Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2010

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

TO:
FROM:	John B. King, Jr.
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed First Renewal Charter for New York Center for Autism Charter School
DATE:	April 5, 2010
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve and issue the proposed first renewal charter of New York Center for Autism 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 New York Center for Autism Charter School (NYCACS or “the School”).  The School’s charter was initially granted on April 15, 2005.  The School is ungraded and currently serves 28 students from five to fourteen years of age diagnosed with severe to moderate autism.  Upon renewal, the School will serve 30 students, and grow to serve 32 students by the end of this proposed renewal term. It will also increase its age range to serve students who are up to 19 years of age.  The School's mission is “to provide individualized, scientifically based educational services to children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. The NYCACS educational program promotes the achievement of high educational standards and the full intellectual, social, physical and emotional potential of each student. NYCACS extends educational programming beyond the school’s walls through organized outreach, training, consultation and support for students’ families, and offers ongoing professional development opportunities to NYCACS’ staff and educators in New York City and the surrounding area.”

The School will follow an extended year (12 month) calendar to meet the needs of its students.  Instruction will be provided from 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. for 210 days per academic year. 

The New York Center for Autism (NYCA) has served as the School’s institutional partner since inception.  Given the School’s increased independence and fiscal stability, the NYCACS Board of Trustees has voted to terminate the existing Institutional Partnership Agreement with NYCA in favor of a Memorandum of Understanding.  While NYCA will no longer serve as an institutional partner, both Boards have agreed to continue their close collaboration.

The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in Community School District 4 on November 20, 2009 regarding this proposed renewal charter.  Four individuals made positive comments in favor of the School’s renewal. 

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 New York Center for Autism 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 New York Center for Autism 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: New York Center for Autism Charter School (NYCACS or “the School”)

 

Address: 433 East 100th Street (at PS/IS 150), New York, NY 10029

Board of Trustees President:  Hugh O’Rourke

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

Opening Date: September 6, 2005

District of Location:  New York City Community School District 4, Manhattan

 

Charter Entity: Chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York (“the Chancellor”)

 

Institutional Partner: N/A

Management Partner: N/A

Grades Served per Year:    Renewal Years 1 – 5: Ungraded

Projected Enrollment per Year:

Renewal Year 1 – 30

Renewal Year 2 – 30

Renewal Year 3 – 32

Renewal Year 4 – 32

Renewal Year 5 – 32

Renewal Application Highlights

Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives

 

• The School opened in September 2005 and administered NYS alternative assessments in English language arts (ELA), math, social studies and science.  The student achievement results for the School are shown in Attachment 1.
• The School has successfully met the academic goals that it set for itself, including the transition of two students to a less restrictive environment.
• For 2009-2010, the School served 21 percent low income students; and 100 percent special education students.
• For 2009-2010, the School served three percent limited English proficiency students.
• The School’s population for 2009-2010 is: 61 percent White, 14 percent Black, 14 percent Hispanic, and 11 percent Multi-Racial.
• Instruction at the School is completely individualized, as set forth in each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• The School provides a research-based education to each of its students.  Autism is characterized by deficits in language and social skills, and by behavioral excesses such as aggression, self-injury, and stereotypic behavior.  NYCACS will employ science-based education and treatment strategies empirically demonstrated to be effective with students with autism, all of whom are at risk for academic failure. 
• The School has developed a curriculum with an extensive set of programs that are designed specifically for students on the autism spectrum. 
• NYCACS will continue to provide its students with a comprehensive program of academic and support services based on the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA).
• The ABA methodology of teaching will include the selection, assessment, and strategies for changing behavior of social relevance (e.g., academic skills, self-care, vocational and socialization). 
• Each component of the curricula will outline a specific set of behavioral teaching strategies to teach the specific objective.
• The various strategies employed by ABA include instructional control, positive reinforcement, incidental teaching, video modeling, and shaping.
• The School has a 210-day school year from September to the end of June, and 30 days during the summer session.
• The School provides instruction from 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. each day.  One day per week, each classroom holds a class meeting after student dismissal.  In addition, there is a school-wide staff meeting one day per week after student dismissal.
• The teacher retention rate for the 2008-2009 school year was 25 percent, as two of eight teachers did not return to the school.  The School has had two principals since opening in 2005.  The current school leader was promoted prior to the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.

Evidence of Fiscal Soundness/Projected Fiscal Impact

 

• According to the School’s most recent audited financial statements for year ended June 30, 2009, the School possessed assets totaling $1,269,572 and total liabilities of $108,859. 
• In 2008-09, the School received contributions totaling $120,859.
• The School has no long-term debt and shares space with PS/IS 150 in a NYCDOE public school building.
• The School’s Board of Trustees fulfills the statutory responsibilities associated with operating a charter school in an effective, efficient and ethical manner. 
• The NYCACS Board of Trustees has voted to terminate the existing Institutional Partnership Agreement with New York Center for Autism (NYCA) in favor of a Memo of Understanding. While NYCA will no longer be an institutional partner, both Boards have agreed to continue their close collaboration.
• The School shows a negative change in its net assets for 2008-09 school year.  See Attachment 3.
• The number of Trustees is not fewer than five (5) and not to exceed fifteen (15).
• Trustees are elected to serve terms of three years.  The Parent Trustee is appointed for only one-year terms.
• Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees are held six times throughout the year.
• The Board has four committees.  They include the Education/Special Projects Committee; Supervision and Administration Committee; Trustee Committee; and Finance Committee. 
• The officers of the board of trustees are president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
• 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

New York Center for Autism Charter School

(New York City – CSD 4 – Manhattan)

2010-11 through 2014-15

School Year	Number of Students	Per Pupil Allocation	Projected Payment*	Projected Impact
2010-2011	30	$81,258	$2,437,740	0.0127%
2011-2012	30	$81,258	$2,437,740	0.0127%
2012-2013	32	$84,102	$2,691,265	0.0131%
2013-2014	32	$87,046	$2,785,459	0.0137%
2014-2015	32	$90,092	$2,882,944	0.0138%

*Assumes no increase in years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, a 3.5 percent increase from the 2013-15 estimated average per pupil Allocated Operating Expenses (AOE) of $81,258 (note: this AOE estimate is subject to unpredictable increases and decreases in any given year).

Evidence of Parent and Student Satisfaction and Community Support

• The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in Community School District 4 on November 20, 2009 regarding this proposed renewal charter.  Twenty-one people attended and four individuals made positive comments that were unanimously supportive of the School’s renewal.
• Since the inception of the School, only two students have left.  Both made a transition to less restrictive environments.
• The School receives 60 to 80 applications for its enrollment lottery each year, despite the fact that the School has, for the last two years, had no more than two openings per year.
• The outcomes of the most recent NYCDOE Learning Environment Survey reflect strong parental support for the School.
• Ninety-three percent of parents were “very satisfied” with the education that their child received and seven percent were “satisfied.” The parent response rate was 88 percent. 

 

Summary of Charter Entity’s Findings and Recommendations

The New York City Department of Education Charter Schools Office (NYCDOE) found that the School met its goals as outlined in the charter.  They found it to be a successful school that has made consistent progress towards meeting its academic, social and personal goals for the student body it serves.  DOE reports that NYCACS is organizationally viable and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations pertaining to its current charter.

NYCDOE found that the School maintains strong internal controls at all levels in financial matters. The School displays appropriate degree of segregation of functions to maintain proper internal controls.  NYCDOE determined that the all adopted policies are being enforced properly and the School is currently in strong financial standing. The parent survey results from the 2008 NYCDOE Learning Environment Survey indicate that the majority of parents who responded are extremely satisfied with the education that the School is providing.

Based on its findings, NYCDOE has concluded that NYCACS is an educationally and fiscally sound organization that is likely to continue to improve students’ readiness to engage with the wider world, and their learning and achievement.

 

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Attachment 3

 

 

 

Attachment 1

NYCA CHARTER SCHOOL NYSAA 2008-2009

ELA NYSAA

School Year	Grade 3 Age Equivalent				Grade 4 Age Equivalent					Grade 5 Age Equivalent					Grade 6  Age Equivalent					Grade 7 Age Equivalent
Level	1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4
2008-09			20% n=1	80% n=4					100% n=2			25% n=1		75% n=3									50% n=1	50% n=1
2007-08				100% n=2				20% n=1	80% n=4										100% n=2
2006-07				100% n=5										100% n=2
2005-06									100% n=1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Year	Grade 3 Age Equivalent				Grade 4 Age Equivalent					Grade 5 Age Equivalent					Grade 6  Age Equivalent					Grade 7 Age Equivalent
Level	1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4
2008-09				100% n=5					100% n=2		25% n=1	25% n=1	25% n=1	25% n=1										100% n=2
2007-08				100% n=2					100% n=5										100% n=2
2006-07				100% n=5										100% n=2
2005-06									100% n=1

Mathematics NYSAA

Social Studies NYSAA

School Year	Grade 3 Age Equivalent				Grade 4 Age Equivalent					Grade 5 Age Equivalent					Grade 6  Age Equivalent					Grade 7 Age Equivalent
Level	1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4
2008-09													25% n=1	75% m=3
2007-08
2006-07														100% n=2
2005-06

 

Science NYSAA

School Year	Grade 3 Age Equivalent				Grade 4 Age Equivalent					Grade 5 Age Equivalent					Grade 6  Age Equivalent					Grade 7 Age Equivalent
Level	1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4		1	2	3	4
2008-09									100% n=2
2007-08									100% n=5
2006-07
2005-06

END

Attachment 2

Current Enrollment

New York Center for Autism Charter School

2009-2010

GRADE	2007-08
Ungraded	28
TOTAL	28

Projected Enrollment

New York Center for Autism Charter School

2010-11 to 2014-15

GRADE		2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Ungraded		30	30	32	32	32
Total		30	30	32	32	32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment 3

 

New York Center for Autism Charter School

Change in Net Assets for 2005 through 2009*

Year	Change in Net Assets
2005-06	$3,058,099
2006-07	($193,477)
2007-08	$419,357
2008-09	($2,123,296)

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