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Charter school plans rejected Eagle Point board calls Renaissance too vague By VICKI GUARINO EAGLE POINT -- The school board has rejected plans for the rebirth of the district's first charter school. Plans for the Renaissance School, which has used a curriculum based on arts instruction, projects and performance, are too vague, board members said. They turned down school organizer Shannon Sanders' request for charter school approval on Wednesday. Although Renaissance School proponents could appeal the board's decision to the state, Sanders said she would not take that step because it would be too disruptive to the district and school families. However, she said, "As a mother and member of this community, I believe there is a very strong need for our programs, and personally I feel impassioned to appeal." She also disputed the board's conclusion that the charter plan was inadequate. "I have been told by leaders of the charter movement that our charter is the best they've seen," Sanders said. Sanders teaches at an Eagle Point elementary school. She and a group of parents first opened the Renaissance School a year ago. The school for grades five through eight was unable to reopen this fall because suitable classroom space could not be found. Sanders sought a new contract, or charter, to reopen the school next fall. School board members said her proposal was inadequate in several areas. Also, it failed to resolve some of the problems that arose in its first year of operation. School board chairman Alan Curriston noted that despite location problems this year, the charter school application did not name a specific site for the coming school year. Sanders provided the board with a couple of possibilities in the Shady Cove area, but none was certain. The application also left in doubt financing and curriculum. Curriston said the curriculum plans seemed to change depending on the location. If the charter group settled on one site, the learning focus would be on nature studies; at another site, it seemed to be more similar to the arts-based curriculum offered during the Renaissance School's first year. Financing, however, seemed to be the biggest problem. Board members earlier agreed that they wanted Sanders to produce a proposed operating budget that was within the funding and enrollment limits set in state law, about $115,000 for 25 students. At that level, board members said, they could expect the Renaissance School to meet state requirements for stable services to children. Sanders, however, proposed a budget with a $26,000 deficit. "That wasn't acceptable," Curriston said. Overall, he said. "Plans were really up in the air." Despite rejection of the Renaissance School charter, Curriston said the Eagle Point board supports the idea of charter schools. He said such small, innovative educational programs are needed. "We would love to get a charter school going," Curriston said. "We need more alternatives for our kids than the standard curriculum offers." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA