Connections

New Century Public Charter School

Detailed Implementation Plan

Revised 6/6/05

Originally presented for approval to the Hawai`i State Board of Education March 1, 2000
New Century Public Charter School Detailed implementation Plan

(Act 62, SLH 1999)

I. Overview: Provide a brief overview describing the proposed charter school in no more than three (3) pages. Include descriptive information that will provide reviewers with a context for understanding what the school is hoping to accomplish, as well as how it plans to accomplish the goals.

1) Describe the purpose vision, mission, beliefs and general goals of the proposed charter school.

2) Describe how parents and other members of the community were involved in the design of the charter school

3) Converting to Charter School Status – Not Applicable

Great teachers create within their own sphere of influence

an understanding of greatness and a desire within their students to excel.

When coupled with parental and community engagement, learning becomes a relevant and exciting process that benefits everyone.

I. (1)

Vision: To establish and sustain a community, business, and learning ‘ohana (family). Within this framework, inquiry and project-based curricula will stress independent thinking, development of the individual’s mind and talents, cooperative learning, sense of self within the neighborhood and the world-wide community with particular attention to the precious and unique environment of Hawaii, both as an island ecology and a place where ethnic diversity is the norm.

Mission: Our mission is to create an ‘ohana which is conducive to the recognition and development of individual talents. Thematic and experiential learning experiences are provided which focus on how students construct knowledge using creative and critical thinking. A forum for the development of the ability to recognize and differentiate a quality result or product is offered. Classroom experiences are connected to real life experiences so that students can grow in the understanding of themselves in relation to their community and the world.

Outcomes/goals: Instruction is guided by five powerful student-centered goals. Students demonstrate mastery through exhibitions, successful projects, and demonstrations of content mastery. The focus is on fully informing and preparing students for their future, particularly in fostering careers that sustain the economy on this island.

Goal 1 – Caring, Responsible Community Members: Students shall develop their abilities to become responsible members of a family, work group, or local/global community within the framework of democracy.

Goal 2 - Creative, Critical Thinkers: Students will think creatively, critically, and strategically to make effective decisions, solve problems, and achieve goals in their academic, personal and social lives, in and out of school.

Goal 3 - Effective Communicators: Students will write, speak and listen effectively in a variety of situations for a variety of audiences and purposes.

Goal 4 - Users and Producers of Technology: Student will understand, use, and evaluate technologies as well as produce new innovative uses and applications in a variety of contexts for a variety of audiences and purposes including academic, personal and social.

Goal 5 - Stewards of Hawaii’s Unique Environment: Students will understand a variety of eco-systems, natural energy flows and the natural environment in order to preserve and design systems to renew natural resources and habitats.

I. (1 & 2)

Connections” New Century Public Charter School (CPCS) began as the result of a joint effort between parents, community members and educators to create a school, for the children of the Mountain View, Volcano, Glenwood, South Kurtistown, and other communities surrounding the geographical area of Mountain View. Based on the highly successful school-within-a-school program at Mountain View Elementary School, Mountain View, Hawai`i, CPCS was established to move the school-within-a-school to its next logical level and to provide additional enhanced educational opportunities, community involvement and local decision making.

CPCS is a K-12 school serving the educational needs of students and families who select to enroll their children in an innovative, community-based school of choice. The school opened in August of 2000 for grades K-6 with 164 students located on the Mountain View Elementary campus. The following year, the school moved to the Kress Building in Hilo and expanded to a K-12 program. Inadequate fiscal support forced CPCS to reduce their program to a K-8 school for the 2002-2003 school year. The school expanded their middle school program during the 2004-2005 school year to include 9^th graders. The purpose of CPCS has remained consistent throughout the years. The school provides options for families to be engaged in the overall educational program and to increase the capacity of the community to meet the varying needs of their students in the following ways:

¨ To establish a small school serving the full range students, explicitly designed to foster a high degree of personalized instruction aligned with the Hawai`i Content Standards and authentic pedagogy.

¨ To establish a school where ongoing learning and continuous improvement are the norm for the whole school – for adults as well as students.

¨ To create a small family of learners, an Ohana, where children stay together with their teachers and establish stable relationships.

Open to all students, who by parental choice wish to attend, CPCS focuses its resources and efforts on the refinement and management of the established and highly successful curricula developed by the Curriculum Research and Development Group (CRDG) at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Based on research and the successful practices of the current program, CPCS also addresses the different intelligences (Gardener’s Multiple Intellengences) and follows widely accepted research that curricula should be presented in many different forms to reach children who learn in many different ways.

CPCS serves a heterogeneous grouping of students including but not limited to:

¨ Students who are gifted

¨ Students who are diagnosed learning challenged

¨ Students who are determined to be “at-risk”

¨ Accelerated students

CPCS adheres to the philosophy that all instructional strategies need to revolve around the concept and practice of engaged learning. Instructional methods that support engaged learning focus on preparing students to be problem-solvers able to use information and not just remember it. Assessment is aligned with the state Content Standards as well as performance-based assessments integrated into all learning experiences. The teaching staff uses the findings to develop a multidimensional approach to assessment that is comprised of standardized tests, written teacher assessments, written technology assessments, demonstrations, exhibitions, and other articulations with the Hawai`i Content Standards. Additionally, CPCS adopted the DOE/BOE "Images of Success" which include:

¨ Standards-Based Learning – System wide Implementation of Hawaii Content and

Performance Standards; Quality Curriculum; Quality Instruction; and Quality

Assessment and Evaluation.

¨ Quality Student Support -- High Expectations for Student Learning and

Behavior; Caring and Respectful Learning and Working Relationships; and Safe,

Healthy, and Supportive Physical Learning Environment.

¨ Professionalism and Capacity of System -- High Performance Expectations;

Quality Pre-Service Training and Professional Development; Effective Programs

for Recruitment, Selection, Placement, and Retention; and Quality Performance

Evaluation System.

¨ Focused and Sustained Action -- Clear Vision: Standards-Based Education;

Goals and Priorities; Goals-Driven Plans and Budget; Sustained Action;

Assessment of Performance; and Evaluation of Goals.

¨ Coordinated Team Work -- Coordinated Initiatives and Support Services for

Standards-Based Education; Collaborative Group Work and Effective Systems

Communication; Supportive Organizational Structure; Organizational Functions:

Defined Roles and Responsibilities; and Governance: Defined Lines of Authority

and Responsibility.

¨ Responsiveness of System -- Responsiveness to Customers; Genuine Engagement

and Collaboration; Openness to Diversity; and Effective Communication

The desire for this unique and innovative charter school was originally evidenced by a waiting list for Connections school-within-a-school program at Mountain View Elementary School when it was allowed to be a program of choice. The school continues to have a substantial waiting list every year.

CPCS uses a variety of alternative approaches designed to meet the individual needs of students. A mentoring model was designed to addresses the needs of educationally at risk students at both ends of the cognitive spectrum. An individualized and small group delivery model has been designed to address the needs of the behaviorally at risk students. A continuous progress model addresses the needs of students when they are in project-based experiential learning situations.

CPCS links student needs with sound educational practices, flexibility of structure, and freedom from select curricula mandates that bring time constraints and inhibit learning. An integration of current and emerging technologies, based on research and models of best practice across the nation, provides CPCS students a relevant hands-on learning community. Specifically, a constructivist model of learning and a local systems design have been demonstrated as appropriate to address the learning needs of the student population. This provides for:

¨ Individualization of instruction as appropriate

¨ Student mastery of clearly defined knowledge, skill, and content standards

¨ Student and parental choice as evidenced by their selecting the charter school

¨ Focus on student work realized through the interactive nature of technology and constructivist learning

CPCS shares significant values with our surrounding communities. One such value is the importance of home and school partnerships in the education process and the role of nurturing education in preparing students for success in the future. This charter school has become an integral part of all aspects of East Hawai`i local communities, sharing a variety of facilities, services and professional development opportunities.

CPCS has established a system of informing the general public, community groups, and individual schools about the emerging school and its innovative CRDG programs. These include press releases, mass mailings to community based organizations and summer teacher education institutes funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Additionally, electronic mail and web site notices have been posted on a regular basis to keep communities, schools, and parents informed regarding breaking news and developments.

As evidenced by the composition of the Local School Board, there have been significant efforts to encourage community interest and involvement through a wide diversity of organizations. CPCS will continue to expand its outreach efforts and technical assistance to community based-organizations.

II. A Description of Administrative and Educational Frameworks: A description of the administrative and educational framework which provides for the basic protection of employees and their reasonable academic freedoms. [Section 302A-B(c)(1)]

A. Describe the Charter School’s Administrative Framework.

B. Describe the Charter School’s Educational Framework.

C. Describe how these Frameworks provide for basic protection of employees and their reasonable academic freedoms.

II. Overview

The CPCS Local School Board administers the affairs of the charter school and has and may exercise all powers authorized by charter school statute in Hawai`i. CPCS is managed on a day-to-day basis by a director who also facilitates the educational programs.

In accordance with federal mandates for a high degree of local control over fiscal matters, CPCS’s administrative framework reflects the strong intent by the part of the community to maintain local autonomy over programs, business management, and procurement and audit activities. (See Figure #1 for Administrative Structure.)

II (A) Administrative Framework Policy and Procedure

It is the policy of CPCS to seek and employ the best-qualified personnel without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, marital status, or disability. It is further this organization's policy to ensure equal opportunity for the advancement of staff members and equal treatment in the areas of upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, layoff, and termination.

Upon employment by CPCS, all employees are required to complete any and all necessary financial forms and benefit applications as deemed necessary by the Director of Operations or by his or her designee. Employment qualifications as stated by an employee or prospective employee on an employment application or related information may be verified, and falsification of such information may jeopardize an employee's standing with this organization or a prospective employee's likelihood of being hired.

Employees may be hired as regular full-time employees, and as such will be placed on the organization's payroll, will be eligible for all benefits as described in this administrative framework and in adherence to collective bargaining agreements.

The organization also may hire part-time staff. Part-time staff is those who are employed for less than 40 hours per workweek. Time off work without pay for part-time employees may be granted by the Director of Operations or his or her designee.

The Director of Operations may at any time, but for specified reasons, adjust the salary, benefits (excluding any benefits required by law to be provided), leave accruals, titles, privileges or other personnel policies for any employee either upwards or downwards in accordance with any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, within any applicable collective bargaining agreement, adjustments to employee status may be based upon, but in no way are restricted to, promotions, demotions, changes in job duties, disciplinary actions, and performance adjustments.

An employee who is absent for a period of at least twenty-one (21) consecutive work hours (three days) without notifying the Director of Operations will be considered to have resigned without giving the required two-week notice. Such resignations shall be effective on the initial date of absence. The determination of unauthorized absence will be made by the Director of Operations.

