Meeting of the Board of Regents | May 2010

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 11:40pm

sed seal

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 Second Renewal Charter for KIPP Academy Charter School
DATE:	May 12, 2010
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve and issue the proposed renewal charter of KIPP Academy 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 KIPP Academy Charter School (“KACS” or “the School”). The School’s charter was initially approved on May 4, 2000. KACS converted to a charter school from an existing program, which began in 1995. The School’s initial charter was renewed for a period of five years on May 17, 2005. Revisions to the School’s first renewal charter were approved by the Regents on July 28, 2009. Under its revised charter, the School provides instruction to students in Grade 9 at a co-located high school with students enrolled at three other schools: KIPP Always Mentally Prepared Academy Charter School; KIPP Infinity Charter School; and, KIPP Success Through Teamwork, Achievement, and Responsibility College Preparatory Charter School (KIPP S.T.A.R.). The co-located high school, currently located in Community School District (CSD) 5, will serve grades 9 through12 during the proposed charter term. The School also serves Grade K at a site located in CSD 8.

It currently serves 382 students in Grade K and grades 5 through 9. Upon renewal, it will serve 534 students in grades K and 1, and 5 through 10; and, grow to serve 855 students in grades K through 12 by the end of this proposed renewal term. The School's mission is “to help students develop the academic and character skills necessary to achieve success in high school and college, be self-sufficient in the competitive world beyond and build a better tomorrow for themselves and us all.”

The School does not have a management partner. KIPP NYC, LLC, the institutional partner, provides instructional and operational support through a shared services agreement. The School provides instruction from 7:25 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for 210 days per academic year. The School provides a college preparatory program emphasizing students’ time on-task and intensive academic commitments. The School is one of several in New York City incorporating the Five Pillars model of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP). The pillars (high expectations, more time on task, focus on results, power to lead, and choice and commitment) define its institutional culture.

The New York City Department of Education held a public hearing in CSD 7 on November 18, 2009, regarding this proposed renewal charter. One comment was made endorsing the renewal application.

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 second renewal charter of the KIPP Academy 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 May 16, 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 KIPP Academy 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: KIPP Academy Charter School (KACS or “the School”)

Address: 250 East 156th Street, Bronx, New York 10451 (grades 5 through 8), 928 Simpson St. Bronx, New York 10459 (Grade K), and 625 West 133rd Street, New York, New York 10027 (Grade 9)

Board of Trustees President: David Massey

Renewal Period: May 17, 2010 through May 16, 2015

Opening Date: September 2000

Districts of Location: New York City Community School District 5, Manhattan (grades 9 through 12), New York City Community School District 7, Bronx (grades 5 through 8), and New York City Community School District 8, Bronx (Grade K)

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

Institutional Partner: KIPP NYC, LLC.

Management Partner: N/A

Grades Served and Project Enrollment per Year:

Renewal Year Grades Served Enrollment

2010 – 2011 grades K and 1, and grades 5 through 10 534

2011 – 2012 grades K through 2, and grades 5 through 11 657

2012 – 2013 grades K through 3, and grades 5 through 12 774

2013 – 2014 grades K through 12 852

2014 – 2015 grades K through 12 855

Renewal Application Highlights

Charter Entity Findings

The NYCDOE has recommended a full five-year renewal. The NYCDOE finds that the School is an educationally and fiscally sound organization. The School has worked hard to improve in the area of data driven instruction and the evaluation of school leadership. The NYCDOE found that the School is constantly striving to improve the differentiation of instruction for both higher achievers and for special education students. The School has clearly documented discipline policies and procedures. The NYCDOE notes that since 2005, “95 percent of KIPP Academy alumni have graduated from high school, 88 percent have matriculated to collage, and 75 percent are currently on track to graduate from college.” 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. The NYCDOE found that the School is academically successful with sustained high achievement levels in math and ELA. The NYCDOE reported the School earned an A on its New York City progress report in both 2006-2007 and 2007-2008.

The School has been effectively governed since inception. NYCDOE reports that the school’s budgeting process is collaborative and involves the principal, superintendent, KIPP NYC’s central team and KIPP Academy board members. For 2011-2012, the School plans to relocate grades K-1 and 5-8 to the Mott Haven Educational Complex located in CSD 7. The School will serve students in grades 9-12 at a co-located high school facility located at 625 West 133rd Street in CSD 5. The School will have an enrollment of 534 students in 2010-2011 and grow to 855 by 2014-2015.

Evidence of Educational Soundness/ Attainment of Educational Objectives

The School opened in September 2000 as a conversion charter school. The charter was renewed for a period of five years in May 2005. The School served students in grades 5 through 8 during the 2008-2009 school year. The student achievement results for the School are shown in Tables 1 through 4.
The School scored higher than its district of location in the English language arts (ELA) and math exams. See 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 185 on the NYS ELA and 198 on the math exams met the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) set forth in the NYS accountability system.
In 2008-2009, the School did meet its goals that 90% of students in grades 5 through 8 will perform at or above Level 3 on the NYS ELA and math examinations by the end of four years at KACS. The School doubled the percentage of students performing at Level 4 in math. Ninety-six percent of KACS Grade 8 students were proficient in math. In addition, 98% of Grade 8 students were proficient in ELA.
In 2007-2008, the School did not meet its goals that 90% of students in grades 5 through 8 will perform at or above Level 3 on the NYS ELA examination by the end of four years at KACS. While 94% of students in grade 8 were proficient in math, only 67% attained Level 3 or higher in ELA.
In 2008-2009, 85% of students in grades 5 through 8 were proficient on the NYS ELA examination; and 98% were proficient on the NYS math examination. See Table 1.
The School reported that for 2009-2010, it serves 81% of students who are eligible for free lunch and reduced lunch; and 9.6% are identified as students with disabilities (SWD).
The School reported that for 2009-2010, it serves three percent of students who are identified as English language learners (ELL).
The School’s population for 2009-2010 is: 48% Black, 51% Latino, and one percent Asian/Pacific Islander/American Indian/Alaskan.
The School provides instruction in each subject in the seven general curriculum areas and the proposed curriculum is aligned to all 28 New York State (NYS) learning standards.
The School offers a balanced literacy curriculum integrating Core Knowledge with Open Court Reading and Writing; Saxon Math; and Delta Science Modules II for science. Social studies instruction will be provided using a school-developed curriculum.
In addition to the mandated state exams, the School administers norm-referenced assessments in reading and math.
The School assesses student progress towards achieving pre-determined goals through several School-developed interim assessments and the Early Childhood Literary Assessment System (ECLAS-2) for grades K and 1; the Quarterly Writing Assessment (QWA) and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for grades 5 through 8.
SWD are educated in the least restrictive environment. The special education coordinator is certified in special education.
The School employs a structured immersion strategy to help ELL students achieve proficiency in the English language.
The School has a 210-day school year from September to the end of June.
The School provides instruction from 7:25 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; from 7:25 a.m. – 3:30 on Friday; from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday (two times per month); and from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for three weeks during the summer.
For the past four years, the average daily attendance at the School has been 98%.
For 2008-2009, the teacher retention rate was 95%.

Table 1*

2008-2009