Proposed Charter Middle School Applicant Withdraws Application for Consideration At This Time

Richmond, May 23, 2011- the Richmond Education Foundation(REF) has provided the following statement in response to a RPS recommendation for denial of application for a charter middle school in the city.”We commend RPS’ charter review committee for it’s due diligence throughout this process,” said Antione M. Green, REF’s Vice-President.

“REF remains fully committed to fulfilling its promise to provide a unique opportunity for Richmond youth to pursue professional careers and college education in the high paying and ever-growing scientific and technological fields.  We look forward to working with the school board and administration to increase parental options here in our city while addressing the achievement or opportunity gap that exists among our students and their global competitors”.

“In light of the significance of the report, our proposal, and the process, we are respectfully requesting for our charter application to be withdrawn for consideration at this time. We will explore our options pursuant to the the laws of our commonwealth and proceed accordingly”.

About REF:

The mission of Richmond Education Foundation is opening a charter school in the City of Richmond to provide an excellent educational experience for all middle and high school students with a rigorous academic program focusing on math, science, and technology.

This mission will be accomplished by:
Implementing an innovative, challenging and enhanced curriculum that reflects the increasing role of science and technology in today’s world.Providing opportunities for all students and closing the gap for the disadvantaged students with the proven math and science programs that work for at-risk students, as well as academically gifted students.Establishing a pact among students, parents, staff, and the community to provide a nurturing, safe, and dynamic learning environment.

Contact
Antione Green(804) 616-2537
antionegreen79@aol.com

Antione M. Green, a Richmond native, a social activist and educational advocate who was recently  appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to the Education Commission of the States(ECS), now joins the Board of Trustee of Richmond Education Foundation to help  address the growing needs for education in the greater Richmond Area. In our recent board meeting in Richmond, Antione expressed his unconditional support for any initiative for providing better education to our children to equip them with the skills to meet the unpredictable challenges for the tomorrows, and he added, “ I will do everything I can at my disposal to make this charter school initiative a success story.”

Students in the City of Richmond are at a great risk of not meeting challenging State academic standards and not completing high school. Mr. Green said, “we believe that there is a need for public secondary schools offering early intervention with the support of a quality education that deliver a rigorous curriculum, focus on accountability, and access to competitive extra-curricular programs for all students in the City of Richmond.” With a fully dedicated team and board of trustee at Richmond Education Foundation, Sheila Bynum, another board member, added that we believe that our charter school initiative can equip our children with not only best middle/high school education, but also with the goal of getting a college degree. Our education model will be based on WEDUF’s Pinnacle School Model’s four pillars: Technology Integrated, Proactive Guidance Program, Results Driven Instruction and Advanced Studies Program.

Mr. Green, as our recent member of the board, attended Henrico County Public Schools and Virginia Commonwealth University .  He also interned for Henrico legislators, Senator Stosch and Delegate O’Bannon. His most recent legislative experience was serving as a legislative aide to Delegate Joe Morrissey during his freshman session.     In 1998, Mr. Green was recruited to join the Richmond Crusade for Voters. In 2004, he was elected 1st Vice-President of the Richmond Crusade for Voters and in 2006; He was elected President of the Crusade for Voter and installed in January 2007 as the youngest president, at age 27, in the Richmond Crusade for Voters history. In this capacity, he was a strong advocate for greater voter empowerment in the Metro Richmond area and in strengthening the Crusade’s legacy by adding new members who will continue the Crusade’s proud heritage.   In addition to his Crusade role and responsibilities, Mr. Green serves as a proud board member and chairman/government relations committee for the capital city’s first charter school, Patrick Henry School for the Science and Arts.  He formerly served in the role as the school’s chief executive officer overseeing startup efforts from January 2010 to June 2010.   In July 2010, he was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to the Education Commission of the States(ECS).

He balances the responsibilities of his office, work, school, and community service with the duties of being a good and supportive uncle, son, and grandson. In his spare time, He is an avid reader of history, political biographies and plays basketball.

We are very happy to see Mr. Green among our noble members of the board, and we believe that his enthusiasm and expertise will help energize the entire team to move forward with the long overdue   charter school project.

We base our educational program on the understanding that our nation’s economic future will require a highly trained workforce in math, science, and technology.

Education at a Glance 2008 , a report by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that United States is one of only two OECD countries in which younger generations have a lower percentage of college attainment (Associate & Higher). The findings of this comprehensive report point out that US is declining in terms of highly educated population. In addition, the United States is 10th for the age group of 25 to 34, following highly progressive countries such as South Korea, Ireland, France and Belgium.

Differences in College Attainment Between Younger and Older Adults US and OECD Countries, 2006

Considering that top performing Canada has a percentage of 55%, the United States has to produce more tertiary degrees to close the gap.

According to the National Center for Higher Education Systems’ (NCHEMS) study, Setting  Goals for Education Attainment in Virginia, the current percentage of adults aged 25-64 with college degrees in 2005 is 42.8. Considering the current annual degree production, percentage in 2025 is projected to be 41.1. Even taking net migration into account, the projected percentage of degrees at 48.9% falls short in comparison to best performing countries at 55%.

The Figure below presents the needed degrees in Virginia according to NCHEMS to close the gap between top performing country, Canada. By the current rate of degrees produced, Virginia needs to generate an additional 282,870 college degrees which corresponds to 14,144 degrees in a year. Comparing the current production of 50,603 degrees in all sectors, Virginia needs to increase its annual associate and bachelor’s degree graduates by 33%. In order to produce more post-secondary degrees Virginia needs more high school graduates ready for college education. In order to contribute towards this goal, our proposed charter school will focus on educating its pupils with the goal of obtaining a college degree.

Degrees in Virginia to reach top performance of 55% by 2025