DOCSLIB.ORG

The Colorado Charter School Handbook

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Colorado Charter School Handbook The Colorado Charter School Handbook: A Guide for Starting and Operating a Charter School Colorado Department 201 East Colfax Avenue, Room 300 Denver, CO 80203-1799 http://www.cde.state.co.us/index_charter.htm of Education 303-866-6771 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: GETTING STARTED 1. WHAT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL? ......................................................................................................................................... 2 2. PURPOSE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS .................................................................................................................................... 2 3. THE HISTORY OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN COLORADO ........................................................................................... 3 4. STARTING A CHARTER SCHOOL ....................................................................................................................................... 5 A.. First Steps ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 B. Contact Your Potential Authorizer ...................................................................................................................................... 6 C. Contact the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) .................................................................................................... 6 D. The Charter Application Process ........................................................................................................................................ 7 I. Share Your Dream........................................................................................................................................................ 7 II. Creating and Sustaining Interest in the Proposed Charter School ............................................................................ 7 III. Critical Dates for Applicants and New Charter Schools...................................................................................... 8 IV. Appeal Process for Denied Applicants ........................................................................................................................ 9 PART 2: APPLICATION COMPONENTS 1. PLANNING FOR THE CHARTER APPLICATION .......................................................................................................... 10 2. COMPONENTS OF THE CHARTER APPLICATION ..................................................................................................... 11 I.. Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11 a. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 b. Mission Statement .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 c. Goals, Objectives and Pupil Performance Standards ............................................................................................................................. 12 d. Evidence of Support................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 e. Educational Program ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 f. Plan for Evaluating Pupil Performance ................................................................................................................................................... 14 g. Budget and Finance ................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 h. Governance .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 i. Employees ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 j. Insurance Coverage................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 k. Parent and Community Involvement ...................................................................................................................................................... 18 l. Enrollment Policy ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 m. Transportation and Food Service ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 n. Facilities ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 o. Waivers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 p. Student Discipline, Expulsion, or Suspension ........................................................................................................................................ 22 q. Serving Students with Special Needs ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 r. Dispute Resolution Process ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23 s. School Management Contracts ................................................................................................................................................................ 23 PART 3: AUTHORIZER RELATIONS 1. AUTHORIZERS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 A.. Approval Process ............................................................................................................................................................... 24 I. Local School District .................................................................................................................................................. 24 II. Charter School Institute (CSI) ................................................................................................................................... 25 B. Contract Negotiations ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 C. Reporting Requirements .................................................................................................................................................... 26 D. Educational Management Organizations ......................................................................................................................... 26 PART 4: GOVERNING BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 28 2. ESTABLISHING CHARTER SCHOOL GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................ 29 A.. Governance Structure ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 B. Corporate Documents ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 C. Board Expertise & Training .............................................................................................................................................. 32 D. Strategic Planning & Goal Setting .................................................................................................................................... 33 E. Election of New Board Members ...................................................................................................................................... 34 3. DUTIES OF INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ................................................................................................................ 35 A.. Duty of Care ....................................................................................................................................................................... 35 B. Duty of Loyalty ..................................................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • OSSE Early Childhood Transition Faqs
    July 2020 Early Childhood Transition: Frequently Asked Questions This document is intended to provide guidance to District of Columbia local education agencies (LEAs) providing preschool special education services to children under the age of six. These FAQs address issues and LEA obligations related to children transitioning from Part C early intervention services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provided by DC Strong Start Early Intervention Program to IDEA Part B preschool special education and related services provided by LEAs. General LEA Responsibilities 1. What agencies are primarily responsible for early intervention or special education services? DC Strong Start (OSSE) - Strong Start is the District’s Early Intervention Program for families with children under the age of three who are concerned about their child’s development. Strong Start provides early intervention services to eligible children under the age of three through an Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP). Strong Start also provides early intervention services to children who are eligible for IDEA Part B services but whose parents have elected to receive services under an Extended IFSP, from age three until the beginning of the school year following the child’s fourth birthday. District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Early Stages - Early Stages is a DC Public Schools (DCPS) evaluation center for children between the ages of two years and eight months and five years and ten months who do not attend a DCPS school or DC public charter school. The organization conducts initial evaluations and determines eligibility for Part B services for children that are not enrolled in a DCPS school or DC public charter school and, if the child is eligible, develops an IEP.
