Feasibility and Concept Analysis Rose Drill-Peterson, September 19, 2017 Section A - Executive Summary This report began as a feasibility study requested by the University of New Orleans to investigate the potential development of an elementary laboratory school operated by the University of New Orleans (UNO) and located on its campus. The goals are to provide additional high-quality educational opportunities for the children of New Orleans, to improve the training of UNO's next generation of teachers, and to provide new revenue opportunities for UNO. After reviewing the educational landscape in the region, the study's focus shifted. A UNO lab school, research showed, would directly compete with the current direct-run and charter schools in New Orleans. Considering this, the study then focused on the feasibility of UNO partnering with an established charter school or Charter Management Organization (CMO) to open a PreK?8 charter school on the UNO campus in a collaborative arrangement. This partnership would envision that UNO would not operate the school, but work together with the charter to achieve mutual goals and benefits with the established governing board of the charter. The study is organized into sections. The Louisiana Charter Schools Review section summarizes the pros and cons of partnering with different types of charter schools. It was during the course of this research that it became apparent that there was an obvious, cost-effective and potentially successful way to partner with a charter school which was already a UNO- affiliated partner. Edward Hynes Charter, an open-admission Orleans Parish Type 3 charter school, was established after Katrina with the assistance of the UNO chancellor and faculty. There are currently two UNO faculty members who are current board members at Hynes; one holds the UNO-designated governing board member seat. Benjamin Franklin High School (BFHS), also a UNO partner, is already on the UNO campus, serving grades 9-12, and has approached the concept of expanding to lower grades. However, BFHS administrators paused that conversation after hearing that UNO was exploring the idea of a PreK-8 collaboration with Hynes Charter. This could result in a beneficial partnership among the three schools. Hynes Charter is an open admissions, A-rated school because of its students' high academic achievement. It is, therefore, eligible to replicate its program without having to apply for a new charter at a new site. Hynes was recently awarded a ten-year charter renewal extension by the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB). The CEO and staff at Hynes participated in the New Schools for New Orleans Replicating Quality School Training in 2014, and developed financial and organizational models for replication. The Hynes Charter staff and board are ready to explore opening a new site. In addition, Hynes Charter is already a professional development site for many next-generation UNO teachers. This relationship existed long before Hynes' status as a charter. There are currently 10 veteran teachers at the Hynes site who have been mentoring teachers and supervising UNO student teachers for many years. It is for these reasons that the focus of the study again shifted to the feasibility of a Hynes/UNO partnership. A review of national models was conducted including colleges which authorize charters, universities that operate charters, and those that partner and collaborate with charters. University leaders caution that a Charter/University collaboration should only be attempted if there is a sustaining commitment by both entities. For a successful charter school on a university campus, the missions of both the university and charter school must align. The operational sections of this study analyze the competitive landscape for potential students. EnrollNOLA, the citywide enrollment program, shows that with the student demand for seats at high-performing schools, there is little doubt that a charter school on the UNO campus operated by the Hynes Charter School Corporation would be successful in reaching capacity enrollment. In 2017, the present Hynes Charter had 572 applications for 100 vacancies at its current site. UNO faculty and staff may benefit if the UNO/Hynes charter school could offer a preference for a percentage of these seats to their children and/or dependents. With the commitment of the UNO administration and faculty, especially the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Development, the charter school could provide the on-campus educational laboratory for developing and sharing best practices with other schools. Undergraduate, next-generation teachers would have the ability to attend college classes at the charter and directly observe strategies in real time and with real students under the guidance of veteran PreK-8 teachers. Professional development workshops could also be offered at the site. The presence of an elementary school on campus will revitalize the undergraduate and graduate education course offerings at UNO. There are ways in which a charter school on campus can increase revenue for UNO. These include the leasing of a building, including overhead costs to the charter school operator or charging a per pupil amount which would generate a guaranteed amount of dollars per year. Also, the ability to attract additional student enrollment for additional charter-focused courses could generate more tuition dollars. An increase in the UNO offerings of summer and Saturday programs for elementary students could generate an increase in attendees and fees. A larger list can be found in Section F. Also, having a charter school on the campus could engage non- education majors in volunteering and providing support for the students, parents and faculty in a variety of ways. These could include coaching intramural teams, tutoring struggling students or assisting in science labs. Providing a space on campus for PreK-8 students also gives those students a feel for their future on a college campus perhaps UNO. The capital building section reviews some of the requirements, safety codes, and other considerations necessary for a building to be converted into an operating elementary school. The financial projections section shows that a start-up charter school, even a replicated one, would need a substantial grant for start-up operating costs. Those available grant possibilities are listed in that section, as well as additional costs to the university. The projected size for a second PreK-8 Hynes site would begin with 150 students in two grades during the first year and gradually grow to 690 students within five years. Several of these grants have application deadlines and other deadlines for opening a new school. The largest grant, from the NOLA Charter Excellence Fund Grant administered by New Schools for New Orleans, has a mandated 2018 opening date to be eligible for its funding. This study is not intended to be an exhaustive report. More research needs to be done, especially in the area of choosing the appropriate school facility and the exploration of actual costs for renovation and/or site preparation. Since Katrina, we have learned to: 1) replicate what is working, 2) re-engineer when