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District recommends staggered charter renewal terms; Jackson leaders ask for a five‑year renewal
Summary
After SchoolWorks reviews and a district performance rubric, the administration recommended three-year and two-year reauthorization terms for local charters; Jackson Charter leaders and staff asked the board to consider a five‑year renewal to support stabilization and staffing continuity.
The Rockford Public Schools Committee of the Whole heard presentations from three charter leaders as the district prepares reauthorization recommendations and a vote scheduled for Feb. 17.
Doctor Gallagher presented the district's performance rubric that drives recommended term lengths: the rubric weighs student proficiency and growth in ELA and math, chronic absenteeism, culture/climate indicators, board governance and financial performance. Using that rubric, the district recommended a three‑year term for Legacy Academy of Excellence and two‑year terms for Jackson Charter School and Galapagos Charter School to align with state improvement cycles for schools in comprehensive or targeted designations.
"This performance rubric is based off of student achievement metrics ... culture and climate and enrollment metrics and also board governance and financial metrics," Doctor Gallagher said, explaining why particular term lengths were recommended.
Legacy's Dr. Barbara Forte highlighted sustained growth and a "commendable" designation since 2018 and argued her school's scores reflect effective instruction. Jackson's Dr. Ebony Wren acknowledged challenges during a turnaround year but said the school is stabilizing and asked the board for a five‑year renewal to support recruitment and retention. "Sometimes a shorter renewal risks destabilizing the progress of our students and our families," she said.
Galapagos Dean of Instruction Sabrina Ellis described stable enrollment (365 students) and progress on reading proficiency while identifying math proficiency and attendance/mobility as ongoing priorities.
Board members pressed for details from Exhibit B (the rubric's metric breakdown) and asked about inter‑charter communication and district support; administration said Exhibit B contains the metric breakdowns attached to each reauthorization agreement and that prior administration held quarterly charter meetings though the practice has been reset during leadership transitions.
Public speakers during the meeting urged the board to consider a five‑year renewal for Jackson citing fragile momentum and continuity concerns; Jackson staff and special education leaders described improved compliance, MTSS implementation and measurable growth.
No reauthorization votes were held; the district will bring formal recommendations and reauthorization agreements to the Feb. 17 board meeting.
