons and reasons that might be overlooked if they were a school district. Teacher unions are large and established organizations. People, in general, fear change. School districts have territories to protect. History shows us that people look at their "opponents" and seek to find the worst, while always trying to talk about the best in themselves. This is human nature. It also means that charter school leaders need to reflect on their worst, something that's difficult when everyone else is doing it too. The difference is that charter school leaders need to look at their worst so that they can improve. Without the drive for excellence, a school will always be less than mediocre.

Charter school supporters need to help each other and each others schools. We are in this together. On the other hand, it doesn't mean that if another charter school is sinking that your charter school needs to go down with the ship. Failing charter schools need to make changes, or be closed. Charter school authorizers and associations need to help develop criteria, reasonable criteria, to determine when a school should be closed and when it should be given another chance.

Many have called for more accountability for charter schools. Usually they are looking at the outliers and not the average charter school. Charter schools have accountability. Charter school leaders should call for the accountability of districts as well. All schools must strive for excellence in educating children.

On that note, charter schools ought to figure out ways to hire the best and train the best teachers available. Even great teachers can get better. Great teachers can help others get better. If your schools doesn't have to hire certified teachers, that's even more reason to make sure teachers are the best they can be. The main reason is to provide the highest quality education. The second is to continue to show that certification and union membership is not a determinant of a "highly qualified" teacher.

Charter schools seem to be building their own bureaucracy. I have a gut feeling that this won't be good for schools in the long run. There must be some real and continuing tension between the need to organize and the need to operate independently. Charter schools need to innovate and continue to have the freedom to implement existing best practices, but not settle on those practices as the final word.

In the same way, until we constitute the proper measures of a good education, charter schools must be part of the discussion. Charter schools can't just accept the measures that are given by the existing educational institutional structures. Those structures are oppressive. Unless charter schools help create the standards, they will always be shooting at someone else's target.

Charter school leaders need to continue to develop financial and administrative capacities in efficient ways. This may mean contracting with local accounting firms or other companies (full disclosure: I work for Charter School Management Corporation, which supplies such services) to ensure proper policies, procedures, practices. Charter schools must operate more efficiently with their administrative management in order to put more money into the classroom and professional development.

As charter school leaders take this holiday break, I urge them to consider these thoughts. I urget them to reflect on the future, not just of their own schools, but of the movement itself. What do we want it to be? If you don't have a destination, then you are wandering aimlessly. If you don't know what your destination is, then it's unlikely you'll get there. I hope that charter schools continue to grow and to prosper students in the new year and for years to come.

Marketing your charter school by Karin Piper

Karin graciously agreed to guest author for us. Thanks, Karin.

You’re in public education. You need not to worry about marketing your “business.” Right? Wrong!

Perhaps in the era of public school monopoly, little worry was spent on such matters. Kids would move into the zip code—and that would simply translate into business.

But as public charter schools, we’ve never really had that benefit have we?

From the first moment the conceptual proposal of the charter school application was pitched, to ten years into operations, a charter school has to be keenly aware of public image, demographic changes, and enrollment. Charter Schools are—and will forever be—schools of choice. By definition the chartered education establishment creates a mission to meet a certain demand in the community and is dependent on a continuous stream of interest which is converted to student enrollment.

So how well is your schools marketing going?

If you are a newer charter school, you already have certain things going for you: You’re the new gig in town, so there is a certain level of natural curiosity occurring locally. This inquisitiveness is likely resulting in media coverage, parent meetings that parents actually attend, and a bit of a surge on enrollment from nearby schools. Enjoy!

Should your school fall into the category of moderately established to mature, and things are going well, you have a different advantage: You no longer have to create everything from scratch and can spend your time managing over inventing. Congratulations!

However, without a well designed marketing plan your school might be missing out on opportunities and growth beyond your current reach.

A new school that is not investing in community communications might have a rough start without proper local support. And a seasoned program might be viewed as old-hat by the public as new schools open up. In either case, the lack of a deliberate marketing and communications plan can be reflected in enrollment. And that, we can agree is not good for any charter enthusiast.

The situation for your charter school might not look so dire now, but making sure that you are staying fresh and in tuned with the community you serve is never a disadvantage.

