Charter School Application Guide For new schools opening in Fall 2016 and thereafter

Office of School Reform and Innovation, DPSEmily Griffith Campus

1860 Lincoln Street, 12th FloorDenver, CO 80203

Chris DeWitt, Manager of New SchoolsChristopher_DeWitt@dpsk12.org

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TABLE OF CONTENTSApplication Instructions...............................................................................................................................3

Coordinating with the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI).......................................................6

Application Review Team (ART)...................................................................................................................7

School Improvement Accountability Committee (SIAC)..............................................................................7

CHARTER APPLICANT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..............................................................................................8

Section I. CULTURE....................................................................................................................................11

Section II. LEADERSHIP..............................................................................................................................14

Section III: EDUCATION PROGRAM............................................................................................................16

Section IV: TEACHING................................................................................................................................21

Section V: GOVERNANCE & BUDGET NARRATIVE......................................................................................23

Section VI: Waivers....................................................................................................................................27

Optional Section VII: ESP/EMO Relationship.............................................................................................31

Optional Section VIII: Multiple School Organizations (MSOs)....................................................................33

Optional Section IX: Turnaround Provider.................................................................................................34

Appendix A: Letter of Intent- Charter School.............................................................................................35

Appendix B: Charter School Board Member Questionnaire......................................................................36

Appendix C: School Facility Questionnaire – Charter School.....................................................................40

Appendix D: Applicant Checklist................................................................................................................42

Information for Applicants: Rubric for ELA Program Evaluation................................................................44

Information for Applicants: Per-Pupil Funding..........................................................................................47

Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding...........................................................................................48

Information for Applicants: Sample Intent to Enroll Form........................................................................50

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Application Instructions

DPS’ standard Call for New Quality Schools process typically begins in December and extends through June, when the Board votes on school approvals and denials. As pressing needs arise, however, DPS may issue a supplement to the Call. The Fall 2015 Call is answering this pressing need. For more information on these specific needs, please refer to the Call for New Quality Schools document.

All new schools approved through this process will be public schools within the DPS system in accordance with Colorado’s Charter Schools Act. This application guide is for new charter schools. If you are an existing DPS charter school that has been meeting or exceeding expectations on the School Performance Framework for at least two years, and that seeks to replicate your existing school with the same grade configuration and program model, please see the customized Charter School Application for Replication Guide. If you are seeking to add ECE to an existing program, please contact the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI), as you do not need to complete a full new school application.

Process Overview & Materials DPS Responsibilities Applicant Responsibilities Shared Responsibilities

Month ActivitiesApril Release Call Supplement

Continued engagement with impacted communities and begin formation of Thought Partner Groups

May 18th: Release updated new school application materials and facility placement applications for existing and approved schools. Materials will include rubrics specific to ELA program expectations.

June 1st: Letters of intent due from new school applicants and from existing and approved schools seeking placement consideration

July 22nd: Applications due Application Review Team Meeting 1 Placement Review Team Meeting 1

August Thought Partner Group & Community Meetings (dates TBD) New school applicant interviews with Application Review Team and, for charters,

District Accountability Committee (dates TBD) Application Review Team Meeting 2 Placement Review Team Meeting 2

September 3rd (tentative): New school and placement applicant presentations to Board of Education (BOE)

8th (tentative): Staff, District Accountability Committee and Thought Partner Group recommendations to BOE

15th (tentative): Public comment to BOE 17th (tentative): BOE vote on new school approvals denials

September - November

BOE votes on placements (TBD)

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Community Engagement: Ongoing

All applicants are responsible for proactively engaging with the intended neighborhood community to develop their applications.

DPS will invite applicants to present at applicable Thought-partner group meetings in each region for which applications are put forth.

Letter of Intent: Due June 1

All applicants are requested to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) prior to submitting a complete application. The LOI template is available in Appendix A. The LOI provides formal notice to DPS regarding applicants’ intentions to submit an application to open a new school in 2016-2017, allowing sufficient time for the district to coordinate application review teams (ART).

Complete Application: Due July 22

All applicants are required to submit an electronic version and two (2) hard copies of the application by July 22, 105 at 5pm MST. See below for details on submission requirements.

Submission Requirements

1) Proposal Narrative: The narrative section seeks information about all major aspects of the proposed school. A complete application must include each section outlined in this application document (e.g., Executive Summary, Section I Culture, etc.). Within the narrative of each section, please use the outline headings we have provided.

2) Budget Forms: All proposals must be accompanied by completed budget forms using the template created by DPS, which can be found at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/2015-call-supplement/. Submit only electronic copies of the budget in Excel (no paper-based copy is necessary).

3) Appendices: Submit only those appendices that are referenced in this application. Additional material beyond the narrative and appendices referenced in the application will not be considered.

Formatting Requirements

Font and Page Format

o Use 12-point font and one-inch margins.o Number every page of the application & observe all page limits.o Include as text each major section header and each sub-section header, but do not

include the question prompt in your typed response.

Binders

o Compile two (2) copies in 3-ring binders. Include the name of the proposed school on the outside spine of the binders.

o Separate major sections with a labeled tab that uses the section name (e.g., “School Culture” or “Education Program”).

o Start each major section at the top of a new page.

Appendices

o Complete all required appendices, and observe appendix page limits.

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o Templates and forms for Appendices A-D are provided in the back of this application guide to be filled out and included as part of the application. The applicant shall supply the remaining Appendices E-U, as instructed throughout this application guide.

Note: Some appendices are optional.o Separate appendices with a labeled tab that uses the appendix letter and name (e.g.,

Appendix A - Letter of Intent, Appendix B- Board Member Questionnaire, etc.)

Electronic submission

o Supply an electronic copy of your entire application o Supply three separate files:

1) a PDF of the main body of the application2) a PDF of the full collection of appendices, and 3) an Excel file of your budget (do not submit a PDF of your budget).

o Upload the electronic files to a Dropbox link, to be supplied by OSRI, or provide a flash drive with your application that includes the electronic files.

If a particular question does not apply to your proposal, please respond “Not Applicable” and include a statement as to why the question is not applicable to your team or proposal.

To confirm that you have reviewed your application for completeness, you must complete the Application Checklist that has been provided as Appendix D, and submit the completed checklist along with your application. On the date of your submission, a member of the Office of School Reform and Innovation will page through your application and confirm whether or not you submitted all sections of the application.

Submit Application:

Deliver proposals by 5:00pm MST on July 22, 2015* to:

Denver Public Schools, Office of School Reform and InnovationAttn: Chris DeWitt, Manager of New Schools

Emily Griffith Campus1860 Lincoln St.

Denver, CO 80203

Immediately upon receipt of the application, OSRI will review materials for completeness. Please plan to remain in the OSRI office for approximately 30 minutes while we conduct this review. If we determine that you have failed to submit any relevant sections or materials, we will notify you on the spot.

*No late submissions will be accepted.

Application Content & Review Process:

All applications for new schools (regardless of school type) are evaluated by a review team using a publicly available rubric based on DPS’ School Quality Framework. The rubric measures quality in the following areas: School Culture, Leadership, Teaching, Educational Program, and Finance. (See Application Review Team section below)

General Resources

Embedded within this application, the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI) provides links and directions to various informational resources for new school applicants. It is your responsibility to collect

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all the compliance and regulatory information necessary to open and operate a district-run school in the state of Colorado and in the City and County of Denver. The resource notations are for your assistance, but are not comprehensive.

Before completing an application, we encourage you to consider finding more information about state requirements for charter schools. CDE provides information on their website about state requirements for all charter schools. A good place to start is their FAQ regarding charter schools: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdechart/faq.htm .

Coordinating with the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI)

OSRI works to serve as a national model for transformational change in public education by 1) improving outcomes for all Denver students by recruiting and supporting a diverse portfolio of high-performing charter and district-run schools that are accountable for results, and 2) producing transformational changes district-wide by identifying, sharing and facilitating the implementation of innovative, best-in-class policies and practices in all schools and central office departments. Within DPS, OSRI coordinates the application preparation, review, and evaluation process.

What Applicants Can Expect from OSRI:

One on One Support

o In lieu of Application Development workshops, the OSRI New Schools team will be offering one on one sessions with interested applicants in June and July. These hour-long sessions will cover the application guide, special requirements (ELA, SPED, etc.), and frequently asked questions. Contact Christopher_dewitt@dpsk12.org to set up a time.

Communications on the OSRI website

o Applicants can access application guides, rubrics, previous applications, and related materials on the OSRI website: http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development//school-development/.

Communications via Email and Phone

o Once an applicant submits a Letter of Intent with the correct contact information for their application team, OSRI will send email and occasionally phone reminders to the applicant about deadlines, opportunities to present to the community, interviews and opportunities to speak with the DPS Board of Education.

o These communications are restricted to logistical coordination only.

o OSRI will not communicate any feedback regarding the quality of the application after it has been received on July 22, 2015 until an approval or denial recommendation is made public to the DPS Board of Education.

Application Review Team (ART)

Your completed application will be reviewed by a team of professionals including staff experts at DPS, external experts and at least one parent/guardian representative. OSRI works to ensure that multiple areas of expertise are represented on each application review team (ART):

School Leadership6

Curriculum Special Education English Language Acquisition Governance Financial & Operational Parent/Guardian

The Applicant Review Team (ART) works collectively to assess the quality of each application, using a standards-based rubric that identifies quality criteria within a variety of domains. Each of these domains is represented in an application section, detailed below. DPS’s quality criteria have been established in partnership with a variety of local and national experts and in consultation with exemplars and best-practice research. The rubric used to evaluate this application is available of on the DPS website at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/. Applicants do not have direct contact with the Application Review Team that evaluates their application. Applicants do meet with a handful of representatives of the district in their in-person interview.

District Accountability Committee (DAC)

All applicants must meet with the District Accountability Committee (DAC). The DAC is an important advisory body within the District, established in response to the Accountability Act of 1971. Per its bylaws, the DAC exists “to assist in the improvement of Denver Public Schools by advising the Board of Education on the adequacy and cost effectiveness of educational programs and policies.” Learn more about the DAC at http://board.dpsk12.org/dac/. The DAC will independently evaluate your application, meet and interview your application team, and provide an advising report for the DPS Board of Education’s consideration. OSRI will help coordinate the delivery of your application materials to the DAC. DPS and the DAC will conduct interviews with all charter applicants in August.

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CHARTER APPLICANT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This section in its entirety will be provided to the Board of Education of Denver Public Schools and will be posted online for the public to review, immediately upon submission of this application. Complete this form directly into the Word file for ease of formatting.