An employee who wishes to resign is required to give to the Local School Board or the Director of Operations in writing, a minimum of two weeks notice prior to the desired resignation date, unless an exception is made by the Director of Operations.

Regular full-time employees who resign in accordance with the provisions of this section may be provided with compensation in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. If an employee fails to give a minimum of two weeks notice prior to the desired resignation date, that employee may forfeit compensation for any unused accrued vacation leave in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.

All employees serve at the will of the Local School Board, and the authority to terminate an employee is vested with the Board or its designee, in accordance with any applicable collective bargaining agreements and may include but is in no way limited to a decision based upon a violation of any of the policies, procedures, regulations, or restrictions set forth.

All employees are required to work the number of required hours each day and/or week as stated in their collective bargaining agreement or as stipulated by the Director of Operations and/or the Local School Board.

No time used for any personal endeavor within the workday is to be counted towards the daily or weekly minimum work hour requirements. Further, any employee wishing to engage in such personal activities must receive the prior approval of the Director of Operations or his or her designee.

Time sheets may be required to be maintained by any employee. At the end of each pay period or as otherwise provided by in applicable collective bargaining agreements, or as approved by the Director of Operations, each employee may be required to complete and sign a time sheet recording the hours worked during that pay period. Each staff member should sign their time sheet certifying its validity, and should submit it in a timely fashion to the Director of Operations or his or her designee.

Use of any type of leave is to be entered on an employee's time sheet in accordance with the provisions of the policies of the Local Board.

BENEFITS: PAID LEAVE/UNPAID LEAVE

All leaves, and unused leave accrual, will be granted in accordance with collective bargaining agreements. Those full time employees not covered by existing collective bargaining agreements will be granted leave and accrual of leave as stipulated in their individual contracts with the Local School Board.

The Local School Board retains the right at any time, in accordance with any applicable collective bargaining agreements, to declare a "School Holiday". The office(s) of the organization may be officially closed and all employees are entitled to that day off of work with pay and without charge to any leave category or any other leave accruals. The declaration of any "School Holiday" shall be communicated by the Director of Operations to all employees.

BENEFITS:

I. Insurance and Other Benefits

Insurance and other benefits will be granted in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and/or state laws. Those fulltime employees not covered by existing bargaining agreements will be granted benefits as stipulated in their individual contracts and state law.

II. Reservation of Rights

This organization reserves the right to alter the benefits package made available to employees at any time, consistent with all applicable laws and collective bargaining agreements. Each employee will be notified of any alteration in the benefits package.

REIMBURSEMENTS:

I. Travel

Employees are eligible for reimbursement from the organization for expenses incurred while in travel status on official business for the organization. To be eligible for travel expense reimbursement, travel status must be approved and granted by the Director of Operations or his or her designee. All requests for travel reimbursement must appear on a form provided by the Director of Operations or his or her designee for such purpose.

Unless otherwise provided for by the Director of Operations, all employees traveling on approved business are required to abide by the following guidelines:

¨ Transportation
The most reasonable mode and class of travel -- considering factors such as cost, time efficiency, and convenience -- should be selected by each employee at all times. All such expenses must be listed on a form provided by the Director of Operations for such purposes.

¨ Lodging
Reasonable charges for lodging while in approved travel status will be paid by the organization, subject to the approval of the Director of Operations. Other reasonable related lodging expenses, such as business telephone call charges, also may be paid by the organization. An attempt to acquire the most reasonable rates for appropriate lodging-related expenses should be made by such employees, and all such expenses must be listed on a form provided by the Director of Operations for such purposes.

¨ Meals
To be eligible for reimbursement for the cost of meals, an employee must be in approved travel status and is subject to any restrictions established by the Director of Operations. Employees seeking reimbursement for meal expenses must list on a form provided by the Director of Operations all reasonable and appropriate expenses.

II. Mileage

Business Use of Personal Automobile

Employees are eligible for reimbursement from the organization for business use of their personal automobile while in travel status on official business for the organization. To be eligible for travel expense reimbursement, travel status must be approved and granted by the Director of Operations or his or her designee. Such reimbursement shall be at the IRS and/or state rate as determined by the Director of Operations. All requests for travel reimbursement must be listed on a form provided for such purpose by the Director of Operations, unless an exception is made by the Director of Operations.

Employees are liable for reimbursement to the organization for personal use of an automobile owned, leased, or otherwise provided by the organization. Such liability to the organization shall reflect the IRS and/or state rate as determined by the Director of Operations. Any employee incurring such liabilities is required to reimburse the organization in full by the end of the calendar month immediately following the month in which such liabilities were billed to the employee, unless an exception is made by the Director of Operations.

.

Personal mileage incurred by an employee on an automobile owned, leased, or otherwise provided by the organization must be documented on a form provided for such purpose by the Director of Operations, unless an exception is made by the Director of Operations.

III. Personal Telephone Calls

Employees shall not charge personal long-distance telephone calls to the organization. Employees are liable for the costs of any personal phone calls he or she may make which are billed to the organization.

IV. Other Reimbursements

Employees are eligible for reimbursement from the organization for business expenses paid with their personal funds. All such expenses, if anticipated in advance, must be approved by the director of Operations or his or her designee.

Requested reimbursement for such expenses must be specified in writing to the Director of Operations or his or her designee. Such request must list each expense, and receipts (or copies of receipts) for each item must be attached to the request.

The final decision on whether to reimburse an employee for any such expenses is vested with the Director of Operations or his or her designee.

V. Credit Cards

Any employee who is authorized to use a CPCS credit card is not allowed to charge personal expenses of any kind on the card.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT:

I. School Policy

It is the policy of CPCS to prohibit sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace or at any other place where an organization sponsored event takes place. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate personal morality, or to encroach on employees' personal lives, but to demonstrate this organization's commitment to maintaining a workplace environment that is free of harassment of and by its employees.

It is the responsibility of all management and all employees to assure that this policy is understood, implemented, and adhered to without exception.

II. Defining Harassment

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical, or visual conduct of a sexual nature constitute harassment when:

¨ Submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an individual's employment with this organization;

¨ Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an employee is used as the basis for an employment decision affecting that employee; or,

¨ Such conduct has the purpose or the effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Sexual harassment may include such actions as: repeated offensive or unwelcome sexual flirtations and advances; verbal comments, jokes, or innuendo of a sexual nature; words or gestures of a sexual nature used to describe a person or depict a situation; or the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.

III. Investigation and Remediation

If an employee believes that he or she has experienced sexual harassment, or believes that he or she has witnessed sexual harassment, that employee should immediately notify the Director of Operations or, his or her designee.

All reports of sexual harassment will be promptly investigated by the Director of Operations, or his or her designee who is not involved in the alleged harassment, and will be kept confidential to the extent possible. If an investigation confirms that harassment has occurred, the Director of Operations, as directed by the Local School Board, shall take appropriate corrective action which may, upon a determination by the Director of Operations, include, but not be limited to, an official memorandum in an employee's personnel file, salary adjustment, or the termination of the offending employee.

No employee shall be subject to employment-based retaliation, intimidation, or discipline as a result of making a complaint of sexual harassment. However, disciplinary action up to and including termination also may be taken against anyone who knowingly makes a false, meritless, or malicious claim of sexual harassment.

EVALUATIONS AND PROBLEM SOLVING PROCEDURES:

I. Employee Evaluations

Written evaluations of employees may be performed annually, on or about an employee's anniversary date or on or about a fixed annual date, subject to a determination of any applicable collective bargaining agreements, state laws, or as approved by the Director of Operations, or the Local School Board. Evaluations of teachers will be conducted by the Director of Operations with peer input. Evaluations of support staff will be conducted by the Director of Operations. Evaluation of the Operations Director will be conducted by the Local School Board. These evaluations will be maintained in the personnel file for each employee. The format of the evaluation will be determined by the Local School Board and may include applicable collective bargaining agreements. Such evaluations should include: the date of the evaluation, the time period covered by the evaluation, and an assessment of the employee's work performance during that time period.

II. Problem-Solving Procedures

Any employee wishing to formally complain about a procedure, action, or directive of another employee or supervisor should notify the Director of Operations, or their bargaining unit representative, at the employee's discretion, as soon as possible after such procedure, action, or directive has occurred. The official notified of the complaint, or his or her designee, will be the investigator of all such grievances upon the agreement of the Local School Board and in accordance with collective bargaining agreements.

All complaints will be handled in accordance with in applicable collective bargaining agreements and/or policies established by the Local School Board.

MISCELLANEOUS:

I. Confidentiality

Employees of this organization shall not, in any way, release any information about this organization, its activities, or the activities of its personnel except as normally required by their duties or as expressly permitted by the Local School Board. No employee shall publish, disclose, or use, or authorize anyone else to publish, disclose, or use, or in any way cause to be published, disclosed, or used, any private or proprietary information which such employee may in any way acquire, learn, develop, or create by reason of employment with this organization, unless otherwise provided by the Local School Board. Any document or other material containing such information is required to be returned to the Director of Operations upon an employee's termination or resignation.

II. Personnel Inquiries

No one in this organization other than the Local School Board members, or the Director of Operations is authorized to respond either verbally or in writing to personnel inquiries of any type about any employee of this organization.

III. Return Of Office Materials

An employee who is terminated or who resigns must return all office keys, identification, security cards and codes, and office materials and supplies in such employee's possession to the Director of Operations. No information or copies of information, including but in no way limited to files, memos, computer-stored items, lists, Rolodex items, or other similar information, may be taken by such employee without the express permission of the Director of Operations

IV. Acceptance Of Gifts

Acceptance of gifts shall be according to guidelines established by the Hawai`i State Ethics Commission. Not all gifts are acceptable under the ethics code. The State Ethics Code prohibits officials or employees to accept any gift under circumstances in which it can reasonably be inferred that the gift is intended to influence or reward official action. Officials of the school, employees or members of the Local School Board are not permitted to accept gifts of any kind of a value exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00) -- including but not limited to money, goods, food, entertainment, or services -- directly or indirectly from:

¨ individuals, organizations, or companies serving as vendors or potential vendors for this organization;

¨ elected officials or their representatives;

¨ candidates for public office or their representatives;

¨ officials or their representatives; or

¨ lobbyists.

Offers of such gifts in excess of $200.00, even when refused, must be communicated immediately by the employee receiving such an offer to the Director of Operations.

