Despite pushback from Alachua County Public Schools, Newberry Elementary School is transitioning into a charter school.
As Newberry Community School prepares to open this August, much remains uncertain. The charter board is in the process of planning transportation, meal and child care services.
During this transition period, the charter board is refining its learning initiatives and teaching methods, which differ from those of traditional public schools.
Newberry Community School changes
As part of the transition, the school will promote science, technology, engineering, art and math-focused learning initiatives and hands-on opportunities for students, said Lacy Roberts, the principal of the upcoming school.
While the charter is still a public school and will continue to follow state standards and assessments, the school doesn’t have to operate under the curriculum regulations traditional public schools face. Therefore, the school’s methods for teaching may seem different, she said.
“Charter schools offer the freedom of doing things different for kids, focusing more on kids’ successes instead of the way it's always been done,” Roberts said. “We have the freedom to think outside the box, and I think we can do some great things for kids.”
A 2023 study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes found charter school students showed greater improvement in reading and math than traditional public school students over one school year. Following a 180-day school year, charter students were six days ahead in math learning and 16 days ahead in reading when compared with traditional public school students.
However, other researchers said the differences measured in the study are too small to be meaningful. Additionally, they said the study fails to account for other factors — like those that drive parents to enroll their children in charter schools — that may affect students’ education.
According to Christopher Thomas, a UF assistant professor of educational leadership and policy, research on the effectiveness of charter schools typically yields mixed results and doesn't show significant differences in learning outcomes between charters and traditional public schools.
Other criticisms of charter schools center around the diversion of resources, students and teachers from public schools and the application process for charter schools, Thomas said.
“Charter schools kind of embrace this idea of education as a consumer good,” he said, “where you kind of shop around for the school that best fits your version of what a good education ought to be.”
For some parents, the implication of this process on the existing democratic nature of education can be concerning, he said.
Differences in the charter’s policy do not only center around students but also teachers.
Salaries for Newberry Community School teachers will be 5% higher than that of ACPS teachers. The starting salary for a teacher in Alachua County is $49,370, but salaries can vary depending on factors like the teacher’s highest degree.
The Newberry Community School Board discussed such raises during a meeting Jan. 26. Board member Chuck Clemons was among those who advocated for increased teacher salaries.
“This is our chance,” he said. “It's our chance to design this the way it should be for our community and to make it meaningful for these teachers.”
Clemons, a former state representative, suggested the board make the 5% salary increase a minimum, meaning teachers could potentially earn more.
The efforts to increase teacher appreciation and introduce new learning opportunities for students remain at the forefront of the school's new policy.
Legal challenges
A Florida statute allows outside organizations to propose existing traditional public schools be converted into charter schools.
This law permitted the Newberry Community School Board to propose the transition of Newberry Elementary into a charter school.
In April 2024, parents and teachers at the elementary school gathered to vote on the charter. To approve the school, a majority of parents and teachers needed to vote in its favor. While most parents were in support of the charter, only 22 of the 44 teachers voted in favor of the conversion.
Following the vote, both the Alachua County School Board and the Supervisor of Elections verified the result: Newberry Elementary would not be converted into a charter school.
However, nearly one year later, the Florida Department of Education changed its requirements, allowing a 50% approval rate to pass.
Under state statute, this change in administrative law could not be applied retroactively; however, the Florida Charter School Review Commission approved the charter application following the change in policy. The Alachua County School Board sought to appeal the commission’s decision, but it didn’t succeed.
The Florida Department of Education wasn’t available for interviews when emailed twice within a four-week period.
On Jan. 16, Newberry Community School requested roughly $90,000 in legal fees from the Alachua County School Board to cover the additional expenses brought on by the board’s unsuccessful appeal to stop the conversion charter.
During a Jan. 26 meeting, the Newberry Community School Board met with its attorney, Shawn Arnold, to discuss the petition.
Following the unsuccessful appeal from Alachua County School Board, the Newberry board requested monetary compensation from the district. The two parties were unable to reach an agreement, said Arnold.
“In any time that there's a dispute over things, there's two sides to a story,” he said. “I'm not sure the story resonates very well.”
For ACPS, the problem with Newberry Community School stems from the state’s policies toward charter schools.
“The state of Florida is very encouraging — I guess it's the best way to put it — of charter schools,” ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said. “They are certainly wanting to create an environment where there are more charter schools.”
State initiatives like the Charter School Program Grant and Schools of Hope promote the emergence of charters. The grant program allows upcoming charter schools to secure federal funding “to expand the number of high quality charter schools in Florida.” Likewise, Schools of Hope allows charter schools to form in areas with academically low-performing schools.
The Florida Senate also proposed a bill this legislative session that would increase funding and opportunities for charter schools throughout the state.
The transition process
Though the Alachua County School Board is unhappy with the decision to convert the elementary school into a charter, it has been involved in the school’s transition process, according to Johnson. The Alachua County School Board would have little input otherwise, she said.
The two boards are currently sorting out the equipment and facilities that will be removed before the school opens, Johnson said. Equipment purchased with federal funds, like kitchen appliances, must be removed prior to the school’s opening.
Since federally regulated programs won’t apply to the charter school, parents looking into Newberry Community School should consider what transportation and meal services will be offered, Johnson said.
The Newberry board addressed such issues in its meeting Jan. 26. It’s actively searching for vendors that comply with the National School Lunch Program but does not have a timeline for when a decision will be made. The search for transportation is ongoing, and the board expects to make a decision at its next meeting on Feb. 23.
For those wishing to keep their children within the school district, school zoning remains undecided.
Under an initiative referred to as “Our Schools — Future Ready,” ACPS is working to create new district boundary lines. The district currently plans to present the rezoning proposal to the Alachua County School Board in mid-March, Johnson said.
For parents looking to register their children for the charter, applications will open Feb. 1. All students, regardless of their current school, must apply for the charter. Applications can be submitted online or to the Newberry Charter Office.
Contact Grace Larson at glarson@alligator.org. Follow her on X @graceellarson.
Grace Larson is a first-year journalism student, currently serving as K-12 education reporter. She has previously served as city/county commission reporter for The Alligator's metro desk. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and hanging out with her family.
