Patricia Anduze, of Denmark, announced Friday that the Planning Committee of the Bamberg County Charter School for Academic Excellence has received a startup grant for a charter school in Bamberg County.

The Planning Committee of the Bamberg County Charter School for Academic Excellence applied for and received a potential two year $420,000 planning and implementation grant to establish a Public Charter School for students residing in Bamberg County; the third most impoverished county in South Carolina. “In phases,” she said, “with a $5,000 starter grant at first, and then if approved, $420,000 over the next two years.”

All public school attendees in Bamberg County School Districts’ I & II will be able to attend this newly formed public charter school. “We chose not to go with either school board (Bamberg School District I or Bamberg School District II), but rather through a state affiliation.”

The Charter School Reform Act of 2006 opened the door to a whole host of initiatives, creating the South Carolina Public Charter School District (SCPCSD)–a statewide educational authority for the sole purpose of sponsoring and supporting charter schools.

Applicants have a choice of seeking a charter either through their local school district or the SCPCSD.

As a “local educational agency” the SCPCSD will be able to pass along all state and federal funds, minus two percent for administration, to the charter school, enabling the operator to utilize program funds to its best advantage. The new authority takes effect July 1st.

The planning committee’s mission, she said, is to provide a Charter School that is in total compliance with the Charter School Act, all legislative mandates, and meeting standards for progress toward the 2010 South Carolina performance goal. Further, she emphasized, it is the committee’s goal to implement personalized educational programs that facilitate student achievement while utilizing educational reform offering change in the way teachers teach and students learn.

“Additionally,” she said, “it is our objective to make parents or guardians, volunteers and other stakeholders an integral part of the Charter School via an Advisory Committee, Parent Teacher Association (PTA); developing resourceful collaborative relationships with businesses, communities, educational institutions and others.

“We will have single-gender classes, smaller class sizes, utilize the Phonovisual Method for teaching, extended school days, enhanced staff development; technology as a teaching tool; and, a developmentally appropriate physical fitness program.

With a tentative opening date in August, 2009, during the first year of operation they plan to serve 190 students in grades K-5, adding one grade each year for an ultimate goal of educating students through grade 12. No site has yet been selected, though several are being considered.

There are two principles which guide charter schools. First is that they will operate as autonomous public schools. This is affected by gaining waivers from many of the procedural requirements of public schools. The second is that they may use innovative pedagogy. To justify their waivers and autonomy, they are supposed to produce results superior to noncharter schools.

Charter schools fit in a niche between private and public schools. They are funded with public money (except for their facilities) and they are an alternative to regular public schools systems.

Charter schools receive waivers from public school districts in exchange for promising better academic results. Charters are usually given for 3-5 years, where an eye is kept on academic performance. If academic performance lags behind comparable public schools, then the “charter” is pulled and the school is closed.

Chartering gives schools the freedom to tailor programs respecting the community needs. Chartering also allows the school to run autonomously of the existing public school system.