Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools

March 6, 2015 Presentation to Charter Schools Committee

Handout to the Trustees of SUNY’s Charter School Committee

CONTENTS

Section 1: BCMS are Fulfilling Founders’ Intent

Section 2: BCMS have Effective Academic Programs

Section 3: BCMS are Financially Viable Schools

Section 4: Issues Surrounding Accountability Metrics

Section 5: What Happens to the Students?

Section 6: Three More Years is a Reasonable Request

This presentation presents information that supports the requested three-year initial renewal of the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Boys

and the Brighter Choice Charter Middle School for Girls

1

SECTION 1

2

“The founders of the Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools envisioned that the single sex structure of the schools would educate boys & girls, especially boys and girls of color, better than the Albany City School District.”

Realizing the Vision: BCMS offers an important educational

option for the students they serve

- Quote from CSI’s Renewal Recommendation Report for BCMS Boys & Girls, pg. 2

Sources: http://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000067238;http://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000067239; http://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000055729

Black and Hispanic and Economically Disadvantaged students outperform their Albany City School District peers in English Language Arts & Math.

BCMS data represents all students in grades 5-8 in the noted subgroups.

4

As of the 2013-14 school year –the Brighter Choice Middle Schools’ fourth year in operation – the schools posted results on state assessments that are met the schools’ founding mission: traditionally underserved student populations are provided with a better and promising alternative to the failing district middle schools.

The performance for these students as portrayed here represents all students in the schools in grades 5 through 8, regardless of when they enrolled at each school compared to their peers in

the Albany district. Brighter Choice students not only outperform their district peers, but often

post proficiency rates that are more than two times those of the district.

This same-grade comparative analysis of student subgroup performance builds on and provides depth to the Charter Schools Institute’s formal accountability measure (Comparative Measure

3). In this year (2013-14) BC Boys met the Institute’s Comparative Measure 3 in ELA and math,

and BC Girls met the measure in math and came close to meeting it in ELA.

3

Brighter Choice Middle Schools serve a greater percentage of Black and Hispanic and Economically Disadvantaged students than the Albany City School District.

Equity: BCMS are enrolling & educating underserved

populations at higher rates than Albany district schools

Source: BCMS: SIRS 313 BEDS Day Reports 2014-15; ACSD http://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000055729

99.0% 100.0%

69.0% 69.0%

Black & Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged

BCMS Boys ACSD Boys

97.7% 99.5%

69.0% 69.0%

Black & Hispanic Economically Disadvantaged

BCMS Girls ACSD Girls

2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR

5

The Brighter Choice schools are achieving outperformance of the district with significantly

sized groups of students – the overwhelming majority of each school is populated by low-income students and students of color.

Each school serves proportionately more low-income students and more students of color – more than 20 percentage points more – than does the district.

4

Improving Trends: As the Albany district declines, BCMS is

demonstrating positive growth in the Common Core era

11.1

16.4

18.8

14.3

2012-13 2013-14

16.7

20

11.2

8.7

2012-13 2013-14

BCMS Boys

ACSD Boys

6.1

13.6

18.8

14.3

2012-13 2013-14

8.5 9.311.2

8.7

2012-13 2013-14

BCMS Girls

ACSD Girls

NYS ELA NYS Math

NYS ELA NYS Math

NYS ELA NYS Math

Common Core2+ Year Cohort

Pre-Common Core2+ Year Cohort

NYS ELA NYS Math

30.633.3

40.1

50.7

2011-12 2011-12

60

77.5

40.1

50.7

2011-12 2011-12

Source: Charter School Institute Renewal Report, Appendix, Performance Summaries 2014

6

Although the charter renewal reports criticizes the schools for a drop in student proficiency

rates from 2011-12 to 2012-13, this clearly can be interpreted as the one-year impact of instituting Common Core. (In operation for only four years total, only three years of data are available that provide data for students enrolled at the schools for two or more years.)

Overall student proficiency rates in grades 5-8 for BC Boys and BC Girls compare favorably to proficiency rates for male students and female students, respectively, in the same grades in Albany district schools. With the exception only of BC Girls in ELA (and there the difference is less than one percentage point), in 2013-14 both Brighter Choice schools are outperforming the Albany district.

For the two testing years when Common Core-based state exams have been administered, overall proficiency at both the BC Boys school and the BC Girls school has increased in both Math and ELA.

In contrast, comparable proficiency rates in the Albany District decreased for both boys and girls and in both subjects over the two most recent school years.

5

Steady Growth: According to Education Department and

Institute, BCMS are performing within acceptable ranges

BCMS’ two years of Common Core existence have shown no less than a mixed record, including important growth in ELA at both schools.

Source: Charter School Institute Renewal Report, Appendix, Performance Summaries 2014 7

As the Charter Schools Institute noted to this Committee at its February meeting, Student Growth Percentiles in the 35 to 65 range are to be expected and viewed as normal growth under this performance measure.

The Institute’s chosen target metric of a 50 SGP was largely achieved by BC Girls, and BC Boys has certainly come close to this target while posting SGP score in the normal growth range.

While both schools posted a dip in SGP scores in math from 2012-13 to 2013-14, both schools showed important growth in ELA. Finding that the schools posted a mixed record on this growth metric is reasonable – and what was claimed by the schools when they sought a 3-year short-term initial renewal instead of the full 5-year renewal.

6

SECTION 2

7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

RL.1 RL.2 RL.3 RL.4 RL.5 RL.6 RL.7 RL.9 RL.10 RL.11

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Student Exposure to Core Skills

Since BCMS significantly upgraded its curriculum with EngageNY and an enhanced ELA standard set, students have greater exposure to core skills with greater frequency.

Design: BCMS takes significant steps to strengthen the

curriculum to support teaching and learning effectiveness

ELA Curriculum 5th Grade Sample Analysis

Math Curriculum 5th Grade Sample Analysis Adopted EngageNY Modules

Enhanced ELA Standard Set

Previous Curriculum

The BC Middle Schools undertook a comprehensive and analytic review and revision of its ELA

and Math curriculum to ensure alignment with the Common Core learning standards (each tag on the chart represents a particular Common Core learning standard).

While the EngageNY curricular modules provided a necessary increase in the intensity of exposure to the Common Core Learning Standards in both ELA and Math, more complex standards were found to be not addressed as frequently. The BC Schools thus worked to develop and implement a quarterly standard set to address these more complex items. (While the Institute’s draft renewal report noted the development and use of this unique curricular supplement, the final reports excluded mention of it.)

Additionally, the EngageNY components are modified as needed to provide a gender-based approach at each school.

Teachers are delivering a curriculum that is aligned with and meets the demands of Common Core. Our final renewal report notes, for example: “…BC Girls has taken steps to develop more robust curricular materials than have been used in the past” (p. 16).

Teachers also are focusing on objectives and outcomes when planning, with the renewal reports noting: “Most teachers deliver lessons with objectives aligned to the school’scurriculum (20 of 29 classrooms observed). Most teachers present content in clear and age appropriate language. Teachers across the school employ ‘do now’ activities in order to review previously taught material and link it to current lesson content” (BC Boys, p. 17; similar finding in BC Girls, p. 18).

The schools “have a curriculum framework with student performance expectations that provide a fixed, underlying structure, aligned to state standards and across grades” – a Benchmark Indicator of the Charter Schools Institute.

8

21%

40%17%

22%

Assessment Capacity

Curriculum Instruction

Development: Teachers receive extensive amounts of

targeted support – over 450 hours

Hours of Teacher Development

40% individualized and differentiated coaching for improved pedagogical practice

21% support for assessment programs (interims, unit tests, and exit tickets etc.)

22% instructional observations, co-teaching, and professional development

17% support for curriculum planning and unit and lesson implementation

10

Once teachers had a solid foundation in the curriculum, the schools shifted teacher coaching and professional development to focus on instruction and assessment

The data we show here evidences the amount of teacher support provided just in the first semester of this school year alone.

In conjunction with the work being done by school leaders, the schools called upon experts at the Albany Charter School Network to design and support training, and to provide direct coaching of teachers to increase the amount of professional development we could deliver overall.

Teachers received training and ongoing support on key instructional practices aligned to Common Core – Close Reading, Discourse, Writing, and Eight Math Practices.

Weekly individualized support is provided to teachers; monthly professional development sessions focus on school-wide needs.

Teachers are more focused than ever on learning goals and make the connections between prior, current, and future learning.