Exempted Gifts:

· Gifts received by will or interstate succession;

· Gifts received by distribution of any iter vivos or testamentary trust established by a spouse or ancestor;

· Gifts from a spouse, fiancé or fiancée, any relative within four degrees of consanguinity, or the spouse, fiancé or fiancée of such a relative. A gift from any such relative is a reportable gift if the person is acting as an agent or intermediary for someone who is not covered by this paragraph. For purposes of this exemption, relatives within four degrees of consanguinity include the following: parents, grandparents, and brothers/sisters, uncles/aunts, great uncles/aunts, nephews/nieces, grand nephews/nieces, and first cousins;

· Political campaign contributions that comply with state law;

· Anything available to the public generally without regard to the official status of the recipient;

· Gifts that, within thirty days after receipt, are returned to the giver or delivered to a public body or to a bona fide educational or charitable organization without the donation being claimed as a charitable contribution for tax purposes; and

· Exchanges of approximately equal value on holidays, birthdays, or special occasions.

V. Change Of Personnel Status

Employees are required to notify as immediately as possible the Director of Operations and any other person designated by the Director of Operations of any change in name, family status, address, telephone number, or other information affecting personnel data held or used by this organization.

VI. Examination Of Personnel Files

Any employee may examine his or her personnel file(s) at any time in accordance with any applicable collective bargaining agreements, or as approved by the Director of Operations. Such employee may take written notes about the contents of the file, and may add comments for inclusion in the file at any time. No personnel file, or contents of that file, is to be removed from the office.

VII. Copyrights

Copyrights, payments and/or royalties, which occur as a result of a project of any employee or employees of this organization, remain the property of the organization. The Director of Operations may assign copyrights, royalties, or other payments to the author or authors or project participants.

II. (B) CPCS Educational Framework

One of the primary reasons for the broad flexibility permitted by the charter legislation is to enable the creation of cutting-edge educational programs. Hawaii’s charter legislation is supporting the design and implementation of powerful and innovative teaching and learning. The legislation allows for a shift away from the regulation of schools based on an input model controlled by state guidelines regarding instructional time, curriculum and materials, and calls for a system of accountability based on output or results.

Using a consensus-building process, CPCS has involved staff, community, and business stakeholders in identifying and developing the framework for students learning. Additionally, in adopting an educational framework, CPCS has researched and reviewed leading educational reform movements within and outside of the charter school arena and aligned CPCS pedagogy with recognized models of best practices from across the nation. As a result, CPCS will employ the following educational framework calling for:

¨ Developing a shared educational vision

¨ Designing and implementing powerful curricula and instructional strategies

¨ Effective use of time and resources

¨ Developing clear and meaningful outcomes

¨ Using reliable and purposeful measurement strategies

¨ Designing and delivering site specific staff development

The primary focus of CPCS includes both the nurturing and education of the children served. Specifically, we strive for every child to leave CPCS as a technologist, a life-long learner, a caring and concerned citizen, a creative and quality producer, and a critical thinker and cooperative worker. Consequently, the Educational Framework of CPCS is driven by principles such as individual responsibility, personal mastery, self-esteem, shared responsibility, and community. One pillar of the school is Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, which asserts that learners rely on linguistic, mathematical/logical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, kinesthetic, spatial, musical, and possibly other ways of thinking, in varying degrees. Teaching must reach out to each learner, to find those ways of learning and knowing which work best for the individual child.

The centerpiece of CPCS involves the learner, parent, and teacher working together to identify strengths and weaknesses, and agree upon learning objectives appropriate for that learner. While state and national frameworks provide guidance and criteria for measuring ultimate success, the order and manner of learning new material is adjusted to the needs of each child as much as possible. When the pupil has contributed to deciding his or her own goals there follows a sense of commitment to accomplish those goals which does not occur when objectives are set from above.

Much of the curriculum emphasizes 21st century skills, such as higher order thinking and problem solving, as found in the use of the CRDG curricula. CRDG curricula emphasize underlying constructivist pedagogy. Community service also plays an important role in transmitting community values, and providing unique opportunities for learning in real-world contexts.

A school’s academic curriculum is the vehicle by which its standards for student achievement are reached. As such, a charter school’s curriculum must be designed with a focus on the desired results as measured in a highly accountable manner. Therefore, CPCS desired results are aligned with national benchmarks as well as the Hawai`i Content Standards.

In all cases, our school’s curricula is designed to achieve stated goals for student learning—its academic standards—at each grade for each course for each student. Parents, students, and the public often will turn first to a school’s curricula and learning standards to make decisions about the quality of a school and whether to enroll their child. It is of ultimate importance, therefore, to ensure that statements about the school’s standards and curriculum are clear, thorough, and readily available. Standards are not altered for special education students, but teaching methodologies and specially designed modifications are designed to meet the needs of individual learners.

The CPCS Educational Framework is predicated on the belief that all instructional strategies need to revolve around the concept and practices of engaged learning. Instructional methods that support engaged learning focus on preparing students to be problem solvers able to use information, not just remember it. Learning is ongoing and involves a variety of challenging and authentic projects.

Drawing upon educational research the CPCS educational framework for student learning defines what students should know and be able to do at age appropriate thresholds (MCREL National Benchmarks). Also, based on national research reflecting the need for restructuring education, CPCS is resolved to:

¨ improving results for students by setting high standards;

¨ adopting clear accountability measures;

¨ building partnerships with parents, businesses, and communities;

¨ moving critical decisions to the school level;

¨ implementing performance-based standards and benchmarks;

¨ engaging in applied and experiential projects;

¨ employing authentic assessments; and

¨ providing site based professional development;

CPCS has developed a “System” that reflects the educational framework sequence for the school for the purpose of mapping instructional methodologies and learning strategies (See Figure #2).

Figure #2

CPCS Educational Framework System

CONTENT FRAMEWORK

(The Big Picture of What We Teach)

HAWAI’I CONTENT STANDARDS

(What Students should Know & Be Able To Do)

CONNECTIONS’ PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

(How We Assess What We Teach)

CONNECTIONS’ INSTRUCTIONAL STANDARDS

(What Should Take Place In Teaching)

CONNECTIONS APPLIED & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

(How We Teach)

ACCOUNTABILITY & ASSESSMENT

(Performance Progress Reports)

(Hawai`i Performance Standards)

The CPCS educational framework is aligned with the Hawai`i Content Standards and includes the DOE General Learner Outcomes for grades K-12 identified below:

¨ “Take responsibility for one’s own learning.”

¨ “Work well with others.”

¨ “Engage in complex thinking and problem solving.”

¨ “Recognize and produce quality performance and quality products.’

CPCS has adopted the DOE learner outcomes as well as established site specific Desired Results. The systems framework is applied to each learner in skills mastery as reflected in Figures 3, 4, and 5 below:

Figure #3 CPCS DESIRED RESULTS

CORE ACADEMIC EXIT OUTCOMES

Students of Connections New Century Public Charter School will demonstrate the following appropriate age or grade level mastery skills, aligned with the Hawai`i Content Standards.

Academic Skills

¨ History/Social Studies: Students will understand and apply civic, historical, and geographical knowledge in order to serve as citizens in today’s world of diverse cultures.

¨ Mathematics: Students will develop abilities to reason logically and to understand and apply mathematical processes and concepts, include in those within arithmetic, algebra, geometry and other appropriate mathematical subjects.

¨ Language Arts: Students will demonstrate strong reading, writing, listening, speaking, and presentation skills in multiple forms of expression (e. g. written, oral, multimedia), with communications skills appropriate to the audience. They will comprehend and critically interpret multiple forms of expression, including literature from various time periods and cultures.

¨ Science: Student will successfully utilize scientific research and inquiry methods to understand and apply the major concepts underlying various branches of science which may include physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, astronomy, and earth sciences.

Figure #4 CPCS DESIRED RESULTS

CORE SKILLS EXIT OUTCOMES

Underlying and utilized throughout each of the above core academic areas will be other core skills such as:

¨ Critical Thinking Skills: e.g., problem solving, analyzing and applying knowledge

¨ Technology Skills: using technology as a tool for learning and not simply word processing.

¨ The Arts: demonstrating creative expression through various forms of the arts, e.g., music, visual/studio arts, drama, and dance.

¨ Wellness: knowledge of pertinent issues of health and the necessity of physical fitness.

Figure #5 CPCS DESIRED RESULTS

SELF-SUFFICIENCY SKILLS OUTCOMES

LIFE-LONG LEARNING SKILLS

Students will develop skills that will enable them to pursue their own pathways of learning throughout their lives.

¨ Study skills and Habits: e.g., note-taking, library research, Internet research, strategies for studying

¨ Organizational Skills: ability to plan, initiate, and complete a project

¨ Self-Evaluation: ability to reflect on and evaluate one’s own work.

SOCIAL/INTERPERSONAL SKLLS

Students will demonstrate self-esteem and the capacity to respect the diversity of others.

¨ Citizenship and Leadership Skills: e.g., planning and implementing a project in service to their school and their greater community.

¨ Conflict Resolution: e.g., training and serving on a peer dispute resolution board

¨ Collaborative Participation: ability to collaborate and work with peers and adults in cooperative groups and settings.

“LIFE” SKILLS

¨ Transition Skills: understanding of the importance of life-long learning, wellness,

career awareness and pathways to self-sufficiency.

The outcomes identified above, are further subdivided into specific content areas and classroom- level skills and assessments which are used to monitor individual student progress toward achieving the desired results/student outcomes and be measured by Hawai`i Content Standards and national benchmarks as reflected in Section IV (A Plan for Assessing Student Performance).

Additionally, CPCS authentic assessments and the Hawai`i Content Standards address the following core content knowledge goals to:

¨ Ensure each student reads at an appropriate proficiency level.

¨ Ensure each student effectively demonstrates communications skills

¨ Ensure each student understands and can demonstrate ability to use mathematics and applied sciences

¨ Ensure each child can demonstrate the ability to access, evaluate, synthesize, and present information using a variety of technologies

¨ Ensure each student can demonstrate critical thinking skills and problem solving techniques as they relate to current and future projects

¨ Ensure that each student is responsible, productive and engaged in community service learning

Education Framework Systems Definitions and Examples

¨ Content Framework – The Big Picture

¨ Overview of why we teach and what we teach (e.g. scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone. Therefore, each student will become familiar with basic scientific ideas and processes and develop the ability to do scientific work).

¨ Content Standards – What Student Should Know

¨ Grades K-2 students, understand basic features of the Earth. Know that Earth materials consist of solid rocks, soils, liquid water, and the gases of the atmosphere.

¨ Instructional Standards – What Takes Place

¨ Transfer of knowledge composed of skills and processes important to a given content area. These processes may not be performed in a linear fashion. For example, long division is a step by step process, while reading a map may take place in different steps.

¨ Applied and Experiential learning – How We Teach

¨ Demonstrations, exhibitions, performances in a community-based context of project based learning

¨ Performance Standards – Accountability and Assessment

¨ “Contexualizes” content standards by identifying the manner in which they must be demonstrated and the expected level of performance or understanding. For example, giving a standardized test; employing a rubric for evaluating an essay; and or creating an electronic performance of student work

Employment of the educational framework permeates all aspects of the learning process and incorporates the CPCS philosophy of learning:

¨ Students must feel secure in their learning environment for learning to occur.

¨ Students are more motivated and therefore learn more when they feel ownership of the material they are learning.

¨ This can be accomplished when students and teachers jointly design the curriculum for a course.

¨ This can also be accomplished when students are given the tools to measure their own progress in a course.

¨ Students hold more information in short-term memory when learning is grouped.

¨ Peer tutoring has a powerful impact on achievement.

¨ A student’s learning is maximized if they have the opportunity to demonstrate or present the material to be learned.

¨ Learning is most effective when presented in a variety of learning modalities including visual, aural, oral, tactile, verbal, and written.

¨ Cooperative learning groups allow for more and greater individual interaction with the material to be learned.

¨ Learning is most effective when geared to real-life issues and events. This is best accomplished through interdisciplinary thematic approaches to learning.

¨ Intrinsic motivation is far more effective than extrinsic motivation in achieving academic success. Intrinsic motivation occurs when the student self-monitors his or her work and finds meaning in the learning material.

II. (C) These frameworks recognize all collective bargaining agreements and applicable state and federal laws. The collective bargaining agreements and laws provide for the basic protection of employees and their reasonable academic freedoms.

III. A Plan for Identifying, Recruiting and Selecting Students: A plan for identifying, recruiting, and selecting students to make certain that student participation is not exclusive, elitist, or segregationist. [Section 302A-B(C)(2)]

A. Submit your plan for identifying, recruiting and selecting students, which ensures that student participation in the charter school is not exclusive, elitist, or segregationist.

1) Describe how families in the community will be informed and given an equal opportunity to attend the charter school.

2) Describe how students will be selected if more students seek admission than space allows.

B. If the school’s program is designed around admission preferences (e.g., to serve educationally disadvantaged, to teach with an emphasis on a specific curricular area, to serve families who subscribe to a curriculum design around Hawaiian values, etc.), describe how the school will identify, recruit and select these preferred students without being exclusive, elitist or segregationist. (See Q and A section for more information).

Note: Item B is not applicable to CPCS

III. (A)(1) Community support originally consisted of teachers from the existing Mountain View school-within-a-school, the former vice principal of Mountain View School, the former principal of Mountain View School, parents, and local residents who were working with the Interim School Board. They all were fully informed of the process for selection of students as required by the Federal Public Charter Schools Program. Additionally, CPCS continues to work closely with the business community and general public to produce and disseminate public information. Efforts to educate and inform the community, including students, parents and community stakeholders include news releases and announcements and public forums regarding CPCS. A web site is used to further inform the community of the school (www.connectionscharterschool.org).

III. (A)(2) CPCS followed federal guidelines for the initial selection of students, when more students sought admission than space allowed. Specifically, as described below, CPCS followed state mandates for the creation of a lottery system when more students applied than the school had room for.

¨ A charter school receiving PCSP funds must use a lottery if more students apply for admission to the charter school than can be accommodated. A charter school with fewer applicants than spaces available does not need to conduct a lottery.

¨ Weighted lotteries are permitted only when they are necessary to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, or a State law requiring desegregation.

¨ A charter school that is oversubscribed and, consequently must use a lottery, generally must include in that lottery all eligible applicants for admission. A charter school may exempt from the lottery only those students who are deemed to have been admitted to the charter school already and, therefore, do not need to reapply.

¨ Specifically, the following categories of applicants may be exempted from the lottery:

¨ students who are enrolled in a public school at the time it is converted into a public charter school;

¨ siblings of students already admitted to or attending the same charter school; and

¨ children of a charter school's founder (as long as the total number of students allowed under this exemption constitutes only a small percentage of the school's total enrollment). Once a student has been admitted to the charter school through an appropriate process, he or she may remain in attendance through subsequent grades. A new applicant for admission to the charter school, however, would be subject to the lottery if, as of the application closing date, the total number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available at the charter school.

¨ The exemptions discussed above are permissible only to the extent that they are consistent with State law regarding desegregation, the school's charter, and any applicable Title VI desegregation plans or court orders requiring desegregation. A charter school's admissions practices must also comply with Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Federal civil rights laws, including, but not limited to, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as applicable.

¨ The ESEA does not specifically prohibit charter schools from setting minimum qualifications for determining who is eligible to enroll in a charter school and, thus, to be included in the lottery. Charter schools receiving PCSP funds are required, however, to inform students in the community about the charter school and give them an "equal opportunity to attend the charter school." Thus, a charter school may set minimum qualifications for admission only to the extent that such qualifications are (a) consistent with the statutory purposes of the PCSP; (b) reasonably necessary to achieve the educational mission of the charter school; and (c) consistent with civil rights laws and Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. A major purpose of the PCSP, for example, is to assist "educationally disadvantaged" and other students to achieve to challenging State content and performance standards.

III. (B) While CPCS accepts all students including educationally disadvantaged, special needs and at risk, the school is not designed around admissions preference other than the school being a school of parental choice.

The school admits students in accordance with federal guidelines described above and accommodates at risk or special needs students in accordance with Section IV. item “D” as described below in the “Educational Program”. At-risk or special needs students are provided with an individual instructional program designed to maximize their strengths and potentials. During the recruitment and marketing phase of planning, potential students, parents, and the community at large were informed of the heterogeneous nature of the school and the fact that the school welcomes all learners as space, facilities and equipment permits.

IV. A Plan for Assessing Student Performance: A plan for assessing student performance that focuses upon the established state educational performance standards, has at least equivalent rigor standards and technical quality, as well as any other specific student outcomes to be achieved, and making this plan accountable to the general public. [Section 302A-B(c)(3)]

A. Provide a brief overview of the school’s assessment plan/framework for determining the extent students have attained the revised Hawai`i Content Standards. If appropriate, include how the school will incorporate existing state assessments presently used by other public schools.

B. Describe the assessment tools that will be used to measure student progress towards achievement of the revised Hawai`i Content Standards. If performance assessment is the predominant assessment philosophy, provide the reliability and validity data which prompted the school to decide on the specific assessment methods. (if these instruments are being developed, describe how the school will ensure the assessment instruments are both reliable and valid.)

C. Describe how the school will make its plan for assessing student performance accountable to the general public

IV. (A & B) CPCS is a performance-based system. CPCS should be judged based on the educational results for students in the same manner as other Hawai`i public schools. CPCS is an organizational innovation in that it has the opportunity to create what is seen as the appropriate mix of educational content and practices tailored for its students, and supported by a Local School Board.

Therefore, in implementing Hawai`i Content and Performance Standards, CPCS is mindful of the process for accomplishing standards-based reform by engaging in innovative approaches for systemic change. CPCS’s capacity to translate high standards into strong student performance and to disseminate those best practices throughout the school is a goal that has been adopted in alignment with DOE approaches for other public schools. In each of the major areas of the HCPS blueprint, CPCS, through a comprehensive evaluation system, will ensure that the charter school adheres to the following DOE criteria:

¨ strategies for building our capacity, and the wherewithal, to produce a standards-based education system;

¨ articulated ways to genuinely engage and collaborate with one another and our diverse constituents;

¨ effective, two-way communication within our school and with our "customers;" and

¨ norms that demand and value constant self-reflection and evaluation for focused and sustained action leading to continuous progress toward our vision.

CPCS has adopted the Hawai’i Department of Education plan based on a defined urgent need to achieve “Hawaii’s Six “Images of Success" that encompass the following:

¨ 1) Standards-Based Learning – System-wide Implementation of Hawaii Content and Performance Standards II, quality curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation.

¨ Quality Student Support -- High expectations for student learning and behavior; caring and respectful learning and working relationships; and safe, healthy, and supportive physical learning environment.

¨ Professionalism and Capacity of System -- High performance expectations; quality pre-service training and professional development, effective recruitment programs for selection, placement, and retention; and quality performance evaluation system.

¨ Focused and Sustained Action -- Clear vision; standards-based education; goals and priorities; goals-driven plans and budget; sustained action; assessment of performance, and evaluation of goals.

¨ Coordinated Team Work -- Coordinated initiatives and support services for standards-based education; collaborative group work and effective systems communication; supportive organizational structure; organizational functions: defined roles and responsibilities and governance: defined lines of authority and responsibility.

¨ Responsiveness of System -- Responsiveness to customers; genuine engagement and collaboration, openness to diversity, and effective communication.

This unique combination of being a performance-based school, coupled with the flexibility to be organized and structured in many different ways, makes CPCS an important part of Hawaii’s overall strategy for creating a standards-based educational system.

The measure of their success includes, but is not limited to, Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards as measured by the statewide Assessment Program and the goals set forth by CPCS. This is what is meant by CPCS being educationally powerful. Equally important, the flexibility in approach available to CPCS and the local autonomy to use this flexibility allowed for the creation of a school that is significantly different from other public schools. This flexibility was critical to efforts to assist educationally disadvantaged students who had been poorly served by the existing system. The development of the CPCS assessment plan was based on critical points relating to the salient aspects of our administrative and educational frameworks (SEE Section II above) and addresses each of the following questions and summary responses:

¨ What is the CPCS Mission?

Our mission is to create an ‘ohana which is conducive to the recognition and development of individual talents. Thematic and experiential learning experiences are provided which focus on how students construct knowledge using creative and critical thinking. A forum for the development of the ability to recognize and differentiate a quality result or product is offered. Classroom experiences are connected to real life experiences so that students can grow in the understanding of themselves in relation to their community and the world.

¨ What does CPCS expect our students to know and be able to do?

Hawai‘i Content and Performance Standards

CPCS Desired Results

¨ How can CPCS best teach the Hawai`i Content Standards to CPCS Students?

¨ Constructivist approach

¨ Address the multiple intelligences

¨ Encourage experiential learning

¨ Teach through a interdisciplinary thematic curriculum

¨ Operate models of school-wide enrichment

¨ How will CPCS know whether our students are achieving or attaining the goals and standards?

¨ Performance indicators

¨ Portfolios

¨ Student Data/Record Books

¨ Exemplars

¨ Rubrics

¨ How do we gather and monitor the necessary student performance information?

¨ Paper and pencil record keeping

¨ Computer records

¨ Student-teacher conferences

¨ Portfolios

¨ Observations

¨ Anecdotal records

¨ Photos

¨ Videotapes

¨ Formative Assessments

¨ Standardized Assessments

¨ How will CPCS set and measure progress toward School performance goals?

¨ Exemplars for benchmarks

¨ State level benchmarks

¨ Authentic benchmarks

¨ Standardized tests

¨ National standards

¨ How will CPCS use the student performance information gathered?

