2003-2004 Charter Schools Annual Report to the Governor

Background and Introduction

The New York Charter Schools Act, now Article 56 of the Education Law, was enacted on December 17, 1998. This Act amended existing Education Law to allow for the creation of charter schools. The stated purpose of the Article “is to authorize a system of charter schools to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently of existing schools and school districts in order to accomplish the following objectives:

Improve student learning and achievement;
Increase learning opportunities for all students, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for students who are at risk of academic failure;
Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;
Create new professional opportunities for teachers, school administrators and other school personnel;
Provide parents and students with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system; and
Provide schools with a method to change from rule-based to performance-based accountability systems by holding the schools established under this article ac ountable for meeting measurable student achievement results” (§2850(2) of Education Law).

Article 56 also requires the Board of Regents to report annually to the Governor, the Temporary President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Assembly on the status of charter schools in New York State (§2857(3) of Education Law). This report covers the 2003-04 school year.

This report includes data submitted by the charter schools and local school districts.

Executive Summary

This report provides data required by §2857(3) of the Education Law and covers the 2003-04 school year, during which a total of 50 charter schools were open for instruction. Of these 50 schools, 13 were chartered by the Board of Regents, 30 were chartered by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, 6 were chartered by the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and 1 was chartered by the Buffalo Board of Education. Eighteen had management companies as partners, while 32 did not. There were six schools with Edison Schools, Inc. as a partner, three schools with Victory Schools, Inc. as a partner, three schools with Beacon Education Management, LLC as a partner, one school each with SABIS and Mosaica Education Inc. as a management partner, and four schools with National Heritage Academies as the management partner. There were 24 charter schools located in New York City, 9 in Buffalo, 4 in Rochester, 3 in Albany, 3 in Syracuse, and 1 each in East Hampton (Wainscott Common School District), Kenmore, Lackawanna, Riverhead, Roosevelt, Schenectady, and Troy. The largest student enrollment reported was 1,044 at the Charter School of Science and Technology in Rochester, and the smallest was 50 at the Bronx Charter School for Better Learning. There were 30 schools that served elementary students in a variety of grade configurations (e.g., K-1, K-2). One served students in grades 5-8, seven served students in grades K-8, three served students in grade 5 only, and one each served students in grades K-4 and 8; K, 3-5; 1; 5-9; 7-9; 7-12; 8-12; 9-12; and K-12.

According to the Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) forms that were submitted in October 2003, a total of 14,671 students were reported enrolled in these 50 charter schools during 2003-04. Most (10,062) were reported as Black (not Hispanic origin) and the fewest (79) were reported as being American Indian or Alaskan Native. There were 206 Asian or Pacific Islander students reported. Hispanics made up the second largest population, with 2,270 students enrolled. The number of White (not Hispanic origin) students was reported to be 2,052. Most students (12,448) were enrolled in grades K-6, while 2,223 were enrolled in grades 7-12. No students were reported as “Ungraded Secondary” but 11 students were reported as “Ungraded Elementary.” Among the elementary students, most (8,315) continue to be enrolled in grades K-3. Enrollment in grades 4-6 was 4,133. Grade 6 had the lowest enrollment (934) at the elementary level. At the secondary level, most students (1,552) continue to be enrolled in grades 7 and 8, while 671 were enrolled in grades 9-12.

The adjusted expense per pupil (AEP) is the amount of money that a student’s district of residence pays to the charter school for each student while s/he is enrolled in the charter school. The funds are to be paid in six installments throughout the year. The AEP varies by district. The lowest AEP paid was $6,389 per student in the Mohonasen Central School District, and the highest was $17,308 per pupil paid by the Shelter Island Union Free School District.

Fiscal impact is calculated using the number of students reported on each charter school’s BEDS form multiplied by the adjusted expense per pupil (AEP) for that district. That figure is then compared with the annual operating budget of the resident district and a percent is derived. This figure may be different from what the districts actually pay to a charter school since such payments are based upon a full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment figure that must be derived per Commissioner’s Regulation 119.1. Those FTEs are not reported herein since final reconciliation of payments occurs in July of each year and the data are not readily available. The figures reported herein are a reasonable estimate, however, of the potential fiscal impact upon any district.

