Meeting of the Board of Regents | January 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010 - 9:50am

Report of the

REGENTS EMSC COMMITTEE

The Board of Regents

January 12, 2010

Your EMSC Committee held its scheduled meeting on January 11, 2010. All Committee members were present except for Regents Cohen and Rosa, who were excused.

ACTION ITEMS

Developing and Implementing Common, High-Quality Assessments

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents endorse the participation of New York State in a consortium of states that will work toward jointly in developing and implementing common, high-quality assessments aligned with a common set of K-12 standards. With the endorsement of the Regents, once the final guidelines for the Assessment Competition are released, staff will develop a proposed application. [EMSC (A) 1]

Charter School Actions

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Teaching Firms of America Professional Preparatory Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 2]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the revision to the third renewal charter of the Riverhead Charter School, and the provisional charter is amended accordingly. [EMSC (A) 3]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the New Hope Academy Charter School to the Trustees of the State University of New York, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) That the charter school provide evidence that the lead applicant is either a teacher, parent, school administrator or community resident; (2) That the charter school align its curriculum to the 28 New York State learning standards; (3) That the charter school amend its goals to align with the SUNY approved template, and to include goals pertaining to student engagement, responsible school leadership, parent/staff/student satisfaction, and academic performance of grades K-2; 5) That the charter school provide signatures of interested parents as evidence that all seats in Year One will be filled. [EMSC (A) 4]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the application for the Kingsbridge Innovative Design Charter School. [EMSC (A) 5]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Hyde Leadership Charter School – Brooklyn as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 6]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents issues the first renewal charter of the Urban Choice Charter School and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2014. [EMSC (A) 7]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Icahn Charter School 5 as proposed by the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 8]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves the renewal application of the Southside Academy Charter School, that a third renewal charter be issued, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2015. [EMSC (A) 9]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of The University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men to the Trustees of the State University of New York for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) that compliance with constitutional requirements has not been demonstrated; (2) that a curriculum that addresses and is aligned with all 28 New York State Learning Standards and a core curriculum at each grade level be provided, including English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies; (3) that the applicants provide a document that indicates the increasingly complex progression of knowledge and skills leading to New York State Regents Diploma requirements; (4) that the applicants provide evidence of community interest and support; and (5) that the applicants provide a budget for all five years. [EMSC (A) 10]

Your Committee recommends that consent be given to the International Charter School of Schenectady to file a petition for judicial dissolution pursuant to §1102 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. [EMSC (A) 11]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the second renewal charter of the Enterprise Charter School, as proposed by the Buffalo Board of Education, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including June 30, 2013. [EMSC (A) 12]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Bedford Stuyvesant New Beginnings Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 13]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Imagine Me Leadership Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 14]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the New World Academy Charter School to the Trustees of the State University of New York, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) There is no evidence that the lead applicant has completed a state and federal criminal records check to the satisfaction of SUNY; (2) That the charter school provide evidence that the lead applicant is either a teacher, parent, school administrator or community resident; (3) That the charter school align its curriculum to the 28 New York State learning standards; (4) That the charter school amend its academic goals to align with the SUNY approved template, and to include goals pertaining to fiscal stability, legal compliance, student attendance, and parent/staff/student satisfaction; (5) That the charter school amend its budget to include a line for a dissolution escrow account for no less than $75,000; (6) That the charter school reduce its planned start-up deficit of $100,231; (7) That the charter school provide assurance that all special education teachers will be Highly Qualified; (8) That the charter school provide the description for request for evaluation to the Committee on Special Education of the student’s district of residence. [EMSC (A) 15]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Riverton Street Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and issues a provisional charter to it for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 16]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the Brooklyn Dreams Charter School to the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) that the School provide evidence that the lead applicant has completed a state and federal criminal records check to the satisfaction of SUNY; (2) that the School provide evidence that the lead applicant is either a teacher, parent, school administrator or community resident; (3) that the School include instruction leading to the attainment of all 28 learning standards in the application; (4) that the School revise the application to clarify the targeted district of location; (5) that the School provide letters of support demonstrating community support for the application; (6) that the School comply with provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and (7) that the School ensure that applications for admission will be accepted until and through April 1 of each year. [EMSC (A) 17]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Girls as proposed by the Trustees of the State University of New York and issues a provisional charter for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 18]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents approves and issues the charter of the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys as proposed by the Trustees of the State University of New York, and issues a provisional charter for a term of five years, up through and including January 11, 2015. [EMSC (A) 19]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the Harlem Success Academy Charter School 5 to the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY), for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) That evidence be provided that the lead applicant has completed a state and federal criminal records check to the satisfaction of SUNY; (2) that the proposed charter school’s curriculum be aligned with the New York State 28 Learning Standards; (3) that the proposed charter school operates a kindergarten program, including revising the developmental kindergarten curriculum to align to New York State kindergarten standards; (4) that the proposed charter school ensure that admission is only of students eligible to attend kindergarten; and (5) that the charter school understands that State Aid is only available for kindergarten and not for pre-kindergarten. [EMSC (A) 20]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the Harlem Success Academy Charter School 6 to the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY), for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) That either a public hearing be held in CSD 5 or that the application be revised to indicate that the School will be located in CSD 7; (2) that evidence be provided that the lead applicant has completed a state and federal criminal records check to the satisfaction of SUNY; (3) that the proposed charter school’s curriculum be aligned with the New York State 28 Learning Standards; (4) that the proposed charter school operates a kindergarten program, including revising the developmental kindergarten curriculum to align to New York State kindergarten standards; (5) that the proposed charter school ensure that admission is only of students eligible to attend kindergarten; and (6) that the charter school understands that State Aid is only available for kindergarten and not for pre-kindergarten. [EMSC (A) 21]

Your Committee recommends that the Board of Regents returns the proposed charter of the Harlem Success Academy Charter School 7 to the Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY), for reconsideration, and with the following comments and recommendations: (1) That either a public hearing be held in CSD 3 or that the application be revised to indicate that the School will be located in CSD 8; (2) that evidence be provided that the lead applicant has completed a state and federal criminal records check to the satisfaction of SUNY; (3) that the proposed charter school’s curriculum be aligned with the New York State 28 Learning Standards; (4) that the proposed charter school operates a kindergarten program, including revising the developmental kindergarten curriculum to align to New York State kindergarten standards; (5) that the proposed charter school ensure that admission is only of students eligible to attend kindergarten; and (6) that the charter school understands that State Aid is only available for kindergarten and not for pre-kindergarten. [EMSC (A) 22]

MOTION FOR ACTION BY FULL BOARD

Madam Chancellor and Colleagues: Your EMSC Committee recommends, and we move, that the Board of Regents act affirmatively upon each recommendation in the written report of the Committee's deliberations at its meeting on January 12, 2010, copies of which have been distributed to each Regent.

MATTERS NOT REQUIRING BOARD ACTION

Early Childhood Education – The Committee discussed new federal initiatives for 2010 which build on school reform programs currently underway and that will include integrated early childhood components as well as other proposed initiatives that will focus solely on early education (i.e., the Early Learning Challenge Fund). The Committee discussed four early childhood policy areas that should continue to be addressed by the Board of Regents in order to expand access to high quality early education learning opportunities that provide the academic and social skills foundation students need for success in P–12 education, college, and the global economy and society in the 21st century. Those four policy areas are: Standards, Data, Assessment/Accountability, and Improving Early Childhood Instruction and Leadership. [EMSC (D) 1]

That concludes our report.

Anthony Bottar and Merryl Tisch

Co-Chairs