[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6265555,"mediaKeyId","3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f","parentId",3090724,"title","Charter schools report test-score growth, program highlights at board work session","audioSeconds",4362,"startMs",2663000,"endMs",7025000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f&start=2663&end=7025","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f/thumbnail_2663000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265555/Alaska/Charter-schools-report-test-score-growth-program-highlights-at-board-work-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265555-702d3111cb60ea0a6d1548fa8da487d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152498&Signature=LgTtXM9q9jWnOyzCaA38ud~UC9hWE0R9x~W10KiKQ0EXnWXB4kP0Z608C8vmfZ82mv1U~maUBHLjHTnGTf29E0VcrSGI1E85b4Owv8TpL5Ac-avTM507pC5wiBen1nge5~KEttsKZJQ6XpfZlgF2C-C-VrgHvOYOlvePcmHkiu1OLf19xwC7kzJQAXzVJ4MWZrStgwEJhivheX8lKGv~jtG25hHt~R7lxTRoISpAnwbc7zUOG2mSfToW5JFxNi~UX7ckixqEAHJ4R~5vxWX6miBZn~sImN4bK5xg9r-2~C-3Lzzk8APgAT59zcYdhSANH22ToxLrFFn65iTqo9gO0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-23T08:11:58.037Z","article","Five charter-school principals reported academic gains, program highlights and community partnerships at the district's work session Tuesday, citing MAP growth measures, new curriculum adoptions and expanded community ties.

Watershed Charter School principal Jared Decker presented a one-page report and said the school is revising its mission as part of a strategic plan; APC chair Sina Gilbert described finalizing objectives, reviewing bylaws and focusing on stewardship and place-based learning. Decker highlighted project-based learning and winter-to-winter MAP growth figures and described monthly service activities, including a fifth-grade program at Pioneer Home.

Effie Cochran principal Josh Snow told the board Effie's charter had been renewed for 10 years by the state and described flexible credit-recovery arrangements for older students: Snow gave an example of a high-school student who joined Effie mid-April and completed two courses by working with staff to finish assignments weekly. Board members praised student engagement and community ties; several said students and visitors consistently spoke highly of Effie.

Discovery Peak principal Nathan Pick reported notable MAP gains after adopting HMH curriculum materials and district-aligned math training; he credited targeted use of the IXL skills program for tactical math skill-building and described schoolwide efforts to increase outdoor movement and skiing. Pick said third-grade literacy growth had been particularly strong and acknowledged an increased focus on teacher training for Singapore Math, a curriculum several charters are adopting jointly.

Chinook principal Carlson described Montessori-based practice, reported MAP growth where 59 percent of students met or exceeded expected growth in reading/language usage and 48 percent in math, and said the APC had formalized a complaint-resolution guide and changed attendance and recess-related practices (the school no longer keeps students inside from recess to finish work). Chinook also runs a schoolwide buddy program and community outings.

Boreal Sun principal Fauci (with APC member Heidi Collins) said Boreal Sun adopted Dimensions Math (Singapore) for next year, logged more than 2,218 volunteer hours, and reported MAP fall-to-winter math growth at about 73 percent; the school used 2024 AK STAR science figures in its one-pager, with 57.9 percent proficient or above. Fauci and Collins described expanded literacy interventions, higher attendance at after-school tutoring following personal outreach, and continued Waldorf arts-integrated curriculum work.

Board members asked about differences between MAP's growth metrics and proficiency measures and urged the administration to provide spring MAP proficiency numbers across charters. Several board members asked each principal what program elements could be shared with neighborhood schools; answers included place-based learning, partnerships with elders and community agencies, student-led service learning, increased outdoor movement, and low-technology, play-and-arts-based early-grade practices.

Ending: The charter principals will return as part of regular reporting and the administration agreed to circulate additional MAP proficiency details to the board; no formal board actions were taken during the presentations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-21 | School Board Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Five charter schools gave annual updates to the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District board, reporting MAP growth and describing community partnerships, curriculum changes and program highlights such as place-based learning, elder integration and arts-based instruction.","taxTitle","Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, School Districts, Alaska","taxId",12912,"location","Alaska","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6265558,"Board debates five-year charter contracts, seeks clearer annual-review language",319,2017000,2336000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f&start=2017&end=2336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f/thumbnail_2017000.jpg","/articles/6265558/Alaska/Board-debates-five-year-charter-contracts-seeks-clearer-annual-review-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265558-f6bb8c01c8cfb4df0564d8f5f9bd8a56/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152498&Signature=DsqwzJ~9xzsyMzjzIuMVQox4M9FNMBqNfNOiGSc7AR489yZH7uiXtNELCyEHDlfCOG~OXgMQoOUw7RBPXB2IDdpHm8CcR2ZzYl1Td6rndnI6S-hEHaBfARE8KgqMCB7SQk8yLFEq6FjkqNs5oikaFGVpT22jV66RPRbkbUT5Kl6gK8k9tq8NcPQMXLT8DOmjghelmj2KhXyr54B6NKlpV3maae33EF3yXq62xbb6OEIfbvG0V8vcHYt3fit~AB~sN9aTTgxXXOoB~PBGme235i4wYNNxC6Nh4tkEv8l-PWoByEDEDX1DLeY3~TV16XcMQOl4o0ed6s3CJJqShO-qlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District discussed a proposed policy change on Tuesday to move charter-school contracts from an annual to a multiyear term, with administrators recommending five-year contracts and board members urging clearer language about annual reviews.

Superintendent Gillum and district staff told the board that a five-year term would reduce the workload of bringing every charter contract back for yearly approval and is consistent with practice elsewhere in Alaska. The administration said the policy would still allow revision at the request of either party.

