dekalb county board of education july 1, 2013

DeKalb County Board of Education

July 1, 2013

SCHOOL SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY SCHOOL SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY AND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN GEORGIAAND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN GEORGIA

Overview and ComparisonOverview and Comparison

What is the Origin of Charter Schools?

04/21/23 3

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Innova

tion C

hoice

Competition


Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 704/21/23

04/21/23 10Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent


Charter system law also passed, followed by

first 4 charter systems in

2008-09


For locally-approved and system charter schools

State Charter Schools

Commission

For state charter schools

13Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

What Kinds of Charter Schools Does Georgia Have?

04/21/23 15

Different starting points, but same end point

Same starting point as a conversion charter, but a

different end point

16

DeKalb County Charter Schools Charter School Name Type of Charter

School1 Chamblee Charter High School Conversion2 Chesnut Elementary Conversion

3DeKalb Academy of Technology & the Environment (D.A.T.E.) Start-Up

4 DeKalb Preparatory Academy Start-Up5 Destiny Acheivers Academy of Excellence Start-Up6 Gateway to College Academy School Start-Up7 International Community School Start-Up8 Kingsley Charter Elementary School Conversion9 Leadership Preparatory Academy Start-Up

10 Peachtree Charter Middle School Conversion11 Smoke Rise Elementary Conversion12 The Museum School of Avondale Estates Start-Up13 DeKalb PATH Academy Start-Up

Georgia Charter Schools Growth

We have begun to address the low numbers of high quality charter school

applications

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04/21/23 25

04/21/23 27

1519

22

39 39

61

75

21

4

35

27

0

1519 19

3026

18

40

15

27 8

00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

History of Charter School Applications and Approvals

Note: The 2010 number of applications and approvals is significantly higher because of Commission school transitions

Total Applications Commission Apps Total Approvals Commission Approvals

04/21/23 28

• Not yet a critical mass of high-quality charter schools

• Concentrated in Metro Atlanta• We had 315 charter schools in

Georgia in 2012-13 – including 77 start-up charter schools, 31 conversion charter schools, and 207 charter system schools in 16 charter systems

• The 15 state-chartered special schools have changed authorizers from the SBOE to the new State Charter Schools Commission

• Not yet a critical mass of high-quality charter schools

• Concentrated in Metro Atlanta• We had 315 charter schools in

Georgia in 2012-13 – including 77 start-up charter schools, 31 conversion charter schools, and 207 charter system schools in 16 charter systems

• The 15 state-chartered special schools have changed authorizers from the SBOE to the new State Charter Schools Commission


Georgia’s Charter Landscape

04/21/23 31

Number of Charter System Schools by District

Georgia Landscape 2011-2012

National Landscape2011-2012

Georgia Charter Schools Academic Performance

04/21/23 38


5-Year % Passing: CRCT Reading PerformanceCharter vs. Non-Charter


% Passing: CRCT Reading PerformanceBy Charter Type


5-Year % Passing: CRCT Math PerformanceCharter vs. Non-Charter


% Passing: CRCT Math PerformanceBy Charter Type


40.0%42.5%45.0%47.5%50.0%52.5%55.0%57.5%60.0%62.5%65.0%67.5%70.0%72.5%75.0%77.5%80.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5-Year EOCT Math Performance TrendCharter vs. Non-Charter

Charter Non-Charter


40.0%42.5%45.0%47.5%50.0%52.5%55.0%57.5%60.0%62.5%65.0%67.5%70.0%72.5%75.0%77.5%80.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5-Year EOCT Math Performance Trendby Charter Type

Start-up Conversion System Non-Charter

Georgia’s High Quality Charter School Requirements

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04/21/23 55

* High Quality Charter School

• Petitioners are asked:– What would having a

charter allow you to do differently to increase student achievement that you could not do without a charter?

– Why do you need a charter to implement the innovations you have proposed?

56Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Must show the following links:

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04/21/23 57

04/21/23 58

Governing Board Autonomy


Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Can contract for services provided by the district• Must recruit/select governing board members without district or EMO/CMO assistance• Must have independent audit firm and attorney

Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Can contract for services provided by the district• Must recruit/select governing board members without district or EMO/CMO assistance• Must have independent audit firm and attorney

The school should be as close to this

end as possible


end as possible

04/21/23

04/21/23 60

* Fourth Generation

School District Flexibility and Accountability in Georgia

04/21/23 61

04/21/23 62

• By June 30, 2015*June 30, 2015* each local school system must choose to operate as one of the following: – Investing in Educational Excellence School System (IE2)– Charter System– Status Quo School System• Other options include:– Strategic School System – System of Charter Schools

*Per OCGA §20-2-84.3

Decision Considerations

*College & Career Readiness Performance Index 68

69

Centralized or Decentralized Decentralized

Yes

No Waivers

Decision Structure Considerations

70

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter SchoolsStrategic School

SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

>School System seeks waivers – must include at least one of the following: class size; expenditure control; certification; salary schedule

>Schools must state how broad flexibility per-mitted by the Charter Schools Act will be utilized to improve student achievement>School must provide exam-ples of how they will utilize the broad relief from Title 20 permit-ted by the Chart-er Schools Act.

>School System must state how bundled Title 20 waiver requests for flexibility permitted by state statute and State Board rule will be utilized.>School System cannot include the following: class size; expenditure control; certification; salary schedule.

>School System must provide examples of how broad flexibility permitted by the Charter Schools Act will be utilized to improve student achievement

>Waivers granted only in the case of a natural disaster>Statewide waivers expire June 30, 2015

Flexibility and Title 20

71

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

Status Quo

Cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Schools cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlaw-ful conduct

Cannot waive: >Big 4>Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

No waivers permitted except if natural disaster, but cannot waive:>Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Waiver Limitations

71

72

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Flexibility proportionate to student performance goals>School System Strategic Plan is required>School System must conduct a public hearing to share Strategic Plan>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting.

>Emphasis on parent/ community involvement, including maximum school level governance>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting

>Flexibility is proportionate to increase in student performance goals >School System Strategic Plan is required>School System must conduct a public hearing to share Strategic Plan >Approved by the Local School Board

>Emphasis on parent/ community involvement, including maximum school level governance>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting

>School System must conduct a public hearing to provide notice of the system’s intent to select Status Quo>Local board of education must sign statement that the school system has selected Status Quo

Unique Features

73

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

Status Quo

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with more local school system expenditure controls

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with local expenditure controls>Potential federal charter school imple-mentation grants possible for each school

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with more local school system expenditure controls>Possible $100 (pre-austerity cut) per student

>No savings through flexibility

Fiscal Impact

74

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

>School System may maximize school-level governance by granting local schools authority to determine how to reach goals

>School System must provide each school with substantial autonomy and maximum school-level governance and decision making over budgets, programs, personnel and innovation

>School System may maximize school level governance by granting local schools authority to determine how to reach goals, manage personnel, and develop innovative strategies

>School System must provide each school with substantial autonomy and maximum school-level governance and decision making over budgets, programs, personnel and/or innovation

>No change in school-level governance

Governance

76

• Beyond the 4 responsibilities of a school board, everything else is the Superintendent’s responsibility

• Therefore, it is the Superintendent’s authority that is shared with schools in a charter system or a system of charter schools

• The authority of a local Board of Education is not diminished unless it has inappropriately taken the Superintendent’s authority

Charter System School Governing Team

Autonomy

78

Indicators of Autonomy• Ability to make personnel decisions (People)• Ability to make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Ability to set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Governing council members selected/recruited without district assistance • Can contract for services provided by the district

Indicators of Autonomy• Ability to make personnel decisions (People)• Ability to make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Ability to set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Governing council members selected/recruited without district assistance • Can contract for services provided by the district


end as possible


end as possible

79

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Student performance goals must meet or exceed state averages and exceed previous system performance >Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures


>Student performance goals must exceed previous system performance and must show annual improvement>Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures


>Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

Performance Evaluation

80

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Loss of governance of non-performing schools: (1) conversion to charter school; (2) operation by another school system; or (3) operation by private or non-profit entity

