What are Community or Charter Schools?

What are “Community” or “Charter” Schools?
Charter schools are innovative public schools designed by educators, parents or civic leaders that are open by choice, accountable for results, and free from most rules and regulations governing conventional public schools. Today, nearly 4,000 charter schools serve more than a million children in forty states plus the District of Columbia and 70,000 children in Ohio.

• A charter school is an independent public school that must perform well and attract parents to stay in business.
• A charter school must practice open admission policies, meet health and safety standards, comply with civil rights laws and state laws.
• A charter school is held accountable. Its students must show satisfactory achievement equal to or better than the state average.
• A charter school will often serve children whose needs, for one reason or another, are not met by conventional public schools.
• A charter school provides freedom for educators and school founders to use curricula or programs to set up the school day in a way that is not done by conventional schools, but meets all legal requirements. This freedom allows a school to address the special needs of its children directly.
• According to a recent study, charter school students nationwide are outscoring their counterparts in neighboring conventional public schools by as much as five percent.
• All Charter Schools must follow No Child Left Behind.

A charter school gives parents and teachers the opportunity to roll back regulations, roll up their sleeves and create and operate a school that they want their children to attend and in which they want to teach.
(From www.edreform.com)

The Sponsor:
Community Schools must have a Sponsor, who oversees the school’s fiscal procedures (working with the School’s Fiscal Agent), educational progress, and compliance with state laws and provides technical assistance as needed. In 2006 the Richland Academy took on the role of Sponsor. The schools that are presently under out sponsorship are:

• Lighthouse Community and Professional Development Academy (Akron)
• Toledo Academy of Learning (Toledo)
• Cesar Chavez Preparatory Academy (Columbus)

These schools, all located within urban settings, serve specific populations of students who normally find the public schools less than adequate for their extensive needs. As the Sponsor we visit the school withspecific objectives in mind to assist staff, administration, board members and teachers with what they need to do their job. We initiate training for governing board members, assist in finding professional development for teachers, liaison between the school and the Ohio Department of Education on the technical submissions and paperwork and assist in any other matters.

What the Schools gain:

• In the past the schools we sponsor worked with large management companies or Educational Service Centers. These entities sponsor vast numbers of Community Schools - personalized attention was severely lacking. Richland Academy hopes to provide Sponsorship that reflects the caring these schools have toward their students. They are small entities, personalized to the needs of their population - we are a small organization that hopes to personalize our assistance and services to the needs of each individual school.

As our relationship continues with the schools a strengthening and expanding of our sponsored schools’ Visual and Performing Arts programs is anticipated.

What Richland Academy gains:

• We hope to create strong, positive relationships with these (and future) Community Schools as well as forging new connections with the Ohio Department of Education, the State Auditor of Ohio, Universities and other powerful institutions in Ohio. These connections can only benefit and expand Richland Academy’s future outlook.
• This relationship helps us understand and work with the new Charter School located within our building, called the Foundation Academy of Mansfield.
• Richland Academy receives financial compensation for these services which will be used to help reduce and eventually eliminate the Academy’s debt.

We are playing a major role in Educational Improvement and Reform.

Myths about Community Schools:

• Myth: Charter Schools operate without business ethics, educational integrity, and social conscious or common good sense.

o Reality: Charter Schools operate under the most rigorous system of accountability at work in the public school system today. Richland Academy has the responsibility of overseeing this system of accountability, which we – and the schools we sponsor – take very seriously.
o Reality – Charter Schools act responsibly. Charter Schools answer directly to parents and the community as to their practices, and are tightly scrutinized by the media. The schools we sponsor submit an annual report to parents, to the state and to the Sponsor and are audited by the State Auditor of Ohio each year.
o Reality – Charter Schools hire qualified, quality instructors. The Schools we sponsor hire 100% (HQT) qualified teachers for their Core Academic Subject areas. The dedication of these teachers is unprecedented in terms of their commitment to their students and the mission of their school.

• Myth: Charter Schools take money and resources away from the public schools.

o Charter Schools are public schools. They use funds for educating students, the same as public schools but they give parents a choice as to the educational programming and use of those funds for their child’s specific needs. Strong public schools have nothing to fear from Charter Schools, in fact, they may add to the public schools’ desire to keep the competitive edge by fostering stronger educational programs and keeping arts and sports programs alive.

• Myth: Charter Schools are only for the best students with the most involved parents.
o Charter Schools serve a higher number of at-risk and low functioning students – and serve them well – than do most public schools. The schools we sponsor offer instruction to urban students, over 90% of which are deemed “Economically Disadvantaged.” And, being aware of their distinct population, they can better meet the needs of these students that go beyond reading and writing.

For more information about Community Schools visit:

The Ohio Department of Education Community Schools Division at http://www.ode.state.oh.us/ and click on the “School Options” tab

The National Association of Community Schools Authorizers (NACSA) at http://www.qualitycharters.org/ (you may also visit the new Ohio Association of Community School Authorizers through this web page)

The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) at http://www.oapcs.org

The Center for Educational Reform at http://www.edreform.com/

Community School Division Staff:
Marianne Cooper, Executive Director & Community School Division
Sophia Speelman, Compliance Consultant Community School Division
Mark Haddock, Board Treasurer and Financial Advisor Community School Division
Gerri Nipper, Business Manager & Community School Division