Board member Mr. Dorn and others asked for more precise draft wording for Section 16 of the contract, which currently conflicted with the administration's policy proposal: the draft contract still used one-year-term language because the board's formal policy change had not yet passed. Dorn asked whether the clause that \"the school board will review this agreement\" implied an annual board approval and worried that the district would be back to an annual approval cycle if the language was not clarified.

District counsel and administrators proposed edits to make the operational review an administrative task between contract renewals: \"administration will review the agreement every year between contract renewals,\" one administrator suggested, and Gillum said the contract text would be reworded to align with whatever policy the board adopts. The administration said it could bring the policy to the board for first and second readings before contracts are finalized, allowing the contracts to adopt a multiyear term once policy is changed.

Charter principals in the room signaled support for a multiyear approach to reduce repeated annual approvals. Administrators said that even under a multiyear contract, the district would continue to receive annual reports from charter schools as part of regular oversight, unless the board's revised policy removed that requirement.

Ending: The administration will revise the contract text for Section 16 to reflect board feedback and bring the policy through the regular first- and second-reading process; no formal vote on the policy or contract terms was taken at the work session.","District officials proposed switching charter contracts from annual to five-year terms to reduce administrative burden; board members urged clearer wording on annual review and the administration said policy changes would be brought before contracts are finalized.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6265564,"District adds special-education language to charter contracts, clarifies responsibilities",841,428000,1269000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f&start=428&end=1269","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090724-b32f82035df6ad26daa55347530f261f/thumbnail_428000.jpg","/articles/6265564/Alaska/District-adds-special-education-language-to-charter-contracts-clarifies-responsibilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265564-35581922b9b92d4f62f47b6a487bee91/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152498&Signature=R8U-VE~1vxL9jvdXCEEG00AjmSmn8rc9~Jkcsv9B-kehHE9H7mjooNgxyQkJL0H3wFoY9lwHFJmjUwmyD~B0DUmqUmdh9WSaN2t5Y4VL1oWyLmLm85CW2Ad-aniJkhY99dZJfrO1MPxgCo5d0u3flJq~kBkpvWGTOMZQOOo8g1Ca~DAhd9~jsVMqEP7FzlISXk9qHsM9nc414a9N5TKepG95hsk6Qj-3Bgk6v5qamOLzcd3WiOC~CC7U00IcITp3evbKs1VxMq7Bc0LGUnu9JfHLTO7p9zUIEHxAUe4gkY5HgzzRoViRgA2so5BoTUEEueezupSwBZPVIdPguK6DgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairbanks North Star Borough School District officials on Tuesday moved to codify responsibilities for special-education services at charter schools, including a new contract paragraph and an Appendix A that spells out roles, funding flows and limited district-provided related services.

The additions, explained by Superintendent Gillum and Kate Hall, the district's executive director of special education, say in part: \"special education providing a free and appropriate public education is a joint responsibility of both the school district. Charter schools are subject to all state and federal laws, including but not limited to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,\" and point readers to Appendix A for details.

The change is intended to formalize long-standing, sometimes informal, arrangements between the district and charters rather than to alter how services are delivered, Hall said. She told the board the appendix largely codifies language that special-education staff have used in memos and practice for several years to avoid last-minute staffing or equipment gaps.

Under the clarified approach, most general special-education staffing and equipment purchases will be the charter's responsibility because charter funding flows directly to the schools, Gillum said. The district will continue to provide certain hard-to-recruit \"related services\" such as school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists when feasible. Hall said there is a \"tipping point\" when unusually high need could trigger case-by-case district support or hourly arrangements for extra services, though she said she was not aware of a case in her tenure where long-term hourly arrangements were necessary.

Board members pressed for specifics about procedures and liability. Board member Mrs. Hardy raised repeated concerns about counseling students out, placement changes and possible litigation, noting that \"the LEA ... who's legally gonna be held responsible ... is the district.\" She said the district needs stronger oversight or clearer processes to ensure charters meet IDEA obligations.

Hall agreed about the legal standard and said a manifestation determination review (MDR) is required for a change in placement: \"a manifestation determination is required for a change in placement. What constitutes a change in placement versus a change in location is a more nuanced question,\" she said.

Board members and administrators discussed assistive-technology logistics. Hall said the special-education team had redistributed available devices to get tools to students who needed them and that roughly 20 assistive-technology devices were currently deployed to charter schools under short-term agreements. She recommended charter principals contact Assistant Director Hillary Turner or Misha Brenner Galvin (assistive-technology teacher) to coordinate purchases and noted that some device purchases route through central district technology (she referenced Paul and Tony in that chain).

Administrators stressed the goal of fairness across charter and neighborhood schools. Gillum said the district has provided emergency certified special-education teachers to some charters this and last year and that the contract language clarifies who should budget for ongoing staff and equipment so district resources are used equitably.

The board did not take a formal vote during the work session; the administration said the appendix and the contract language would be part of the packet for upcoming contract discussions with charter principals and APC members and that the administration will refine contract text based on tonight's feedback.

Ending: The district plans to circulate the revised contract language and Appendix A to charter principals and bring finalized contract language to the board at a future meeting for action as part of the charter-contract cycle.","Fairbanks North Star Borough School District officials presented new contract language and an appendix clarifying which special-education services and costs fall to charter schools and which the district continues to provide, and discussed related procedural and liability questions under IDEA.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Charter schools report test-score growth, program highlights at board work session

Board debates five-year charter contracts, seeks clearer annual-review language

District adds special-education language to charter contracts, clarifies responsibilities