>Charter status revoked for non-performing schools; those schools lose all flexibility >Possible fiscal impact due to loss of flexibility

>Flexibility status revoked and school system reverts to Status Quo>Possible fiscal impact when converting from Strategic School System to Status Quo due to loss of flexibility

>Charter status revoked and school system reverts to Status Quo >Possible fiscal impact when converting from Charter System to Status Quo due to loss of flexibility

N/A

Consequences

81

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

Status Quo

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education*

>Charter School Governing Board, Local School System Board of Education, and State Board of Education

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education

N/A

Contractual Partners

*Required by statute that the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement participate in the IE2 process.

82

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

Status Quo

>Initial term of contract is for 5 years>Contract may be renewed if contract performance goals are met for at least three consecutive years

>Initial term of individual school contract is for 5 years>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Subsequent contract term may range from 5 to 10 years if the charter contract goals are met

>Single contract term of 2 to 5 years>>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Follow-up contract must be IE2, Charter System, System of Charter Schools, or Status Quo

>Initial term of contract is for 5 years>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Subsequent contract term may range from 5 to 10 years if the charter contract goals are met

N/A

Length of Contract

85

IE2

SystemSystem of


SystemCharterSystem

Status Quo

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff>Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 8 to 24 months

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff >Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 3 to 6 months



N/A

Petition Process

86

IE2

System System of


SystemCharterSystem

StatusQuo

O.C.G.A. §20-2-80 §20-2-81§20-2-82§20-2-83§20-2-84.1§20-2-84.2§20-2-84.3

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063§20-2-2063.1§20-2-2063.2§20-2-2064.1§20-2-2065§20-2-2066§20-2-2067§20-2-2067.1§20-2-2068§20-2-2068.1§20-2-2068.2§20-2-2069§20-2-2070§20-2-2071

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063.2

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063.2

O.C.G.A. §20-2-80

Legal References

Charter School Authorizing in Georgia

04/21/23 87

What is an Authorizer?

04/21/23 89

What Are An Authorizer’s Responsibilities?

90

An authorizer is an entity that has the authority to create charter schools


How Does The SBOE/GaDOE Fulfill Their Obligations as an Authorizer?

04/21/23 91

How Does The Commission Fulfill Its Obligations as an Authorizer?

04/21/23 92

Charter School Approval Process


Start-up petition

SCSS petition

Conversion petition

LBOE GaDOE SBOE

ApprovalReview and make recommendation

to SBOEApproval

New locally-approved start-

up charter school

Review and make recommendation

to SBOEApproval

New state-chartered

special school

Approval Approval

Review and make recommendation

to SBOE

New conversion

charter school

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

End

End

EndEnd

Y

N

04/21/23

Commission School Approval Process


Start-up petition for

defined attendance

zone

Commission petition for

defined attendance

zone

LBOE where school will be located

Commission SBOE

Overrule

New Commission

school

N

N

YEnd

04/21/23

ApprovalY

EndN

Commission petition for statewide

attendance zone

Petition to district in which

school will be located for

information only (not required for virtual schools)

(See previous page)

YApproval

Charter System Approval Process

95

Charter system petition

LBOE GaDOE SBOE

Approval Approval

Review and make

recommendation to SBOE

New charter system

Y

NEndEnd

Y

N

Charter Advisory Committee review and

recommendation to SBOE

What is the SBOE/GaDOE Charter Petition Review Process?


CHARTER SCHOOL PETITIONS

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/

CURRENT CHARTER SCHOOLS

Conversion Start-UpChesnut E SKingsley E SSmoke Rise E SPeachtree M SChamblee H S

DeKalb Academy of the Technology and the EnvironmentDeKalb Path AcademyDeKalb Preparatory AcademyDestiny Academy of ExcellenceGateway to CollegeInternational Community SchoolLeadership Preparatory AcademyThe Museum School


2013 – 2014 Letters of Intent to Submit 2014-2015 Charter Petitions


2014 Start-Up Charter School Petitions Under Review


2013 – 2014 Letter of Intent to Submit the 2014-2015 Cluster Charter Petition


2013 – 2014 Letters of Intent to Submit 2014-2015 Charter Renewal Petitions


Start-ups: May 16 – 17, 2013

Conversions: August 15 – 16, 2013

Renewals: August 15 – 16, 2013

High School Cluster: August 15 – 16, 2013

When are petitions due to the DeKalb County School District Charter School Office?


