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What You Need to Know Before Travelling to Latin America To Learn Spanish

Do you feel like learning one of the most popular languages worldwide? Are you thinking of improving your Spanish skills? Ok then, you must know that one of the fastest, easiest as well as most entertaining ways of doing so, is learning the Spanish Language in Latin America.

You would better start by doing some research about Latin America so as to familiarize and get an idea of the kind of people and places you will be in contact with.

However, if you are running out of time, read on this article and you will find some useful information about this place.

To start with, you should know that Latin America people are said to be extremely friendly, nice, open minded and really funny people. This is not a minor issue if you are planning to travel there and share some time with Latin American people while you polish your Spanish as well.

Moreover, Latin America women and men are also claimed to be very attractive. That definitely counts, doesn’t it? They are also fashionable guys and like to be up to date with new trends.

As for their daily routine, we daresay that Latin America people are really hardworking guys who make a lot of effort to reach their goals. Yet, they are also relaxed people who like to enjoy life and make the most of time. That’s why they always gather with friends and go out together very often. Especially at weekends, Latin American people tend to go clubbing, and then visit different trendy discos till very late. They usually stay on almost all night long. So get ready to have lots of fun!

In addition to this, Latin America countries are popularly known for their breathtaking landscapes. You will enjoy all kinds of landscapes; that is to say beautiful sandy beaches, amazing mountains, lakes, rivers, the jungle, and the icebergs such as in the south of Argentina. In short, there are plenty of wonderful destinations to take advantage of.

Needless to say, Spanish Learning opportunities will be waiting for you any place you might choose. Some countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, etc just to mention a few, offer lots of learning possibilities. For instance, you can stay at a hotel, a family house or a hostel (much cheaper than a hotel) and at the same time you may visit all those beautiful places mentioned above, you can also take up some Spanish Lessons at private institutes, universities, or why not some coaching with native speakers of the language.

Being part of a Spanish Speaking community will enable you to grasp new vocabulary more easily, take in some grammar rules, improve your pronunciation, and you will probably Learn To Speak Spanish fast.

If you already know Spanish, getting immersed in the Spanish Culture will help you reinforce and master your Spanish language skills. What’s more, you will also learn about the Spanish culture, which is always a must when it comes to learning any new language.

As a consequence, if you have enough money to travel to any Latin American country, Learning Spanish out there sounds like the best option! Trust me; it will be worth every single penny you save for this trip. Otherwise, if you save up some money, and still can’t afford the trip, do not feel disheartened since you might as well think of the possibility of working in Latin America. By means of this, you will be able to pay for the hotel, and any extra expenses that may come up. Just get enough money for the ticket and off you go!

About the Author

Bary is an earnest Spanish learner who tried most of the Spanish courses available online. You can visit his site to read his professional reviews for the top rated Spanish courses

Best place to Learn Spanish In Latin America?

I’m a teacher looking to hone my Conversational Spanish over the summer and I’d like some input from experienced travelers on cities (and even language schools) to look at. My fiancée would be travelling with me and we’d like to avoid Mexico as she lived there for much of her life and we’ve traveled in that county a good bit over the last few years. Also Spain (or at least Madrid as she lived there for part of her life also) is somewhere we’d like to avoid. A location with some history, either colonial or pre-colombian, would be great. My fiancée would love to be near the beach, and obviously we’d like somewhere safe. We’ve kicked around the idea of the Dominican Republic; Cartagena, Colombia; or maybe even Equador. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can offer.

I would HIGHLY recommend Quito, Ecuador after spending six weeks in language school there last summer. Interestingly enough, I too had travelled to Mexico multiple times before finally deciding to broaden my horizons by going to a new country. I have no regrets! Quito’s colonial section was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations, and the the beautiful Mount Pichincha right next to the city makes the area quite scenic. You will also be in a capital city, meaning you will be in an area with cultural and political importance to the country you are visiting. Quito is also a nice medium size city that is big enough to have plenty of offer but no so large as to be overwhelming. The high altitude means the climate will be moderate, with cool mornings and evenings and a warm midday. Near Quito, you can even take a visit to the Equator! The Spanish spoken in Quito is quite clear, and the accent did not seem difficult to me as someone very accustomed to Mexican Spanish. You might find it clearer than a Caribbean accent. I did not get to much of the rest of the country, but from I understand Ecuador has much to offer in other parts of the country too if you have time and money to travel around it. You have jungle wilderness in the interior, more history and tradition down in the city of Cuenca, the beach over near Guayaquil, and of course the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands. Granted, you may not have large amerindian pyramids here, but on most other counts you have a little bit of everything right in this beautiful little country!

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Why You Need To Translate Your Website Into Spanish

Is your website living up to its potential? Are you reaching as many prospective clients as possible?  What are you doing in terms of reaching your non-English speaking customers?  These are important questions you need to ask yourself while building your online marketing plan and defining your online target market and goals.

Consider this.

•    The U.S. is home to more than 45 million Hispanics, making it the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking community, only after Mexico and ahead of Colombia, Spain, and Argentina
•    Hispanics will count for nearly one out of every five U.S. residents by 2012
•    Today, the Online Spanish-speaking market represents almost $500 billion in spending power

Hispanics living in the U.S. are hungry for Spanish-language information online. They want to conduct research, find product information, and make purchases online. And they want to do it in their language of choice. 

Now consider this:

•    Only 1% of English websites are translated into Spanish

That’s not only a problem for Hispanics, but it’s an even larger problem for companies that want Hispanics’ business but only offer English-language websites.

According to recent data from Clientize, a marketing research firm, Hispanics are more likely to take their money and loyalty to companies that have Spanish-language websites.

Survey data also indicates that more than 75 percent of Hispanics would feel valued as a customer if a company’s website were available in Spanish. A whopping 76 percent of respondents said they would visit the Spanish-language version of the site more frequently than the English version.  And fully 72 percent said they would purchase products or services from the Spanish site.

The value of having such a site can be tremendous, but in order to expand your business into the Spanish market, it’s not enough to simply translate your website from English to Spanish.   So what’s the secret to your organization earning its share of this interest and revenue?

You need to get the language right.

You don’t need to spend time and money creating a completely different “Spanish-centric” site—a site with different colors, design, and content. Research shows that Hispanics want an identical user experience to your English site … but in Spanish. They want the same look, feel and content; they don’t want a diluted version with limited features, functionality or product offerings.  But you do need to pay attention to Hispanic cultural nuances.  It is not only knowledge of the language; it’s understanding the differences in meaning that are specific to a particular country or region.

Following are some marketing mishaps that were a waste of advertising dollars, often requiring additional investment to “clean up the mess” and start fresh with a whole new campaign to reach this market segment.

•    A Miami T-shirt maker targeted the Spanish market with t-shirts commemorating the Pope’s visit. Instead of “I saw the Pope” (el Papa), the t-shirts proudly proclaimed, “I saw the potato” (la papa).
•    The famous slogan “Got milk?” was translated as “Are you lactating?”
•    Braniff Airlines, trying to promote its new leather seats to Hispanics, translated “fly in leather” as “fly naked.”

Not surprisingly, they had plenty of empty seats to South America.

Use a professional translator and make sure this will never happen to you.

Perez-Simons Content Solutions, provides SEO (search engine optimization), Internet marketing, website design, and website translations in the Greensboro / High Point / Winston Salem area.

About the Author

Perez-Simons Content Solutions, provides SEO (search engine optimization), Internet marketing, website design, and website translations in the Greensboro / High Point / Winston Salem area.

where could I download the song: “hey sexy lady” the spanish fly remix by shaggy?

I am trying to find the spanish fly remix for the song. I hae looked in Limewire and I can’t find it. Can someone find a website that has a free version of the song.

not sure wether it will be on there, but this process lets me download most of the music I need and I’ve got some pretty obscure music tastes!

go to www.utorrorent.com, and download it. basically it’s a torrent program which lets you download torrents to your computer
once it’s downloaded go to www.btjunkie.com and browse your artist. this website has loads and loads of torrents
once you find the one you want click the download button (its a little arrow by the side of the name of the torrent)
then utorrent will start downloading the torrent for you
then you can add it to your itunes library or just listen to it straight away!

hope you find the song!

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Yoga Meditation example (instruction in english and spanish!!)

Where can I find someone who needs help with their english and can help me with my spanish?

I only know a few words and phrases in spanish. I can, however, translate english to spanish with my computer software. I really need to Learn Spanish with my job. I keep running into Spanish Speaking people driving a taxi around the New Orleans area. My real dream is to become a yoga teacher.
Driving a taxi means little if any time to attend an actual class at some kind of community college.

Hola.
Check http://www.phrasebase.com . Please… don’t use your translator. It won’t give you good reasults.

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Great Wonderful Places to Visit in Boise

Boise is in Idaho USA. There are lots of great places and activities to do here. It is a wonderful option if you plan to treat your family to a vacation.

Boise is the capital city of the Idaho State of the United States. This is the principal city of the metropolitan area of Boise City Nampa. It is also the largest city found in between Utah’s Salt Lake City and Oregon’s Portland.

This city has been an interesting place to visit for all the tourists in the world. They have many interesting arts and culture, history and nature. Here are some popular attractions found in the city.

The Basque Museum and Cultural center
This is one place where you can find the heritage of the Basque’s communities located in Idaho. It is known that Boise is the central location of the immigrants of Basque. This is the place where the Basque has first congregated from the Spanish regions. They have established their lives here from their main land in Spain. They have been famous because they showed hard work and perseverance.

The Basque Museum and Cultural center provides exhibits, collections and tours of the Basque heritage. Since this is a cultural center, it has important events and educational opportunities where people can participate in the activities of Basque. It is located in downtown Boise. One of the activities here is the Basque Whaling, an adventurous activity in the daring distant shore.

The Discovery Center of Idaho
This is a museum that offers hands on activities to kids of all ages. The museum presents a wonderful opportunity for kids to get interested in science and nature. There are over 150 interactive exhibits that cover different fields like medicine, electricity, astronomy and even sounds. The children will be truly fascinated to learn all these things about the world.

World Center for Birds of Prey
This is another place to visit in Boise Idaho. This was built in 1984. This is also the headquarters of the Peregrine Fund. This is where national and international conversation programs happen.

This World Center for Birds of Prey was built to release the wild life. This places house over 200 falcons and condors. This is where they breed. This is one home for educational programs.

Zoo Boise
This zoo showcases many animals that could only be seen in Boise. Some featured animals are also seen in other parts of the world. There are also events, programs and gatherings that happen in the place. Souvenirs are also available because there are lots of shops that surround the place. The zoo aims to educate the visitors about the importance of preserving these creatures.

The Boise Art Museum
This is a museum that gives emphasis on the American art of the 20th century. The artworks are done by artists from Pacific Northwest. They have American Realism and ceramics. They have viewing items of permanent collections and special exhibits from United States and all over the world.

Idaho Historical Museum
This is located inside Julia Davis Park, just off the Capitol Boulevard. It was founded in the year 1907. This is the largest and most visited museum in Idaho. They have collections of simple relics that have been accredited by American Association of Museums. The collections of this museum tell the story of the prehistoric times of Idaho.

The museum also features the interesting story of the fur trade. This museum has a richly detailed interior. There are also exhibits of different populations.

Every year, the museum celebrates its annual history celebration. There are wondering musicians, food vendors and lots of interactive displays. There are also monthly Brown Bag Series that are available.

There are many other places that can be visited in Boise. Try to explore online for the things that you can enjoy on your trip to this place.

About the Author

For more information on
Boise Hotels
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Boise Hotels Flights
please visit our website.

Spanish Sentence Question?

Hi, I’m taking 2nd year of spanish in college and I had a question as to a sentence I’m writing for an oral exam.

Your sentence says “It is possible that i travel to Idaho.” You can use voy a infinitive: “Es possible que vaya a viajar a Idaho”. Or you can use the conditional tense for future subjunctive. It means “would”. You take the infinitive and add i’a. so “Es posible que viajari’a a Idaho

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Who gets the better deal in this football trade?

TM1 trades Willie Parker, Pit RB to Spanish Fly
TM1 trades Edgerrin James, Ari RB to Spanish Fly
FLY trades Frank Gore, SF RB to Team 1
FLY trades Mike Furrey, Det WR to Team 1

thats a really hard choice to make for somebody that doesnt care

House Session 2010-04-14 (10:45:11-11:47:47)

Charter Schools: Passing or Failing?

CHARTER SCHOOLS: PASSING OR FAILING?