Overall fiscal impact in New York City appeared to be negligible (0.40 percent impact on the district budget). In 2003-04, fiscal impact ranged from .01 percent of the school budget for several school districts with a small number of students attending charter schools to 5.88 percent of the Albany City School District budget. Cumulative impact was 5.47 percent on the Lackawanna City School District budget, 4.91 percent on the Buffalo City School District budget, 3.84 percent on the Roosevelt Union Free School District, 3.79 percent on the Rochester City School District budget, 3.25 percent on the Sagaponack Common School District, and 3.03 percent on the Syracuse City School District budget.

According to the information provided by the financial audits, 16 schools had a decrease in unrestricted net assets (i.e., fund balance) for the year, and 10 schools had total liabilities exceeding total assets. The total amount of Revenue and Support for the charter schools totaled $157.5 million. Government contracts and grants accounted for 84 percent of the total Revenue and Support. Three charter schools (one of which closed June 30, 2004) did not provide a fiscal audit for the 2003-04 school year.

Academic achievement, as measured by State exams, was mixed. For those schools for which the 2003-04 school year was the first year of instruction, the test results should be interpreted as a baseline by which all future test results will be judged. On the grade 4 English Language Arts exam, the top performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

Roosevelt Children’s Academy Charter School, Roosevelt: 87.2%
Child Development Center of the Hamptons Charter School, Wainscott: 80.0%
Genesee Community Charter School, Rochester: 74.1%
South Buffalo Charter School, Buffalo: 68.6%
Renaissance Charter School, NYC CSD #30: 63.6%

On the grade 4 English Language Arts exam, the weakest performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

Stepping Stone Academy Charter School, Buffalo: 1.9%
COMMUNITY Charter School, Buffalo (baseline year): 6.7%
Ark Community Charter School, Troy: 12.5%
Enterprise Charter School, Buffalo (baseline year): 16.7%
Charter School of Science and Technology, Rochester: 17.3%

On the grade 4 math exam, the top performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

Brooklyn Charter School, NYC CSD#16: 100.0%
Renaissance Charter School, NYC CSD # 30: 100.0%
Tapestry Charter School, Buffalo: 95.8%
Carl C. Icahn Charter School, NYC CSD #4: 94.1%
Sisulu Children’s Charter School, NYC CSD #5: 89.2%
Genesee Community Charter School, Rochester, 88.5%

On the grade 4 math exam, the weakest performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

COMMUNITY Charter School, Buffalo (baseline year): 12.5%
Stepping Stone Academy Charter School, Buffalo: 14.0%
Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School, NYC CSD #18 (baseline year): 23.7%

On the grade 8 ELA exams, the top performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

KIPP Academy Charter School, NYCCSD #7: 78.6%
Bronx Preparatory Charter School, NYC CSD # 9: 59.5%

On the grade 8 ELA exams, the weakest performers were as follows (percentages are for the percent of students scoring at or above Level 3):

John V. Lindsay Wildcat Academy Charter School, NYC CSD #2: 8.3%
New Covenant Charter School, Albany: 9.2%
Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School, Syracuse (baseline year): 15.5
Enterprise Charter School, Buffalo (baseline year): 16.3%
Charter School of Science and Technology, Rochester: 17.8%

Based upon their 2003-04 State assessment date, four charter schools have been identified as Schools in Need of Improvement. They are:

Rochester Leadership Academy Charter School, Rochester – Year 1, Grade 4 ELA
Charter School of Science and Technology, Rochester – Year 2, Grade 4 Math
Stepping Stone Academy Charter School Buffalo – Year 2, Grade 4 Math
New Covenant Charter School, Albany – Year 1, Grade 8 Math

Results for the 2000 grade 9 cohort show that most students in the John V. Lindsay Wildcat Academy Charter School (74.0 percent) scored between zero and 64 on the Regents exam in English. Most students in the Renaissance Charter School (77.0 percent) scored between 65 and 100. The results further show that most students attending both the Renaissance Charter School (54 percent) and the John V. Lindsay Wildcat Academy Charter School (84 percent) scored between zero and 64 on the Regents exam in mathematics.

In the 2003-04 school year, the charter schools reported a total of 285 English language learners, with 246 being enrolled in grade K-6 and the remaining 39 students enrolled in grades 7-12.

A total of 1,324 students with disabilities were reported in grades K-12, representing nine percent of the student enrollment in charter schools. The Child Development Center of the Hamptons Charter School had the largest percentage of students with disabilities, 36 of its 69 students (52 percent).

A total of 10,421 students receiving Free or Reduced Lunch were reported, representing 71 percent of all students attending a New York State charter school during 2003-04. Of that number, 8,755 were reported at the K-6 level, and 1,666 were reported at the 7-12 level.

A total of 2,259 violent incidents were reported. The most frequently reported incident (1,963) was Personal Injury or Intimidation. The next highest reports were for Theft (97) and Sexual Offenses (93). The school reporting the highest number of incidents was the New Covenant Charter School in Albany, with a reported enrollment of 858 in grades K-8 and a reported 1,015 incidents (904 Personal Injury or Intimidation, 36 Sexual Offenses, 26 Thefts, 26 Criminal Mischief, 18 Weapons Possessions, and 5 Weapons Use). The next highest level of violent incidents was at the Charter School for Applied Technologies in Kenmore, with a reported enrollment of 934 in grades K-8 and 763 incidents (693 Personal Injury or Intimidation, 30 Thefts, 22 Criminal Mischief, 10 Sexual Offenses, 7 Weapons Possessions, and 1 Use, Possession, or Sale of Drugs or Alcohol).

During the 2003-04 school year, a total of 502 students were reported as having transferred out of charter schools and into other educational settings. Of the 502, 469 transferred into another public school, and 33 were reported as having transferred into a non-public school or to home instruction. The schools reporting the highest number of transfers during the year were the New Covenant Charter School in Albany and the Riverhead Charter School in Riverhead, with each reporting 89 students transferring out. This represents 10 percent of the enrollment at New Covenant, and nearly 34 percent of the enrollment at Riverhead.

Additional information is provided that describes many of the issues and concerns that have been raised regarding the implementation of Article 56, the New York Charter Schools Act. Suggestions are made for possible amendments to the legislation.

The Number, Distribution, and Brief Description of New Charter Schools Operating in New York State in 2003-04

Appendix A contains a list of all charter schools in New York.

Table 1 provides information for each charter school open for instruction during the 2003-04 school year and includes the grades and number of students to be served, the management company (if applicable), the specific educational approach to be used, the date that instruction commenced, and the charter entity.

Table 2 shows the distribution of students reported enrolled by grade, ethnicity, and gender.

Table 1

Approved Charter Schools Open for Instruction in New York State During 2003-04

Name and Address	New or Conversion	District of Location	Grades Served	Total Number of Students	Management Company	Educational Approach	Opening Date	Charter Entity
Amber Charter School 220 East 106^th Street New York, NY 10029	New	NYC (CSD 5)	K-4	240	None	Leonard Bernstein Center Artful Learning Model; dual language immersion (Spanish/English)	9/00	SUNY
Ark Community Charter School 2247 13^th Street Troy, NY 12180-3017	New	Troy	K-5	96	None	Essential Questions; commitment to theory of multiple intelligences	9/01	SUNY
Beginning with Children Charter School 11 Bartlett Street Brooklyn, NY 11206-5001	Conversion	NYC (CSD 14)	K-8	450	None	Increased learning opportunities, continuous assessment	9/01	Chancellor
Brighter Choice Charter Schools for Boys 250 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12206-2610	New	Albany	K-2	70	None	Liberal Arts, Core Knowledge	9/02	Regents
Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls 250 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12206-2610	New	Albany	K-2	70	None	Liberal Arts, Core Knowledge	9/02	Regents
Bronx Charter School for Better Learning 971 E. 227^th Street Bronx, NY 10466	New	NYC (CSD 11)	1	50	None	“Subordination of Teaching to Learning”	9/03	SUNY
Bronx Charter School for the Arts 890 Garrison Avenue Bronx, NY 10474-5354	New	NYC (CSD 8)	K-3	160	None	Arts education as a catalyst for academic and social success	9/03	Regents