Marketing does not need to be expensive or complicated.

Here are a few tips for developing an effective marketing plan for your school:

· Create focus groups:

a. What do parents in your area look for in a school?

b. How well do you meet these needs?

c. Highlight strengths for your communications.

d. When finding flaws, consider it cheap advice and work to fix it.

· Have a simple, easy to use website

· Form a volunteer marketing committee

· Use social media

· Create brochures and staff business cards

· Hold school choice fairs

· Host a regular open house

· Meet and greet the preschool, or feeder school community

· Press releases for current events

· Local media

Karin Piper is a charter school parent, award winning author, speaker, school choice advocate and education writer. Karin provides communications and tools necessary for parents to become informed decision makers in the expanding world of education options. She also works with various organizations in engaging with surrounding communities and creating dynamic relationships with families. Visit www.theeducationchoiceexpert.com for informative seminars, trainings, and keynote speeches. Karin’s book CHARTER SCHOOLS: The Ultimate Handbook for Parents is available for purchase on Amazon now, and is an award winning finalist for USA Book News Best Books in Family & Parenting 2009.

Baloney has a first name it’s….

I bet you can finish this song from beginning to end. Most of us do it smiling with flashbacks of childhood commercials and picnic sandwiches.

Does good education have a first name? What is it?

If you are a charter educator, school leader, or satisfied consumer—you probably answered this question with the name of your charter school.

Is your school the only gig in the K-12 education field of your town? Possible, but doubtful.

A Charter Christmas Carol

(Profound apologies to Mr. Dickens)

photo credit: www.thegeminiweb.com

Early one morning, Founder Scrooge jerked awake from a bad dream to find a spirited parent hovering over his bedchamber. “What are you?” he cried. “Are you a disembodied auditor—a helicopter parent—a blot of stale mustard from the last board meeting? Speak foul spirit!”

The hovering spirit took Founder by the hand and transported him across time and place to the first year of the charter school. As they floated through unfinished classrooms crowded with eager faces, the spirit passed a small team of office staffers frantically solving problems and responding to emergencies. Founder saw himself among them, shouting, “I don’t care how, just make sure to get every student in a classroom!” “I don’t care if she’s certified—does she love kids? Does she understand the subject…then hire her!” “I don’t know if we have enough; I’ll make a spreadsheet this weekend and we can figure out the balance on Monday.” Through all the halls, there wasn’t a reporter, auditor, or state official to be found—but everywhere he looked, Founder saw fresh-faced parents, optimistic staff, and a shimmering spirit of cooperation. He saw himself lending a hand, carrying used furniture, working late and liking it.

“Tell me spirit, what happened to our joy? Where have these happy parents and joyful students gone?”

By reply the spirit touched him on the sleeve and drew him out into the night.

Scrooge awoke—or was he still dreaming?—to the sounds of hurried slurping and bitter laughter. He didn’t recognize the room, but some of the faces were familiar—though worn and hard with effort. “How are we supposed to track every student?” “I can’t believe they want more reports and we have less time to do them!” “It’s not as if they’ve ever seen the classroom; they just tell us what to do anyway.”

“What is this place?” cried the Founder. And a bulky arm came from behind him to point across the room at a printed sign, “Staff Lounge Only | No Students Allowed | No Exceptions.”

Startled, the Founder turned to see a giant spirit dressed in academic robes carrying a massive binder.

“This is the teacher’s lounge at lunch. They gather every day to solve the school’s problems and reminisce about the good old days.”

“But why are they so bitter? Is there no salary; do they have no job security?”

And from the table echoed a voice, “At least we have jobs—for what that’s worth.” And every teacher grabbed a binder, just like the Spirit’s and headed out the door.

The Founder pleaded, “Spirit, how can this be? I worked beside these teachers; we built this school by our smarts and sacrifice. How can they be so sad?”

Silently, the spirit placed his binder in Scrooge’s hands and turned soundlessly away.

The Founder gasped and dropped to his knees, stunned by the weight of the book. He lifted the cover and read the contents: 1. Policies; 2. Procedures; 3. Reporting; 4. Training; 5. CSAPS; 6. Budgeting; 7… He dropped the book in despair.