    [Show full text]
  • Analyzing Breadth and Depth of a Virtual Charter School's Science
    US-China Education Review A 2 (2012) 149-163 D Earlier title: US-China Education Review, ISSN 1548-6613 DAVID PUBLISHING Analyzing Breadth and Depth of a Virtual Charter School’s Science Curriculum Matthew Vick University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, USA This case study analyzes five science courses of a United States virtual charter school. Online quizzes and exams are provided by the corporate partner, while local teachers have selected report topics, virtual labs and at-home labs for students to complete. These assessments were coded for their correlation to the cognitive levels of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy and the US NSES (National Science Education Standards). The remembering level was associated with the largest number of quiz and exam questions. However, analysis and application were also frequently assessed. Most of the standards were assessed at some point. The teacher selected projects address science inquiry standards but not additional content standards. The projects often required higher levels of thinking. Recommendations for teachers in virtual K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) schools are made to select additional content that focuses on key concepts and include more application, analysis, evaluation and creation. Keywords: program evaluation, curriculum development, standards, virtual education Introduction Online education is a growing trend in K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) education. Virtual schools offer new modes of instruction to students in the 21st century. These schools deliver complete curricula online to students in their homes. In the US, federal law requires publicly funded virtual schools to employ certified teachers and administer state assessments for accountability purposes. These state assessments are correlated with the state’s content standards.
    [Show full text]
  • Alaska State Charter School Regulations (Pdf)
    Alaska State Charter Schools Regulations 4 AAC 27 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4 AAC 27.057. Charter school transportation policy. (a) A local school board shall adopt a charter school transportation policy that describes the transportation services that will be provided by the district to students attending a charter school operated by the district if (1) a district provides transportation services under AS 14.09.010; and (2) the district operates a charter school or an application for the establishment of a charter school in the district is pending with the district under AS 14.03.250. (b) A district must submit to the department an application for approval of its charter school transportation policy on a form provided by the department (1) not later than April 15, 2015, if a charter school is in operation in the district on July 1, 2014; or (2) not later than 30 days after approval of a charter school by a local school board, if a charter school is approved by a local school board after July 1, 2014, and a charter school transportation policy approved by the department is not in effect in the district. (c) The application to the department must include: (1) evidence that the charter school transportation policy was developed in compliance with AS 14.09.010(e)(1); and (2) the charter school transportation policy adopted by the local school board that provides transportation service for charter school students in compliance with AS 14.09.010(e)(2); and (3) other documents or information the department needs to evaluate a charter school transportation policy adopted by a local school board.
    [Show full text]
  • Charter Schools Program
    Charter Schools Program Title V, Part B Non-Regulatory Guidance July, 2004 Non-Regulatory Guidance Title V, Part B Charter Schools Program The Charter Schools Program CSP) was authorized in October 1994, under Title X, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, 20 U.S.C. 8061-8067. The program was amended in October 1998 by the Charter School Expansion Act of 1998 and in January 2001 by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The program, which provides support for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools, is intended to enhance parent and student choices among public schools and give more students the opportunity to learn to challenging standards. Enhancement of parent and student choices will result in higher student achievement, however, only if sufficiently diverse and high-quality choices, and genuine opportunities to take advantage of those choices, are available to all students. Every student should have an equal opportunity to attend a charter school. The non-regulatory guidance addresses questions the Department has received regarding various provisions of the CSP statute, including those related to student admissions to charter schools, the use of lotteries, private school conversions, and the involvement of for-profit organizations in charter schools. The non-regulatory guidance also addresses how businesses, faith-based communities and other community-based organizations and individuals associated with them can be involved in the development and operation of charter schools. These guidelines do not contain all of the information you will need to comply with CSP requirements, but are intended to provide guidance on the CSP and examples of ways to implement it.
