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Community members discuss hopes and concerns during an April 5 charter school expansion meeting at Fairview Missionary Baptist Church. | Photo Garett Fisbeck
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the district. Currently, OKCPS holds the charter for Santa Fe South’s middle and high schools. Additionally, Santa Fe South proposes growing the early childhood through high school charter system by 200 students, serving just over 2,300 Oklahoma City children. Santa Fe South Superintendent Chris Brewster outlined the plans during the April 25 board meeting when presenting the charters’ contract for renewal. “We won’t be doing community meetings in the same type of way because we are not looking for any existing buildings to convert,” Brewster explained when asked about additional charter expansion. “The only growth we would have is numeric, based on students applying and us having the room to accept them.” In May, Lora — acting as superintendent — told media that John Rex leaders plan to present a proposal later this summer.
Current proposal
“We want a partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools,” McDaniel said. “We want to expand our program. We are requesting to expand by going prekindergarten through 12th grade over time.” Under the KIPP proposal, KIPP’s middle school would vacate the second floor of its rented F.D. Moon Elementary School space and move three miles north to Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, which opened in 2006 as a MAPS for Kids project. For the first year, the two schools would share space and facilities. Beginning the 2017-18 academic year, prekindergarten and kindergarten students would work with KIPP teachers. Each academic year, KIPP would add another grade until the entire building — prekindergarten through eighth grade — is served by KIPP. Students from the neighborhood would attend KIPP. For the high school expansion, KIPP proposes at least a 12-month study to examine and plan for KIPP and Douglass to cohabit. In addition to sharing facilities, McDaniel aspires for KIPP students to participate in Douglass’ extracurricular activities, including sports. Before KIPP would take over any grade 8
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at the elementary level or begin a high school, KIPP leaders and OKCPS teachers would visit some of the best schools in the United States. Funded by grants, both KIPP and OKCPS teachers would bring proven teaching practices back to Oklahoma City to benefit students, explained McDaniel. “We want to raise the bar of excellence for northeast Oklahoma City,” McDaniel said. “We can, with a partnership, have a direct impact on students.” Under the May 12 proposal, KIPP expansion would be complete in 2022 and the charter would serve 1,250 students in northeast Oklahoma City. The expansion plan calls for hiring school leaders, including a chief operating officer, director of operations, recruitment manager and associate director of development. KIPP also plans to hire 96 staffers, including teachers and counselors. KIPP’s development plan relies on private funds to offset operating costs. The charter has secured grant funds from Inasmuch Foundation and the Walton Family Fund, a known supporter of charter schools, to accommodate the anticipated regional growth. Inasmuch Foundation awarded a $1.05 million grant for KIPP to expand its model in Oklahoma City in 2014. In fiscal year 2015, KIPP raised $1.2 million, according to the proposal document. Charters don’t collect any portion of local bonds; they rely heavily on state funding. The school board could call the proposal to a vote at its next regularly scheduled meeting set for June 6. A few board members have publicly voiced concerns about the charter school expansion process. Ruth Veales, District 5 representative, believed district officials needed to participate in the community meetings to answer specific concerns geared toward OKCPS. With a proposal now before the board, McDaniel stands ready to answer questions about his plan, which is rooted in improving education in northeast Oklahoma City. “Our kids need us,” McDaniel said. “We owe it to our kids to give them a quality education. State law says you must go to school, but it doesn’t say you have to provide a quality education. We are saying that is unacceptable.”