Talking points, provided by the local school board:
• The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents recommends a moratorium on funding charter schools in the current economic climate because the charter school appropriations are taken from Chapter 70 funds ($250 million per year). • The Rediscovery Charter School design is not consistent with typical charter schools. o It is not opened to all students but only students who have dropped out of schools. o The focus is on students between the ages of 16 and 24, an age range beyond the high school age. • The proposed school focuses on disenfranchised youth from across the commonwealth and highlights access to Waltham by highway, bus, and train as attractive features to locate the school in Waltham. It is not likely that students will travel long distances to attend the school but will more likely move to a foster home or other housing potentially making students the responsibility of the Waltham Public Schools. • Parties developing the proposal have not had conversations with local school officials about local efforts to address the needs of disenfranchised youth. In September, Waltham Public Schools began a discussion to use vacant schools in the community for an expanded alternative high school program. Successful programs currently exist in Somerville, Chelsea, Boston, Brookline, Worcester, Brockton, Watertown, Cambridge, Framingham, and many other communities. • Rediscovery has had mixed success with programs for youth in Waltham. Ten (10) students affiliated with Rediscovery in the Waltham Public Schools have dropped out of school in the past two years each of which spent no more than a few days enrolled in our schools, drop-out and add to our drop-out rate. Other students in this program place an added burden on district resources due to the complexity of their need. • The 220 students enrolled in the Rediscovery Academy will have an additional financial and programmatic impact on the district. Waltham will be responsible for transportation of this student population within the city limits, our Chapter 70 funds will be reduced by $15,000 per student equaling $150,000 for ten students, $750,000 for fifty students and $1,500,000 for one hundred students. These new costs will have a significant impact on programs and personnel in the Waltham Public Schools • The age range for the proposed school leaves many questions unanswered regarding the city and district’s responsibility for students between the ages of 18 and 24.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-12-05 08:44 pm (UTC)• The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents recommends a moratorium on funding charter schools in the current economic climate because the charter school appropriations are taken from Chapter 70 funds ($250 million per year).
• The Rediscovery Charter School design is not consistent with typical charter schools.
o It is not opened to all students but only students who have dropped out of schools.
o The focus is on students between the ages of 16 and 24, an age range beyond the high school age.
• The proposed school focuses on disenfranchised youth from across the commonwealth and highlights access to Waltham by highway, bus, and train as attractive features to locate the school in Waltham. It is not likely that students will travel long distances to attend the school but will more likely move to a foster home or other housing potentially making students the responsibility of the Waltham Public Schools.
• Parties developing the proposal have not had conversations with local school officials about local efforts to address the needs of disenfranchised youth. In September, Waltham Public Schools began a discussion to use vacant schools in the community for an expanded alternative high school program. Successful programs currently exist in Somerville, Chelsea, Boston, Brookline, Worcester, Brockton, Watertown, Cambridge, Framingham, and many other communities.
• Rediscovery has had mixed success with programs for youth in Waltham. Ten (10) students affiliated with Rediscovery in the Waltham Public Schools have dropped out of school in the past two years each of which spent no more than a few days enrolled in our schools, drop-out and add to our drop-out rate. Other students in this program place an added burden on district resources due to the complexity of their need.
• The 220 students enrolled in the Rediscovery Academy will have an additional financial and programmatic impact on the district. Waltham will be responsible for transportation of this student population within the city limits, our Chapter 70 funds will be reduced by $15,000 per student equaling $150,000 for ten students, $750,000 for fifty students and $1,500,000 for one hundred students. These new costs will have a significant impact on programs and personnel in the Waltham Public Schools
• The age range for the proposed school leaves many questions unanswered regarding the city and district’s responsibility for students between the ages of 18 and 24.