New Grant Supports Foundations’ Efforts to Improve Charter School Management

Charter schools hold great promise for our nation's children, but to run smoothly, they must be governed carefully by strong boards with experienced leaders. Pursuant to this belief, Foundations is in the process of creating a toolkit that supports boards in various stages of development, using a $25,000 grant from The Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation earmarked for this effort. Set for completion in spring 2010, this new training package will be marketed initially to charter schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, with the expectation of a more expansive rollout to follow.

"In the past twelve years, Foundations has served more than 100 charter schools in seventeen states - and in many different capacities," notes Julie Stapleton-Carroll, Foundations' Director of School Services. "Across the nation, the charter school arena is growing rapidly, but with this growth comes many challenges, including the challenge of finding qualified individuals to serve on the boards. Our toolkit seeks to address that."

Charter school board members usually join with good intentions, but many have little or no training, with the bulk of their education coming on the job. Such inexperience creates the potential for an array of problems - from academic to fiduciary to legal, many of them avoidable when members receive proper training before and during their tenure.

To make sure charter school boards are on the right track, Foundations' new toolkit will address such topics as governance, essential policies and procedures, training and assessment, members' roles and responsibilities, strategic planning and fundraising. The goal is to provide these schools with a practical, low-cost training tool for use with new, existing, or transitioning boards.

"Charter schools depend on public funds, and the boards have ultimate responsibility for the allocation of these funds," states Rhonda H. Lauer, Foundations' President and CEO. "This grant from The Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation will help ensure that board members are well informed, accountable, and using funds in the best way possible - to provide the children at their schools with the high quality education they deserve."

Foundations, Inc., a national nonprofit organization, is committed to building the quality of educational opportunities for children, youth, and families through work with public and charter schools, school districts, education and community-based organizations, and the afterschool field. As a capacity-building organization, Foundations focuses on professional development, technical assistance, program development, and supporting tools, publications, and services.

The Hilda & Preston Davis Foundation provides funds to charitable organizations whose programs advance the development of all areas of the lives of children and young adults. The Foundation places special emphasis on, and channels most of its financial resources toward, those organizations whose attention is concentrated on eating disorders and education for the underprivileged.