Name and Address	New or Conversion	District of Location	Grades Served	Total Number of Students	Management Company	Educational Approach	Opening Date	Charter Entity
Bronx Preparatory Charter School 1508 Webster Avenue Bronx, NY 10457	New	NYC (CSD 9)	5-9	250	None	Classical, college-preparatory curriculum	9/00	SUNY
Brooklyn Charter School 644 McDonough Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11233-1399	New	NYC (CSD 16)	K-4	194	None	Project-based instruction	9/00	Chancellor
Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School 549 Pacific Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217	New	NYC (CSD 15)	K-5	240	National Heritage Academies	Back-to-basics academics, character development	9/03	SUNY
Buffalo United Charter School 325 Manhattan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215	New	Buffalo	K-4	240	National Heritage Academies	Back-to-basics academics, character development	9/03	SUNY
Carl C. Icahn Charter School 1525 Brook Avenue Bronx, NY 10457-8005	New	NYC (CSD 9)	K-4	180	None	Core Knowledge	9/01	SUNY
Central New York Charter School for Math and Science 601 East Genesee Street Syracuse, NY 13202	New	Syracuse	K-6	660	Chancellor Beacon Academies, Inc.	Core Knowledge	8/00	SUNY
Charter School for Applied Technologies 2303 Kenmore Avenue Buffalo, NY 14207	New	Kenmore-Tonawanda	K-8	900	Edison Schools, Inc.	Integrated subject matter in five domains	9/01	Regents
Charter School of Science and Technology 690 St. Paul Street Rochester, NY 14605	New	Rochester	K-8	1,100	Edison Schools, Inc.	Integrated subject matter in five domains	9/00	SUNY

Name and Address	New or Conversion	District of Location	Grades Served	Total Number of Students	Management Company	Educational Approach	Opening Date	Charter Entity
Child Development Center of the Hamptons Charter School 175 Daniels Hole Road Wainscott, NY 11975	New	Wainscott	K-6	57	None	Thematic approach in a community-based setting	1/01	SUNY
COMMUNITY Charter School 404 Edison Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215-2936	New	Buffalo	K-4	246	Chancellor Beacon Academies, Inc.	Core Knowledge	9/03	Regents
Community Partnership Charter School 171 Clermont Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205	New	NYC (CSD 13)	K-4	300	None	Hands-on learning	9/00	SUNY
East Harlem Village Academy Charter School 413 E. 120^th Street New York, NY 10035	New	NYC (CSD 4)	5	104	None	Liberal arts	9/03	SUNY
Enterprise Charter School 275 Oak Street Buffalo, NY 14203-1638	New	Buffalo	K-8	405	None	Project-based; Constructivist	7/03	Buffalo BOE
Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School 938 Clifford Avenue Rochester, NY 14621	New	Rochester	K-5	240	None	New Standards of the America’s Choice Design	9/00	SUNY
Explore Charter School 250 Jay Street Brooklyn, NY 11201	New	NYC (CSD 13)	K-4	200	None	Interdisciplinary with a focus on literacy.	9/02	Chancellor
Family Life Academy Charter School 14 West 170^th Street Bronx, NY 10452-3227	New	NYC (CSD 9)	K-3	182	None	English/Spanish immersion	9/01	SUNY
Genesee Community Charter School 657 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607-2177	New	Rochester	K-5	180	None	Expeditionary Learning-Outward Bound	9/01	Regents

Name and Address	New or Conversion	District of Location	Grades Served	Total Number of Students	Management Company	Educational Approach	Opening Date	Charter Entity
Global Concepts Charter School 1001 Ridge Road Lackawanna, NY 14218	New	Lackawanna	K-4	256	None	Global education, Success for All	9/02	Regents
Harbor Science and Arts Charter School 1 East 104^th Street New York, NY 10029	New	NYC (CSD 4)	K-8	196	None	Constructivist	9/00	SUNY
Harlem Day Charter School 240 East 123^rd Street New York, NY 10035-2038	New	NYC (CSD 4)	K-3	160	None	Core Knowledge	9/01	SUNY
Harriet Tubman Charter School 3565 Third Avenue Bronx, NY 10456-3403	New	NYC (CSD 9)	K-5

Annual Report to the Governor, The President of the Senate, and The Speaker of the Assembly on the Status of Charter Schools in New York State in the 2003-2004 School Year

Table 1

Back-to-basics academics, character development

Back-to-basics academics, character development