Delaware Charter Schools Network

The Delaware Charter Schools Network will provide updates on state and national legislation related to charter schools. Please note the date of the post, as the newest posts will be listed first.

As bills are introduced, the Network will post positions taken (if any). Check back frequently to learn more about proposed legislation that may impact the charter schoolm movement.

Following is a section by section brief synopsis:
Section 1: Allows a single charter school board to oversee multiple charters
Section 2: Amends funding streams for first year charters
Section 3: Requires charter schools to post Standardized Financial Forms (in addition to HB 119 requirements), including all previous year end financial reports. Charters that submit Federal 990 forms will be required to post previous and current 990.
Section 4: A request to add more than 15% of the current population is a major modification whether it is for a current site or a new site. If the modification will take place before 18 months, then the modification will include an impact review by the authorizer. Factors of the impact will be determined by regulation. The impact review report cannot be a singular reason for refusal of modification, but can be a factor in creating conditions.
Section 5: Allows for a speedier timeline for opening high performing charter schools. Application submission dates of demonstrated high performing charter school replications may be may be amended by agreement of the authorizer and the applicant if necessary to allow the applicant to serve students who would otherwise be displaced due to the closure of an existing charter school. Renewals (beginning in the 2012/13 school year are due Sept.1
Section 6: Clearly defines that decisions of an authorizer to accept applications applies to new applications only
Section 7: Greater definition to "high performing charter school" and more specific information regarding Section 5 above.** Requirements for financial disclosure of board members ** Requirements for background checks of board members, confidentiality of the information, and the authority of the authorizer, at its discretion, to consider information in the report outside of areas that would prevent employment in a school, to be considered for approval of board membership. This applies to all current and future board members. Cost is to the applicant or school.
Section 8: Amends law allowing a board that operates multiple schools to have a single teacher and parent representative on the board, rather than a teacher and parent from each school.
Section 9: Requires an annual external audit
Section10: Allows the transfer of a charter from one authorizer to another at any time in the life of the charter and that transfer is to be considered as a major modification.
Section 11: Defines that each charter a single board holds will be considered an individual charter, thus oversight is based on a singular charter.
Section 12: Allows the state to bring in a Financial Recovery Team to a charter school if:
* It is projected at any time during the course of the fiscal year that local payroll expenses will exceed projected local revenues; or
*The charter school has been placed on formal review based, at least in part, on concerns regarding the charter school’s finances; or
* Whenever a school district or charter school projects that it cannot fund 1 or more scheduled payroll disbursements.
The team will then have the power to oversee financial operations until it is recommended by the Secretary of Education, based on the support of the Director of OMB and consent of Comptroller, to remove the Financial Recovery Team.

If a candidate survey is not listed here, it is because the candidate did not return the survey.

The Network has forwarded a survey to legislative candidates in the general election. Following are the questions, and then immediately following are the responses. 1) Delawareans support public school choice. Nearly 15% of the public school population attends a district school of choice and 7% attend a charter school choice. Will you oppose legislation that would limit the growth of charter schools?

2) Unlike district schools, charter schools have no access tostate or local funding to support school facilities. Would you support legislation that would provide capital funding to charter schools?

3) Currently, the Delaware Department of Education is the only active authoirzer of charter schools. Would you support legislation that would allow colleges and universities to also be authorizers of charter schools in Delaware?

4) Charter schools understand that we must and will be held accountable for continuous academic growth as all public schools should. Do you support the philosophy that charter schools should be free of most state and local rules and regulations to be given the autonomy to pioneer innovative strategies in education?

Catherine Cloutier -- YES to all 1) YES. I would not/do not support limiting the growth of charter schools. I voted for and support of moratorium exemptions. We need more charter schools. 2) YES 3) Y4S. I am so interested in this discussion. My concern is the issue of how we pay for the schools when the sstate budget is in the "red". 4) Yes.

Christopher Counihan -- 1) YES 2) Yes. If there was some type of conduit bond financing. Not direct capital funding. 3) Possibly: Colelges and Universities should sponsor and aid in the design, implementation and operation of charter schools, but this shuld be looked at on an individual and case by case basis.

Patricia Blevins -- "My support for charter schools cannot be reflected in the questionnaire that you sent to me. I was a co-sponsor of the origial charter schools bill and was a strong supporter before they were tried and true. I continue to support our current charter schools and I applaud the diversity that they have brought to Delaware's educational system.

Robert Johnston - YES to all. "I am in favor of Charter Schools, including cyber-charter schools which are legal in many other states but not Delaware. Our students are changing, their expectations are changing and we need schools that can stay ahead of the curve and develop innovative methods to prepare our students today for the workforce of tomorrow."

