HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #12 Recommendations from Charter School Committee to the City Commission
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AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET
Meeting Date: 05/19/2009
Item # \ 1-
Contact Name:
Contact Number:
Stella McLeod
Ext. 1 024
Reviewed By:
Department Director:
City Manager:
Subject: Recommendations from the Charter School Committee to the City Commission.
Background Summary:
The Ocoee Charter School Committee was formed by the City Commission on September 16, 2008 for the
purpose of making application to Orange County Public Schools to convert Ocoee public schools to charter
schools. After several board meetings over an eight month period and a meeting at Orange County Public
Schools (OCPS) district, the board has submitted its recommendations to the City Commission.
Issue:
During the meeting (held March 31, 2009) Dr. Evelyn Chandler advised the prospective Charter School
attendees of the following: 1) to budget the FTE at roughly 30% less than the current FTE; and 2) district
teachers may take a one year leave of absence (in this case to work at the charter school). If the teacher does
not return to OCPS within that year, ALL tenure and benefits will be lost. Without funding to make up for the
loss of such benefits, this puts at risk the likelihood that teachers/principals would approve such a move.
Recommendations
The Charter School Committee recommends that the City not pursue a conversion charter school at this time
based on the committee's research and the information gained from OCPS; that the committee sunset at this
time; that the commission continue to lobby the state for a City school districts; that the City assess the
possibility of a charter school in the near future; that Ocoee have more frequent contact with Ocoee's OCPS
representative.
Attachments:
Ocoee Charter School Committee recommendations dated May 6, 2008.
Financial Impact:
This action will prevent the City from having to determine how to make up the shortfall that is destined to occur
given the current financial challenges existing with the state's education budget.
Type of Item: (please mark with an "x'?
Public Hearing
- Ordinance First Reading
== Ordinance Second Reading
Resolution
- Commission Approval
- Discussion & Direction
For Clerk's DeDi Use:
_ Consent Agenda
_ Public Hearing
_ Regular Agenda
Original Document/Contract Attached for Execution by City Clerk
== Original Document/Contract Held by Department for Execution
Reviewed by City Attorney
Reviewed by Finance Dept.
Reviewed by 0
N/A
N/A
N/A
May 6, 2008
City of Ocoee City Commission
We, the members of the Charter School Committee, believe an Ocoee K-12 school
district is a good idea, and we believe it would benefit the students and the community.
Therefore:
. We recommend continuation of lobbying the state for city school districts.
. We recommend Ocoee follow education for the next 2 - 3 years and assess the
possibility of a charter school system in the near future.
. We recommend an invitation be extended to Christine Curtis-Moore, our school
board representative, to present school board updates to the Ocoee mayor and
commISSIOners.
. We recommend not pursuing a conversion charter school at this time and to
sunset this committee for the time being.
. We base these recommendations on the following items, confirmed through
information acquired through research and a meeting with OCPS:
o Issue of teacher's tenure - OCPS allows teachers and administrators a
one-year leave of absence. If the teacher does not return to OCPS within
that year, the teacher or administrator will lose ALL tenure and benefits.
o In a meeting at OCPS on March 31, 2009, OCPS School Choice
Administrator Dr. Chandler advised the prospective charter school
attendees to budget the FTE at 20% less than the current FTE, plus the 5%
that goes to OCPS for administrative services and another 5% reserve for
capital expenditures. This is much less FTE than we would have
expected.
o All Ocoee elementary schools are rated A & B, and we believe it would be
very difficult to convince teachers and parents that a charter school would
be an improvement.
The committee appreciates the support of the mayor and commissioners. We also value
our meeting with Dr. Chandler at OCPS and the candor with which our questions were
addressed.
We will await further input from the mayor and commissioners before going forward.
Respectfully Submitted,
The Ocoee Charter School Committee