Name of Proposed Charter School

Grade Configuration (Year-1)

Grade Configuration (Full Build)

Model or Focus (e.g. Dual Language, etc.)

Proposed Region and Neighborhood

Primary Contact (name, email, mobile phone)

Board Chair (name, email, mobile phone)

Enrollment Projections: Delete unnecessary rows and/or provide additional columns if necessary.

GRADE 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21ECE

K123456789

101112

Total # students

Student Demographics: Provide your estimated student demographics below.

FRL % SPED % ELL % Hispanic/ Latino %

African American %

White % Other %

Student Demographics

Founding Board of Directors Membership: For each current Board member, complete the info below.

Name Current Professional Title and Organization

Board Role Focus/Expertise

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Education Service Providers (ESPs) or Education Management Organizations (EMOs): Applicants seeking services from a third party ESP/EMO, or to operate as an ESP/EMO, must indicate the extent to which the school may employ services through these organizations or corporations. Note: Colorado State Statute prohibits charter schools from operating as for-profit corporations or converting for-profit schools into charters.

a. Does the school expect to contract with an ESP, EMO, or other organization for a substantial portion of school management/operation? (Y/N)

b. Is the applicant an existing operator applying to replicate its current school(s)? (Y/N) If so, list all the schools currently or previously operated by the ESP or EMO.

Schools ESP/EMO Operates Location (City/State) Dates of Operation

Charter School Executive Summary Narrative ( 3 page limit for this sub-section )

Address the following questions briefly in a narrative format. Please use the outline numbering and headers provided below, but do not repeat the questions.

1. Culture: a. What will be the vision and mission of the school? How have you engaged with your

neighborhood parents/guardians and community members to craft this application? b. Describe the community need that the proposed school addresses. Is the need articulated

in the 2014-15 Call for New Quality Schools Supplement?c. How many completed Intent to Enroll Forms have you collected to date?

2. Leadership: a. What critical qualifications, credentials and attributes have you identified for your school

leader? b. Have you already identified a candidate leader? If so, please provide a short bio for that

leader. 3. Education Plan:

a. Provide a brief overview of the education program of the proposed school, including major instructional methods, key program components and assessment strategies.

4. Teaching: a. Briefly explain how you will support teacher effectiveness through evaluations and

professional development. 5. Governance:

a. Briefly outline the role of the Board, in regards to school governance, academic oversight and fiscal oversight.

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Summary Budget for Charter School Applicant ( no page limit for this sub-section )

Complete the following table to summarize the budget that has been supplied in this application.

School Name: ______________________ 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Number of Students

Per Pupil Revenue

State & Federal Grant Funds

Private Grants / Foundation Revenue / Gifts & Contributions

Other Sources

Total Revenue

Instructional Salaries & Benefits

Instructional Services / Supplies

Other Instructional Expenses

Total Instructional Expenditures

Supporting Services Salaries & Benefits

Purchased Property Services

Other Supporting Services Expenses

Total Supporting Services Expenditures

Total Expenses

NET INCOME

For any grants or private funds identified above, indicate whether the funding has already been secured and any plans to secure future funding.

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Section I. CULTURE

(10 page limit)

Resources: Charter Schools Act: Colorado Revised Statutes §§ 22-30.5-101 et seq. authorizes the creation of charter

schools in Colorado and § 22-30.5-106 describes the state mandated contents of a charter application. SchoolChoice Unified Enrollment System: DPS operates a district-wide enrollment system (“SchoolChoice”)

that provides a single streamlined enrollment process for all schools. With a single form, families can rank order the schools that they prefer for their students. For schools, the unified system minimizes administrative costs associated with managing school-based lotteries. More information on the DPS SchoolChoice process, enrollment guides, and timeline can be found at: http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/ Consult the website for the Office of Choice and Enrollment Services for information on SchoolChoice and the District’s enrollment schedule: http://soco.dpsk12.org/ .

School Performance Framework (SPF): All Denver public schools are held accountable using the grade level appropriate School Performance Framework (SPF). The SPF measures the performance of schools on an annual basis taking into account student performance status, student performance growth, attendance, college readiness, and parent satisfaction. See more at: http://spf.dpsk12.org/ . There are detailed rubrics that explain all the performance measures on the SPF. Be sure to carefully review these rubrics to ensure that your goals for student attendance, student re-enrollment, student satisfaction and parent satisfaction align to the performance expectations in these specific areas. (http://communications.dpsk12.org/initiatives/district-summary-data/school-performance-framework/).

Student and Parent Satisfaction: All schools in DPS must administer both parent and student satisfaction surveys on an annual basis. Parent and student survey information and results are published at: (http://testing.dpsk12.org/reseach_eval/reports/survey_results/index.html).

Student Discipline: The school’s discipline policy must be consistent with the following District discipline policies: JK-Student Discipline, JK-R-Student Conduct and Discipline Procedures, and JFK-Discipline of Students with Disabilities (found at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/). Specifically, the district maintains full control over expulsion hearings and proceedings, including the definition of expellable offenses. DPS Policy JK-R includes a matrix of consequences that correlate with levels of offenses. This discipline matrix can be found at http://webdata.dpsk12.org/policy/pdf/Policy_JK-R_Attachment_B.pdf

Student Attendance: Refer to the Compulsory School Attendance Law, Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-33-104 for requirements on school attendance: http://www.cde.state.co.us/DropoutPrevention/Resources/EARSS/RFP_FY2013/CRS22.33.101_School%20Attendance_2011.pdf.

A. Vision and Mission Statements

A Vision and Mission Statement must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(b) and C.R.S. § 22-30.5-102 ).

1. Provide the mission and vision statements for the proposed school.

B. Targeted Student Population

1. Describe your intended student population and why you believe the program you are proposing is needed and will serve the intended population well.

C. Parent/Guardian & Community Support for the Application

Demonstration of community support and parent/student demand for the proposed school must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(d)).

1. Describe the role that neighborhood parents/guardians and community members have played thus far in developing, or providing input into, the proposed school.

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2. Summarize the evidence of demand that you have gathered for your proposed program.

3. Include evidence for questions C.1 and C.2 in Appendix E. Note: Please do not include copies of any Intent to Enroll forms. You will be asked to summarize this information in section 1.F.

(Appendix E – Evidence of Support from Parents/Guardians, Community Groups, Teachers & Pupils – no page limit)

D. School Culture & Student Engagement

1. Describe the planned culture for the school, how it is tailored to your intended student population, how this culture will promote a positive academic environment and how it will be operationalized. (Note: You will be asked to describe your discipline policy in the next section).

2. Explain how the school culture will include and serve all students, including students with special needs and English Language Learners.

3. Describe the strategies you will implement to invest students in the school and their academics.

E. Student Discipline Policy

A discipline policy consistent with the intent and purpose of section 22-33-106 must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(p)).

1. What will be the key elements of the school discipline policy? How will it be operationalized? Note: DPS retains full authority of all student expulsions.

2. How will you guard against disproportionality in discipline matters?

(Appendix F – Discipline Policy – 10 page limit)

F. Student Recruitment & Enrollment

An enrollment policy consistent with the requirements of section 22-30.5-104(3) must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(l)).

1. Describe your plan to recruit students in your pre-opening year

2. How many Intent to Enroll forms have you collected, as of the time of submission? Provide a summary disaggregating the Intent to Enrolls by student grade levels in your opening year, as well as the school for which they are zoned. Note: A sample Intent to Enroll Form is provided at the back of this application for your convenience.

3. Outline your planned admission process. Note: Be sure to review the information about SchoolChoice that was included at the beginning of this section under “Resources”.

4. What is your target re-enrollment rate for each year? Describe the ongoing student recruitment work that you will do once your school has opened.

G. Student Attendance & Satisfaction

1. Describe your percentage goal for student attendance, and how you will monitor and promote high rates of student attendance.

2. What are your goals regarding the outcomes of student satisfaction surveys, and how will you use that data?

H. Ongoing Parent/Guardian Involvement & Satisfaction

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The proposed expectations and plan for ongoing parent and community involvement, as well as the design of a School Accountability Committee, must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(k) and C.R.S. § 22-11-401).

1. Describe and provide evidence of any partnerships the school will have with community organizations, businesses, or other educational institutions to support families and students. Note: As evidence, include in Appendix E letters of support from each organization, business or institution.

2. Describe how you will engage parents in the school’s culture and operations to support their involvement and satisfaction.

3. Explain the design of your School Accountability Committee.

4. What are your goals regarding the outcomes of parent satisfaction surveys, and how will you use that data?

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Section II. LEADERSHIP

(8 page limit)

This section outlines not only the leadership personnel, but also the processes that will ensure school operational sustainability and achievement.

Resources: Evaluating School Leaders: The Colorado Department of Education provides extensive resources related to

Senate Bill 191, including guidance on incorporating growth measures: http://www.cde.state.co.us/educatoreffectiveness/overviewofsb191.

Transportation and Insurance: Charter Schools Act, as part of the Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-30.5-106 regarding state mandated contents of a charter application, particularly insurance coverage and transportation provisions.

Emergency Response and Crisis Management: Consult the Emergency Response and Crisis Management web-site for important information about requirements for all schools in the District: http://ercm.dpsk12.org/about

A. Leadership Team Personnel

1. Summarize the profile of your school’s ideal leader, including a description of the leader’s essential duties and responsibilities.

2. If the school leader has not been identified:

a. Describe the recruitment and hiring process for the school leader.

3. If the school leader candidate has been identified:

a. Explain why this individual is well qualified to lead the proposed school in achieving its mission and goals.

4. Summarize the responsibilities and qualifications of the rest of the leadership team, as well as which members of the team have been identified and the timeline to fill each role.

5. What is your succession plan for your school leader?

(Appendix G – Job Descriptions for all Leadership Team Positions – 10 page limit)

(Appendix H – Resumes for all Identified Leadership Team Members – 10 page limit)

B. Leadership Team Coaching & Evaluation

1. Explain the school’s system for providing coaching and professional development for the school leader.

2. Explain the evaluation process for the school leader.

3. How will the governing board address unsatisfactory leadership performance?

(Appendix I – School Leader Evaluation Tool – 4 page limit)

C. School Personnel Structure

1. Supply an organizational chart for the school that clearly identifies each employee and which year they are added to the school.

Note: General education teaching positions can be included as one box on the org chart; however, special education and ELL positions should be listed separate from general teaching.

(Appendix J – School Organization Chart – 2 page limit)

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2. Supply a staff roster that details all staff positions for the school.

