Our Mission Statement

To serve and support Oregon charter schools. Our mission statement reflects a commitment to individual charter schools, as well as the “movement” as a whole.

Functions: The Oregon League of Charter Schools serves three broadly defined functions:

1. as a clearinghouse for information and resources that charter school groups can draw upon,
2. as a technical support group, providing mentorship aid and assistance in locating resources
and services, and
3. as an advocate for the overall charter schools movement - whether through contact with the
media, maintaining a presence in the political realm, or improving community exposure we
serve the needs of charter schools in areas where their interests are best served by
collective action.
Statement of Principles

1. Local Control
a. Each charter school must be allowed to develop its own educational program, have the
flexibility to use innovative or proven educational approaches, and establish its own
priorities for student instruction.
b. Charter schools and their chartering districts must deal with each other in good faith and
with equity. Chartering districts must not seek to limit or interfere with the legal
authority of the charter schools, and charter schools must exercise their authority within
the parameters of federal law, state law and the charter contract.
c. The League will oppose under-funded mandates that are counterproductive to running
an innovative or proven charter school education program.
2. Charter Application and Appeals Process
a. Negotiation of a fair contract for each charter school requires a level playing field
between charter school applicants and chartering districts. Parties must negotiate in
good faith. Where negotiations fail, an effective appeals process is essential for charter
schools to have a fair opportunity to form and operate.
3. Governance Structure
a. Each charter school creates a governance structure to facilitate the achievement of the
school’s mission and objectives. Each school must be free to develop its own model of
participatory governance. However, the decision-making process must be clearly
defined, identifying who has ultimate authority and responsibility for decisions made.
4. Student Achievement and Accountability
a. Assuring academic achievement is a key goal of each charter school. Performancebased assessment tools will be used to verify the progress of each student.
5. Educational Standards
a. The state of Oregon has instituted minimum educational standards and assessments for

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