A Horace Mann Charter School

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A Horace Mann CharterSchool

• What is it?
• The Process

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• A. A charter school is a public school that is
  governed by a board of trustees and operates
  independently of any school committee under a
  five-year charter granted by the Board of
  Education.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• It has the freedom to organize around a core
  mission, curriculum, theme, and/or teaching
  method and to control its own budget and hire
  (and fire) teachers and staff.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• In return for this freedom, a charter school must
  attract students and produce positive results
  within five years or its charter will not be
  renewed.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• There are two types of charter schools,
  Commonwealth charter schools and Horace Mann
  charter schools. They operate under the same set
  of rules as described above, with the following
  exceptions.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• First, a Horace Mann charter school must have its
  charter approved by the local school committee
  and the local teacher's union in addition to the
  Board of Education.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• Second, to the extent provided by their charters,
  Horace Mann charter schools may be exempt from
  certain provisions in local collective bargaining
  agreements.

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Q. What is a charter school in Massachusetts?

• Third, employees of a Horace Mann charter school
  remain members of the local collective bargaining
  unit continue to accrue seniority and receive,
  at a minimum, the salary and benefits established
  by the local collective bargaining agreement.

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Q. To whom is the charter granted?

• A. Charters are granted to the proposed school's
  Board of Trustees. While a founding group may
  also include individuals who do not intend to
  serve on the Board of Trustees, a proposed Board
  must be in place for the charter to be granted.

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Q. How are Horace Mann charter schools funded?

• A. Funding for a Horace Mann charter school comes
  directly from the school district in which the
  school is located, through a Memorandum of
  Understanding with the district. An application
  for a Horace Mann charter school will specify a
  total budget allocation that the School Committee
  has approved for the charter school's first year.
  Each year thereafter, the Board of Trustees of a
  Horace Mann charter school will submit a budget
  request for the following fiscal year to the
  superintendent and School Committee of the
  district.

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Q. How are Horace Mann charter schools funded?

• Under the law, a Horace Mann charter school
  cannot receive less than it would have under the
  district's standard budgetary allocation rules.

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Q. How are Horace Mann charter schools funded?

• A school may appeal a disproportionately small
  budget allocation to the Commissioner of
  Education. Depending upon the terms of its
  charter and the Memorandum of Understanding, a
  Horace Mann

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Q. How are Horace Mann charter schools funded?

• Depending upon the terms of its charter and the
  Memorandum of Understanding, a Horace Mann
  charter school may receive its share of federal
  and state grant funds from the district or
  receive the funds directly.

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Q. How are Horace Mann charter schools funded?

• Horace Mann charter schools may apply for private
  grants and receive individual contributions.

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Q. Are charter schools entitled to federal funds?

• Yes. Charter schools are eligible for federal
  funds that go to public schools such as Special
  Education, Title 1, and Safe and Drug Free
  Schools.

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Q. Are laws and regulations waived for charter
schools?

• Charter schools must follow the same state
  educational standards, administer the same state
  tests, and abide by almost all the same state and
  federal laws and regulations as other public
  schools in the Commonwealth.

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Q. Are laws and regulations waived for charter
schools?

• Commonwealth charter schools however, are not
  subject to local school district rules and may
  operate without collective bargaining agreements.

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Q. Are laws and regulations waived for charter
schools?

• Horace Mann charter schools, depending on the
  terms of their charters, may be exempt from some
  local school district rules and some provisions
  of the local collective bargaining agreement and
  regulations. (As is the case for other public
  schools, charter schools may request waivers from
  state regulations.)

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Q. How does the federal No Child Left Behind
Act affect Massachusetts charter schools?

• A. Because Massachusetts charter schools are
  public schools, the NCLB requirements are
  applicable to charter schools in the
  Commonwealth.

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Q. What do the state curriculum frameworks and
state tests mean for charter schools?

• A. All public schools, including charter schools,
  must administer the Massachusetts Comprehensive
  Assessment System (MCAS) tests. These tests are
  based on the curriculum frameworks adopted by the
  Board of Education. Charter schools must also
  administer any other assessment the Board of
  Education may require. MCAS results are used in
  the charter school accountability process and are
  central in evaluating whether a school is an
  academic success.

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• Marstons Mills East
• Horace Mann Charter Public
• School

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Why do we need a charter?

• The charter is essential to the schools
  mission.
• It creates the capacity for self-governance.
• It creates fiscal autonomy.
• It ensures adequate staff training.
• It gives us the ability to obtain grants.

