press release jan 2011 final
TRANSCRIPT
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8/7/2019 Press Release Jan 2011 FINAL
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashley Del Sole, Global Garden Public Charter School, Inc. ~ [email protected] ~ (240) 498-2286
Maryland State Board Decision on MCPS Public Charter School Appeal Expected January 25th
Montgomery County, MD, January 20, 2011 The Maryland State Board of Education is expected to rule
January 25th on how an effort to open Montgomery Countys first public charter school will proceed.
Global Garden Public Charter School, Inc. appealed to the State Board after Montgomery Countys elected
Board of Education denied the groups application in June 2010. The Founding Board of Global Garden contends
that the Montgomery County Public Schools review did not follow the school systems own published process and
that the evaluation was based on bias against charter schools rather than on the merits of Global Gardens school
design.
Last May, the Founding Board of Global Garden won a $550,000 federal charter school start-up grant after
rigorous evaluation by the Maryland State Department of Education. The Global Garden application proposes a
school unique in Montgomery Countya deliberately smaller school size of 420 students at its largest, serving
grades K-8 and offering a child-centered, primary International Baccalaureate program, an extended school day and
year-round school calendar. A favorable decision by the State Board could approve the groups charter outright or
require MCPS and the Montgomery County Board of Education to reevaluate the application. The State Boards
action is also likely to affect prospects for other Montgomery County charter school groups who plan to submit
applications this year.
Were hoping that the State Boards opinion will require MCPS and the Board of Education to take the
public charter school option more seriously, says Ashley Del Sole of Silver Spring, a parent and Global Garden
board member. The IB curriculum offers a nice alternative for students from all over Montgomery County. I love
the idea that the smaller school size will help children to thrive in an intimate school community, and the extended
school day allows for a better balance of work- and play-based learning, something that's missing in many of today's
schools."
Marylands 2003 state charter school law is considered one of the weakest in the U.S. However, the
Maryland State Board has been engaged since last June in a review of Marylands charter school policy and national
best practice. There are currently only 42 charter schools operating in Maryland, most of them located in Baltimore.
Public charter schools like KIPP Ujima Village Academy and Chesapeake Science Point are among the highest-
performing public schools in Maryland.In addition to Global Gardens and Crossway Community Charter Schools rejections in Montgomery
County, founding groups in Frederick, Allegany and Prince Georges Counties have all had applications denied in
the last three months. Charter school advocates are working in Annapolis to strengthen the state law with provisions
that would govern local boards evaluation processes.
The Maryland State Board of Education meets next on January 25 in Baltimore.
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mailto:[email protected]://mlis.state.md.us/pdf-documents/2003rs/bills/sb/sb0075e.pdfmailto:[email protected]://mlis.state.md.us/pdf-documents/2003rs/bills/sb/sb0075e.pdf -
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
Public charter schools are public schools established through a chartering process with an authorizer, are
funded with tax dollars and operate with greater autonomy than a traditional public school in exchange for
increased accountability for academic results. Open to all children in a school district through an enrollment
lottery, charter schools are also a means for offering families a wider range of school options.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Maryland Charter School Law
Allows new start up schools and existing public school to become charter schools Does not limit the number of charter schools for the state or any LEA Identifies local board of education as the primary authorizer of charter schools Identifies the State Board of Education to serve as a secondary authorizer as a result of an appeal
decision or for a restructured school Requires that charter schools receive funding that is commensurate to funding received by other public
schools Gives charter schools a right to appeal decisions made by local boards of education Requires that charter school employees are public school employees of the local school board Requires that local school boards adopt a charter school policy
Maryland Charter School Law 2003
MARYLAND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL RESOURCES
MSDEhttp://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/MCSN http://www.mdcharternetwork.org/Center for Education Reform http://www.edreform.com/Home/Global Garden Public Charter School http://www.globalgardenpcs.org/Crossway Community Montessori Charter School http://www.crossway-community.org/cccharterschool.htmlSeneca Creek Charter School http://senecacreekcharterschool.org/Frederick Classical Charter Schoolhttp://www.frederickclassicalcharterschool.org/Mountain Maryland Public Charter School http://mountainmarylandpcs.org/Home.htmlGreenbelt Public Charter School http://www.greenbeltpcs.org/index.html
Press Clips
Md., Va. dip toes in charter school waters, as D.C. student numbers soar
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110303780.htmlEducators dream of starting county's first charter school
http://www.gazette.net/stories/01132010/chevnew215331_32557.phpYikes! A charter-friendly superintendent
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/03/yikes_a_charter-friendly_super.htmlProposed charter schools move step closer to becoming first in county
http://www.gazette.net/stories/03242010/montsch231702_32555.phpA charter applicant to Montgomery: If not now, when?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061804949.htmlAdvocacy group gives D.C. high mark for charter school laws
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203577.html
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/docs/md_charter_school_laws.htmhttp://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/http://www.mdcharternetwork.org/http://www.edreform.com/Home/http://www.globalgardenpcs.org/http://www.crossway-community.org/cccharterschool.htmlhttp://senecacreekcharterschool.org/http://www.frederickclassicalcharterschool.org/http://www.frederickclassicalcharterschool.org/http://www.frederickclassicalcharterschool.org/http://mountainmarylandpcs.org/Home.htmlhttp://mountainmarylandpcs.org/Home.htmlhttp://www.greenbeltpcs.org/index.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110303780.htmlhttp://www.gazette.net/stories/01132010/chevnew215331_32557.phphttp://www.gazette.net/stories/01132010/chevnew215331_32557.phphttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/03/yikes_a_charter-friendly_super.htmlhttp://www.gazette.net/stories/03242010/montsch231702_32555.phphttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061804949.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203577.htmlhttp://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/docs/md_charter_school_laws.htmhttp://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools/http://www.mdcharternetwork.org/http://www.edreform.com/Home/http://www.globalgardenpcs.org/http://www.crossway-community.org/cccharterschool.htmlhttp://senecacreekcharterschool.org/http://www.frederickclassicalcharterschool.org/http://mountainmarylandpcs.org/Home.htmlhttp://www.greenbeltpcs.org/index.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110303780.htmlhttp://www.gazette.net/stories/01132010/chevnew215331_32557.phphttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/03/yikes_a_charter-friendly_super.htmlhttp://www.gazette.net/stories/03242010/montsch231702_32555.phphttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061804949.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203577.html