Courtesy of The 74 Million
https://www.the74million.org/
The conversation highlights the significant contributions of Kim Smith and Howard to the growth and innovation of charter schools. Kim’s early investments in Aspire Public Charter Schools and her organization’s role in securing federal Race to the Top and i3 grants were pivotal. Howard is recognized for his advocacy for parental choice and community leadership. The federal government, starting with President Clinton, has invested $3 billion in charter schools, supporting their growth and replication across states. Recent efforts have focused on rewarding successful charter management organizations for scaling beyond local districts.
Action Items
- [ ] Work closely with Congress and the administration to update the charter school program to provide advantages to schools replicating successful models across state lines.
- [ ] Encourage charter management organizations that are replicating across state lines to scale beyond the districts in which they reside.
Outline
Kim Smith’s Contributions to Charter School Growth
- Nina Rees highlights Kim’s early recognition of the importance of high-performing charter schools and her role in securing initial investments from the New Schools Venture Fund for Aspire Public Charter Schools.
- The initial investment by the New Schools Venture Fund was one of the first private investments in the growth of charter schools, marking a significant milestone in the innovation of education.
- Kim’s organization played a crucial role in the Race to the Top and i3 grants at the federal level, which were pivotal in scaling high-performing charter school networks.
- Nina Rees emphasizes Kim’s significant contributions to the charter school movement, particularly in seeding the growth of new schools and scaling successful networks.
Howard’s Advocacy for Parental Choice and Community Leadership
- Nina Rees refers to Howard as a “godfather” of the charter school movement, highlighting his long-standing advocacy for parental choice and access to better schools for low-income parents.
- Howard’s focus is on ensuring that children attend good schools, regardless of whether they are charter, private, or public schools, and he has been a strong advocate for empowering local community leaders.
- Howard’s influence has been instrumental in bringing more community leadership to the forefront of the charter school movement.
- Nina Rees expresses personal and movement-wide appreciation for having Howard as the keynote speaker at their conference, acknowledging his significant contributions to the charter school movement.
Federal Government’s Support for Charter Schools
- Nina Rees notes that the federal government has been a strong supporter of the charter school movement since its inception, with bipartisan support in Congress and initial support from President Clinton.
- President Clinton’s involvement with charter schools is highlighted, including his enthusiasm for the concept despite its limited presence at the time.
- The federal government has invested $3 billion to launch new charter schools, replicate effective ones, and provide funding for facilities and finance for charter schools.
- Nina Rees mentions that past presidents, including Clinton, Bush, and Obama, have prioritized funding for the charter school program, demonstrating its continued support.
Efforts to Update and Expand Charter School Programs
- Nina Rees discusses the close collaboration with Congress and the administration to update the charter school program to focus on more than just seeding new schools.
- The updated program aims to provide advantages to schools that are replicating successful models across state lines, such as Rocketship, KIPP, and Success Academies.
- Traditionally, funding has gone directly to states to distribute to schools, but the emergence of charter management organizations operating across state lines has led to a shift in funding strategies.
- Nina Rees emphasizes the importance of rewarding and encouraging the success of these organizations to scale beyond their local districts, receiving applause for the initiative.