(Appendix K – Staff Roster – 2 page limit)

D. Employment Policies

Employment Policies must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(i)).

1. Explain the relationship that will exist between the proposed Charter School and its employees.

2. Describe the school’s compensation system.

(Appendix L – Personnel Policies or Employee Manual – 10 page limit)

Note: The following Operational Items are legally required as part of the new charter application and will be used to confirm compliance with state and federal laws. Should an applicant be approved these operational items may require revisions and site-specific information, depending on facilities and location.

E. Operations - Transportation (C.R.S. 22-30.5-106(1)(m))

1. Describe the school’s plan for meeting the transportation needs of students.

F. Operations - Safety and Security

1. Explain your process to create and maintain the required Emergency Management Plan.

2. How will you ensure the ongoing safety and security of students and staff in your building?

G. Operations - Insurance Coverage

1. Provide a list of the types of insurance coverage the school will secure, including a description of the levels of coverage.

H. Operations – Food Services (C.R.S. 22-30.5-106(1)(m))

1. Describe your proposed food service program.

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Section III: EDUCATION PROGRAM

(28 page limit)

This section will describe the educational program designed to meet the needs of all students through well-developed curriculum, assessment systems, programs for special populations, and clear systems for instructional planning.

Resources: School Performance Framework (SPF): As mentioned previously, all schools in Denver are evaluated using the

SPF. Review more information at: http://spf.dpsk12.org/. Colorado Academic Standards: All schools must employ standards that meet or exceed the Colorado P-12

Academic Standards. Review the standards at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction. Graduation Requirements: High schools approved by the DPS Board of Education will be expected to meet, at

a minimum, the same graduation requirements as all other DPS high schools, set forth in Policy IKF- Graduation Requirements (posted at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/).

Promotion and Retention: DPS policies IKE and IKE/R detail the rationale and process for retaining a student and provide specific authority to the school and student families in determining whether a student can be retained (posted at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/).

Colorado Higher Education Admission Standards: Refer to the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Admission Standards Policy (http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Policies/Current/i-partf.pdf) for a list of courses required to enter four-year public institutions in Colorado.

Colorado Standardized Tests: All schools in Colorado must administer (at a minimum) the correct, state mandated assessments to monitor student progress. See http://www.cde.state.co.us/dataandaccountability.

Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS): The new Colorado Science and Social Studies Assessments will launch in Spring 2014. Please note: Both the Science and Social Studies assessments are computer-based and will only be available in paper format for students with accommodation needs that are outlined in their IEP. Learn more at http://testing.dpsk12.org/resources/online_science_ss.html.

Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act): The READ Act repeals the Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA) as of July 1, 2013, keeping many of the elements of CBLA such as a focus on K-3 literacy, assessment, and individual plans for students reading below grade level. All elementary schools shall meet the requirements of the READ Act that seek to ensure all students by the 3rd grade have the literacy skills essential for success in school and life. (C.R.S. 22-7-1201 et seq. ). Review information at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ReadAct/index.asp.

English Language Acquisition: Consult the website of the Department of English Language Acquisition at DPS for guidance around the provision of services to ELL students: http://ela.dpsk12.org/ . Applicants should note that all schools in Denver operate under a federally-monitored Consent Decree regarding service to English Language Learners (ELLs). Review the Consent Decree for information on requirements for serving ELL Students in Denver Public Schools: http://ela.dpsk12.org/consent-decree. Note that all schools must provide English Language Acquisition (ELA) program services by teachers who are fully qualified based on acceptable evidence-based standards such as completion of the District’s ELA training program or a District approved training program as designed by the School, or possession of a current English as a second language certification. As such, DPS has created the Charter ELA Training Channel to ensure that all charter schools meet this expectation: http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/osri/CharterELAtrainingchanneloverview6113.pptx.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Charter schools are responsible for implementing the state requirements for MTSS. To learn more about MTSS and the requirements and implementation please visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/RtI/.

Gifted and Talented (G&T): Schools must comply with the Exceptional Children’s Education Act (ECEA) regarding the provision of services to students with disabilities and gifted and talented (G&T) students. (C.R.S. 22-20-101 et seq. ). Consult regulations at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/lawsregs.htm .

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A. Curriculum

A description of the educational program, student performance standards, and curriculum must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(e)).

1. Focus/Model. Describe the school’s curricular focus and how this focus aligns with the Common Core State Standards/Colorado Academic Standards. Explain your rationale when deciding on curricular choices.

2. Research Basis. Present evidence that the proposed curriculum is research-based and has delivered or will deliver quality instruction for the targeted student population and will enable the school to meet student achievement goals.

3. Instructional Materials. For each core subject area, unique focus area, and performance level (grade level, age grouping, etc.) for the first five years of operation, list the core instructional materials / textbooks that will be used in Social Studies, Science, Language Arts and Math.

Social Studies Science Language Arts Math

4. Cultural Relevancy. Describe how the school’s academic focus or model is culturally relevant to the student population, as well as how the curriculum will ensure cultural relevancy.

5. Timeline of Curriculum Development.

a. Describe the tools and resources you have or will use to choose or develop and implement the curriculum.

b. Provide a timeline and process for curriculum development and who has this expertise on your team.

c. Describe the training staff members will receive on the Common Core State Standards and curriculum design/implementation.

B. Scope/Sequence.

1. Provide the course scope and sequence for social studies, science, language arts, and math for one grade that the school would serve in year 1.

(Appendix M – Course Scope and Sequence for One Grade– 20 page limit)

C. Class Size

1. Describe the school’s planned class size and structure. Describe whether class sizes will vary between core and elective subjects.

2. What will be the Special Education Teacher-to-Student ratio?

D. School Schedule & Calendar

1. Provide and explain the school’s proposed annual calendar for the first year of operation (include as Appendix N).

2. Explain the structure of the school day and week both for students and teachers. Provide two weekly schedules – one for a student and one for a teacher in Appendix O.

(Appendix N – School Year Calendar – 2 page limit)

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(Appendix O - Student and Teacher School Day Schedules – 2 page limit)

E. Progress Monitoring and Assessment

A plan for evaluating student performance across the curriculum, which aligns with the proposed charter school's mission and educational objectives and provides a description of measurable annual targets for the measures used to determine the levels of attainment of the performance indicators specified in section 22-11-204, and procedures for taking corrective action if student performance if the school falls below the described targets must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(f)).

The expected goals, objectives, and student performance standards must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106(1)(c)).

1. Assessments. Explain how the school will measure and evaluate academic progress – of individual students, student cohorts, and the school as a whole – throughout the school year and at the end of each academic year.

a. Confirm that you are administering state-mandated assessments and that you can provide necessary accommodations.

b. How will you determine interim performance of students and preparation for the state tests?

2. Performance Goals. Outline the clearly measurable annual performance status and growth goals that the school will set in order to monitor and evaluate its progress accelerating student achievement. The District recognizes that shared benchmarks have not yet been set with PARCC coming online in 2014-2015. Applicants must clearly articulate their rationale for proposed goals with these assessments.

3. Corrective Action. Describe the corrective actions the school will take if it falls short of student academic achievement expectations or goals.

4. Progress Monitoring. Explain how and how frequently the school will collect and analyze longitudinal student academic achievement data, use the data to refine and improve instruction, and report the data to the school community.

a. How will you determine whether or not a student is progressing satisfactorily?

b. Describe any additional data that you will collect, beyond items identified above in your description of your assessments and performance goals.

F. Academic Intervention & Acceleration

1. Detail your MTSS plan, including the use of PBIS and RTI.

2. How will the school identify students in need of academic intervention or acceleration?

3. What specific interventions will be employed to help close achievement gaps?

4. How will your school schedule and use of time ensure adequate opportunities to support the needs of all students?

G. Promotion & Retention Policies.

1. Explain the school’s policies and standards for promoting students from one grade to the next. For schools serving grades covered by the READ Act, explain how these policies comply with the READ ACT.

2. Graduation Requirements (For High Schools only).

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a. Describe your school’s graduation requirements and the school’s exit standards for graduating students.

b. Describe how the school will ensure all students meet their graduation requirements on-time.

c. Explain what systems and structures the school will implement for students at risk of dropping out of high school and/or not meeting the proposed graduation criteria.

H. English Language Learners

A plan for serving English Language Learners (ELLs) must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(q)).

Note: the rubric used to assess English Language Acquisition programs is provided in the Information for Applicants Section at the back of this application.

1. Identification Process. Who is in charge of collecting and administering the DPS Home Language Questionnaire? What will you do with the information from the questionnaire?

2. Assessment and Placement. When will you assess students for placement? What valid and reliable English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment will you use to determine proficiency levels in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English? How often will you assess students for progress? What will you do with the results? How will you ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services? Who will notify parents about placement in a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP), what will be included in the notification, and when will it happen? If students receive Spanish instruction, what grade or subject appropriate assessments will you use to assess the knowledge of ELL students?

3. Program Design and Curriculum. Describe your English Language Acquisition (ELA) program. What curriculum will you use during English Language Development (ELD)? Provide evidence that your ELD curriculum is research-based and aligned to the Colorado English Language Proficiency standards. How will you structure your instructional schedule to provide adequate instruction in ELD? What are your performance objectives and what standards will you use to measure the progress of ELL students? What instructional techniques will be utilized to help ELLs develop and understand academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking, reading, and writing? How will teachers support students’ various English language development levels? How will you ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services?

4. Teaching. Provide the profile of the staff member responsible for the management of the ELA program, including responsibilities, qualifications, certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program. Describe the professional development opportunities that will be offered to administrators evaluating the ELL program staff, and to teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms.

5. Exiting/Redesignation. Describe your plan to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program. Who will be involved? What will determine the exiting/redesignation of students? What valid, reliable, and objective criteria will you use to measure English proficiency in each of the four language domains? Describe your plan to monitor students after exit/redesignation. How will you determine if additional ELA program services are needed?

I. Students with Disabilities

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A plan for serving students with special needs, including budget and staff requirements, must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(q)).

1. Recruitment/Enrollment, Identification and Monitoringa. How will the school recruit students with special needs? b. How will information about a student’s specific needs factor into a decision to offer

admission, if at all? c. Explain the process the school will use to identify students with disabilities. d. How will students with disabilities be monitored and regularly assessed through the

school’s assessment system? e. Describe the methods the school will use to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of

the school’s special education program overall.2. Staffing and Professional Development

a. How will the school provide qualified staffing for students with mild and moderate needs?

b. Describe your staffing structure to serve students with disabilities.c. How and when will the school provide professional development and train special

education teachers and general education teachers to serve the needs of mild and moderate needs students?

3. Program Plana. Describe the instructional programs, practices, and strategies, as well as any schedule

adjustments and any additional resources, the school will employ to meet the needs of students with mild and moderate disabilities.

4. Serving Students with Severe Disabilities (providing services above mild/moderate needs)a. Indicate the school’s willingness to host a center-based program to serve students with

above mild/moderate intensity of supports (the specific process and resources would be negotiated with DPS upon approval).

J. Gifted and Talented Students

A plan for serving gifted and talented students must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(q)).

1. Explain how the school will identify gifted/talented and academically advanced students.

2. Describe the instructional programs and strategies the school will use to appropriately address the educational needs of gifted students.

3. How will you adjust your schedule, if necessary, to meet the needs of G&T students?

4. How will the school provide qualified staffing for G&T students?

5. How will the school provide professional development and train both G&T and general education teachers to serve the needs of G&T students?

6. How will the school know whether it has been successful in meeting the needs of G&T students?

7. For High Schools Only. Explain what systems and structures the school will implement to support students with ALPs.

K. Supplemental Programming

1. How will you ensure you address the needs of the whole child?

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2. Describe any unique or supplementary programs you will offer students (and families).

3. Describe the extra- or co-curricular activities or programming the school will offer.

4. Describe any volunteer or service programs for students, if these have not already been addressed elsewhere in the application.

5. For schools offering summer school. Describe the summer school program you are proposing.

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Section IV: TEACHING(8 page limit)

This section will describe the systems in place to promote teacher quality, beginning with a rigorous hiring process and including teacher coaching, evaluation, and professional development.

Resources:

Teacher Employment: The Charter Schools Act, as part of the Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-30.5-106 regarding state mandated contents of a charter application, particularly the relationship between the school and its employees and employment policies.

Highly Qualified Teacher Status: The DPS website provides guidance around Highly Qualified Teachers, found at: http://nclb.dpsk12.org/teachers.

DPS Salary Schedule: The DPS website provides the salary schedule for teachers and can be referenced to help determine competitive salaries. The salary schedule can be found here: http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/hr2009/DCTATraditionalSchedule912013.pdf.

Teacher Effectiveness: The Colorado League of Charter Schools can provide guidance to applicants on approaches to evaluating teacher effectiveness in charter schools. See http://www.coloradoleague.org. Within DPS, LEAP serves as the foundation for teacher evaluations in district-run schools; its tenants may prove useful to some applicants: http://leap.dpsk12.org/The-Framework/Overview.

A. Teacher Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention

1. Describe the standards that will be used in hiring teachers and other school staff.

2. Explain how you will ensure that all staff are “Highly Qualified” in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Describe your teacher recruitment and selection process.

3. What strategies will you deploy to promote retention of your best performing teachers?

B. Teacher Coaching1. Describe the school’s plan to coach and support teachers.

2. Outline the schedule for classroom observations and subsequent feedback discussions with teachers. How often will teachers receive feedback?

C. Teacher Evaluation

1. Describe your evaluation tools and processes, as well as the standards and criteria that will be used to evaluate teachers. Attach your school’s teacher evaluation tools as Appendix P.

2. What steps or actions will the school take when teacher performance is unsatisfactory?

(Appendix P –Teacher Evaluation Tools – 10 page limit)

D. Professional Development

1. Provide a professional development schedule/ calendar and state the number of days/hours for PD throughout the school year.

2. Outline all components of your professional development plan. Describe the professional development that will take place prior to school opening and throughout the academic year.

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Note when teachers will have time for common planning or collaboration, and how such time will typically be used.

E. Pedagogy

1. Describe the expected school-wide instructional methodology and strategies that your teachers will employ in order to effectively deliver the school’s curricula, including strategies teachers will use to meet the needs of your targeted student population.

2. Describe the teacher lesson planning process. What planning tools will teachers use to prepare lessons?

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Section V: GOVERNANCE & BUDGET NARRATIVE

(8 page limit)

The Governing Board is the entity legally responsible for holding the charter, entering into the contract with Denver Public Schools and overseeing the operation and academic performance of the charter school. Governance includes all financial planning, budgeting and oversight.

Resources: Training modules for governing board members and other supportive governance materials can be

found through: http://www.coloradoleague.org/audiences/boards.php. CDE Resources on Funding:- Worksheet to calculate charter at-risk funding:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/charteratrisk.htm.- Per Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-44-105(4), refer to CDE’s Chart of Accounts Handbook, found at:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfCOA.htm.- Financial Policies and Procedures: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfFPP.htm. - CDE provides guidance on Colorado school finance and categorical program funding, found at:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/generalinfo.htm. Charter school budget considerations:- Budget assumptions for the Central Administrative Overhead and Special Education Fee will be

made available in January 2015 online.

- Pension Contribution: Pursuant to C.R.S. § 22-30.5-111(3), a District approved Charter School and its employees, must make the appropriate contribution to the Denver Public Schools retirement system, which was recently merged with PERA. The Denver Public Schools’ pension obligations are currently comprised of (1) the employer contribution to PERA and (2) the debt service on the pension certificates of participation (COPs). Please note that PERA contribution rates are set by law under Senate Bill 10-001 and can be found at http://www.copera.org/pdf/5/5-123.pdf. The 2014-2015 statutory rate, including both PERA and COPS, is set to be 21.5%. However, the rate quoted above will be adjusted based on the actual cost of the COPS transaction issued by the district in 2008 to fully fund its pension obligation. Actual rates paid for PERA and COPS may be less than the statutory rate.

- TABOR Reserve: Per Article X, Section 20(5) each charter school shall reserve 3% or more of its fiscal year spending excluding bonded debt service. Unused reserves apply to the next year's reserve.

The “Information for Applicants: Per Pupil Funding” and “Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding” at the back of this application guide will be updated online in January 2015.

A. Governance Philosophy

1. Explain the general philosophy of governance that will guide the proposed school.

2. How will the board interact with the Principal or Head of School?

3. How will the board interact with the SAC?

B. Board Capacity & Structure

A description of the governance and operation, including the nature and extent of parental, professional educator, and community involvement in the governance and operation must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(h)).

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1. Describe the structure of the proposed board including what committees will exist. Will there be an advisory group that is different in form and function than the governing board?

2. Describe the board member recruitment and selection process, both for the inaugural board and going forward. Detail the length of board terms, a summary of board officers and their roles, and how often the board will meet.

3. Describe the size and composition of the governing board, both currently and as desired going forward. Identify key skills, areas of expertise, and constituencies that will be represented on the governing board. List all current board members and their roles, and summarize their interests in and qualifications for serving on the school’s board.

4. Outline the key expectations for board members, as well as the school’s dismissal policies and procedures for board members.

5. Explain the board-development plan for increasing the capacity of the governing board.

(Appendix Q – Resumes of all Board Members – 15 page limit)

Note: All board members are required to fill out the “Charter School Board Member Questionnaire,” found in Appendix B. These completed questionnaires should be included in the application as Appendix B.

C. School Oversight & Stakeholder Engagement

1. How will the board approach its oversight role?

2. Describe the metrics or progress indicators that the board will consider in its analysis of the school, as well as how and how often the board will receive this information and from whom.

3. Describe the financial policies, processes, and procedures that the board and administration will implement and follow, as well as your solvency-related financial goals.

4. Describe the school leader contract. Will there be performance targets in that contract? If so, what are they?

5. The Leadership section of this application posed several questions about how the Board will evaluate the school leader. Please provide any additional context here.

D. Board Status & Compliance

1. Describe the proposed school’s legal status.

2. How did you (or will you) draft your Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws?

3. Please describe the procedures for identifying and addressing conflicts of interest.

4. Please describe the policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with the Colorado Sunshine Law/Open Records Act.

5. How will the board oversee and implement the school’s grievance process and policy? What is the role of the board when a staff member or a parent has a grievance? What are the goals of the board in terms of monitoring and resolving staff and parent complaints?

(Appendix R – Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws – no page limit)

(Appendix S – Conflict of Interest Policy – 4 page limit)

(Appendix T –Grievance Process – 2 page limit)

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(Appendix U – Parent Complaint Process – 2 page limit)

E. Budget & Policy Narrative

1. Describe your School Finance Act revenue assumptions, including estimated percentage of students who are eligible for free lunch.

2. Provide a summary of all year-1 start-up costs.

3. Describe your anticipated private revenue sources, including contributions and grants. Note which are secured and which are anticipated, as well as how each revenue stream will be used in support of non-core operational expenses.

4. How will you reach your enrollment goals? How are the costs associated with these goals reflected in the budget?

5. Describe any services to be contracted, such as business services payroll and auditing services, including costs and criteria for selecting service providers.

6. Assume your enrollment falls short of your projection and you are only able to enroll 80% of your year-1 student enrollment projection. Detail your contingency plan. What is the overall financial impact on your budget? What adjustments would you make to your school plan to account for this reduction? Specify each budget cut, the dollar amount related to each adjustment and how each choice would affect your school’s program.

7. Describe the systems, policies and procedures, including internal controls, which will be in place to responsibly manage accounting, purchasing, payroll and financial reporting requirements, including a year-end audit. Detail the procedure you will follow to ensure an annual audit is completed by an independent group. Describe the process the school will follow to contract with a Certified Public Accountant to conduct an annual, independent financial audit. How will the school disseminate the results from the audit with the school district and required state agencies?

Note: All applicants are required to submit the completed charter application budget form as a separate electronic document in Excel. Applicants do not need to submit a hard copy of the budget form. This budget template can be found on the DPS website at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development//school-development/the_call.

F. Facility

A facilities plan that details viable facilities options and the reasonable costs of the facility, which are reflected in the proposed budget must be included in a charter application per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106 (1)(n)).

Note: All applicants must provide a budget using demonstrably reasonable estimates of private facility costs.

1. Have you secured a location for your school? If so, what is the address?

2. If a facility has not been identified, discuss both your short and long term plans for acquiring a facility. Describe your progress to-date navigating the real estate market, and detail at least 3 prospective, viable facilities and your strategy for selecting a site.

3. Demonstrate that the estimate for facility costs included in your budget is reasonable.

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4. Describe how funds will be allocated for facility costs, including potential lease costs, renovation expenses, and any other expenses involved in preparing the building for use as a school. If additional funds or financing will be needed for facility upgrades, identify your potential grants and/or lending sources.

