SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Proposal to Transfer an Existing Charter School to

Oversight and Supervision by the State University of New York Board of Trustees

PAVE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

October 3, 2017

Charter Schools Institute State University of New York

41 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, New York 12207

(518) 445-4250 (518) 320-1572 (fax)

www.newyorkcharters.org

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Executive Summary PAVE Academy Charter School (“PAVE”) submitted the application to transfer authorization to the State University of New York Board of Trustees (the “SUNY Trustees”) on April 19, 2017 in response to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute’s (the “Institute’s”) Application for SUNY to Authorize an Existing Charter School Education Corporation (the “Application”) (available at: http://www.newyorkcharters.org/operate/transfer/) released on behalf of the SUNY Trustees in the fall of 2016. The board of trustees of PAVE, a not-for-profit charter school education corporation authorized by the New York City Schools Chancellor (the “NYC Chancellor”) currently operates one school in New York City Community School District (“CSD”) 15, the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. PAVE was approved by the New York State Board of Regents (the “Board of Regents”) on January 15, 2008. The school opened in fall 2009 with Kindergarten and 1st grade. For the 2017-18 school year, the school will serve approximately 490 students in grades K-8. PAVE formed PAVE Schools, Inc. (“PAVE Schools”), a New York not-for-profit corporation and charter management organization (“CMO”), in 2014 to replicate the PAVE model. PAVE Schools’ network of schools expanded with a second school in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2015. The PAVE management agreement runs with the term of the charter. PAVE Schools provides:

Instruction-related services and reporting; Materials and equipment; Business operations; Human resources; and, Budgeting and financial reporting.

The current fee arrangement is 10% of gross revenues. The Board of Regents approved a full-term five-year renewal on March 12, 2013 through June 30, 2018 allowing the school to expand into a middle school. PAVE has submitted an application for renewal to SUNY for action during the 2017-18 school year. Based on the Application and the foregoing:

The Institute recommends that the SUNY Trustees approve the application to transfer oversight and supervision of PAVE Academy Charter School from the New York City Schools Chancellor to the SUNY Trustees.

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Background and Description Amendments to the New York Charter Schools Act of 1998 (as amended, the “Act”) in 2016 permit a charter school overseen by one authorizer to apply to be overseen by any other authorizer during a period of one year from the effective date of the legislation. As the legislation took effect immediately upon signature of the Governor on June 23, 2016, charter schools had one year from that date to apply to the SUNY Trustees. New York Education Law § 2851(5) does not mandate that the SUNY Trustees act on such applications within one year. The Institute reviewed all applications for transfer submitted by noon on June 23, 2017, and based on the strength of the applicant’s existing school(s), will recommend those that qualify to the SUNY Trustees’ Charter Schools Committee for approval until all timely applications have been recommended, withdrawn, or determined by the Institute to not meet the requirements for recommendation. Mission, Philosophy and Key Design Elements PAVE’s mission is to prepare “Kindergarten to 8th grade students to thrive in competitive high schools and 4-year colleges. PAVE provides students a rigorous academic program and a school community built on the core values of Perseverance, Achievement, Vibrance, and Excellent Character (PAVE Values).” PAVE schools are founded on the following beliefs:

● The timeless value of core skills, rigorous content, and assessment; ● High, and unbending, expectations in our scholars and ourselves; ● Clear and consistent routines; and, ● Instilling a growth mindset in our scholars and ourselves.

PAVE’s key design elements are as follows:

● College Bound Culture Based on Core Values: Everything at PAVE schools reinforces the expectation that students will thrive in college and beyond. PAVE’s Core Values of Perseverance, Achievement, Vibrance, and Excellent character (PAVE) are important keys to success and are taught, modeled, and celebrated weekly during Community Meeting, where individual students are publicly acknowledged for demonstrating Core Values. Character education is a key component of the PAVE model and is infused throughout the curriculum, school culture, and family engagement.