strategies are not productive or successful, and 3) share the knowledge of our successes and failures. UNO and Hynes are exceptionally well-suited as potential partners to embark on such a journey. Both organizations, along with Benjamin Franklin High School, have enjoyed a formal 11-year cooperative and beneficial relationship. In fact, Benjamin Franklin students currently participate in a dual enrollment program at UNO and utilize the UNO library. Creating a Hynes campus on the UNO campus would be the next logical step to provide high-quality educational opportunities from Pre-K through college for the children of New Orleans. Section - Louisiana Charter Schools Review: This Section has been reviewed by Lee Reid, Esq., of Adams and Reese; Reid is an attorney specializing in Louisiana Charter School Law. Analysis of the similarities and differences among current charter schools associated with universities in Louisiana, including governance, legislative authority, funding sources, budgets, student admissions and enrollment. Other than Ben Franklin High School and the Net Charter on the University of New Orleans campus, there are only two other charter schools located on college campuses in Louisiana: the Maxine Giardina Charter School at Nicholls State University and Lincoln Prep, a Iab-converted-to-charter school on the Grambling State University Campus. The Maxine Giardina Charter School - Nicholls State University The Maxine Giardina Charter School (the MAX Charter), located on the Nicholls State University campus, serves students in grades 1-8, and focuses on students with dyslexia and other language-related learning issues. The school was developed in collaboration with the Louisiana Center for the Study of Dyslexia and Related Learning Disorders and the College of Education at Nicholls State University. it has been in existence ten years, and is considered an Alternative School under the state's accountability system. The MAX Charter is a Type 2 charter school, which allows for a statewide student enrollment. As a Type 2, the MAX Charter is its own Local Educational Agency (LEA) and receives funds directly from the state. The charter owns its facility which is comprised of modular buildings on campus. The school pays no rent to the university and, although there are university members on the governing board of the school, it is run independently and governed by its own nonprofit board. According to Alison Borne, Data Coordinator at the school?, the university supports the charter with student teachers and the use of the university?s Dyslexia lab. The school?s website states that the MAX Charter is the first of its kind in Louisiana and has become a source for on-going professional development for in-service teachers as well as field experience training for pre-service teachers working with targeted special-needs students. Currently there are 120 students attending the school. It receives money from the state's Minimum Foundation Program (MFP), from local funds, as well as funds for special- needs students. Additional funds are raised from grants. There are no funds that are allocated directly from the university to the charter school. The annual 2016 budget of the MAX charter school as listed on the Louisiana Believes, DOE Website is $1,379,989, with $56,632 coming from federal funds.ii Lincoln Prep- Grambling State University Lincoln Prep is a Type 2 charter located on the campus of Grambling State University. Originally designed as a lab school, Lincoln converted this year to a Type 2 charter. According to Gordan Ford, Lincoln's Executive Director, ?We had to do this because we did not receive enough funds from the state to run the lab school." Lincoln is continuing to use the same building as the lab school. There is no rent paid, but the charter school pays for utilities and piggybacks on the custodial services contract, Mr. Ford reports. The governing board of the school is separate from the university, although there are a few trustees who sit on the board and several others are Grambling graduates. There are currently 385 K-12 students who have registered for the upcoming year. The school is approved for 528 students. Mr. Ford also indicated that the lab school at Louisiana Tech in Ruston is working to convert to a charter for the same reasons as Grambling. Lincoln Prep projects a budget of $3,756,606 for the upcoming year as noted on the Louisiana Believes, DOE Website.iv Louisiana Charters with strong ties to universities. Lusher Charter School Lusher Charter School in New Orleans has a strong connection to Tulane University. While not on the Tulane campus, the charter is nearby. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane and Lusher entered into a formal partnership. Tulane provided Lusher with $1.6 million to plan for reopening, and operating the elementary, middle, and high schools. In turn, Lusher opened its doors to children of Tulane's faculty and staff." Lusher currently allocates a portion of its openings to the children of Tulane-affiliated parents who meet Lusher?s admissions criteria. Lusher Charter's high school juniors and senior students are allowed to earn college credit at Tulane. Further partnerships include the development of a professional learning center for teachers, shared use of facilities, access to Tulane?s library, and help from Tulane's architect and facilities manager in planning for the Fortier Campus renovations.Vi Analysis of the differences in partnering with various kinds of charters. Each state enacts laws governing charter schools. In Louisiana, there are six types of charter schools. Each of those types is defined below, with a discussion of the pros and cons of partnering with each. The definitions are adapted from the Charter School Legal Handbook (2014).Vii Charter School?an independent public school that provides a program of elementary and/or secondary education established pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Charter School Law to provide a learning environment that will improve pupil achievement. Type 1: a new school with a charter contract between a non-profit corporation and a local school board. Only pupils who would be eligible to attend a public school operated by the local school board within the same city or parish are eligible to attend. At-risk provisions apply and a centralized enrollment is mandated for Orleans Parish. In order to partner with a Type 1, UNO would be required to set up a new charter or partner with an established non-profit corporation that had the requisite number of teachers and others on the board as required by law. A full charter application would have to be submitted to the Orleans Parish School Board for approval. The Board announces a request for proposals each year and specifies the kinds of curriculum focuses it deems as a priority. A new school would have to meet those requirements. PROS- UNO would be able to greatly impact curriculum and structure of the new school. CONS- A assessment would be required of the amount of time needed from the education faculty initially to begin a start-up. There would also be non-reimbursable costs involved in the writing and review of the application. The focus of the school may