NUMB:
971441
VERS:
SUBSTITUTE 1
REF:
971177
XXBY:
THE CHAIR
TITL:
Substitute resolution regarding the Common Council's intent to enter into contracts with individuals or groups to operate charter schools.
ANLS:
- Analysis -
State law authorizes the Common Council to operate charter schools or contract with others to operate charter schools. The state law further requires the Common Council to notify the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction (the Superintendent) by February 1, 1998, of each school with whom the Common Council intends to enter such a contract. The Charter School Task Force, established by Resolution File Number 971177, adopted November 25, 1997, is charged with developing and recommending a process for the Common Council to follow in reviewing and approving applications to establish charter schools. The Task Force will be unable to complete its work by February 1, 1998, which is the state law deadline to notify the Superintendent of the individual schools to which the Common Council intends to grant charter school status.
This resolution expresses the Common Council's intent to grant charter school status to every school that has expressed to the Common Council its interest in being a charter school. A list of the designated schools is attached to the file.
The resolution specifically provides that the Common Council need not grant a charter to any designated school and reserves the Council's option to consider and grant charter school status at a later date. The resolution further provides that a school may decide not to apply for a charter. The City Clerk is directed to transmit the resolution and descriptions of the schools to the Superintendent by February 1, 1998.
BODY:
Whereas, In 1997 the state of Wisconsin authorized the Common Council to operate charter schools or to enter into contracts with other individuals or groups to operate charter schools; and
Whereas, On November 25, 1997, the Common Council adopted Resolution File Number 971177 creating a Charter School Task Force and directing the Task Force to develop and recommend a process for the Common Council to follow in reviewing and approving applications to establish charter schools; and
Whereas, State law authorizing the Common Council to establish charter schools requires the Common Council, no later than February 1, 1998, to notify the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction (DPI) of each specific school to which it intends to grant a charter; and
Whereas, Several schools have requested the Common Council to notify DPI of its intent to grant them charter school status; and
Whereas, The Charter School Task Force will be unable to complete its work until after February 1, 1998, and the Common Council will therefore have no opportunity to act on the recommendations of the Task Force until after that deadline date; and
Whereas, The Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction has suggested that this dilemma could be resolved by the Common Council notifying DPI of its intent to grant charter school status to every school that has expressed interest in obtaining charter school status, with the understanding that the school may subsequently decide not to apply for a charter and the further understanding that the Common Council need not grant a charter to any school if it does not wish to do so, reserving the option of the Common Council to consider and grant charter school status at a later date; and
Whereas, The suggestion by the Superintendent of Public Instruction provides a satisfactory solution to the problem by allowing potential charter schools and the Common Council to comply with the February 1, 1998, deadline while, at the same time, allowing the Charter School Task Force to complete its work in a thoughtful and deliberate manner, ensuring the Common Council the time necessary to thoroughly consider the recommendations of the Task Force, permitting the Common Council to review carefully each potential charter school application on its merits, and allowing to be chartered only those schools with whose applications the Common Council is satisfied; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Common Council hereby provides notice to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (the Superintendent) of its intent to grant charter school status to the schools on the list attached to this file; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Common Council expresses its intent to grant charter school status to each of the designated schools with the understanding that any of these schools may subsequently decide not to apply for a charter and the further express understanding that the Common Council need not grant a charter to any designated school if it does not wish to do so and that the Common Council reserves to itself the option to consider and grant charter school status at a later date; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Clerk is directed to transmit to the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction a copy of this resolution and the list and descriptions of the schools that are attached to this file, prior to February 1, 1998.
ZDPT:
Department of Administration
DFTR:
LRB98002.1
CAW
1/8/98