/ THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY12234
TO: /

Full Board

FROM: / Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT: / Charter Schools: ProposedRevision to the InitialCharter for the Urban ChoiceCharterSchool
DATE: / July 14, 2009
STRATEGIC GOAL: / Goals 1 and 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision

Should the Regents approve the staff’s recommendation concerning the proposed revision to the initialcharter for the UrbanChoiceCharterSchool(Rochester)?

Background Information

We received a request from theBoard of Trustees of the UrbanChoiceCharterSchool (“the School”) to revise its initial charter.). The School seeks to revise its organizational structure for the 2009-2010 academic year by adding a Principal, Building and Grounds Supervisor, Special Projects Assistant, and Director of Student Support Services, and eliminating the position of Assistant Director of Instruction.

The School is located inRochester, and currently serves 404 students in grades K-8. The RochesterCitySchool Districtheld a public hearing on June 24, 2009 regarding the proposed revision. No comments were made or received. In addition, the RochesterCitySchool District had no comments regarding the proposed revision.

Recommendation

VOTED: That the Board of Regents approves the revision to the initialcharter of the UrbanChoiceCharterSchooland the provisional charter is amended accordingly.

Reasons for Recommendation

The proposed revision to the School’s initialcharter, along with the other terms of the initial charter: (1) meets the requirements set out in Article 56 of the Education Law, and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations; (2) will permit the charter school to operate in an educationally and fiscally sound manner; (3) is likely to improve student learning and achievement and materially further the purposes set out in subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty of Article 56 of the Education Law: and (4) approving and issuing the proposed charter will have a significant educational benefit to the students expected to attend the proposed charter school.

Timetable for Implementation

The Regents action for the UrbanChoiceCharterSchool will be effective immediately.

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