Seven Generations Charter School

Seven Generations Charter School is a small, suburban, public charter school located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States.[7]

Seven Generations Charter School
Address
154 East Minor Street

Emmaus
,
Lehigh County
,
Pennsylvania
18049

United States
Information
School typePublic Charter
Foundedinitially approved May 11, 2009, charter renewed 2012-2017[1]
School board7 locally selected members
OversightEast Penn School District, Pennsylvania Department of Education
School number(610) 421-8844
AdministratorNick Bellucci, Business Manager

Sandra Suero, Executive Assistant
Nicole Rowe, Guidance Counselor

Elisabeth Hardy, Certified School Nurse
DirectorJen Hersh, EIC Curriculum Director
PrincipalPaul Hunter, CEO and Principal
Faculty34 (2011)[2]
GradesK-8 (2013)
Age5 years to 14 years old
Number of pupils351 pupils (2012-13),[3] 314 pupils (2011-12), 180 pupils K-4 (2009-10) [4]
 • Kindergarten45 (2012), 44 (2011),[5] 47 (2010)
 • Grade 146 (2012), 47 (2011), 46 (2010)
 • Grade 244 (2012), 45 (2011), 36 (2010)
 • Grade 345 (2012), 45 (2011), 26 (2010)
 • Grade 444 (2012), 46 (2011), 25 (2010)
 • Grade 545 (2012), 44 (2011)
 • Grade 645 (2012), 43 (2011)
 • Grade 737 (2012)
Tuitionset by PDE based on student's home district
Student waiting list125 children (2011)[6]
FocusSeven Generations is an environment-focused charter school that provides what it describes as "activities focused on sustainable living, environmental stewardship and respect for our planet and all living things."
Websitehttp://www.sevengenerationsschool.org/
School district region in Lehigh County

The school was founded in 2009. Seven Generations Charter School is operated under the oversight of a local Board of Trustees, the East Penn School District and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In 2013, the enrollment was 351 pupils, with 12% of pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.[8] Additionally, 17.94% of the pupils receive special education services and 3.7% pupils were identified as gifted. Seven Generations Charter School is a federally designated Title I school. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 10% of the school's teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[9] In 2011, the school employed 34 teachers yielding a 9:1 student teacher ratio.[10] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 10% of the school's teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[11]

Seven Generations Charter School is one of four public charters schools operating in Lehigh County in 2013.[12] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in 2012, there were 50,605 children in Lehigh County that were enrolled in public charter schools.[13]

Originally, the school provided Kindergarten through fourth grade. By 2013, it has grown to offer kindergarten through eighth grades. The school is housed in a former silk mill originally built in 1892 and is located near residential neighborhoods, a small town business district, several local historical sites, the main headquarters for Rodale Publishing, and an expansive local community green space. In 2010, students from 23 school districts in the Lehigh Valley region attend Seven Generations Charter School.[14]

Seven Generations students participate in the surrounding community activities like parades and special events. Seven Generations Charter School embraces the EIC program requirement that all students improve their local environment through community-based service learning activities. First grade students raised community awareness about how to protect a local pond by petitioning the mayor and council to have signs posted and giving presentations at the local library. Third graders wrote letters to local community leaders to acquire resources to purchase of native plants to replace invasive species on our adjacent riparian zone. The plants were chosen by third and fifth grade students, collaboratively, so that they supported the fifth grades service project of honey bee hives that ensure sources of pollination. In 2012, Seven Generations Charter School received national recognition as an EIC Model School.[15][16]

In Pennsylvania, charter schools are initially approved and subsequently overseen by the local school board.[17] They make in depth, annual reports to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In Pennsylvania, charter schools are a public school alternative the local public schools. Students may seek admission to a local charter school. The student's home public school district pays the tuition costs on the student's behalf. Additionally, when the local school district provides transportation to its students it must also provide transportation at no costs to charter school students when the receiving school is within 10 miles of the District's borders.[18] Pennsylvania charter schools have the same academic accountability as traditional public schools and must give the PSSAs to their pupils each year, working to achieve AYP status.[19]

According to Pennsylvania charter school law, if more students apply to attend than there are open slots available, Charter Schools are required to use a random lottery system to select new incoming students.[20] According to the Charter School law, siblings (brothers and sisters), and children of individuals who help establish a charter school, are granted an “admissions preference.” Students residing in the East Penn School District are selected first, according to the number of slots available for local resident students. If there is space available for more students, seats will be declared open for out-of-District students.[21][22]

The Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit IU21 provides the school with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.[23]

School performance profile

Seven Generations Charter School achieved 77.3 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics, writing and science achievement on the state PSSAs and Keystone Exams. In reading/literature - only 69% were on grade level. The third grade has 87.8% reading on grade level in reading. In mathematics - 65.6% showed on grade level mathematics skills. In Biology/science, 88.64% showed on grade level science understanding. In 5th grade writing, 64% of pupils showed on grade level writing skills.[24] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.[25]

AYP history

In 2012, Seven Generations Charter School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status.[26] Seven Generations Charter School also achieved AYP status in 2010 and 2011.[27]

PSSA results

Sixth and seventh graders are tested in reading and mathematics beginning in 2006. Eighth graders are tested in: reading, writing, mathematics and Science. Beginning in the Spring of 2013, eighth graders, who are enrolled in Algebra I take the Keystone Exam for Algebra I at the end of the course. The testing of 8th grade in reading and mathematics began in 1999. Testing in science began in 2007. The goal is for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focus on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.[28] Students in 3rd grade are tested in reading and mathematics, fourth graders are tested in reading, mathematics and science. Fifth graders take SSAs in reading, mathematics and writing.

6th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 53% (61% below basic). State - 68%[29]

6th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 53% (31% below basic). State - 77% [30]

5th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 58% on grade level (24% below basic). State - 65% [31]
  • 2011 - 59% (23% below basic). State - 67.3% [32]

5th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 48% (25% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2011 - 53% (21% below basic). State - 74%
4th Grade Science
  • 2012 - 89%, (4% below basic). State - 82%
  • 2011 - 92%, (5% below basic). State - 82.9%[35]
  • 2010 - 70%, (7% below basic). State - 81%

Special education

In December 2012, the School's administration reported that 20 pupils or 6% of the school's pupils received Special Education services, with none of the identified students having a specific learning disability.[37] Special education services in the Commonwealth are provided to students from ages three years to 21 years old. In the 2010–11 school year, the total student enrollment was more than 1.78 million students with approximately 275,000 students eligible for special education services. Among these students 18,959 were identified with mental retardation and 21,245 students with autism.[38] The largest group of students are identified as Specific Learning Disabilities 126,026 students (46.9 percent) and Speech or Language Impairments with 43,542 students (16.2 percent).

In order to comply with state and federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act rules and regulations, the School engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress .[39] To identify students who may be eligible for special education services, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Special Education administration. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the district's Special Education Department.[40][41] The IDEA 2004 requires each school entity to publish a notice to parents, in newspapers or other media, including the student handbook and website regarding the availability of screening and intervention services and how to access them.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.[42] The Special Education funding structure is through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds and state appropriations. IDEA funds are appropriated to the state on an annual basis and distributed through intermediate units (IUs) to school districts, while state funds are distributed directly to the districts. Total funds that are received by school districts are calculated through a formula. The Pennsylvania Department of Education oversees four appropriations used to fund students with special needs: Special Education; Approved Private Schools; Pennsylvania Chartered Schools for the Deaf and Blind; and Early Intervention. The Pennsylvania Special Education funding system assumes that 16% of the district's students receive special education services. It also assumes that each student's needs accrue the same level of costs.[43] Over identification of students, in order to increase state funding, has been an issue in the Commonwealth. Some districts have more than 20% of its students receiving special education services while others have 10% supported through special education.[44] The state requires each public school district and charter school to have a three-year special education plan to meet the unique needs of its special education students.[45] In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive requiring schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.[46]

Charter schools received an increased tuition payment, from the home school district, for pupils who receive special education services.

