TO:	EMSC Committee
FROM:	John B. King, Jr.
SUBJECT:	Charter Schools: Proposed Initial Charter for The University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men
DATE:	January 6, 2010
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed initial charter for The University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (Rochester)? 

Background Information

We received a request on October 15, 2009 from the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (“SUNY”) to approve and issue an initial charter for The University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (“the School”).  The School intends to use 2009-2010 for planning purposes, and to open for instruction in September, 2010. The School plans to enroll 150 students in grades 7-8 in the 2010-2011 school year, and to increase its enrollment to 375 students in grades 7-11 in the 2013-14 school year. 

On February 18, 2009, the Rochester City School District (“the District”) held the required public hearing on this proposed initial charter. There were no comments from the public or the district.

Staff recommend that the Board of Regents return the proposed initial charter to SUNY.

                             

Recommendation

VOTED:  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.

Timetable for Implementation

The Regents action for The University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men is effective immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York State Education Department

Summary of Proposed Initial Charter

 

Name of Proposed Charter School:  University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men (“the School”)

 

Address:  198 Kaywood Drive, Rochester, New York 14626

Applicant(s):  Joseph Munno and Hussain B. Ahmed 

Anticipated Opening Date:  September, 2010

District of Location:  Rochester City School District  

 

Charter Entity: SUNY

 

Institutional Partner(s):  N/A

Management Partner(s): N/A

Grades Served:                                    2009-2010:  Planning

                                                                      2010-2011:  7-8

                                                                      2011-2012:  7-9

                                                                      2012-2013:  7-10

                                          2013-2014:  7-11

                                    

Projected Enrollment per Year:    2009-2010:  0

           2010-2011:  150

                                                                      2011-2012:  225

                                                                      2012-2013:  300

                                                                      2013-2014:  375

                                                                     

Renewal Application Highlights

Applicant: 

              Joseph Munno is a retired Rochester City School District administrator and former special education teacher.  He has worked extensively with students at risk and professional development.

              Hussain B. Ahmed is currently the President/CEO and Founder of the Center for Change, Inc. in Rochester, which focuses on school redesign and community partnerships.   Mr. Ahmed has been a teacher and an AmeriCorps volunteer.

 

 

Curriculum/Assessment/Instruction

 

• The School intends to serve boys only, grades 7-11, during the term of the proposed charter.
• The School did not submit a curriculum which addresses and is aligned with all 28 New York State Learning standards or a core curriculum at each grade level, including English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.
• There is no document provided that indicates the increasingly complex progression of knowledge and skills leading to New York State Regents Diploma requirements.
• The School design will include Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound, a challenging, project-based, student centered approach, as well as Active Pedagogy, which uses effective instructional practices school wide, teaching reading and writing across all disciplines, and employing inquiry-based learning.
• Continuous assessment will support standards-based teaching and learning.
• The school year will be 190 days, and the school day will be 8 hours long.
• A one-hour Guided Study period is built into the day to provide extra help to all students.
• Crew, an advisory support period, is scheduled every day for all students

 

Governance

 

• Board members will be expected to have expertise in one or more of the following professional fields:  educational accountability, assessment and curriculum, technology, youth development, community development, business, accounting, banking, finance, fund raising, real estate, government, law, and military.
• The proposed initial members of the Board of Trustees are 16 active members of the Rochester community and reflect its diversity.  A parent and a teacher representative are to be added.

 

Students

 

• The applicants have targeted boys of grades 7-11 for their School’s intended population.
• The number of students in the School will be relatively low as compared with the Rochester City School District.
• Students new to the School will participate in an overnight Summer Institute to strengthen character and teamwork.
• Students will each have a relationship with a community mentor for direct support for academic success as part of the Crew experience.

 

Budget/Facilities

 

• The School has identified a prospective site.
• The School has a commitment letter of commitment to advance $250,000 from the Centurion Capital Corporation.
• The School provided a budget for the period from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 only, omitting the budgets for the remainder of the term of the proposed charter.

 

 

Projected Fiscal Impact of All Charter Schools on the

Rochester City School District

School	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
Eugenio Maria de Hostos CS	.50	.51	.51	.53
Genesee Community CS	.35	.36	.36	.37
Rochester Academy CS	.47	.56	.57	.58
True North Rochester Preparatory CS	.47	.48	.49	.49
University Preparatory CS for Young Men	.25	.37	.49	.62
Urban Choice CS	.61	.62	.63	.64
Total	2.40	3.15	2.93	3.10

 

Personnel

• The School will be led by a principal who will oversee the business manager, the teachers and the outreach coordinator.
• Teachers will participate in the planning of professional development.
• Teachers will play a vital role in the School from curriculum design to hiring and long term planning.

 

 

Community Support

 

• The applicants provided a number of letters of support, mostly professing good wishes for the success of the School.
• They also provided approximately 27 pages of signatures of individuals supporting the School, with zip codes, but no indication of students’ names or intent to enroll them.
• The School provided letters from 32 community members volunteering to be mentors.

 

Public Opinion

 

• A public hearing to solicit comments from the community in connection with the charter school’s proposed initial application was conducted by the Rochester City School District on February 18, 2009.  No public comments were made or received.  No comments were made by the Rochester City School District.