dcsd school choice task force november 13, 2010

DCSD School Choice Task Force

November 13, 2010

An education system that maximizes choice, improves quality through competition, promotes excellence, and recognizes that the interests of students, parents and teachers are

paramount.

School Autonomy, Empowerment & Innovation

Subcommittee Lead: Ted W. Vail

This Subcommittee Defines School Choice as…

“School Choice in the Douglas County School District means systematically

empowering families to make educated decisions about which DCSD school

their children will attend based on geography and program that best fits

their family’s needs.”


Term Clarification

“DCSD Schools” is inclusive of all district neighborhood, charter, magnet and alternative schools.


What we’ve learned

There is a lot more choice in the District than we first thought. DCSD schools offer an incredibly wide

selection of high-quality educational programs, student learning opportunities and activities for families

It apparently hasn’t been adequately promoted

No systemic, user-friendly consumer guide



Even without knowledge of these choices or new ones, parent satisfaction is over 90% among parents responding to a recent district-wide survey.



It appears there is enough physical capacity through existing DCSD school facilities to handle demand. Adding more capacity in some parts of the

district could actually “rob Peter to pay Paul”, jeopardizing a number of schools’ viability



What some of us used to think…



There seems to be an “Us vs. Them” mentality that is inwardly focused and is fragmenting DCSD. All schools must work together to be

compelling enough to keep DCSD families in the district and bring back those that have departed, and as best as possible understand why some have selected to leave



Our fiduciary responsibility to bond holders, holders of loans guaranteed by DCSD, and to taxpayers... Need to maximize percentage of Douglas

County children and youth who attend DCSD schools

Optimize usage overall of current facilities



BOE’s stated desire for a level playing field for all DCSD schools as they move forward in this new dynamic environment…



Our collective effort…


Recommendation #1

DCSD should establish a BOE standing committee that strategically advises it on school autonomy, empowerment and innovation – The School Autonomy and Innovation Committee (working title – subject to change).


Recommendation #2

Actively market what our district offers for educational choice.


Recommendation #3

DCSD should explore and define greater levels of empowerment for DCSD schools and arm them with the responsibility and authority to shape and fulfill their missions in partnership with their School Accountability Committee (SAC) or in the case of a Charter School, their Governance Board.


Recommendation #4 To ensure ongoing financial and operational

viability of all DCSD schools, before giving final approval to any proposed new schools (regardless of type), applications must include thorough feasibility studies verified by DCSD planning staff that detail what existing schools offer (including program and operational characteristics) and what need beyond that might be filled; what the demand is; and what the impact would be on enrollment and hence viability of existing schools.


Recommendation #5

The BOE should develop a definition of School Choice and market this definition as a core district and community value. An option: “School Choice in the Douglas County

School District means systematically empowering families to make educated decisions about which DCSD school their children will attend based on geography and program that best fits their family’s needs.”


DCSD Home Education as School Choice

Subcommittee Lead: Karin Piper

Welcome and Introduction

Recommendations based on complete research report Home Education as School Choice: How DCSD can expand and improve school choice through home education.

Complete reports available to DCSD Board of Education.

Home Education as School Choice

Recommendation #1 Improvement in communication

Significantly improved communication through web content, mailings, and other media forms.

Internal District-wide training and communication about home education and partnership development.

Automate the registration process for ease of access and efficiency.


Recommendation #2 Expansion of services and resources

Provide access to resources and courses with District-wide consistency.

Hearing, vision, ancillary services clearly advertised to all home educators.

Expand the home education community network (social and intellectual capital).


Recommendation #3

Strategic plan Development of five-year strategic plan

including comprehensive P-20 services which will become a model for strengthening the parent-public education relationship nationwide.


Recommendation #4

For DCSD to build District support for its schools (including charters and partnerships) which do service home education


Implementation Strategy

Implementation Strategy Increase support staff to 2 (two) 0.5 DCSD

positions (responsibilities see full report) as of January 1, 2011.

Generate Publicly Funded Home Education Service Centers which will offset program costs (see Home Education Service Center Funding Draft).


