Collaborative and Collective Action The Oakland Model

1
Collaborative and Collective Action -- The
Oakland Model
Charters Working Together for Excellence Peter
Hanley, Director, Oakland Charter School
Collaborative Nick Driver, General
Manager California Charter Schools Association
2
Charter Schools in California Demographic and
Performance Data (2007)
(Charter schools are independently operated
public schools.)
School Performance in California
Source California Department of Education
2006-2007 CBEDS data. Other includes Indian,
Pacific Islander, Filipino and Multi-Racial
groups Note 73 non-charters 21 charters
missing demographic data.
N5,381 N281 N1,258 N71 N1,178 N205
N7,817 N557
(Number of schools in existence by year)
In 2007-08, an estimated 240,000 students attend
charter schools in California (4 of entire
statewide enrollment).
N1,094 N78 N5,895 N254
N4,516 N264
Source 2007 API Growth Scores, Association
analysis alternative and special education
schools excluded.
Source CDE data, California Charter Schools
Association analysis
created as of 12/18/07
3
Charter Schools in Oakland Unified Demographic
and Performance Data (2007)
(Charter schools are independently operated
public schools.)
School Performance in Oakland Unified
Non-Charters
N 39,803
Charters
N 6,836
Source California Department of Education
2006-2007 CBEDS data Other includes Indian,
Pacific Islander, Filipino and Multi-Racial
groups Note 1 charter is missing demographic
data. Note
N61 N12 N22 N5 N19
N11 N102 N28
(Number of schools in existence by year)
In 2007-08, an estimated 8,061 students attend
charter schools in Oakland Unified (17 of entire
district enrollment).
N65 N11 N54
N14 N9 N0 Source 2007
API Growth Scores, Association analysis
alternative and special education schools
excluded. Note Minimum size criteria for
subgroups is 100 valid API scores.

Source CDE data, California Charter Schools
Association analysis
created as of 12/18/07
4
Origins of the Collaborative

• Logical next step as part of a maturing charter
  school movement
• Focus schools on issues of importance to whole
  charter community
• Power in numbers leads to progress on
  Proposition 39 offers

5
First Steps

• Assess interest in forming a Collaborative
• Fall 2006 questionnaire indicates support
• Grant application approved from Rogers Family
  Foundation
• Collaborative director hired March 2007

6
Refine the Issues

• Listen to charter school leaders
• More than 25 interviews conducted with schools
  and CMOs
• Priorities emerge

7
First Year Priorities

• Advocacy with Oakland Unified on processes and
  individual schools
• Create a high school athletic league
• Facilities
• Emergency preparedness
• Marketing and messaging
• Academic quality

8
Advocacy Efforts

• Participate with District in developing its new
  processes for renewals and approvals
• Cambridge adopted as third party evaluator
• Continue engagement on Proposition 39 offers
• Work on behalf of individual schools

9
BACSAC Is Born

• Identified as priority for high schools
• Hard to do without someone to coordinate
• Serves students better
• Improves marketing appeal of charter high
  schools
• Successful boys soccer and boys and girls
  basketball seasons girls soccer this spring

10
FacilitiesProp. 39 and Beyond

• Built on Prop. 39 successes in establishing cost
  and long-term lease ground rules
• Support for schools wherever possible in
  accessing low cost facilities
• Certificates of occupancy and code compliance in
  process

11
Improving Emergency Readiness

• Grew out of facilities work
• Schools not connected to City or County
  emergency networks
• Most schools do not have fully compliant
  emergency readiness plans or supplies to shelter
  students for three days
• Many staff are not trained in first aid

12
Preparedness Workshop and Grant

• District supportive of this effort
• Organized February 7 workshop with District and
  County to begin process of upgrading preparedness
• Wrote Readiness and Emergency Management for
  Schools (REMS) Grant for 250K for 23 schools in
  Oakland and Alameda

13
Improving the charter school message

• Need to get the good news about charters out to
  parents and the community at large
• Piloted the Marketing Toolkit in Oakland
• Improve the message and help develop a school
  marketing plan
• Training on media relations
• How to utilize the Web

14
Messaging at the next level

• Working with outside consultant to increase
  community and decision maker knowledge of charter
  schools
• Will create a steering committee composed of
  schools to advise us
• Goal is to create sustainable model to improve
  charter schools' image

15
Quality educations for all

• Conducting series of interviews with charter
  school leaders on how best to emphasize
  qualityacademic, governance, and financial
• All schools must make continuous improvements
  toward Associations goal of certified charters
• All schools will be renewed

16
Lessons Learned

• Start at the grassroots and listen carefully
• Look for clear winners to begin, i.e. the
  athletic league, and build credibility
• Look for areas of cooperation with your
  district, but dont be afraid to stand up for
  your rights
• Dont try to please everyone all the time, but
  look for opportunities to be helpful to everyone
  at some point
• Act in the best interest of the movement

17
How can we help you?

• What could the Association do to help you start
  a collaborative in your area?
• What activities would be most valuable in your
  area?
• What are the barriers you see?