CHARTER SCHOOLS -- FIRST OF FOUR PARTS; CHARTER SCHOOLS: STATE LEARNING AS IT GOES

Missouri is new to the charter-school experience. The state law allowing charter schools in St. Louis and Kansas City is only 2 years old.Charter schools are public schools funded with tax money from the state and the local school district. The schools have open admissions and can't charge tuition."We have to take anybody that knocks on the door," said Dave Camden, assistant director of the Charter Schools Information Center in St. Louis, a non-profit group that advocates charter schools.Charter schools aren't elite schools that take only the best students, Camden said.Under the l998 law, charter schools can only be established in the Kansas City and St. Louis school districts. The law allows the school boards and four-year and two-year public colleges in those areas to sponsor charter schools.This year state Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, succeeded in getting an amendment passed that allows Southeast Missouri State University to sponsor charter schools in St. Louis. While the bill allows for an unlimited number of new charter schools, it limits conversions of existing public schools to no more than 5 percent of the buildings currently in use in the district.Charter schools are exempt from state regulations that govern traditional public schools in the state, except for laws dealing with health, safety, minimum educational standards and federal anti-discrimination policies.Charter schools operate as non-profit corporations. They are funded on a per-pupil basis with money from the state and the local school-district tax levy. They can bus students and are eligible to receive state transportation funding. Schools also can qualify for additional state and federal funding.Congress has appropriated money for start-up funding. Missouri received approximately $800,000 last year in federal funding. Ten $80,000 grants to help fund the start up of charter schools were approved by the state last year. This year the state is slated to receive more than $1 million in federal money, said Laura Friedman, director of the Charter Schools Information Center.Nationwide, some $100 million in federal money is earmarked for charter schools this year.Under Missouri law, charter schools can employ non-certified teachers, provided those teachers amount to no more than 20 percent of the instructional staff. Non-certified instructors must be supervised by certified teachers. Charter-schools personnel can participate in the school district's retirement system.One-third of a sponsor's charter schools should give enrollment preference to dropouts or at-risk students.The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reviews applications to see if a proposed school meets legal requirements. The state Board of Education takes no action if the charter school meets requirements. The board only acts when it is necessary to deny a charter or consider an appeal when the local sponsor turns down a proposal.Wednesday: A look at the charter-school effort in St. Louis and the opening of charter schools in Kansas City, and why charter schools haven't opened in St. Louis.

ANSWERS ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS

Q: What is a charter school?A: A public school of choice that operates with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. Each school has a charter that establishes a performance contract detailing items such as the school's mission, programs and methods of assessment.Q: What's the difference between charter schools and other public schools?A: Teachers and students make the choice to attend a charter school. They generally offer teachers and students more authority to make decisions. Instead of being accountable for compliance with rules and regulations, they are accountable for academic results and upholding their charter.Q: How many are there?A: Over 1,800 operating nationwide serving over 350,000 students.Q: To whom is a charter school accountable?A: Their sponsor, usually a state or local school board, the parents who choose them and the public that funds them.Q: Why do states authorize charter schools?A: To increase opportunities for learning and access to quality education. To create choice for parents and students. To encourage innovative teaching practices. To create new professional opportunities for teachers. To encourage community and parent involvement in public educationQ: How many states allow charter schools?A: Thirty-six including Missouri and Illinois plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.Q: How are they funded?A: As public schools, charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition. They are funded according to enrollment. In some states they receive less than 100% of the funds allocated to their traditional counterparts. In other states, additional funds or loans are made available to them. In most states, charters do not receive funds. They are entitled to federal funding for which their students are eligible. Q: Is there federal support?A: The U.S. Department of Education offers grants to states which then award subgrants to individual schools. Funding is also available under other federal programs. The total funding available in fiscal year 1999 is $100 million.Q: Is there an admission policy?A: Under the law, charter schools must have a fair and open admissions process outreaching all segments of the community. When more students apply than can be accommodated, many schools use a lottery to randomly determine which students are accepted. Others have waiting lists.Q: Who attends charter schools?A: Nationwide, students in charter schools have similar demographics to students in all public schools. In some states, the percentages of minority or economically disadvantaged students is higher.Q: How are charter schools doing?A: Some schools have already been successful enough to have their charter renewed. A few have been revoked due to lack of proper financial management or achievement.

CHARTER SCHOOLS AT A GLANCE

* Most charter schools are newly created, while some are converted from existing schools.* Most are small. Median enrollment is 132 students.* They serve many different communities with a wide variety of curriculum and instructional practices.* They vary a lot from state to state and school to school.* Many have atypical grade configurations including K-3 or K-8.* Most charter school teachers are certified.* Most provide one or more non-instructional services like health, social services or extended day care.* Many use student achievement tests to measure performance.