Minnesota Association of Charter Schools

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Public Policy Agenda - January 2007

1. Strengthen charter school governance

• Require initial charter board to be composed of "non-related individuals"
• Strengthen language on parent participation in charter school board elections
• Bar employees of sponsor from serving on boards of charters authorized by said sponsor
• Eliminate interlocking board membership
• Exclude School Directors from being a voting member of the board
• Require permanent board of directors in place by end of second operating year
• Allow charters to choose between teacher majority or equal teacher/parent/community member governance model
• Amend "conflict of interest" provisions for boards to include non-profits
• Amend statute to define role and responsibilities of charter boards in school voluntary and involuntary closings.

2. Foster quality sponsorship and accountability

• Prohibit sponsors from selling governance, management and financial services to sponsored schools and limit leasing agreements
• Require an arms length relationship and bidding processes for all purchased services between a school and its sponsor
• Clarify that Churches may not sponsor charter schools
• Establish a sponsor accountability process that includes state authority to withdraw a sponsors authority
• Reform funding mechanism for sponsorship activities
• Allow sponsors to issue up to five year charter contract renewals
• Clarify that initial charter contract is for maximum of three operational years
• Clarify 60 day renewal notices by sponsors to be actual dates (March 1 & June 1)
• Oppose establishment of single purpose sponsors

3. Assuring wise and effective use of public education investment

• Prohibit any public body from adopting policies/regulations that discriminate against charters leasing vacant public facilities
• Restore lease aid to 1999 level of $1,500 per student
• Modify compensatory funding formula to be based on current year enrollments
• Exempt non-profit building companies, created for leasing space to charter schools, from property taxes
• Change name of "lease aid" to "facilities aid" to reflect the aid's real purpose
• Change lease aid formula to allow for broader definition of uses of lease aid
• Amend lease aid formula to establish new base funding level consummate with current market rates
• Allow charters to enter into long term leases to get best market rates
• Revamp student transportation system for public education to encourage energy efficient vehicles, adequate funding and innovation system design
• Require school districts and charter schools to annually publish all extracurricular activity costs and funding sources
• Establish voluntary statewide health insurance pool allowing freedom of choice for school districts and charter scho
• Establish funding mechanism for providing public bonding authority to non-profit building corporations created to provide charter school space
• Oppose any health plan mandating participation or limiting autonomy of school districts and charters to direct their financial obligations

4. Clarify MDE role with Charters

• Allow the Charter School Advisory Council to sunset on June 30, 2007 unless mission, purpose and role of the Council are significantly reformed
• Reduce Commissioner review of sponsor affidavits to 45 days
• Phase out MDE sponsorship of the schools it currently sponsors within 5 years
• Eliminate charter school appeal process to MDE for renewal decisions by school districts
• Clarify the role of MDE and sponsors in supplementary applications to expand grades

5. Assure public charter schools students are treated fairly and equitably

• Allow enrollment preferences for children of charter school employees
• Require schools to develop and publish an admissions lottery policy
• Support charter eligibility for "extended year program funding" in first year operations
• Support legislation that school districts and charter schools be encouraged to enter into cooperative agreements for extracurricular activities with student needs as focal point
• Prohibit MN High School League and school districts from discriminating against charter students participating in extracurricular activities
• Oppose requirement that charters reimburse school districts for excess transportation costs

6. Foster innovation in teaching methods, assessments and measuring outcomes.

• Establish interdisciplinary license for project-based schools
• Amend leave provision to include any licensed personnel having the ability to take a leave to work in a charter or to start, or to serve as an administrator of charter school
• Support allowing the charter school non-profit board to operate up to 3 charters under same nonprofit corporation
• Support voluntary and funded full day kindergarten programs
• Clarify charter school authority to provide early childhood instruction or adult basic education programs, enrichment programs, pre-school programs, or before and after school programs (if so defined in charter contract)
• Allow school districts and charters flexibility to establish longer school year with additional funding for days beyond current basic aid formula
• Oppose establishment of Charter School Director licensure requirement
• Oppose attempts to limit autonomy, stifle innovation and limit parental choice in public education
• Support adoption of academic assessments based on growth or value added model to measure individual student growth.