Friday, June 14, 2019

Dear School Board Members,

We hope you are all doing well and have been enjoying the first weeks of summer break.

As you prepare for the Wednesday Board meeting, please consider these questions and requests. Some of these items were brought up at the Special Board meeting on May 22nd. Many people of the community would like to hear the Board address these specific items. Please speak up and let our voices on these issues be heard.

1. What is the cost/benefit analysis of pushing ahead with the charter application now versus achieving charter status for the 2020 – 2021 school year - allowing for the completion of the Vision and Values committee work and strategic planning?

Is it more damaging to push ahead with the charter now or wait until next year? Board members and Dr. Trani appear to be more concerned about losing the out of district families than losing the broad support of the in-district families. That is a fundamental issue. We believe there is no negative financial implication for waiting to convert to charter until the 20-21 school year because of extended ADMw.

1. What is the critical path timeline for the charter application, charter contract and charter status process?

Please write this out and make it publicly available on the school website. People want to understand the timeline and break down of the steps that need to happen in this process. If you want broad community support and engagement in this process, then please provide a critical path timeline that can be used as a reference and communication tool.

3. In numbers, what are the financial implications of the decision to covert to charter this year, verses the 2020 – 2021 school year?

- As you prepare to adopt the proposed 19 – 20 Budget, how does the charter decision change the proposed budget?

- How does waiting for the conversion until the 20 – 21 school year affect the forecasted budget?

- How many new students are asking to enroll from out of district next year?

- With our understanding that the district will allow siblings currently attending CSD to enroll next year, because of extended ADMw, we believe it to be a non-issue to receive funding for these students.

4. As we work together to build community support for CSD going forward, what are you as District leaders and Board members offering to the community in the arrangement of a covenant between the CSD and broad school community?

The combination of a current service level budget for next year and a guarantee of at least extended ADMw enrollment, combined with additional resources slated to come to schools for 2020-2021, makes this the perfect time for Corbett to make changes. You are in the positions to seize the opportunities! Carpe diem!

Thank you,

Mikaila Way on behalf of IC3S