¨ To help drive instruction

¨ To communicate/conference with parents

¨ To include in annual reports

¨ To create informational brochures to use for recruitment and marketing

IV. (C)

CPCS has established a system of informing the general public, community groups, other charter schools, other Hawai`i schools and districts about the accountability and activities of CPCS. This system includes press releases, mass mailings of school performance results and teacher institutes. Additionally, electronic mail and web site notices are posted to keep the school, parents, and the community informed regarding breaking news and developments.

CPCS is making significant efforts to encourage interest in the charter school in a wide spectrum of organizations. Starting in May 2000, workshops were planned to further inform community organizations about CPCS and to discuss how a public charter school can be a valuable part of services to the community. CPCS has continued to work with the DOE and BOE to expand its outreach efforts to community based-organizations and New Century Charter School developers. CPCS is focused on a comprehensive and effective charter school structure to support and enhance the creation of academically and fiscally accountable school.

V. Curriculum, Instructional Framework and Assessment Mechanisms: The curriculum, instructional framework, and assessment mechanisms to be used to achieve student outcomes. [Section 302A-B(c)(4)]

A. Provide a brief overview of the school’s curriculum, instructional and assessment framework. Describe how the framework aligns with the school’s core philosophy and beliefs.

1. Describe how the school’s curriculum, instructional assessment framework is linked to the revised Hawai`i Content and Performance Standards. Include how the school will show that students are achieving the standards.

2. Describe other features of the school’s educational program e.g., special programs/materials, technology, etc.), which will aid reviewers in understanding the unique educational offerings of the school

B. Provide a sample of the curriculum that will be taught for the content areas including the revised Hawai`i Content standards. Include samples of the curriculum, which will be taught for any additional content areas the school is planning to teach.

C. Describe the instructional strategies that will be used to teach the curriculum.

D. Describe the assessment mechanisms/strategies that will be used to determine student progress toward achieving the statewide standards.

E. Describe the planned interventions for students who do not meet the standards.

F. Describe the curricular, instructional and assessment program that will be used to address students with special needs. Include how Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) and 504 accommodations will be made to address the needs of these students.

G. Include a school calendar and hours of operations.

V. (A) (1) (2) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G)

The curricula at CPCS are based on current research and best practices regarding how children learn: the constructivist theory, the theory of multiple intelligences, and the utilization of appropriate grouping strategies. Each of these research-based approaches has a visible, practical impact on the curriculum at the CPCS. There is a conscious emphasis on technology, science, and the arts. At the same time, there is a concerted effort to ensure balanced curricula, by referencing curricular elements to the CPCS Educational Frameworks and to the Hawai`i Content Standards. Finally, thanks to capable, dedicated volunteers, CPCS has been able to provide learning opportunities in areas that too often fall by the wayside due to budget cuts in public education, such as art and music.

V. (A) (1)

One of the foundations upon which our original school-within-a-school was established, in 1995, involves the use of sequential curricula. As a grades 1-6 entity within a public school, we began using the Developmental Approaches to Science and Health (DASH) curriculum developed by the Curriculum Research and Development Group (CRDG) at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. We chose DASH as our science and health curricula because it met our need for a sequential and developmental curriculum in science. We were supported by the CRDG throughout our years as a school-within-a-school through staff development sessions, follow-up support, consultations and visitations, and opportunities for our staff to become involved in developing state content and performance standards.

In 1997 the CRDG signed a Memorandum of Agreement requested by the State DOE to organize, analyze, and summarize each public school's review of the standards and to study instructional modules or standards applications that had been developed by individual schools or schools grouped in a complex. Their report, Hawaii Content and Performance Standards: Schools' Review of Standards and Instructional Module Development, was used by the Performance Standards Review Commission, convened at the beginning of the 1997-1998 school year to assess the effectiveness of the performance standards (as required by §302A-201 HRS). The Commission found the report to be very useful in their deliberations. They concluded that “standards must become central to all considerations regarding policy, programs, and practice throughout the public school system in order to achieve the goal that every student will learn. Therefore, all stakeholders---legislators, board members, educators, students, parents, community members—are compelled to contribute to the standards effort, first by understanding the concept of standards-based reform, then by committing to provide necessary resources, and finally, by supporting accountability and expectations of evidence of student achievement from performance and work products.” The commission also found that accountability-driven educational improvement may not adequately recognize the major role that "organizational capacity" must play for systemic reform to become a reality. They recommended that “expertise, time, support resources, and the desire and ability to organize the commitment of the school community and policymakers to focus, relentlessly, on one thing above all: the improvement of student performance.” The next Commission was required by law to be reconvened in 2002.

On December 12, 2002 the State BOE was presented with the final report of the (2002) Commission. It was noted that “the Commission had two major recommendations for the Board: (1) that the appointment of the next commission by the Board in four years be at the beginning of the school year to allow more time to complete its study; and (2) to appoint a comprehensive representation of stakeholders in public education to serve on the Commission.” A motion to approve the report carried unanimously.

CPCS evolved from a school-within-a-school to a public charter school on May 5, 2000. We have maintained our partnership with CRDG and in October of 2000 signed a formal Memorandum of Agreement with Curriculum Support Services, Inc. supporting our partnership with CRDG in research and development of adaptations and new programs for K-12 students and teachers. CPCS was awarded a total of nearly $300,000 to begin work disseminating the CRDG curricula to charter and regular public schools in 2003 and 2004.

The curricula developed by the CRDG are purposely aligned with national and state standards. While it is important for standards to be identified, this is only the beginning. Much more needs to happen if children in our classrooms are to benefit. Other components must be addressed and linked to the content standards. Such components include: establishing criteria for selecting programs and materials; building a common vision in the school about instruction; prioritizing funds to support curricular goals; establishing appropriate teacher professional development experiences; constructing student assessments aligned with the standards; and articulating policies.

CPCS uses program standards to represent a framework of criteria by which to assess the quality of curricular and instructional resources, including student and teacher materials associated instructional practices, and assessment techniques. Each program standard addresses a component linked to the successful implementation of content standards. Program standards focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment. We use system standards to focus on policy development and implementation in relation to content standards. System standards reflect the importance of coordinating our efforts. These coordination efforts work in concert with the program standards so that there are no contradictions and/or barriers when implementing content standards.

Instruction at CPCS starts with clearly stated expectations that define what students are expected to learn in relation to the content standards. We use these benchmarks to provide direction for moving closer to the vision created by the standards. These benchmarks give our teachers direction in designing their instructional approaches to teaching subject content that is specific to their grade level or grade cluster. They also help us build cohesiveness and consistency between grade levels. All of our staff understands that a consistent instructional philosophy about what constitutes standards-based teaching is essential.

Staff development begins with articulations detailing a vision of standards-based instruction. CPCS teachers learn to use an action research model to introduce new ideas and instructional techniques monitored through formative assessment. Professional development is essential if teachers are to effectively use a standards-based learning system. Assessment practices are carefully selected so that they represent important ideas that students should be learning, as stated in our benchmarks and standards. Teachers must clearly understand the instructional practices necessary to deliver the content and the assessment techniques that will bridge what students learn with how they learn it.

The action research model employed by CPCS teachers begins with the identification of a learning problem. Data is collected and analyzed by individual and small groups of teachers. Formative assessment strategies and/or techniques are then aimed at a specific target. Time is allowed for implementation of the new strategies and/or techniques. Once an established period of implementation has passed, teachers reassess the magnitude of the original problem through data collection. If needed, the process then repeats itself again and again until effective solutions are developed. This model allows teachers to develop effective solutions to learning problems. It also allows teachers to work in teams to support and learn from each other. The sequential nature of our curricula is embedded in this process. Through large group sharing each week, the entire teaching staff gains an understanding essential to maintaining the sequential nature of our curricula.

As information about the implementation of new strategies and/or techniques is collected, it is used to revise future professional development experiences and to shape the CRDG follow-up support for our school. Follow-up support is a necessary part of our professional development efforts. Teachers in many schools are sent to training and return to their classrooms to implement the curriculum frameworks they learned on their own. Their principals may not even be aware of what the new frameworks entail and might not have processes in place to assist teachers in implementation. By placing the responsibilities at the school level, teachers are given the needed support for implementing new ideas. Accountability then rests at the school level. The principal must know what is going on because he/she is ultimately accountable.

A Standards-Based School (DOE July 1999)

Traditional School	CPCS SBS Adoption
¨ Students are tracked. Achievement expectations of students vary according to their classification: regular education, special education, gifted, etc. Access to certain courses, materials, and equipment or technology is limited to only certain students.	¨ All students are expected to achieve standards, but in different ways and at different rates
¨ Social promotion is practiced; retention occurs without adjustment of learner needs.	¨ Instruction is constantly monitored and adjusted to meet varied learner needs.
¨ Student test scores are referenced to national norms rather than to standards. Test data are used to rank students.	¨ Assessment reflects a fuller profile of student progress by including qualitative and quantitative information. Assessment information is used to adjust curriculum and instruction.
¨ Focus is on teaching, on delivery of curriculum, and on covering the curriculum rather that on learning and evidence of learning.	¨ Focus is on learning and the learner. Curriculum and instruction are seen as a means to help the learner achieve the standards.
¨ Professional development activities are discrete, disconnected and disjointed.	¨ Professional development activities are identified systematically to help staff enable students to achieve standards. They are part of a school-wide plan for improvement of student achievement.
¨ Public engagement is initiated by the school and characterized only by special events such as open houses and awards assemblies.	¨ Public engagement is a continuous conversation among parents, community and school. Any of these groups may initiate the discussion. The purpose of all communication is to help students achieve the standards.
¨ Achievement is treated as a trait that can be measured and assumes instruction has been relatively standardized as well.	¨ Achievement is seen as complex, not reducible to individual facts/skills, influenced by experience, opportunities.
¨ Assessments are kept secret; students cannot prepare for them.	¨ Students are privy to what they will be examined on and to the criteria for judging their work.
¨ There is an assumption that only a few students can perform at a high level.	¨ There is an assumption that all or virtually all students are capable of attaining standards.
¨ Students work independently, so scores reflect an individual’s “true measure” of the trait being assessed.	¨ Students may work independently or not, depending on task and student needs.

See Appendix B for CRDG HCPS Curricula Alignment documents

V. (A) (2)

CPCS special education students are members of chronologically age-appropriate general education classes. They move with their peers to subsequent grades each year. No special education self-contained classes exist. A student’s disability type or severity of disability does not preclude his/her involvement in full inclusion programs.

Special education and general education teachers collaborate to ensure:

• The student’s natural participation as a regular member of the class;
• The systematic instruction of the student’s IEP objectives; and
• The adaptation of core curriculum and/or materials to facilitate student participation and learning.

