Charter Schools Recommendations

Meeting the Challenge Recommendations

Meeting the Challenge: Managing the fiscal impact of charter schools in Pennsylvania is a study produced in June of 2001, prepared for the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition by the Pennsylvania Economy League, Eastern Division. The study examined the fiscal impact of charter schools on the Commonwealth, and made recommendations on how the fiscal relationship between the SDP and charter schools could be improved. In terms of the recommendations made in Meeting the Challenge , the SDP has achieved the following:

	*Meeting the Challenge* Recommendations made to the SDP by GPUAC, 2001	SDP Self-Described Status February 18, 2004
Recommendation 1	Increase the ability of the SDP to integrate charter schools into the basic fabric of the SDP.	In process.
Strategy 1	Establish an Office of Charter Schools	Completed
	Manage relationship between SDP, charter school operators and PDE.	SDP attempting to enhance relationship all three ways and are doing so within the statutes.
	Monitor academic effectiveness of charters and promote transfer of innovative practices.	Yes. Academic achievement is monitored through test scores. Mr. Vallas wants to utilize practices of best performing charter schools.
	Serve as staff focal point for charter school approval	Yes.
	Facilitate integration of charters into long-range plans for SDP.	Charters are included in long range plans within confines of Commonwealth charter legislation.
	Create an annual report.	Want to work with GPUAC on enhancing their directory.
Recommendation 2	Improve transition process for students moving from non-public and public schools to charter schools.	Charter schools have independent application and enrollment process, therefore not in SDP purview to intervene.
Strategy 1	Expedite charter school application process.	Charter schools have independent application and enrollment process, therefore not in SDP purview to intervene.
Strategy 2	Monitor movement of children enrolling and leaving charter schools.	Would like to do.
	GIS software	Would like to do.
Recommendation 3	Improving the management of resources allocated to charters by the SDP.	SDP provides per pupil allocation. It provides resources, including but not limited to support for: special education, truancy, tracking of enrollments and testing.
Strategy 1	Sharing building space	Can and researching possibilities. Looking into 2 nd campuses.
	Sharing academic and non-academic services.	Can do some sharing. Looking into offering charters reduced health care premiums as part of SDP. Also looking into offering teacher professional development. Initiating a process to share curriculum and other materials and systems. Some of the above would be on a fee basis.
Strategy 2	Assistance in federal loans	Not within legal authority of District.