Board strives to invent charter school formula

Charter schools face strict limits to satisfy the judge in the county's desegregation case.

By KELLY RYAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 10, 2000

LARGO -- School Board members on Tuesday had so many questions about a proposal to limit the growth of charter schools that they decided to wait to vote on it.

Instead, the board will hold a workshop at 9:30 a.m. May 16 to delve into the proposal that Superintendent Howard Hinesley floated as a way to address concerns raised by a federal judge. The board plans to vote by May 23.

Members did agree to change the start times for 13 elementary schools starting this fall. Six of those schools have been among the latest starters in the county, and five of them will now join most others in starting at 8:45. Seven other elementary schools will change their schedules to accommodate them. (See list.)

On charter schools, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday is deciding whether to approve a negotiated settlement between the board and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to end 30 years of court-ordered busing for desegregation.

The judge, in writing and at several court hearings, has said he won't approve the settlement until he is sure that charter schools won't impair the district's ability to meet race ratios and fill new schools in south Pinellas.

Hinesley, with attorneys for the board and the Legal Defense Fund, met with a private mediator to develop a proposal for controlling charters through the end of the settlement in 2007.

The proposal would require student admissions for charter schools to be processed by the district. Charters would have to meet race ratios and would not be able to take a student whose departure from his zoned school would upset the required ratios at that school.

The proposal would limit the number of students in each part of the county who could attend charters. If the formula is approved, more than 15,000 elementary students countywide would be allow to attend charters. But only 1,400 high school and 850 middle school students could choose charters, which are public schools run by private groups.

Charters would not be allowed to grow, change locations or alter their curriculums without School Board approval. The School Board would not be able to approve charters that would affect the district's long-term construction plan.

Board members agreed that Hinesley's proposal seems to answer all of the judge's questions. But several, including Susan Latvala, thought it defeated the purpose of charters, which are supposed to have more freedom than other public schools.

She said it would be irresponsible to prevent the board from altering its long-term construction plans. The board, she said, has a responsibility to adjust its plans as new situations warrant.

"I think we could do a better job," Latvala said. "It's way too complex."

Board members wondered if the district could propose a way to control charters that would allow more students to attend. They said they want special-needs and dropout prevention charters to be free of the restrictions. They also wondered whether other options were considered.

"I have nothing to compare it to," said board member Nancy Bostock. "I am looking for the least restrictive way to do what the judge was asking for."

Even with all of the questions, some board members, including Lee Benjamin and Tom Todd, indicated they were ready to approve the proposal Tuesday. But they agreed to wait because other board members said they wanted to analyze and consider tweaking the proposal.

Hinesley expressed concern about delaying approval of the proposal. The district already is working toward a new student assignment plan, to begin in 2003, that the settlement requires.

Enrique Escarraz III, the lead local attorney for the Legal Defense Fund, also is eager to move forward.

"I want to get past these concerns so we can move on with the future of education," Escarraz said.

The proposal would not affect the district's three current charters, which are small. But it could alter or kill the Bay Village Center for Education proposed for St. Petersburg. Founders want to open a 750-student middle school; this proposal would allow only 483 middle schoolers to attend charters in south Pinellas.

An attorney for Bay Village and a lawyer representing another charter proposal, the Marcus Garvey Academy, spoke against the proposal. One of the complaints was that the number of students allowed to attend charters could change year to year, making it impossible for charter founders to plan.

"It does far more than is necessary," said Philip Ryan, a lawyer and a member of the Bay Village founding board. "It solves problems that don't exist."

In other action, the School Board approved the changes to start times at 13 schools, but may still revisit the issue at a couple of those. Board members said they want to assess safety issues and whether earlier or later start times cause problems for students with disabilities.

The board also:

Listened to a presentation by two local advocates for Bible classes in public schools. State education officials allow districts to offer Bible courses, with specific guidelines, though Pinellas offers world religion courses only in two high schools.

Hinesley said the district would offer courses on the Bible if enough students want to take them as electives. He also said the district's curriculum staff would review the materials presented by Hazel Eakins, a volunteer for the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools.

Representatives from the Tampa Bay chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State spoke against adding Bible courses.

Agreed to relocate the St. Petersburg Challenge School to Lealman Discovery School, 4100 35th St. N in St. Petersburg. The land where the challenge school now sits, 2350 22nd Ave. S, will be the site of a new elementary school.

Fired Madeira Beach Middle School teacher Evelyn D. Rivera, who was accused of falsifying her application by omitting that she had been fired from Hillsborough schools for having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

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