Growing a new school from DIRT
By Abby Wolf WARWICK Citing a desire for a more innovative curriculum and a school free of mandates that they see as too restrictive, a local group of parents, educators and members of the community are applying to The Charter Schools Institute, State University of New York, to open Orange Countys first charter school.
Shannon Hockswender, spokeswoman for the proposed new school, said that the parents shes spoken with want a school that would be innovative and unique.
While many students initially may come from Pine Island and Warwick in general, her group also wanted to draw kids from all over Orange County – we may have a shot (at getting state and federal funds) for the new school, she said.
The school, to be named DIRT – an acronym for Developing Innovative Rural Thinking – would teach environmental studies and have science as its main focus, while concentrating on agriculture.
Public school – with a difference
Charter schools are technically public schools in that they are free – theyre paid for by taxes – and are open to all students. The difference is that they have more flexibility with the curriculum, the school day and length of the school year. Some charter schools focus on arts or business or foreign languages, for example.
Further, charter schools may apply for and receive private money in the form of grants.
No cherry-picking Contrary to popular belief, a charter school may not simply siphon off the top students in a given district.
Students may come from the town in which the school is sited, or they may live in surrounding towns. A charter school is open to all students, on a first-come, first served, basis. Depending upon the size of the school and the need, additional prospective students may be put on a waiting list, and then be chosen by lottery to attend.
In the case of DIRT charter school, Hockswender has more than 100 prospective students from Warwick, Florida, Minisink, Goshen, Westtown, Middletown, Chester, Campbell Hall and Unionville.
DIRT ultimately plans to serve 200 students, K-5.
When youre granted a charter, you want to pull from all areas (versus just one district), Hockswender said.
Flexibility for teachers, choice in learning for students
Teachers in charter schools have more latitude to teach their courses – they can choose to spend a greater part of the school day on a given subject, versus the need to spend, say, 60 instructional minutes of a class day on English Language Arts in a conventional public school, Hockswender noted.
You could have (for example) a two-hour block of ELA one day, perhaps 30 minutes the next day, and spend additional time on subjects such as science or art.
Hockswender said that the charter school setting also permits kids to have some choice in their learning to have ownership.
She added that teachers and students can do more project-based activities, using the Constructivist model of learning. (Constructivism is a form of educational theory that says that students learn collaboratively with their teachers, constructing their own understanding of the material, as opposed to learning and memorizing discrete bits of knowledge that the teacher gives them, which is the educational norm.)
Interdisciplinary curriculum Hockswender found Seeds to Read, a combined science and reading curriculum: It was field-tested and approved (by NYSED) (but a typical) public school wouldnt pick this (they) would do a science, a reading and a math separately.
In addition to environmental science, the proposed curriculum will include ELA, math, social studies, foreign language art and music, as well as after-school programs.
She added that the actual curriculum is still being developed, and will then be presented to the public, followed by a budget.
Standards Still, charter schools must follow (state and federal) core teaching standards, and teachers are required to submit exit standards before promoting kids to the next grade level, to make sure that kids are ready to move on, Hockswender said.
Students at charter schools are still required to take state standardized tests, particularly the ELA and math.
According to The Charter Schools Institute, State University of New York Web site:
As set forth in the Practices, Policies and Procedures for the Renewal of Charter Schools Authorized by the State University Board of Trustees, the single most important factor that the Charter Schools Institute and the State University Board of Trustees consider in making renewal determinations is the schools record in generating successful student achievement outcomes. Whatever grades a school is providing, the expectation is that most if not all of the students will leave the school fully prepared and educated for the next step in their academic careersmiddle school, high school or college.
In order to determine whether a school has met that high standard, each charter school that the State University Board of Trustees authorizes is required to enter into a performance agreement, known as the Accountability Plan, which becomes part of its charter.
Having a mission The state, Hockswender continued, will only grant charters to schools with a distinct, succinct and consistent vision and mission. Everyone involved has to be on the same page.
Special-needs students Another advantage to the charter school model, according to Hockswender, is that the school does not need to have a Special Education teacher on staff, but rather has the flexibility to contract one out from a service provider, based on the number of Special Education students in a given year.
Limits on charter school funds There are some restrictions on funding for these alternative schools: Funds may not be used for construction, re-construction, acquisition, rehabilitation or improvement of school facilities; however, the school may apply to the Charter School Stimulus Funds. Also, charter schools are permitted to accept gifts and grants to cover start-up costs. Its a lot of paperwork, Hockswender said.
How did DIRT get its name? We were looking at a bunch of names, including place names, then we learned that the charter school commissioner wants the (schools) name to match its mission, Hockswender said. The name is very much in keeping with the environmental mission and agricultural area.
Why a charter school now? In so many New York State districts, the government is taking away funding for schools and our kids we have to get creative for our kids, Hockswender said.
She continued: Its interesting that theres funding for charter schools, but no money for regular public schools.
While DIRT is planned to be a K-5 charter school, Hockswenders boards survey results showed an interest in a middle school charter school eventually.
Process Hockswsender and DIRTs board must complete and mail in an application to the Charter Board in Albany, and must undergo an interview process.
While some charter schools have failed because their boards werent consistent in their mission, Hockswender believes DIRT will do OK.
On the other hand, she said that even if the application is denied for a charter school in Orange County this time, Its been a great process, and shes learned a lot.