“Spirit, what is this monstrosity that burdens our teachers? Why do they carry it about?” “What about philosophy and students and esprit de corps?”

The Spirit sighed, “All those have faded away. This book of rules is on every desk, at every meeting and on the minds of all the staff.” “They have no room or time for purpose or people.”

“Who did this, spirit? Who let this happen?”

With his massive fingers the Spirit opened the cover and Scrooge read there,

“Edited by Founder Scrooge and the Board of Directors”

“Nooooo!” cried the Founder as he sank into darkness.

He gradually saw a shaft of light piercing through a cluttered warehouse. Stacks of desks and chairs stood on pallets and carts. Workers were wrapping up bins of textbooks and carting off computers and bookshelves. A mover left his cart and walked up to Scrooge. Lifting him to his feet, the Spirit of Charters Future flew Scrooge through barren walls and empty halls to a platform in the front parking lot. From a portable speaker rolled the punctuated cadence of an auctioneer’s chant. “Student desks in lots of 20.” “What am I bid for these excellent desks—only used two years.”

“Spirit, what is the meaning of this? Why are they selling the desks? How can the school run with no equipment?”

The Spirit pointed to the front doors of the school, where thick loops of chains secured the front doors, and a pink notice of foreclosure flapped in the summer’s breeze.

“Closed? Closed? How can the school be closed? What about the teachers? What about the wait list?

“Spirit, how did this happen? What can be done?”

Down a long narrow corridor the Spirit drew Scrooge to a simply meeting room. A lawyer, a reporter, two accountants, and three state officials were finishing a meeting. “I guess we saw it coming.” You could see they lost their focus.” “Once the students started leaving it didn’t take long.”

Founder sank to his knees and breathed a plea, “Spirit of Charters Future—must these things come to pass? Is there nothing we can do?” “Is there nothing we can do…?”

Founder Scrooge woke with a start to realize he was sleeping in the parking lot. Athletes were working out on the track and teachers stood chatting by the door.

“It’s not too late! I haven’t missed it! There’s still time!”

Scrooge hustled up the walk, gathering teachers and students into a swelling throng. They surged into the meeting and Scrooge took the floor.

“We have a great school, but we’ve lost our way! These students and teachers are the real story, not us and our books of rules and regulations. We can recapture our spirit! We can recover the spirit of the start!

Let’s go back to the beginning and remember why we started this school in the first place. Let’s be a school for the students again! God bless us with school choice for every one!”

And from that day till they met a final time to remember Founder Scrooge the people said, “That Scrooge—he knew what really mattered. Schools of choice and choice for all!”

Performance pay and the teaching environment

I have a question. In a commentary at the Charlotte Observer, Rachel Hunt Nilender, chair, and the Education Committee of the League of Women Voters of Charlotte Mecklenburg writes that pay for performance is not needed because the main way to encourage good teaching is by improving the work environment. Hunt Nilender emphasizes support for teachers such as training and more time for collaboration. I want to know why so many people seem to presume that because pay isn't the primary factor that it isn't a relevant factor in teacher satisfaction, especially when so many teachers complain about low salaries?

Those of us who support differentiated pay for teachers believe that all of those non-financial reasons for teaching are true. It isn't that we don't want to see those elements in the school system. We do. In fact, we believe that teachers who are good at collaboration and have a lot to contribute to their peers ought to be rewarded for those ideas and implementation strategies and tactics.

The reasons for a strategic differentiated pay system are mainly two:

1. Encourage those who want to be good teachers to be even better
2. To be fair to those teachers who display the qualities of the best teachers

Now, I should add here, that I am NOT a proponent of most of the performance pay or merit pay or pay for performance systems out there, even those proposed by Barack Obama and Arne Duncan. While I respect both of those people, they are wrong headed about pay for teachers. Almost every system out there fails because they reward the wrong things.

Many systems reward or propose to reward teachers based on student performance. The problem is that you then are not rewarding teacher performance. You have to reward teacher performance. Often the best teachers are given the most difficult students. That's just one factor that could cause a great teacher to lose in a typical pay for performance system.