    [Show full text]
  • Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394)
    11/26/2018 84X394/EMS - 2017-18 School Quality Snapshot - Online Edition - New York City Department of Education 2017-18 School Quality Snapshot Elementary School Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394) Overall School Ratings Framework for Great Student Achievement Schools Rigorous Instruction Research shows that Collaborative Teachers schools strong in the six areas are far more likely to improve student learning. Supportive Environment Key: Effective School Leadership Excellent Good Strong Family-Community Ties Fair Needs Improvement Trust School Info General Information Location School website: havenacademy.org 170 Brown Place Principal: Jessica Nauiokas/Briony Carr-Clemente Bronx, NY 10454 Grades served: PK,0K,01,02,03,04,05,06,SE Phone: 718-292-7015 Enrollment: 362 Shared space: No Admission methods: Student Demographics Asian: 0% Black: 28% Parents and Teachers Say... Hispanic: 69% White: 0% 97% of families say that their school offers a wide enough English language learners: 16% variety of courses, extracurricular activities, and services to Students with special needs: 25% keep their child interested in school City: 89% Staff Experience Years of principal experience at this school: N/A 100% of families say that they are satisfied with the education Teachers with 3 or more years of experience: N/A their child has received this year City: 95% Attendance 100% of teachers say that they recommend their school to Student attendance: 93% (City: 93%) families seeking a place for their child Students chronically absent: 24% (City: 23%) City: 84% Teacher attendance: N/A https://tools.nycenet.edu/snapshot/2018/84X394/EMS/#TR 1/5 11/26/2018 84X394/EMS - 2017-18 School Quality Snapshot - Online Edition - New York City Department of Education Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394) Student Achievement Overall Rating for Student Achievement Good The Student Achievement rating looks at this school's State test results, including student growth and performance; how students performed in core courses; and how well students are prepared for middle school.
    [Show full text]
  • Charter School Myths Vs. Facts
    Charter School Myths vs. Facts Over the past five years, student enrollment in charter public schools has grown by 62 percent. While charter schools enjoy tremendous bipartisan support among policymakers and the general public, they also have some vocal critics who perpetuate a number of myths. MYTH: “Charter schools are not public schools.” FACT: As defined in federal and state law, charter schools are public schools. They must meet the same academic standards that all public schools are required to meet. They are: • Tuition free and open to all students; • Nonsectarian and do not discriminate on any basis; • Publicly funded by local, state, and federal tax dollars based on enrollment, like other public schools; and • Held accountable for meeting state and federal academic standards. MYTH: “Charter schools cream or cherry-pick the best students from district-run public schools.” FACT: Charter public schools are generally required to take all students who want to attend. If there are more interested students than available seats, the schools are required to hold lotteries, which randomly determine which students will be enrolled. According to federal law, charter schools must accept all students, including students with disabilities and English Learners (ELs), regardless of previous academic performance. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education revised its long-standing policy requiring charter schools to use a “blind” lottery when they are oversubscribed. Where it is permitted by state law, charters can now use “weighted” lotteries to preference “educationally disadvantaged” students. This change will likely result in charter schools serving an even greater share of disadvantaged children than they already do.
    [Show full text]
  • Charter Schools
    Charter Schools Informational Paper 27 Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau January, 2019 Charter Schools Prepared by Russ Kava Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau One East Main, Suite 301 Madison, WI 53703 http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb Charter Schools The movement for charter schools emerged in the late 1980s as a strategy for education reform. Charter School Law Minnesota initiated the first charter school law in 1991 and California followed suit in 1992. In 1993, Wisconsin was one of six states to pass char- Establishment of School District Charters. ter school legislation, enacted as part of the 1993- An unlimited number of charter schools may be es- 95 state budget (1993 Act 16). As of 2018, 44 tablished by school districts in the state. There are states and the District of Columbia had enacted two methods under which local school boards may some type of charter school legislation. authorize charter schools. While the specific provisions of charter school First, a school board may, on its own initiative, legislation vary widely among the states that have contract to operate a school as a charter school. Un- enacted it, certain characteristics are generally as- der this process, a board may convert all of the dis- sociated with charter schools. Charter schools are trict’s schools to charter schools as long as the usually exempt from most laws and rules govern- board provides alternative public school attendance ing traditional public schools. In some cases, char- arrangements for pupils who do not wish to attend ter schools may also be exempt from a sponsoring or are not admitted to a charter school.