5. How will you ensure that your facility is ADA compliant and includes designated space to provide physical/occupational therapy, and nursing services as required by a student’s IEP?

(Appendix C – School Facility Questionnaire - required)

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Section VI: Waivers

Resources:

Colorado State Statutes: All state statutes are available at www.cde.state.co.us or through Lexis Nexis at http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/Colorado/.

Automatic State Waivers and Sample Rationale and Replacement Plan for Waivers from State Statute: Refer to list of automatic waivers from state statutes granted to all charter schools provided in this section, as well as other key information: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdechart/waivers.htm.

District Waivers: Refer to “Information for Applicants: Automatic District Waivers” in the back of this application guide for a list of automatic waivers from district policies granted to all charter schools. The full compendium of District policies can be found at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/.

Automatic District Policy WaiversDenver Public Schools automatically waives the following district policies for Charter Schools that request such waivers and supply adequate replacement policies.AD- Educational Philosophy/School District Mission

GBJ – Personal Records and Files GCCBJ - Administrative Staff Elective Office Leave

DJB- Purchasing Procedures GBK – Staff Concerns/Complaints/Grievances GCD - Professional Staff Vacations and HolidaysDKA- Payroll Procedures/Schedules GC – Professional Staff GCF – Professional Staff HiringDKB- Salary Deductions GCB- Professional Staff Contracts and

CompensationGCF – 2 – Professional Staff Hiring (Athletic Coaches)

DKC – Expenses Authorization/Reimbursement

GCBC - Professional Staff Supplementary Pay Plans/Overtime (Athletic Coaches)

GCID and GCID–R- Professional Staff Training, Workshops and Conferences and Associated Procedures

EBCE – School Closings and Cancellations GCBD - Professional Staff Fringe Benefits GCOC and GCOC-R – Evaluation of Administrative Staff

EBCE-R- District-wide Closure Procedures for Employees

GCCAF – Instructional Staff Sabbaticals GCP - Professional Staff Promotion and Reclassification

EEAA- Walkers and Riders GCCAG - Instructional Staff Restoration of Health Leave

GDA – GDQD-R – Support Staff Policies

FF-R – Naming of Facilities GCCBA – Administrative Staff Sick Leave IC/ICA – School Year/School CalendarFF/FF/r – Facility Naming GCCBB - Administrative Staff

Personal/Emergency/Legal/Religious LeaveIE - Organization of Instruction

GBEBA- Staff Dress, Accessories, and Grooming for Certificated Staff (Teachers)

GCCBC - Administrative Staff Maternity/Paternity/Parental Leave

IGD – Curriculum Adoption

GBEBA-R- Staff Dress, Accessories, and Grooming for Certificated Staff (Teachers) Procedures

GCCBE - Administrative Staff Conferences/Training Workshops

IJJ and IJJ-R - Textbook Selection and Adoption

GBEBB- Dress Code for Non-Teaching Staff GCCBF – Administrative Staff Sabbaticals KCD – Public Gifts/Donations to SchoolsGBGA – Staff Health GCCBG - Administrative Staff Restoration of

Health LeaveGBGB – Staff Personal Security and Safety GCCBH - Administrator General Leave of

Absence

Charter Schools may request waivers from district policies identified as “automatic district policy waivers.” If you are seeking these waivers, provide a rationale and replacement policy for each of the policies you plan to waive using the sample table provided for each waiver.

Optional - Request for Automatic Waiver from District Policy

Citation of District Policy

AD- Educational Philosophy/School District Mission

Rationale for Waiver Request

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School’s Replacement Policy

If the Charter School is seeking waivers from additional district policies, list them here and provide a detailed rationale for why these additional waivers are critical for the operation of the proposed school.

NOTE: Participation in the DPS pension (PERA) and discipline policies will not be waived.

Optional - Request for Additional Waiver from District Policy

Citation of District Policy

Rationale for Waiver Request

School’s Replacement Policy

State Statute & Rules Waivers

The state board offers the following automatic waivers to state statutes and state rules for Charter Schools who seek these waivers. Charter schools do not have to waiver each of these policies, though if the charter school does want to waiver the policy, the school must provide replacement policy language. The replacement policy should address the purposes and intents of the state statute. DPS will review each proposed replacement policy and determine whether they are adequate to address the purposes and intents of the original statute. If DPS’ review concludes that the replacement policies are adequate, then DPS will forward them to CDE who then accepts DPS’ review.

Automatic State Statute WaiversA charter school may operate free from specified state rules and statues as provided in Colorado State Statutes § 22-30.5-104(6)(b). The following items are automatically waived for Charter Schools. However, Charter Schools must submit a Rationale and Replacement Plan (RRP) for each waiver requested from state statute for both automatic and non-automatic waivers.

Statute Category Description22-9-106: Local Board Duties Concerning Performance Evaluations for Licensed Personnel

HR Mgmt: Teacher Evaluations

All of the teacher and principal effectiveness legislation.

22-32-109(1)(b), C.R.S. Local board duties concerning competitive bidding

Competitive Bidding

(b) To adopt policies and prescribe rules and regulations necessary and proper for the efficient administration of the affairs of the district, including procedures for competitive bidding in the purchase of goods and services except professional services, for the district

22-32-109(1)(f), C.R.S. Local board duties concerning selection of staff and pay

HR Mgmt: Staff Hiring, Compensation

(f) (I) To employ all personnel required to maintain the operations and carry out the educational program of the district and to fix and order paid their compensation...

22-32-109(1)(n)(I), C.R.S. Local board duties concerning school calendar

Calendar and Schedule

(n) (I) To determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of time which the schools of the district shall be in session during the next following school year, but in no event shall said schools be scheduled to have fewer than [varies by grade level] hours of planned teacher-pupil instruction

22-32-109(1)(n)(II)(A), C.R.S. Determine teacher-pupil contact hours

Calendar and Schedule

(II) (A) The actual hours of teacher-pupil instruction and teacher-pupil contact specified in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (n) may be reduced to no fewer than one thousand fifty-six hours for secondary school pupils, no fewer than nine hundred sixty-eight hours for elementary school pupils, no fewer than four hundred thirty-five hours for half-day kindergarten pupils, or no fewer than eight hundred seventy hours for full-day kindergarten pupils, for parent-teacher conferences, staff in-service programs, and closing deemed by the board to be necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of students.

22-32-109(1)(t), C.R.S. Education (t) To determine the educational programs to be carried on in the schools of the

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Determine educational program and prescribe textbooks

Program district and to prescribe the textbooks for any course of instruction or study in such programs

22-32-110 (1)(h), C.R.S. Local board powers-Terminate employment of personnel

HR Mgmt: Staff Dismissals

(h) To discharge or otherwise terminate the employment of any personnel. A board of a district of innovation…may delegate the power specified in this paragraph (h) to an innovation school

22-32-110(1)(i), C.R.S. Local board duties-Reimburse employees for expenses

HR Mgmt: Compensation

(i) To reimburse employees of the district for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties either within or without the territorial limits of the district

22-32-110(1)(j), C.R.S. Local board powers-Procure life, health, or accident insurance

HR Mgmt: Benefits (j) To procure group life, health, or accident insurance covering employees of the district pursuant to section 10-7-203, C.R.S.

22-32-110(1)(k), C.R.S. Local board powers-Policies relating the in-service training and official conduct

HR Mgmt: Professional Development

(k) To adopt written policies, rules, and regulations, not inconsistent with law, that may relate to the efficiency in-service training professional growth, safety, official conduct, and welfare of the employees, or any classification thereof of the district…

22-32-110(1)(y), C.R.S. Local board powers-Accepting gifts, donations, and grants

HR Mgmt: Grants and Donations

(y) To accept gifts, donations, or grants of any kind made to the district and to expend or use said gifts, donations, or grants in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the donor; but no gift, donation or grant shall be accepted by the board if subject to any condition contrary to law

22-32-110(1)(ee), C.R.S. Local board powers-Employ teachers’ aides and other non-certificated personnel

HR Mgmt: Teacher Aides

(ee) To employ on a voluntary or paid basis teachers’ aides and other auxiliary, non-licensed personnel to assist licensed personnel in the provision of services related to instruction of supervision of children and to provide compensation for such services rendered from any funds available for such purposes notwithstanding the provisions of sections 22-63-201 and 22-63-402

22-32-126, C.R.S. Employment and authority of principals

School Leader: Responsibility and Requirements

Requirement of principal certification, principal responsibilities, disciplinary action, discipline code

22-33-104(4), C.R.S. Compulsory school attendance-Attendance policies and excused absences

School Operations: Student Attendance

Attendance policy, required attendance and calculation for counting unexcused absences

22-63-301, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act- Grounds for dismissal

HR Mgmt: Dismissals

Specifies reasons for why a teacher could be dismissed. Very broad language. Probably not necessary to waive.

22-63-302, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Procedures for dismissal of teachers

HR Mgmt: Dismissals

$80,000+ process for terminating a teacher through judicial review. Teacher can appeal for an impartial hearing, appeal to court of appeals, appeal to supreme court. Instances when a district can dismiss a teacher without cause are specified. Criminal convictions.

22-63-401, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Teachers subject to adopted salary schedule

HR Mgmt: Compensation

Districts are required to pay teachers according to a schedule or according to a performance policy. Salaries are not to be changed until the end of the year. Individual teachers cannot have their salaries cut unless all teachers have salaries cut.

22-63-402, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Certificate required to pay teachers

HR Mgmt: Teacher Certification

…A teacher shall hold a valid license or authorization during all periods of employment by a school district…

22-63-403, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Describes payment of salaries

HR Mgmt: Payment of teacher salaries upon termination

Upon termination of employment of a teacher prior to the end of the employment contract and prior to receiving all salary installments, said teacher is entitled to a pro rata share of the salary installments due and payable pursuant to said contract for the period during which no services are required to be performed except as provided in section 22-63-202(2).

The following State Statutes are no longer considered Automatic. Schools who wish to acquire these waivers must request these waivers and prove adequate replacement policies.

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22-32-109(1)(n)(II)(B), C.R.S. Adopt district calendar

Calendar and Schedule

(B) Prior to the beginning of the school year, each district shall provide for the adoption of a district calendar which is applicable to all schools within the district…A copy of the calendar shall be provided to the parents or guardians of all children enrolled…Such calendar shall include the dates for all staff in-service programs… [The] school administration shall allow for public input from parents and teachers prior to scheduling …staff in-service programs. Any change in the calendar…shall be preceded by adequate and timely…of not less than thirty days.