9

Observations: An intensive cycle of individualized teacher

observations is used to support teacher effectiveness

In the first semester, BCMS teachers received over 200 hours of multiple differentiated observations tailored to their specific needs.

ELA Math Science Social Studies

84

64

2734

11

Our school’s implementation of a new curriculum and recalibrated instructional practices is coordinated with an intensified teacher-observation, feedback, and evaluation effort.

Observations identify areas of needed training for teachers; school leaders and/or coaches from the Albany Charter School Network work directly with teachers on specific identified goals.

Feedback is data-based, with results from weekly and unit tests, interim assessments, and state assessment analyzed and reviewed to determine effectiveness and need for instructional adjustments.

Teachers have been and continue to focus on intervention and tier support in the schools’ well-developed Response to Intervention program. The renewal recommendation reports noted: “Classroom teachers implement tier 1 interventions throughout the school. Teachers examine formative assessment data and develop alternate modalities of instruction to support students struggling to grasp concepts and skills. AIS support teachers assist classroom teachers in implementing level 1 during push-in instructional time” (BCMB Report, p. 19).

The schools have been and continue to use data to inform decisions on tier and intervention support: “The school identifies students requiring academic intervention using the previous year’s New York State Testing Program (“NYSTP”) results and its universal screeners (STAR Reader and STAR math). The school’s AIS team triangulates the results of the STAR assessments and the state’s ELA and math assessments to enroll students in tier two and tier three interventions” (BCMG Report, p. 20).

Leadership is in place at the schools that is able to support curricular and instructional

changes, with multiple layers of accountability and significant resources dedicated to these efforts.

10

SECTION 3

11

Soundness: BCMS have demonstrated appropriate fiscal

soundness for schools growing to capacity in first term

Despite growing pains that are commonplace for new charter schools growing to capacity, BCMS have met their financial obligations to employees, vendors, and lenders.

1.27

1.20

1.10 1.10

1.00 1.00

2014 2015

Debt Service Coverage Ratio

61 60

20 2010 13

2014 2015

Days Cash on Hand*

Actual Covenant Default

“The most recent independent audit found no material weaknesses in the financial statements.”

- Quotes from CSI’s Renewal Recommendation Report for BCMS Boys & Girls, pg. 28/30 & 30/32

“The independent audits of those statements have received unqualified opinions.”

Financial Covenant Performance

*The loan agreement for the BCMS facility contains a very specific definition of the Days Cash on Hand and the Debt Service Coverage Ratio, which differs from the Institute’s method of calculation. The Board is aware of these requirements as BCMS has easily met these thresholds in the past as well as in the future projections. 13

Audits of the schools have found no going concerns and no issues of insolvency. The schools are financially sound.

Financial trends are positive: cash-on-hand balances have increased; asset-to-debt ratios are higher; enrollment has grown over last year; and, revenues are solid.

Specific improvements include:

Timely filing of required reports, such as the 2Q Financial Statements

Improvement of general financial reporting to the schools’ board

Targeted monitoring of financial covenant performance

Active recruitment of new board members with financial expertise

Revision of the fiscal policies with active oversight by third parties

Management: BCMS have actively addressed previously

identified gaps in fiscal management

School leadership has worked diligently to mitigate structural issues identified in the Institute’s site visit and the independent auditor’s reports.

14

The schools comprehensively enlisted the services of the Albany Charter School Network to improve and ensure strength in the areas of budgeting, fiscal planning, reporting, oversight and other financial areas.

12

Fiscal Soundness: BCMS financial position similarly situated

to other renewed schools

BCMS fiscal profile is not unlike many of its renewed peers

Average Fiscal Metrics Over Charter Term

BCMSB BCMSG School A School B School C School D School E

Own3-yr Renewal?

Own3-yr Renewal?

