DSIAC Recommends Four Charter School Proposals

The Charter School Act requires the District School Improvement and Accountability Council (DSIAC) to review charter school applications. On November 7, nine charter schools proposals were presented to the Board. This week, DSIAC presented its analysis of each application and recommended that the Board approve four of the charter applications. The public will have a chance to comment on the proposal on December 5th at the monthly public hearing. That meeting will be held at Bruce Randolph Middle School (3955 Steele St.). Following is a brief summary of DSIAC’s findings:

The Denver Big Picture High School applicants propose to establish a small high school program for 60 students the first year and growing to 120 by the third year of operation. DSIAC was impressed with the applicant’s willingness to make changes as needed for the success of their students. Although the school does not presently have parental or student backing, DSIAC recognized the strong support from Denver citizens and respected organizations. Despite some concerns such as lack of extracurricular activities immediately available to students at the school, DSIAC noted the “remarkable success” of a companion school in Rhode Island. Therefore, DSIAC recommended this proposal. DSIAC urged denying a proposal for an identical charter school opening in 2004, pending some evidence that the program works.

The Cole and Clayton Neighborhood Learning Centers application proposed to establish “Neighborhood Learning Centers” for six “partner schools” for fifth- through eighth-grade students. DSIAC applauded the applicant’s focus on neighborhoods as partners in education, however, did not support the application for lack of a solid educational program; a school budget and description of school governance; and evidence of parent or community support.

Northeast Academy is proposing a Core Knowledge charter school to serve 150 kindergarten through fifth grade students in 2003-2004. “The renowned Hirsch Core Knowledge curriculum matched with local leadership presents the district with an opportunity to provide quality, viable choice for parents residing in the Montbello/Green Valley Ranch neighborhood,” said the DSIAC report. In addition to meeting all of the budget and curriculum requirements, DSIAC was impressed with the grass roots support for the academy. DSIAC recommended the school for charter status.

Compass Academy (CA), a Colorado nonprofit corporation, is proposing a sixth through 12th-grade school with a projected enrollment of 100 at-risk students in year one. DSIAC commended the applicant for focusing on at-risk students, however, did not support the program for the following reasons: concern for the enrollment process which only accepts highly motivated individuals to the school; lack of community and parent involvement in the proposal; concerns over the budget; unrealistic expectations of the teaching staff; and dissatisfaction with the plans to teach English Language Learners.

The Walsingham Academy would serve 45 emotionally disabled students in grades one through three in its first year, 2003-2004. DSIAC applauded the applicant’s commitment to providing children with specific psychiatric diagnoses with a learning and therapeutic environment that would allow them to reach their full potential. However, DSIAC did not support the application. Some reasons: no literature supporting the effectiveness of the Bolles Learning System – a key program component – and problems with providing transportation from all parts of Denver.

The Summit Academy plans to provide an education by “combining the beneficial rigors of a classical education with the latest technology and the best teaching and learning practices worldwide.” It proposes to establish an initial K-8 school with a program similar to that at Denver Arts and Technology (DATA). DSIAC found the application to be a comprehensive proposal with strengths in the “humanities conceptual themes, exploring the world past and present.” However, DSIAC had concerns about possibly overly close ties between Summit’s leadership and Mosaica Education, Inc., which also manages DATA. If remedied, however, DSIAC said a successful charter school could result. Therefore, the Summit Academy was recommended.

The vision of the Life Skills Center of Denver is to educate and ultimately award high school diplomas to current high school dropouts and/or other at-risk young adults. DSIAC found the center’s core academic curriculum to be well defined. DSIAC found the school’s focus on core subjects and work experience to be an appropriate method of assisting the targeted population of students. However, DSIAC had concerns that the requirements to complete the program at the center are not equivalent to the requirements needed to receive a certified DPS diploma. Still, DSIAC recommended this proposal as long as applicants are made aware of the fact that they will not receive a DPS diploma upon completion of their program.

* The ninth charter school application for the Harriet Tubman Charter School was withdrawn by the applicants.

 

 

Ninth Straight Year Of Increased Enrollment

Enrollment for the 2002-2003 school year climbed by 180 students to 72,617, the Planning Office announced this week. Although the rate of increase was not as high as expected, the growth represents the ninth straight year of enrollment increases in Denver Public Schools.

The new enrollment total means the district has added nearly 10,000 students since 1993-1994, when enrollment stood at 62,702.

“Earlier this fall, when it appeared that enrollment was coming in below projections, we took several steps in anticipation of the budget shortfall,“ said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow. “For example, we instituted a hiring freeze and all major technology purchases require my approval. We will continue to look for opportunities to be frugal and conservative with all our spending.”

The impact of the smaller-than-projected enrollment growth on the budget won’t be known until more specific information about the percentage of at-risk students in the district is determined, and the state funding formula is applied, in December.

“We’re happy to see growth continue,“ Superintendent Wartgow added. “However, we need to look across the district, school by school, and reach out to our parents and communities to make sure that we are offering schools and programs that meet the needs of all students. That is very much part of our mission – setting high expectations and improving the performance of all students.”

