• • Notes from CEO Bill Sims
• • Legislative Update
• • School Leader Consortium
• • Home Run for Cincinnati Leadership Academy
• • Ohio Benefit Bank offers free services
• • OAPCS Membership News
• • Biennial Educational Technology Assessment (BETA)
• • Bowersox concert to benefit Toledo School for the Arts
• • eTech Ohio to host the Annual Technology Spring Institute
• • Recommendations of outstanding classroom teachers welcomed
• • Columbus Preparatory Academy Blitz
• • Apple in Education

Editorial
Charter schools are public schools; they should work together.
For the full article click here

Department of Education
Funding Opportunity:
The Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD)
For the full article click here

Department of Education
Funding Opportunity:
Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems program
For the full article click here

Advocacy

Events

Quality Values and Principles

The course of action continues with the state’s budget bill as the Ohio House is scheduled to complete its version of the bill (Sub. HB 153) by the end of this week. A few additional education reforms will be embedded in the budget bill but I’m expecting an omnibus education bill later in the year that addresses a more complete set of education reform measures. Check out an article in this edition of Insight Online by Stephanie Klupinski for more detailed information about our advocacy efforts this past month on behalf of charter schools.

In celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week, we have placed an appreciation video on our website and we offer it up to you for use at your staff meetings or professional development sessions. A group of charter schools from southeast Michigan created this Thank-a-Teacher Video to remind us that teachers have the ability to inspire greatness and change lives. With all of the stories in the news about schools, it’s important to observe and celebrate incredibly hard working teachers helping students to reach their full potential.

I hope you have all had a chance to read our latest OAPCS quarterly Insight news magazine. Articles include one about the state’s emerging budget, another about the Ohio Alliance’s new performance management program for charter schools, a new data showcase section called “Data Discovery,” and a Q&A with distinguished Ohio federal judge Algenon Marbley. Judge Marbley serves on the Boards of Ohio State University and the KIPP Journey charter school in Columbus. It’s a good read. If you need an extra copy, email DeEdward Robinson at drobinson@oapcs.org and we’ll get one out to you.

Finally, if you have good ideas for workshops for the annual state conference this fall, now’s the time to submit those proposals to our conference planning committee. This is going to be a great year for the conference. We’re moving to the Columbus Convention Center expecting over a thousand participants. It will be a great place to showcase good ideas and practices to fellow teachers, administrators, and members of governing boards. Proposals are due this week! Sneak preview: Dr. Robert Sommers, Governor Kasich’s advisor on education, will be one of our keynote speakers.

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Annual Conference – June 20-23 – Atlanta, GA

Looking for a productive way to spend your end of June? The National Alliance hosts the largest annual US gathering of charter schools and professionals working in the charter school community. This year’s conference will have over 130 breakout sessions for all audiences: Educators; School Leaders; Operations Managers; School Board Members and Authorizers; and Policy/Legal Advocates.

Keynote speakers this year will include Arne Duncan, U. S. Secretary of Education, Corey Booker, Mayor of Newark New Jersey, Marion Wright Edelman, Founder and President of the Children’s Defense Fund, and Eva Moskowitz, President and CEO of the Success Charter Network in New York City. Should be a great event, as always.

Bill Sims
President and CEO
Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools
614-744-2266

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We have been busy responding to the Governor’s proposed budget, introduced as Sub H.B. 153. Earlier this month, OAPCS President Bill Sims testified in front of both the House Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and then before the entire Finance Committee. He discussed six recommendations for changes to the legislative language, as noted below:

1. Improve access to facilities. The proposed budget makes important strides toward improving a charter school’s ability to obtain facilities, but there is still a long way to go. OAPCS and its members know all too well that school districts often go to great lengths to prevent charter schools from using their unused buildings. Thus, the language we submitted would require school districts to first offer facilities for sale to charter schools for a nominal fee of $1. We also proposed flexibility in the current bill’s language to allow multiple charters to co-lease unused district buildings.

2. Geographic Caps. The current bill does not remove the geographic caps. OAPCS suggested that Ohio allow charter schools to open in any of the Urban 21 districts, as had previously been the law.

3. Operator Provision. The current bill would not allow any sponsor that has a school in Academic Watch or Emergency to open a new school. OAPCS has been very critical of this new provision and encourages the legislature to simply maintain the current provision for operators.  

4. Schoolhouse Tax Exemption. A state supreme court decision last year held that the property tax schoolhouse exemption does not apply to charter schools who lease their buildings from private companies. OAPCS proposes changing the current law so that the schoolhouse exemption applies to all public schools, regardless of who they lease their buildings from.

5. Separate Performance Contract. OAPCS recommends that there should be a separate contract between sponsors and a school’s governing authority that specifically addresses performance.

6. Special Education. OAPCS has requested that the changes in special ed funding that apply to district schools under Sub H.B. 153 also apply to charter schools.

Although the legislature is officially on break until early May, members have been meeting to discuss these and many other proposed changes. On Thursday, April 27, thte House is expected to announce the first set of changes. It is expected that at least the fourth of these suggestions (the operator provision) will change.  

These six recommendations represent what OAPCS considers to be the most important changes needed at this time. There are, of course, countless other significant issues addressing Ohio’s charter schools, and OAPCS continues to work to address these. We discussed the budget at a meeting called “Breaking down the Budget,” held at the Education Service Center of Central Ohio in early April. Over fifty schools were represented, and we thank you for your active participation! As always, please communicate your needs and questions to OAPCS so that we may include them as we speak for Ohio’s charter schools.  