Charter Schools: Passing or Failing
Patti Bonner

Strayer University, Summer 2008

Abstract

This study’s objective was to Research of a “choice” school that operates under a performance contract which details specifics as the school’s mission, program, goals, demographics of the students served, methods of assessment, and ways to assess success. Such educational arrangements are known as charter schools, which are publicly funded schools that have greater accountability for academic assessment and fiscal practices, while receiving more independence and experiencing fewer regulations than traditional public schools. Research shows that there is a fair amount of success with this type of contractual education, and that a fair amount of issues accompany the success, such as fluctuating changes in student performance that are immeasurable by test scores. Another issue with the contractual educational facilities that is heating up in recent months is the conflict that arises between this type of learning environment versus the traditional public school system. This paper examines differing authorities in an attempt to determine whether charter schools are achieving their intended missions, or falling short of their goals – the verdict of this author’s research is that the structure is conducive to innovative practices, although the overall end results demonstrated by charter schools does not measure up to their tangible and intangible costs.

Charter Schools: Passing or Failing

This study into the report card of charter schools in the United States will attempt to decide whether this mode of education is more or less successful in the quest of education.  The unique research covered in this study represents the most recent journal articles that are related to these public schools that are operated independently of the local school board. Charter schools being unique in that they differ in various degrees from the curriculum and educational philosophy of other schools in the same system, they can also take the form of experimental public schools for mainly primary, but some secondary, education.

Charter schools do not charge tuition and frequently have lottery based admissions. They, therefore, provide an alternative to public schools, oftentimes offering a curriculum that specializes in a certain field– e.g. arts, mathematics, etc. Others simply seek to provide a better and more efficient general education than nearby public schools.

Public school funding in the United States is not a product of intelligent design. Funding programs have grown willy-nilly based on political entrepreneurship, interest group pressure, and intergovernmental competition. Consequently, now that Americans feel the need to educate all children to high standards, no one knows for sure how money is used or how it might be used more effectively (Hill, 2008).

These institutions are also exclusive in that some are created and organized by teachers and or parents and or community leaders, in a totally autonomous school environment, while others are state-run charters that are unaffiliated with local school districts and founded by non-profits such as universities and government entities that may appear in clusters across a geographic area.

The term “charter” possibly originated in the 1970s when Ray Budde, a New England university professor, suggested that small groups of teachers be given contracts or “charters” by their local school boards to discover new approaches to education. Albert Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers, then publicized the idea, suggesting that local boards could charter an entire school with union and teacher approval. One of the first charter schools was a well-known institution called the H-B Woodlawn Program, as a part of the educational movements that fueled such innovative education in the 1960s and 1970s, it was established to provide a more individualized and caring environment to students.

As they were originally envisioned, the ideal model of a charter school appeared as a legally and financially autonomous public school – void of tuition, religious affiliation, or discriminatory student admissions. Charter schools were also foreseen to operate much like a private business.  In the business sense of being free from many state laws and district regulations, the charter-school beginnings grew on the premise that they were more accountable for student outcomes rather than for processes or inputs that were believed to be enhanced through stipulations such as Carnegie Units and teacher certification requirements.

The charter school movement has roots in a number of other reform ideas, including:

• alternative schools
• site-based management
• magnet schools
• public school choice
• privatization
• community-parental empowerment

In the late 1980s Philadelphia started a number of schools-within-schools and called them “charters.” Some of them were schools of choice. The idea was further refined in Minnesota where charter schools were developed according to three basic values: opportunity, choice, and responsibility for results.

In 1991 Minnesota passed the first charter school law, with California following suit in 1992. By 1995, 19 states had signed laws allowing for the creation of charter schools, and by 2003 that number increased to 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. From 1997 to 2006 the number of charters in the US grew from 693 to 3,977. Perhaps surprisingly, given this growth, previous work has found mixed evidence on the impacts of charter schools on student performance. However, these studies focus almost exclusively on test scores as the outcome of interest. Thus, one potential explanation for this discrepancy is that charter schools affect student performance in ways that cannot be measured by test scores.

The charter school data is gathered at least annually, collected by mostly independent groups, is largely captured by survey. The U.S. Charter Schools Organization is said to statistics that consist of information related to size, scope, demographics (Figure 1), operations, and management of public charter schools (Charter schools data, n. d.).

It is because of conflicting and diverse initial findings that this research is important to the author’s personal curiosity. On one hand, the appeal of fresh, new approaches to teaching and learning is the stimulus for continued education. On the other hand, a constant vigil over money and test scores to prove the worth of the methodology defeats the main purpose of acting as vehicle for education. The analysis of a sampling of literature is expected to illuminate the more constant and logical explanation of the evidence examined.

Opportunity

In this paper new, longitudinal data from an anonymous large urban school district is used to assess how charter schools affect student discipline, attendance, and retention; these are compared to test score impacts. Using individual fixed-effects analyses shows that schools which begin as charters generate improvements in student behavior and attendance but not test scores. Charters that convert from regular public schools have mixed effects on test scores. While there is evidence of selection into charter schools based on changes in outcomes, these results change little after applying intermittent panel strategies. Finally, there is little evidence that charter schools generate long-term benefits if students return to non-charter schools.

A report prepared by the Center for Education Reform in 2006 states the opportunity posed by charter schools well by saying, “when the charter school concept was born in the days prior to the advent of The No Child Left Behind Act, the bargain was freedom in exchange for accountability” (CER, 2006). As an educational watchdog for learning and teaching communities, the CER felt that charter schools were a chance to try to provide a tailored education to some students through a more micro-managed, yet opportunistic, educational environment and respond to needs expressed by parents, students, and communities (including the teaching community).

According to the National Education Association (NEA), for-profit charter schools rarely outperform traditional public schools, even when the charter receives higher funding. Although the U.S. Department of Education’s findings agree with those of the NEA, their study points out the limitations of such studies and the inability to hold constant other important factors, and notes that “study design does not allow us to determine whether or not traditional public schools are more effective than charter schools” (NEA, 1998).

Choice

Counselor interviews, professional journals, litigation, and the most recent data and statistics on the subject of charter schools is evidence that is examined at the primary and secondary levels of education. Many of the inherent organizational challenges found therein, are to be analyzed for themes that are perpendicular and those that are parallel.  Earlier reviews on the topic has used the words perverse and “spectacle of fear” to describe charter schools in their failing and miserable attempts to reform the contemporary schools under the guise of the 2002 No Child Left Behind ideal (Granger, 2008). In only a few of the sources consulted in this study has this harsh language been used to describe the effects of charter schooling.  The majority of the literary sources have been supportive of the innovation that is placed in those type of schools.