Effective instructional strategies are supported and expected in the general education classroom. Supplemental instructional services are provided to students in classrooms and community settings through a team approach. There is always a certificated employee assigned to supervise and assist any classified staff working with specific students in general education classrooms.

Collaborative planning meetings are held with general education staff, special education staff, parents and related-service staff in attendance as indicated, in order to support initial and ongoing program development and monitoring. General ability awareness is provided to staff, students and parents at the school site through formal or informal means, on an individualized basis. Ability awareness is incorporated with general education curriculum. Plans exist for transition of students to their next grade level class each year as needed.

Effectively designed and implemented virtual education may be implemented for CPCS students. Virtual schooling increases educational options for hospitalized or homebound students, students who have been suspended, students with work or child care responsibilities, or other atypical students for whom regular classrooms are not practical or effective. Online instruction can be a motivator for students with different learning styles, those who feel more comfortable communicating online than speaking up in class, or those who aren’t succeeding in traditional classrooms.

By extending learning time outside the traditional schedule, virtual education offers students more flexible options for meeting curricular requirements. Students can take online courses in the summer or over breaks. Those who need to complete a required course but have a scheduling conflict during the school day can take the course online, in school, after school, or in the evening. Virtual education can also provide students with remediation, tutoring, or other help to meet HCPS standards.

V. (B)

Table #1 CPCS Content Curriculum Aligned with Hawai`i Content Standard

Cluster 2 Time, Weather, and Sky

DASH Lesson: The Digital Clock Hours and Minutes Time Line Sunrise and Sunset Night and Day

I. HCPS II Content Standard	I. HCPS II Grade Cluster Benchmark
Students use concepts and themes such as system, change, scale, and model to help them understand and explain the natural world.	· Identify components of a system that interact to perform a function (clock) · Observe and describe changes that occur in nature. · Use a model, such as a toy or a picture, to describe the feature or function of the original object, device, thing, etc.
Students apply the values, attitudes, and commitments characteristic of an inquiring mind.	· Report observations accurately · Ask many questions starting with What, Where, Why, Whom, and How, to gather information about their “wonderings”. · Examine many perspectives of a question, situation, or problem. · Examine ideas presented by others · Ask “wondering” questions. · Share new experiences and knowledge learned from individual investigations. · Ask questions and describe the wonderings about the world around us.
Students demonstrate the skills necessary to engage in scientific inquiry.	· Generate ideas, questions, and/or predictions about objects, organisms, events, places, and/or relationships in the environment. · Design and conduct simple investigations using systematic observation. · Collect and organize data using simple tools, equipment, and techniques. · Analyze data to construct a reasonable explanation. · Appropriately communicate their investigations and explanations to an audience. · Defend explanations based on evidence and revise explanations when they are faulty or inadequate.
Students discuss current scientific views of the Universe	· Observe and describe the properties, locations, and movements of celestial objects in the sky.
Students discuss how the Earth-moon-sun system causes seasons, moon phases, climate, weather and global changes	· Describe the movements of the sun, moon and stars throughout the day. · Describe how weather changes from day to day and over the seasons.

V. (C )

CPCS instructional strategies and assessments include the following adopted pedagogy:

Constructivist Learning

Constructivist learning [Carey et. al., 1981] is based on the idea that children's minds are not blank slates. They all have a set of beliefs, theories and perceptions. Learning happens when these are challenged through conversation, a hands-on activity, or an experience. Children adapt their minds to fit in the new information. This may involve reinforcing an existing theory, adapting one, or creating a complete new one. For instance, a child may believe that when you drop two things at the same time, the heavier one will land first.

At school, she may be playing in a loft and dropping notes and stuffed animals to a friend. She may expect them to land at different times and be surprised when they bump her friend on the head at the same time. Most likely, she will try this a number of times and even talk to her friend about it. Talking and experimenting causes the child to change her theory about gravity. This scenario typifies constructivist learning.

Constructivist principles form the foundation of the CPCS beliefs about student learning. Knowledge is seen as neither passively received nor mechanically reproduced. Individuals create their own interpretations, ways of organizing information, and approaches to problem solving within a social context (Bruner, Sizer, Vygotsky,).Teachers are guides and mentors for students modeling adult behaviors and ways of learning and interacting in adult society. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own education as they pursue individualized instructional programs. The school provides a safe environment for students. Students feel comfortable expressing ideas that might make them feel vulnerable in other settings. Classes, workshops, projects and activities address individual learner needs and learning styles within a framework of educational standards.

Student involvement in developing curricula and participation in inquiry-based and project-based learning results in an in-depth knowledge and the development of metacognitive strategies that assist them in becoming life long learners. Manipulating data, exchanging ideas, reading works by new authors are also ways students experience the world around them.

As members of a small democratic learning community, students develop confidence in their abilities and are able to work effectively with others. By engaging in project-based, in depth learning, students show gains in achievement, problem-solving skills, specific content knowledge and specific skills related to their projects. Study skills and perceived control improve as students learn to manage their time and make choices about their projects. Working with knowledgeable adults, students learn how to become competent member of the society within as well as outside the school.

Good constructivist teaching must therefore include a number of important elements. These elements are the foundations of the CPCS curricula. The tasks that we ask learners to undertake must be authentic, long term and interesting. They are interdisciplinary, as the brain does not automatically categorize theories according to the traditional academic disciplines. This gives the learners plenty of time to go in-depth and really challenge their constructs rather than merely memorizing information. These units end with a real-life, useful product. For instance, a unit on biodiversity may end with a plan to assist a park in their efforts to conserve endangered habitats. These useful products are more meaningful and interesting than a product created for the teacher only. These authentic tasks prepare learners for the real world and teach about the value in helping others in the community.

Multiple Intelligences

The CPCS curriculum is also based on Gardner's [1983] theory of multiple intelligences. All learners have different strengths and weaknesses within multiple, different areas of intelligence: (i.e. kinesthetic, musical, spatial, linguistic, mathematical/logical, interpersonal and intrapersonal). With this in mind, CPCS curricula include a variety of activities that challenge and teach to each of the intelligences. This way every learner will succeed.

Core Subjects

The core subjects (science, math, social studies, and language arts) at the CPCS may be taught in the context of interdisciplinary thematic units. Universal themes include:

¨ Unity/Diversity

Working together, sharing the same focus, interests and feelings of oneness and harmony. The uniqueness and differences among individuals is honored and celebrated to avoid conflict and stagnation.

¨ System/Interdependence

All the parts of a system interact with one another to produce a greater whole than the sum of its parts. Parts are connected and related. They function and process as a unit. All interactions affect all other interactions. There is a cause and effect to the choices made. To develop Systems you need lots of practice, conscious application to similar content or contexts, with personal desire, commitment and hands on. All living things depend on other living things for survival.

¨ Interaction/Limitation

Things interact to cause change. Interaction with others is needed for growth. Without sharing ideas with others, your learning is limited.

¨ Change/Continuity

All things are in constant state of change. Changes occur in predictable patterns or cycles. Changes can be positive ore negative. This depends on how you view it.

¨ Cause/Effect

There are consequences to choices we make. All change is affected by specific cause or causes. For every action, there is reaction. What goes around comes around.

These units let the learners connect all of the subjects, as they exist in real life. Traditional textbooks do not match this interdisciplinary style of teaching; therefore, the CPCS's curricula are resource-based, with many references coming from primary and secondary sources.

Other Subjects

One of the concerns of the CPCS's founders was that, outside the core curriculum, many important topics have fallen by the wayside in public education. Too many schools, faced with budgetary shortfalls, have chosen to eliminate subject matter which is regarded as somehow less essential than "the three R's." Drawing on Gardner's research, we believe that these topics--besides enriching the overall school experience, and helping students to identify unique interests (leading to career choices and/or lifetime hobbies)--can often open the door to greater achievement in core subjects. Music can provide concrete experiences inspiring appreciation of mathematics and physics; graphical arts can provide concrete motivation for learning more about geometry; and learning a foreign language at an early age can provide insight into the thought patterns of other cultures.

CPCS may offer programs/activities in the following areas, each of which is closely tied to themes and projects highlighted in the core curriculum. Our specific offerings vary according to the unique talents available in the community at a given time. In several areas, the school has evidenced a commitment to increase the allocation of resources, by establishing paid positions and by extending the school day, as needed, to help find time for these programs/activities:

¨ Community Service

¨ Foreign Language

¨ Technology Integration

¨ Fine and Performing Arts

¨ Seminars and Personal Pursuits

¨ Physical Education: Team Sports; Fitness; Martial Arts

V. (D)

CPCS will use the DOE standardized tests and school developed strategies to measure student progress and insure an accurate comparison of instructional systems and accountability.

Assessment of Individual Learners

The school uses curricula aligned with state and national standards and developed by the CRDG. CRDG developed curricula utilize embedded (sometimes referred to as formative) assessment to monitor student progress. Students are taught to monitor their own individual progress. Methods for self-assessment concerning learning objectives and evaluation criteria are articulated and planned with students. Examples of work that meets each level of mastery is discussed (and often shown) with students including possible ways to improve their own work.

Formative assessment, as defined by Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam at King’s College in London, is utilized throughout the school. Student achievement improves as teachers learn to effectively use formative assessment results to gear instruction to individual student needs. Assessment is understood to be any activity that is undertaken in the classroom that provides information to be used effectively to modify teaching and learning. Beginning in the 2002-2003 school year the teaching staff received a state-level grant to support a school learning team to investigate formative assessment. The elementary teachers (K-5) concentrated on all areas of the curricula for their grade levels. The middle school teachers worked with their assigned curricular areas at the 6-8 grade levels. Initial staff development was based upon a review of the literature. The administrator was familiar with many aspects of formative assessment through his work with the CRDG. As a teacher trainer he was familiar with the research as it related to embedded formative assessments within CRDG’s science curricula and facilitated the initial staff development sessions.

The staff concentrated on several essential elements of formative assessment: the quality of teacher/student interactions, the stimulus and help for pupils to take active responsibility for their own learning, the particular help needed to move students out of the trap of low achievement, and the development of the habits necessary for all students to become lifelong learners. Participants developed procedures to accomplish specific outcomes.

Assessments in classes or for specific activities are matched to the task. For example, writing is assessed with a rubric specific to the writing. In most cases, the students have a significant say in the rubrics which are used - classifying and setting criteria are important learning strategies. Checklists and periodic student and teacher reflective conferences are also used. In classes such as math where certain competencies are required, students are often able to check progress through self-tests.

School-wide assessments go beyond the state-required standardized tests. At regular intervals, there is a chance to present work in a public forum to parents, lower division students, teachers, peers, and community members. Presentations cover multiple areas (Science Fair in December, Cultural/History Fair in February, etc.) and are scheduled well in advance. With an authentic audience and evaluators from other communities rigor and relevance are provided. Older students are expected to have taken part in each area of public presentation within the four-year high school span. They are also expected to complete a rigorous senior project and demonstrate through defense of a cumulative portfolio the mastery of essential standards.

The Habits of Mind that are fostered are reflected in the work of Black and Wiliam and include the habit of critical and sustained inquiry, an acceptance of diversity in thought, and a commitment to sustainable practices commensurate with living in an island environment. Black and Wiliam’s (1998) synthesis of over 250 studies linking assessment and learning yielded a clear message: “Initiatives designed to enhance effectiveness of the way assessment is used in the classroom to promote learning can raise pupil achievement.” Innovations that include strengthening the practice of formative assessment produced significant and often substantial student learning gains. Typical effect sizes of the formative assessment experiments were between 0.4 and 0.7. The scale of that effect was the equivalent gain of one to two grade levels. Gains were most pronounced for lower-achieving students. Their research indicated that improving learning through assessment depended on key factors.

The purpose of assessment is to help one improve. Traditional report cards with little or no explanation neither identify the level, at which a learner is working, nor inform that student on how to improve. Therefore, we believe that supplementing with rubrics offers an authentic way to assess learning. A rubric has a descriptor explaining what is and is not present in the work. For instance, if the learners were creating a web page about an invention that they created, a 5 on the rubric might describe a web page with many pictures, an interesting layout, at least three different relevant links and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation; a 1 on the rubric might describe a web page with text only, less than two links, many misspellings and little editing. With these descriptors, the learner knows exactly how to improve his/her score. The report card at CPCS may also contain rubrics, so that parents can see exactly how their children are performing. At the same time, the CPCS educational framework has been linked to the Hawai`i Content Standards through an analysis and alignment process that matches lesson plans to the standards to create a Standards-Based school.

V. (E)

CPCS teachers strive to identify as early as possible students who are unlikely to meet the standards for progression to the next level of study so that the school can provide appropriate intervention. Intervention involves identifying strategies specifically designed to increase proficiency. Strategies may include, but are not limited to, alternative learning models, acceleration, pre-teaching, special homework, smaller classes, ad hoc grouping, tutorial sessions, extended school day, modified instructional programs, parental involvement, small or large group counseling sessions, summer school instruction, participation in or restriction of participation in extracurricular activities, individualized instruction or goals, or retention.

Extended instructional opportunities are different from and supplemental to regular classroom instruction. When feasible, the school seeks to involve parents and the student in discussing intervention strategies. Students may be required to participate in the intervention strategies and demonstrate acceptable growth and achievement before being promoted to the next grade level or before being eligible to participate in extracurricular activities. The CPCS Local School Board has adopted the following policy related to grade level promotion: “Adequate performance and coursework must be completed over four quarters for a one (1.0) credit course. Adequate performance and coursework must be completed over two quarters for a one-half credit course (0.5). One quarter of adequate performance and coursework must be completed for a one-quarter (0.25) credit course. All credits must be completed to be promoted to the next grade level or to be promoted from Middle School. Adequate performance and coursework is a non-failing grade as determined by the respective instructor.”

V. (F)

CPCS adheres to the legal mandate for inclusive education in the United States: Public Law 94-142, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Although the specific terms inclusion and inclusive education cannot be found in P.L. 94-142, the definition of least restrictive environment is a key element of the law. It provided the initial legal impetus for creating inclusive education. The law states that “to the maximum extent appropriate, handicapped children, including those children in public and private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not handicapped, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of handicapped children from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the handicap is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”

The 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (Public Law 108-446) contains several important changes to the IEP requirements. Short-term goals no longer have to be part of the IEP except for students with significant disabilities. No short-term objectives are required for students who take regular assessments or an alternate assessment on grade level. For students taking tests based on alternate achievement standards, IEP short-term objectives are still required. If changes to a student’s IEP are necessary after the annual IEP meeting for a school year, the parent and the school may agree not to convene an IEP meeting to make the changes, but instead, may develop a written document to amend or modify the current IEP. Upon request, a parent is to be provided a revised copy of the IEP with the amendments incorporated. Also, a member of the IEP team is not required to attend all or part of the IEP meeting if, in writing, the parent, and the school agrees that the team member’s attendance is not necessary.

The reauthorization contains a few changes in the area of transition. IDEA has been amended to clarify that one of the primary purposes of the law is to ensure a free appropriate public education designed to meet each student’s unique needs and to “prepare them for further education, employment and independent living.” The revisions to IDEA eliminate the references to transition activities beginning at age 14 or younger if appropriate; now, all transition requirements are to be followed not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student turns 16 years old.

The definition of “transition services” has been changed to emphasize that the services must be designed “within a results-oriented process,” which is “focused on improving the academic and functional achievement” of the student. “Vocational education” has been added to the list of potential services and the student’s “strengths” are to be taken into account as well as his or her preferences and interests when considering the student’s transition needs. Schools are required to set clear and specific transition goals beyond secondary school. The student’s IEP is to include “appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age appropriate transition assessments” and describe the transition services, “including courses of study,” needed to reach his or her goals. Schools are also required to provide graduating high school students with disabilities a summary of their accomplishments and transition needs as they leave school.

The IDEA reauthorization process contained a number of significant changes to the discipline protections enacted in the IDEA amendments of 1997. School personnel now have the authority to consider, on a “case-by-case basis,” unique circumstances when determining whether to order a change in placement for a student with a disability who violated a code of student conduct. The length of time school personnel may remove a student to an interim alternative setting, without a hearing officer, has been changed from 45 days to 45 school days. In addition, school personnel may now remove a student who “has inflicted serious bodily injury upon another person while at school, on school premises, or at a school function” to such an interim placement without a hearing officer ruling. The criteria to be used in disciplinary action for determining whether a behavior is a manifestation of a student's disability is: 1) whether the conduct in question is caused by, or had a direct and substantial relationship to, the student's disability; or 2) whether the conduct in question was the direct result of the school district's failure to implement the student's IEP."

CPCS, also relies on adherence by the DOE with the “Charter School Expansion Act of 1998, IDEA Compliance, which states, “In the case of charter schools that are public schools of an LEA, *613(a)(5) of the IDEA requires the LEA to serve children with disabilities in those schools in the same manner that it serves children in other schools and to provide IDEA funds to its charter school in the same manner as it provides those funds to its other schools.”

CPCS will be in compliance with federal guidelines in adapting the content, methodology or delivery of instruction to students with special needs and may contract for services with the DOE for 504 services and accommodations including strategies for:

· Instructing in the least restrictive environment

· Utilizing accommodations /modifications of the learning environment

· Utilizing appropriate performance indicators

· Utilizing effective Individual Education Plans

VI. A Plan for Accountability: A plan to hold the school, its faculty, and staff (collectively and individually) accountable in at least an equivalent manner as are other public schools throughout the state. [Section 302A-B(c)(5)]

1. Describe the school’s plan for collective and individual accountability.

(1) Include how the school will know if it is achieving its purpose, moving towards its vision, and accomplishing its mission and goals.

(2) Include how the school will hold its personnel accountable.

(3) If applicable, include how the school might incorporate the Superintendent’s accountability design into its accountability plan (See attachment A)

B. Describe how the school will be accountable “in at least an equivalent manner as are other public schools throughout the State”

VI. (A) (1, 2 & 3) CNSP has developed a shared understanding of the following needs aligned with DOE goals:

¨ A Powerful Educational Vision Coupled with a Powerful Educational Program and Assessment System:

¨ A shared vision by all at the school regarding educational expectations and goals, grounded in a set of shared values and beliefs

¨ A strong instructional program for implementing this vision.

¨ Curriculum content and instructional methods grounded in theory and research that meet the needs of the school’s student population.

¨ Student performance standards, both those set by the school and those adopted at the state level that are clearly defined.

¨ Assessment tools for measuring educational outcomes that are multidimensional and aligned with the curriculum and the Hawai`i Content Standards.

¨ A cohesive school culture through clear communication of educational goals to parents and students, and through professional development, allows teachers to reflect collaboratively on effective practices.

¨ A Clear and Detailed School Operations and Management Plan, Management Structures and Qualified Staff:

¨ A sound school business plan that addresses the organization’s fiscal and program management.

¨ Proposed school budgets, which address the planning and capital expenses necessary to open the school.

¨ Internal accounting practices, budget monitoring and auditing procedures have been clearly laid out.

¨ A plan to acquire and manage facilities is included in the school’s implementation plan (See Section VIII.).

¨ Issues involving liability, personnel and governance have also been addressed in the operational plan.

¨ An effective organizational structure must be in place and staffed by qualified and committed individuals.

Additionally, CPCS recognizes the importance of ongoing evaluations and continuous improvement. It also recognizes the need to model performance-based behavior.

As a self-reflective, learning organization [Senge, 1994], CPCS continuously assesses its progress and strives to improve. The following sections explain how we assess each aspect of our program (Adopted from charter schools models of best practice – see references).

Student assessment takes place constantly at CPCS. Students and teachers continually look for ways to improve learning. Specifically, assessment takes place through observation of the process of learning, observation of the product, assessment given in contextualized settings and decontextualized settings.

Observation of the Product

This type of assessment looks at work that the students produce without taking into account how it was produced (for instance, a final draft of a paper, a final presentation, or a tape of a child reading out loud).

Observation of the Process

This type of assessment relies heavily on teacher, parent and student observation. For instance, a teacher may notice that a student has a difficult time making verbs and nouns agree when writing. This obstacle may not appear in a final product as the writing process continues, but the observation about the child is invaluable to assessing progress. This assessment usually happens in a child's reflection log or a teacher's anecdotal notes.

Contextualized Measures

Assessment in this category reflects more traditional forms of assessing children (e.g., unit tests, math computation quizzes, vocabulary tests, etc.).

These activities directly reflect what is being taught in the classroom (i.e. contextualized) and give a quantitative measure of the child's knowledge.

Decontextualized Measures

Decontextualized assessment takes place when learners are asked to perform tasks involving material that is not directly related to what they are studying in class. The data are typically quantitative and allow comparison of our learners and overall program to children in other schools. Some of these assessments are in place; others still need to be developed.

VI. (B)

The State DOE defined its NCLB mandated restructuring strategy for 2005-2006 and distributes a Power Point presentation from its website. The following excerpts indicate that a restructuring plan for existing charter schools has not been developed:

“The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 states that any school that fails to attain Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for five years must begin planning for restructuring and in year six, must enter restructuring.

Section 1116(d) of NCLB requires that restructuring action be consistent with Federal, State, or local laws, court orders and agreements. It reads, ‘Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded school or school district employees under Federal, State, or local laws (including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements between such employees and their employers.’