Other systems reward things that are irrelevant to good teaching. For example, Denver Public Schools gives rewards for earning graduate degrees. The research shows that advanced degrees do not make better teachers.

Our proposal has always been:

1. Differentiated pay is the only fair way to pay teachers.
2. Differences between pay have to be justifiable based on something teachers control
   
3. Differences in pay need to be based on strategic goals of the school
4. Differences in pay need to be based on characteristics that are typical of great teachers
5. Differences in pay must be large enough to motivate great teachers to stay in teaching

On a side note, one could infer that I don't care a lot if a good teacher leaves the profession. This is at least partially true. The flip side of my proposal is:

1. Poor to good teachers can leave the profession or the school
2. The pay system ought to find ways to move poor teachers out of teaching
3. The pay system ought to make slightly below average teachers consider leaving teaching
4. The pay system ought to pay good teachers enough that they'll stay in the profession, but consider continuing development of their talents

It should go without saying, but some of my critics seem to need this last part. This pay system cannot be successful without a good principal, a good work environment, or reasonable ability of principals to force bad teachers out of their schools. In addition, what it takes to keep someone in teaching may depend on the subject area they teach. In other words, it's almost certain that districts and schools will need to and continue to pay science and math teachers more than those that teach other subjects.

It's also imperative that we open the teaching profession to all qualified applicants. The research clearly shows that certifcation, HQ, and other such check box factors do not guarantee nor even suggest that a person will be a better teacher. This is because in many cases it's too easy to get certification or in others because it's too difficult for an outstanding teacher to go back and get certified later in life.

A differentiated strategic pay system alone cannot fix all of the problems of education, but it can provide an integral part of the solution. So, please, answer my question, why does an emphasis on non-financial factors have to exclude consideration of the financial factors?

Base lay-offs on tenure? Now that can't be good for education

District 70 in Pueblo, Colorado estimates that it has to cut $4.9 million for 2010-11. While teacher cuts are low on the priority list, board members admit that some cuts may be necessary. That's not good, but we all know that in the current economic situation, it's a reality.

The part that surprised and disappointed me is that the board said that cuts would most likely be to newer teachers first. Really? With all the talk about data driven instruction, the district would really ignore performance and simply go with the outdated non-strategic method of lay-offs by time in job? That looks like a step backward to me. Perhaps if the new proposal in Colorado to develop a grading scale for teachers were in place, this sort of behavior would not happen.

Even though there is no formal tiered evaluation of teachers in District 70, principals have to know who their most effective and most promising teachers are. Could you imagine a football or baseball coach who just cut all of the newest players in a budget crunch? What about a dance or theater director eliminating performers based on youngest or least time in job?

Government employment and unions drive this check box mentality. Let's do what's easiest, not what's smartest. Then we wonder why our kids aren't getting educated.

Closing the achievement gap: an exercise in futitility?

Sometimes thinking about closing the "achievement gap" is enough to make one scream. You wonder what it takes. The achievement gap is the gap between academic progress of low income or ethnic minority students and largely white middle and upper income students. For years educators have been trying to figure out how to close this gap.

A couple of interesting commentaries argue for the fact that the achievement gap not only is difficult to close, but perhaps not even a valid way to measure the progress of our academic system or individual schools.

Jay Mathews of the Washington Post started it off in his column "Class Struggle." He argues that the achievement gap is pretty useless. One of the best arguments is that the achievement gap could be closed by falling scores by simply allowing higher incomes students' scores to drop. That would obviously not benefit society nor those high income kids.

Debra Viadero at the edweek blog comments on Mathews' article with some additional reflection supporting Mathews' view that we need to get the focus off of the competition between races and economic groups, at least at the local level.

It's silly to think that the gap is the biggest issue. The biggest issue is getting all of our children to do their best. I almost wrote perform their best, but I don't believe that students need to perform for anyone. They need to achieve all that they can achieve--for themselves. Somehow all students need to understand that raising the bar for themselves (not just because some school official or district official raised the bar) is important for their own success--both as a student and as an employee or business owner.

