Public Charter Schools

Now Legal in Maine!

Action Alert:

Legislative Action Imminent - Your concerns need to be heard as the legislature amends the Charter School Law!

Education Committee Work Session on Charter School Bills

Thursday, February 9 - 1 p.m.

Cross Office Building - Room 202 - Augusta

We need your timely action - to support, defend, and strengthen Maine's new charter school law. The Legislature's Education Committee will be meeting at 1 pm this Thursday, February 9th, to work on the two bills concerning charter schools:
 

• LD 1783 has the "Implementing Rules" proposed by the DOE.
• LD 1762 has the "Amendments" to the law proposed by the DOE.
   

The Education Committee held public hearings on these two bills over the past two weeks.
Links to MACS' testimony:  LD 1783     LD 1762.

Opponents of public charter schools are using this opportunity to delay the opening of charter schools in Maine, and to weaken the ability of charter schools to exist and thrive.

See MACS' major concerns below.

Please email your concerns to the Committee Clerk who will distribute them to all the members: Ryan.Boyd@legislature.maine.gov. Please also send a copy to the Commissioner, stephen.bowen@maine.gov and a blind copy to macs@mainecharterschools.org.

MACS' Major Concerns:

1. Proposed - setting April 1st of each year as a rigid date for enrollment lotteries. That would drive enrollment periods, make it harder for charter schools to set their own schedule for opening, and prevent any schools from opening in 2012;
2. Proposed - applying Maine's special education laws on top of the Federal special education laws. Maine's special ed laws go well beyond the detailed federal requirements. They would hinder charter school flexibility in meeting the needs of their special education students and impose rules regulating "inputs" rather than focusing on evaluating the outcomes of the school's efforts.
3. Proposed - no process for defining a charter school's transportation responsibilities. The law is silent on this, and we feel it is important to resolve the conflict between the provisions for statewide eligibility for enrollment and the responsibility of the charter school to arrange for transportation. We propose that authorizers be allowed to approve or modify a charter school's planned "geographic catchment area" within which the school would be responsible for arranging transportation for its students.

Public Hearing on LD 1762
     The Legislature's Education Committee held a public hearing on Monday, January 23 on LD 1762, "An Act to Amend and Clarify the Public Charter School Bill."
     The bill was drafted by the Department of Education.  Charter school stakeholders should review the bill and send comments via email to the Committee.  

(Ryan.Boyd@legislature.maine.gov)
Call or email MACS for more information.

Maine's Law is Ranked #1 in the Nation!
Click Here for the press release from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

National School Choice Week
January 23 to 27

     MACS was at the Hall of Flags in the State House on Wednesday, January 25. Representatives from many educational organizations were on hand to inform legislators about the importance of educational options in Maine. 
     There were displays by the various groups, and from 11 a.m. to noon there was a "town hall" discussion.  Charter school stakeholder groups joined MACS in displaying  materials.
     The Hall of Flags event was co-sponsored by the non-partisan groups Americans for Prosperity and the Maine Policy Institute.  FMI visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com

Maine's Charter School Commission is at Work!

     On January 10 Maine's new Charter School Commission held its first full meeting from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 500 of the Cross Office Building in Augusta.

     Following the meeting, MACS' Board of Directors held a reception for the new Commission Members in the Cross Cafe.

     The Charter School Commission, which is empowered to authorize new public charter schools statewide, is working on procedures and processes that will lead to a "Request for Proposals" from potential founders that wish to open a charter school independent of a school administrative district.

     The next meeting of the Commission will be Tuesday, February 7 and the public is welcome to attend.

Public Charter Schools

Now Legal in Maine!

Legislative Action Imminent

The Legislature's Education Committee will hold a public hearing on Monday, January 23 on LD 1762, "An Act to Amend and Clarify the Public Charter School Bill."

The bill was drafted by the Department of Education.  Charter school stakeholders should review the bill and either testify on Monday or send comments via email to the Committee. (ryan.boyd@legislature.maine.gov)

Call or email MACS for more information.

