Title: Recommendation to Approve 4 New Charter Schools/Postponed from December 14, 2005 Board Meeting

Recommendation:

I recommend that the School Board approve the applications for four (4) new Charter Schools, effective 
January 11, 2006.

Description:

~ Florida Statute 1002.33, authorizes Charter Schools as part of the State's program of public education. Pursuant to FL. Stat. 1003.62(2), School Board Policy 2.56, Number of Charter Schools, the District implements Waiver #1 under charter district status, approved by the State Board of Education ("SBE") on January 21, 2003, exempting the School Board from the statutory cap on the number of Charter Schools in the District as set forth in Florida. Per Florida Statute, no cap now exists on the number of Charter Schools in the District.

~ The School District of Palm Beach County currently has forty-one operating Charter Schools.

~ As stated in School Board Policy 2.56 (3) (c), ...to demonstrate that the addition of the Charter School would serve the needs of the student population of the School District, the applicant should show that the proposed Charter School would (i) provide relief to overcrowding of one or more existing regular public schools in the District; and/or (ii) provide unique programs to meet the needs of an identified student population in the District.

~ In response to the requirement of Palm Beach County School Board Policy 2.56 (3) (c) (i), the Planning Department has identified six zones for the location of future Charter Schools, and in-serviced the Charter School applicants about these locations. These zones are areas where Charter Schools can help with overcrowding in public schools and/or serve low performing students, as stated in Board Policy 2.56.

~ Four (4) applications were submitted for review by the appropriate District departments. The four applications rated as acceptable meet the minimum requirements and are recommended for approval as follows:
      Believers Academy
      Life Skills Center - Glades Area Charter School
      Palm Beach Academy for Learning (School for Autism)                                                              Riviera Beach Maritime Academy 

~ The School Board's approval of the applications merely indicates an agreement to enter into charter negotiations.  If successfully negotiated and approved by the School Board, the approval will result in entering into a charter contract for each school. The charter shall be the binding agreement, which shall detail all rights and responsibilities of the School Board and the Charter School.
~ The Charter School applicants and the School Board shall have six (6) months to negotiate a charter.

Copies of each application, the evaluation points' tabulation, and the evaluation points summary sheet are on file in the Board Minutes Office for your review.

Financial Impact:
Each of the Charter Schools will receive 95% of the funded FTE generated by up to 500 students.  The District will retain 5% of the FTE, up to 500 students per school, as per Florida Statute, and any amount above the 500 will be determined in accordance with statute.

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

Janice Cover

Juanita Edwards