Funding Draft Based on 1 Day per week

Per center20 students x $3,000 = $60,000Staff costs $455 per day x 36 days = $16,380Materials cost estimated @$300 per student x 20= $6,000

Monthly annual rent per center = $9,000 PER YEARTotal: $28,620 per center $28,620 x 3 centers= $85,860

(Parker, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch)Director salary=$50,000Grand total : $35,860


Funding Draft Based on 5 x 1 Day programs per center

Per center5 (20 students x $3,000) = $300,0005 (Staff costs $455 per day x 36 days) = $81,9005 (Materials cost estimated

@ $300 per student x 20) = $30,000 Monthly annual rent per center = $45,000 PER YEARTotal: $143,100 per center $143,100 x 3 centers = $429,300Director salary = $50,000Grand total : $379,300


Open Enrollment Reform

Subcommittee Lead: Pam Benigno

2009 Inter-district Enrollment

2,538 students whose parents reside in Douglas County enrolled into other Colorado public school districts.

3,284 non-resident students enrolled into Douglas County from 47 other districts.

Source: CDE 2009 Pupil Membership Data


Web Presence


Confusing Language


Recommendation #1

Create a “choice” booklet in PDF format that includes all district offerings and open enrollment information. Link the booklet to the District’s website.


Recommendation #2

Develop website pages to provide comprehensive information about District offerings and open enrollment procedures in a parent- and choice-friendly manner.

Link from a variation of “We have Choices” prominently from the District’s main page.


Comprehensive Information

Q&A Application form Updated choice booklet Links to relevant Board policy and

regulation Letter to parents about the District’s

philosophy of choice


Comprehensive InformationQ&A

Enrollment window Location of application Where to submit the application Selection process/Notification Length of time the enrollment is valid Return to neighborhood school? CHSAA Transfer Rule District contact name and phone number


Recommendation #3

Change the tone of the Board of Education open enrollment policies to convey the Board’s support for school choice.


Recommendation #3

The Board of Education supports an education system that maximizes choice, celebrates freedom, improves quality through competition, promotes excellence, and recognizes that the interests of students and parents are paramount.


Recommendation #4

Adopt Family-friendly Policies:

a. Lengthen the open enrollment window b. Enable new families who move into the District during the school year to apply for open enrollment, effective for the current school year


Recommendation #4

Adopt Family-friendly Policies: c. Establish a date by when a parent must be notified if his child was selectedd. Create an appeals process for open enrollment application denialse. Establish a second-round application window that operates on a “first come, first served” basis


Recommendation #5

The District should send a letter to parents annually, notifying them of the open enrollment window and directing them to the District’s website for more information.


Contract Schools

Subcommittee Lead: Doug Benevento

Goal

Create a contract school program that emphasizes accountability and flexibility in order to achieve more school choice and better overall school performance.

Contract Schools

Principles Approved only if value is added to the

District Held accountable for achieving goals

set out in the contracts Fill gaps in the District’s system Have flexibility to innovate Stakeholder input required

Contract Schools

Process

District evaluates educational needs that might be best offered through contract school

Issues a Request for Proposals Gather and evaluate responses Receive stakeholder input Decision made by Board

Contract Schools

Terms

Contract would set specific, measurable outcomes against which the performance of the contract will be evaluated

Establish the payment terms Contain termination provisions

Contract Schools

Option Certificates

Subcommittee Lead: Charcie Russell

Option Certificates

Purpose Provide greater educational choices for

students and parents Improve educational performance

through competition Obtain a high return on investment of

DCSD educational spending Close academic achievement gaps

Option Certificates

Option Certificate

A check, payable by the District to the parent of an Option Certificate Program student that can be used exclusively pursuant to the terms of the OCP for the sole purpose of paying the educational costs, including tuition, at an OCP non-public school.

Option Certificates

OCP nonpublic school

Meets the standards set forth in the Option Certificate Program, such as Fulfills Board’s End Statements Financial stability Safety Sound employment, enrollment and

student conduct policies

Option Certificates

OCP nonpublic school

Must agree to give the CSAPs or other statewide assessments chosen by the District

Qualified schools shall be able to participate in the OCP for a term of 1-5 years after which they must re-apply

Option Certificates

Program Financing

Option Certificate is worth the lesser of the actual educational cost per pupil of attending an OCP nonpublic school or 75% of PPR for students in grade 1-12, or 35% of PPR for kindergarten students.