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May 20th, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

61 SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY REGISTRATED

OAPCS School Leader Consortium is an informal gathering of professionals. Its agenda is the product of its members. The OAPCS provides meeting facilities and a conference bridge for those interested in participating by phone. There are no costs with consortium membership other than membership in the OAPCS.  

OAPCS School Leader Consortium was created to provide a forum for charter school operators to discuss common advocacy, operational, technical, and academic issues. It is also a forum for sharing best practices and school innovation.

Contact Jennifer Wall at jwall@oapcs.org for the registration form.

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For some students and parents at Cincinnati Leadership Academy attending a Cincinnati Reds baseball game is a once in a lifetime experience. Some parents have never been to a game and so attending with their child is a memory they were looking forward too. Money was given to buy the tickets, excitement started to build and then a major disappointment. During Spring Break custodial staff noticed that the school had been broken into and the money that was paid/raised for the school to attend the Red Game was stolen. Thanks to the Cincinnati Reds Organization the school is back on track. Over 200 tickets were donated to the school for parents, staff and students can continue with their excitement on attending the game.

We hope that Cincinnati Leadership Academy has a great time and with the school OAPCS extends a heartfelt thank you to the Cincinnati Reds Organization in helping the school continue with their field trip!

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The Ohio Benefit Bank offers a free service to apply for public benefits, file a tax return or FAFSA, and register to vote. Check out the Programs and Services offered – including FREE Tax Preparation assistance to families making under $60,000/year. A great deal of assistance can be provided online, and in person assistance can be found via The Benefit Bank Locator — https://secure.thebenefitbank.com/ums?task=locator.
 
The Ohio Benefit Bank is supported through a public-private partnership between the Office of Governor, the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) and Ohio’s foodbanks as well as over 1,100 faith-based, nonprofit, governmental and private partners. The creation of this service as a tool to assist those in need has put the state of Ohio in the forefront of fighting hunger and poverty, while linking those in need to the supports that help in their day to day lives.

To learn more visit: http://www.ohiobenefits.org

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Elliston, Ohio native and American Idol runner up Crystal Bowersox will return to Northwest Ohio to perform a benefit concert for the Toledo School for the Arts. The concert, entitled An Intimate Evening with Crystal Bowersox, will be held Saturday, May 28th at the Valentine Theater in downtown Toledo.

"As arts programming is being cut from school curriculum nationally, regionally, and locally, it is encouraging to know Crystal wants to help carry us through these challenging times," said Martin Porter, director of the Toledo School for the Arts. Bowersox attended the school before she left for Chicago to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter.

Bowersox recently released her first studio album, Farmer's Daughter, which chronicles her life growing up in Northwest Ohio. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 AM, April 30th at the Valentine Theater box office.

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On May 6 and May 13, 2011 eTech Ohio will host the annual Technology Spring Institute. This year, TSI is going regional with five separate events planned at locations around the state.  You are invited to register for the TSI at www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011.

Many of Ohio’s talented technical leaders in P-20 education are slated to present at the regional events. Each TSI event will include bring-your-own technology sessions and roundtable discussions covering topics critical to K-12 and higher education communities. Blended, face-to-face, video conferencing, and webinar training will all be incorporated to leverage regional expertise and increase just-in-time collaboration.
 
The Technology Spring Institute will take place at the following locations:
 
May 6, 2011
Northwest: Bowling Green State University, Levis Commons
Central/West: Clark State Community College (Downtown Springfield), Brinkman Center for Education and Innovation
 
May 13, 2011
Northeast: Ohio State University - Wooster, Shisler Center
Southwest: Miami University, Voice of America Center
Southeast: University of Rio Grande, Bob Evans Farm Hall
 
The cost to register for the 2011 TSI is $40.00 per participant, and covers attendance at any of the locations on both event days (May 6 and May 13).
 
To register for the event, go to www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011.
Further details about the event, agenda, and session content may be found at www.etech.ohio.gov/tsi2011.  For additional questions, contact Quentin Briggs at quentin.briggs@etech.ohio.gov.

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Do you know an educator who exemplifies not only Ohio’s, but the nation’s best? ODE maintains a file of emerging classroom leaders and distinguished teachers and principals. These educators may be considered for membership on advisory boards and task forces, and as candidates for special recognition programs. For more information and the Talent Pool application form, click here or visit www.education.ohio.gov, search keyword: Talent Pool. Nominations are requested by April 29.

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Where can you see Elvis Presley, take a trip around the world, and watch a Jedi fight with Darth Vader? Attend the Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) Blitz©. CPA puts together a school wide pep rally to “teach students to create, motivate, be a team player, and above all, be responsible for their own success in testing and academics”. The Blitz has competitions that have core content (state standards) relevant to the OAA and ITBS and teachers are given guidelines on how to build education into the day of the Blitz. On Blitz day, the gym is filled with the students and teachers wearing costumes that relate to the country in which their class was assigned, music is playing throughout the gymnasium walls, school made movies are made as shown as “Summer Blockbusters” and loud laughter and chanting is heard throughout. It is a 3 hour, motivational, team building activity that everyone should experience.

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Apple offers special education pricing on Apple computers, software and select third party products to College Students, or Teachers, Administrators and Staff of all grade levels. Call 1-800-MY-APPLE for more information and to register your school and start saving today.

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