It would be terrible if all of a sudden high income students improved their performance 15% and low income students raised their scores 10% that we would see this as a bad thing. There are many factors that affect test scores (which is, unfortunately, the way we measure whether a student is successful or not). There are many factors that go into making a successful person and career. While education is part of life success, and test scores are part of education, they are not all of it. Many non-college graduates and many college graduates who were not at the top of their class have done quite well in the "real world" because of ingenuity, persistence, and passion. Inspiration to excel in life as well as in school is one way to close the real achievement gap (the gap in life success, not test score success).

We need to create environments where all students feel that they can succeed. In many ways addressing the achievement gap is sort of like me determining how I'm going to live my life by worrying about how much money Bill Gates has. If I'm worried about closing that gap rather than being concerned about maximizing my life or my career success, then I'm concerned about the wrong thing. I don't care how much money Bill Gates makes. What I care about is my life and my lifestyle. I need to set a standard that is high enough and embark on strategies and activities that will direct me to that standard. Looking at Bill Gates and worrying about him won't get me where I want to be. In the same way, educators that worry about the difference between high income students and low income students rather than setting a standard and inspiring students to meet that standard are hurting all concerned because they are spending millions tracking something that may not matter and may not be attainable. We know that students can learn regardless of social class. Now, let's work on that.

Drowning Danger for charter schools

Once a charter school begins to decline, the school will find itself in a survival crisis. Leaders must make some decisions. Often it is the very things that caused the charter school to be successful early that harm the schools continued success. Some of the decisions are:
• Continue tradition for tradition’s sake or seek to exist?
• Maintain control or allow more freedom?
• Market for additional enrollment or exist with reduced enrollment?
• Death or Renewal?
Often a school reaches this point because it has that structure of a mature school, but is still running on the founders’ energy and drive. The founder either has too much control or may have burnt out and there is no one to carry the torch. The school leadership may have settled in too much to an ordinary existence. If the founders are exercising too much control, perhaps the school isn’t open to the changes necessary to meet the needs of new parents and students. The school has lost its relevance to the very population it sought to serve.
Schools do close. Sometimes there are financial reasons, but these are often not mismanagement, but under enrollment. Schools that close often do so without much fanfare. There often isn’t a lot of trauma on the school system around the charter school. The district usually absorbs the assets and buildings are sold or if rented return to other uses. The impact is on the students, parents and employees who suddenly have to make an unwanted change. All of the promises of the charter school are gone. Dreams are gone. A good charter school’s closure is a sad thing.
On the other hand, renewing a school isn’t easy either. Leadership has to change. Leaders have to reinvigorate excitement in their staff as well as in the parent community. Parents have to be excited so that they talk to their neighbors about the school. Community members need to know about the school and be excited so they support the school.
Sometimes this means revising policies or programs to meet the needs of parents and students. If possible, a school can do an exit survey of those who are leaving or have left in the past. What about the initial phases attracted parents? What has changed?
It may mean new outreach or new ventures. Perhaps a K-6 school could start a pre-school program or an after school daycare program. In Colorado, half time programs can operate alongside a full time program.
Perhaps salaries for teachers need to be addressed. It’s also possible that it’s time to invest in additional leadership and teacher training. It may be time to analyze staff performance and determine if there are personnel that are driving students away because they don’t align with the mission or they aren’t as productive as they used to be.
The key at this point is that the school will die if something is not done. Leaders can choose to continue leading and operating as usual, but as someone once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting different results.” Leaders who want to renew their school and serve more students need to self-evaluate. This includes founders who are still involved, board members who may be too controlling or too hands off, principals who have lost ideas or lost passion. The key is that leaders need to look at the essential elements of the school, and assuming that the school has done well in the past, restore or rekindle the fire that started originally.

Report shows that Colorado teacher ed programs are weak and more?

I have to admit. I'm not one of those who can just read and stop at what is written. In a report that came out a few days ago, most Colorado teacher education programs were labeled as inadequate in preparing teachers to teach reading and math.

So, here is my question: many charter school opponents have criticized charter schools for hiring teachers who are not state certified or do not have a degree in elementary education. If most of the teachers coming out of Colorado teacher programs are not adequately prepared, then how do they get certified? If many of these teachers are teaching with certification and are not adequately trained, what is the meaning of certification?

For many reasons, certification cannot guarantee appropriate teacher qualifications. This is just one more example of why certification is not only NOT necessary for being a good teacher. It isn't even an indication that one is a prepared teacher.

Charter Schools nimble in budget cutting?

As I've talked to charter leaders over the past few weeks since Governor Ritter announced K-12 budget cuts, I've heard a number of responses.

Most leaders, while not happy with budget cuts, have said that they believe they will be able to manage the cuts. What will it take?

The great thing about high quality charter schools is that they have a very clear mission and purpose. They hire staff that is aligned with that mission. Therefore, when they have to make cuts, they do a pretty good job of aligning those cuts with the mission of the school.

It's tempting for some leaders to make across the board cuts. However, across the board cuts are not strategic. They are easy. It's easy to say, "Cut everything equally." It's a lot more work to look at line items and ask yourself what is really critical to meeting the mission of the school.

In the same way that grade inflation has caused our society to lose the ability to distinguish between those who are truly excellent and those who are simply above average, leaders make light of their mission when they act as if all expenditures are equally important (or equally unimportant) by making across the board cuts.

Charter school leaders need to do the hard work of going through line items and make sure that expenditures drive results. Expenditures that do not drive results are the ones to cut. The problem is that often schools don't know what drives results or they have not attained their desired results.

One of the things schools can do is to hire an outsider. I recently interviewed Ted Fujimoto, who does that kind of work. My company does much of that kind of work as well. The advantage of hiring an outside firm or individual is that they aren't in the rut of just spending because an item has always been in the budget or purchasing a program because "it's new and we aren't doing well, so we have to try something." The other advantage of hiring an outsider is that the person isn't permanent. It's often a one time expense that can put a school on the right path.

Charter schools need to analyze their expenses more than ever to ensure that even in these tough economic times results are being driven through out the organization. That means budget alignment as well as personnel alignment.

More misconceptions about teacher pay

I have no idea if this is true, but I found it at Sincerely Stacie's blog.

"A 15 billion per year investment or a 30% raise for all teachers is necessary to make teacher compensation competitive with other professions requiring similiar [sic] of education."

It's an interesting statement, and the math might be right, but there is an implication that we ought to make this investment or that teachers somehow deserve an automatic 30% raise. Since we don't have reasoning behind this "ought," I'll give a few reasons why this implication is fallacious.

First, and perhaps most obvious, is that almost no one in any of the professions is paid simply according to their education. There is a huge range between accountants, lawyers and other who have "similar education." There are a variety of factors that play into the salary decision of most professionals.

Second, and related, is that most professions provide some sort of merit pay or other means of differentiation between employee pay. Most teachers are on the single salary schedule that pays all teachers with the same education and same number of years the same amount. This does not happen in any profession that I know of. (It does happen in non-professional unionized jobs.)

Third, our economy has never based salary on education. Many people with Ph.D.'s make less money than people with far less education. Even outside of "professionals" there are a variety of reasons that pay is differentiated. The two biggest factors are demand for that service and quality of that service.

Because teachers are largely government employees, determining fair pay is extremely difficult. Perhaps the best way is to look at the number of people going into teaching. In most cases, there are more teachers than there are jobs. This indicates that for most teaching positions, pay is not too high. However, there is a difficulty often hiring science and math teachers, which means that the pay for those subjects may be too low. However, it is often the unions themselves who do not like the idea of paying more for different subject areas.

The second point is that teachers are not paid more or less based on quality. When we compare the two factors that are normally used we find that the two factors are education and duration. So, whether teaching quality improves or not, we pay teachers more for staying around and for going to school, neither factor has been shown to contribute markedly to better teaching.

If you've read this blog much, you know that we aren't necessarily opposed to higher teacher pay. Teaching is a tough profession. The problem is that teachers aren't rewarded the way they should be. When they are paid according to their quality and the demand for their position, it will be a lot easier for governments to determine what a fair salary is for a teacher.

Atlas Prep has big shoulders

As I approach Atlas Preparatory School, I wonder what could be going on in this non-descript converted warehouse space. The building has a plain front and appears as if it might be abandoned except for a few cars in the parking lot and a basketball hoop and one end. The Atlas Preparatory School sign is really the only thing that clearly shows me that I’m pulling up to one of the charter schools that opened this past fall.