have to meet the priorities listed in the Request for Proposals (RFP) as announced by the Orleans Parish School Board. This RFP may not include the curriculum focus that a UNO/Charter partnership would like to pursue Type 2: a new school or a preexisting public school converted to a charter school with a charter contract between a non-profit corporation and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). For preexisting public schools, the conversion to a charter school must be first approved by the professional faculty and staff of the preexisting school and by the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the school as provided in RS. Pupils who reside within the state will be eligible to attend as provided in the charter. To begin a new Type 2 charter school, a new non-profit board would have to be developed. Before submitting a Type 2 charter school application to BESE, the charter school applicants must have already unsuccessfully petitioned the local school board for a Type 1 or Type 3 charter. The applicants may only submit a Type 2 application to BESE if the local school board has denied the Type 1 or Type 3 proposal. lf UNO wanted to partner with an existing (non-charter) direct-run school that wanted to convert to a charter, the Orleans Parish School Board would again have to deny or refuse to review the application, which would then be submitted to BESE. There are only four direct-run schools currently in Orleans Parish which would be eligible for this type of conversion. All, except Mahalia Jackson Charter, are situated in new school buildings. To partner with a Type 2 elementary, K-8 school currently in existence would require the current school to expand and begin another campus. Replication would be the simplest and most cost-efficient way to partner, as the state allows for high-performing schools to expand. However, the curriculum focus would have to be the same. Currently, the only Type 2, K-8 school in Orleans Parish eligible for replication is the International School of Louisiana (ISL). Its focus is language immersion, in French and Spanish. PROS: Student enrollment would be open to the entire state, with preference to children of UNO staff and faculty. CONS: Cost and time issues are the same as for the Type 1 for writing the application. There may be further political issues with the local board having to deny the application. There may also be negative issues from education leaders in other parishes who feel that a Type 2 would compete for students. Replication would decrease time and costs for application. However, the UNO Education faculty may not have the foreign language background to support the school The emersion focus would also limit the charter school as a true professional development school for UNO's aspiring teachers who were not fluent in those languages. The funding for Type 2's is currently under attack in the state courts. The case was heard by the Louisiana Supreme Court September 5. An analysis of the case is discussed in the next section. Type 3: a preexisting public school converted into a charter school with a charter contract between a non-profit corporation and the local school board. Only pupils who would be eligible to attend a public school operated by the local school board granting the charter, or pupils from the same area as those permitted to attend the preexisting school will be eligible to attend as provided in the law. At- risk student enrollment provisions apply, as well as mandatory common enrollment and city-wide policies. The schools that existed before the Katrina, and were chartered after, are among the Type 3?s Ben Franklin, Audubon, Easton, Hynes, Moton, New Orleans Charter Math and Science, Lusher, and Lake Forest. Type 38: a former Type 5 charter school transferred from the Recovery School District to the administration and management of the transferring local school system pursuant to RS. 17:10.5 or 10.7 and rules adopted by BESE. The local school board shall permit a Type SB charter school to remain in the facility in which it was located at the time of transfer or shall provide the Type 38 charter school with another facility for use. At-risk student enrollment provisions apply as well as mandatory common enrollment city-wide policies. It is anticipated that by 2018, all charters will be under the authority of the Orleans Parish School District under the Unification Plan. To partner with a type 3 or 38, the current existing charter school or charter management organization, would seek to expand and open another school on the UNO campus. The current charter board would remain. The partnering school or organization could submit a new application to the Orleans Parish School Board for a new campus and a new school focus or utilize the same curriculum focus. The Orleans Parish School Board, based upon their specific request for proposals, would review and approve the application. There is also a provision in the BESE and OPSB policies to allow for replication and expansion of a high-performing charter school without having to go through the full application process. The provisions state that the school must replicate the same curriculum and student learning strategies currently at the high-performing school. Currently, UNO has partners with two charter schools: Ben Franklin High and Hynes Charter. UNO has members on the governing board of both of those schools. Both charters are eligible to replicate. Hynes Charter already serves as a professional development site for UNO's next generation teachers and has had a long relationship with UNO. PROS: Replication would save both time and money in the application process. A high- performing charter school would immediately be able to serve as a staff development hub for aspiring teachers, counselors and other university-based researchers. The UNO Education faculty would be able to provide leadership in staff development activities and provide for a seamless transition for aspiring teachers. Securing a charter school on campus may also increase the number of aspiring teacher applicants. Most importantly, Michelle Douglas, CEO of Hynes and a graduate of UNO, is interested in pursuing the UNO partnership along with her board. CONS: Student enrollment would be only for Orleans Parish residents. lf UNO decides to partner with another type 3, which is not eligible for replication, a full application would have to be submitted to the Orleans Parish School Board. Type 4: a preexisting public school converted to a charter school with a charter contract between a local school board and BESE. Prior to the creation of such a charter, to convert a preexisting school, BESE may require approval of a proposal to create such a charter by the professional faculty and staff of the preexisting school and by the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the school as provided in RS. Within such Type 4 schools, unless an agreement with another city, parish, or other local public school board is reached to allow students to attend the charter school, only pupils who would be eligible to attend a public school operated by the local school board or pupils from the same areas as those permitted to attend the preexisting school will