Co-Location5-yr Renewal

Lease3-yr Renewal

Own/Lease5-yr Renewal

Lease3-yr Renewal

Own5-yr Renewal

% Revenue Exceeds Expenses

12.3% 8.8% 2.4% 0.3% -0.8% 10.8% 3.2%

Financial Responsibility Composite Score

1.5 0.8 1.2 0.6 2.1 2.4 1.7

Working Capital 1.8 1.4 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.6 2.9

Quick (Acid Test) Ratio 1.8 1.4 0.8 1.1 2.3 2.5 2.8

Debt to Asset Ratio 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.6

Months of Cash 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.2 1.5 2.2 1.1

BCMSB BCMSG School E

% Revenue Exceeds Expenses -3.4% -3.5% -8.9%

Financial Responsibility Composite Score 0.4 0.0 0.6

Working Capital 1.3 0.9 1.3

Quick (Acid Test) Ratio 1.2 0.9 1.2

Debt to Asset Ratio 1.0 1.0 0.9

Months of Cash 0.5 0.3 0.6

BCMS post-facility purchase financial metrics are similar to the post-purchase indicators of another recently-renewed Albany charter middle school

2013-2014 Academic

School Year

Source: The Charter Schools Institute Renewal Recommendation Reports, 2014, Fiscal Dashboards, http://www.suny.edu/about/leadership/board-of-trustees/meetings/meetingNotices.cfm?archivedPage=Y#b

15

A comparison to some other charter schools renewed this cycle shows the Brighter Choice Middle Schools to be similarly situated in key financial areas.

The Brighter Choice Middle Schools purchased a facility in their first charter term. This resulted in some early financial strain, but it was a challenge that was successfully met and not unlike the financial situations faced by other charter schools purchasing their facilities.

Budgeting: BCMS have set attainable financial goals

to strengthen long-term sustainability

During the initial charter term BCMS grew to capacity one grade level per year and financed the facility. In the renewal term BCMS will operate at capacity and will achieve optimal financial efficiency and sustainability.

RENEWAL TERM BUDGET

BCMSB2016 2017 2018

BCMSG2016 2017 2018

Net Income $86,535 $117,704 $124,129 $24,866 $69,966 $83,459

Cash $769,658 $1,134,643 $1,480,727 $618,577 $935,824 $1,241,238

Current Ratio2.2

GOOD2.8

GOOD3.3

EXCELLENT1.9

GOOD2.5

GOOD2.9

GOOD

Quick Ratio2.2

GOOD2.8

EXCELLENT3.3

EXCELLENT1.9

GOOD2.4

GOOD2.9

EXCELLENT

Months of Cash2.6

POOR3.7

GOOD4.7

GOOD2.0

POOR3.0

GOOD3.8

GOOD

Net Assets > 2% Next Year’s Op. Budget

2.4%YES

3.1%YES

3.2%YES

0.07%NO

1.8%NO

2.1%YES

16

Now expanded to their full grade 5-8 capacity, the Brighter Choice Middle Schools are poised for sustainability and greater efficiency in the next charter term.

13

SECTION 4

14

Accountability Metrics 2010-11 2011-12New to Common Core

2012-13 2013-14

Absolute Measures1. Cohort Proficiency 75% Applicable

Absolute Measures2. Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) as set forth by the state’s NCLB accountability system.

Applicable ?

Comparative Measures3. Cohort outperforming district in same grades

Applicable

Applicable*

*But test results cannot be compared to 2011-12 and before.

Comparative Measures4. Effect Size above positive 0.3

Applicable

Growth Measure5. Each grade level cohort will reduce the gap by half between the prior year percent proficient and 75 percent proficient. If the grade level cohort percent proficient exceeds 75% there will be an increase.

ApplicableChanged by CSI to the Student Growth

Percentile (SGP) measure.

Lack of Measures: BCMS have seen five substantial

changes to the Accountability metrics in four years

Almost all of the accountability metrics under which BCMS opened have been done away with or modified drastically.

18

Even in just the schools’ four short years of operation, a consistent authorizer accountability framework was not put in place and changed several times.

Contradictory Conclusions: BCMS met its goal in 2011-12,

but the Institute’s records indicate otherwise

In the 2013 Visit Report, the Institute commented:

“In 2011-12, the second year of Brighter Choice Middle School for Boys (“BC Boys”) four-year Accountability Period, the school is meeting its English language arts (“ELA”) and math goals. It is also meeting its NCLB goals.”

Brighter-Choice-Boys-MS-School-Evaluation-2012-131.pdf, pg. 7

In the 2014 Renewal Report (15 months later) the Institute commented:

During 2010-11, the school’s first year of operation, it met its Math goal, but failed to meet its ELA goal. During 2011-12, although the school met its ELA goal, its performance in Mathematics declined and the school did not meet the goal.”