Maine's Law is Ranked #1 in the Nation!
Click Here for the press release from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Celebrate National School Choice Week
January 23 to 27
Join MACS on Wednesday (the 25th) at the Hall of Flags in the State House from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

     Representatives from many educational organizations will be on hand to inform legislators about the importance of educational options in Maine. 

     There will be displays by the various groups, and from 11 a.m. to noon there will be a "town hall" discussion.  Charter school stakeholder groups are welcome to join MACS in displaying any materials they may have to share. (If unable to attend in person, please send them to MACS by Tuesday.)

     The Hall of Flags event is being co-sponsored by the non-partisan groups Americans for Prosperity and the Maine Policy Institute. 

FMI visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com

Maine's Charter School Commission is at Work!

     On January 10 Maine's new Charter School Commission held its first full meeting from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 500 of the Cross Office Building in Augusta.

     Following the meeting, MACS' Board of Directors held a reception for the new Commission Members in the Cross Cafe.

     The Charter School Commission, which is empowered to authorize new public charter schools statewide, is working on procedures and processes that will lead to a "Request for Proposals" from potential founders that wish to open a charter school independent of a school administrative district.

     The next meeting of the Commission will be Tuesday, February 7 and the public is welcome to attend.

What's been happening:

December 12 - The Legislature's Education Committee held a public work session to review the four nominees for the State Charter School Commission: Richard Barnes, Shelley Reed, Donald Mordecai, and William Shuttleworth.

December 12 - The Education Committee held a public hearing on the Department of Education's  draft Substantive Rule - "Chapter 140: Public Charter Schools" Click Here for the Rule.

November 22 - MACS testified at a Dept. of Education public hearing on their draft substantive rule to implement the new charter school law.

November 14 - MACS made a presentation to the RSU 3 School Board at its meeting in Liberty.   

November 15 - MACS made a presentation at a meeting of the Mid-coast Retired Teachers Association in Brunswick.

November 3-4 - MACS was at the Juice Conference in Camden.

November 3 - MACS had an exhibit at the Alternative Education Association Conference at the Augusta Civic Center.

October 24-27 - MACS and MDOE had representatives at the National Authorizers Leadership Conference in Florida.

October 27-28 - MACS had an exhibit at the Maine School Management Association Conference for Superintendents and School Board Members at the Augusta Civic Center.

State Charter School Commission

       The State Board of Education has appointed three of its members to the new Charter School Subcommittee.  James Banks, Sr., Chair of the State Board, will chair the subcommittee.  The other two members are Marylyn Tardy of Falmouth and Jana LaPoint of Palermo.

       The Charter School Subcommittee will be the nucleus of the new State Charter School Commission which will authorize new charter schools statewide.  Four members at large will join the three subcommittee members to comprise the seven-member Commission. Nominations to the Commission closed October 31.  FMI, click here.

Founder's Forum

       MACS hosted a forum at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday, September 17 to discuss the process of opening a public charter school under Maine's new law and to network with others interested in founding a school.

FMI, Click Here

New Maine Charter School Website

The Maine Department of Education now has an area of their website devoted to public charter schools.

Click Here to Visit

   State Board of Education Annual Retreat

       On August 16 MACS facilitated a session on the "authorizing" process at the State Board's annual retreat, featuring presentations by David Hansen of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers and Roberta Tenney of the New Hampshire Department of Education Authorizing Office.

Public Charter Schools are now Legal in Maine!

       On Wednesday, June 29, in a ceremony in the State House Hall of Flags attended by Senators and Representatives from both parties, MACS staff and a number of charter school supporters of all ages,
Governor LePage signed LD 1553,
"An Act to Create a Charter School Program in Maine"    into law!

Speakers included:
Governor Paul LePage,
Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen,
LD 1553 Prime Sponsor Senator Garrett Mason, Ed. Committee Chair Senator Brian Langley, and
Dr. Judith Jones, Chair, MACS' Board of Directors.

Thank you Everyone
for your extraordinary effort!
 

