Inspire Charter School – Kern
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Inspire Charter School – Kern Submitted to Maricopa Unified School District Submitted: November 20, 2015 (Revised April 5, 2016) TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. 2 AFFIRMATIONS/ASSURANCES ................................................................................................................ 4 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 6 I. FOUNDING GROUP .............................................................................................................................. 7 II. ELEMENT ONE: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ....................................................................................... 11 Mission Statement ........................................................................................................................... 11 Educational Philosophy .................................................................................................................... 11 What it means to be an educated person in the 21st Century ......................................................... 13 How Learning Best Occurs ................................................................................................................ 14 Transferability of courses ................................................................................................................ 26 Plan for Students Who are Academically Low‐Achieving ................................................................. 27 Plan for Students Who are Academically High Achieving ................................................................ 29 Plan for English Learners .................................................................................................................. 29 Plan for Serving Students with Disabilities ....................................................................................... 31 Services for Students under the “IDEIA” ........................................................................................... 34 ELEMENTS TWO & THREE: MEASURABLE STUDENT OUTCOMES & METHODS OF MEASUREMENT ... 52 Measurable Student Outcomes ........................................................................................................ 52 School‐Wide Outcomes .................................................................................................................... 53 Methods of Assessment ................................................................................................................... 54 Use and Reporting Of Data ............................................................................................................... 55 ELEMENT FOUR: GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE ....................................................................................... 57 Non‐Profit Public Benefit Corporation ............................................................................................. 57 Board of Directors ............................................................................................................................ 57 Board Duties ..................................................................................................................................... 57 Board Meetings ................................................................................................................................ 58 Board Training .................................................................................................................................. 58 Board Delegation of Duties .............................................................................................................. 58 Charter Regional Director ................................................................................................................. 59 Organizational Chart ......................................................................................................................... 60 Parent & Teacher Participation in Governance ................................................................................ 60 ELEMENT FIVE: EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS ....................................................................................... 62 ELEMENT SIX: HEALTH AND SAFTEY POLICIES ...................................................................................... 64 ELEMENT SEVEN: RACIAL AND ETHNIC BALANCE ................................................................................ 68 ELEMENT EIGHT: ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 69 ELEMENT NINE: INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDITS ............................................................................. 71 ELEMENT TEN: SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION PROCEDURES .............................................................. 72 ELEMENT ELEVEN: RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ........................................................................................... 86 ELEMENT TWELVE: PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ALTERNATIVES ..................................................... 88 ELEMENT THIRTEEN: EMPLOYEE RETURN RIGHTS ............................................................................... 89 ELEMENT FOURTEEN: DISPUTE RESOLUTION ...................................................................................... 90 ELEMENT FIFTEEN: PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYER .................................................................................. 92 ELEMENT SIXTEEN: CLOSURE PROCEDURES ......................................................................................... 93 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS ............................................................................................................. 95 Budgets ............................................................................................................................................. 95 Financial Reporting ........................................................................................................................... 95 Insurance .......................................................................................................................................... 96 2 | Page Administrative Services .................................................................................................................... 97 Facilities ............................................................................................................................................ 97 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................ 99 Appendices A. Independent Study Policy B. Articles of Incorporation C. Bylaws and Conflict of Interest Code D. 2016‐2017 School Calendar E. Course Descriptions F. Teacher Signature Page G. Five Year Budget, Three Year Cash Flow, and Assumptions 3 | Page AFFIRMATIONS/ASSURANCES As the authorized lead petitioners, we, Herbert Nichols and Kimmi Buzzard, hereby certify that the information submitted in this petition for a California public charter school to be named Inspire Charter School (“ICS” or the “Charter School”), to be operated by Inspire Charter Schools, and to be authorized by the Maricopa Unified School District (the “District”) is true to the best of our knowledge and belief; we also certify that this petition does not constitute the conversion of a private school to the status of a public charter school; and further, we understand that if awarded a charter, the Charter School will follow any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations that apply to the Charter School, including but not limited to: In addition to any other requirement imposed under this part, a charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations, shall not charge tuition, and shall not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of the characteristics listed in Section 220. Except as provided in paragraph (2), admission to a charter school shall not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or of his or her parent or legal guardian, within this state, except that an existing public school converting partially or entirely to a charter school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the former attendance area of that public school. Student enrollment and admissions. A. Inspire Charter School – Kern shall admit all pupils who wish to attend the school. B. However, if the number of pupils who wish to attend the charter school exceeds the school's capacity, attendance, except for existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending the charter school and pupils who reside in the district except as provided for in Section 47614.5. Other preferences may be permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law. C. In the event of a drawing, the chartering authority shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate the growth of the charter school and in no event shall take any action to impede the charter school from expanding enrollment to meet pupil demand. Notice of requirements when student is expelled or leaves school. If a pupil is expelled or leaves the charter school