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Charter schools in Louisiana have a common perception in the minds of many parents, that of an elite school into which only a few would be allowed.
That's simply not the truth, according to Pam Quebodeaux, principal of Calcasieu Parish's only charter school, the Lake Charles Charter Academy.
"Anybody can write a charter on how they would run a school, apply with the state, and start a school," Quebodeaux told the Sulphur Rotary Club Wednesday afternoon.
This is because Louisiana's charter laws were enacted in 1995, which allow for alternative teaching methods outside of the normal school district system.
Charter schools are just like regular schools, Quebodeaux said, except that they report directly to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. They don't really have a 'home office' like other public schools in Calcasieu Parish. Quebodeaux is the principal and also the superintendent of her school.
No one is charged tuition, and the 600 students at the school are drawn from a variety of backgrounds, all chosen via lottery.
"Most of our students come from schools in southeast Lake Charles. About 70 come from private schools, like Hamilton Christian," Quebodeaux said.
Eighty-five percent of her students are on free and reduced lunch programs, and 83 percent of her students are African-American. Ten percent of the students are special education students.
"Charters are about parent choice," Quebodeaux said.
"We're more flexible in design and operation than a district school."
That manifests itself in a number of ways, chiefly in accountability. Right now, teachers aren't given tenure after a number of years, and their pay scale doesn't have 'step increases' like in the rest of the district, but phenomenal educators qualify for merit bonus pay.
Parents are more accountable too, she said. Each parent must sign a contract with the school upon enrolling that will guarantee at least 20 hours of volunteer time, 30 for parents with more than one student at the school.
While it seems that may be a hardship, Quebodeaux stated that parents are clamoring to get their hours in.
"Once they realized they had to do it, they were really trying to figure out ways to get an hour here or there," she said.
The contract states that if the parents don't fulfill their side of the bargain, their child won't be able to enroll in classes at the charter school the following year.C
"Of course, we try to keep everyone. We work really hard to get those hours in a number of ways for parents," Quebodeux said.
The ultimate vision of the school is to build a middle and high school, giving Calcasieu Parish parents even more choice in where to send their children for education.
On the Web:
For more information about the Lake Charles Charter Academy, visit www.lakecharlescharter.org/
Charter schools in Louisiana have a common perception in the minds of many parents, that of an elite school into which only a few would be allowed.
That's simply not the truth, according to Pam Quebodeaux, principal of Calcasieu Parish's only charter school, the Lake Charles Charter Academy.
"Anybody can write a charter on how they would run a school, apply with the state, and start a school," Quebodeaux told the Sulphur Rotary Club Wednesday afternoon.
This is because Louisiana's charter laws were enacted in 1995, which allow for alternative teaching methods outside of the normal school district system.
Charter schools are just like regular schools, Quebodeaux said, except that they report directly to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. They don't really have a 'home office' like other public schools in Calcasieu Parish. Quebodeaux is the principal and also the superintendent of her school.
No one is charged tuition, and the 600 students at the school are drawn from a variety of backgrounds, all chosen via lottery.
"Most of our students come from schools in southeast Lake Charles. About 70 come from private schools, like Hamilton Christian," Quebodeaux said.
Eighty-five percent of her students are on free and reduced lunch programs, and 83 percent of her students are African-American. Ten percent of the students are special education students.
"Charters are about parent choice," Quebodeaux said.
"We're more flexible in design and operation than a district school."
That manifests itself in a number of ways, chiefly in accountability. Right now, teachers aren't given tenure after a number of years, and their pay scale doesn't have 'step increases' like in the rest of the district, but phenomenal educators qualify for merit bonus pay.
Parents are more accountable too, she said. Each parent must sign a contract with the school upon enrolling that will guarantee at least 20 hours of volunteer time, 30 for parents with more than one student at the school.
While it seems that may be a hardship, Quebodeaux stated that parents are clamoring to get their hours in.
"Once they realized they had to do it, they were really trying to figure out ways to get an hour here or there," she said.
The contract states that if the parents don't fulfill their side of the bargain, their child won't be able to enroll in classes at the charter school the following year.C
"Of course, we try to keep everyone. We work really hard to get those hours in a number of ways for parents," Quebodeux said.
The ultimate vision of the school is to build a middle and high school, giving Calcasieu Parish parents even more choice in where to send their children for education.
On the Web:
For more information about the Lake Charles Charter Academy, visit www.lakecharlescharter.org/
