THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:	Full Board
FROM:	James A. Kadamus
SUBJECT:	Charter School Charter Agreement
DATE:	July 8, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

Should the Board of Regents approve the charter agreement for the Niagara Charter School application that was approved at the June 2005 meeting?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

          Required by State statute §2852.

Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the full Board on July 21, 2005 for action. 

 

Procedural History

 

The application for the Niagara Charter School was first discussed by the Board of Regents in December 2004. At that time, the application was denied “without prejudice” and the applicants were encouraged to resubmit the application once certain community support issues could be addressed.  The applicants subsequently entered into an agreement with the Superintendent of the Niagara Falls City School District to locate the school within those boundaries, but the District’s Board of Education failed to approve the charter school.  The application was subsequently re-submitted to the Department for review and approval.  The Board of Regents approved the application at its June 2005 meeting.

 

 

 

 

Background Information

 

The Niagara Charter School will be located in the Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District.  The School will use 2005-06 as a start-up year and commence instruction in the 2006-07 school year.  It will serve 240 students in grades K-4, and it has no management company.  By its fifth year, the School will serve 384 students in grades K-8.  It will use the Expeditionary Learning-Outward Bound instructional model.

 

Recommendation

 

VOTED: That the Board of Regents approve the charter agreement pursuant to Article 56 of the Education Law for the following charter school, and incorporate such school by granting a provisional charter for a period of five years:

 

·       Niagara Charter School, Niagara Falls

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The Regents action will become effective on July 22, 2005.   The 2005-06 school year will serve as a start-up planning year for the Niagara Charter School and it will commence instruction in the 2006-07 school year.