22-63-201, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Compensation & Dismissal Act-Requirement to hold a certificate

HR Mgmt: Hiring and Teacher Qualifications

Paraphrasing - Must hire a teacher with a license. An alternative license is okay. Districts are not required to hire administrators with the requisite license.

22-63-202, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act- Contracts in writing, damage provision

HR Mgmt: Hiring, Contracts and Employment Offer Letters

Contracts shall be in writing, amount of notice required by a teacher/principal who intends to resign, when a position can be re-opened, penalties for resigning outside of the window, no direct placement requirement, priority hiring preference for effective/satisfactory teachers, management of displaced teachers, and disclosure of why contracts were terminated.

22-63-203, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act- Requirements for probationary teacher, renewal & nonrenewal

HR Mgmt: Dismissals

Tenure - how established, treatment of probationary teachers, time, ability to not renew contracts

22-63-206, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Transfer of teachers

HR Mgmt: Direct Placement of Teachers

Specifies that schools are not required to accept transfers from the Chief Admin Officer of a district, but if they do, specifies the manner in which compensation should (?) be handled.

Charter Schools may request waivers from State Statutes and Policies identified as “automatic state statute waivers” above. If you are seeking these waivers, provide a rationale and replacement policy for each of the statutes you plan to waive using the sample table provided below for each waiver you are requesting.

Charter School’s Replacement Policies for Automatic Waivers from State Statutes

State Statute 22-63-403, C.R.S. Teacher Employment Act-Describes payment of salaries

Statute Description

Upon termination of employment of a teacher prior to the end of the employment contract and prior to receiving all salary installments, said teacher is entitled to a pro rata share of the salary installments due and payable pursuant to said contract for the period during which no services are required to be performed except as provided in section 22-63-202(2).

Rationale for Waiver Request

School’s Replacement Policy

Besides any automatic state waivers requested above, list any additional state statutes that you are seeking to waive and provide your detailed replacement policy including a description of why these additional waivers are critical for the operation of your proposed school using the sample table provided below for each additional waiver request.

Charter School’s Replacement Policies for Additional Waivers from State Statutes

Optional- Request for Additional Waiver from State Statute(s)

State Statute

Statute Description

Rationale for Waiver Request

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School’s Replacement Policy

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Optional Section VII: ESP/EMO Relationship

(10 page limit)

Resources:

Charting a Clear Course: A Resource Guide for Building Successful Relationships between Charter Schools and School Management Organizations, available at: http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=393 .

If the proposed school intends to contract with an education service provider (ESP) or an education management organization (EMO) – such as a charter management organization or other school management organization – the application must also include the following per Colorado Statute (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106(s)):

A. ESP/EMO Selection

1. Explain how and why the ESP/EMO was selected. Provide summary information from specific reference checks conducted by the applicant (regarding the ESP/EMO) and include the name of the reference.

B. ESP/EMO Track Record

1. List of all schools operated by the ESP/EMO that serve the same grade levels as, and student populations demographically similar to, the anticipated population of the proposed school. Include name, year opened, contact information, location, number of students, and contact information for the authorizer for each currently operating school.

2. Detail the ESP’s/EMO’s success in serving student populations similar to the target population of the school, including the ESP’s/EMO’s demonstrated academic track-record as well as successful management of non-academic school functions.

3. Provide evidence of the financial health of the ESP/EMO.

(Appendix V – Financial Audit of ESP/EMO - 15 page limit)

4. Explain any management contract terminations as well as any charter revocations, non-renewals or withdrawals/non-openings that the proposed ESP/EMO has experienced.

C. Legal Relationships

1. Provide evidence that the board is independent from the ESP/EMO and self-governing.

2. Discuss any potential conflicts of interest between the ESP/EMO and the school.

3. Provide evidence that the corporate entity is authorized to do business in Colorado.

(Appendix W – License Authorizing Business in Colorado – 2 page limit)

4. Identify and separately document any agreements the applicant has made with the ESP/EMO.

D. Organizational Structure

1. Provide a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of the ESP/EMO, including the supervisory responsibilities of the ESP/EMO (if any) and how the Charter School Board will oversee the ESP/EMO supervisory responsibilities.

2. Describe the scope of services and costs of all resources to be provided by the ESP/EMO.

3. Describe the compensation structure, including clear identification of all fees to be paid to the ESP/EMO.

4. Describe the oversight and evaluation methods that the Board will use to oversee the ESP/EMO.

5. Describe the financial responsibilities of the ESP/EMO. 33

6. Explain the duration, renewal and termination of the management agreement.

NOTE: By law, the application must include a copy of the actual or proposed performance contract between the governing board and the education management provider that specifies, at a minimum, the following material terms: (A) Performance evaluation measures; (B) The methods of contract oversight and enforcement that the governing board will apply; (C) The compensation structure and all fees that the proposed charter school will pay to the education management provider; and (D) The conditions for contract renewal and termination. (C.R.S. § 22-30.5-106(1)(s)(IV)).

(Appendix X – Draft of Management Agreement – 10 page limit)

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Optional Section VIII: Multiple School Organizations (MSOs)

(4 page limit)

A. Multiple School Organization- Human Capital

1. Describe the MSO’s leadership pipeline.

2. Describe the teacher and leader evaluation systems that the MSO has put in place.

3. Describe the teacher recruitment and selection systems that the MSO has established.

4. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the central office staff, including specific supervisory relationships.

B. Multiple School Organization- Finance

1. Describe the MSO’s long term fundraising plan.

2. How will resources be allocated across schools?

3. Detail the MSO’s financial policies and procedures used to control expenditures between the central office and individual school sites.

C. Multiple School Organization – Long Term Planning

1. Describe your long term growth plan and key organizational priorities around expansion.

2. How will you ensure that the MSO’s expansion plan is adequately planned for, in terms of realistic cost and revenue projections and central office growth plans? How will these measures effectively support the MSO’s growth plan?

D. Multiple School Organization – Governance

1. What specific changes will be made to the governing board to oversee additional school(s)?

2. How often will the governing board monitor key financial, operational, and academic metrics for each school site, for the entire organization?

3. What will trigger the MSO’s governing board to intervene, if one or more schools are not meeting expectations?

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Optional Section IX: Turnaround Provider

(5 page limit)

If the proposed school intends to be considered as a replacement option for need identified in the Call for New Quality Schools, this section must be completed. While the capacity of the applicant to operate effectively in a turnaround environment will be assessed using the entirety of the application thus far, the following questions are meant to add to the body of evidence of whether a school applicant is well positioned to be successful replacement option. This portion of the application provides the opportunity to tie key design elements that have previously been discussed to the unique situation that is a turnaround.

A. Culture and Education Program

1. Describe your understanding of the key issues and root causes of underperformance at the existing school or school cluster for which you propose to be a turnaround provider.

2. Explain how the proposed school design elements will effectively address the root issues described above and will transform a persistently poor school climate. Provide the evidence-based practices, rituals, and routines that will build a culture of high achievement for this particular population.

3. Make the argument for why the education model described, including the intervention program and ELL/SPED design, will address the root issues described above and will significantly increase student achievement for the school. Highlight the key program elements that you believe will have the most impact for transforming persistently low academic performance, based on your knowledge of the target student population and current achievement data.

4. How will you ensure both students and their families understand, are invested in, and have ownership for the new school culture and the goals of improving academic performance?

5. What challenges do you anticipate with a fast-growth model? What are your plans to mitigate these challenges to effectively set the foundation of the school?

B. Leadership and Teaching

1. How will you ensure you hire a leader that is well equipped to lead in a turnaround environment? If a leader candidate already has been selected, detail the proposed leader’s background and why it demonstrates readiness for service as a leader in a turnaround situation.

2. Explain how the leader will use the planning year.

3. What specialized professional development and coaching do you anticipate providing to your leader to both persist and succeed in a turnaround environment?

4. Describe the professional culture of the proposed school and the strategies that will be used to create this culture. How will the leader ensure the change process is owned and managed by a strong leadership team and staff?

5. Detail the communication systems and structures that will be used to ensure the entire staff is aligned during the change process.

6. How will you ensure you hire teachers that are well equipped to teach in a turnaround environment?

7. What specialized professional development and coaching do you anticipate providing to effectively train your teachers to both persist and succeed in a turnaround environment?

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Appendix A: Letter of Intent- Charter SchoolThis letter of intent (LOI) will provide formal notice to the Office of School Reform and Innovation in

Denver Public Schools regarding an applicant’s intention to submit a new school proposal for the 2016-17 school year.

The information presented in the LOI is non-binding.

Proposed School Name:

Grade Configuration:

Model or Focus:

Primary Contact Person:

Phone:

Email:

Region and Neighborhood:

Proposed Leader (if known):

Replication: Yes No

Contract with ESP/EMO: Yes No

Enrollment Projections: Provide additional rows and columns if necessary.

GRADES 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21XXX

Total # studentsFRL % SPED % ELL %

Proposed Demographics

Mission of School:

Provide a brief overview of the education program of the proposed school:

Complete the following table to list Board members for the school at this time.

Name Current Professional Title and Organization

Board Role Focus/Expertise

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Appendix B: Charter School Board Member Questionnaire

(To be completed individually by each proposed board member for the Charter School)

The purposes of this survey are: 1) to supply pertinent information to the application review team; 2) to encourage board members to reflect individually as well as collectively on their common mission, purposes, and obligations at the earliest stage of school development; and 3) to identify any potential conflicts of interest you may have as a board member.

Conflict of InterestThe information requested below is being requested to identify any potential conflicts of interest that you may have as a board member. This is in alignment with best practices in non-profit and charter school governance and is also DPS policy for its board members. If the charter school is approved, any conflicts of interest that are identified must be addressed by the charter school in alignment with its board conflict of interest policy.

Background/Criminal History ChecksBackground checks are an important volunteer management tool for charter schools. The safety of students, employees, and board members is of upmost importance. Moreover, the judicious oversight of the school’s finances and operations is among the governing board’s main responsibilities.In addition, it is DPS policy to conduct a background check on all volunteers who are working with our schools. In keeping with that policy, if the charter school is approved, DPS will request that the school conduct background checks with their volunteers, including board members.

Contact InformationName of charter school:

Your Name:

Home Address:

City/State/Zip:

Telephone:

Email:

Employer:

Employer Address:Employer City/State/Zip:

Are you a Colorado resident? Yes No38

Will (or do) any of your children attend this public charter school? Yes NoIf yes, how many?Will you be able to attend regularly scheduled board meetings? Yes NoCheck your highest education level:

High School/GED Associate’s Degree Trade/Business School BA or BS Degree Master’s Degree MD, DO, JD, Ph.D., etc.

