Initiative aims to grow charter schools

By: JENNIFER KABBANY and PAUL EAKINS - Staff Writers | Wednesday, November 15, 2006 10:23 PM PST ∞

A statewide charter school organization Wednesday launched an effort to buoy alternative education efforts across California through funding and an awareness campaign.

The California Charter Schools Association's effort, dubbed "My School," aims to teach parents about their right to enroll their children in charters, increase the number of students enrolled in established charter schools and possibly double the number of charter campuses in the state.

To that end, one local campus is helping the cause.

Temecula Preparatory School is using its campaign in their curriculum, projects and community activities to a get teachers and parents to talk about what the school means to them. It is one of 50 charter schools across the state to help the association in such a manner.

"A lot of people in the Temecula Valley either have not heard of our school or think we are a private school," said Karen Henson, Temecula Prep's business manager. "(The association) wants people to see the diversity that there is in the charter school movement, and give parents the opportunity to find a school in their area that shares their philosophies."

Charter schools are public and do not charge tuition. They operate independently under a school district's or county office of education's oversight and provide students academic alternatives to mainstream learning environments found in public schools. There are seven charter schools operating in Southwest County, and several more are trying to open in the coming years.

One part of the My School campaign will dole out $8 million to community groups to open charters in Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno school districts.

While not all districts, such as those in Riverside County, will receive part of the start-up funds, the campaign is designed to provide other resources for anyone wanting to start a charter school.

"It's a huge task, it's a lot of work, but they don't have to go it alone," said Caprice Young, CEO and president of the Charter Schools Association.

The association promises a series of workshops on starting charter schools as well as direct support for fledgling schools under the campaign. Moreover, next month, the association plans to launch its California Charter Building Fund, which will provide below market-rate loans as a way to help more than 25 charter schools purchase facilities.

To increase awareness, the association launched a Web site Wednesday providing charter school resources such as a map through which every California charter school can be located. The site is www.myschool.org.

"Charter schools open doors of opportunity for hundreds of thousands of families across the state because they empower parents, teachers and local communities to have ownership over their public schools," Young said. "If you're going to create a school, we can help."

Young said there are 618 charter schools in California, a number that in recent years has grown by 60 to 90 new schools each year. It is hoped that the campaign would double the number of charter schools within five to seven years, she said.

The "My School" theme is a way to find commonalities among the state's charter schools, which take many different forms, Young said.

Some charter schools focus on areas such as technology or liberal arts, while others provide independent study programs, and many have their own educational philosophies and teaching systems.

"Charter schools are each so unique, it has been really hard to come up with that perfect 'Got milk?' tagline," Young said. "(The campaign) gives all the schools an opportunity to really blow their own horn and talk about what's working."

-- Contact staff writer Jennifer Kabbany at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, or jkabbany@californian.com.

CHARTER SCHOOLS ABOUND

In addition to Temecula Preparatory School, there are several other charter schools operating across Southwest County, including:

Temecula Valley Charter School: www.edline.net/pages/TV_Charter; (951) 926-9037.

Eagles Peak Charter School: www.eaglespeak.org; (866) 806-3200.

Santa Rosa Academy: www.thesantarosaacademy.org; (951) 760-3247.

California Military Institute: www.cmi.puhsd.org/home.aspx; (951) 443-2731.

Choice 2000: www.choice2000.org; (951) 940-5700.

Dehesa Charter School: www.dehesacharterschool.org; (619) 640-8000.

For more information: www.myschool.org.

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