be eligible to attend as provided in the charter. This type is not appropriate for a UNO partnership, as the Orleans Parish School Board has the goal of chartering all of its schools and operating as an authorizer. Type 5: a preexisting public school transferred to the Recovery School District as a school determined to be failing, pursuant to RS. 17:10.5 or 10.7 and operated as the result of and pursuant to a charter between a non-profit corporation and BESE. Except as otherwise provided in RS. 17:10.7 or RS. 1721990, and notwithstanding the provisions of RS. within such a Type 5 charter school, only pupils who would have been eligible to enroll in or attend the preexisting school under the jurisdiction of the city, parish, or other local public school board or other public school entity prior to its transfer to the BSD may attend. In addition, any student who is eligible to participate in a school-choice program by the prior system shall be permitted to enroll in a Type 5 charter, which has the capacity for another student in the appropriate grade. Since there are very few pre-existing public schools left in Orleans, this type of partnering may not be an option. Currently, the schools directly run by the district are not eligible for takeover. Most of the others are charter schools. It a charter management organization loses its contract, another operator can apply. However, the school would usually stay at the current location. Moving onto the UNO campus may be not approved. Corporate Partner Charter Schools La FLS. 17:3991.1 allows for charter schools to partner with ?corporate partners." In exchange for a donation of land, rent free space or ?major repairs? or ?capital repairs?, the corporate partner receives an enrollment preference for dependent children of permanent employees of the corporate partner. This would provide UNO the opportunity to create a UNO-centered school culture through enrollment. UNO can also partner with a Type 3 and replicate as outlined above, so the same pros and cons apply. Some analysis is needed to determine if a university is eligible to become a corporate partner. It typically would apply to for-profit and non-profit organizations and not a state entity. Legislation may be needed if this is of interest to UNO. Review of the current lawsuit brought by Iberville Parish and Louisiana Association of Education (LAE) as it may affect funding for future charter schools. Must be updated after a decision is reached after the September 5, 201 7 hearing before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Iberville Parish School Board et al. v. State of Louisiana, BESE, et al., No. 633193, Sec. 25 consolidated with Louisiana Association of Educators, et al. v. State of Louisiana, et al., No. 633874, Sec.25 This summary was adapted from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools Brief, June, In September 2014, a local district (lberville Parish School Board) filed a lawsuit against the state, challenging the constitutionality of the current Minimum Foundations Program (MFP) structure for funding Type 2 charter schools. Soon thereafter, a state teachers' union organization (the Louisiana Association of Educators?LAE) filed a similar lawsuit and the two suits were eventually consolidated into one before the 19th Judicial District Court. Collectively, the plaintiffs argued: 1. That the constitution only permits traditional local school districts to directly receive MFP funds and as such, Type 2 charter schools should only be funded via general or specific legislative appropriations (which do not receive the same level of budget protections as MFP funds). 2. Even if Type 2 charter schools are permitted to directly receive (MFP) funds, plaintiffs contended that the MFP formula unlawfully considers the amount of local funds raised by a district and that any withholdings from a district's total state portion of the MFP is unconstitutional. In essence, the plaintiffs argued that the funding of students who attend Type 2 charter schools should be akin to those who attend a private school, namely, that no amount of money should be withheld from districts for students who enroll in a school outside the purview of that board's jurisdiction and that the funding for those students should be the full burden of the state with no financial consequence to the sending district. Implications for UNO Partnering: The result of this lawsuit, if the plaintiffs win, may force the state to provide for a separate state allocation for Type 2 charter schools. This would be costly, and the dollars could not be allocated from the local district for Type 2 charter schools. The state would have to create a separate funding source. Until the suit is settled, UNO should not seek to partner with a Type 2 charter school at this time. Types of Charter Schools Type Authorizer Contract LEA status Start-Up vs. Admissions Conversion 1 Local School LSB non-profit board No Start-up At-risk percentage Board requirements; may have admission requisites consistent with mission 2 BESE BESE non-profit Yes Either At-risk percentage board requirements; may have admission requisites consistent with mission 3 Local School LSB non-profit board Either Conversion May have admission requisites Board consistent with mission 38 Local School LSB non-profit board May be Conversion Open enrollment only Board either at former Type 5 with financial charter returned to an oversight from request LSB BESE 4 BESE BESE local school Yes Either At-risk percentage board requirements; may have admission requisites consistent with mission 5 BESE BESE non-profit Yes Conversion Open enrollment only board *under the juris- diction of the BSD Section - National Models Review: Analysis of university/charter school models around the US. which may be applicable in Louisiana, including funding, university participation and governance. University Lab schools Universities have partnered with K-12 schools in many ways long before the advent of charter schools. Professional development schools, better known as lab schools, were developed as a way for education departments to train aspiring teachers while at the same time to impact the curriculum and teaching strategies in elementary and secondary schools. Some of the earliest examples date back to the 1890's, with John Dewey founding the first experimental school at the University of Chicago.ix Currently, there are about 60 formal lab schools, which are members of the International Association of Laboratory Schools. Several lab schools in the United States are now also charter schools and use the best practices of each. The University of Hawaii and Grambling State have both converted their lab schools into charters. There are various governance structures that may be applied to lab/charter schools throughout the country. Funding depends upon the state charter law as well as the higher education funding in that particular state. Universities as Charter Authorizers The first charter school law was passed in Minnesota in 1991. There are now over 42 states with laws allowing for and governing charter schools" As these laws were passed, many universities led the way in support of charter schools. Some state laws allow for universities