Charter districts: when an entire district goes charter, do benefits follow? A study casts doubts

School Administrator, June, 2002 by Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood

Perhaps more importantly, our system kept the momentum of success rolling forward.

Permanent Exemptions

If having the charter status proved to be so successful, why did none of Cartersville's four schools reapply in 2001 at the end of their five-year charters? The answer is simple. Exemptions were no longer necessary because state laws and local policies had been relaxed to support the initiatives we chose to implement.

Our schools did not seek charter status simply for the sake of autonomy or to receive the $100,000 in startup money awarded by the state for new charter schools. We applied for charter status so that the school district could continue to raise standards for student achievement by tailoring educational opportunities to individual learning needs. We sought to maximize students' physical, psychological, social and academic development.

To do that in the mid-'90s meant we would need exemptions from state laws governing the purchase of instructional materials, clock hours of instruction, certification of teachers, class size and state-mandated testing. At the end of our five-year charter contract, we continued our mission without the need of being a charter school district.

Today, the 2 x 4 x 6 x 9 x 12 paradigm no longer limits our vision. We allow ourselves to imagine the best and pursue our dreams regardless of potential obstacles. Should nonproductive bureaucracy again obstruct our path, we would not hesitate to reapply for charter status.

Mike Bryans is superintendent of the Cartersville City School District, 310 Old Mill Road, Cartersville, GA 30120. E-mail: mbryans@cartersville.k12.ga.us. Peggy Cowan, curriculum director in Cartersville, assisted in preparing this article.

A Roster of Charter Districts

This is a complete list of charter school districts in the United States, including any that have reverted to non-charter status. At present, nine states permit a district to seek charter status for each of its schools.

Alvina Elementary School District, Caruthers, Calif., 1990-present. www.uscharterschools.org/lpt/s/l 137

Cartersville City School District, Cartersville, Ga., 1996-2001, www.cartersville.k12.ga.us/

Delta View Joint Union Elementary School District, Hanford, Calif., 1999-present, www.kings.k12.ca.us/dvjusd/

Hickman Community Charter District, Hickman, Calif., 1994-present, www.hickman.k12.ca.us/

School District of Hillsborough County, Tampa, Fla., 2000-present, www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/

Kingsburg Elementary School District, Kingsburg, Calif., 1996-present, www.kingsburg-elem.k12.ca.us/

Pioneer Union School District, Hanford, Calif., 1993-present, www.kings.k12.ca.us/puesd/

Rio Rancho Public Schools, Rio Rancho, N.M.,. 2000-present, www.rrps.k12.nm.us/

Volusia County Schools, Deland, Fla., 2000-present, www.volusia.k12.fl.us/

Additional Reading

Would you like to read the complete report prepared by Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood about the state of charter school districts?

Her issues analysis, titled "Charter Districts: Much Fuss, Little Gain," can be found on the AASA website at www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/issues_dept/index.htm.>