Karen Peterson - 1) YES 2) YES, depending on the type of capital projects, the ownership of them and the amount of money 3) NO, The Department of Education is legally responsible for academic outcomes and, therefore, must maintain control over schools 4) Yest, depending on which rules and regulations would be waived. WIthout that information, I cannot be more definitive.

Joe Booth -- 1) Yes 2) Yes, with stipulations 3) Yes, have to see legislation 4) have to see legislation

George Bunting -- RESPONSE: "I have served 12 years in house and 14 years in senate. I supported charter schools from the beinning. I cannot fairly answer your questions without listening to the debate. My wife and I have built two businesses and strongly believe in choices for education."

Robert Bovell -- 1) YES, Charter schools provide a more upclose and personal interest in learning so growth would only benefit of future. 2) YES 3) YES 4) NO, all should be accountable and perspectively pseaking concern of rules and regulations should have a balance.

Gerald Brady -- 1) YES 2) YES 3) NO, In this circumstance I would not be inclined to merge any authority of the DOE with the higher institution. My concern is based on the potential development for conflict of interest. 4) YES

Thomas Kovach -- Sorry, we have a policy of not responding to surveys. However, my support of charter schools should be clear.

John Mitchell-- 1) Yes, I have the Delaware Military Academy in my district and have visited on a number of occasions. I found the school to be operated in an efficient manner and the staff very involved in there teaching responsibilities. Based on my experience with the DMA I would encourage the growth of Charter Schools as long as they maintained continued success. 2) Yes 3) No, I believe the DOE should continue to be the authorizer for Charter Schools. I would be open to allowing higher education to have input , however the final decision would still be with the DOE 4) No, Charter Schools should be required to follow the guidelines like all schools, however any school should be given the opportunity to explore innovative strategies. If these ideas provide better tools for our teachers and increases the ability of our children to learn then the DOE should adopt them.

Joseph Miro-- 1) YES, Charter schools have ben successful for the most part and I will oppose such legislation. 2) NO, Current charter schools have been successful at partnering with organizations and applying for grants to build schools 3) No 4) Yes, It should remain a function of DOE

Teresa Schooley-- Charter schools in Delaware have provided innovation and creativity to meet the diverse needs of our public school students across the state. Many charters have incubated and then expanded new, profound instructional practices resulting in student growth and success. These charters serve as exemplars in Delaware’s education portfolio of choice by best preparing our children for college and career opportunities. I especially applaud the hard work and success of the Newark Charter School in my district. That hard work and dedication just resulted with Newark Charter being named a 2010 Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education---one of only fourteen charters nationwide to receive such an honor. We must continue to work to ensure ALL our charters and our traditional public schools provide this same level of excellence to each Delaware child. I do believe it is time to revisit the original charter legislation which was passed in 1999 and make it more responsive to the needs of charter schools but also provide a context for how charter schools operate within the whole public education system.

William Stritzinger-- Yes to all. 3) Yes, I would fight to make seeral changes to the existing charter law to make it easier for a charter to be issued. I would convene a meeting with the charter community and families to draft modifications to the existing charter law. I would also modify the current law to make a bipartisan commission for charter approval and insist on a strict timeframe for such review and approval (90 days). No longer would the onlyapprovers be the DOE and the existing districts.

John Kowalko-- I hope you and all of the wonderful Charter School families will appreciate that the subject matter raised in your questionnaire is significantly complex and it would be irresponsible to opine on some of the proposals without having some legislation in front of me and more details of expectations so that we might craft necessary legislation. I hope we can continue this conversation between now and opening of session in January.

My basic and unwavering support for Charter Schools and the successes they have documented remains strong and uncompromisable.. I believe that these success stories must be supported as examples and templates for all public schools to emulate. I have often said, on the record, that other public schools should raise the level of their performance and compete with, not against, the charters.

Rest assured that these success stories at Newark Charter, Wilmington Charter, DMA and all the many other schools will have my total and unequivocal support in order to continue offering these superior opportunities for our children.

I hope you will post this response in lieu of the questionnaire so your families might appreciate my feelings on the subject. You may also post my cell phone # 302 547 9351 if any of them would like to personally discuss the issues with me.

Earl Jaques -- YES TO ALL. Comment on 4: Would like to see what rules and regulations referred to before approval.

Ronald Smith -- 1) YES 2) YES, Provided state budget/revenues allow such and funding for other public schools is not sut as a result 3) NO, I would need more information to consider this. 4) YES

William McVey-- 1) YES 2) No, I support vouchers as the sole source of public funds for private, public, and charter schools 3) YES 4) YES

Ruth Briggs King-- 1) YES 2) YES 3) YES, with some stipulation 4) undecided -- need more information.