The CSA Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created by parents in the CSA District who wanted to protect one of our most valuable resources --our teachers! One of the most unfortunate consequences of the charter school funding inequity is reflected in our teachers' compensation. Our teachers engage in training throughout the year. They are encouraged to spend time in collaboration and preparation. While all of this helps us develop highly capable teachers for our students, it also makes them valuable in the marketplace. Our challenge is to keep our well-trained, dedicated teachers here in the CSA District.
Fifty percent, half, of all teachers who start working in US schools this year will leave the profession within 5 years. The annual attrition rate for teachers is different for different kinds of schools. The teacher attrition rate for teachers in public charter schools is 30%-35% each year. This high rate is due to the high accountability factors in charter schools, the fact that most charter school teachers are young, and the relatively lower pay for teachers in charter schools. The CSA Education Foundation was formed in an effort to combat the high attrition rate of teachers in public charter schools, specifically of teachers at the Charyl Stockwell Academy. Click HERE for more detailed information on the gap in funding between charter schools and public schools.
Invest in Our Future and Keep Our Stars Shining Bright!
The CSA Education Foundation raises funds that are then used to help train and retain our teachers. For over a decade now, the Foundation has offered an award to each teacher who has chosen to return to our district. In addition, we offer funding for teachers who have chosen to take on the added responsibility of leading extracurricular activities and for training opportunities.
As discerning parents, you chose CSA District for its private school atmosphere. You value the professionalism, knowledge, skills, and relationships that our finely trained teachers offer your family. An annual donation to the CSA Education Foundation will help us to equalize our teachers' salaries and maintain the quality of our children's education. Your tax-deductible contribution of $250 annually, $20 monthly, or $5 weekly per child enrolled in the CSA District will directly impact our teachers' and your children.
Of course, donations of any amount will be gratefully accepted.
Equalizing OUR Teachers’ salaries with the salaries in the Districts surrounding our school.
The executive recruiting web source, Burtch Works, identified the average salary increase individuals received when changing jobs was 14.8% and the median increase was 13.2% (2019 Update: Analytics Salary Increases When Changing Jobs- Burtch Works, burtchworks.com). This statistic is enough to get many of us out looking for new opportunities. In the education industry, multiple factors are currently affecting teacher retention including compensation, teacher preparation, administrative support and working conditions, according to HRX. While we feel incredibly fortunate to be confident in our teachers preparation and continued professional development, our administration and working conditions, we know we struggle with compensation. Charter schools are funded as such that we do more with less. As stakeholders in the Charyl Stockwell Academy, we can step in and positively influence compensation. We currently impact this area through our Returning Education Awards, our stipends for continuing education opportunities and our grants for leading extracurricular activities. We definitely provide a positive impact! The Education Foundation provided returning teachers with a Returning Educator Award of $599.00, as well as $5,000.00 for stipends for continuing education and an additional $5,000.00 for grants for leading extracurricular activities.
The Education Foundation goal of raising $250,000.00 annually is both a mighty number and based in reality. The goal of $250,000.00 per year would completely equalize our teachers salaries with those of the highest paying district surrounding us. Won’t you join us in this mission?
Charyl Stockwell Academy celebrates growth and learning, views children as the Whole-Child, implements a Developmental Approach, promotes success through Continuous Progress/Mastery Learning and Internal Motivation and maintains high expectations which set our children up for success in life. This multifaceted approach requires teachers with multifaceted skills! Our district has found the right people and provided those educators training in the CSA Way, we don’t want to lose them to competitors or other industries.
If you can relate to having experienced a positive teacher in your or your child’s life, please consider contributing to our fund or inquiring about volunteer opportunities. Volunteer inquiries can be sent to Lisa Pick at: lpick@csaschool.org
The CSA Education Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization led by parent volunteers and staff) continues to work towards the mission of retaining our highly-trained and dedicated district teachers. Your involvement is important to continue to support the training and retention of our teachers, and to reach our goal of raising $250,000 to monetarily equalize our teachers’ salaries, provide our school with training grants and to offer extracurricular stipends. Thank you to all the district families who continue to support the mission of the CSA Education Foundation and whose contributions have made this accomplishment a reality.
Each year, on the Friday before Thanksgiving, CSA Education Foundation gives monetary awards to our dedicated teachers. Teachers who have been teaching in the CSA District for one full year or more are given a Returning Educator Financial Award to recognize their dedication to our students and core philosophies. Additionally, the CSA District Parent Council purchases a pumpkin pie for every staff member in the District and they are passed on this day along with the financial award.
The majority of us work for a living. On average professionals work roughly 2000 hours a year. Teachers, however, work roughly 2,500 hours a year and our dedicated teachers do these hours at significantly less pay then the average public school teacher. Would you like to make a difference for our teacher? Consider donating to the CSA Education fund today and 97% of your donation will go directly back to retaining our amazing educational staff.
Start your own monthly donation subscription starting as low as $5 per month today. Every dollar helps us let our teachers know how much we appreciate them! Click the donate button above to join in on the Hug!
The CSA Education Foundation meetings are open to the public and all CSA District families, guardians, teachers and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend.