Board hears Foster Elementary charter renewal; 4K expansion would require cost-neutral plan and board sign-off
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Summary
Foster Elementary leaders outlined student achievement gains and proposed priorities for a five-year charter renewal, including exploring a full-day 4K via a DPI expansion grant. Board members pressed for clearer contract language requiring board approval of any expansion and questioned a 150-student termination threshold.
Foster Elementary leaders presented a five-year charter renewal and outlined priorities that include increasing student achievement, strengthening leadership instruction and pursuing enrollment stability.
Kathleen Roffin, introduced as principal (Foster/visiting), said Foster enrolls about 200 students and highlighted the school’s use of the Leader in Me curriculum, extra weekly music and gym, and improved literacy outcomes: “As of winter, we have the highest percentage of students showing proficiency at their grade level than we have in the last five years,” she said.
Roffin and charter board president Susie Bush described next-term priorities that also include kindergarten readiness and community outreach. They proposed applying for a Wisconsin Charter Schools Program expansion subgrant to plan and pilot a cost-neutral full-day 4K. Roffin said the grant application would fund a planning year followed by two implementation years and that the district requires expansion to be budget-neutral.
Board members asked detailed questions about a clause in the draft contract that would allow the charter to serve 4K ‘‘subject to funding, staffing and facilities.’’ Trustee discussion focused on who would approve an actual expansion and when. Several trustees urged the contract be amended to state explicitly that any change to authorized grade levels — such as adding full-day 4K — must come back to the Board of Education for approval. Greg (district administration) said administration would also support adding clarifying language and would record the practice in the district charter handbook.
Trustees also probed a proposed enrollment threshold of 150 students that could trigger contract termination review. District staff said the number was developed from operational experience at neighborhood schools and was intended to signal when re-evaluation might be needed, not to automatically close the school.
Roffin noted the expansion grant deadline is Feb. 25; she said the grant would require the school to demonstrate sustainability and cost neutrality before full implementation. “This would be a planning year followed by two years to grow enrollment by about 20%,” she said.
Next steps: district staff agreed to return draft contract language clarifying that expansions require board approval before the charter implements additional grade levels. The renewal will return to the board for a formal vote at the next meeting.