The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper Parents push a second time for a district charter school Group submits new proposal By Justin Berton It's like déjà vu. Sort of. Again, a group of Sunnyvale parents have submitted a proposal to the Sunnyvale School District that would create the first publicly funded charter school in the city. Again, the five-member district board has reviewed the proposal and has voiced its early concern. And again, the two sides have competing interpretations of charter school laws. Last time, the parents caved in and withdrew their proposal. This time, though, the parents say they've got it right and the board is bound by state law to grant them approval. Residents will have their chance to learn about the new-and-improved charter proposal Thursday, Jan. 28, when a public hearing will be held at Bishop Elementary school at 7 p.m. The board will make a final decision on the charter school plan by the end of February. "We feel we meet the criteria to open a charter school," said Jeff Richey, a parent of a Cherry Chase Elementary student and a leader of the group of parents hoping to open the school. As of Jan. 1, a new law changed the criteria to start up a charter. At the end of last year, the parents hoping to open the Sunnyvale Intensive Learning Center (SILCN) failed to receive the required number of teacher signatures. This time, they have got the signatures and have inserted changes that will please board members, according to Richey. "We've addressed the issues the board asked us to," he said. Those include: * Providing adequate services for special education students. Last year's plan took hits from some parents and teachers who claimed the charter school failed to address any needs of special education students. This time, Richey said, the plan outlines services necessary to foster a special education program. * Financing. At a public hearing at the end of last year, board member Ray Kitty remained skeptical that the charter school could raise the expected start-up fees of $225,000 in grants from local corporations. The current plan still relies heavily on expected grants and remains a cause for hesitancy by board members. Richey also said the charter school will provide before- and after-school programs for students and will closely monitor students' academic growth. The charter school, if approved, would provide language, music and arts classes as well as the district-approved curriculum, Richey said. Still, some board members remain skeptical of the new plan. After reading the new proposal, board president Jessica Lee said the document failed to tackle "dispute resolution" between the district and the charter school. "They have not addressed that issue," Lee said. Another subject of contention arose at last week's board meeting when members approved a set of recommendations they say will help parents who need a checklist to start charter schools. Richey called the action "another layer of criteria" and said the district was misinterpreting charter school law. But Lee maintained the board's action only approved recommendations -- ones already made by the California School Board Association. One recommendation calls for charter school hopefuls to gain endorsement from SELPA, a special education parent-teacher group. Richey said asking for such approval is setting a standard different from the state law. "The law does not give them the right to add their own criteria over the state law." Nevertheless, Richey said the parents--still hopeful that board members will approve the current SILCN plan--remain satisfied with their work. "If they reject the proposal," Richey said, "it's very easy to appeal." [ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 27, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.