SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve and issue the proposed first renewal charter of Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School (New York City)?

Background Information

We have received a proposed renewal charter from the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York for Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School (“the School”), formerly known as City Collegiate Charter School.  The School’s charter was initially granted on April 15, 2005.  A revision to the charter, which changed the name of the School, was granted on May 16, 2005.  It currently serves 338 students in grades 5-9.  Upon renewal, the School will serve 361 students in grades 5-10, and grow to serve 492 students in grades 5-12 by the end of this proposed renewal term.  The School's mission is “to prepare each student for college.”  

Uncommon Schools, Inc. (USI) is the School’s management partner.  USI provides resources in several areas including, but not limited to: program design and development; teacher and principal recruitment; professional development; special education management; budgeting and financial management; fund development; technology; marketing; and, advocacy. The School provides instruction from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for 182 days per academic year.  The School provides a college preparatory program emphasizing six core elements.  The values (focus on literacy; more time on task; a basic skills curriculum; more time on task; data-driven instruction; an emphasis on college; and, a structured, orderly learning environment) define its institutional culture. 

The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in Community School District 14 on Monday, December 7, 2009 regarding this proposed renewal charter.  No comments were made or received. 

Complete copies of the above are available for your review by contacting Sally Bachofer at (518) 474-1762.  Additional information concerning this renewal application may also be found on the Board of Regents website at http://www.regents.nysed.gov/

Recommendation

              VOTED: That the Board of Regents approves and issues the first renewal charter of the Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School as proposed by the Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York, and that its provisional charter be extended for a term up through and including April 14, 2015.

Reasons for Recommendation

              (1) The charter school described in the proposed charter meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; (2) the applicants can demonstrate the ability to operate the school in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; and (3) approving and issuing the proposed charter is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law. 

Timetable for Implementation

The Regents action for the Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School will be effective immediately.

New York State Education Department

Summary of Charter School Renewal Information

Summary of Applicant Information

Name of Proposed Renewed Charter School: Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School (WCCS or “the School”)

Address: 157 Wilson Street, Brooklyn, New York 11211

Board of Trustees President: John Kim

Renewal Period: April 15, 2010 – April 14, 2015

Opening Date: September 2005

District of Location: New York City Community School District 14, Brooklyn

Charter Entity: Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York

Institutional Partner: N/A

Management Partner: Uncommon Schools, Inc.

Grades Served per Year:                  Renewal Year 1 – 5-10

                                                                      Renewal Year 2 – 5-11

                                                                      Renewal Year 3 – 5-12

                                                                      Renewal Year 4 – 5-12

                                                                      Renewal Year 5 – 5-12

Projected Enrollment per Year:

Renewal Year 1 – 361

Renewal Year 2 – 416

Renewal Year 3 – 468

Renewal Year 4 – 485

Renewal Year 5 – 492

Renewal Application Highlights

Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives

• The School opened in September 2005.  The School served students in grades 5-8 through the 2008-2009 school year.  The student achievement results for the School are shown in Attachment 1 – Tables 1 through 4.
• The School scored higher than its district of location in the English language arts (ELA) and math exams.  See Attachment 1 – Table 5.
• The School has been deemed “In Good Standing” under New York State’s (NYS) Accountability System.
• For 2008-2009, the School’s aggregate Performance Index (PI) of 193 on the NYS ELA and 200 on the math exams met the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) set forth in the NYS accountability system.
• Since 2006-2007, WCCS has partially achieved its comparative goal of ranking among the top five New York City charter schools based on student performance at Level 3 and Level 4 on the NYS ELA and math exams. 
• In 2006-2007, WCCS ranked third (grade 5) and sixth (grade 6) in ELA.  In math, the School ranked fifth (grade 5) and first (grade 6).
• In 2007-2008, WCCS ranked fourteenth (grade 5), sixth (grade 6) and third (grade 7) in ELA.  In math, the School ranked fourth (grade 5) and first (grades 6 and 7).
• In 2008-2009, WCCS ranked twelfth (grade 5), fourth (grade 6 and 8), and second (grade 7).  In math, the School ranked first in grades five through eight.    
• In 2008-2009, 93 percent of students in grades 5-8 were proficient on the NYS ELA examination; and 100 percent were proficient on the NYS math examination.  See Attachment 1 – Table 1.
• The School reported that for 2009-2010, it serves 83 percent of students who are eligible for free lunch and reduced lunch; 4.6 percent are identified as students with disabilities (SWD); and 11 percent of students are identified as English language learners (ELL).
• The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) reports that the School’s population for 2009-2010 is: 42 percent Black, 57 percent Hispanic, and one percent students from other backgrounds. 
• The School provides instruction in each subject in the seven general curriculum areas and the proposed curriculum is aligned to all 28 NYS learning standards.
• The School has an internally developed curriculum for all subjects.  Instruction, however, is supplemented in ELA with Holt, Rinehart and Winston’s Elements of Language Introductory Course (grade 6); and, Glencoe McGraw Hill’s Writer’s Choice (grades 7 and 8). 
• The School proposes to use Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition, Full Course for ELA instruction in grades 9 through 12.
• In math, instruction is supplemented with Glencoe’s Pre-Algebra (grade 7) and Algebra (grade 8).  WCCS will use Prentice Hall’s New York Integrated Algebra, New York Geometry and Amsco’s Mathematics B for high school grades.
• Science instruction in grades 7 and 8 is supplemented with Prentice Hall’s Science Explorer Series.  For grades 9 through 12, WCCS will use Prentice Hall’s Biology, Chemistry: Connections to our Changing World and Glencoe McGraw Hill’s Physics: Principles and Problems. 
• Social studies instruction will be supplemented by Glencoe’s World History and Prentice Hall’s The American Nation. 
• The School administers norm-referenced assessments in reading and math. 
• Students entering grade 5 are tested on the Terra Nova in reading, language and math. 
• WCCS educates SWD in the least restrictive environment. 
• The School employs a structured immersion strategy to help ELL students achieve proficiency in the English language. 
• The School has a 182-day school year from September to the end of June.
• The School provides instruction from 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday.  WCCS offers a homework club each day from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.  
• For the past four years, the average daily attendance at the School has been 97 percent.
• For 2008-2009, the teacher retention rate was 75 percent.  From 2005 to 2008, the annual teacher retention rate was 86 percent, 73 percent, and 93 percent, respectively.  
• The School’s principal has been with WCCS since its inception. 

Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact

• The School maintained a positive fund balance in each year of the charter and has no long-term debt.  WCCS shows a positive change in its net assets in each of the past four fiscal years.  See Attachment 3.
• The School is co-located in an NYCDOE school building, which it has occupied since its inception.  The School is located at 157 Wilson Street, Brooklyn, New York 11221.
• The School is managed by Uncommon Schools, Inc. (USI).  USI manages 11 other charter schools in New York State (see Attachment 4).  USI provides the following services: fundraising, payroll and purchasing, legal guidance, leadership training, special education management and human resources management. 
• The School is governed by eleven trustees.  The principal serves as an ex oficio member of the board.  The committees of the board are: executive, finance, and accountability.  One trustee position is reserved for the parent of a WCCS student.
• The potential fiscal impact upon the District is represented below.  Please note that these projections are based upon several assumptions, which may or may not occur: that all existing charter schools will also exist in the next five years and serve the same grade levels as they do now; that the charter schools will be able to meet their projected maximum enrollment; that all students will come from New York City and no other districts; that all students will attend every day for a 1.0 FTE; that the District’s budget will increase at the projected rate; that the per pupil payment will increase (and not decrease); and that the per pupil payment will increase at the projected rate.

Projected Fiscal Impact of the

Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School

(New York City – CSD 14 – Brooklyn)

2010-11 through 2014-15

* Assumes no annual increase in the District’s budget from the base of $21 billion in 2010-2011; and no annual increase in the average expense per pupil per year from the 2010-2011 rate of $12,443.

Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support

• A public hearing to solicit comments from the community in connection with the charter school’s proposed renewal was conducted by the New York City Department of Education on December 7, 2009.  No public comments were received. 
• The rate of student attrition was approximately four percent from 2006 through 2008.  In 2008-2009, the student attrition rate was three percent. 
• Parent satisfaction rates were high.  Ninety-six percent of parents responding to School’s survey reported satisfaction with the overall quality of education. 

Summary of Charter Entity’s Findings and Recommendations

New York City Department of Education has recommended a full five-year renewal.  NYCDOE finds that the School is an educationally and fiscally sound organization.  NYCDOE found the WCCS leadership team “has clearly articulated priorities and has created a sharp focus on classroom activities and conditions for learning.”  Teachers enforce uniform expectations for student behavior, offer a uniform structure for classroom design, and utilize a school-wide checklist of strategies for student engagement.  According to the State’s NCLB accountability system, the School is deemed in “good standing.”

The School has met the student academic outcome measures included in the key design elements and performance goals.  NYCDOE found that the School is well supported by its management partner in the areas outlined in the agreement.  The authorizer reported that WCCS students are aware of the mission of the School and “feel supported by the school to meet their instructional goals.”  The School received an “A” grade in each of the last three NYCDOE Progress Reports.  The authorizer has recommended that the School develop “a wider variety of strategies to accommodate students with more serious learning disabilities” and increase ELL student enrollment.

NYCDOE determined that the board of trustees functions well and promotes the mission and vision of the School.  The authorizer noted that the board’s top priorities going forward include “the operational needs at the high school level, leadership retention, increased focus on data-driven instruction, and support for school leadership.  The School will have an enrollment of 361 students in 2010-2011 and grow to 492 by 2014-2015.

Attachment 1

Table 1*

2008-2009

Grades 5-8 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of WCCS Students at Levels 1 – 4

Table 2*

2007-2008

Grades 5-7 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of WCCS Students at Levels 1 – 4

Table 3*

2006-2007

Grades 5-6 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of WCCS Students at Levels 1 – 4

Table 4*

2005-2006

Grades 5 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of WCCS Students at Levels 1 – 4

Table 5*

2006-2009

Grades 5-8 State ELA and Math Assessments

Percent of WCCS and District 14 Students at Proficiency Level

* Due to statistical rounding, percentages may exceed 100.

Attachment 2

Current Enrollment

Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School

2009-2010

Projected Enrollment

Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School

2010-11 to 2014-2015

Attachment 3

Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School

Change in Net Assets for 2005-06 through 2008-09*

*Source: Audited Financial Statements provided as a part of each Annual Report.

Attachment 4

Performance on ELA and Math State Assessments by Charter Schools

Managed by Uncommon Schools, Inc.

in comparison to the district of location in New York City

*Only includes USI managed schools that have administered the ELA and math state assessments. 

USI Schools which opened for instruction in fall 2009 include:

• Excellence for Girls CS (September 2009)
• Leadership Preparatory East New York CS (September 2009)
• Flatbush Collegiate CS (August 2009)

USI Schools scheduled to offer instruction in fall 2010 include: 

• Crown Heights Collegiate CS (August 2010)
• East New York Collegiate CS August 2010)
• Leadership Preparatory 3 CS (formerly known as Leadership Preparatory Brownsville CS (September 2010)
• Leadership Preparatory 4 CS (formerly known as Leadership Preparatory Flatbush CS) (September 2010)