Please check each area of expertise you would contribute to the board: Community Service Education Finance Fundraising Law Management Marketing Personnel Public Relations Parent Involvement Programs Other:

As a reminder, board member resumes should be attached in Appendix P.

Conflict of Interest

1. Indicate whether you currently or have previously served on a board of a school district or another Charter School Yes. No.

If yes please list the board(s) and date(s) of service.

2. Have you been cited for a breach of ethics for unprofessional conduct, or been named in a complaint to a court, administrative agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other professional group? Yes. No.

If yes, please explain.

3. Do you or an immediate family member have a close personal relationship with the School or any individual(s) associated with the School that would make it difficult for you to execute your duties as a board member in an independent manner? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

4. Do you or any immediate family members1 have any contractual agreements with the School? Yes. No. If yes, please describe.

5. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services or any other consideration for any purpose from the School or any other company contracting or providing service to the School? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

6. Will you or any member of your immediate family be leasing or selling any real property to the School? Yes. No.

If yes, please explain the arrangement in detail.

7. Have or will you or any immediate family members be guaranteeing or granting any loans or services—at no charge or for charge—to the School or any other company contracting or providing service to the School? Yes. No.

1 “Immediate Family Member” is defined as a “party related to a director”,and “shall mean a spouse, a descendent, an ancestor, a sibling, the spouse or descendent of a sibling, an estate or trust in which the director or a party related to a director has a beneficial interest, or an entity in which a party related to a director is a director, officer, or has a financial interest.”

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If yes, please describe.

8. Are or will you or any immediate family members be employed at the School (either directly or as an employee of the educational service provider or any other company contracting or providing service to the School)? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

9. Are or will you or any immediate family member be serving as an officer, director, trustee, sole proprietor, employee, sales representative, agent, consultant, independent contractor, or advisory board member to the educational service provider or any other company, organization or agency funding projects, goods or service to the School? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

10. Do you or an immediate family member own stock or have direct or indirect financial interest in any contract where the financial interest amounts to $250 or 5% or more of the contract costs to the School, or the financial interest amounts to $5000.00 or more in any corporation, partnership, association or joint venture involving the School, educational service provider, or any other company or entity contracting with the School? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

11. Do you or an immediate family member know any individual(s) or entity (ies) that does or plans in the next year to engage in business or any exchange of services with the School?

Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

12. Other than your current board position, do you currently serve as an elected or appointed public official? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

13. Do you currently serve with any other board, group or corporation that has an interest in the actions you would take as a member of the board? Yes. No.

If yes, please explain.

14. Do you foresee any potential ethical or legal conflicts of interest if you serve on the School Board? Yes. No.

If yes, please explain.

15. To the best of your knowledge, are there situations not described in this questionnaire which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest between you or a member of your immediate family, or would make it difficult for you to execute the duties of your office in an independent manner? Yes. No.

If yes, please describe.

School Mission and Program:

1. What is your understanding of the school’s mission and guiding beliefs?

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2. What is your understanding of the school’s proposed educational program?

3. What do you believe to be the characteristics of a successful school?

Governance:

1. Why do you wish to serve on the board?

2. What is your understanding of the appropriate role of a public charter school board member?

3. Describe any previous experience you have that is relevant to serving on the charter school’s board (e.g., other board service). If you have not had previous experience of this nature, explain why you have the capability to be an effective board member.

4. Provide a forecast of where you see the school after its first year of operation and then again in four years. Please be sure to include high level academic and financial components.

5. What specific steps do you think the charter school board will need to take to ensure that the school is successful?

6. How would you handle a situation in which you believe one or more members of the school’s board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school?

Certification

I recognize that all information submitted with this conflict of interest disclosure (with the exception of the background check) becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure upon request to members of the general public. I will hold Denver Public Schools, its trustees, officers, employees or authorized agents harmless from liability for the disclosure of any information it reasonably believes is true based upon my representations.

I hereby certify that the information contained in this document is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and, if the proposed charter school is approved, agree to notify the chair of the board at the charter school at which I will serve of any change that may create a conflict of interest. Further, if the proposed charter school is approved, I recognize that falsification or failure to submit a complete annual conflict of disclosure becomes justification for removal.

Signature: ______________________________ Date: _______________________

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Appendix C: School Facility Questionnaire – Charter School

School Name:

Primary Contact for Facility Planning:

Telephone: Email:

Grade levels and student enrollment estimates for the first five years:

2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021Grades

Enrollment

Region:

Description of the facility/ies under consideration including available square footage and quotes (for years 1-5) from property owners:

Facility #1:

Facility #2

Facility #3

Are you interested in investigating the possibility of occupying a district-owned facility should a district-owned facility be available?

Yes NoNote: DPS believes that both district-run and charter schools should have equity of opportunity in accessing district facilities. However, the current reality is that there are significant facility constraints. As described in the Call for New Quality Schools, only approved applicants designed to meet a need in the Call will be considered for district facility support.

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Classroom Requirements Years 1-3:

How many students will you have per classroom on average?: ____

Number of full size classrooms you will need each year as you grow out – include core, special education, and elective classroom but not gym.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Administrative/Support Spaces

Main Office Yes NoIf yes, list number of private offices needed (e.g., principal, AP, etc.):

Satellite Office Yes NoWork Room/Copy Room Yes NoTeacher Work Room(s) Yes NoIf yes, list number of teacher work/planning rooms needed:

Specialty Classroom Needs

Number of science labs:

Number of art rooms (with or without kiln):

Number of computer labs:

Library Media Center (LMC) Yes No

Performance/Dance Room Yes No

Auditorium Yes No

Other (list room type and number):

Physical Education/Athletic Requirements

Gymnasium Yes No

Locker Rooms Yes No

Weight Room Yes No

Field(s) – soccer, football, multipurpose Yes No

Baseball Field Yes No

Softball Field Yes No

Other (please list):

Other Needs

Playground(s) Yes No

Large space for class/school assemblies (e.g., morning meeting, cafeteria) Yes No

Spaces not addressed and/or special considerations:

Appendix D: Applicant Checklist

The applicant will use the first column of boxes to check off the sections completed. OSRI will use the second column of boxes for its completeness check (per C.R.S. § 22-30.5-107).

Application Component Applicant Check

Reviewer Check

Executive SummarySection I.Culture

A. Vision & Mission StatementsB. Targeted Student PopulationC. Parent/Guardian & Community Participation in App. Process &

(Appx. E)D. School Culture & Student EngagementE. Student Discipline Policy (Appx. F)F. Student Recruitment & EnrollmentG. Student Attendance & SatisfactionH. Ongoing Parent/Guardian Involvement & Satisfaction

Section II.Leadership

A. Leadership Team Personnel & (Appx. G, H)B. Leadership Team Coaching & Evaluation & (Appx. I)C. School Personnel Structure (Appx. J,K)D. Employment Policies & (Appx. L)E. Operations – TransportationF. Operations – Safety and SecurityG. Operations – Insurance CoverageH. Operations – Food Service

Section III.Education Program

A. CurriculumB. Scope/Sequence (Appx. M)C. Class SizeD. School Schedule and Calendar & (Appx. N, O)E. Progress Monitoring and AssessmentF. Academic Intervention & AccelerationG. Promotion and RetentionH. English Language LearnersI. Students with DisabilitiesJ. Gifted and Talented StudentsK. Supplemental Programming

Section IV. Teaching

A. Teacher Recruitment, Hiring, & RetentionB. Teacher CoachingC. Teacher Evaluation & (Appx. P)D. Professional DevelopmentE. Pedagogy

Section V. Governance

A. Governance PhilosophyB. Board Capacity & Structure & (Appx. Q)C. School Oversight & Stakeholder EngagementD. Board Status & Compliance & (Appx. R,S,T,U)E. Budget & Policy Narrative

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F. Facility & (Appx. C)Section VI.Waivers

A. District Policy WaiversB. State Statute and Rules Waivers

Optional Section VII: ESP/EMO Relationship

A. ESP/EMO SelectionB. ESP/EMO Track Record & (Appx. T)C. Legal Relationships & (Appx. U)D. Organizational Structure & (Appx. V)

If Necessary: Multiple School Organization (MSO) VIII:

A. MSO - Human CapitalB. MSO – Finance (including budget for MSO expenses)

C. MSO - Long Term PlanningD. MSO - Governance

Optional Section IX: Turnaround

A. Culture and Education Program

B. Leadership and Teaching

Appendices Appx. A – Letter of Intent (copy of LOI submitted)Appx. B – Board Member Questionnaires (for each member)Appx. C – School Facility QuestionnaireAppx. D – Applicant ChecklistAppx. E – Evidence of Support from Parents/Guardians, Community Groups, Teachers & PupilsAppx. F – Discipline PolicyAppx. G – Job Descriptions for all Leadership Team PositionsAppx. H – Resumes for all Identified Leadership Team MembersAppx. I – School Leader Evaluation ToolAppx. J – School Organization ChartAppx. K – Staff RosterAppx. L – Personnel Policies or Employee ManualAppx. M – Course Scope and Sequence for One Grade LevelAppx. N – School CalendarAppx. O – Teacher and Student School Day SchedulesOptional Appx. P – Draft Teacher Evaluation ToolsAppx. Q – Resumes of all Board MembersAppx. R – Articles of Incorporation & BylawsAppx. S – Conflict of Interest PolicyAppx. T – Grievance ProcessAppx. U – Parent Complaint ProcessAppx. V – Financial Audit of ESP/EMO (if applicable)Appx. W – License Authorizing Business in Colorado (if applicable)Appx. X – Draft of Management Agreement (if applicable)

Electronic copy of entire applicationElectronic copy of completed budget templates

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Information for Applicants: Rubric for ELA Program Evaluation

Applicant: Middle School High School Elementary School

Reviewer Name: Review Completed: Plan approved:

All areas included in this rubric must be addressed in the application, as indicated by a “yes” in every box.1. Identification Process and Parent Involvement YES NO Comment(s) Page

Numbera. The DPS Home Language Questionnaire is used as

part of the registration process for all students to identify those whose Primary or Home Language is Other Than English (PHLOTE).

b. The English Language Acquisition (ELA) plan includes a parent notification about placement in a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) that is sent no later than 30 days after the beginning of school.

c. Parents who are not proficient in English are provided with appropriate and sufficient information, in a language and/or manner that parents can understand, about all essential information in a manner that allows parents to make well-informed decisions about the participation in the school programs and services.

