District may decide to close Morgan Hill’s Charter School
Morgan Hill – The racial and socio-economic makeup of the Charter School of Morgan Hill is causing concern for Morgan Hill School Board trustees and could lead the board to refuse to renew its charter in January.
“A great deal of concern is about the diversity issue,” Trustee Kathy Sullivan said during Tuesday night’s board meeting. “We are responsible for these students, and I would want these students to have that piece of their education … An enrollment that reflects the community that they are living in is very important.”
The school’s charter must be reviewed every five years by the Morgan Hill School District, but for the charter to be renewed, the proposal must meet certain requirements. The charter would not be approved as presented Tuesday night, trustees said, due to concerns about the school’s racial and socio-economic diversity, as well as concerns about financial problems at the school.
Officials say that the district’s Hispanic students comprise about 40 percent of the total student population. Trustee Peter Mandel said according to his research, the Charter School’s Hispanic population is currently approximately 16 percent of the school’s total population, “possibly as low as 12 percent.”
According to California Charter School law, the population of a charter school must reflect the demographics of the district it resides in.
Socio-economic diversity is another issue, according to Mandel. Seven percent of the school’s population is classified as low socio-economic students. Twenty-seven percent of the district’s students fall into the low socio-economic category, he said.
Trustee Shellé Thomas said she would like district staff to compile information on the school’s ethnic breakdown over the past five years.
During discussion at the district board meeting Tuesday night, a state charter school consultant hired by the district told trustees that once the racial makeup of the school has been established, it is hard to change.
“It is conceivable that even if they did everything right from day one, they could end up with a balance that is still not” what it needs to be, Chuck Cadman told trustees. “So the question is, did they do everything they said they would do.”
When the school received its initial charter five years ago, organizers spelled out methods for assuring diversity at the school.
Cadman said one of the tenets spelled out in the original charter, however, could have contributed to the current lack of diversity. The stipulation ensured that the children of the founding families be automatically enrolled, despite any lottery for spots on a waiting list.
A requirement like this, he said, “from day one can predispose a charter school.”
The other major issue trustees have concerns with the lack of a reserve fund in the Charter School’s budget. Trustees would like to see a reserve fund of five percent, according to Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tognazzini.
“A reserve fund of between 3 and 5 percent would be acceptable, but trustees would like to see five percent,” she said Friday.
Trustees also were concerned about deficit of $167,000 Tuesday night, but Tognazzini said it is not really a cause for worry, as payments are being made on the debt. The district is responsible for oversight of the school, including its financial health, and Tognazzini said the school has done a “decent” job of its financial recordkeeping.
More than 50 people turned out to support the renewal of the charter. Several parents and staff members told trustees about the school’s accomplishments and in their experience the ways in which the school meets student needs.
“It’s amazing to see the changes through the past five years,” said CSMH Principal Paige Cisewski. “We have stayed focused on the mission and vision of the school, project-based learning, a standards-based curriculum.”
Jessica Hawthorne, representing the Charter School, said school officials were waiting to receive a report from the district. She said the school is conscious of a need to improve its diversity.
“We are constantly working to improve our processes,” she said. “You can’t require a certain percentage, but steps are being taken such as ensuring that materials are provided in multiple languages.”
She assured trustees that school officials would provide other documentation as needed, including copies of the school’s curriculum, and make necessary changes to the proposal.
Officials of the CSMH will have until Jan. 10 to make changes to their proposal for renewal of their charter with the School District, they learned at the board meeting.
Their renewal request will be on the agenda for the Jan. 24 meeting.
If the charter is not renewed by trustees, the proposal can then be submitted to the County Office of Education; if the proposal is not renewed by the county, it must go to the state level.