Tuition

Students who live in the local school district's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to a charter school operating in a neighboring school district. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the District's schools. The 2012 tuition rate for East Penn School District Elementary School students - $8,746.97.[47][48]

School safety and bullying

The Seven Generation Charter School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2012. Additionally, there were no incidents involving local law enforcement and no sexual misconduct with students.[49][50] Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which publishes the reports online.

The Seven Generations Charter School Board of Trustees has provided the district's antibully policy online.[51] All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the District must conduct an annual review of that policy with students.[52] The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.[53][54]

Education standards relating to student safety and anti harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.[55]

Wellness

Seven Generations Charter School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health's extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance.[56] Nurses also monitor each child's weight. A free dental screening is provided at the school.

The school does not participate in the federal School Breakfast or school lunch programs. Children are expected to bring their own lunch to school each day. They do provide a small lunch and snack for children who fail to bring a lunch to school. There is a school wide healthy snack plan which lists for parents appropriate snacks to be provided at school.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2011, the Seven Generations Charter School received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. The School received $6,135 which was used to purchase equipment and implement the Weller Health Education Center's programming on nutrition education.[57] Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.

Grants

In addition to tuition payments, Seven Generations Charter School applied for several grants to increase its funding. Both the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Federal government offer several education grants each year. The school administration did not participate in: Science Its Elementary state grants (discontinued effective with 2009-10 budget by Governor Rendell), Education Assistance Grants, 2012 Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant, nor the federal 21st Century Learning grants.

Federal stimulus grant

Seven Generations Charter School received an extra $10,582 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.[58][59] The funding was limited to the 2009–10 and 2010-2011 school years.[60] Due to the temporary nature of the funding, schools were repeatedly advised to use the funds for one time expenditures like: acquiring equipment, making repairs to buildings, training teachers to provide more effective instruction or purchasing books and software.

Race to the Top grant

Seven Generations Charter School officials did not apply for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have provided nearly one quarter million dollars, in additional federal funding, to improve student academic achievement.[61] Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[62] Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.[63][64][65]

