Charter School Frequently Asked Questions
A. A charter school is a free, public charter school with a great deal of freedom to establish its own mission, create its own curriculum, hire its own staff, and manage its own budget. Charter schools have the freedom to be innovative, but are held accountable to the highest academic standards. Charter schools are also subject to many of the same rules and regulations as traditional public schools, including teacher certification and standardized test score reporting. Its staff is hired by the charter school and is independent of the Waukesha Public School District.
A. As a free, public, charter school, La Casa de Esperanza Charter School is non-sectarian and non-discriminatory in all its practices. It is required to take all students who want to attend. If there are more interested students than available seats, the schools will hold a lottery, which randomly determine which students will be enrolled. Students in Wisconsin are eligible to attend. The great majority of our students will come from the surrounding neighborhood and greater Waukesha.
A. This school has a culture of high expectations and a no excuses mentality. Small class sizes and uniforms contribute to the safe, secure, and caring environment. A team of extraordinary teachers and administrators have been assembled to maintain this culture. The school continually seeks out best practices for student achievement. Students participate in Art/Spanish, Financial Literacy, physical ed class, health and wellness education, homework help, extra curricular classes, and a summer enrichment program. All these services are available on-site at La Casa de Esperanza.
A. At La Casa de Esperanza Charter School, we believe that it is important for all children to know two languages. For this reason we have a dual language program. Our goal is for all of our students to learn in both English and Spanish and be bilingual when they graduate from eighth grade. In addition, a challenging, standards based curriculum will be utilized to ensure that our students meet the high academic standards placed on them.
A. The La Casa de Esperanza Charter School is a full-service school that mobilizes resources both inside and outside the four walls of the school building to provide additional support for the academic and social needs of students and their families. Additional support includes: 1) an early childhood academic center, 2) before- and after-school programs (open 6:00 am to 7:00 pm for children 6 weeks to 12 years old), 3) homework help, 4) a six week summer enrichment for all students, 5) health and wellness education, 6) nutrition, 7) extra curricular classes, 8) financial literacy, and 9) Spanish/Art class, 10) physical ed class, and 11) job training. All these services are available on-site at La Casa de Esperanza.
A. The successful full-service school needs meaningful family and community participation in the school. Both are seen as respected stakeholders in the education of La Casa students. Community members will be invited to serve as one-to one mentors for students.
A. The current public per pupil payment in Wisconsin is $8,075 a year, less than the $12,000+ that public schools get. Fundraising will help reduce the gap between the amount of state aid and the actual cost of educating a student. Also, charter schools receive no funding for facilities. Additionally, the comprehensive model, which includes afterschool and summer programming, is more costly to provide. Most high-quality charters rely on private donation to help ensure success.
A. Our Goals Include:
- Students achieve a 95% daily attendance rate
- 100% of students graduate from La Casa Charter School
- Students meet or exceed state averages in standardized reading and math test scores
- All students attend the high school of their choice
- To be a destination school for students in Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties
