Libertarian Party of NY -- Issues -- School Choice

Bill VanAllen invited two speakers to SUNY New Paltz March 13, 1999, to speak to attendees about the possibility of starting a charter school, per the recent NY State legislation which created this new category. Charter schools might be seen by Libertarians as a transition program between the current 80% government monopoly and a system with much, much more choice for students and their parents.

Unofficial Meeting Notes and Related Resources:

Charter Schools... are

• tuition-free
• public schools
• started by a group (parents, teachers, et al.)
• for a purpose (standards or emphasis)
• can be "targetted," but not discriminatory, e.g., for the Arts, single-sex, or "at risk" students

The biggest problems Charter Schools may face:

• Facilities... but you may have a right to a list of vacant public properties
• Management... record-keeping, budgets, advertising, applications, etc.

• to improve student learning
• to provide extra opportunities for students at risk.... what does that mean? Usually, at risk of academic failure, however, the "average" students really suffer, too, from not getting the benefits offered to either the gifted or the special education students.
• to explore innovative ways of teaching
• to provide professional opportunities for teachers and other school personnel (teachers are allowed to take up to two year's leave to do this)
• to provide expanded choice to parents
• to have performance-based accountability rather than rule-based

Charter Schools are held accountable: parents will take their students out if the school does not perform. The students must take the state-wide standardized tests, and if nobody does well, the school must prove progress within a three-year period, just like a regular public school.

Startup money: some available to state from federal level, state can disburse.

Timeline: If application is in October, they must approve/disapprove by January 1st--get started as soon as possible, need to get a principal on board immediately. The school should be started with 249 students or fewer, otherwise teachers must start out unionized. Home-schooled kids count, it appears.

Must have minimum of 50 students and 3 teachers. Key person is the executive director.

Also discussed: the application is complex. To get started, you will need mission statements, curriculum (have detailed, abstract on state application), pamphlets with info and student applications, lotteries for places, personnel recruitment and selection, technology, food services, maintenance, health services, disciplinary policies (must have due process), etc., and most of it must be described in the application.

second speaker: Bob Schultz

President of We the People Foundation for Constitutional Education.

Bob spoke about a grant program group who contacted him early on.... they told him to prepare a mission statement. He did, and the group sent him $500. He continued to work on the application, reviewing sites in Glens Falls and writing school policies. Finally, the charter school legislation passed, sites for a grade school and the upper-grade were selected, his application is complete, and the group sent him some more money.

We the People Foundation for Constitutional Eduction (WTPFCE) is now just waiting for the state's decision, which may take until next January. WTPFCE is the non-for-profit group establishing the Jefferson Academy Charter School, a school focusing on "back-to-basics" education in addition to other proven learning methods. They have 24 board members across the state guiding the establishment of this new school.

Mr. Schultz's main objection to the current system is that students in NY are being taught to depend on the government from cradle to grave, not the importance of the Bill of Rights and about the NY State and US Constitutions. [E - I paraphrase.] In fact, most New York State-educated people don't even know that we have a state constitution, even though New York State Education Law (section 801) requires that it be taught.

As explained today, this school sounds like it will provide great pre-pre-law training, as well as a good foundation for any other future pursuit of its students. Technology will not be forgotten, and it is hoped that distance-taught students will be able to join the student body... although a strict reading of the charter schools bill might prohibit it for the time being...

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