41-2　 Report of the Charter Schools in the U.S.
　　　　　　　- with the Proposal in Japan

　Shoji Sugita　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Japanese version in detail, here
Introduction

　At the end of May, this year ( 2001) I visited a several charter schools in Yuba County, CA
in the U.S.and participated in EDUCATION: 2001 SUMMIT. I will report about it, but first of all,
I will describe my proposal of the charter schools in Japan.

1. The students of the newly established charter schools in the future have to take the
　Scholastic Standardized Test by the National Government or the Prefectural Government.

　 But,in Japan now, there are not a nation-wide scholastic tests or prefecture-wide ones..
　It might be a little difficult to be ruled soon, so I will suggest the following:
I○　More than three schools including charter schools will unite to make their Scholastic
　　Common Test and will execute it to all of their students.
○　Basic subjects: Japanese language, Math, Science, Social Study, English. However,
　　a part of them will be acceptable unther some circumstances.
○　The problem of the Test should be made public.
○　As I mentioned above, the students of the charter schools have to take the Test.

2. Charter schools specialized in subject such as music, art, dance, painting, sculptures,
　computers and so on and have to hold the exhibitions or the symposium of these subjects
　and have to be evaluated by the experts.

3. As for the charter schools of the students who have refused to go to school or like these,
　are evaluated objectively by the materias of the parents' satisfaction, the students'
　satisfaction , the opinions of the former home-room teachers and some educators.　And
　such results have to be in public.　

4. As for recognition and management of the charter schools, Prefectural Board of Education
　and　Local School Board have the right, for these are more effective and realistic.
　　
　　.Member of the school board
　　( Example)....... Teachers 2, 　　　Parents 2, 　　Staff of the Board 1, 　 Community 1
　　　　　　　　　　Representative from business 1　　　　and some others, if necessary

5. Students
　 As a rule, the students will be in the Local, however, if necessary, others will be widely
　accepted, and the students and the parents have to promise to cooperate with th schools
　upon the entrance to the schools, so these system might be a kind of " Contract Schools".
　And as long as the promises are kept, even if the scholastic results of the students are
　inferior, they would not be excluded from the schools.　

I will describe the key points of this school for Japanese educators to understand it as follows;
○　Mission
　　This school is at seventh through twelfth grade and is providing students with a college
　　preparatory curriculum that is infused with artistic themes and activities. In addition,
　　in music, dance, drama, painting, drawing, sculpture, writing and multi-media.

　 Instruction in the core subject areas is primary interdisciplinary, thematic, and intergrates the
　 arts whenever feasible.

　This school students are expected to participate in local artistic endeavors such as music,
　 dance, and dramatic presentations. Students are also expected to provide service to the
　community in support of artistic endeavors in school and community.

○　Academy Goals For 2000-01
　・　90% of the students will score at grade level or above in Total Reading and Total Math score
　　 on the SAT9 ( Standard and Testing -9 ).
　・ 90% of the students will score at 4 or above on the District Writing Assessment,.....
　　.. and so forth

○　Other Funding Sources
　　This school will receive funding from the California State Lottery with the understanding that
　　the per-ADA amounts owing can vary depending on the receipts of the California State Lottery
　　and other factors.

○　The District has agreed to provide the following administrative, supervisonal oversight, and
　　 support services to the Charter School, as outlined in Element 10 of the charter; Accounting,
　　 Payroll, and Fiscal Support; Student Information, Assessment, and Data Processing Services;
　　Facilities Maintenance, Utilities and Groundskeeping.

○　If the Charter School leases a facility not owned by the District, the Charter School and
　　District will enter into a separate written agreement addressing the purchase of goods and /
　　or services.

○　Special Education: The Charter School intends to function as a public school of the District
　　 for purposes of providing special education and related services.

○　2001, this school has 100 students. They will be growing to 150 next year and have set a
　　 maximum number of 300. This year about 25 students were from areas other than Yuba
　　 County. There were no students suspended this year from the school. Student discipline is
　　 very good and students want to attend.

【Comment】 This is a very good charter school and we will be able to get a lot of suggestions
　　　　　　　　from it. I will pay attention to the widely opened door to other districts..
　　　　　　　　Thank you, Mr.John Pimentel, Principal

Here, the purpose of the report is to be about charter schools, so I will describe just only about
the school as follows;
○　　School Goals..... ・Increas Attendance, 　・Raise Test Score 　　・Decrese Drop-out
○　　Approximately 1,045 students　　　Diverse, muti-cultural school　　　Very good school
　　Thank you, the principal

I will describe the key points of this school for Japanese educators, too.
○　Mission
　　 To master academic and vocational skills to the best
○　Parents who enroll their children in this school accept the responsibility for their children's
　　education. They become parent/teachers to their children.
○　For the 1998-99, the enrollment of the school was 912 and many of the high school students
　　 that enrolled were previously listed as dropouts. 35 students attended from other school
　　 districts. The average attendance was 75 days.

○　Methods of measuring student's progress
　　・　Monthly collection of work　　　　　・　Annual portfolios 　　　・　Annual Project Review
　　・　Parent/teacher and educational specialist observation 　・　Scholastic Achievement Test
○　The focus of the school is to help students who have dropped out of school get their high
　　 school diplomas and thirty-nine students were able to graduate from the school with high
　　 school diplomas in the 1998-99 school year. Students who were expelled from other
　　schools were able to successfully return to their regular school at the end of their expulsion
　　 time.

○　The governance structure....... 9 members
　　　　Parent 4　　　School faculty 2 　　　Representatives from business and industry 2
　　　　Advisory committee chair 1　　

【Comment】 Particulary, the information is useful for us to re-educate the students who
　　　　　　　　have dropped out of their regular schools. Thank you, Mr.Carol M. Holtz,Principal

I will describe about the " Certification of Achievement" of the school as a key point for Japanese
educators to use it. Thank you, Mr.Holtz, Principal, too.

A sample 　　CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
　　　　　　　This certificate is presented to .............. for showing a proficient level in hanging,
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　taping and texturing drywall
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yuba County Career Preparatory Charter School
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Instructor..............　　　　　　　　　Date....
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Principal...............　　　　　　　　　Date..
　And the same as, ............ for having shown proficient knowledge of Construction Safety
　　　　　　　　　　　..............for having shown proficient ability in the set-up and use of
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　a　builder level
　　　　　　　　　　　.............for demonstrating proper "Contruction Dress"
　　　　　　　　　　　............ for having shown proficiency in "Cutting Roofs"

　　　　　　Continue to .... Yuba River Charter School
At Charter Construction Academy　　　　　　　　　　　　Educational Summit 2001 etc.

　Described, June 21. 2001