    [Show full text]
  • Urban Catholic Schools in Expanding Charter School Markets: Enrollment Shifts and School Closures
    Urban Catholic Schools in Expanding Charter School Markets: Enrollment Shifts and School Closures by Richard Joseph Waddington A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Education) in the University of Michigan 2012 Doctoral Committee: Professor Brian P. McCall, Chair Professor Stephen L. DesJardins Professor Susan M. Dynarski Emeritus Professor Valerie E. Lee © Copyright Richard Joseph Waddington 2012 All Rights Reserved DEDICATION To my mother, Christine for her love, encouragement, sacrifice, and especially for instilling the importance and value of higher education -ii - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have contributed to the completion of my doctorate degree and dissertation. I am pleased to be able to extend my sincere appreciation to some of them and apologize up front for anyone whom I may have unintentionally omitted. I would like to thank Dr. Brian McCall, my graduate advisor and committee chairman, whose invaluable guidance and support over the past four years allowed me to move forward. I am deeply grateful for your continuous encouragement, patient approach, and your deep intellect you have shared with me over the course of my academic career. Through countless one-on-one meetings, e-mails, and written feedback, you have provided substantial advice and help on my dissertation, from its origination to completion. You have aided me in pushing my limits during this research endeavor. When I switched into the Quantitative Research Methods program after my first academic year you were immediately willing to work with me to ensure that I attained success in graduate school from day one. My knowledge of quantitative research methods and economics was greatly expanded under your guidance and it has set me up well to perform rigorous quantitative inquiries throughout my career.
    [Show full text]
  • Charter and Collegiate High Schools in the Florida College System
    CHARTER AND COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOLS OCTOBER 2013, EDITION 2013-01 Charter and Collegiate High Schools in the Florida College System Charter schools in the Florida College System (FCS) are statutorily authorized when an institution, in cooperation with the school board within the college’s service area, develops a charter school that offers secondary education and allows students to obtain an associate’s degree upon graduation from high school. Since 1996, Florida public charter schools have provided smaller class sizes, alternative curriculums and increased opportunities for parental involvement. Additionally, Florida has a number of collegiate high schools, which are innovative schools designed to provide academic and technical education for high school students interested in pursuing college-level study. Charter and collegiate schools strive to provide students with an enhanced learning environment. Florida’s charter and collegiate schools awarded 944 associate degrees in academic year 2012-13. Collegiate high schools expose high school students to the dynamics and resources available on a college campus while also elevating expectations for student success. Some states have expanded on dual enrollment and have a middle/early college concept to transition and fully engage secondary students into college-level programs. The middle/early college concept provides students with a five- year academic plan (grades 9-13), offering a combination of high school and college classes that culminate in an associate degree or up to 60 transferable college credits. According to US News and World Report, the early college concept was first pioneered by Jobs for the Future and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Other benefits of charter and collegiate schools include the reduction in time to degree and promoting alignment between secondary and postsecondary sectors.