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What is a Horace Mann Charter School?

• An independent public school that is provided a
  charter or performance contract by the
  Department of Education.
• Accountability
• Is the School an academic success?
• Is the school a viable organization?
• Is the school faithful to the terms of the
  charter?

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M.M.E.H.M.C.P.S. Mission Statement

• To be a whole school community that provides a
  challenging and enriching environment for all
  children kindergarten through grade 4.
• Where all children achieve high academic
  standards and develop character.

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M.M.E.H.M.C.P.S. Mission Statement

• We support the whole child
• And continuous improvement in the teaching
  process
• And consider a whole school community as integral
  to success

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Research-based Comprehensive School Reform Model

• ACCELERATED SCHOOLS PLUS MODEL

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Charter is based on Accelerated Schools
Plus PhilosophyAll children can benefit
from and deserve the kinds of enriched learning
experiences we have traditionally offered in
thegifted and talented programs.
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Comprehensive School Reform
AS PLUS
Governance
School culture
Decision-making
Problem-solving
Student Activities
Instructional Strategies
Climate
Professional Development
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The Principles
Unity of Purpose
Empowerment coupled with Responsibility
Building on Strengths
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Communication and collaboration
School as the center of expertise
Community Spirit
Experimentation and discovery
THE VALUES
Reflection
OF
Trust
ACCELERATION
Participation
Equity
Respect
Risk taking
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Powerful Learning Components

• AuthenticStudents relate what they are
  experiencing
• in the classroom to real issues and
  situations.
• InteractiveInteractive opportunities for
  individuals to collaborate with others.
• Learner-CenteredStudents become enabled to take
  charge of
• their own learning.
• InclusiveFocusing on giving all students equal
  access
• to learning opportunities.
• Continuous Students can apply existing
  knowledge to what they have already learned and
  make connections between different subject
  areas.

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Powerful Learning is a philosophy and a process
that integrates

• ASP 3 Principles
• ASP 10 Values
• ASP Learning Framework TriangleWhat/How/Context
• ASP Five Components
• MMEHMCPS Mission

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Implementation Process

• TAKING STOCK
• VISIONING PROCESS
• CELEBRATION
• SET PRIORITIES
• FORM CADRES
• INQUIRY WORK

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School Structure
SAW (School as a whole)
Steering Committee
Cadre
Cadre
Cadre
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OUR ROAD MAP 2002-2003

• September, 2002, Horace Mann study Group formed.
• October, 2002, All-staff meeting with Tom
  McDonald and Susan Dahn
• October, 2002, study group visited Charter Oakes
  Academy in West Hartford, CT
• January, 2003, Staff In-Service-Decision to
  Continue pursuit of Charter Application
• January, 2003, Vision and Mission Statement
  Created
• Winter, 2003, - Voted to go for Horace Mann
  Charter

• Spring, 2003 Presentation to the staff from
  Modern Red and Accelerated Schools Plus models
• May, 2003, Ken Keenan and Beth-Anne Allen visit
  Ben Martin Accelerated Learning Academy
• May, 2003, Staff voted for a model-ASP
• June, 2003, Educational Program Committee formed
  to work on Educational Program for Prospectus.
• Summer, 2003, Prospectus written

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The Journey Continues2004-2008

• January, 2004, Charter Team interviewed by DOE
• February, 2004, DOE granted Charter.
• Spring, 2004, Leadership Team Formed. Visioning
  Night took place. Board of Trustees formed.
• Summer, 2004, First ASP Staff Summer Training
• September, 2004, Taking Stock as a school
  community.
• Fall, 2004, community reports out and sets
  priorities.
• Winter, 2005, Steering Committee formed - cadres
  begin the inquiry process.

• Summer, 2005, ASP Training
• 2005-2006 Cadres use inquiry method
• Fall, 2006, First ALL SCHOOL COMMUNITY THEME
• Spring, 2007, implementation of Action Plans
• April, 2007, Awarded ASP National Demonstration
  Site
• May, 2007, Theme Team formed
• Fall, 2007, Second ALL SCHOOL COMMUNITY THEME
• 2007-2008, Implementing and Maintaining Action
  Plans
• To be continued

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A Celebration of effort and excellence

• Marstons Mills East Horace Mann Charter
  Public School
• was selected as a demonstration site for the
  2007-2008 school year.

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Marstons Mills East HMCPS
Community