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STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
We aspire to be great community schools of choice for the families we serve.
We are united behind the original ideals of the charter school contract. We embrace our diverse communities, which include immigrants, people of color, children with disabilities, the homeless, English language learners, people of all faiths, and the LGBTQ community. We believe in the power of schools to transform the lives of young people AND in the responsibility of government to ensure that all children have adequate nutrition, shelter, health care and educational opportunity.

EQUITY  

 

  • We reaffirm that charter schools are public schools. All public schools should receive equitable funding.

  • We are committed to transparency in our practices and accountability to our students, parents, government authorizers, and the public

  • As public institutions, our charter schools are open, welcoming, and responsive to our many stakeholders.

 

AUTONOMY & ACCOUNTABILITY 

 

  • Autonomy in exchange for accountability is the bedrock principle of charter schools.

  • Real accountability must be rooted in the development of the whole child and the needs of society to strengthen our democracy and cultivate citizens.

  • The work we do at our schools is for the greater good. We guard against any practice that subordinates the work we do to personal or corporate profit.

 

DIVERSITY

 

  • We commit to serving students who reflect our communities and neighborhoods, especially students with the greatest educational needs.

  • We actively recruit, retain and serve the highest-need students, such as students with disabilities, English language learners, and students with challenging life circumstances.

  • We are determined to educate each of our students to the best of our ability.

 

QUALITY

 

  • All students have the right to a high-quality education.

  • Our parents, students, and caregivers choose our schools and trust that we will provide a high-quality education.

  • Our schools develop and implement policies and practices that strive for equitable outcomes

COLLABORATION 

 

  • Charter schools were created as laboratories of innovation, we seek out opportunities for collaboration with school districts, charter schools, and other educational entities.

  • We welcome opportunities to learn from and exchange ideas with our colleagues.

  • Our workplaces are inclusive and collaborative.

 

INNOVATION 

 

  • Our schools serve as laboratories for educational innovation.

  • We are obligated to research, develop, and implement new ideas, practices, and strategies.

  • School innovation is reinforced by use of multiple measures for evaluation. We strive to develop measures of student growth that are aligned with the mission of our schools.

 

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS

 

  • We invest in our educators so that they can invest in our students, our schools, and our communities.

  • We rely on professional and compassionate faculty and staff to model the attitudes we foster in our students.

  • Our faculty and staff engage in culturally responsive teaching practices.

  • Our schools provide innovative opportunities that encourage educators to excel at their craft.

  • Personnel evaluations and our employment practices are fair, equitable, and transparent.

 

GOVERNANCE & COMMUNITY

 

  • Our independence is a public trust and governed by Oregon public charter school statute.

  • Boards must be fully and demonstrably independent from
    service providers and have a robust process for community input.

  • Decision makers actively engage with our students, families, faculty, staff, and community.

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