Charter FARs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Which has been the CMI mantra for years, and why I as a rousing parent left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these schools doing anything to inform parents of how they will handle their financial problems?

That’s not really how it works.

Remember your school’s board had this data a year ago — so the situation may be different now.

You can certainly ask about this but it is not something that charter schools proactively discuss with parents (unless you are one of the parent members of the board of directors). And you shouldn’t look at this report in isolation, but also read the 990s and the annual reports, which include approved budgets. All are available on the PDSB website, on each school’s profile page.

Can you point to anything in those documents that makes this deficit ok?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these schools doing anything to inform parents of how they will handle their financial problems?

That’s not really how it works.

Remember your school’s board had this data a year ago — so the situation may be different now.

You can certainly ask about this but it is not something that charter schools proactively discuss with parents (unless you are one of the parent members of the board of directors). And you shouldn’t look at this report in isolation, but also read the 990s and the annual reports, which include approved budgets. All are available on the PDSB website, on each school’s profile page.

Why wouldn't they discuss it? I think people would want to know how the debt is going to be paid off. And looking at CMI's budget I see total revenue of $9.3 million and total expenses of $9.5 million-- before half a million dollars in depreciation. So net income of -$772,609. Ayy!

https://www.dcpcsb.org/report/budget/creative-minds-pcs-budget

Should they discuss details of their finances with parents - who may or may not under stand it? Maybe - probably.

Do most charters do this -- no. When CMI sought approval to locate at the Old SOldier's home, details about their finances were disclose to the PCSB. Go back and look that up, as well as the last few years annual reports and 990s. What has changed, if anything? And if nothing has changed, what was the school's plan to manage the debt over the term of the loans?

[Anonymous]

CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

The demographics of the school also come into play.

CMI does not have a large percentage of ELL students (5.6%), or economically-at-risk students (26%) for DC. More students meet those criteria brings some additional per pupil funding.

They have a higher than typical percentage of special needs students (~28%), but IDEA has never been fully funded and it usually costs schools more to provide special education services than they are reimbursed by the federal government. If any of the special needs students are also Medicaid-eligible, the school could apply for Medicaid-reimbursement to help defray the cost of services. It's a major undertaking to set up the process, but once you do it makes a difference. Not sure if CMI is doing this, or if many their special-needs students also happen to be from low-income families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

The demographics of the school also come into play.

CMI does not have a large percentage of ELL students (5.6%), or economically-at-risk students (26%) for DC. More students meet those criteria brings some additional per pupil funding.

They have a higher than typical percentage of special needs students (~28%), but IDEA has never been fully funded and it usually costs schools more to provide special education services than they are reimbursed by the federal government. If any of the special needs students are also Medicaid-eligible, the school could apply for Medicaid-reimbursement to help defray the cost of services. It's a major undertaking to set up the process, but once you do it makes a difference. Not sure if CMI is doing this, or if many their special-needs students also happen to be from low-income families.

Maybe they should implement an at-risk lottery preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

The demographics of the school also come into play.

CMI does not have a large percentage of ELL students (5.6%), or economically-at-risk students (26%) for DC. More students meet those criteria brings some additional per pupil funding.

They have a higher than typical percentage of special needs students (~28%), but IDEA has never been fully funded and it usually costs schools more to provide special education services than they are reimbursed by the federal government. If any of the special needs students are also Medicaid-eligible, the school could apply for Medicaid-reimbursement to help defray the cost of services. It's a major undertaking to set up the process, but once you do it makes a difference. Not sure if CMI is doing this, or if many their special-needs students also happen to be from low-income families.

Maybe they should implement an at-risk lottery preference.

They can’t - that isn’t a preference allowed in charters.

But that IS part of the reason why home-grown/DC immersion schools have taken hold so strongly in the city. The plus up for an ECE, ELL + at risk kid is pretty big. Helps with overhead in a way that a middle class, English speaking child just does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

The demographics of the school also come into play.

CMI does not have a large percentage of ELL students (5.6%), or economically-at-risk students (26%) for DC. More students meet those criteria brings some additional per pupil funding.

They have a higher than typical percentage of special needs students (~28%), but IDEA has never been fully funded and it usually costs schools more to provide special education services than they are reimbursed by the federal government. If any of the special needs students are also Medicaid-eligible, the school could apply for Medicaid-reimbursement to help defray the cost of services. It's a major undertaking to set up the process, but once you do it makes a difference. Not sure if CMI is doing this, or if many their special-needs students also happen to be from low-income families.

Maybe they should implement an at-risk lottery preference.

They can’t - that isn’t a preference allowed in charters.

But that IS part of the reason why home-grown/DC immersion schools have taken hold so strongly in the city. The plus up for an ECE, ELL + at risk kid is pretty big. Helps with overhead in a way that a middle class, English speaking child just does not.

Would you like to trade demographics?
Sincerely,
Noyes Mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your input isn't needed here. If you don't like it then you can always lottery for another school. There are plenty of people on the wait list who would be happy to take your spot.

Defensive much? My opinion clearly is needed, as the school, the board, and the DCPCSB all seem fine with massive and increasing deficit. This is not sustainable and the school owes parents an explanation.

+1. I can't imagine why any parent would send their kid to this school.

White fragility

[Anonymous]

All-- this report is more than a year old. Where are the current figures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All-- this report is more than a year old. Where are the current figures?

Two really bad years in a row, maybe 3? What else do you need to know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CMI also has really small class sizes (though they are bigger than they were a few years ago). It seems to be an important part of the school's model, but I suspect that the small class sizes plus the really expensive building are two things that are significant drivers of the bad financials. Which is problematic because both are unlikely to change.

Their classrooms are not much smaller than most charters anymore. And other charters that pay their teachers almost double the salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All-- this report is more than a year old. Where are the current figures?

This report was just released on July 9, 2018. There is always a one-year lag. https://www.dcpcsb.org/financial-analysis-report