Cedar Rapids school board issues statement on charter schools

Below is the statement Cedar Rapids school board President John Laverty read at Monday night's school board meeting regarding the Downtown Charter school proposal outlined by former teacher Gretchen Price and others:

June 13, 2011

Statement from Board of Education to Dr. Benson and the Administration

1. We are aware of the request from Gretchen Price and others she's associated with to collaborate with Cedar Rapids Community School District on developing a Charter School for the 2012-2013 school year.
2. We as a District and Board have been open to other forms of education delivery (i.e. year-round schools, alternative high school, special education services, online/individualized learning, differentiated instruction, arts and activities enrichment programs, Project Lead the Way STEM/engineering program, adding foreign language to elementary level, SMART boards, etc.) and will remain open to new ideas that are in the best interest of our students, that have data and research to support them, and are financially viable.
3. We have current projects and considerations under way by the District which may impact such a formal charter school request.  These Board priorities include:

a)      the enrollment and facilities studies,

b)      working to complete and open the new administrative ELS Center by spring,

c)      uncertainty regarding next year's State Allowable Growth and still recovering from the 10% mid-year cut by Governor Culver last year,

d)      Professional Learning Communities and “Closing the Gap” priorities,

e)      meeting “No Child Left Behind” and other State/Federal mandates, and

f)      finalizing flood recovery projects with FEMA and others.

1. We therefore feel as a Board we are NOT in a position at this time to collaborate with any group requesting a Charter School in the District and

   ask Dr. Benson and the Administration NOT spend any more time, except as required by law, on the development of any Charter School requests until such time as the Board has adequate information from the enrollment and facilities studies (including public input and Citizens' Committee recommendations) and pending the outcome of the Board vote on the proposed policy and regulation re: Innovation Zone/Charter Schools.