CSAC Minutes - August 15, 2002
DRAFT
North Carolina Charter School Advisory Committee Meeting
State Board of Education 7thFloor Meeting Room
MINUTES
August 15, 2002
CSAC
Sandy Carmany JoAnne Woodard Roger
Gerber Arlene Ferren John Geil
Kate Alice Dunaway Tony Cozart
Alfred Bryant John Crowder
Absent: Randy Dow, Bill Troutman, Kathryn Meyers, Ben Currin, Betty Huskins
and Mike Fedewa
SBE/DPI
Kathy Taft, SBE Laura Crumpler, Attorney, Attorney Brad Sneeden, Deputy
State General's Office
Superintendent Jennifer Bennett,
Director, School Hank Hurd, Associate Superintendent, Business; Linda Ivy,
Gene Bruton,
Financial & Business Services Compliance/Audit/Policy Section; Scott
Zoe Locklear, Associate Douglass, Statistical Research
Superintendent, Leadership Ben Matthews, Director, School Support;
Development & Special Services Eileen Townsend, Section Chief, School
Otho Tucker, Director, Office of Insurance; Gail Scott Taylor, Ed.
Charter Schools Consultant, Office of Charter Schools
Jackie W. Jenkins, Ed. Consultant,
Office of Charter Schools
Carl F. Pridgen, Ed. Consultant, Office
of Charter Schools
O'Linda Williams, Admin. Asst.,
Office of Charter Schools
Welcome/Agenda Charter School Advisory Committee member, Ms. Sandy Carmany
called the Overview meeting to order and extended the welcome to everyone.
Dr. Otho Tucker expressed Chairman Mike Fedewa's regret that he was not able
to attend the meeting. Dr. Tucker presented an overview of the items and the
agenda packet with special emphasis on those items requiring action from the
Committee. He also noted for the Committee's attention to two letters of
relinquishment from Stanly County Community Outreach and Turning Point
announcing the relinquishment of the charters for both Turning Point and Success
Academy.
Good News Dr. Zoe Locklear was introduced to the Committee by Dr. Tucker in
her new capacity as Associate Superintendent of Leadership Development and
Special Services. He explained the in the agency's reorganization, that the
Office of Charter Schools is now housed in the Leadership Development and
Special Services area and no longer in Financial and Business Services.
Dr. Tucker extended gratuitous remarks by thanking and applauding the
leadership of Hank Hurd and the School Business staff. A major component of
their efforts involved the development of the policy on Financial and Governance
Noncompliance.
Mr. Hank Hurd, Associate Superintendent, Financial and Business Services
welcomed Dr. Zoe Locklear as Associate Superintendent of Leadership Development
and Special Services. Mr. Hurd noted that the Financial and Business Services
Division would still be involved with charter schools and the CSAC.
Deputy State Superintendent Brad Sneeden stated the DPI is trying to take
advantage of every opportunity to enhance the services provided by the agency.
The reorganization is part of the agency's strategic plan that will work well as
DPI considers how best to serve school personnel and students the people across
the state.
Deputy Sneeden added that he feels good about the realignment and that this
arrangement will take charter schools to the next level. All departments will
continue to work collaboratively and continue to build on the strengths of the
Department.
Ms. Kate Alice Dunaway, CSAC member presented an overview of the relationship
American Renaissance Charter School (AMCS), where she serves as Team Leader, has
developed with UNC-Charlotte. Ms. Dunaway reported that AMCS now has its own
professional development center for teachers named the Avery Shell Renaissance
Center. She expressed thanks to the major contributors, Mr. & Mrs. Deaton.
Another new addition includes the professional library that will not only
house professional materials for educators but includes lodging quarters, for
visiting educators. As the school seeks to attract student teachers to school,
this will offer them a place to stay while serving as a student teacher at the
school.
Ms. Dunaway shared that the AMCS applied for a national teaching board grant.
Dr. Tucker shared the following good news:
Bethel Hill Charter School has now purchased the school site that it was
renting from the LEA. The school also received a $500,000 renovation grant and
is in the process of making major site upgrades. Bethel Hill Charter School is
located in Person County.
Washington Montessori Charter School had its Ribbon Cutting on Tuesday,
August 13, 2002 for the schools new site in Avon, NC.
