Reflections on National Charter School’s Week;
An Adventure in Advocacy in Washington
DC
“You
are here because you embody the innovation and success of the Schools of Choice
movement. You are social entrepreneurs meeting the needs of your community and
you represent the best that charter schools have to offer our children.” It was
with this rousing welcome that Ursula Wright, the interim president and CEO for the
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, welcomed 90 educational leaders from around
the country at the Washington Marriot on Monday night.
The
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools had assembled this group as part
of National Charter Schools Week. After battling my way across the country,
navigating throngs of angry air travelers and cranky shuttle drivers, I was
ready to get down to business.
We began with a welcome dinner hosted by NAPCS
where we heard from key leaders within the charter school movement. Anna Nicotera,
Director of Research and Evaluation for the National Alliance for Public
Charter Schools described
our strategy for efforts on Capitol Hill followed by an address from Stefan Huh, Director of the US Department of
Education’s Office of
Innovation and Improvement. Taishya Adams, NAPCS Director of
State Services, Angela Christophe, NAPCS Director of Programs, Lisa Grover,
NAPCS Senior Director of State Advocacy and long-time DC lobbyist Claude [Vick?] ran us
through a mini-training on making the most out of our time with members of
Congress and their staff. We then played an all-group game of Jeopardy where we
were quizzed on the facts, figures and talking points we just trained on and
I’m happy to say that the Colorado contingent (myself and Vinny), along with
support from our friends in Alaska and Wyoming delegations, won the game and
earned ourselves gift cards and instant credibility amongst all in attendance!
With meeting agendas distributed and additional evening prep-homework assigned,
I settled back into my hotel room to memorize the schedule and get a solid
grasp on the issues I would be advocating for the following day.
We began with a welcome dinner hosted by NAPCS
where we heard from key leaders within the charter school movement. Anna Nicotera,
Director of Research and Evaluation for the National Alliance for Public
Charter Schools described
our strategy for efforts on Capitol Hill followed by an address from Stefan Huh, Director of the US Department of
Education’s Office of
Innovation and Improvement. Taishya Adams, NAPCS Director of
State Services, Angela Christophe, NAPCS Director of Programs, Lisa Grover,
NAPCS Senior Director of State Advocacy and long-time DC lobbyist Claude [Vick?] ran us
through a mini-training on making the most out of our time with members of
Congress and their staff. We then played an all-group game of Jeopardy where we
were quizzed on the facts, figures and talking points we just trained on and
I’m happy to say that the Colorado contingent (myself and Vinny), along with
support from our friends in Alaska and Wyoming delegations, won the game and
earned ourselves gift cards and instant credibility amongst all in attendance!
With meeting agendas distributed and additional evening prep-homework assigned,
I settled back into my hotel room to memorize the schedule and get a solid
grasp on the issues I would be advocating for the following day.
An
early wake-up call did not correlate well with my still mountain-standard time
body and brain. A quick breakfast with the National Alliance team served as an
impromptu pep-rally before we were transported to the hill with a full schedule
of meetings. Washington DC is an amazing place. We were there for the tail end
of the spring cherry blossoms and there existed only a hint of the humidity that
will all to soon engulf the District in the oppressive doldrums of summer.
Although I’ve been to our nation’s capital before, the sights, sounds and
stimuli of DC always overwhelm me. Monuments, museums and a subtle want to join
the crowds of patriots touring the sights threatened to derail my mindset but I
knew I was called here for a specific mission. And once we were through Capitol
security, the action was on!
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| The Colorado Team: Ackerman and Badolato |
After
meeting with Tipton, it was on to lunch with Jim Griffin, President of the CLCS
and with the League’s Senior Attorney, Jessica Johnson. Jim Griffin is a true
rock-star within both Colorado’s and the nation’s charter school movement and
getting a few minutes of time with the man who single handedly shaped our
state’s statute always proves invaluable. Interestingly enough, Tuesday was the
day where the NAPCS announced that Griffin was to be inducted into the Charter
School Hall of Fame this summer at the national conference! Post-lunch, we
headed over to the Russell Senate Building for a meeting with Senator Michael
Bennet’s top Legislative Assistant, Joy Silvern. Silvern was hours away from transitioning off
of Bennet’s team and she promised to relay our talking points to the Senator.
