The motivating force for the founding of the Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School (CSP) is derived from the volunteer non-profit Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation (CLF), founded in February 2003, to promote educational activities through multicultural educational institutions in the state of Maryland. CLF has sponsored tutoring classes for K-12 and college students as well as picnics, banquets and seminars. The opportunity for CLF to expand its contribution to the community's educational environment occurred when Charter School Law (Bill 75) was put into effect in July 2003, authorizing the establishment of charter schools in the state of Maryland. The CLF board formed a subcommittee and set as a goal the establishment of a science, mathematics and technology charter school within two years.
To move forward the CLF vice president and secretary began to discuss their objective with knowledgeable educational administrators and legislators to explore the receptivity to this goal. On October 7, 2003 the CLF subcommittee met with Ms. Joni Gardner, the president of the Maryland Charter School Network. And on November 8, 2003 they attended the first Annual Maryland Charter School Conference in Hanover, Maryland where they initiated discussions with state senators Janet Greenip and Lisa Gladden, as well as state chartering authorities.
The CLF further supported the Charter School Subcommittee's work by establishing a board for the prospective school. This board expanded the commitment to the charter school effort by including individuals with significant experience in the educational community. This group met with Dr. Jose Torres, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, at Anne Arundel County Board of Education, on February 5th and April 27th, 2004 to clarify their intent to establish a charter school as well as to request clarification about how the application process would function. At their second meeting, the board members submitted a letter of intent for the establishment of an Anne Arundel County based public charter school that would serve grades six through twelve.