The restructuring process can only be delayed by Hawaii State laws, court orders, or agreements prohibiting such action.

Restructuring of a school means there will be fundamental changes in school governance, reforms in standards-based curriculum and additional services at the school level to increase student achievement.

These activities will be directed and supervised by the Complex Area Superintendent (CAS) for each school.”

Two paths for restructuring are identified: State Take-Over and Self Governance. State Take-Over is structured according to two options. The first option requires the CAS to provide for comprehensive services to the school that will be managed by a restructuring provider. The second option requires the CAS to directly manage the restructuring process and hire, contract and supervise restructuring providers and/or others as needed. The problem for existing charter schools is that they are not legally a complex and existing CASs have no authority over the charter schools. The Self Governance path for restructuring only includes an option for existing DOE schools to convert to charter schools through a process delineated in Act 2 of the State Charter School Law.

Amendments to existing statute (§302A-1186) through SB 1643 will allow the BOE to “adopt guidelines for multi-year evaluations of charter schools that have been chartered for four or more years, or for special evaluations at any time, including a schedule of such evaluations.” The BOE may then use the evaluation to place the charter school on probation. Deficiencies that concern student performance will require the charter school to improve student performance within two years. The BOE may revoke the charter by a two-thirds vote after two years of no improvement. Significant progress is defined in the 2005-2006 State DOE policy as at least 10 percent of students moving from “not proficient” to “proficient” in student achievement. Schools that do not meet this threshold are identified for restructuring. SB 1643 establishes a task force to make recommendations to the Legislature for issues including “the powers, authority, and requirements of schools, local school boards, the charter school administrative office, and board of education.”

With no existing State policies or procedures defined for a plan of restructuring for an existing charter school, CPCS will rely on Federal statute to define the creation of our restructuring plan. NCLB mandates that a school failing to meet its state’s AYP requirements for five consecutive years to design a plan to:

· Reopen the school as a public charter school

· Replace all or most of the school staff, which may include the principal, who are relevant to the school’s failure to make AYP

· Enter into a contract with an entity, such as a private management company with a demonstrated record of effectiveness, to operate the school as a public school

· Turn the operation of the school over to the state education agency, if permitted under state law and agreed to by the state

· Any other major restructuring of a school’s governance arrangement.

The CPCS Local School Board will follow appropriate state and federal laws to create the plan after a fifth year of failing to make AYP. If the school still fails to make AYP, it will implement the restructuring plan at the beginning of the school year following the creation of the plan. When recent legislative changes in State charter school laws are enacted, they will be adhered to by CPCS.

Charter schools, like all public schools in Hawaii, are subject to the State’s Title I accountability requirements. However, the State is required to look to its charter school law to ascertain the entity responsible for overseeing charter school accountability for Title I purposes. Section 1111(b)(2)(K) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and Section 200.49(f) of the final Title I regulations (67 Fed. Reg. 71710, 71727, to be codified at 34 C.F.R. pt. 200) require accountability for charter schools to be overseen in accordance with State charter school law. Thus, a State’s charter school law determines the entity within the State that bears responsibility for ensuring that charter schools comply with the Title I, Part A accountability provisions, including AYP. The charter authorizer is responsible for holding charter schools accountable for Title I, Part A provisions unless State law specifically gives the SEA direct responsibility for charter school accountability.

Charter schools are public schools subject to the accountability requirements of NCLB. In accordance with congressional intent, Title I state accountability plans may not "replace or duplicate the role of authorized chartering agencies" in overseeing accountability requirements for charter schools. State Title I accountability plans should respect the unique nature of charter schools and should reflect input from charter operators.

Critical Questions

The following Critical Questions will guide much of the accountability system prior to implementation of the board’s new guidelines. The five principal questions borrow heavily from those being used in Massachusetts and Colorado. These questions are:

Is the school faithful to the terms of its contract?

Quite simply, is the school carrying out its contract with the district? Includes a look at the degree to which the school is following health and safety requirements, and the essential legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements to which it is committed.

Is the school faithful to its stated mission, goals, and objectives?

What is the school’s mission? Are the programs and operations faithful to the mission, goals, and objectives, as stated in its charter?

Is the school design and educational approach clearly defined and coherent? Does the school’s organic documents—charter, educational vision, mission statement, guiding principles, etc.—reflect a coherent school design?

¨ What are the school’s goals listed in the charter implementation plan? Note any revisions made in the school’s goals since it opened.

¨ Are these goals consistent with the school’s mission? Are they clear?

¨ Is the school meeting these goals?

¨ Is the academic program a success?

¨ Academic goals: Are the school’s measurable academic goals clear, and do they reflect high expectations?

¨ Assessments: How is student learning being assessed? Are the external and internal assessments in place well matched with the school’s academic goals? Are they aligned with the school’s goals to meet or exceed state or district standards? Are they aligned with the school’s mission?

¨ Results: Has the school made reasonable progress in meeting its own internally established measurable goals over its first few years of operation?

¨ Is student performance strong and/or are there clear indications students are making strong progress?

¨ What strategies are in place to see that students with special needs, those at-risk of failure, and those not making reasonable progress are meeting—or are being given opportunities and reasonable accommodations to meet—the academic goals? Are those strategies proving effective for these students in terms of improved academic performance?

¨ What kinds of curriculum and objectives and/or course outlines are in place? Are they clear? Are they consistent with the mission? Do they reflect high expectations?

¨ What changes have been made over the past year or two to improve the academic program? How are those changes being evaluated?

¨ Is the school a viable organization?

Finances

¨ Is the school financially solvent and stable?

¨ Does the school have appropriate controls and procedures for the management of financial resources?

¨ Does the school commit its resources in ways that will help it achieve its mission and major purposes? Does it look like the school is making investments in staff and training, and in books, technology, and other supplies, that are consistent with the school’s priorities?

¨ Is a lack of financial resources impeding improved academic achievement?

¨ Is attendance strong? Is the school meeting attendance goals?

¨ Is enrollment stable and near capacity? Is the school showing good results on retention of students?

¨ Is school governance sound? How effective is the board?

¨ Is school day-to-day leadership strong? How effective is the school’s management/ administration? (Supervising Teacher; curriculum leaders; business managers; etc.)

¨ Is the school’s leadership—the combined work and joint efforts of the board and school management to lead the school—effective?

¨ What is the quality of teaching? Is professional staff competent and resourceful?

¨ What professional development is in place to support teachers in order to see that more students are meeting the standards?

¨ Is the school a place where students and teachers are safe and feel safe?

¨ Is the school climate good? Does it seem to be a positive learning and social environment? Is there a tone of decency and respect among and between students and the faculty?

¨ Is discipline handled effectively? Gather data for last two years.

¨ Are the physical facilities adequate for the program of the school?

¨ Are parents satisfied with the performance of the school? What measurements are in place to indicate parent satisfaction? In what areas do they express concerns, and what steps are in place to address those concerns?

¨ How strong is parent involvement?

¨ How strong is the relationship with the chartering authority? Is that going to be a factor in the school’s success and in its future?

¨ Does the school recognize clearly where growth is most essential?

¨ As the school analyzes its progress, how well can it identify its areas of strength, and areas that growth and improvement are most needed? Has the school established a limited number of vital priorities to focus on for self-improvement?

VII. Governance Structure: A governance structure of the school. [Section 302A-1182(c)(6)] Any public school or schools may form a new century charter school by establishing a local school board as its governing body composed of, at a minimum, one representative from each of the following participant groups: 1) Principals; 2) Instructional staff members selected by the school instructional staff; 3) Support staff selected by the support staff of the school; 4) Parents of students attending the school selected by the parents of the school; 5) Student body representatives selected by the students of the school, and 6) The community at-large. [Section 302A-1182,3(b)(1-6)]

A. Maintain and submit the names, addresses and phone numbers of all members of the interim or local school board. Identify them by role group as required by law.

B. Describe the charter school’s governance structure. Submit the local school board’s governing documents.

C. Describe how the charter school will be managed.

D. If the charter school is established in partnership with any entity, identify the entity. (Include the name, address and phone number of a contact person.) Describe the entity’s governance and/or management relationship with the school.

VII. (A) CPCS Local School Board (2004-2005)

President Ms. Joan Derbyshire

27 Elm Dr.

Hilo, HI 96720

990-0993________________

Vice President Ms. Kimberly Derr

P.O. Box 1948

Keaau, HI 96749

966-6361________________

Secretary Mr. Lawrence Jackson

P.O. Box 1236

Kurtistown, HI 96760

968-8302________________

CEO Mr. John Thatcher

1188 Kaumana Dr.

Hilo, HI 96720

935-4234________________

Classified Staff Ms. Heather McDaniel

P.O. Box 928

Keaau, HI 96749

968-8541________________

Parent Ms. Kris Aton

16 Punawai St.

Hilo, HI 96720

969-6864________________

Parent Ms. Anne Anderson

1240 Honua St.

Hilo, HI 96720

959-3463________________

Parent Ms. Megan Yarberry

HCR 1 Box 5404

Keaau, HI 96749

982-5963________________

Community Mr. Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa

P.O. Box 490

Pahala, HI 96777

928-6294________________

Community Mr. Robert Chow

857 Uilani Pl.

Hilo, HI 96720

959-7594________________

I. (B) LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL

The President of the CPCS Local School Board serves as the point of contact for all school matters and is responsible to see that the following bylaws are followed and adhered to:

Connections New Century Public Charter School

Local School Bard -- Bylaws

I. Membership

Board members will be comprised of the following participant groups:

• Administration: Chief Educational Officer as appointed by the Board
• Instructional Staff: Three teachers as selected by the CPCS faculty
• Support Staff: One representative as selected by the CPCS support staff
• Parents: Three parents of students attending CPCS, that are not members of other participant groups, as selected by CPCS parents
• Community Members: Two community members, that are not members of other participant groups, as appointed by the Board
• Student Body: Non-voting CPCS students on volunteer attendance basis

II. Powers

The Board shall conduct or direct the affairs of CPCS and exercise its powers, subject to the limitations of the State of Hawai’i and the mandates of Charter School Laws. The Board shall delegate the day-to-day management of the operations of CPCS, so long as the affairs of CPCS are managed, and its powers are exercised, under the Board’s ultimate jurisdiction. Without limiting the generality of the powers here granted to the Board, but subject to the same limitations, the Board shall have all the powers enumerated in these Bylaws, and the following specific powers:

• To seat and remove Board members
• To select and remove officers, agents, and employees of CPCS, to prescribe powers and duties for them, and fix their compensation in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements
• To conduct, manage, and control the affairs and operations of CPCS
• To make rules, regulations, and policies for CPCS