It was great to see pictures of Senator Bennet, meeting with students at AHS,
scrolling across the flat screen in the waiting area of his office. I continue
to appreciate all the great things the Senator does on behalf of or nation’s
public education system and if Obama finds himself in a second term, the talk
on the hill is that Michael Bennet would be an excellent (and obvious) choice
for the President’s new Secretary of Education.
We
headed back over to the Cannon building where things really started heating up.
Our next meeting was with Congressman Polis and his team. Vinny has worked
closely with the Congressman and his staff and actually sits on the board of
the New America Schools, a collection of charter schools that Jared Polis
founded in 2004. I had heard that Jared
Polis was like no other member of congress and the stories of his fierce
loyalty to public school children, quirky personality and political victories in Colorado are the stuff of legislative legend. Our time with Representative Polis lived up to all of my expectations and more!
Arriving
in the Congressman’s office, we were told that he was triple booked; scheduled
for a House Finance Committee vote, another meeting where he was working with
other members on new legislation and some time with us. And in keeping with all
of the energetic tales I have heard, he wasn’t about to cancel any of these
appointments. Shuffled down through the many tunnels that connect all of the
House and Senate buildings on the hill, we arrived at committee chambers in the
Rayburn building. As we waited for Polis’s chief aide, Scott Groginsky to be
alerted to our arrival, I stared at the large oak doors separating us from the
nation’s financial business being carried out by top House leadership. To our
amusement, the necessity of a vote was currently occupying all of the
congressman’s attention.
However,
none of us knew that Polis was missing from the meeting behind the doors so imagine our surprise
when he came running down the hallway with Scott in tow, throwing Vinny a high
five and me a thumbs up! Disappearing into the session, Vinny told me that this
was a common strategy for Jared, having met with him on his last DC trip in the
coatroom of the House floor when Polis
found a quick break in the action. Scott emerged from inside the finance
chambers and immediately picked up with Vinny like it was old times.
The conversation moved so quickly as Badolato took the lead in
explaining an hours worth of substance in only minutes. Representative Polis
emerged from the meeting only to find the group he was meeting with upstairs
was now disbanding and as they made their way down the hallway, he diverted his
trajectory from us and launched into a mobile meeting with these political contacts.
Scott dashed back into chambers only to emerge and question us as to where the
congressman had gone? I pointed down the hall and said “that way” as he looked
at his staff and non-verbally commanded them into tracking mode. Watching this
unfold I can only assume that this type of action happens all the time for the
Polis team.
“Of
the 535 members in Congress, no other member has done more to advance the Charter School cause
than Jared Polis.” Vinny had prepped me that morning. The recipient of 2010’s Charter Champion award, as selected by the National Alliance, lived up to
the hype in every way. He circled back with staff, submitted his vote in the
Finance Committee meeting and immediately returned to meet with us in the
hallway. “Animas High is doing some really neat things” he said as Scott and
the Congressman recalled highlights from our school’s profile. “I’d love for
you to visit us in Durango” I said. “Next time your down in our part of the
state, I’d love to show you what progressive, rural education looks like.” Our
time with Representative Polis passed with a flurry of conversation, hasty math
related to charter funding and him offering us his sincere appreciation for our
efforts. Shaking my hand one final time he said, “keep up the good work in
Durango Michael!” I smiled “Keep it real
in Washington for us Congressman!” With
a wink and a nod he was off, moving on
to more meetings, more dialogue, more great work as Scott and a gaggle of aides
briskly tried to keep up.
 |
| Congressman Jared Polis, 2010 Charter Champion |
As we
launched into our fourth round of talking points, the Congressman from
Colorado’s 4th District emerged from his office and immediately came
over to greet us. We each had a minute to explain who we were, what we do and
why we were meeting with him and his staff today. He was receptive, gracious and
very busy. Not only did we get to thoroughly review our agenda with Juliet, she
inquired as to how successful we thought our day on the hill had been? “Today's
been incredibly successful!” Vinny replied. Ending the final meeting in
Gardner’s office, I couldn’t help but share Badolato’s sentiments completely.
