Schools

What You Need To Know About Clayton Valley Charter High School

If the high school succeeds in its efforts, it would be the first high-school charter conversion in the Bay Area.

It was standing room only Monday night as close to 200 people crowded into the Clayton Community Library meeting room to learn more about the new . If the conversion succeeds, it will be the first public high school in the Bay Area to become a charter school.

Parents, teachers, students and community members heard co-facilitators Pat Middendorf and Neil McChesney—two CVHS teachers—talk about the

In addition, Nick Driver of the California Charter Schools Association, a nonprofit advocacy group that helps schools obtain charters, explained more about what being a charter school means.

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Comparing cash-strapped Mount Diablo Unified School District and the vision they have for the charter school, Middendorf and McChesney painted a picture that had most of the audience salivating: more per-student funding, more control by parents, students and staff, flexibility in curriculum, higher test scores and what Middendorf called “a culture of success.”

“We are failing right now,” she said. “If you compared Clayton Valley’s API (Academic Performance Index) score with other schools comparable in socio-economic and other makeups, we are in the bottom 10 percent in the state.”

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She also said that current per-student funding and teacher salaries are lower than the state average.

“We can change all that,” she said.

But even though she, McChesney and Driver painted an almost utopian vision of the new school—which would be like a district unto its own—there still were many questions about the viability of the conversion and whether it could succeed.

Patch is listing some of the most pertinent questions parents and teachers had, as well as the answers given Monday night.

How is a charter school different than a public school?

It’s not. A charter school is a public school, and still adheres to the academic standards set by the district in which it resides. It can’t charge tuition, “cherry-pick” students or discriminate on any grounds. It is nonsectarian and must employ credentialed teachers. It also is open to having collective bargaining units.

What will it take to convert the school to a charter school?

The MDUSD board of trustees must vote on it after the organizers submit an extensive proposal, accompanied by the support of 50 percent plus one of the full-time teachers on the CVHS staff. Driver also said that community support—letters from local officials, business leaders and a petition of parents—usually helps sway the vote. If the proposal is viable and shows the support of the faculty, the board is honor-bound to approve it, Driver said.

If the CVHS conversion takes place, when will it happen?

Middendorf said she hopes that the “general” charter will be approved next month; that would give the organizers a whole school year to refine the goals and vision of the school before opening in fall 2012 as a charter high school.

What are the financial ramifications of the conversion?

As Driver said, “the money follows the students,” which means that Clayton Valley Charter High School will receive $6,240 per student, up from the roughly $4,900 it currently receives from the state. The current rate is "bended" between the 52 schools in the district, Middendorf said. However, a full economic feasibility study for the proposed charter is under way.

Would Clayton Valley Charter High School still receive Measure C funds?

Yes.

Who is eligible to attend Clayton Valley Charter High School?

All students in the state are eligible, but priority is given to students in the MDUSD district. The school also can write into the charter that after the first year, it can give priority to students within the CVHS boundaries.

What if the district moves the high-school boundaries in the next few years?

The enrollment area will be the original CVHS boundaries at the time of the conversion.

Will the Academies at CVHS be affected?

 No. “The conversion will only enhance what is working well at CVHS, and the Academies are working well,” McChesney said.

Will athletics be affected?

No. The school will still compete in the DVAL. There will be no noticeable changes, said Middendorf, who is the CVHS athletic director and DVAL representative to the North Coast section.

What happens if the school fails to meet its academic goals as stated in the charter?

It can revert to a traditional district school or be closed.

Who will govern the school?

According to Middendorf and McChesney, the school will have a five-to-seven member governing board made up of teachers, staff, parents, community members and a non-voting student member. The board will appoint an executive director, as most nonprofits do.

Who will make hiring and firing decisions?

This information is still being worked out in the details of the charter, Middendorf said. But no teachers will be forced to leave at the time of conversion. If they choose to leave for another school in the district, they can do so.

How many charter schools are there in California?

There will be about 1,000 charter schools in the state by fall 2011, serving about 6 percent of the student population, Driver said.

Does MDUSD have any other charter schools?

Yes. Mount Diablo has two: Eagle Peak Elementary, near Northgate High in Walnut Creek, and the , another charter high school scheduled to open in 2011 or 2012.

Where is there more information?

Visit the Clayton Valley Charter High School website and/or the school's Facebook page.


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