It is the latter positive contributions consulted in this paper, which convinced the writer to theorize that charter schools are one of the fastest growing innovations in education policy because they have a tendency to invoke a positive learning outcome in their students. Broad bipartisan support from governors, state legislators, and past and present secretaries of education contribute to the solidarity of this concept and the general research opinion. In his 1997 State of the Union Address, former President Clinton called for the creation of 3,000 charter schools by the year 2002. In 2002, President Bush called for $200 million to support charter schools. His proposed budget called for another $100 million for a new Credit Enhancement for Charter Schools Facilities Program. Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Education has provided grants to support states’ charter school efforts, starting with $6 million in fiscal year 1995.

Another point of kudos for the charter school system that was evident through this research was the issue of the choice processes that charter students have at their disposal that public schools make available only on a limited and or unobservable basis. Substantiation of these alternatives and support that are more-readily made available to charter school students was noted in a report on the charter school counseling by Stanton-Salazar & Dornbusch (1995) and mentioned in a professional high school journal article entitled, “College Counseling in Charter High Schools: Examining the Opportunities and Challenges”. (Farmer-Hinton & McCullough, 2008). The schools’ staff generally promotes college as a normal and viable postsecondary choice that is communicated through the charter schools counselors’ open relationship with their students.

Responsibility for Results

The mere premise of a charter school is to exhibit results in many major areas. Through the research of this paper, it is evidenced that the charter schools are displaying a great deal of positive results with respect to the subject areas listed in most of their legal charters. The original thesis was that the cost of these results versus the benefit of their results was questionable. During this research, only one professional article was readily available to discuss this particular subject, although there are many legal causes, some are mentioned in this writing, that indicate that this is a huge concern with the public, as well.

There is an important consideration when drafting or revising the legislation for a charter school, however, that addresses “whether to include an appeals process for organizers whose initial proposals are rejected” (The Charter School Roadmap, 1998). Many of these are shown in a report (Table 1) that tracks the variables of applicants within established guidelines.

Many states have seen the concept of charter schools in their state supreme courts on mostly monetary issues, but a unique case of the governing authority over a charter school application for its charter was heard in Beaufort County Board of Education v. Lighthouse Charter School Committee, et al. (1999).  This case went a long way towards resolving many of the issues surrounding charter schools in the state of South Carolina. “The Court’s decision made it clear that a local school board has the authority, under the S.C. Charter Schools Act of 1996, to require a charter school applicant to comply with the Act’s provisions before a charter is approved and, once the local board makes a decision concerning a charter school applicant, the local board’s decision must be upheld by the State Department of Education if that decision is supported by substantial evidence on the record” (Duff, White & Turner, LLC, 1999).

Presidential mandates are indicative of the popularity of charter-school types with the constituents and the general public at large. “In the end, school improvement is accomplished through the hard work of school staff, with administrative and parent support” (NEA, 1998) – stated exactly as a common knowledge and belief to the author of this research.

The results of the literature consulted and cited in this paper have been found to emphasize the original theory that the overall benefits produced by charter schools are almost equal to, if they don’t exceed, the cost that is incurred. The fact that this paradigm exists is not believed to be intentional, but rather more of an undefined direction for charter schools and an existing incompetence at truly managing a budget.

Previous research, although truly controversial, was not found to reveal a huge imbalance of the overall end results as opposed to the cost of such at present.  Charter schools were found financially unaccountable, whereby their products outweigh the sum of their tangible and intangible costs, by only one professional review. The research of this independent review was even concluded with the following, “recent three initiatives – an R&D intermediary, using charters as the point of the lance, and creation of a level playing field for competition – could set off a wave of innovation and escalating school performance. This, in turn, could tell Americans what they need to spend for effective schools” (Hill, 2008).

This lack of professional review to the contrary is not believed to be a limitation, yet an indication that the concept of the charter schools is a sound one that is being refined into a more efficient and effective educational environment. Therefore, the conclusion of this research is found to be that the charter schools are passing on their score card – marginally, at present, but they are expected to become better stewards of their funds and expenses in the future, thus increasing their passing score.

References

Charter School Closures: An Opportunity for Accountability. (2006, February). Center for Education Reform.

Charter schools data. (n. d.). USCharterSchools.org. Retrieved July 21, 2008, from http://www.uscharterschools.org

The Charter School Roadmap. (1998, September). Department of Education. Retrieved August 30, 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Roadmap/index.html .

Duff, White & Turner, LLC. (1999). S.C. Supreme Court Decision On Charter Schools. FindLaw. Retrieved August 29, 2008, from http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Jul/1/126674.html .

Farmer-Hinton, R., & McCullough, R. (2008, April). College Counseling in Charter High Schools: Examining the Opportunities and Challenges. High School Journal, 91(4), 77-90. Retrieved July 27, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.

Granger, D. (2008, May). No Child Left Behind and the Spectacle of Failing Schools: The Mythology of Contemporary School Reform. Educational Studies, 43(3), 206-228. Retrieved July 27, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.

Hill, P. (2008, April). Spending Money When It Is Not Clear What Works. PJE. Peabody Journal of Education, 83(2), 238-258. Retrieved July 27, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.

Imberman, S.A. (2007).  Achievement and Behavior in Charter Schools: Drawing a More Complete Picture.

National Education Association (1998, July). “For-Profit Management of Public Schools”. CorpWatch.