2. Assessment and Placement YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The school assessment and placement plan includes provision for a timely (within 10 days) screening placement assessment (W-APT) as students enter the school and provision of English language development services within 30 days of arrival.

b. The school assessment plan includes an identified student progress monitoring process (including W-APT and ACCESS) to support educational planning.

3. Program Design and Curriculum YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The plan includes and describes a research-based methodology to schedule appropriate amounts of ELD time commensurate with the school's student population and their identified needs. The ELD plan includes direct instruction in English language usage and including content vocabulary, survival vocabulary, and, reading, and writing development in English. (Note: Time could range from 45 minutes at a minimum to up to 90 minutes in secondary school and up to 30% of the school day in elementary schools).

b. The program describes the use of annual performance objectives, activities, timeframes, language(s), grade(s), performance standards, expected performance level(s), and method(s) for

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parent engagement.c. The ELA program is organized to promote second

language acquisition using cognitively demanding, grade-level appropriate content, and to increase academic content knowledge at the same time.

d. District-run school requirement: The applicant correctly identifies the appropriate district ELA program based upon the projected student population and describes a plan to provide prescribed services and staffing.

Charter school requirement: A research-based model is in place to facilitate English language development for ELLs (e.g., ESL, structured sheltered instruction, early or late transition, dual language education).

e. The school identifies a school administrator or an administrator designee responsible for the management of the program, their responsibilities, and qualifications, including certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program.

Note: District-run schools must identify ISA Team members.

4. Professional Development and Evaluation2

YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The application incorporates mandatory high-quality professional development for teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms. The central focus of the professional development is: language development and second language acquisition, effective teaching strategies to make content comprehensible to ELLs, and other essential elements in teaching ELLs with high standards.

b. Teachers are evaluated to ensure that the training prepares them adequately to implement the ELA program and that their delivery of Program services is effective as measured by student achievement.

c. Administrators shall receive regular professional development regarding appropriate assessment and implementation of ELA programing.

2 All ELA-designated teachers must become qualified via state-endorsement in teaching the culturally and linguistically diverse, Masters or doctorate degree in teaching the linguistically diverse, or completion of a district-approved training program

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5. Exiting/Redesignation and Monitoring Criteria YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. A collaborative plan including the parent of the ELL exists to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program consistent with CDE standards and a solid body of evidence (e.g., ACCESS scores, TCAP scores, DRA, reading and writing samples).

b. A plan exists to monitor students for two years after exit/redesignation to determine if additional ELA program services are needed.

Reviewer Comments

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A. Base Funding

B. School-Specfic At-

Risk Formula Factor

C. Negative FactorPPR

Information for Applicants: Per-Pupil Funding

*UPDATED 2015-16 Per-Pupil Funding!

Please send specific PPR funding questions to Jennifer_holladay@dpsk12.org .

Per Pupil Revenue. Each school founded after fiscal year 2003-2004 receives a per pupil revenue which is based on the school’s specific at-risk percentage (as measured by students who are eligible for free lunch). The district average PPR, at an at-risk percentage of approximately 69%, for fiscal year 2014-2015 is $7,410.17. In fiscal year 2014-2015, district average PPR is currently $7,355.09. For more information on how PPR is calculated please see below. Note that for funding purposes kindergarten students are equal to .58 in the total per pupil funding calculation.

School Finance Act Formula Per-Pupil Revenue

Base Funding. The state determines this district-wide figure based on a cost of living factor, a personnel cost factor and a size factor (all as measured or determined by the state).

School Specific At-Risk Formula Factor (alternate at-risk funding calculation). The alternate at-risk funding calculation applies to all charter schools that are:

a. Newly created as of FY 2004-05 or thereafter; b. In a district that has retained exclusive chartering authority; and c. In a district that has an at-risk percentage greater than 40%.

The intent of the alternate at-risk funding calculation is to provide at-risk funding based on the at-risk population served by the charter school.

The school-specific at-risk formula factor is provided by the CDE and is based on the following factors:

a. District Total At-Risk Funding b. District Funded Pupil Count c. District At-Risk % d. District At-Risk Formula Factor

= District Total At-Risk Funding (a) / District Funded Pupil Count (b) e. School Funded Pupil Count K-12 (K=.58)f. School At-Risk Pupil Count K-12 (K=.5)

Students eligible for free lunch Based on audited count submission to CDE

g. School K-12 Membership (K=.5) h. School At-Risk %

= At-Risk Pupil Count (f) / K-12 Membership (g)i. School At-Risk Formula Factor = District At-Risk Formula Factor (d) / (School At-Risk % (h) * District At-Risk % (c) )

Negative Factor. Starting in FY 2010-11, an additional factor was included in the school finance formula. This factor acts as a reduction to other existing factors and shall not reduce any base per pupil funding districts receive through the school finance formula.

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Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding

Please send specific Mill Levy funding questions to Jennifer_holladay@dpsk12.org .

In 1998, 2003 and 2012, Denver Public Schools successfully passed Mill Levy Overrides (MLO) for which Charter Schools are eligible to receive funding. All spending must be in compliance with the ballot language and Board resolutions. Funds for each school are initially calculated based on district projections for grades K-12 with K=1. Both the calculations and the individual school allocations will be trued up based on October count membership. The district will provide 50% of the projected funding with the July funding payment. The remaining funds due to the school will be provided as part of the January funding payment. Requirements for funding are listed below.1998 MLOStudent Literacy (all schools are eligible) – Project 0238A. Provide funding to boost academic achievement in student literacy, math and science programs.B. Schools have the flexibility to design programs that address their unique needs.C. FY15: $129.68 per student in grades K-12 (K=1)Technology (all schools are eligible) – Project 0239A. Provide funding to ensure every school has the ability to utilize technology to support instruction.B. Technology includes software, hardware, training and personnel who support the school’s

technology program.C. FY15: $35.37 per student in grades K-12 (K=1) 2003 MLOElementary Arts (elementary and K-8 schools are eligible) – Project 0243A. Provide funding for Arts/Music in Elementary and K-8 schools (grades K-8).B. The intention behind voters who approved the mill levy, and proposed by DPS, was to ensure that

licensed and endorsed arts instructors were hired to deliver quality arts instruction.C. FY15: $138.45 per student in grades K-8 at all elementary and K-8 schools (K=1)Textbooks (all schools are eligible) – Project 0244A. Provide funding for high quality textbooks and materials, including software, manipulatives,

workbooks, classroom libraries, etc.B. FY15: $41.26 per student in grades K-12 (K=1)Expand All Day Kindergarten (schools offering full day Kindergarten are eligible) – Project 0245A. Provide funding to expand full-day kindergarten to all students. The district will continue to

prioritize full-day Kindergarten funding for students that are not able to pay tuition.B. FY15: $888.66 per Kindergarten FRL studentImproving High School Graduation Rates (high schools are eligible) – Project 0241A. Provide funding to improve graduation rates and close the achievement gap.B. Funding can be used on things such as staff development, instructional coaches, curriculum revision,

teacher recruitment and retention bonuses and program startup costs.C. FY15: $93.17 per student at all high schoolsImproving Academic Achievement (all schools are eligible) – Project 0242A. Provide funding to boost achievement and ensure all schools have the resources to become high-

performing.B. Schools have the flexibility to set strategies tailored to their own specific needs.C. FY15: Estimated Dollar Allocation: $29.47 estimated per student in grades K-12 (K=1)

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2012 MLOEnrichment & Student SupportA. Secondary Arts (middle and high schools are eligible) – Project 0232

a. Provide funding for Arts/Music in middle and high schools (grades 6-12), as arts funding for Elementary and K-8 schools is provided through the 2003 MLO. The dollar allocation for this bucket is set to equal the per student allocation that supports elementary arts from the 2003 MLO.

b. Schools are given flexibility to determine the resources used to meet the needs.c. FY15: $138.45 per student in grades 6-12 at all middle and high schools

B. Other Enrichment & Student Supports (all schools are eligible) – Project 0233a. Provide funding for PE/student engagement for students in grades K-12.b. Schools are given flexibility to determine the resources used and empowered to choose the

programs that best serve their students.c. FY15: $92.14 per student in grades K-12 (K=1)

Instructional SupportA. Instructional Support / Tutoring (all schools are eligible) – Project 0234

a. Provide funding for small group instruction aimed at helping students most in need.b. Instructional supports should enable students to perform at grade level.c. FY15: $118.99 per FRL student; $108.72 estimated per non-FRL student in grades K-12 (K=1)

21 st Century Learning A. Technology (all schools are eligible) – Project 0235

a. Provide funding towards replacement of devices and licensing/maintenance of classroom software to meet the needs of the 21st century classroom.

b. FY15: $49.87 per student in grades K-12 (K=1)B. Curricular Materials (all schools are eligible) – Project 0236

a. Provide funding for high quality textbooks and materials that align to the Colorado Academic Standards.

b. FY15: $49.87 per student in grades K-12 (K=1) Early Childhood EducationA. Extended Day Kindergarten (schools offering full day kindergarten are eligible) – Project 0237

a. Provide funding to expand full-day kindergarten to all students. The district will continue to prioritize full-day Kindergarten funding for students that are not able to pay tuition.

b. FY15: $792.38 per Kindergarten FRL student

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Information for Applicants: Sample Intent to Enroll FormThis confidential Intent to Enroll Form is used to demonstrate interest in having your child(ren) enroll at ___________________. Signing this Intent to Enroll does not obligate the student to attend ___________________ nor does it guarantee admission. However, parents/legal guardians who sign this Intent to Enroll are indicating a sincere desire to enroll their child(ren) in this school in the event that Denver Public Schools approves the applicant’s proposal to open ___________________ in the fall of 2016.

Parents and guardians should understand that the DPS Board of Education must vote to approve any new school (regardless of school type) and such vote has not yet occurred for the school referenced herein.

School Information

School Name:

Grades Served:

Proposed Regional Location:

Anticipated Opening Date:

School Leader/Contact:

Parent/Legal Guardian Information

Parent/Legal Guardian’s Name(s):

Primary Phone:

Email:

Student’s Home Address

Street Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Student(s) Information:

Please list each child whom you are interested in enrolling in the school.

Student’s Name: Age: Grade in fall 2016: Zoned School:

Student’s Name: Age: Grade in fall 2016: Zoned School:

Student’s Name: Age: Grade in fall 2016: Zoned School:

Parent/Legal Guardian Name (Print) ___________________________________________________

Parent/Legal Guardian (Signature) _____________________________________________________

Date______/______/______

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