F01_Brighter Choice Boys Renewal Report.pdf, pg. 40

The Institute retroactively recalculated a published finding that the school met a performance goal to now claim the school missed that mark.

19

In its 2013 site visit report, the Institute noted that for 2011-12, BC Boys was meeting its ELA and math goals.

In the charter renewal recommendation report, however, the Institute retroactively applied a different standard and now portrays the school as not meeting its goal in 2011-12, the same standard previously determined to have been met.

15

COMPARATIVE MEASURE: BC BOYS EFFECT SIZEConflicting Data: The Institute’s disadvantaged analysis is

inconsistent and impacts effect size calculations

• On the Performance Summary in the Renewal Report, the Institute notes that the school’s economically disadvantaged student population is 77.6%.

• On page 34 of the same report, the Institute lists the proportion of economically disadvantaged students at 100%.

• NYSED lists the percentage properly at 83%.

This raises concerns as to whether the effect size analysis was calculated with the appropriate peer group. 20

Information about the school’s percentage of economically disadvantaged students was inconsistent in the renewal recommendation report and wrong in both instances. This incorrect figure was used to drive a number of different calculations and conclusions contained in the renewal report.

Measure 5 – Growth (SGP): BCMS achieves normal growth

(35-65 SGP) but performance not accepted by Institute

Explaining how a school up for renewal could be shown as missing the Student Growth Percentile-based accountability metric but also post expected performance levels, Institute staff noted that NYSED determines that SGP scores of 35 to 65 are to be expected and are within an acceptable range.

BCMS BoysStudent Growth Percentile

ELA Math

36 44 45 432012-2013

2013-2014

2012-2013

2013-2014

BCMS GirlsStudent Growth Percentile

ELA Math

47 57 60 522012-2013

2013-2014

2012-2013

2013-2014

21

As noted by Institute staff to this Committee at its February meeting, a Student Growth Percentage (SGP) score of 35-65 is determined to be “normal growth.” In each year, both schools achieved this acceptable level of growth. The Institute’s target SGP of 50 was largely achieved by BC Girls, and BC Boys certainly has come close to this target.

16

As with many schools, the Brighter Choice Middle School for Boys struggled in its adjustment to Common Core, showing a dip in the Institute’s Effect Size accountability metric from the last non-Common Core year to the first Common Core year. Scores since the implementation of Common Core have increased, however, showing that the school has properly adjusted.

Methodology Review: Changing accountability landscape

requires improvement in metrics

Concerns surround the application and interpretation of various accountability measure:

Increasing non-applicability of original accountability plan measures

Inconsistent and inaccurate application of practices and measures

Retroactive recalculation of certain metrics

Inaccurate portrayal of want state accountability metrics show

Initiation of the Common Core in just the past two years

____________________________________________________________

Reason enough for Institute to reassess accountability practices

23

The Brighter Choice Middle Schools embrace the “accountability bargain” that is fundamental to the charter school movement. There is a need, however, to ensure that the right things are being measured for the right amount of time, and that the right accountability expectations are being put in place.

17

Providing Consistent Data: Renewal will enable BCMS

performance to be evaluated across consistent data

The requested three-year renewal will allow SUNY to better evaluate the Brighter Choice Middle Schools.

It will ensure that the schools’ performances will be assessed consistently across more than two years of Common Core data, and on more than just the first year that the school served its full grade 5-8 student body.

In the new accountability period

BCMS will be a full 5th through 8th grade school

No additional grades will be added, so the data set will remain constant

The Common Core era Accountability standards will be predictable

24

The requested 3-year charter renewal for the Brighter Choice Middle Schools will allow the schools to generate enough Common Core-based data while operating at its full 5th-8th grade configuration to support a proper evaluation of the schools’ performance.

18

SECTION 5

19

Failing Alternatives: Closing BCMS would relegate students

to ACSD schools that are actively failing students.

According to the New York State Education Department, Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools are in GOOD standing, compared to the PRIORITY and FOCUS standings of their District counterparts.

Source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/accountability/documents/AccountabilityStatusfor2014-15.xlsx

26

EVERY Albany City District school has been declared by the state to be in failing-school

school status – either “Focus” or the more serious “Priority” status for 2014-15 under the federal ESEA program.

