V.B. CONNECTICUT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Hartford TO BE PROPOSED: July 19, 2017 RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education approves the distribution of 9,913 seats in state charter schools and 160 seats at a local charter school for the 2017-18 school year and, pursuant to Section 10-66bb(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes, grants enrollment waivers for six state charter schools, as delineated in the July 19, 2017, memorandum to the Board, “Approval of Charter School Enrollments,” and directs the Commissioner to take the necessary action. Approved by a vote of ________, this nineteenth day of July, Two Thousand Seventeen. Signed: _____________________________ Dianna R. Wentzell, Secretary State Board of Education CONNECTICUT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Hartford TO: State Board of Education FROM: Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell, Commissioner of Education DATE: July 19, 2017 SUBJECT: Approval of Charter School Enrollments Executive Summary Introduction In accordance with Section 10-66bb(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.), the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) seeks the State Board of Education’s (SBE) approval of charter school enrollments for the 2017-18 school year. The CSDE requests, within funds made available pursuant to Governor Malloy’s Executive Order “Resource Allocation Plan” for Fiscal Year 2018, to apportion available seats based on each school’s approved charter, eligible October 1, 2016 enrollment, new grade growth and demonstrated record of achievement. Background The CSDE seeks the SBE’s approval of charter school enrollments on an annual basis. There are currently 23 state charter schools in Connecticut serving 9,409 students and one local charter school serving 126 students. Elm City Montessori School (ECMS), the local charter, will enroll 160 students from the City of New Haven (through the local charter school program) and 14 students from suburban districts (through the Open Choice program) during the 2017-18 school year. The CSDE proposes allocating a total of 9,913 seats in state charter schools and 160 seats in the local charter school during the 2017-18 school year. In August 2016, the CSDE asked each school to confirm its 2017-18 enrollment projections. The 9,913 state charter seats represent an increase of 504 seats compared to the eligible October 1, 2016 enrollment. There are state charter school enrollment caps of 300 seats for schools serving Grades K-8 and 250 for all other grade levels. Applying the statutory per-pupil rate for state charter schools of $11,000 for 2017-18, these totals are within available appropriations. Approved grade growth is detailed in Table 1, and enrollments are disaggregated and detailed in Table 2 (attached). 1 Charter School Seat Proposals CSDE staff reviewed applications from charter schools requesting seats apportioned to state charter schools with approved grade growth (i.e., serving Grades 3 in 2016-17 school year, adding new Grade 4 in 2017-18). Applications were received from: (1) Achievement First Hartford Academy; (2) Booker T. Washington Academy; (3) Brass City Charter School; (4) Capital Prep Harbor; (5) Great Oaks Charter School; (6) Stamford Charter School for Excellence and the local charter, (7) Elm City Montessori School. New seats will accommodate the incoming class in schools serving a new grade. Common Ground High School and New Beginnings Family Academy enrolled above the SBE approved enrollment level, and did not receive funding for those students in the 2016-17 school year. Due to the fact that the students continue to be enrolled in the 2017-18 school year, the State will provide financial support within available funding. Capital Preparatory Harbor School’s (CPHS) seat allocation reflects the expansion of CPHS to serve Grades K-5 and the expansion of the physical space to more appropriately serve these grades. Recommendation The CSDE recommends that the SBE approve the distribution of 9,913 seats in state charter schools, 160 seats in the local charter, and grant enrollment waivers for the six state charter schools serving new grades in the 2017-18 school year. Prepared by: Robert E. Kelly, Charter School Program Manager Turnaround Office Approved by: Desi D. Nesmith, Chief Turnaround Officer Turnaround Office 2 2017-18 Grade Growth Detail Table 1 School Year: Achievement First Hartford Academy – currently serves Grades K-12 2016-17 K 80 1 89 2 92 3 92 4 93 5 145 6 127 7 141 8 55 9 41 10 40 11 41 12 30 Total 1066 2017-18 90 80 89 92 92 140 145 127 141 48 40 34 38 1156 9 10 11 12 Total School Year: PK Booker T. Washington Academy – currently serves Grades K-3 K 1 2 3 2016-17 85 75 50 31 2017-18 60 85 75 50 School Year: PK 4 6 301 Brass City Charter School– currently serves Grades PK-4 1 2 3 4 2016-17 33 35 34 38 38 38 2017-18 37 34 34 34 38 38 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 Total 38 253 Capital Prep Harbor School– currently serves Grades 6-12 PK 2017-18 K 1 2 25 26 26 3 4 5 26 26 25 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total 37 40 42 39 37 37 18 250 35 36 36 36 36 36 35 404 11 12 Total Elm City Montessori School (local charter) – currently serves Grades PK-2 PK K 1 2 2016-17 54 29 25 18 2017-18 34 54 29 25 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 126 18 160 Great Oaks Charter School - Bridgeport– currently serves Grades 6-8 6 7 8 2016-17 113 102 109 2017-18 100 113 102 School Year: 9 216 2016-17 School Year: 8 31 K School Year: 7 241 PK School Year: 5 PK K 1 2 3 4 5 9 10 11 12 Total 324 109 424 Stamford Charter School for Excellence– currently serves Grades PK-2 PK K 1 2 2016-17 58 57 53 49 2017-18 56 58 57 53 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total 217 49 273 Incoming seats 3 2017-18 Grade Growth Detail Table 2 Charter School Name Host District Eligible October 1, 2016 Enrollment 2017-18 Enrollment Proposed 2017-18 Enrollment Grade Growth Only 2016-17 Grade Levels 2017-18 Approved New Grade Expansion Achievement First Bridgeport Bridgeport 1,042 1,042 0 K-12 None Achievement First Hartford Hartford 1,066 1,156 90 K-12 8 Amistad Academy New Haven 1,057 1,057 0 K-12 None Booker T. Washington Academy New Haven 241 301 60 K-3 4 Brass City Charter School Waterbury 216 253 37 PK-4 5 The Bridge Academy Bridgeport 280 280 0 7-12 None Capital Prep Harbor Bridgeport 250 404 154 6-12 K-5 Common Ground High School New Haven 195 200 5 9-12 None Elm City College Prep. New Haven 719 719 0 K-12 None Explorations Charter School Winsted 92 92 0 9-12 None Great Oaks Charter School Bridgeport 324 424 100 6-8 9 Highville Charter School New Haven 502 502 0 PK-12 None Integrated Day Charter School Norwich 330 330 0 PK-8 None ISAAC New London 270 270 0 6-8 None Jumoke Academy Hartford 753 753 0 PK-12 None New Beginnings Family Academy Bridgeport 497 499 2 PK-8 None Odyssey Community School Manchester 328 328 0 K-8 None Park City Prep Charter School Bridgeport 360 360 0 5-8 None Path Academy - Windham Windham 157 157 0 9-12 None Side by Side Charter School Norwalk 236 236 0 PK-8 None Stamford Academy Stamford 148 148 0 9-12 None Stamford Charter School for Excl. Stamford 217 273 56 PK-2 3 Trailblazers Academy Stamford 129 129 0 6-8 None 9,409 9,913 504 126 160 34 Total State Charter Schools -- *Elm City Montessori School (Local Charter School) *Local Charter School New Haven 4 -PK-2 3