But
our day was not over. It actually was only the end to member meetings as we
still had the Annual Charter Champions reception to attend back in the Capitol
building. Clearing security for the final time of the day, we were ushered through
the ornate, marble halls flanking the rotunda. “Look right there” Vinny said
excitedly. “Do you recognize that spot?” It was a small, unlit foyer on top of
the back entrance to the building. Beyond the foyer I looked out the glass
doors and had an expansive view of the Washington Mall. “This is where the
president waits before emerging to the nation on inauguration day.” Vinny said.
I smiled, if only these walls could talk…
Finally
we arrived in the heart of the Capitol for the evening reception and as usual, things
started off quickly. We met and heard from Minnesota Congressman John Kline,
head of the House Education and Workforce Committee. After spending about 20
minutes with the group, the Congressman dashed out and Ursula Wright from the National Alliance
went on to present this year’s Charter Champion awards. Two members of Congress,
a state Senator from North Carolina and a State Rep from Virginia were all
honored with Champion awards. Following the presentation, the group heard from
Ember Reichgott
Junge, a Minnesota state senator who in the early 1990s was the chief sponsor of
the nation's first charter school law. Her new book, Zero
Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story, is set to be
released in conjunction with the National Charter School’s annual conference
this June in Minnesota. As Junge spoke about the creation and early years of
the movement, she repeatedly employed the metaphor of “Pioneers in Education.”
This resonated with me as this is the re-frame we always use with AHS’s class
of 2013. Whenever I hear students talking as if they are “guinea pigs” I try to
point out that what they’ve done at Animas High is akin to being a pioneer in
the great days of westward expansion. “Pioneers are who history remembers” I
often remind the Juniors. “Yes, but don’t pioneers usually end up trapped in a
snowstorm, eating each other or face-down in a field with an arrow in their
back?” the students like to retort. Well, at least they’re thinking the
metaphor through…
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| Animas High's Head of School Michael Ackerman |
Email appreciations from the around the state, the local community and from our students and their families have flooded my inbox expressing to me how thankful folks are for these recent efforts. Although I’m flattered and humbled by these warm words of support and encouragement, the honor to serve such amazing young adults, such talented staff and such an incredible state is truly one I should be thanking all of you for. It’s been an incredible experience and I look forward to working even harder to advance the tremendous work that both Animas High School and Charters around the country continue to do.
Below, please find a summary of the issues
we were meeting with Congressional membership about:
Issue
# 1- FEDERAL CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT
REAUTHORIZATION SUMMARY
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools supports
the following priorities in a reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA). Particularly, within ESEA there are three programs that help public
charter schools grow and overcome state and local inequities. Our
recommendations for the policy changes to the three programs—the Public
Charter Schools Program, the State Facilities Incentive Grants and
the Credit Enhancement for Public Charter Schools program—are aimed to
dramatically amplify and reflect where we are as a movement almost 10 years
after its last authorization.
This legislation will:
· • Enable local education
agencies, state education agencies, authorized public chartering agencies and
non‐profit organizations to compete directly for administering funds.
· • Prioritize eligible entities
that plan to open public charter schools in areas with large numbers of
low‐income students attending schools not making adequate yearly progress.
· • Prioritize states that
implement policies that encourage successful charter schools including:
o No caps on the growth of
public charter schools;
o Ensure autonomy for charter schools;
o Have strong authorizing
policies that focus on quality; and
o Adhere to performance‐based
accountability.
· • Require new levels of charter
school authorizer reporting and accountability including:
o
Authorize competitive grants
directed toward improving authorizer practices.
· • Allow eligible entities to
use 20 percent of their grants to establish a reserve account and keep any
interest earned on those funds for charter school development or improving policies
and practices.
· • Allow schools to use the
funds for a variety of costs including:
o Hiring additional staff and teachers; Developing Special
education programs;
and
Assistance with facilities acquisition, development and improvement.
· • Authorize competitive grants
focused on replicating and expanding the most successful public charter schools
across the country.
· • Place a new focus on
dissemination of best practices and results at the national level.
·
Update
the federal definition of “charter school” to include additional quality
measures as well as including programs of pre‐K and adult education.
Issue
#2- FEDERAL CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
There are three federal programs that support public
charter schools: the Charter Schools Program; the State Charter School Facilities
Incentive Grant Program; and the Credit Enhancement for Charter School
Facilities Program.
Charter Schools Program
Created in 1994, the Charter Schools Program (CSP)
provides financial assistance to help cover charter school start‐up costs.
