Charter schools talk priorities, host association visit
Corpus Christi-area charter schools shared information on the charter school experience Thursday during a visit from the state charter school association and Texas State Board of Education member LJ Francis.
Francis visited several area charter schools, ending with a lunch at the School of Science and Technology elementary campus. He was accompanied by representatives from the Texas Public Charter Schools Association.
This legislative session, the association is advocating for a number of bills related to increasing some charter school funding to match funding for other public schools and expanding charter schools across the state by raising the State Board of Education’s veto threshold for recommended charter schools, according to the association website.
Supporters for traditional public schools have historically argued against charter school expansion. The Texas Association of School Boards has called upon the Texas Legislature to restrict the expansion of charter schools and to increase transparency and accountability of charter schools in areas of student enrollment processes and recruitment, student expulsion practices, business operations and expenditures.
This is a priority shared by Corpus Christi ISD, according to the district’s legislative priorities for the 88th Session of the Texas Legislature.
More: Here's what Coastal Bend schools want to see from state lawmakers
Charter schools can’t charge any fees a traditional public school wouldn’t and must accept any student within the geographic boundaries they serve, though they do have enrollment caps based on capacity.
Also, like public schools, charter schools are assessed through the state’s accountability system and must provide special education services.
In Corpus Christi, there are seven charter schools: the School of Science and Technology, Richard Milburn Academy Corpus Christi, Por Vida Academy Corpus Christi, Premier High School Corpus Christi, Dr. M. L. Garza-Gonzalez Charter School, Promesa College Prep West Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Montessori School.
Several of the schools have performed well according to state accountability ratings, including Por Vida Academy, which earned an A rating last year, and the School of Science and Technology, Garza-Gonzalaz Charter School and Promesa College Prep, which each earned B ratings.
Others, including Corpus Christi Montessori School and Richard Milburn Academy, were not rated with scores below a C.
For comparison, in Corpus Christi ISD, a B-rated district, only Browne Middle School was not rated. Fifteen CCISD schools earned C ratings, 27 earned B ratings and 12 earned A ratings.
More: TEA released school scorecards. Here's how CCISD and South Texas schools rank.
School of Science and Technology elementary school staff shared with Francis details about the school’s focus on STEM topics and efforts to teach students character values such as personal responsibility, respect, honesty and leadership.
School of Science and Technology parent Susie Spencer attended the Thursday meeting to share her experiences at the school and her support for charter schools. Spencer has joined the association’s advocacy efforts, testifying at the state capitol.
Spencer’s children are in third and fourth grade and were adopted five years ago. Due to experiences early in their lives, Spencer said that both children have unique mental health needs. Her younger child also has speech and hearing needs.
Spencer said that she initially planned on enrolling her children at a traditional public school, but said the school had difficulty providing the services they needed. The family switched to the School for Science and Technology.
Other families should have that same flexibility, Spencer said.
“For us, we could never afford private school, which I know a lot of parents use as alternatives,” Spencer said. “We really needed a public school.”
The State Board of Education sets curriculum standards, reviews instructional materials, oversees the Texas Permanent School Fund, establishes graduation requirements and has veto power over new proposed charter schools.
Francis was elected to the board last year to represent the southern half of the Gulf Coast, including Corpus Christi and surrounding areas. Most of the schools in the region fall under the leadership of traditional independent school districts, but some are charter schools.
Francis said he was passionate about charter schools, but did not take an explicit stance on the expansion of charter schools, specifying that charter schools should meet specific needs in their communities.
“What I’m focused on is just to ensure that parents and students get the options that best fit their child and sometimes that’s in the form of a charter school,” Francis said. “I want to ensure that option is there if there’s a need in the community.”
Francis added that he believes charter schools and independent school districts should cooperate and work as partners.
“Promoting a more collaborative relationship between charter schools and traditional ISDs is my goal,” Francis said.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Charter schools talk priorities, host association visit