When are petitions due to the State Department of Education Charter School Office?

Start-ups: August 1, 2013

State-chartered special schools: August 1, 2013

Conversions: November 1, 2013

Renewals: November 1, 2013

Charter Systems: November 1, 2013


Duration of Charter Term

The petition must be consistent with state law and DCSD policy that the both initial charters will be issued a five-year period and that renewal charters will be issued for 5-10 years, based on whether or not performance goals have been met as specified in charter.


CONVERSION CHARTER SCHOOLS ONLY1. All charter renewal petitions submitted by a charter petitioner to the

local Board must meet all state and DCSD petition requirements.

2. A conversion charter petition shall include a statement detailing the autonomy that the conversion school shall have from the local school system.

3. This statement shall include, among other things, a description of how financial resources will be managed; how human resources will be managed and personnel evaluated; the extent to which parents, community members, and other stakeholders will participate in the governance of the school; and any other innovative practices the school intends to implement.

4. The petition shall describe all policies, procedures and practices the school intends to implement. The petition shall describe all policies, procedures, and practices that will materially distinguish the conversion school from the school’s pre-conversion model.



CONVERSION CHARTER SCHOOLS ONLY 5. Include a statement that the petitioner has held the appropriate votes, by

secret ballot, required pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2064 (a) (1) and (2), and shall describe the procedures and outcomes of those votes.

6. For the purposes of the vote required pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2064 (a) (1), each faculty or instructional staff member shall have a

7. single vote.

8. For purposes of the vote required pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2064 (a) (2), a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) shall collectively have one vote for each student enrolled in the school.

9. A conversion charter school petition must be agreed to by a majority of the faculty and instructional staff members and a majority of parent or guardians of students enrolled in the petitioning local school before the petition is presented to the local board for approval.



CHARTER SCHOOL PETITIONS TO LOCAL BOARDS

A local board now has 90 days from the date of submission to consider an applicant’s petition before it is deemed denied under the law – unless the applicant grants an extension beyond 90 days.

If a local board denies a petition, the petitioner shall not be precluded from submitting a revised petition to the local board that addresses the deficiencies cited in the denial.

If a local board approves a petition, the local board must within thirty (30) days deliver the approved petition to the Georgia Department of Education for review by the SBOE.



What Steps does GaDOE Take to Ensure Only High-Quality Charter Schools are Recommended for

Approval?

04/21/23 110

What Should New and Renewal Charter School Applicants Do to Ensure They Are

High-Quality Applicants?

04/21/23 111

What Steps Should Renewal Applicants Take to Ensure They Are High-Quality

Charter Schools?

04/21/23 112

When Does GaDOE Recommend An Existing Charter School for Denial?

04/21/23 113

When Should an Authorizer Close a Charter School?

*These guidelines are based on NACSA’s Red Flags for identifying “bad” schools.04/21/23 114

Why Should Authorizers Close Schools?

04/21/23 115

Accountability Project


Charter School Grant Opportunities



Where is Georgia chartering headed?

What’s Best for Charter School Students?

04/21/23 119

For More Informationhttp://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Charter-Schools/

120

Garry McGiboney, Ph.D.Associate Superintendent

[email protected]

Howard Hendley, Ed.D.Director, Policy Division

[email protected]

Louis ErsteDirector, Charter Schools Division

[email protected]

Allan MeyerAssistant Director

Policy [email protected]

404-657-1065

Morgan FeltsProgram Manager and

Senior AttorneyCharter Schools [email protected]

404-656-0027

http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Charter-Schools/

mailto:[email protected]





dekalb county board of education july 1, 2013

Documents

state school superintendentdr

state school superintendentfor

charter system schools

charter systems

conversion charter schools

school system flexibility

kinds of charter schools

startup charter schools