to authorize charters and to provide the oversight and accountability for those schools. A total of 47 higher education institutions were authorizing charter schools at the end of the 2014-15 school year, according to the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). The funding for authorization by the universities is allocated from a fee that is paid by each charter school on a per student bases. This model is not currently allowed by Louisiana law, but some of the initiatives and strategies employed by these universities may be applicable to a UNO/Charter partnership. Universities as Charter Operators After the passage of state laws, additional universities embarked on initiatives to start and/or operate charter schools. There are still many very successful charter schools run by universities in the country. There have been universities which began charter schools only to find that the time, dollars and effort needed to run the charter school overwhelmed their education faculty and department. In 2008, after a decade of running a charter school, the University of South Florida (USF) transferred control of its F-rated charter school to the local school district. The University stated that they did not have the financial resources to adequately assist the students. However, the founder of the Charter School stated, "What was really needed was not more money, but human capital in the form of USF faculty and student involvement"."" The inherent conflicts of any University/Charter School partnership is nicely summarized by Dr. Deborah Stipek, former Dean of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, in an interview last month.xii "We operated a charter school for over a decade. However, when a new dean (of the university's education department) was named, he felt that the mission of the department did not align with the running of a charter school." Stanford still has ties with the charter school, but no longer financially supports the school. Nor does its Graduate School of Education work on a daily basis with the charter school it began. Dr. Stipek also recounted that although Stanford financially supported the charter school with the university's funds, it was not enough to provide the needed resources for the school. It was her task to raise hundreds of thousands of additional dollars each year to provide for the extra financial resources needed for student success. There are several funding allocations for charters on university campuses: per-pupil public funds (depending on the state law), federal per-pupil, direct university subsidy and private philanthropic dollars. In the case of Stanford, Dr. Stipek indicated that the university allocated $500,000 per year in the first years of the charter school. Governance of charter schools operated by universities on campuses follows a similar model as that used by UNO and New Beginnings. Usually a separate entity is formed with a governing board that has member seats designated by the university. UNO has had a history of operating charter schools and should review the steps, records and rationale of why there was a transfer of governance and operation to the New Beginnings Schools Foundation that was initially created and operated by UNO. Universities as Charter Collaborators Other University/Charter models around the country reflect the laws of that state and the resources of the universities. With some partnerships, the university faculty provides the faculty and staff development, the same as district schools. In others, there is a collaborative arrangement with the university faculty and the charter school. K-12 teachers also serve as professors for certain university classes and vice versa. No matter how extensive the partnership is, literature and interviews with university leaders emphasize that the mission of the charter school and the university must be aligned, and a commitment to sustain the alliance should be an integral part of any agreement. University Initiatives to Support Charter Schools As a result of universities supporting charter schools, several colleges have created programs that enhanced their own offerings to meet the unique needs of the charter school sector. Charter School Leadership Programs Central Michigan University (CMU) developed a Masters in Charter School Leadership in partnership with the Detroit-based Skillman Foundation and the National Charter Schools institute. CMU launched a concentration of charter school leadership as part of its Master of Educational Leadership program. The program?s web site states: ?This unique online master's degree program is designed for dedicated educators interested in enhancing their skills and educational credentials for charter school leadership. As the number of new charter schools in the US is rapidly rising, leaders with knowledge of the special challenges of charter school administration are needed." Xi" Ball State University offers a certificate in Charter School Leadership as well."iv These offerings are funded by money from student tuition. Both of the universities above are charter authorizers. Their willingness to revise and expand their traditional school-leader preparation has supported the charter school movement in their states. Other universities have developed online and face-to-face courses to support charter schools, especially in the finance area. The University of Georgia's Institute of Government offers a Charter School Financial Management Certification Program. Funding comes from the state. The Charter Schools Commission of Georgia offers full scholarships to school business managers and school leaders who wish to enroll in this program.xv Undergraduate Student Recruitment Some programs are more formalized. Lake Superior State University (LSSU), for example, offers a series of summer camps called Superior Edventures for students of schools chartered by LSSU. Through these camps, held on campus, students ?get firsthand experience of what it is like to learn and work in state-of-the-art science laboratories and classrooms.? Eleven camps included math and STEAM camps for 7th and 8th graders, as well as leadership camps for high school students. Not only does this assist the achievement of K-12 students, but it gives them an introduction to campus life at In the past, UNO has offered summer camps for gifted students (SPARKLE) as well as other summer programs which were staffed by the UNO Education faculty and aspiring teachers. Currently, UNO offers a summer camp through the UNO Recreation and Fitness Center. The campus is working to improve academic components of those camps, as they have been minimal in the past. For example, UNO now offers a science and engineering camp for high school students. Teacher and School Leader Placement University authorizers have also used their affiliated schools for help in placing teachers and school leaders in career opportunities. This is done through formal and informal partnerships between a university?s authorizing office and its college of education. 