Pre-K and Charter Schools: Where State Policies Create Barriers to - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Pre-K and Charter Schools: Where State Policies Create Barriers to Collaboration

Sara Mead Virginia Commission on Youth October 2015

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Overview Key Barriers Recommendations Agenda

3 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 # schools # students, in millions

Nationally, the number of charter schools and students has grown rapidly over the past 15 years

2.9M students 0.35M students

Sources: NAPCS National Data, 1999-2014; NCES 2013, 2014.

6.7K 1.5K Students Schools

Number of Charter Schools and Student Enrollment by Year

.7% 1% 1.2% 1.4% 1.6% 1.8% 2.1% 2.4% 2.6% 2.9% 3.3% 3.7% 4.2% 4.6%

% of all students nationally

5.1% 5.8%

Overview

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Pre-k enrollment has also expanded rapidly

Student Enrollment in State Pre-K by Year Overview

1.5 1.1 1.0 1.3 1.2 0.9 1.4 0.0 0.5 0.8 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.1 2011 1.34M 1.21M 1.35M 1.32M 1.13M 2010 2012 2013 1.29M 1.33M 1.01M 2008 2007 2014 2009 2003 2005 2002 740K 700K 2006 802K 943K # students, in millions

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All Black Hispanic White ELL SWD Poverty

Both state-funded pre-k and charter schools disproportionately benefit low-income children

Note: ELL: English language learners. SWD: students with disabilities. Poverty: Students who are eligible for free- or reduced-price meals. Sources: CREDO National Charter School Study (2013), CREDO Urban Charter School Study (2015). 24 9 30

• 36

22 36 40 17 13 51

• 14

6 26 28

Mathematics Reading

Urban charter schools create greatest gains for black, ELL, and low-income students Most state pre-k programs were created to narrow achievement gaps for at-risk children

• Learning gaps for low-income children emerge

as early as 9 months of age

• By age 3, children in poverty have heard 30

million fewer words than their more affluent peers

• Between 1/3-1/2 of the achievement gap exists

before children enter kindergarten

• Research on universal pre-k programs in

Oklahoma shows that all children can benefit from pre-k but that children in poverty and English language learners reap the greatest benefit, narrowing achievement gaps

But quality preschool can narrow these gaps

Overview

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But most states are missing the opportunity to combine pre-k and charter schools to benefit students

Overview

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Virginia has a moderately well-developed pre-k program, but a very weak charter law and sector

Virginia Preschool Initiative Charter schools in Virginia

Year created Launched in 1995 Charter law enacted in 1998 Children in state 207,218 3- and 4-year-olds in Virginia 1,543,443 school-age children in Virginia Children served 17,295 children served 0 percent of 3-year-olds 17 percent of 4-year-olds 725 students served .05 percent of school-age children 6 charter schools Charters

• ffering pre-k

No charter schools in Virginia

• ffer pre-k.

2 charter schools in Virginia offer elementary programs Funding Districts receive $3,000 to $6,000 per pupil to offer VPI Charter schools receive $10,969 per pupil to serve K-12 students

Overview

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While most states have some charter schools offering pre-k work, Virginia has none

Among states with both state-funded pre-k and charter schools laws:

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No charter schools in the state serve preschoolers

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Less than 20 percent of charter schools in the state serve preschoolers

12

Between 20 and 50 percent

• f charter schools in the

state serve preschoolers

5

More than 50 percent of charter schools in the state serve preschoolers

Kansas Ohio Virginia Washington Alaska Arizona Arkansas Delaware Georgia Indiana Missouri Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina California Colorado Connecticut Florida Illinois Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Tennessee D.C. Iowa Oklahoma Texas Wisconsin Overview

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Overview Key Barriers Recommendations Agenda

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In the majority of states, charters face numerous barriers to accessing state pre-k funding

Key Barriers

Charters are prohibited from offering pre-k based on writing or interpretation of statute, regulation, or agency policy

1

Few state-funded pre-k program slots

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Low per-pupil funding for state-funded pre-k

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Barriers in the application, approval, or funding processes

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Charters are prohibited, in legislation or practice, from automatically enrolling pre-k students into kindergarten

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Policy, size, and funding barriers prevent charter schools from accessing state-funded pre-k

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Statutory, regulatory,

• r agency policy

prohibitions

Arizona Delaware Georgia Illinois Indiana North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania Washington

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Small state-funded pre-k program

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Low per-pupil pre-k funding

Alaska Arizona Delaware Indiana Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri Nevada Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Washington Alaska Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Illinois Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Virginia Washington

Key Barriers

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Practical barriers also limit charter access to state pre-k funds

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Local district monopoly on pre-k funding

Alaska Colorado Iowa Kansas Maryland Ohio South Carolina Tennessee Virginia

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Allocation decisions privilege existing providers over new providers

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Automatic enrollment from pre- k into kindergarten is prohibited

Arizona Delaware Illinois Indiana Missouri New Jersey North Carolina Ohio Virginia Washington California Delaware Georgia Illinois Kansas Louisiana New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania

Key Barriers

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Four key barriers prevent charter schools from serving pre-k students in Virginia

Per-pupil funding for VPI is low

• 27 percent for half-day VPI
• 56 percent for full-day VPI

Funding

Charter schools interested in

• ffering VPI can only do so by

contracting with localities that receive VPI funding

Application Process

Charter schools that contract with a locality to offer VPI are not permitted to grant enrollment preference to pre-k students

Automatic Enrollment

There are few charter schools in the state, which limits how much charter schools can serve as pre-k providers

Size of Sector

Key Barriers

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Yet despite these barriers, in certain states it’s relatively easy for charters to serve preschoolers Washington, D.C. Oklahoma Texas Wisconsin Michigan Florida

Key Barriers

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Overview Key Barriers Recommendations Agenda

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State policymakers must play a significant role if states are to increase charter access to state pre-k funding

Recommendations

Consider how state pre-k, charter, and school finance policies interact Include pre-k in the state definition of what charter schools do Ensure that charter schools have equal access to state pre-k funds Require districts that offer widespread pre-k to transfer funding to charters for each district student enrolling in the charter pre-k Allow charters with public pre-k to automatically enroll their pre-k students into kindergarten Collect better data on charter schools that offer pre-K and on charter school participation in pre-k programs Increase authorizers’ role in overseeing charter pre-k programs

State Policymakers

Pre-K and Charter Schools: Where State Policies Create Barriers to Collaboration