Table 1

State-by-State Analysis of Charter School Laws

Appeals and Approval

State

# of Schools/Students

Application

Appeals & Approval

School Limit

Student Limit

Eligible Operators

Sponsors

Appeals

Alaska

30 (limits are defined geographically)

None

Anyone; law does not specify

Local school board; subject to state school board approval

None

Arizona

25 SEA per year 25 charter board per year; no limit on local board-sponsored schools

None

Public body, private person or private organization

Local school board, state board of education or state charter school board

May apply to other sponsor

Arkansas

None

None

Existing public school

State board with approval of local board

None; SEA may request hearing but cannot overturn a decision

California

250 charter schools for the 1998-99 school year with an additional 100 charter schools per school year thereafter

None

Existing public schools; new start-ups; no private or home-based schools allowed

Local school board, county board of education, state board of education

May apply to other sponsor

Colorado

None

None

Anyone; no private or home schools

Local school board

None

Connecticut

24 schools (distinction between local and state and number in congressional district removed in 1997)

No state school can enroll more than 250 students or 25% of the district enrollment, whichever is less

Anyone; no private or home schools

Local or state school board

None

Delaware

No statewide limit, but limited five schools per year for the first three years

None; must serve at least 200 students (waiver for at-risk)

Any person, university, college or nonreligious, nonhome-based, nonsectarian entity

LEA or SEA (local board only for conversions)

None

District of Columbia

For FY97, 10 schools per board, for total of 20 schools per year

None

Anyone; no home schools

D.C Board or Education; Public Charter School Board

None

Florida

Limits defined according to district student enrollment; district may request cap waiver from State Board of Education

None

Anyone; no private or home schools; private schools may disband and reincorporate as charter school

LEA, state universities developmental research schools in consultation with local board

Appeal to SEA; District makes final decision

Georgia

None

None

Local school, private organization, or state or local public entity. No private or home schools.

SEA with LEA approval.

The state board may still grant a charter if the local school board does not approve of the application.

Hawaii

25

None

Existing public school

SEA

None

Idaho

Not more that 60 schools in the first five years; not more that 12 schools per year; not more than 2 schools within an educational classification region; not more that 1 school per district in a year. If fewer than 12 applications, the unused allotments shall be assigned to a statewide pool for other requesting districts with distribution to be determined by random drawing.

None

Any person. No private or home school; for profits cannot operate charter schools.

Local School Board

Appeal to a hearing officer selected by the start superintendent of public instruction. if the decision is not reversed, an appeal to the state board of education with sponsorship of the school under the state board of education.

Illinois

45 with distribution based on population

None

Teachers, administrators, local school councils, colleges or universities, public community colleges, corporations or other entities; no private or home schools

LEA with SEA review for compliance with law

Appeal to state board; recommendation is nonbinding

Kansas

15

None

Anyone; no private or home schools

LEA with SEA review for adherence to state laws, rules and regulations

None

Louisiana

42 (no more than 20 prior to February 1, 1998)

None

Three or more certified teachers alone or partnership with 10 or more citizens, public service organization, business or corporation, college or university, or faculty and staff of any city or parish or any LEA; no private of home schools

LEA or SEA depending on type of charter

None

Massachusetts

50 (13 of which must be Horace Mann conversion schools)

No more that 25% of the total number of students attending public schools in the state

A business, two or more teachers, 10 or more parents or others; no private or home schools

State secretary of education (Horace Mann schools also must be approved by local district and local collective bargaining agent)

None

Michigan

None; state university can sponsor 150 through 1999

None

Any person or entity

Local school board, intermediate school board, community college or state public university

None

Minnesota

None

None

One or more licensed teachers; no home schools

LEA, community colleges, state university, technical and private colleges; SEA must approve all schools

If local board denies application, and at least two members vote to sponsor, state may choose to sponsor

Mississippi

Six (one in each congressional district)

None

Existing public schools

SEA with approval by LEA in district where the charter is located

None

Nevada

21 (allocated based on county population); unlimited number serving at-risk students

None

At least three licensed teachers alone or in partnership with: 10 or more members of general public, organization devoted to serving the general public, private business or college or university; no private or home schools

LEA after receiving permission from SEA to solicit applications; charter also must be approved by SEA

None

New Hampshire

Five prior to 1/1/97; 10 per year through 1999; law defines geographical limitations

School districts may impose limits

Nonprofit organizations, two or more certified teachers, 10 or more parents; no nonpublic or home schools

LEA with state then granting or denying proposed contract

SEA which may then approve and grant charter

New Jersey

135 (12.95-12/97) Minimum of three schools allocated to each county

No more than 500 students or 25% of student body of school district, whichever is less

Teachers and/or parents of public school children; higher education institutions and/or private entities may join teachers and parents; no private or home schools

Commissioner and local board or state superintendent in state-operated school district; commissioner has final authority

SEA within 30 days or

New Mexico

Five

None

Existing public schools

SEA

None

North Carolina

100 (five per district per year)

Charter must enroll 65 students and have at least three teachers (can request waiver in application with compelling reason)

Anyone; no home schools

SEA, LEA or state university; final approval by SEA

SEA which may approve charter

Ohio

20 start-ups in Lucas County; unlimited conversions in all school districts statewide; unlimited in “Big Eight” school districts

Schools must have minimum of 25 students

Anyone; no home schools

City, local, exempted village or joint vocational board of education; statewide SEA for Big Eight districts only; Lucas County Education Service Center and the University of Toledo in Lucas County only

None

Pennsylvania

None

None

Individual; one or more teachers who will teach at proposed school; parents or guardians of students who will attend school; any nonsectarian university or museum; any nonprofit, corporation, association, partnership or combination thereof; no private or home schools

LEA, two or more local boards may grant regional charter beginning in 1999-2000 school year

State Charter School Appeal Board (with 2% or 1,000 district resident signatures whichever is less after 7/1/99)

Rhode Island

20 (no more than 2 per district or four in districts with over 20,000 students)

No more than 6% of state’s school-age population

Existing public schools, groups of public school personnel or public school districts; no private or home schools

State board of regents with approval from commissioner of elementary and secondary education or LEA

None

South Carolina

None

None

Anyone; no home schools

LEA

SEA

Texas

120 SEA approved; unlimited local sponsored and at-risk

None

Public or private higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, government entities, groups of parents or teachers; no home schools

LEA; SEA for open-enrollment charters

None

Utah

8 for a three year pilot program

None

An individual or group of individuals, including teachers and parents or guardians of students who will attend the school, or a not-for-profit legal entity organized under the laws of the state. No private or home schools.

State board of education. The local board will review the application and may offer suggestions or recommendations to which the state board shall give due consideration. 

None (final action subject to judicial review).

Virginia

The total number of schools shall not exceed ten percent of the school division’s total number of school, or two charter schools, whichever is greater.  Local school boards are authorized to limit the number of charter schools.

None

Any person, group or organization. No private or home schools.

Local school district.