Option Certificates

Reporting

The District shall gather information about the OCP nonpublic schools so that it may be published on a website or other information clearinghouse

Annual report to the Board Student achievement Financial effect Popularity of OCP

Option Certificates

Charter Schools

Subcommittee Lead: Gary Stueven

Charter Schools Vision

To strengthen the partnership between District leadership, neighborhood schools and our District charter schools

Members Alexandra Harden Donnell Rosenberg Becky Sickles Gary Stueven Kindra Whitmyre

Charter Schools

Areas of focus

Authorizing Partnership Financial Equity Charter School Growth

Charter Schools

Authorizing Partnership

Authorizing process already being formalized Practices are being documented in a procedures manual. Will use CDE’s Model Application and Contract. Implement next year.

Focus on Continuous Improvement Recommendation: Outside review of process by NACSA, or Recommendation: Charter Department will seek local, state, or

national resources for a review given the opportunity.

Enhanced Communication Recommendation: Inform/articulate the similarities and

differences between neighborhood and charter schools. Post documents.

Charter Schools

Financial Equity

Per Pupil Revenue Allocated at 100%. DCSD’s legacy.

Mill Levy Override 100% per pupil distribution in 2012-13 per BoE Resolution.

General Obligation Bonds and COPs Charter schools have not been included in GOBs. Beneficiary of successful 2006 election via a one-time $2.6M

allocation of Capital Funds over 2007-2010 budgets. Sky View Academy facility purchased with District COPs.

Charter Schools

Financial Equity (continued)

Recommendations: Review all local, state, and federal revenue sources allocated and

disbursed for general fund expenditures. Identify which revenue streams should or should not be distributed

across the District on a per pupil basis. Include charter schools as beneficiaries in future bond revenues.

Determine a fair distribution and assignment of bond revenues to include interest earned.

Investigate feasibility of charter bond refinancing with District support to reduce debt and length of current bond obligations.

Investigate cooperative ownership with DCSD of charter facilities.

Charter Schools

Charter School Growth

Recommendations:

Continue to support credible parent efforts for new charter schools.

This subcommittee asks the BOE to discuss its position on: the feasibility of EMOs in DCSD. if there is a place, time, or circumstance when too many options

might exist in DCSD. the acceptable minimum and maximum enrollments for

neighborhood schools and the resultant impact and response when a new option/charter school opens nearby.

Charter Schools

An Addendum

Special Education in DCSD Many questions, assumptions and perceptions Criticism of Charter Schools in DCSD on this topic

Well-founded? Unfounded?

Omar Blair Charter School in DPS A new model within a charter school?

Suggestion Investigate and review the fiscal efficacy, instructional appropriateness,

and systemic functionality of various SPED models to serve high-need students in all DCSD schools.

Charter Schools

Online Learning

Subcommittee Lead: Heather O’Mara

Summary of Online Learning Programs in CO

22 Multi-District Programs

o 18 authorizing districts

o 11 of the 22 multi-district online programs have begun in the past 3 years (including 3 new for 2010/2011)

o Total enrollment of over 12,000 full-time students in 2009/2010

• PPOR = $6100 for 2010/2011, per statute $100 than district minimum

8 Single District Online Programs

o PPOR is equal to PPOR for traditional students in school district. Enrollment is limited 10 non-district residents

3 Supplemental Online Programs

o Funded through tuition paid by school districts and supplemented by the state Online Learning

Recommendation #1

The DCSD community- parents, students, teachers, counselors, and administrators need to be made aware of the plethora of online learning options currently available to DCSD students.

Online Learning

Recommendation #2

DCSD schools need to be encouraged to share ideas and best practices, as well as curriculum, so online learning could be used to support students currently enrolled in traditional schools. A program needs to be implemented to enable (i.e. fund) brick and mortar DCSD students’ enrollment in one or more fully online courses.

Online Learning

Recommendation #3

A financial analysis needs to be developed to determine cost – benefit of DCSD operating a single district, full-time online program.

Online Learning

Recommendation #4

DCSD needs to reach out to students that are currently enrolled in non-district online schools, discuss the benefits of the DCSD-sponsored online programs and gain an understanding as to why parents opted out of DCSD.

Online Learning

Recommendation #5

Other training opportunities- professional development, parenting, etc. - that DCSD offers online needs to be marketed BOTH within the district and outside of the district.

Online Learning

DCSD School Choice Task Force

Next steps

dcsd school choice task force november 13, 2010

Documents

thinkschool autonomy

leaveschool autonomy

school accountability

school choice asschool

dcsd school choice task

dcsd families

douglas county school

fragmenting dcsd