As I enter the reception area, there are a few more signs of this being a school. A friendly receptionist asks me who I’m there to see and asks me to sign in, then wait for Julian Flores to come get me. As I wait I look at the nice brochure telling me all about the school. The theme on the cover says, “College Prep. For All.” Inside it says, “preparing its students for graduation from college in 2021.”

This school in the Harrison District of Colorado Springs opened to just less than one hundred fifth graders and will expand to two grade levels next year. The school will eventually provide for grades 5-8.

The inside of the building is lined with college pennants. This is just one way that school shows its college prep atmosphere. Students are also in teams, and home rooms are named after their teacher’s alma mater.

Mr. Flores tells me that they also have a reward system called “Chrome.” It’s not just a reward system though. It’s like a pay system. Students receive a statement at the end of each week, much like a pay statement. They can then purchase items from an inventory list.

Another attempt to motivate students to pursue college readiness is a set of field trips to college campuses. The fifth graders have already visited Colorado College. They will soon visit others.

The school has high standards and students typically have twice the homework of their peers in other District 2 schools. There is a reason for this. Most students come to Atlas Prep a year or two behind where they need to be to be college ready. The school serves primarily Title I students. Approximately 85% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Even with the difficulties, the Atlas Prep team is determined to make a difference. Mr. Flores told me, “This is an academically rigorous, no-excuses school for kids who would not otherwise go to college. It is a lot of hard work for these scholars but they are already meeting our high expectations."

See other links to articles on Atlas Prep:

Gazette

Colorado Charters Blog 1 and 2

Ed is Watching

Karin Piper: National Charter Examiner and now author supports parents

Karin Piper describes herself as a "freakishly tall" blonde mom who has a passion for her kids' education. Her passion led her to get involved in the charter school movement. (For the record, Karin is tall, but not freakishly so.) From charter school mom and board member, she began writing as the Colorado Charter Examiner (she is my predecessor) and now has a new book out entitled Charter Schools: The Ultimate Handbook for Parents.

Piper's cheery attitude about charter schools is contagious. In describing her motivation for writing the book she said, "Parents often consult parents about opinions on schools, Charter Schools: The Ultimate Handbook for Parents was written in an easy to read conversation style. Think of it as conversations which might take place in a playgroup, or over a cup of coffee. The Ultimate Handbook is like handing over parent-to-parent small talk about charter schools to a reader."

As she started in the charter school, she had lots of questions. Most were answered by talking with other, more experienced, parents. She says, "Parents talk to parents about their opinions about important issues regarding their children, let it be diapers, potty training or education. As charter school parents we find the same recurring questions from friends and family: What is a charter school? Is it a public school? Should I look for a charter school for my child? This book was designed to put some of the most common, noteworthy, and not-nearly-asked enough questions in one cover."

The book is currently available in four countries (U.S., India, UK, Australia) and the first purchase on Amazon.com has almost sold out (3 copies left as of a few minutes ago) even though it's only been available for a little over two weeks. Don't worry, Amazon will be ordering more.

She's been interviewed on KFTM radio, WSRadio, and by West Va Charter Schools Blog and Yellow Scene Magazine. Your Hub in the Denver Post just ran a story by Karin. The book has also received high praise from national charter school governance expert Brian Carpenter as well as Nelson Smith, the President and CEO of the National Association for Public Charter Schools.

The book covers a wide variety of topics that charter school or prospective charter school parents need to know. Piper covers basics such as what a charter school is, why a parent would choose a charter school, and the qualifications of charter school teachers. In addition, she covers more complex subjects such as how to choose an individual charter school, how charter schools are created and elements of charter school law.

This helpful guide provides a resource that had not been available generally to parents. While a lot is written about the politics and philosophy and performance of charter schools, there isn't as much for parents. Piper says, "Parents! If you want to read about charter school edu-flack, charter law, or starting a charter--there is an ample book offering. If you are a parent or casual reader, pickings have been slim. Since parents are the ultimate decision makers in schooling choice for children, this is a natural audience for an ultimate charter school handbook."

