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Charter Helping Charters

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By MICHELE SAGER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

THONOTOSASSA - With hundreds of families clamoring for a spot in the school next year, Terrace Community Middle has no problem filling its seats.

Now, the charter school wants to help other area charter schools attract students.

Terrace Community leaders plan to host an open house on its campus, inviting area charter schools to showcase their programs. The school district held similar events in past years for magnet schools, attractor programs and tutoring alternatives. Terrace Community hasn't set a date for its event.

"It would be a chance for the community to come out and learn about the different charter schools and explain exactly what we are," said Helen Ratcliffe, the school's operations administrator.

Some charter schools, such as Terrace Community, have waiting lists for admission. Many others struggle to find students. For example, Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High opened this year with about half the students its board had hoped to serve.

Meeting student attendance goals is crucial for charter schools because the majority of their state funding is tied to how many students they serve. Charter schools are public schools that receive state money but are run by private or nonprofit boards, separate from school districts.

At one time, Terrace Community struggled to recruit students, but that isn't the case anymore. The school has more than 200 applicants for next school year, with more expected to pour in before the January deadline.

Principal Gary Hocevar said parent interest in the middle school is at an all-time high because of the school's recent Blue Ribbon Award, the highest honor a school can receive.

To handle the excess applicants, the school holds a lottery for school slots as required by state law. Each year, Hocevar drew names by hand during an annual event at which anxious parents waited to hear whether their children made it.

Because of the increase in applicants, the school plans to use a computer program that will randomly select the students.

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-4843 or msager@tampatrib.com.

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