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Council
of
Brighter
Choice is located at the former Public School 10 building where two schools
operate under common management. They
are the The
school offers a new model for urban education.
American history is taught without books, but rather with original source
materials and live performances. There
is strong focus on educational trips and performing arts.
Since
originally opened, there have been large percentage point gains in reading and
math. And academic gains from students’ entry to testing.
There is high attendance and low student turnover as well as a low
turnover of faculty. Parental
satisfaction is reported to be high. The New York State Education Department
gave it a positive report after a recent site visit. The
school attributes its gains to better and innovative design, very positive
school culture, and the data to drive instruction. Mr.
Carroll stated that the ·
Small schools ·
More instruction time ·
School culture matters ·
Flexibility ·
Consistency of vision ·
Single gender instruction ·
School uniforms He
also stated that the standard educational model is teacher-driven.
Brighter Choice and other charter schools are student driven.
Decisions are made within the guidelines imposed by Charter
schools are an alternative for parents who feel their child’s needs are not
being met in the public school setting. The
arguments about whether there should be charter schools and how they should be
funded are two separate issues. Mr.
Carroll offered the following in response to attendees’ questions ·
Brighter Choice has
experienced an 8 percent student turnover rate
since it opened ·
This school year, the school had openings for 50 students.
1,100 students applied for
those openings ·
The site of the former ·
Charter schools are located in ·
Increases in scores for reading and math are determined by standardized
tests offered by McGraw Hill because the state doesn’t offer such testing in
lower grades. Students’ progress
is tracked and scores are published. ·
Factors considered in selecting the students who apply for admission are
whether they are academically at risk, whether they have siblings in the school,
if the family is considered low income. Brighter
Choice has more disadvantaged students than other charter schools in ·
Brighter Choice is non-profit. ·
The rules for suspending and dismissing students are the same as the ·
There are no income restrictions for students in the other charter
schools, but on the whole it is low income families who apply for admission ·
Taxpayers and voters have expressed grave concern about the number of
charter schools in ·
Qualifying students are admitted to Brighter Choice by the lottery system.
The Albany League of Women Voters monitors the lottery. ·
Brighter Choice has received a grant to be used for collaboration and
joint initiative with the city. However,
Mr. Carroll reported that the superintendents have declined to meet with
administrators of Brighter Choice. ·
Brighter Choice serves low income families.
At the present time 50 percent of the students attending School 19 are
from low income households.
The
meeting adjourned at Meeting Attendees
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