References
  1. Patrick Lester (May 15, 2012). "East Penn extends charter for Seven Generations environmental school". The Morning Call.
  2. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data - Charter School, 2012
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (December 5, 2013). "Seven Generations Charter School Performance report fast facts".
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Enrollment and Projections by LEA, 2010
  5. NCES, Common Core of Data - Seven Generations Charter School, 2011
  6. PDE, Seven Generations Charter School Report Summary Data, 2011
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013–14). "EdNA - Seven Generations Charter School".
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education, School Performance Profile - Seven Generations Charter School, 2013
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Seven Generations Charter School 2012, September 21, 2012
  10. NCES, Common Core of Data - Seven Generations Charter School, 2014
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Seven Generations Charter School 2012, September 21, 2012
  12. Pennsylvania Department of Education, PA ED DIrectory - Charter Schools, 2013
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Charter School Enrollment 2012-13, 2013
  14. Seven Generations Charter School Administration (February 14, 2011). "Seven Generations Charter School Annual Report 2010-11" (PDF).
  15. Seven Generations Charter School administration (2014). "Seven Generations Charter School receives national recognition as an EIC Model School".
  16. SEER.org (2014). "The EIC Model".
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "Charter Schools".
  18. Pennsylvania General Assembly (October 1, 2004). "24 P.S. §17-1701-A Charter Schools - Transportation". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "Charter School Regulations".
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "Summary of Charter School Legislation".
  21. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Seven Generations Charter School Annual Report 2013, 2013
  22. Seven Generations Charter School Administration (2014). "Who can attend Seven Generations Charter School?".
  23. Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit IU21 Administration (2014). "Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit IU21".
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Seven Generations Charter School Academic Performance Data 2013".
  25. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE Frequently Asked Questions".
  26. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Seven Generations Charter School AYP Overview 2012".
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Seven Generations Charter School AYP Overview 2011, September 29, 2011
  28. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "State Academic Standards".
  29. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2013). "Seven Generations Charter School Report Card 2012" (PDF).
  30. The Times-Tribune (September 21, 2012). "Grading Our Schools database, 2012 PSSA results".
  31. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2012). "2011-2012 PSSA and AYP Results".
  32. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  33. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Seven Generations Charter School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010, October 20, 2010
  34. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
  35. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA results in Science".
  36. Pittsburgh Post Gazette (October 15, 2012). "How is your school doing?".
  37. Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education Services (2010–2011). "Seven Generations Charter School Special Education Data Report LEA Performance on State Performance Plan (SPP) Targets" (PDF).
  38. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Testimony Hearing on Special Education Senate Republican Policy Committee, January 2013
  39. Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education (2008). "Pennsylvania Parent Guide to Special Education Services".
  40. Pennsylvania Department of Education - Seven Generations Charter School Administration (2014). "Procedural Safeguards Notice" (PDF).
  41. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education (September 2005). "Gaskin Settlement Agreement Overview Facts Sheet" (PDF).
  42. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Pennsylvania Special Education Funding".
  43. Browne, Patrick., Senate Education Committee Hearing on Special Education Funding & Accountability testimony, November 1, 2011
  44. Kintisch, Baruch., Public Hearing: Special Education Funding & Accountability Testimony, Education Law Center, November 11, 2011
  45. Amy Morton, Executive Deputy Secretary, Public Hearing: Special Education Funding & Accountability Testimony, Pennsylvania Department of Education, November 11, 2011
  46. US Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education Clarifies Schools' Obligation to Provide Equal Opportunity to Students with Disabilities to Participate in Extracurricular Athletics, January 25, 2013
  47. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
  48. The Morning Call (May 15, 2009). "Round up School news".
  49. Center for Safe Schools (2012). "Seven Generation Charter School - Safe school report 2012" (PDF).
  50. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Safe School Center (2009). "Pennsylvania Safe Schools Online Reports".
  51. Seven Generations Charter School Board (September 1, 2009). "AntiBullying Policy,".
  52. Pennsylvania General Assembly (2006). "Regular Session 2007–2008 House Bill 1067, Act 61 Section 6 page 8".
  53. Center for Safe Schools of Pennsylvania (2006). "Bullying Prevention advisory".
  54. Pennsylvania Department of 10Education (2012). "Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment Resources". Archived from the original on 2011-11-21.
  55. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (January 11, 2003). "Pennsylvania Academic Standards Health, Safety and Physical Education".
  56. Pennsylvania State Department of Health (2010). "Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 10-984 School Immunizations; Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases".
  57. Highmark Foundation, 2011 School Challenge Grants, 2011
  58. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (2009). "Lehigh County ARRA FUNDING Report". Archived from the original on 2013-09-30.
  59. ProPublica (2009). "Recovery Tracker Eye on the stimulus".
  60. "School stimulus money". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 12, 2009.
  61. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Race To The Top Webinar powerpoint for districts December 2009, December 9, 2009
  62. Governor's Press Office release (January 20, 2010). "Pennsylvania's 'Race to the Top' Fueled by Effective Reforms, Strong Local Support,".
  63. Race to the Top Fund, U.S. Department of Education, March 29, 2010.
  64. Dr. Gerald Zahorchak (December 2008). "Pennsylvania Race to the Top Letter to Superintendents" (PDF).
  65. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 19, 2009). "Pennsylvania Race to the Top -School Districts Title I Allocations 2009-10".

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