Among the contributing factors for this designation are persistently low academic performance and achievement gaps for student subgroup populations, such as economically disadvantaged students and students of color.

Both Brighter Choice Middle Schools are “In Good Standing.”

Closing the Brighter Choice Middle Schools would be an irreversible action that limits access for students and parents to non-failing public schools and will relegate hundreds of students of schools proven to be failing.

20

All Failing: Closing BCMS would force students into a

district with 100% failing schools

Of all the non-NYC districts where the Charter Schools Institute has authorized schools, Albany is the ONLY district that has 100% of schools in failure status.

Given limited capacity for new enrollment at the city’s other charter middle schools, without BCMS students looking to attend a public school in the city will be forced to attend one of the Albany District’s failing middle schools.

Source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/accountability/documents/AccountabilityStatusfor2014-15.xlsx 27

The failure of Albany’s district schools presents a unique situation for the Charter Schools institute; it is the ONLY school district outside of New York City hosting SUNY-authorized charter schools in which 100 percent of district schools are failing.

Limiting choice for parents by closing these charter schools – especially when these schools are not failing and are outperforming the failing district alternatives – is not the right policy for Albany families.

Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools have a better record of safety.

BCMS have a lower percentage of violent incidents than Albany District Middle Schools.

More Violence: Closing BCMS would relegate students to

ACSD schools that have a higher rate of violent incidents

Source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/school_safety/school_safety_data_reporting.html

28

Brighter Choice Middle Schools are safe places for students to learn. The Albany district middle schools? Much less so.

21

Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools are at the center of the ONLY K-12, single-gender, public option in Albany.

The single gender charter continuum serves over 1,700 scholars from Kindergarten to Twelfth Grade.

The Brighter Choice Middle Schools provide the essential bridge from elementary school to high school at a most critical academic and child development stage.

Choice: BCMS offer an unprecedented single gender

education that anchors the K-12 continuum in Albany

29

The Brighter Choice Middle Schools, together with the Brighter Choice Elementary Schools from K-4, and Green Tech Charter High School for Boys and Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls (9-12), create in Albany the unique situation where low-income and other traditionally underserved student populations can participate in a full K-12 continuum of single-gender public school education.

Brighter Choice Middle Schools are the most sought after option for single-gender elementary school parents and a vital feeder school single-gender high schools.

The majority of Brighter Choice Elementary families choose to remain within a single-gender setting for middle school.

97%

3%

BCCS-B BCMS-B Transition

BCMS-B

Other Schools

70%

30%

BCCS-G BCMS-G Transition

BCMS-G

Other Schools

70%

30%

BCMS-G ALH Transition

Albany Leadership High

Other Schools

36%

64%

BCMS-B GTH Transition

Green Tech High

Other Schools

Disrupted Continuum: Closing BCMS would destroy single

gender pathway and remove a crucial choice for parents

Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools are a critical feeder school for single-gender high schools.

A substantial proportion of students choosing the single-gender option offered by the Brighter Choice elementary charter schools choose to stay part of the unique continuum offered by Albany charter schools, for to the Brighter Choice Middle Schools, and then to the two single-gender charter high schools.

22

SECTION 6

23

More than 600 members of the community turned out to offer more than two hours of testimony voicing their support for the renewal of the charters of the Brighter Choice Middle Schools. The complete video can be accessed off the homepage of the Albany Charter School Network here: http://www.albanycharterschoolnetwork.org/.

Presentations grouped by theme – support for the unique single-gender continuum offered by these schools, the overwhelming and positive community impact generated by these schools; the need for choice these schools fulfill; and, the unique approach to education and learning these schools provide – can be accessed here: http://www.albanycharterschoolnetwork.org/category/bccms-rally/

Presentations by some of the most powerful individual speakers can be accessed here: http://www.albanycharterschoolnetwork.org/category/bccms-rally-individual-segments/

More than 1,400 letters of support – from parents, students, teachers, and community members – were delivered to the Institute in January in support of the renewal of the Brighter Choice Middle Schools.

24

BCMS have only graduated ONE 8th Grade cohort of students.

With renewal the schools will demonstrate what they can do with a full compliment of students.

• Other SUNY CSI schools, even in Albany, have shown significant improvements in subsequent charter terms.