None

Wisconsin

20 (10 districts may sponsor up to two schools each)

None

Anyone, but petition must be signed by 10% of teachers employed by district or 50% of teachers employed at one school; no private or home schools.

LEA applies to state superintendent for approval to sponsor; schools apply to local board; mayor can sponsor in Milwaukee

None (except in Milwaukee)

Wyoming

None

None

Anyone, but petition must be signed by 10% of the district’s teachers or 50% of the teachers in a school, and by 10% of parents of pupils in districts or 50% of parents of students in school; no private or home schools.

LEA

None

Appendix Table C. The Charter School Roadmap, September 1998.

Figure Captions

Figure 1.  Figure 1. Demographics of Profiled Charter Schools.  Data from Charter schools data, (n. d.).

Figure 1. Demographics of Profiled Charter Schools

School and Location

Year First Chartered and Authorizer

Grades

Enrollment

Student Ethnicity

English Learners

Subsidized Meals

Special Needs

Per Pupil Spending

Distinctive Programs and Features

The Arts and Technology
Academy Public Charter School
Washington, D.C.

1998 Special charter school board

Pre-K-6

615

98% Afr. Am.
2% Other

0%

97%

7%

$8,650

• Basic skills plus arts
• Extended day/year
• Mosaica national management affiliation

BASIS School, Inc. Tucson, Ariz.

1998 State

5-12

246

74% White 12% Hispanic
4% Afr. Am.
10% Asian Am.

1%

Not applicable

1%

$5,339

• European academic tradition
• 12 of 30 courses qualify as Advanced Placement
• Only Arizona school to have scores above the 90th percentile on math SAT 9 in all grades

Community of Peace Academy St. Paul, Minn.

1995 Local district

K-12

546

70% Hmong
20% Afr. Am.
10% Hispanic, Eritrian, White, Vietnamese, & Am. Indian

75%

80%

10%

$10,355

• Non-violent community focus and award-winning character education program
• High levels of support for English language learners
• Looping to build relationships and support

KIPP Academy Houston Houston, Texas

1994 State

5-8

346

77% Hispanic
21% Afr. Am.
2% Asian Am. & White

8%

86%

5%

$8,670

• KIPP, Inc. national college prep program
• Extended day/year
• 85% of students enter college; 94% are first-generation college students

Oglethorpe Charter School Savannah, Ga.

1998 Local district

6-8

319

51% White
38% Afr. Am.
4% Asian Am.
3% Hispanic
4% Other

0%

20%

5%

$6,000

• Parent contract to donate 20 hours a year
• Core Knowledge curriculum
• Character education focus

Ralph A. Gates Elementary School
Lake Forest, Calif. (Los Angeles Basin)

1999 Local district

K-6

850

72% Hispanic
22% White
2% Asian Am.
2% Filipino
1% Afr. Am.
1% Multi-racial

44%

63%

5%

$5,367

• School facility houses two-way Spanish-English immersion charter program for 43% of students
• Multiple language programs during and after school for students and parents
• Regrouping across classes and grades for reading and math

Roxbury Preparatory Charter School Boston, Mass.

1999 State

6-8

180

80% Afr. Am.
20% Hispanic

0%

56%

7%

$12,910

• 66% of students enter below grade level; 100% continue in college prep high schools
• Mandated homework support, Saturday school, summer school for poor grades
• Curriculum developed by staff based on student performance on school comprehensive exams

The School of Arts and Sciences Tallahassee, Fla.

1999 Local district

K-8

226

62% White
22% Afr. Am.
6% Hispanic
3% Asian Am.
7% Multi-racial

2%

19%

22%

$5,750

• Multi-age classrooms, looping
• Developmental, project-based approach
• No grades; student portfolios

About the Author

An administrative career of over 26 years in the civil service has coupled with a lifetime of learning in various forums. I wish to share my knowledge and wisdom through written expression, as I strongly believe that how to learn is the most important lesson gained from academic studies tempered with real-life experience.

Learn Spanish in Chile at ECELA Santiago

Learn a Foreign Language from the native experts

You might be interested in learning a foreign language. Why not, learning a foreign language adds to your portfolio and also opens wide opportunities for you. But have you ever thought about the best school that can teach you a foreign language? Well the answers can be many but as per the experts learning a foreign language can be pleasurable if it is learnt under the guidance of a native expert from that particular country.

There are several language schools which offer students the opportunity to learn a foreign language abroad. They have several language learning programs which you can choose from in order to learn the foreign language by actually visiting the particular country in which it is spoken. Just imagine you are Learning Spanish in the beautiful environment of Spain.

It is a scientific fact that learning can be very easy if the environment is calm and supportive. Following the same fact, several language schools have spread their branches worldwide to enable students from all corners of the world to learn foreign languages by actually visiting the countries of their origin.. Therefore, you can also learn and adapt a foreign language by visiting that country.

Language studies abroad are an exclusive learning programme, which is getting famous worldwide. Such a program not only offers you learning opportunities but also lets you widen the scope of career opportunities. ESL is one such language school that offers a wide variety of such learning programs. It offers language study opportunities in around 160 destinations across the globe.

ELS has several language learning schools that are spread over 160 destinations across the whole world, each offering world-class learning opportunities, the best local language teachers, world-class infrastructures and lots more. ESL offers the right solution for all your language study abroad needs. Whether you are seeking an English School in England or want To Learn Spanish in Chile, ESL has the language course for you. It basically provides four types of exclusive language study programs that cover everyone’s language-learning needs. These programs include language study abroad for adults and students, juniors and professionals. Each program has its own unique feature and target audience.

Whether you are a child, a student or an adult, you can now learn English in England. ESL has some of the best language schools in England that offer English learning programmes for the above mentioned four categories of learners. If you are seeking a job opportunity in the USA and want to learn English then nothing to worry about you can learn English in USA by joining an exclusive  ESL language study abroad program.

Your search for language schools in England stops here at ESL. Here you have the choice to learn the best of foreign languages in more than 40 countries around the world. All the four categories at ESL are designed specifically keeping the needs of the learners in mind.

Now you can become a foreign language expert and widen the scope of your career with smart courses proposed by ESL.

About the Author

Mr. Krister Weidenhielm
Manager of ESL language studies
http://www.esl-languages.com
learn English in England, learn English in USA, English School in England.

Wich Latin american country is the best to live in on exchange ?