● More Time on Task: PAVE schools employ a school day that is approximately an hour longer and a school year that is approximately 10 days longer than traditional public schools. In addition, PAVE teachers urgently implement fine-tuned instructional systems and ensure that transitions (both in and out of the classroom) happen swiftly and efficiently: every

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second of learning counts. PAVE also partners with local after school programs for additional enrichment such as the YMCA of the Triangle, Kidznotes (music program), Oasis (high quality After School program), Fletcher Academy (tutoring), Girls Club, the City Squash Program, Good Shepard Services, NYC Chess and Games, and the Charter School Athletic League. PAVE Academy also provides a step and cheerleading squad that runs after school.

● “Heavy Lifting” by Students: At PAVE, teachers teach with a great sense of urgency and purpose, lessons are conducted at a steady pace, and teachers craft a purposeful plan so students do the "heavy-lifting." Instructional leaders measure each lesson plan by the amount of cognitive work required by students and observe lessons through the lens of "ratio." Scholars are expected to do the majority of critical thinking, reading, and talking. Three basic types of pedagogy are employed at PAVE:

○ Collaborative Learning: Teaching/learning involves the formation of groups of students to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. PAVE believes that students need to learn how to communicate effectively with their peers and explicitly teaches them the "habits of discussions" so they can ultimately have academic debates without the direct oversight of the teacher.

○ Explicit Instruction: Standards-driven, teacher-led instruction is utilized in conjunction with Collaborative Learning. In this model, students cultivate knowledge and skills in small, sequential steps. There is a clear structure of "I do," "we do," and "you do." After a clear model from the teacher, students practice the skill together before further honing the acquired skill independently. Teachers are coached into delivering clear and concise lessons, which allow ample time for rigorous, independent practice.

○ Project Based Instruction: As PAVE students matriculate to higher grades, the school increasingly provides opportunities for project-based instruction, which exists within the context and scope of the curricula. Students are able to select, plan, and implement projects that interest and inspire them. Project based instruction provides additional motivation/incentive to students since the material/content is of particular interest to them. It allows students to assume greater control and ownership of the material, which results in deeper learning and acquisition of knowledge.

● Co-Teaching Model (K-4): The PAVE model is based on the power of two fully qualified teachers in the classroom in early grades, which results in increased options for scholars, increased engagement for all types of learners, increased access to curriculum, and ultimately high levels of student achievement. Co-teaching also fosters joint accountability amongst the staff and a sense of collaboration and shared vision.

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● Curriculum: The Common Core State Standards were developed with the express intent of ensuring that students in grades K-12 who master the standards are prepared to excel in college and subsequent careers. PAVE has spent three years developing Common-Core aligned curriculum. As a result, PAVE schools all benefit from the scope and sequences, unit plans, and lesson plans developed by the flagship school, PAVE Red Hook, to guide teachers in their development and delivery of curriculum. These resources are housed on Google Drive, a cloud-based system used to create, organize, and share curriculum. This system allows teachers and school leaders to continuously archive, monitor, review, and revise curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of students.

● Teacher Development: All PAVE staff develop a "growth mindset," with a keen and selfless ability to receive and implement feedback. Teachers work closely with instructional leaders to identify growth areas, set goals, and work tirelessly towards improvement with PAVE's Rubric for Instructional Excellence as a foundation for all action. Summer Institute, a teacher orientation program before the start of school, includes two weeks of intense training with daily professional development provided throughout the remainder of the school year. Through classroom observations and weekly one-on-one coaching meetings, teachers work with their coach to implement feedback and hone instructional techniques. Instructional leaders take a hands-on approach to the classrooms including demonstrating model lessons, co-teaching with teachers, and/or working with small groups of students.

● Data-Driven Instruction: PAVE employs a robust assessment program including frequent formative assessments, summative unit tests every six weeks, interim assessments (“IAs”), and Fountas & Pinnell (“F&P”) reading assessments administered three times per year. All leaders and teachers are trained in "Data Driven Instruction" (Paul Bambrick-Santoya, Driven by Data). All formal data are immediately processed and analyzed through Wireless Generation's online platform. Data is compared with other high performing PAVE schools taking the same exam. These data, and other data obtained from daily exit tickets, are discussed weekly in coaching sessions and grade team meetings. Leaders hold formal data meetings four times a year in which all instructors engage in deep standards/item based analysis and action planning.

● Learning Environment: PAVE classrooms are highly structured and organized. In order to maximize instructional time, teachers are very purposeful about the small details. They have particular systems for how students hang up coats, organize desks, distribute pencils, etc. Students take pride in keeping their materials well organized and know that everything in their classroom has a place. The structure and consistency in the classrooms builds a safe learning environment where scholars joyfully internalize the routines and make transitions quickly and efficiently. With tight systems and routines the school maximizes instructional time.

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● Use of Technology: School leaders are well versed at integrating innovative technology into school culture. Each classroom is outfitted with a projector, a laptop computer, and access to online resources. More intricately, PAVE uses Google Drive, a cloud-based system where teachers from all PAVE schools share lesson plans, curriculum, and other proven instructional materials. Additionally, PAVE employs the web-based Illuminate data system, which scans and displays data in color-coded, user friendly reports that allow for group and subgroup results to be analyzed immediately upon test completion. Students also use Chromebooks and iPads as part of their reading and writing instruction.

Academic Performance The Institute collected academic outcome data generated by PAVE during the most recent three years and analyzed it against the performance standard set by the SUNY Trustees to determine the strength of the school’s educational program. During 2014-15, PAVE did not meet the Trustees’ academic performance standard in ELA, but the school did meet the standard during 2015-16 and 2016-17. In mathematics, the school’s results were below the Trustees’ standard for academic performance during 2014-15 and 2015-16, but met the performance standard during 2016-17. PAVE’s posted science performance met the Trustees’ standard during the past three years. The school was in good standing during the three year span according to the state’s NCLB accountability system.

PAVE’s academic performance in ELA has trended up during the past three years. During 2014-15 and 2015-16, the school performed below CSD 15 (the “district”), but in comparison, closed the gap significantly. Between the two years, the district’s performance on the state’s ELA assessment increased by 7 percentage points while PAVE’s performance increased by 18 percentage points. In 2016-17, the school’ performance was only 1 percentage point below the district’s with the school’s proficiency rate of 52 essentially matching the district’s rate of 53. PAVE demonstrated a similar comparative performance trend in ELA as measured by the Institute’s effect size. In 2014-15, the school’s performance was lower than expected but in 2016-17, PAVE posted ELA performance higher than expected to a large degree in comparison to schools throughout the state enrolling similar proportions of economically disadvantaged students. During this time, the school posted adequate growth scores: each year, the school’s average ELA growth score was just under or above the state’s median percentile of 50.

Similarly, in mathematics, the school performed lower than the district but closed the gap during the last 3 years. In 2015-16, the school’s percentage of students proficient on the state’s mathematics assessment was 10 percentage points below that of the district. In 2016-17, PAVE closed the gap to only 2 points below the district with 51% of students enrolled for at least 2 years proficient on the state’s mathematics assessment. In comparison to schools enrolling similar concentrations of economically disadvantaged students, PAVE performed higher than expected to a

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small degree during 2014-15 and 2015-16 before improving and performing higher than expected to a large degree in 2016-17. This upward trend in mathematics performance is also evident in PAVE’s mathematics growth scores. In 2014-15, the school’s growth score of 36 was far below the state’s median score of 50. After growing that score in 2015-16, the school’s 2016-17 mathematics growth score exceeded the state’s median of 50 by 6 percentile points.

PAVE posted adequate science scores in the most recent three years. During 2014-15, 90% of the school’s tested students scored at or above proficiency on the state’s 8th grade science assessment, essentially matching the district’s performance. The school’s performance also matched the district’s in 2015-16 with 83% of students at or above proficiency. Although comparative data for 2016-17 are not yet available, 81 percent of the school’s tested students scored at or above proficiency.

PAVE was not identified as a school in need of a local assistance plan or as a focus charter school during the last three years and consistently has been in good standing under the state’s NCLB accountability system.

Calendar and Schedule PAVE offers an extended school day and year with 10 additional instructional days during the regular school year. The regular school day begins each morning at 7:50 A.M., and ends at 3:45 P.M. Academic Program In addition to analyzing available academic outcome data, the Institute visited the school to gauge the quality of the program in place at the school at the time PAVE submitted its application.

Assessment: The assessment program includes frequent formative assessments, summative unit assessments every six weeks, IAs, and F&P assessments three times per year which is analyzed through Wireless Generation and Illuminate online platforms to analyze assessment data.