• Despite only one 8th grade class by 2012-13, BCMS substantially outperformed the district at 8th

grade on state tests.

Just Getting Started: BCMS have only operated as full middle

schools (5th-8th grade) for one and a half school years

Source: http://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000055729 33

The Brighter Choice Middle Schools have only had academic year with a full set of enrolled grades 5-8, with only one assessment cycle with an 8th-grade data point.

Even with the schools having had only one 8th-grade class take the state assessments, the substantial outperformance by our scholars of their Albany district peers is evident. Across both schools, in ELA, 25 percent of scholars tested proficient compared to 18 percent for the Albany district; in Mathematics the gap is even larger – 18 percentage points – with the district having zero percent of students test proficient on the 8th grade assessment.

25

While BCMS are producing an improving academic record in the Common Core era, the Albany District by contrast has a declining record.

BCMS are responding to Common Core expectations more effectively than the district and are better preparing students in accordance with Common Core standards.

Comparative Growth: BCMS have shown meaningful gains

in student achievement over two years of Common Core

ELA Percent Change2013 to 2014

Source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math/2014/ELA-SchoolLevelPovertyAnalysis-ByChange-matchedstudents.xls;http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math/2014/Math-SchoolLevelPovertyAnalysis-ByChange-matchedstudents.xls

Math Percent Change2013 to 2014

ELA Percent Change2013 to 2014

Math Percent Change2013 to 2014

Matched Student GrowthBCMS Boys

Matched Student GrowthBCMS Girls

6.88

0.53

-2.57-1.90

-4.10

-1.50

BCMS Girls Hackett Myers

0.00 2.01

-2.57-1.90

-4.10

-1.50

BCMS Boys Hackett Myers

34

Despite needing to adjust to the shift to Common Core after only our second year in operation, the Brighter Choice Middle Schools have handled the adjustment well. Not only have we fully aligned our curriculum, teaching, and internal assessment programs, we have grown our performance in each of the first two common core years when looking at the well-regarded matched-student analysis.

Compare these positive trends to same analysis for the Albany City School District’s two middle schools, each of which has a declining trend over the two-year Common Core span.

A short-term 3-year renewal is a reasonable request. It will allow students an option other than the district’s declining middle schools and will allow Brighter Choice to be evaluated on a full five years operating as middle schools and producing a full five years of Common Core performance data.

26

Brighter Choice Charter Middle School alumni outperform their district counterparts on high school TerraNova and GlobalScholar assessments

8.97.97.6 7.4

Reading Average Math Average

Albany Leadership High School: 9th Grade TerraNova Assessment

BCMB Graduates

Other Graduates

3012

28022823

2651

Reading Average Math Average

Green Tech High Charter School:9th Grade GlobalScholar Assessment

BCMB Graduates

Other Graduates

This is a tribute to the value of the BCMS academic programs and the extent to which they position students for a strong and confident start in their high school learning journey.

Readiness: BCMS 8th grade graduates are more prepared

to succeed in high school than their district school peers

35

Graduates of the Brighter Choice Middle Schools are better prepared to enter high school than other Albany middle school students as measured by norm-referenced diagnostic assessments administered to incoming 9th-graders at Albany’s Green Tech Charter High School for Boys and Albany Leadership Charter High School for Girls.

This is further evidence of the strength of the Brighter Choice Middle Schools program to prepare scholars for success in high school.

27

Brighter Choice Charter Middle Schools have shown - at worst - mixed results in their initial charter term.

Initial, short-term charter renewals were designed to provide new schools with the opportunity to strengthen their results.

Recent performance trends, strengthened educational program, and a solid financial plan

points to growing success.

Mixed Record & Strong Program: BCMS are the types of

schools for which first-time renewals are made

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The Brighter Choice Middle Schools have demonstrated at a minimum a mixed performance record of results. Importantly, the Brighter Choice schools have shown upward trends in performance during the Common Core years.

Brighter Choice Middle Schools outperform the Albany district’s alternatives, each of which have been designated by the state as failing schools.

The continuously evaluative and responsive work of the schools’ leaders and board to address challenges and build a strong foundation over the charter term is indicative of another strong point of the schools.

A rigorous educational program has been implemented that is fully aligned to the Common Core learning standards, and our financial status is sound and our schools have strengthened our financial reporting structures and our long-term financial plans.

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