10 Other Opportunities With a high performing charter school on campus, UNO can offer more professional development to assist other charters which may struggle with the training of new teachers. The ability to showcase strategies in action and to model these with real students is a tremendous plus for the UNO Education faculty and for the general improvement of education for the students in the city. Section - Operations and Competitive Landscape Reviews: Analysis of the number of seats currently available for elementary students in schools in New Orleans (Orleans Parish) as well as in the surrounding parishes, including wait lists where applicable. Survey and analysis of the political threats and challenges posed by opening a charter school on the UNO campus. Analysis of the legislative rules for Enroll NOLA and other New Orleans unification requirements as they may apply to a charter school on the UNO campus. Partnering with Hynes Charter/Benjamin Franklin High School Since the focus of this report is now on the feasibility of partnering with Hynes, this section will concentrate on the current student demand for Hynes Charter in its Lakeview location. It will also review the current seat capacity and availability of elementary seats in Orleans Parish only. if the partnership was to be extended to a Type 2 school, then the surrounding parish availability would be applicable. As discussed in the Louisiana Review section, Hynes is a Type 3 charter which can only enroll Orleans Parish residents. in the last several years, more and more Benjamin Franklin graduates have opted to attend UNO as their college of choice. Likewise, Hynes Charter has become an important and growing feeder for Benjamin Franklin High School. The Hynes/Franklin/UNO connection will probably increase the desire of more students to attend UNO as their college of choice because of the geographic proximity and close affiliation of these institutions. Profile of Hynes Edward Hynes Charter is an open admission A rated school with a state school performance score (SPS) of 113.7 out of 150. The full school report card can be found in the appendix. Of the 48 classroom teachers, 100% have bachelor degrees and 36% hold master degrees. The CEO is currently enrolled in the program at UNO. The school has recently been awarded a ten-year renewal by its authorizer, the Orleans Parish School Board. There is at present one campus, located at 990 Harrison Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans. The school is operated by the governing board of the Hynes Charter School Corporation. A new school may be operated by the same board. 11 Student Demand for Hynes During the 2016-2017 school year, the demand for seats at Hynes far out-weighed the availability. By state law and Orleans Parish School Board operating agreements, all new or renewed charters must participate in a city-wide enrollment process, currently called EnrollNOLA. Hynes in Lakeview is an open-admission school in grades K-8. The Pre-K classes are only for gifted students. The school, by operating agreement, has a preference for the 70124 zip code. One lottery is held for those applicants, and 67% of the student body can be reserved for the 70124 residents. The remaining percentage is city-wide, and another lottery is held for city-wide applicants. The results of the Hynes 2016-2017 lottery are as follows: The number of applications for K-8th grade seats: 572 The number vacancies accepted 100 The number of applications for Kindergarten 261 The number of Kindergarten vacancies 75 EnrollNOLA The chart below summarizes the number of applicants to high-performing schools in New Orleans. These numbers do not count the elementary schools, like Hynes, that handled their own lotteries: Hynes, Lusher, Lake Forest and Audubon. The Most-Wanted Schools in OneApp, 2017 ?ii School Applicants Kindergarten 1. Benjamin Franklin Elementary 422 2. Bricolage Academy 374 3. Lycee Francais 345 4. Alice Harte Charter 291 5. Morris Jeff Community School 279 K-8 1. Benjamin Franklin Elementary 1,411 2. Alice Harte Charter 1,382 3. Mary Bethune Elementary 919 4. Morris Jeff Community School 762 5. Bricolage Academy 590 12 As you can see, there is a high demand for high-performing elementary schools in New Orleans that far exceeds the number of openings. There should be no problem in attracting students to a new Hynes Charter School on the UNO campus. EnrollNOLA EnrollNOLA is the city-wide student management program operated in Orleans Parish. The common enrollment program is mandated by both state law and the Orleans Parish School Board operating agreement. For the first time, Hynes Charter must participate in this program for PreK-8 students in the 2018-2019 school year. A new school on the UNO campus, which replicates the Hynes program, must also comply. Requests can be made for certain student enrollment preferences. One would be preference for zip code 70122. (The current Hynes arrangement has a preference for 70124.) This preference is consistent with the Hynes's community school focus. Another preference would be for Orleans Parish residents who are dependents of the faculty and/or staff of UNO. Political Threats and Challenges There may be some challenges partnering with a current high-performing charter that has the ability to replicate. This is a partial list generated from past debates about charter schools. It is not meant to be all inclusive, but these topics are food for thought. 1. UNO student teachers are currently placed at various schools throughout the community. It is essential that the surrounding districts that traditionally rely on student teachers and other services from UNO be assured that these would continue. There may be criticism from traditional school districts that do not have charter schools envisioning a shift in focus away from the direct-run schools. It should be noted that three districts, St. Charles, St. Bernard and St. Tammany, do not have any charter schools. 2. UNO has, in the past, operated charter schools that have not been as successful as Hynes. The publicity and announcement of this partnership should find ways to assure the community that this initiative is a way to serve and assist other schools, both charter and traditional, in sharing best practices. 3. The faculty of UNO should be brought into the planning process at an early date, so that they understand that UNO would not be using its public funds to operate the school. This will avoid/neutralize any backlash in an era of dwindling state financial support. 4. Depending on which building or site is chosen on campus, some Departments/Colleges may be displaced. This transition should be achieved with planning and forethought that includes the fate of any displaced programs. 5. Student enrollment preferences for UNO faculty and staff could be allowed by the EnrollNOLA process as well as a preference for a 70122 zip code. There are educational leaders and activists who feel that all schools should be city-wide in enrollment, and there could be some backlash. However, the ability to have a preference for Orleans Parish residents who are UNO faculty and staff could serve as a major benefit for UNO employees. 