Orange Charter School will have its ribbon cutting for its new facility on
August 29, 2002.
PEP Overview Mr. Daryll Powell, Principal's Executive Program, presented an
overview of the end-of grade/course tests. There were 13 schools involved
in the coaching project. The coaches were Mike Williams, who also coordinated
the project, Nancy Farmer, John Griffin, Cecil Stroud and Steve Wrenn.
Mr. Powell summarized the coaches evaluation and recommendations. He also
informed the Committee that the final piece of the project is the evaluation
from the principals of the schools for which services were provided.
He noted that two unique features of this project were the rapidity in which
the Office of Charter Schools Staff designed and implemented the program. The
second feature he noted was that this project was the first of its kind to
supply intensive training to charter school leaders.
Dr. Nancy Fanner described the nature of the working relationship and the
trust building efforts between the coaches and the charter school principals.
She said that developing the trust relationship was at the heart of project. It
was important for schools to understand that the coaches were not working as
agents of the Department of Public Instruction but in the capacity to assist
schools in strengthening their operations.
Ms. Kathy Taft, State Board of Education member asked for clarification on
the coaches recommendation that schools have more than 65 students. In response,
Dr.Fanner said that from the perspective of the coaches, that the more students
the schools have, the more funds the schools will have to offer courses and
services to the students they serve.
Mr. Powell closed the presentation by reading several statements from the
coaches regarding the school's leadership and school culture.
Updates
Legal Attorney Laura Crumpler reminded the Committee of the lawsuit filed by
Healthy Start Academy Inc. against the state regarding the charter school
diversity legislation. The plaintiffs have withdrawn their complaint in this
case without prejudice meaning the lawsuit is no longer active.
Charter School Dr. Jackie W. Jenkins, Ed. Consultant, Office of Charter
Schools presented the major Application changes in the charter school
application.As a measure to ensure uniformity, applicants will have to submit an
electronic copy of the application as well as the required hard copies to the
SBE and to the LEAS. Dr. Jenkins informed the Committee that she anticipates the
application being available online very shortly and asked that suggestions for
changes be submitted as soon as possible.
Financial Jennifer Bennett, Director, School Business,
presented the following in her status report on charter schools:
+ All audits that are due to DPI are in with the exception of Imani
Institute. The school is expected to submit its audits for both 2001 and 2002 by
the time provided. Failure to do so moves the school to Probationary Status as
outlined in the Financial and Governance Noncompliance Policy.
+ Turning Point Academy and Success Academy have relinquished their Charters
as of August 19, 2002. The department will now turn its attention to
working with the schools and the audit company to ensure proper closeout status.
+ East Winston was placed on Probationary Status due to IRS debt. It does
appear that the IRS has placed the debt in uncollectible status for 10 years,
which essentially forgives the school the debt. If the school becomes able to
pay the debt back then it will be expected to do so at that time.
+ The Department is still trying to secure policies and procedures from Wayne
Technical Academy. The school has not updated its SIN4S reporting requirements.
+ Charter schools were required to submit budgets to the School Business
Division for review. All charter schools have complied with this request.
There are currently 14 budgets that are of concern to the School Business
Staff.
+ Rowan Academy is of concern. It shows significant deficits and the budget
does not balance. Staff is working with this school in these areas.
New Business
Low Enrollment Dr. Otho Tucker provided background on the situation regarding
Northeast Raleigh
Issues Charter School (seeking to be named Torchlight Academy) and its
enrollment issues.
The school moved from its location on Capital Boulevard 'n the northeast
section of
Raleigh to its current location in the southeast section of Raleigh. During
this move
and change of leadership, the school's enrollment suffered. In correspondence
with
representatives of the school, he has reminded them of the enrollment
requirement of
65 students.
Jennifer Bennett, Director, School Business gave a report of the student
headcount
conducted on August 13, 2002. On the day of the headcount, 38 students were
recorded as being physically present at the school plus a classroom of
students taking
the 3 rd Grade Pretest. The students being tested were not
interrupted. Representatives
of the school indicate that there is an enrollment of 51 students.
Ms. Bennett noted other concerns with the schools reporting measures. At the
time of
the report formal measures of reporting student attendance were not in place.
She also
noted that religious artifacts were evident in the school that is located in
the basement
of a church.
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