TESTIMONY By Kaanoi Walk Kamehameha Schools Charter School - - PDF document

TESTIMONY By Ka‘ano‘i Walk Kamehameha Schools Charter School Commission Meeting Date: November 10, 2016 Queen Liliuokalani Building, Room 404 RE: Agenda Item XI. Update and Presentation on Charter School Commission Renewal Process for Charter Contract 2014-2017 My name is Kaʻanoʻi Walk and I serve as the Senior Policy Analyst of the Kūamahi Community Education Group of Kamehameha Schools. Kamehameha Schools supports promoting the achievement and success of Hawai‘i’s public school students and, as such, has been a collaborator with the Hawai‘i public charter schools for over a decade. We appreciate the commission's efforts to address comments from the Charter School community. We continue to support the recognition of school specific measures in determining school performance and believe that there should be sufficient flexibility to address them to allow for innovation at each

• school. We recognize that the Commission's efforts to move forward and we understand that there may be

significant additional work done on the performance criteria currently proposed. Kamehameha Schools strongly supports quality public charter schools and, as such, we have advocated for appropriate academic, financial and organizational frameworks. We believe, however, that the Renewal Application and Criteria, if it incorporates performance measures as currently proposed by Commission staff, does not allow enough transition time. We express our desire to continue to be a part

• f the ongoing dialog to support public charter schools in Hawai‘i.

Mahalo a nui.

600 Queen St. C-4 Hon. HI 96813 www.hawaiicharterschools.com 808-380-6403

November 10, 2016

• Ms. Catherine Payne, Chairperson

State Public Charter School Commission 1111 Bishop Street, Suite 516 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Via Email: commission.mail@spcsc.hawaii.gov Re:

• XI. Update and Presentation on Charter School Commission Renewal

Process for Charter Contract 2014-2017 Aloha Chair Payne and members: On behalf of the Hawai`i Public Charter School Network (“HPCSN”), we appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony on the State Public Charter School Commission (“Commission”) Renewal Process for Charter Contract 2014-17. As we embark upon the renewal period ahead, keep in mind that having clear understanding and the engagement of charter schools in this process is critical to its

• success. Charter public schools and their governing boards should be provided

clear guidelines, including timelines and understanding of the Commission’s expectations, and the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and receive timely responses from the Commission’s staff. We respect and appreciate the Commission’s interest and time to make themselves available to school leaders. During our Quarterly School Leadership Meeting on August 25, 2016, Chair Payne and Commissioner D’Olier joined our member schools in a discussion of the anticipate timeline for the Commission’s renewal process, which many of our leaders found very helpful. We support more of these types of interactions between our member schools and the Commission because they help to clarify expectations and build mutual understanding among all parties. Our next Quarterly School Leadership Meeting on November 29, 2016, will provide another

• pportunity to build upon this mutual understanding. HPCSN stands ready to help

with the facilitation of these discussions with our member schools and collaborations with our statewide charter school community.

600 Queen St. C-4 Hon. HI 96813 www.hawaiicharterschools.com 808-380-6403

HPCSN works to support its member charter schools and to be a voice for children and families that seek choice in an independent public school setting. Mahalo for your service and consideration! Sincerely, Jeannine Souki Executive Director Hawaii Public Charter Schools Network