6. If UNO chooses to explore the corporate-partnership initiative, this would allow, by law, a maximum of 50% of the student enrollment seats to be allocated by lottery to 13 updated if the partnering continues. Grants for startup costs are mandatory to ensure the financial success and sustainability of a new school. Sample Student Growth and Income MFP Based on 2013-14 Start- Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Up ?Dedicated Bldg. Pre3rGl Total 150 240 315 390 465 540 615 690 Gross 1,373,850 2,225,760 2,957,850 3,707,730 4,476,090 5,262,840 6,068,820 6,893,790 MFP 2% 27,477 44,515 59,157 74,155 89,522 105,257 121,376 137,876 Admin Net 1,346,373 2,181,245 2,898,693 3,633,575 4,386,568 5,157,583 5,947,444 6,755,914 MFP There are several start-up grants that are available to charters in Orleans. NOLA Charter Excellence Fund (NCEF). This grant is administered by New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO). It allows for a cost-per-pupil amount for each student enrolled by a high performing school at a new site. At a meeting with the CEO and staff of NSNO, the parameters of this grant were discussed, and Hynes would be eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is late September and the decision to fund would be made in late winter. Requirements of this grant may not allow a zip code preference as requested for the community school, or for a UNO faculty/staff preference. To be eligible for this grant, a new school must be opened in the fall of 2018. These grants are direct grants and not reimbursements. The current cap is one million dollars. 15 Start-up Planning Grants Also administered by NSNO, these are smaller grants awarded to charter schools/CMO's to plan for opening. These are direct grants and not based upon student enrollment. The range is There is not a 2018 deadline for school opening. Wallace Foundation Start-up Grants Administered by the Louisiana Public Charter School Association, the Wallace grants allow for start-up costs for new charters. Usually in the amount of $250,000- $350,000. These grants require extensive applications. Should the Hynes/UNO partnership proceed, the UNO foundation may have access to other university-based grants for the purpose of this collaborative. All financial avenues should be explored. Cost to UNO Hynes Charter School is operated by its governing board as a 501(0) (3) institution. Hynes Charter accepts both public and private dollars to operate the school. Depending upon which type of partnership UNO chooses - corporate or non-corporate the main cost would be the release of a building to operate the school. During the first two years, the new charter could probably be incubated in a relatively small site. However, by the third year, a full building may need to be committed to the school?s use. There may be costs to the dedicating of a building as any classes and/or departments currently occupying the site may need renovations to their new sites. Renovation costs to the building could either be conducted by UNO and reimbursed by the charter though a lease, or, if a legal review approves, conducted by the charter under a lease arrangement. There are ways in which a charter school on campus can increase revenue for UNO. 1. LEASE - The lease of a building to the charter school operator would generate a guaranteed amount of dollars per year. The lease would include the rent as well as overhead costs of electricity and insurance. Alternatively, a cooperative agreement could commit a per-pupil amount from the charter school which would grow as the school increases student enrollment. 2. ADDITIONAL COURSES - There could be additional enrollment for additional courses having a charter focus in both the education and business arenas. Examples include: Ed Diagnostician, English Language Learner Certification, Reading Specialist and Charter School Financial Management. 16 3. SUMMER CAMP ENHANCEMENT - An elementary charter school on campus could increase the participation in the UNO full-day summer camps and programs for elementary school students, thereby increasing summer student camp fees. Classes for these students could have both a recreation and an academic focus. LSU in Baton Rouge offers many summer programs for elementary and middle-school students each summer in reading and study skills. This model could be studied to see if there is a need in the greater New Orleans area for this type of programming. 4. SPECIALIZED SUMMER CAMPS AT UNO - In the past, UNO has hosted many successful K-8 summer camps: Space Camp, Mini College and SPARKLE. There is a demand for high quality summer camps in New Orleans. New links to UNO environmental science and engineering are two examples that could be considered for middle school students. 5. REGIONAL CONFERENCES - The UNO faculty could host small regional and/or state conferences using the Alumni Center for professional organizations such as Kagan and "Success for All," with visiting teachers observing the strategies in action at the charter school. 6. STAFF RETENTION - If a preference were granted for UNO faculty and staff to enroll their children at the charter school, it could witness an employee retention benefit. 7. GRANTS - The developer, who will work for the Hynes organization, will seek grants that benefit both UNO and Hynes. Additionally, this individual could share higher-education state and federal grant possibilities with the UNO Education faculty. 8. STATE DOLLARS FOR HYNES TEACHER TUITION - Teachers at Hynes could utilize the state 89 dollars to offset tuition for Masters Degrees. 64% of the current teachers do not have a Masters. 9. ADJUNCT PROFESSORS - Hynes master teachers could teach undergraduate students as adjunct professors, thereby having a consistency between the Education classes and student observation at the school. This may increase the ability to offer more classes thereby increasing UNO undergraduates. 10. INCREASE IN EDUCATION MAJORS - There probably would be an increase in undergraduate education majors if there was a working charter school on campus. UNO students would not have to travel far for class observations and student teaching practice during their time at UNO. 11. CONTRACTING SERVICES - the possibility of contracting with UNO's security and IT services, as well as food and custodial services for the school, could reduce UNO costs in these areas. 12. HIGH SCHOOL TEACHING ACADEMY - Ben Franklin Charter High could reinstitute their successful Teaching Academy, which developed a core of high 17 school students who wanted to explore teaching as a career. Having an elementary school on campus, in which the high school students could practice teaching, would increase the motivation to join the cohort. High school students in this cohort would be encouraged to enroll at UNO for further education courses, thereby creating a K-16 pipeline. 13. FIELD RENTALS - The east campus could become the hub of the middle school league play for both the tennis courts and open fields. Charter schools throughout the city participate in this league. 14. FITNESS CENTER MEMBERSHIP INCREASE - Hynes teachers could become members of the UNO fitness center at faculty rates, thereby increasing membership and revenue numbers. 