Action Plan: PAVE uses formal data meetings, four times per year, to allow teachers to complete a standards/item based analysis of assessment data and use that analysis to action plan.

Curriculum: PAVE use an internally created, common core aligned curriculum stored in Google Drive making it possible for teachers to access them at any time. Curricular materials are monitored, reviewed, and revised regularly.

Pedagogy: The instructional model is based on three types of pedagogy: collaborative learning; explicit instruction; and, project based instruction. Teachers are expected to craft

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lessons to include cold-call and student-to-student academic discourse that require students to do the “heavy lifting” leading to lessons that develop higher order thinking. Co-teaching is utilized in grades K-4.

Instructional Leadership: Each teacher works with an instructional leader to identify growth areas and set goals. Teacher development is grounded in PAVE’s Rubric for Instructional Excellence. Coaching activities may include demonstrating model lessons, co-teaching, and pulling a small group of students. School leadership and coaches observe teachers regularly and teachers meet with their coach weekly for a one-on-one coaching meeting.

At-Risk Programming: PAVE uses three academic programs to identify and support at-risk students: Fundations (K-3); F&P Leveled Literacy Intervention; and, Wilson Reading System.

o PAVE uses a Response to Intervention (RtI) model to provide increasingly intensive academic supports to students who are not performing at or above grade level.

o The Learning Support Coordinator and Intervention Specialists meet regularly with teachers to review Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities and work with teachers on best practices to support at-risk students. PAVE offers Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS), integrated co-teaching (ICT) classes and related services such as speech, physical/occupational therapy, and counseling.

o The ELL Coordinator trains PAVE staff to identify and support students with limited English proficiency.

Organizational Capacity: PAVE has strategies in place to recruit at-risk student populations. The enrollment for economically disadvantaged students is higher at PAVE (85%) than the CSD (66%), for students with disabilities (16%) it is on par with the CSD (18%), for ELLs (5%) it is lower than the CSD (17%). PAVE’s student retention rate was 89% last year. PAVE maintains adequate enrollment and has waitlists for each of the grades offered.

Board Oversight: The PAVE board of trustees is made up of seven members with a diverse set of skills and backgrounds.

School Culture and Discipline

PAVE has developed developmentally appropriate academic and behavior expectations for students.

PAVE faculty are expected to maximize instructional time by executing tight system and routines in their classrooms. PAVE faculty continuously remind students of the expectations and consistently model and enforce them, so that over time the desired behaviors become second nature based on the theory that the code of conduct is defended vigilantly and the “small stuff” sweated profusely. PAVE believes that when small problems are stopped, big problems will seldom emerge.

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The school enforces a structured and disciplined environment through the school-wide use of consistent classroom routines and procedures. According to PAVE, students crave predictable continuity. Continuity provides a less stressful environment where students can effectively learn and ultimately flourish.

PAVE dedicates substantial portions of its opening days/weeks of the school year towards establishing appropriate protocols that will be enforced consistently throughout the school. The school takes time to allow students to fully understand: (1) transitions- both within the classroom and the hallways; (2) correctly wearing the school uniform; (3) proper conduct within the classroom and common spaces such as the cafeteria; and, (4) social expectations- firm handshake, eye contact, projected voice, etc.

Governance

The PAVE board of trustees consists of seven members. The school is managed by PAVE Schools, Inc. (“PAVE Schools”), a New York not-for-profit corporation, through a management agreement. PAVE Schools provides back end services in accounting, finance, curriculum and professional development, recruitment, hiring and facilities maintenance. Board Members

1. Jamie Greenthal (Chair). Mr. Greenthal is the Director of Strategic Initiative at KIPP NYC, LLC, a New York limited liability company affiliated with a national not-for-profit network of college preparatory public charter schools. In his role, Mr. Greenthal develops programs and manages special projects for the New York City region of KIPP. Prior to joining KIPP NYC, Mr. Greenthal was a Kiva Fellow in the Philippines working for microfinance institutions and an Education Pioneers Fellow working with Kings Collegiate Charter School, which is authorized by the SUNY Trustees. Mr. Greenthal has a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

2. Daniel Greenblatt (Trustee). Mr. Greenblatt is the Chief Operating Officer at iMentor, a nonprofit organization that partners students at high schools in low-income communities to a college-educated mentor who commits to mentor a single student for a minimum of three years. Prior to iMentor, Mr. Greenblatt was the COO for the New York City Department of Education’s (“NYCDOE’s”) District 79. Mr. Greenblatt has a BA in economics from Connecticut College, a MS in education from Brooklyn College and was a Chancellor’s Fellow with the NYCDOE leadership program.

3. Mike Healy (Trustee). Mr. Healy is the Managing Member and co-founder of Gardner Standard LLC, a private investment firm focusing on investing small middle-market companies. Mr. Healy has a BS in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

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4. Annie Hopkins (Treasurer). Ms. Hopkins is a Vice President on the diversity recruiting team at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC. Ms. Hopkins has a BS in foreign service from Georgetown University and an MA in elementary education from Columbia University Teachers College. Ms. Hopkins was a founding 2nd grade teacher at PAVE and managed recruitment for Ascend Learning, Inc., a CMO managing several SUNY authorized charter schools.

5. Kim Lumpkin (Trustee). Mr. Lumpkin is the General Manager of Louder Than Life, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. In addition, Mrs. Lumpkin is the Chief Executive Officer of Bloom Entertainment, a full service entertainment management firm. Prior to joining Bloom, Ms. Lumpkin was the Vice President of Artists and Repertoire and Operations for Bad Boy Entertainment.

6. Melissa Melling (Trustee). Ms. Melling is a Partner and Head of Investor Relations/Chief Administrative Officer at Lion Point Capital. Ms. Melling received her BA in politics, cum laude, and Italian, gamma kappa alpha, from Princeton University.

7. Allie Sweeney (Trustee). Ms. Sweeney is a Managing Director of the Investor Relations & Business Development Group at the Blackstone Group, L.P. Ms. Sweeney works in capital raising efforts for Blackstone’s private real estate funds. Ms. Sweeney received her Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) from Queen’s University and is a member of the Pension Real Estate Association.

Facilities PAVE’s elementary and middle school programs are located in private space at 732 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York 11231. PAVE has a sub-sublease agreement with PACS 732 Henry LLC, a related party to the school’s CMO, for the facility that it entered into in March 2014. The school pays for all facility expenses, upkeep, and insurance but pays a nominal rent of $1 per year. Compliance Per the application and the Institute’s communication with the education corporation’s current authorizer, PAVE has met the requirements of the Act, and is not in violation of any material legal requirement, on probationary status under Education Law § 2855(3), or “slated for closure” by its current authorizer within the meaning of Education Law § 2851(5). Fiscal The school has a history of fiscal strength as demonstrated in the Fiscal Dashboard displayed in Appendix B. The Institute created a dashboard of the last three years of audited financial statements showing the school is fiscally sound with total net assets of approximately $1.7 million and three months of cash on hand to pay bells coming due shortly. The education corporation has

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established the required dissolution fund reserve for the operation and maintains a balance in excess of the required $75,000 as of June 30, 2016, which meets the SUNY charter agreement limit.

The budget projection going forward presents a reasonable and appropriate fiscal plan that is feasible and achievable.

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APPENDIX A: School Overview

BoardofTrustees

SchoolLeadership

SchoolCharacteristicsSchoolYear

CharteredGrades

CharteredEnrollment

2009‐10 K‐2 132

2010‐11 K‐3 173

2011‐12 K‐4 211

2012‐13 K‐5 246

2013‐14 K‐6 329

2014‐15 K‐7 379

2015‐16 K‐8 461

2016‐17 K‐8 490

2017‐18 K‐8 490

BoardMemberName Position

BoardMemberName Position

JamieGreenthal ChairmanandPresident KimLumpkin Trustee

DanielGreenblatt Trustee MelissaMelling Trustee

MikeHealy Trustee AllieSweeney TrusteeAnnieHopkins Treasurer

Title Name COO/CFO/Co‐Founder CooperWesterndarpCEO/Co‐Founder SpencerRobertsonElementarySchoolPrincipal HannahPrussin

MiddleSchoolPrincipal GeoffFenelus

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