I want to learn a good spanish, so i want to know what place is it the besty to be in ? My teacher said to me it was chile the most developed and has the highest quality of life and i’ve seen that on tv too , but people aren’t friendly there, mexico, paraguay, bolivia and peru has no good quality of life, there is so much poverty and colombia and argentina are too unsafe, so i have to choose beetween panama or chile, what do i have to prefer quality of life or friendliness ?

Costa Rica

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My Wife and I Discover “fate” and Its Music in in Lisbon

Fado. The word means fate in Portuguese. It’s also the name of a particular kind of haunting music heard principally in small cafes and bars in Lisbon. Spain has its foot stomping, fast-paced, sensual flamenco. Portugal has the slow, mournful fado sung by men and women to the accompaniment of the Spanish Guitar and the Portuguese guitarra, a kind of 12-stringed mandolin.

According to a spokeswomen in the House of Fado Museum near Lisbon’s waterfront, “Fado is the expression of the Portuguese soul.”

Finding real fado can be difficult, as tour operators, taxi drivers and hotels tend to tout the less-than-authentic “forkloric” shows, which may be more fast moving and exciting, but is not the path to finding the Portuguese soul.

On a recent trip to the Iberian peninsula, my wife and I were determined to find the real fado, not so much to find the Portuguese soul as to find a less expensive way to hear the music than the $60 per person dinner and show the tour director was touting. We also were sure we could find live fado for less than the $35 cost of several shows offered through our hotel.

Using a guidebook (Rick Steves’ Spain and Portugal) and the telephone we found a small cafe in the Bairro Alto section of the city, known for its night clubs, discos and restaurants. The English speaking owner of the cafe, Canto do Camoes, assured us that we could get a full dinner and watch the performance for less than $20 each.

With a couple from Connecticut we met on the trip, Joe and Amy McManus, we took a terrifying jaunt in a taxi guided by a driver who sped rapidly through narrow streets missing other cars and pedestrians by the thickness of a worn dime.

The driver left us off at the base of a rise and pointed to a little street too skinny for even his small car, the Travessa da Espera. We climbed the cobblestone walk for two blocks before coming to Canto do Camoes, a small cafe capable of seating at the most 40 persons.

Gabriel, the owner, greeted us and gave us a table near the small performance area. As our entree we chose fish newly caught from the ocean. The meal, which was delicious, included vegetables, a salad, a bottle of wine for each couple and dessert. Later, Gabriel threw in a glass of brandy.

The four of us were his only customers. Nevertheless, the performance started on time at 9 p.m. The first singer was a short, bespectacled, gray-haired man. He took his place in front of the two middle-aged men playing the stringed instruments and threw his head back, closed his eyes, put his thumbs inside his belt and began singing.

We had been told earlier that most fado songs are about love and unhappiness, a sort of Portuguese blues. Except for the fact the words were in a strange language, he could have been on Beale Street in Memphis singing of a lost sweetheart.

Since we had no idea of the words of the lament, we were free to think of our own lost loves and failed ambitions or to imagine what tale the singer was relating.

I fancied he was a former Enron employee telling through trembling lips of lost savings and the prospect of an old age doomed to poverty and inadequate medical care.

He was followed by a massive woman, sturdy as a mountain dressed in black lace, the Sophie Tucker of fado. She had a face of crushed parchment, but her hair was black and shiny like wet asphalt. She sang with great passion and presence. I was convinced she was telling of a handsome husband killed in his youth and full manhood fighting in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. She had never met his equal.

The third singer was also a woman, younger with faded red hair and an air of melancholy. She wore a light flowered dress, but like the other singers, sang slowly with closed eyes and uplifted head. I imagined she was telling of the lost love of a jealous husband who beat her regularly and drank most of his earnings.

Each singer sang three songs before giving way to another performer. After the show, they each asked us to buy recordings of their singing on tapes or CDs.

Fado is not for everyone and it may be too slow and mournful for the tastes of those who have grown up with thumping, earsplitting sounds. It has old roots, but there is disagreement on what they are. Some say it goes back to the Middle Ages to the time of minstrels and their love songs. Others believe it came from the songs of the Moors who ruled the Spanish peninsula for 800 years. Another theory is that it comes from the music of slaves brought to Lisbon from Brazil.

Whatever its history, it is something visitors who wish to fully experience Portugal and its culture should hear at least once.

Besides the Canto do Camoes, places which have a reputation for presenting the “real fado,” include the Parreirinha de Alfama near the Fago Museum. Its owner and recording artist, Argentina Santos, also does the cooking.

More casual fado is performed a few streets away at a bar with a limited menu, A Taverna do Juliao, operated by Goncal Ferreira, brother of a famous fado singer. Also known for its fado is the family-run Adega Ribatejo, where nearly everyone sings, sometimes even a few of the diners.

##

About the Author

Joseph P. Ritz is a retired journalist, an author and a playwright, who in a long career estimates he has written 10 million words for publication. Among his writings are those for the travel pages of the Chicago Tribune, the Toronto Globe, the Buffalo News, the Buffalo Courier Express and other publications.

Help! Can anyone please translate these simple English words to French and/or Italian?

what is
a.) unpredictable
b.) stands one’s ground
c.) intimidating
d.) passionate

Italian (as always, remember translations may change according to the context)

a) imprevedibile (literal), incerto (“unsure”); like the weather, somebody’s behaviour, a game result, etc.
b) mantenere la propria posizione, both literally (military, football, etc) or about one’s own ideas, opinion. For this last meaning, other expression are more used.
c) that make feel shy = imbarazzante (embarassing); that make somebody doing something by scaring him: “intimidente”, but used very rarely: more often this kind of sentence is builded up by using “intimidire”, to intimidate, as a verb.
d) passionale (in relationship), appassionato, ardente (kiss, person, nature, speech); appassionato, infervorato (advocate, plea), profondo (belief)

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Learn Spanish in Three Months, No Way!

If you need to, or would rather learn Spanish as quickly as possible there are various ways you can do this. By far the fastest way to Learn Spanish Quickly is by taking an immersion course; they are fantastic for Learning Spanish as you will be, as the title suggests, totally immersed in the language as well as the culture of the country you are taking the course in; yes many Spanish immersion courses take part in Spanish Speaking countries so basically you will be taking an educational vacation, the down side to immersion courses is that they are quite expensive, although they are becoming more affordable, and the time you need to put aside for taking them; to gain a decent level of Spanish quite quickly can take 4 to 6 weeks depending upon your knowledge of Spanish prior to taking the course.