15. PARENTS REGISTERING FOR CLASSES - Having a charter school on campus might be an incentive for parents to return or begin college at UNO. Depending on the availability of state and federal dollars, there may be other revenue- producing opportunities. NOTE: The affiliation between UNO and Hynes Charter would raise the profile of UNO in the greater New Orleans community. The association with a successful school such as Hynes will highlight UNO as an educational institution of note. The benefits of such an association are difficult to measure in financial terms, but unexpected benefits will certainly appear. Section - Facility/Capital Building Review: A cursory analysis of the basic renovations needed to convert a university building (or building portion) into an elementary school and bring the facility up to code. This section of the report will not include cost projections. The major challenge to a partnership between UNO and Hynes is the securing of an appropriate facility. Although there are potentially available buildings on the UNO campus, they must be suited to a traditional elementary school. There are Fire Department Life Safety Code rules regarding using first-floor classrooms for PK, and first-grade students and first or second floor locations for second graders. An exception is allowable if there exists a dedicated staircase egress for, and accessible by, these students only. Other parameters must be considered: 1. The ability for school buses and parents to pick up and drop off students from a secured area in the morning and in the afternoon, reasonably sheltered from the weather. 2. Outside space for children to play, if possible, one with access to secure, safe playground equipment and security fencing. 3. Large room for lunch and breakfast meeting the requirements of the Sanitation Code. During the first two years, exploration could be done to contract with the UNO 18 food service provider for student meals. For a longer term solution, a dedicated cafeteria should be added. 4. Science labs must be added to middle school grades, each with running water. 5. Art and music rooms should eventually be provided with sound proofing, particularly on the music rooms. 6. Private offices for the school administrators, school nurse and social worker should be provided. 7. Access to other facilities, such as the pool, tennis courts, etc., would expand the offerings of the Hynes tennis and swim teams. 8. Toilet rooms and water fountains would be defined in numbers and locations as required by the State Sanitation Code. For PreK and classes, this may require child-sized toilet rooms located adjacent to class rooms. 9. The approvals of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Department of Health and Hospitals would be required. 10. Controlled access to the spaces housing children are a requirement. 11. intercom and fire alarm systems monitored through the school office and a secured internet system with central server room are necessary. 12. The facility must also comply with the rules for handicapped accessibility. 13. Contracts can be shared for custodial, security and other building-related services. A legal review would need to be conducted to review the building's insurance requirements. This, again, would depend on the kind of partnership lease, MOU, etc. it would also depend upon whether UNO wanted to pursue the corporate partnership. Under a corporate partnership, as described on the Louisiana Believes in order for a business to be considered a ?corporate partner,? it must ?individually, or as part of a consortium of businesses, donate one or more of the following to the school in an amount equivalent to at least 50% of the per-pupil allocation: land, building space, renovations to an existing school building, and/or technology.? Although this language is broad, it would have implications on a lease. Note that for a university to become a corporate partner, additional state legislation and/or approvals from the University of Louisiana System Board may need to be written and enacted. 19 Recommendations - Next Steps Based upon a review of the research, an analysis of the demand for high-quality open admission student seats, and interviews with national and local education leaders, a partnership between Hynes and the University of New Orleans to establish a PreK-8 charter on campus has a high probability of success. Not only does it expand educational opportunities for students, but the partnership also has the effect of revitalizing the offerings of the UNO College of Education and other university departments. By teaching and practicing the craft of teaching with children on campus, UNO students and faculty have the ability to gain constant feedback on the success of new strategies and programs. The charter school partnership could also become a professional development hub for other schools in the region. An added feature is the ability to engage other non-education majors in the lives of children, If the University of New Orleans and the Hynes Board want to continue with the project, these are the next steps recommended: 1. The boards of both Hynes and UNO should, at minimum, give approval to continue exploring the possibility of such a partnership and designate a liaison to work on the project at least part time. 2. Discussions with EnrollNOLA and the Orleans Parish School Board should occur to determine if the focus can be on a community school with 70122 zip-code- preference as well as a preference for dependents of the UNO faculty and staff. This would also be the determining factor as to whether the corporate-partnership model is pursued. (As discussed in Section B, that model would allow for more preference seats for Orleans Parish residents who are dependents of the faculty and/or staff of UNO.) 3. Further discussion with possible funders for start-up grants should be held to determine their requirements with regard to enrollment and timelines. Grant writers may need to be engaged to assist in writing the grants. 4. An assessment should be conducted as to a suitable facility on campus that would include, but not be limited to, the list in the facility section of this study. Further analysis of costs related to renovation could then be completed. 5. A communication plan should be developed early to announce to the entire university faculty and staff that this exploration is underway, and to solicit their input. Communication on this project should not come from outside the university. 20 End Notes Telephone interview with Alison Borne, Data Coordinator, Max Charter School, July 28, 2017. ii i? Telephone Interview with Gordan Ford, July 27. 2017- vi Ibid Louisiana Charter School Legal Handbook, Handbook-2014 Vi? Louisiana Charter School Association Newsletter, June 9, 2017 i" Ed. Week ?Amid Changing Landscape, Lab Schools Search for New Roles?, Sarah Sparks, February 24, 2015 Why Universities Choose to Authorize Schools A Report on University Authorizing and Lessons for Idaho. Redden. E. (2008, August 7). When universities run schools. http://insidehigheredcom .gagesstudycom/ Telephone Interview with Deborah Stipek, Education Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, July 27, 2017 Masters Degrees/Central Michigan University xiv uate/certificates/ XV Lake Superior State University Charter Schools Newsletter. November, 2014. Dreilinger,, Danielle. ?OneApp's Most-Wanted New Orleans Schools for 2017 Nola Live, 14 Apr. 2017. 21