So, here's to parents and parent empowerment in public school choice. Piper's book provides parents with information so that they can empower themselves, and that's the ultimate goal of this handbook.

See Karin's Examiner Articles

Big increase for charter schools

Charter schools received good news yesterday. According to an email I received from The National Association for Public Charter Schools:

"On Tuesday, the House and Senate met to “conference,” or mesh, their two respective bills providing funding for the Department of Education. In the final bill, or Conference Agreement, they included $256 million for the federal charter school programs, a $40 million dollar increase over last year. "

That's almost a 20% increase over the previous year. I only hope that means $40 million going to the right charter schools, ones that will really meet kids' needs.

Gifted and Talented Charter Application Denied

The Boulder Valley School District board voted 6-0 to deny the charter school application of the Boulder Valley Academy for Gifted and Exceptionally Motivated Students. The charter school aimed to serve gifted and talented students that need additional support and opportunities for academic challenges.
While no one knows what will happen, board member Helayne Jones said, "I think they might have identified that we are not doing as good as we can to meet the needs of students.” It is at least possible that the BVSD board is now awakened to the fact that many parents believe their gifted children are not being served by existing BVSD options.
Unfortunately, former board president Linda Shoemaker said, “I think everyone can be served within the existing Boulder Valley schools.” Which way the tide will turn is not apparent, but this statement implies that Shoemaker believes that all is well in the district. If a group is willing to put in the effort to pursue charter school approval, then it seems that the district isn’t serving everyone “within the existing Boulder Valley schools.”
Lee Beckstrom, a member of the charter school applicant’s steering committee said prior to the vote, "If they reject it, that is just evidence of that. It's a shame that Boulder Valley is apparently simply against charters." Many charter schools have rightly arisen to meet the needs of underperforming students, but there is also a need to challenge and assist our brightest students in the state as well as our country at large. This charter school could have been one of them. It’s now incumbent upon BVSD to step up to the plate and show that it is willing to meet the needs of students and parents. Otherwise, it will be further evidence to support Beckstrom’s claim.
In any case, this application has made its mark on BVSD’s board. Now, it’s the board’s turn to make its mark.

Source of quotes and information
The Daily Camera

It's not just charter schools that have issues

So as not to bore you, Colorado state representative Mike Merrifield recently proposed that all charter schools in Colorado undergo audits of their operations. Because other legislators are rational, they saw that his kneejerk response to the issues at Cesar Chavez Academy was unwarranted.

However, a report today shows that it's not just charter schools that have issues. Steamboat Today reports that "the Northwest Colorado Board of Cooperative Educa­tional Services carried a $44,632 deficit into fiscal year 2009-10, according to a final audit report presented Wednesday. The deficit is about $10,000 more than what was projected in a draft version of the organization’s audit presented last month."

While there are no suggestions of fraud or misuse of funds, the BOCES was found to have material weaknesses in internal controls as well as that "BOCES’ financial troubles came to light earlier this year after the organization revealed to its board of directors that it overspent its 2008-09 school year budget by nearly $317,000."

Things happen and operated schools isn't as easy as outsiders presume, but the fact that charter schools become big news when they make mistakes or violate processes and that non-charter schools don't is a problem. I don't want anyone to think that I'm arguing that if it's OK for a non-charter organization to make mistakes or mismanage its resources, then it's OK for charters to do so. I'm simply saying that let's have the same standards for all, allow for corrections where there are mistakes, then move on.

We know that people make mistakes, so let's fix the mistakes and move on. From the article, it sounds as if the BOCES board is taking action. Let's let them and charter schools continue to strive to provide good education without costly audits of every aspect of a school's operations just to make sure that something might be out of place.

The current system is working. Some people will make mistakes. Others will try to game the system. We have regulations in place that will help us catch them. We can't stop all problems before they happen and it's too expensive to try.

If charter schools and non-charter schools can operate in friendly competition as they do in Denver Public Schools, then let's stop separating charter school accountability from accountability for other schools. Charter schools have accountability as do non-charter schools. It's not just charter schools that have issues, so let's continue to operate our schools in Colorado with that in mind.