Through a competitive process, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) awards
grants to state education agencies (SEAs). In turn, SEAs make sub‐grants to
charter schools. If an SEA doesn’t apply for funding or if its application for
funding is not approved, the DOE can make grants directly to charter school
developers.
Since its creation, the CSP has
received almost $3 billion in funding. The CSP has been a tremendous success,
helping create more than 4,900 public charter schools serving more than 1.6
million students in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
State Charter School
Facilities Incentive Grant Program
Created via the No Child Left Behind
Act, the State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant Program provides
federal funds on a competitive basis to states to help cover charter school
facility costs. The program is intended to encourage states to develop and
expand per-pupil facilities aid programs and to share in the costs associated
with charter schools facilities funding.
Over the past seven years, the program
has received over $100 million in funding and has leveraged over $1 billion
dollars on the behalf of charter schools, serving over 472 schools (as of
2008). With those funds, it has made grants to five jurisdictions via two grant
competitions: California, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, and Utah and
then California and Indiana.
Credit Enhancement for
Charter School Facilities Program
The Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities
Program provides grants on a competitive basis to public and nonprofit entities
that enhance the ability of public charter schools to raise private capital to
acquire, construct, renovate, or lease academic facilities. On behalf of
charter schools, grantees use the monies to guarantee loans, reduce interest
rates, and encourage other lenders to participate in charter facilities
lending.
Since
2002, the program has received over $221 million in funding helping over 335
charter schools finance facilities. It has done an exceptional job of using
those funds to leverage private investment in charter facilities. In fact, more
than $9 private sector dollars have been raised for every $1 dollar in federal
funds.
Issue # 3- PROTECTING CHARTER
SCHOOL RETIREMENT FUNDS
Understanding the
Threat
NAPCS has been
the leading voice in the effort to amend the Internal Revenue Service’s
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) titled “Determination of
Government Plan Status.” Released on November 8, 2011, this draft proposed regulation, if adopted as currently
drafted, would lead states to prohibit charter school employees from
participating in state retirement plans. Presently, every single state that
authorizes charter schools either requires or permits charter school
participation in the state’s retirement system. Therefore, this regulation
would negatively impact nearly all charter school employees in the country.
We persist in our
efforts to educate law‐ and policy‐makers on this issue, and we are committed
to mobilizing our sector and our supporters. The public comment period,
originally set to expire on February 6th, has been extended and now will close on June 18th. Additionally, the IRS will convene
a public hearing in Washington D.C. on July 9th. Anyone can submit a request to testify on July 9th; click here (http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=IRS‐2011‐0039‐0001)
to submit a public comment in which you can ask for an opportunity to be heard.
(Note: submitting a request to testify does not guarantee that you will be
chosen to testify.)
The Sector and
Its Supporters Voice Opposition
To date,
NAPCS has filed
public comment (include link to our letter), signed by 34 city‐ and state‐level
charter support organizations across the country;
Chairman John Kline, House Committee on Education and the
Workforce, and Chairman Duncan Hunter, House Subcommittee on Early Childhood,
Elementary and Secondary Education, have submitted a letter in support to IRS
Commissioner Shulman (include link);
Senate
Republicans have submitted a letter in support to IRS Commissioner Shulman
(include link);
A 17‐member
coalition of House Members has sent a bipartisan letter in support to IRS Commissioner Shulman;
The Council of
Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a national organization that represents
state superintendents of education across the country, has submitted comments in support; and,
In February, more than 8,300 individuals voiced opposition to the IRS’s draft proposed
regulations. More than 43,000 emails were sent to Congress, Secretary Geithner,
Secretary Duncan and IRS Commissioner Shulman!Moving Forward
Between now and
the July 9th public hearing, we will update our webpage devoted to this issue to spotlight the
latest developments—including media coverage, public statements made by
lawmakers, position statements issued by our supporters, white papers, and
data.
It is imperative that the final
regulations be amended to protect public charter school employees and allow
public charter schools to continue to recruit and retain veteran public school
employees. Failure to do so will risk the retirement security of charter school
employees, interfere with charter schools’ ability to reach their educational
goals, undermine both state and federal education policy and reform
initiatives, and subject some states to potential liability. We urge the
Internal Revenue Service to clarify the draft proposed regulations such that
public charter schools will be treated as agencies or instrumentalities of the
state under Section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.