    [Show full text]
  • Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394) 2016–17 School Quality Snapshot / Elementary School
    Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394) 2016–17 School Quality Snapshot / Elementary School General Information Framework for Great Schools www.havenacademy.org Research shows that schools strong in the six areas are far more likely to improve student learning. Principal: Jessica Nauiokas Grades served: PK,0K,01,02,03,04,05,SE Rigorous Instruction Enrollment: 340 Shared Space: No Collaborative Teachers Admissions methods: Charter Lottery Supportive Environment Student Demographics Asian: 0% | Black: 27% | Hispanic: 69% | White: 1% Effective School Leadership English Language Learners: 17% Student with Special Needs: 23% Strong Family-Community Ties Staff Experience Years of principal experience at this school: N/A Trust % of teachers with 3 or more years of experience: N/A Attendance Student Attendance: 93% (City: 94%) Student Achievement Students Chronically Absent: 26% (City: 21%) Teacher Attendance: N/A KEY: Excellent Good Fair Poor Parents and Teachers Say... 96% of parents say that this school offers a wide enough variety of courses, extracurricular activities, and services to keep their child interested in school (City: 89%) 99% of parents say that they are satisfied with the education their child received this year (City: 95%) 96% of teachers say that they would recommend their school to parents seeking a place for their child (City: 85%) 170 Brown Place Bronx, NY 10454 718-292-7015 Mott Haven Academy Charter School (84X394) Page 2 2016–17 School Quality Snapshot / Elementary School Student Achievement This section presents information on this school's state test results, including student growth and performance, how students performed in core courses, and how well students are prepared for middle school.
    [Show full text]
  • State Pre-K and Charter School: a Summary of State Policies
    CEELO/PDG TA FAST FACT – October 2017 Charters and Pre-K State Pre-K and Charter School: A Summary of State Policies GG Weisenfeld, Ed.D. & Manuela Fonseca, Ed.D. October 2017 INFORMATION REQUEST A state’s department of education requested information on policies or practices that are in place at the state level to support charter schools in implementing pre-K. State’s Goal Hearing about the experiences from other states that are operating Background and Context pre-K classrooms in charter schools will help inform stakeholder The state that requested CEELO’s assistance operates its state Funded pre-K program only discussions and decision points as the state moves to sustain the within traditional district public schools, however the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Funded Preschool Development Grant (PDG) programs currently operating in preschools operate in charter schools. charter schools. Methodology We began by analyzing the NAECS-SDE listserv 8 What We Know responses to identiFy common themes. This was According to the 2016 NIEER State oF Preschool Yearbook, all but two of followed by a review oF the National Institute For Early Education Research (NIEER) The State oF state-funded pre-K programs had at least some oF the classrooms Preschool Yearbook and the research conducted operating in public schools1. by Mead and Mitchel, Bellwether Education Partners (2015) on policies and statues in 35 states and DC that had both charter schools and Forty-three states and D.C. have enacted charter school laws. In the state-funded pre-K programs in 2014-2015. past 10 years, charter school enrollment nationally has been steadily We Followed up by reviewing state websites and increasing from 1.2 million in 2006-2007 to 3.1 million in 2016-20172.
    [Show full text]
  • Former Catholic School Built in 1914 Transformed Into Charter School Golden Door Charter School Started the 2011 School Year in Historical, Renovated Building
    Former Catholic School Built in 1914 Transformed into Charter School Golden Door Charter School started the 2011 school year in historical, renovated building JERSEY CITY (September 2011)- Students at Jersey City Golden Door Charter School started the school year on September 9th in a historically renovated building at 3026 John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Construction began at Golden Door Charter School in December to renovate the stately St. John the Baptist School and Convent buildings. The building was originally built in 1914, yet now feels like a brand new building through façade improvements and renovations completed in the classrooms and hallways. Finished wood floors, new lighting fixtures and new paint completed the fresh look. Additionally, the school put in large white boards in each classroom to cover up the old chalkboards and to modernize the function of the classrooms. The terrazzo flooring in the hallways were also refinished which added character and richness to the building. Build with Purpose also renovated the adjacent convent, tying the two buildings together with an exterior courtyard. The convent contains administrative spaces, offices, and a conference room for staff. Most windows have been replaced in the school and the convent, but some minor work is still ongoing such as landscaping and the replacement of additional windows. “Without Build with Purpose, we never would have gotten this project done. They were with us every step of way. The building is beautiful; it is larger and more affordable. Our families love it,” said Brian Stiles, Chief Academic Officer at Golden Door Charter School. The exterior courtyard between the two buildings creates a new entrance, drop-off area, and garden space with benches.
    [Show full text]