Charter/District Collaboration Task Force
October 28, 2013
Meeting Minutes
DRAFT
In Attendance: Dan Rich, Dana Diesel Wallace, Susan Francis, Mike Matthews, Jeff Taschner, Vicki Gehrt, Sylvia Henderson, Donna Johnson, Mary Kate McLaughlin, Paul Baumbach, Bryan Townsend, Stephanie Bolden, Deborah Doordan, Kendall Massett, Lindsay O’Mara, Darlene O’Neill
Mary Kate McLaughlin called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m. She announced that recordings from the first meeting as well as any subsequent meetings will be posted on the Delaware Department of Education website.
Review of the September meeting:
Ms. McLaughlin provided a brief recap of the September meeting. While the agenda for September’s meeting was clear, there was an acknowledgment that the group’s discussions went off the agenda, therefore Ms. McLaughlin reminded the task force of the charge given to them.
Some topics of discussion at September’s meeting included sharing going both ways – districts to charter schools and charter schools to districts, specific ideas around mechanisms to collaborate, and considering collaboration at the teacher level rather than just at the LEA level.
In addition, the group requested additional information around current best practices nationally to inform the work here in Delaware, as well as Delaware-specific information around the current landscape of charter school practices.
National Examples for Encouraging Collaboration:
Paul O’Neill, Education Attorney and National Consultant, provided an overview of current best practices around district/charter collaboration. He discussed the portfolio approach, colocation ideas, and professional development sharing (teacher training and resources) as examples of opportunities for collaboration.
In addition, Mr. O’Neill shared the “District-Charter Collaboration Compact: Interim Report”that was released in June 2013. The report is a result of monitoring and analyzing the cross-sector collaborative work undertaken in 16 District-Charter Compact cities across the country. He emphasized that the biggest driver of collaboration has been a willingness to share and the commitment to making the collaboration work.
Task forces members engaged with Mr. O'Neill, asking questions and in general discussion on numerous issues over the course of the presentation. Discussion centered around best practices and what direction Delaware should take.
Rep. Baumbach noted that the Gates initiative speaks of a subset of states and questioned whether there were any other entities that offered models, for example NACSA.
Paul indicated that Gates was the only model that he was aware of, and cautioned that the compact model has not been a resounding success, and that in order to succeed, states have to want it.
New York is an example of one state that is moving well with theirs.
Donna Johnson noted that at a recent nacsa conference two points were emphasized. First, developing a stronger school choice process; and second, collaboration between district and charters. Need variety of mechanisms: one to showcase options for parents and facilitate collaboration. Vision network does this. Maybe common pd day; chiefs and charters together; leader/teacher on loan program.
Jeff Taschner reinforced prior discussions around the need to have collaboration at the classroom level. For example,district teachers going into charters and vice versa, for short or extended periods of time to learn from other teachers.
Mary Kate McLaughlin stated that there were several ideas among the group, but asked Mr. O’Neill what the best way to pick the ones we’d want to move forward with would be.
Mr. O’Neill suggested that one consideration could be to apply as a state to gates based upon the group convened on this issue. The representation at the table could signal cooperation and progressiveness to gates to fund Delaware at a state level.
Sen. Townsend reinforced that the historical origins and nature of the system factor into our ability to foster collaboration.
Donna Johnson reminded the group that in addition to creating the task force, SB 147 requires the report on innovation by charters in their annual report submission in the six areas specified in the bill.
The group agreed that receiving a report on what was submitted by charter schools would be helpful to hear at the December meeting.
Mary Kate McLaughlin provided a path forward for the next meeting, which would focus on identifying potential recommendations as required by the legislation. Rep. Baumbach stated that longer term goals should also be set as part of the task force’s work.
The next meeting will be held on November 14, 2013 at the Bear Library.