Click Here to see the Roll Call Votes.
 Senate    -    House

Please thank your Senator and Representative for their support.

To Find YOUR Senator and Representative
Click Here!

Maine's charter school bill LD 1553 has passed at last! 

Looking back...

June 29 - Governor LePage signed LD 1553 into law.

June 28 - the Maine Senate, after a formal action, sent LD 1553 to the Governor for signing.

June 16 - the Maine House voted to pass LD 1553 with Amendment A in a bipartisan 89 to 55 vote.

June 15 - the Maine Senate voted to pass LD 1553 in a bipartisan 21 to 15 vote.

May 25 - Portland Press Herald Editorial: "Charter School Bill Should be made law".
Click to Read

May 24 - Bangor Daily News OP ED by Bill Jones Click to Read

May 20 - At Work Session #2 the Education Committee endorsed public charter schools with a bipartisan vote!
Read MACS' Press Release

May 17 - The Education Committee held Work Session #1

May 14 - The Education Committee held the public hearing on LD 1553 - Many supporters made a strong case for charter schools at the Public Hearing before the Education & Cultural Affairs Committee.

May 13 - The Maine State Board of Education voted unanimously to support LD 1553.

May 10 - Bangor Daily News Editorial: "Give Charters a Chance".
Click to Read
 

LD 1553 "An Act to Create a Charter School Program in Maine"

LD 1553 has been printed and posted on the Legislature's website, but important amendments were unfortunately omitted.  The complete version that was presented to the Education Committee is available here - click our Legislation link above or Click Here.

Read MACS Briefing Papers
See the New Link, Top Left or Click Here

Click to Download & Read:

» MACS' Tri-fold Brochure

» MACS' Booklet Brochure

Disturbing Data
from the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education
in their February report to the State Board of Education, "Education is Job #1".

Click Here for MACS' reaction

Teachers Union Chokes Off School Reform

by Rep. Richard Cebra, R. Naples in "As Maine Goes"

Click Here for a "no holds barred" explanation of why we still don't have charter schools in Maine.

The Maine Heritage Policy Center is critical of Proposed Race to the Top Legislation

Click Here to Read their Press Release

MACS NEWS

Click Here for our latest Newsletter which now comes via Constant Contact in a new format - Check it out & Subscribe if you wish!

^The Race-2-Augusta

Most candidates for governor support charter schools!  MACS offers all candidates for office information on charter schools, and works closely with those who carry our torch in the policy arena.
For this year's Gubernatorial statements on charter schools, follow this link: http://augustainsider.us/gubnernatorialcharterschools/.

Congressional Action

 Congress has approved a $40 million increase in the federal Charter School Grant Program, for a total of $256 million for this year.
 Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado has introduced the All-STAR Act, H.R. 4330, that would support increased funding for successful charter schools and expand flexibility in using federal funds.
  The role of charter school authorizers has been enhanced through Congressional legislation that adds three new eligibility criteria to the Charter School Grant Program.

FUNDING for AUTHORIZERS! 

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers has established the Fund for Authorizing Excellence to award grants to improve the work of authorizers. 

FMI, see www.publiccharters.org and www.qualitycharters.org

Media Support in 2009

 Kennebec Journal Article

   Nov 10 -  Maine faulted for lacking education innovations

 Portland Press Herald Editorials

   Nov. 3 - Charter schools should be part of dropout debate

   Oct. 17 - Charter schools deserve another look from state

 In the Press:
 
Editorial - Portland Press Herald , Sept. 22, 2010
After decades of school reform, not much has changed.

OP Ed - The Maine Campus,  - Sept. 23, 2010
 Charter Schools offer new possibilities, change

Meanwhile ...

To learn about charter schools, please

¬ check out our links top left.  For news of our recent past, please Click Here

 To Contact MACS: macs@mainecharterschools.org

Twice as many registered voters favor charter schools as oppose them. The more people learn about charter schools, the more they like them.

Source: State of the Charter School Movement 2005