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Centennial Charter Schools Task Force

MINUTES OF

CENTENNIAL CHARTER SCHOOLS TASK FORCE

August 14, 1997 - 2:00 p.m. - Room 405 State Capitol



Members Present:
    Sen. David H. Steele, Chair    Rep. Evan L. Olsen        
    Rep. Brian R. Allen, Chair    Dr. Gary Carlston
    Sen. Joseph L. Hull        Ms. Margie Coombs        
    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson    Dr. Steven Laing
    Rep. Judy Ann Buffmire    Mr. William P. Moore
    Rep. Brad King        Ms. Pat Rusk    
        
Members Excused:
    Rep. Bill Wright        
    Supt. Steven Baugh
    Ms. Sharlene W. Hawkes

Staff Present:
    Mr. J. Wayne Lewis, Research Analyst
    Mr. James L. Wilson, Associate General Counsel
    Mrs. Nedra B. Duzett, Secretary

Note: A list of others present and copies of materials distributed in the meeting are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

1.    Call to Order -Rep. Allen called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m.

a.     Approval of Minutes -

    MOTION: Rep. Buffmire moved to approve the minutes of the July 30, 1997 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

b.     Committee Business - Date of Next Meeting - The next meeting of the task force was scheduled for September 11 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 405.

2.    Elements of Charter School Legislation

a.    Discussion of Components Within Charter School Law -

    Rep. Buffmire suggested the task force agree on the basic concepts of a charter school and define terms used, such as autonomy and accountability, before deciding on a model. Task force members felt attendance should be based on open enrollment without discrimination. Standards must be higher than those in the public schools, or there was no reason for charter schools. Parental involvement should be a central issue in charter schools. The group felt the models presented could serve as a catalyst for defining the general components used in its charter schools legislation.

b.    Review of Charter School Models - Rep. Allen distributed handouts of three proposed Charter Schools models. He reviewed the components of each model.

    The Full Autonomy Model would allow the Utah State Office of Education to be the charter-granting agency. The charter applicant could be a public or private organization, or a non-profit group who would report to the charter-granting agency. The state-supported WPU and school district money would flow directly to the charter school. Authority would be granted downward and accountability would be directed to the State Office of Education. The school itself would be responsible for all aspects of management, both administrative and financial, and would contract with employees directly. The school would be required to meet additional criteria outlined in legislation.

    In the Discretionary Autonomy Model the State Office would grant the charter and monitor performance. The state's WPUs would flow directly to the school and district resources would be made available to allow the school to contract with the district for various services such as transportation. The school itself would be responsible for all aspects of management, both administrative and financial. The school would contract with employees directly and would be required to meet criteria outlined in legislation.

    The Permitted Autonomy Model would be similar to the current Modified Centennial Schools program. Funding would flow to the charter-granting agency, which would be a local school board. This board would work with the school to determine the amount of authority and money available to the applicant. The board of directors and subcommittees would oversee various services at the school level, i.e., building, supplies, curriculum and auxiliary services based on what the charter-granting agency allowed.

    The weaknesses and strengths of the models were discussed. In a discussion of school physical facilities, Rep. Allen suggested space could be leased from the district or space could be provided through a business.

    Sen Stephenson said many successful charter schools in other states were once private schools. The ideas that made them successful were diminished by the regulations and standards that made them more like public schools. He was concerned that the broadest spectrum of options be made available for parents to choose and felt the full autonomy model would be best.

    Sen. Hull questioned what standards and regulations were implemented that made them more like public schools. Sen. Stephenson said some states have minimum standards for health and safety, but academic restrictions and regulations curtail the ability of charter schools to be innovative.

    Mr. Wilson noted that there is a Utah constitutional provision granting the State Board of Education general control and supervision over its public education system. This provision

would include public schools and private schools if they received public funds as charter schools. Any school receiving Uniform School Fund money would require some general control and supervision by the State Board of Education, unless the task force made a recommendation to modify the constitution. Mr. Wilson said the task force needs to be aware that a determination to endorse one provision could alter several others or even the constitution as the task force structures the kind of charter school it deems desirable.
    
    Sen. Steele reported on his experiences with charter schools. He expressed frustration that the name "charter school" is perceived as the answer to all the problems of education. He said many innovative things are being done to improve education. He felt the task force should keep in mind what students are being prepared for in the educational process, what things need to be accomplished faster and better, and the kinds of things parents want to do with needs that cannot be met under the current system.

    Sen. Steele felt that voluntary charter school programs could be established for the purpose of assisting public schools in accomplishing the aims of the state's educational mission and to meet the needs of Utah students and families. He offered his perception of what a charter school might be and provided a handout listing components to be considered in establishing a charter school. Sen. Steele's recommendations included the following concepts.

.     The school must incorporate the basic educational skills as well as higher learning skills in its development of curriculum and consider new instructional designs which will facilitate learning, such as integrated studies, open schedules, easy access and exit from course offerings, and optimum use of instructional time.

.     The school's governance team may request a waiver from the local board of education of any provision in an agreement or contract between the district and its employees that prevents or hinders the school from achieving its performance goals.

.     The school's governance team should consist of an equal number of educational support staff at the school and an equal number of citizens interested in the development of the school. The school principal would serve as chairman of the team, voting only when necessary to break tie votes.

.     The governance team would have site-based authority to operate in lieu of the local board of education in dealing with fiscal responsibility, staffing, training, busing and other related issues.

    The discussion focused on charter school governance issues and concerns over gridlock and stagnation between parents and staff when issues come to a vote. Sometimes voting is not permitted and decisions are made by consensus, further limiting the ability to achieve innovation.

    Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum, and Michael Wilcox, a concerned parent offered commentary from the public. Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association, felt the concerns expressed seemed to focus on who was going to be in charge rather than what could be done to better educate students. Patricia J. DeVore, retired first grade teacher, felt parents and teachers could be intimidated by the principal. Steven Barrowes, concerned parent, distributed a handout suggesting the strength of a charter correlates with performance as measured with the SAT test.

    Rep. Allen suggested discussion in the next meeting should focus on components of a charter school that could be incorporated into proposed legislation. The task force determined that it would make that the focus of its next meeting.

3.    Adjourn - MOTION: Rep. Buffmire moved to adjourn the meeting at 4:05 p.m.

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