charter school applications · sections 9-13 section 11: educational service provider (esp) who is...
TRANSCRIPT
February 18, 2015
Presented by:
St. Johns County School District
Potential Charter School
Applicant Orientation
Meeting Topics
Purpose of charter schools and state requirements for the application
St. Johns County application process, timeline, and expectations for completion
Potential challenges
Answer questions
St. Johns County Schools
Enrollment: 37,119 PK-12th grade students
51 school sites
Over 4,000 employees
SJCSD School Choice Options
Traditional Public Schools
Charter Schools
Virtual School
McKay Scholarships
Home Education
Career Academies
College Prep (AP, IB, AICE/Cambridge)
Florida Charter Legislation
Legislation establishes the following:
Purpose of charter schools
Requirements for the application
Eligibility criteria for students
Role/responsibility of the charter school operator and sponsor
Funding sources
Training for charter school governing board approved by DOE
Why Charter Schools?Charter schools shall fulfill the following purposes:
Improve student learning and academic achievement
Increase learning opportunities for all students
Encourage the use of innovative learning methods
Require the measurement of learning outcomes
Charter schools may fulfill the following purposes:
Create innovative measurement tools
Provide rigorous competition to stimulate continual improvement
Expand the capacity of the public school system
Mitigate the educational impact of new developments
Create new professional development opportunities for teachers
What Does SJCSD Look For?
An application that offers an alternative to traditional public schools and meets all statutory
requirements.
Let’s Get Started
Model Application
Brick and Mortar
Virtual
High Performing
Application Evaluation Instrument
Florida School Choice | Charter Statutes and Rules
SJCSD uses the state approved applications as required in statute
Remember:
Organize as a non-profitMeet federal requirements: civil rights, ADA, Section 504, IDEAEmploy practices that are nonsectarianParticipate in the statewide assessment programMeet state graduation requirementsEmploy certified teachers
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 1: Mission, Guiding Principles and Purpose
Mission statement
Demonstrates how the school will meet the purpose and guiding principles
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 2: Target Population and Student Body
Target population
Projected enrollment for each year of the charter by grade level
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 3: Educational Program Design
Daily schedule
Calendar
Clear and coherent educational program
Research base for program design
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 4: Curriculum Plan
A detailed curriculum plan for all students
A reading curriculum grounded in scientifically-based reading research
Evaluation method for curriculum effectiveness
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 5: Student Performance, Assessment and Evaluation
Formal and informal assessments
Detailed plans for assessing student performance
Promotion standards and graduation requirements (high school)
Plans for sharing student performance information
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 6: Exceptional Students
How services will be provided
A plan to evaluate the school’s effectiveness in serving exceptional students as well as gifted
A realistic enrollment projection and aligned staffing plan
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 7: English Language Learners
A detailed educational plan
Staffing plan aligned to the educational plan
The Charter Application Educational Plan Sections 1-8
Section 8: School Climate and Discipline
Classroom management and discipline plan and policies
Student code of conduct
The Charter Application Organizational Plan Sections 9-13
Section 9: Governance
Organizational Chart
Founding board
Governing board
Description of the legal entity responsible for the school
Roles and responsibilities of the board and how it will provide oversight
The Charter Application Organizational Plan Sections 9-13
Section 10: Management
Day–to-day operations of the school
Job descriptions, roles and responsibilities for teachers and administrators
Recruitment and retention plan
Evaluation plan for administrative and instructional staff
A staffing plan
The Charter Application Organizational Plan Sections 9-13
Section 11: Educational Service Provider (ESP)
Who is the ESP? Why and how did you choose an ESP?
What services will they provide?
Draft of the contract
Roles and responsibilities for financial management
Arm’s length relationship
List of other schools that the ESP has contracts with
ESP’s history
The Charter Application Organizational Plan Sections 9-13
Section 12: Human Resources and Employment
Compensation plan
Professional development
Personnel policies and procedures
The Charter Application Organizational Plan Sections 9-13
Section 13: Student Recruitment and Enrollment
Marketing plan
Admission procedures
Parent agreements
Parent and Community involvement
The Charter ApplicationBusiness Plan Sections 14-19
Section 14: Facilities
Plans for facility acquisition, renovation and financing
Back-up plan
The Charter ApplicationBusiness Plan Sections 14-19
Section 15: Transportation
Section 16: Food Service
Transportation plan
Food service plan
Plans should cover all students
The Charter ApplicationBusiness Plan Sections 14-19
Section 17: Budget
Start-up budget
Annual financial plan for each year requested
Line item narrative
Calculate revenue on state provided Revenue Estimate Worksheet
DO NOT include grant money in the budget
The Charter ApplicationBusiness Plan Sections 14-19
Section 18: Financial Management and Oversight
Policies and procedures
Insurance
The Charter ApplicationBusiness Plan Sections 14-19
Section 19: Action Plan
Implementation timeline
What’s Next?
Use the evaluation tool to review your application
Review your responsibilities as an applicant
Organize as a nonprofit organization, 501(C)3
Establish a governing board that complies with the Sunshine Laws
Submit a timely application to the Sponsor that meets the requirements in statute
Prepare the application for submission
SJCSD Charter Application Format
Title Page with the name of the school
The Application Cover Sheet
Statement of Assurances
A Table of Contents
Tabs identifying each section of the application
Pages numbered consecutively throughout the application
5 hard copies, double sided
5 electronic copies in PDF format
SJCSD Application Process
Provide technical assistance as requested
Receive applications by established deadline
Distribute applications to the Application Review Team
Meet with Review Team to discuss merit of each application
Conduct interview with applicant team
Evaluate application using State Evaluation Instrument
Submit application to School Board for action on Superintendent’s recommendation
Notify applicant of decision
Application Challenges
Application is not original or innovative
Application is not in the state approved format
Inconsistencies throughout the application
Budget is based on another district’s Revenue Estimate Worksheet
Lack of familiarity with SJCSD - different terminology, tests (ESE, ELL)
Hard copy and electronic copy of the application differ
Not familiar with legislative mandates and changes
Q&A