Another option is to take Spanish classes at your local school or college, they may not seem very expensive when you cost the individual lessons but when you add up the cost of the number of lessons that you will need to take to achieve a proficient level in spoken Spanish, it will probably be more expensive than paying for an immersion course, not only that but they are not that intensive, the most lessons you will probably be able to take in any given week is two or three, I’m sure you’ll agree, this would not be inducive to Learning Spanish Quickly.

By far the most cost effective and quickest way To Learn Spanish nowadays is to purchase an interactive online course, amazing results can be achieved very quickly and a good degree of fluency can be achieved in as little as three months. You can be as intensive or as laid back as you wish as there is no timetable to work by so you can learn Spanish as quickly as you like, not only that you can fit your  study time around your own schedule because you are both lesson planner and student.

So in retrospect the three fastest ways to learn Spanish are;

1.    Immersion courses; fast and effective but expensive.

2.    Local Classroom Courses; not as quick as an immersion course, but the interaction with a tutor and fellow students, is an advantage, can be as expensive as an immersion courses, depending upon the number of lessons taken.

3.    Online interactive courses: fast, flexible and cost effective our all round champion!

So if you are looking to learn Spanish quickly, its quite clear; if time and money are not a problem take an immersion course; but if you are restricted financially and with time then there is really only one choice and that is an online interactive Spanish Course.

About the Author

If you want to know the Best Way To Learn Spanish? All you need do is click here now! or visit www.learntospeak-spanish.net

what is The Best Way To Learn Spanish? immersion program where i go live in a spanish speaking country? books?

Looking to learn spanish and eventually become fluent. I have a 1 month break between jobs, whats the most cost effective way to start my Spanish Learning process. I live in Miami, Florida by the way but am not sure which places offer the best classes.
first of all, thank you for the answers. there is nothing fishy in this question, just because I live and work in Miami doesn’t mean I have to know Spanish. I pull a lot of hours and believe this will be a good career building maneuver.

To give you a head-start in your home, see the links below.

Also, there should be many literacy programs, look for one where you converse in Spanish in exchange for English conversation.

See my answer on learning French posted today.

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What is The Best Way To Learn Spanish fast and free?

I’m sure you’ve seen commercials for Spanish tutorials that will help you reach your goal quickly and easily, allowing you to communicate in new ways with people who don’t speak the same language. The thought of reconnecting with a relative from another country, or being fluent in the language of the country you’re visiting is a tempting one.

The problem? Most of these programs cost several hundred dollars, and usually that’s only for the first part or half! If you’ve been affected by the economy, as I have, you just don’t have that kind of change lying around.

To top it off, most of us are so busy working these days to keep afloat that we don’t have time to sit down and study regularly. Time has become a commodity for most of us! If learning Spanish is a must, then it simply must be done in a shorter amount of time.

The good news is that learning Spanish fast and free is an option. The internet provides endless resources to the person who is willing to seek them out.

If you’re really serious about learning for free, the first thing to look for is a Spanish tutorial or program that offers a free trial period or set of lessons.

Rocket Spanish has a free six day course available that includes three audio lessons, as well as the corresponding grammar and culture lessons. Visual Link Spanish will let you take their first three lessons online for no charge at all.

Obviously, the point of such promotions is to get you to sign up for the entire course. However, these can be a useful free tool to help you get started down the right path. Once you’ve completed them, you’ll have a better idea of how to continue on your own.

Search the internet for “Spanish Vocabulary“. This will bring up a number of sites with Spanish dictionaries you can use. If you have a certain reason for learning Spanish, such as traveling to Spain or Mexico, you can look up words that you’ll use while you’re there.

Similarly, you can search for English to Spanish translators that will convert whole sentences or phrases into Spanish for you. This can be helpful as well if you have specific conversations in mind that you would like to prepare for.

You can check your local library for a good Spanish book. The downside to books is that, although they may be very informative, they often don’t help you pronounce what you’re learning correctly. This may be embarrassing when you first speak Spanish in public!

Check eBay or Craigslist to see if anyone is selling their old Spanish programs or audio cassettes or CD’s. You may be able to find a great deal on somebody’s old top-of-the-line tutorial. The only problem with these is that they often prove to be not quite as portable as what is available today.

Even if you absolutely must Learn Spanish Fast and free, I would at least consider purchasing a good, Comprehensive Spanish software package. There are so many available that do not cost hundreds of dollars. Actually, many of the best programs available today cost less than one hundred dollars.

I think you’ll find that whatever you spend on learning Spanish, you will make up in time saved and the enjoyment you find in learning in a fun and efficient way. If you still feel that you cannot spend money, then you’ll have to make do with the free resources online and at your library.

Whatever way you decide to go, I hope learning Spanish is something that you’ll be glad you did. I know you’ll continue to benefit from it throughout your life.

If you want to learn Spanish fast and free I highly recommend taking the Rocket Spanish free 6 day course. There is no obligation. You do have to give them your email since this is how you will receive the course but you can unsubscribe at any time and they actually take you off the list.

About the Author

Kirt Sullivan is a contractor who employs native Spanish speakers. The joy he found in learning to communicate with his employees inspired him to share his learning methods and experiences with others.

He now spends much of his spare time writing for and developing his website www.spanish-learning-software.com. His goal is to share his love for the Spanish language and help others Learn Spanish Easily and quickly.

Who else lives in a community where there are special school programs to teach illegals English?

In Texas this program is called English as a SECOND LANGUAGE, ummm….last I checked I was in the UNITED STATES and NOT MEXICO….so WHY is my son’s elementary school and the middle and high schools using tax payer money to teach ENGLISH to people whose primary language is SPANISH? IF I went to MEXICO are they going to pay for my kids to learn their language?
Adam it is not hating, but my son who is born here is learning disabled and many programs to help him have been cut to be able to afford funding for hiring bilingual teachers to teach these programs, but my child suffers because his programs get cut out of the fiscal budget….
Alexandra, I understand that, but we have so little money put toward public education around here, shouldn’t our own kids be the first priority?

If they were legal they would be helping support the schools and have no problem with that. But the illegals do not pay into the school system and we have to educate their children. Our children pay the price by having programs cut because of this.