Post by momto4 on Dec 3, 2010 17:39:15 GMT -5
beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/2658290-418/aurora-charter-bill-students-districts.html
Locals remain hopeful despite failure of charter school measure
By Stephanie Lulay slulay@stmedianetwork.com Dec 2, 2010 08:07PM
SPRINGFIELD — Although it failed to win approval this week, local officials are hopeful a measure that would allow creation of an Aurora charter school will soon draw the needed support from legislators.
A bill that would have altered Illinois charter school law to allow for a proposed Aurora University-based charter school failed in the Illinois House on Wednesday.
The proposed science, technology engineering and mathematics-focused school would serve the East Aurora, West Aurora, Indian Prairie and Oswego school districts. It would draw students based on academic ability, not by lottery as the charter rules now allow.
The school would serve up to 500 third- through eighth-graders.
It is something needed, not only in the Fox Valley, but also throughout the nation, said Sherry Eagle, executive director of Aurora University’s Institute for Collaboration, who spearheaded the project.
“Math and science education in (the U.S.) is a national crisis right now. America is dropping down the list of nations and it is so crucial to maintain competitiveness,” Eagle said.
Unlike other charter schools, the Aurora program would operate like a public magnet school that would funnel students and teachers from their home school districts, Eagle said.
Besides benefitting students, the school would allow opportunities for teachers to learn new skills at the school and take those skills back to their home districts.
Most charter schools today are intended to be separate from a school district, AU President Rebecca Sherrick said, but Aurora’s school would instead be an incubator for the districts it serves.
“That’s what we’re trying to correct in a creative way,” Sherrick said.
State Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who sponsored the original House bill for the school, agrees the Aurora proposal is unlike traditional charter schools.
“It’s kind of a hybrid, you’ve got a math and science ... focus, but with four school districts,” Cross said. “It’s one of those things that the rest of the state, the rest of the country should be watching.”
On Tuesday, a House committee voted 16-3 in favor of the bill that would change the charter school law and clear the path for the Aurora program. But the measure did not draw enough votes in the full House Wednesday.
Cross said the bill will be brought back for a vote in January.
Mike Chapin, spokesman for the West Aurora School District, said he is hopeful that the bill still will pass the House this legislative session, which ends Jan. 11.
“There are opportunities between now and the end of the session for the legislation to be passed,” Chapin said. “... It obviously has some significant support.”
Aurora University officials brought the idea to Cross, the House minority leader, who originally sponsored the bill before passing it off to state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who now co-sponsors the bill.
“I think there was some opposition by Springfield special interest groups,” Cross said of the bill’s failure in the House. “I don’t know how you can’t support this; it’s such a great concept. Everyone in the community is on board.”
The bill was opposed by the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association, which argued that the charter schools should be open to every child.
Sherrick said the bill’s opponents confused Aurora’s charter school with traditional charters.
“We just need to explain to Springfield and get them on board,” she said.
Although the East Aurora School District launched its own science and math magnet school in 2008, district spokesman Clayton Muhammad said East Aurora is eager to pursue the AU-based charter school.
Muhammad said the school-within-a-school concept would serve as further inspiration for East Aurora’s staff and existing high-achieving students.
“All (districts) have students who want to focus on math, science and technology,” he said. “We’ve focused on alternative schools, now we have to focus on the opposite end — those that are high achieving.”
While the West Aurora district intends to pursue this collaboration, Chapin said that if the effort fails, West would explore other options to better its math and science curriculum.
While the bill would remove a legal hurdle for the charter school’s formation, there are years of fundraising and facility hurdles still to tackle, Chapin said.
In 2008, the Aurora-based Dunham Fund awarded $100,000, and a subsequent $250,000 grant with $150,000 match in 2010, to advance the university’s effort.
Eagle said the school continues to gain interest from the private sector, too.
If the legislature gives its approval, the charter school is expected to open for 250 students using existing space on the AU campus during the 2012-2013 year. AU officials hope to construct a new building to house 500 students by 2014.
AU aims to raise $3 million for the first phase and $17 million for the second.
Locals remain hopeful despite failure of charter school measure
By Stephanie Lulay slulay@stmedianetwork.com Dec 2, 2010 08:07PM
SPRINGFIELD — Although it failed to win approval this week, local officials are hopeful a measure that would allow creation of an Aurora charter school will soon draw the needed support from legislators.
A bill that would have altered Illinois charter school law to allow for a proposed Aurora University-based charter school failed in the Illinois House on Wednesday.
The proposed science, technology engineering and mathematics-focused school would serve the East Aurora, West Aurora, Indian Prairie and Oswego school districts. It would draw students based on academic ability, not by lottery as the charter rules now allow.
The school would serve up to 500 third- through eighth-graders.
It is something needed, not only in the Fox Valley, but also throughout the nation, said Sherry Eagle, executive director of Aurora University’s Institute for Collaboration, who spearheaded the project.
“Math and science education in (the U.S.) is a national crisis right now. America is dropping down the list of nations and it is so crucial to maintain competitiveness,” Eagle said.
Unlike other charter schools, the Aurora program would operate like a public magnet school that would funnel students and teachers from their home school districts, Eagle said.
Besides benefitting students, the school would allow opportunities for teachers to learn new skills at the school and take those skills back to their home districts.
Most charter schools today are intended to be separate from a school district, AU President Rebecca Sherrick said, but Aurora’s school would instead be an incubator for the districts it serves.
“That’s what we’re trying to correct in a creative way,” Sherrick said.
State Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who sponsored the original House bill for the school, agrees the Aurora proposal is unlike traditional charter schools.
“It’s kind of a hybrid, you’ve got a math and science ... focus, but with four school districts,” Cross said. “It’s one of those things that the rest of the state, the rest of the country should be watching.”
On Tuesday, a House committee voted 16-3 in favor of the bill that would change the charter school law and clear the path for the Aurora program. But the measure did not draw enough votes in the full House Wednesday.
Cross said the bill will be brought back for a vote in January.
Mike Chapin, spokesman for the West Aurora School District, said he is hopeful that the bill still will pass the House this legislative session, which ends Jan. 11.
“There are opportunities between now and the end of the session for the legislation to be passed,” Chapin said. “... It obviously has some significant support.”
Aurora University officials brought the idea to Cross, the House minority leader, who originally sponsored the bill before passing it off to state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who now co-sponsors the bill.
“I think there was some opposition by Springfield special interest groups,” Cross said of the bill’s failure in the House. “I don’t know how you can’t support this; it’s such a great concept. Everyone in the community is on board.”
The bill was opposed by the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Education Association, which argued that the charter schools should be open to every child.
Sherrick said the bill’s opponents confused Aurora’s charter school with traditional charters.
“We just need to explain to Springfield and get them on board,” she said.
Although the East Aurora School District launched its own science and math magnet school in 2008, district spokesman Clayton Muhammad said East Aurora is eager to pursue the AU-based charter school.
Muhammad said the school-within-a-school concept would serve as further inspiration for East Aurora’s staff and existing high-achieving students.
“All (districts) have students who want to focus on math, science and technology,” he said. “We’ve focused on alternative schools, now we have to focus on the opposite end — those that are high achieving.”
While the West Aurora district intends to pursue this collaboration, Chapin said that if the effort fails, West would explore other options to better its math and science curriculum.
While the bill would remove a legal hurdle for the charter school’s formation, there are years of fundraising and facility hurdles still to tackle, Chapin said.
In 2008, the Aurora-based Dunham Fund awarded $100,000, and a subsequent $250,000 grant with $150,000 match in 2010, to advance the university’s effort.
Eagle said the school continues to gain interest from the private sector, too.
If the legislature gives its approval, the charter school is expected to open for 250 students using existing space on the AU campus during the 2012-2013 year. AU officials hope to construct a new building to house 500 students by 2014.
AU aims to raise $3 million for the first phase and $17 million for the second.