District Adds Third Montessori Program

The Board of Education unanimously approved the partial transformation of Lincoln Elementary School to allow it to offer a Montessori program beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.

Lincoln Elementary School has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. In order to spark interest in the community and provide another option to parents, the school began planning a Montessori option.

“This has been two years in the planning and on behalf of the board we are very excited,” said Board President Elaine Gantz Berman.

The proposed Montessori program will serve up to 90 students in three classes. The proposal requires $87,000 additionally from the district’s general fund over a three-year period.

“The school has listened to its constituency and has come up with another interesting choice within DPS,” said Board member Lucia Guzman.

This Montessori program is intended to work in harmony with the existing program in order to meet the needs of parents and students satisfied with the existing approaches to teaching at Lincoln.

Two other Montessori programs in DPS are offered at Denison Montessori (1821 S. Yates St.) and Academia Ana Marie Sandoval (3655 Wyandot St.). Sandoval offers their Montessori program in a Dual Language (Spanish-English) setting.

 

Multiple Indicators To Be Used To Gauge School Success

Chief Academic Officer Sally Mentor Hay laid out plans this week to use multiple indicators at each school level to measure school performance beyond what the state is providing through the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP).

“CSAP, while an important measure of student achievement, is insufficient for the district to make judgments about the overall effectiveness of a school, “said Mentor Hay. “The only way we can get better is to become data driven. We have to know where we stand in each school relative to these indicators. This is a concept that is very important and very powerful as a lever for improving schools.”

Indicators for all schools include: attendance, principal quality, teacher quality, student respect, student safety, and teacher attendance, retention, and qualifications.

“Each school needs to work to meet growth targets based on indicators,” added Mentor Hay. “Improvement plans should specifically address how the school plans to increase results on each indicator.”

The district has created these indicators in order to align teacher performance objectives, school improvement plans, No Child Left Behind, and accreditation within a single system.

Additional School Indicators

Elementary School Indicators
Reading Level Growth – grades K, 1, 2
Writing Portfolio – grades ECE-5
English Language Acquisition – Oral
ELA Assessment – Reading & Writing

Middle School Indicators
English Language Acquisition – Oral
ELA Assessment – Reading & Writing
Algebra Exam – Grade 7, 8
Dropout Rate

High School Indicators
Colorado ACT Grade 11
Common Course Exams
English Language Acquisition – Oral
ELA Assessment – Reading & Writing

 

Stapleton Boundaries Proposed; Public Meeting Dec. 3

Proposed boundaries for the new school being built at Stapleton are under consideration.

The Board was given a tentative plan this week that would move a small portion of the neighborhood currently assigned to Philips Elementary School to the new facility, scheduled to open next August.

There are currently 39 students in grades kindergarten through five who live in an existing development southwest of Stapleton.

The streets that would define the Stapleton attendance area would be Montview Blvd. on the south, Quebec St. on the west, Havana St. on the east, and the city limits on the north.

A neighborhood meeting about this plan will be held at Philips (6550 E. 21st Ave.) on Tuesday, Dec. 3 beginning at 6:30 p.m. All interested parents and community members are invited to attend.

The new school will share space with Odyssey Charter School, which is contracted to serve 216 students. The opening day enrollment for the new DPS portion of the school isn’t clear at this point, according to an analysis submitted by the Department of Planning and Research. Nonetheless, the report expects the school may grow 400-450 students in the next two to three years.

 

Board Notes...

In other action this week, the Board of Education:

• Agreed to consider adjusting tuition rates for three- and four-year-old students attending Denison Montessori from $290 to $325 per month. In addition, tuition for extended kindergarten programs in 15 schools across the district would increase from $250 to $260 per month and at Denison Montessori from $250 to $325 per month. Tuition at Academia Ana Marie Sandoval would be unchanged at $355 per month for three-, four-year-old, and kindergarten students. Final consideration could be taken next month.
  
• Approved labor agreements with the Communications Workers of America, the Association of Building, Grounds and Warehouse Service Personnel, and the Amalgamated Transit Union.
  
• Approved a motion eliminating retiree life insurance benefits for district employees hired on or after July 1, 2003.
  
• Approved language to the Professional Staff Fringe Benefits policy that provides for any administrator, manager or supervisor to receive a severance pay stipend – equal to the amount negotiated with the Denver Classroom Teachers Association – if an irrevocable retirement request is submitted by Feb. 15.
  

 

 

 

 

Denver Public School
Board of Education

Elaine Gantz Berman, President
Lucia Guzman, Vice President
Sue Edwards, Secretary
Kevin Patterson, Treasurer
Michelle Moss, Board Member
James Mejia, Board Member at Large
Les Woodward, Board Member at Large

BoardNews is published after each Board Meeting. For a free subscription contact the DPS Public Information Office 900 Grant St., Room 402, Denver, CO 80203

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