Cleburne Glen Rose Granbury TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY Application for an Open-Enrollment Charter School- Fourth Generation Coversheet Type: Open Enrollment__ Date of Submission: January 21, 2000 (check one) "75% Rule" _X_ RFA#701-006 Name of Proposed School:_Brazos River Charter School______ Maximum Grade Levels to be served:___,8 - 12_________ _ Estimated 1st Year Enrollment__100,___ Max Enrollment_350__ Name of Sponsoring Entity:__Brazos River School___________ Check one:_X_ 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization __ Governmental Entity SBOE District:_14___ __ College or University Starting Date:August 2000_ Chairperson of Board of Sponsoring Entity:_Jason Rook___________ Chief Executive Officer of Sponsoring Entity:_Mike Thames__________ Chief Executive Officer of School:___,Mike Thames, _____________ Applicant Mailing Address:_1112 Wildwood, Arlington, Texas J6011 _____ School Site Address:__FM 199 and FM 200 _____________ (If different from above) Contact Phone #_817-861-3566 Fax#,____________ Contact Email Address:-,-,.---.,,-_---c:-----::c--:---:-=,.--_...,.,-_=-:c=-_-:--.-___--,_ I certify that I have the authority as the Chief Executive Officer of the sponsoring entity designated above to make application for an open-enrollment charter school. I further certify all information contained in this application is complete and accurate, realizing that any misrepresentation could result in disqualification from the charter application process or revocation after award. I authorize the agency to investigate the references included in this application. L(J;i ~~~ Sign re of Chief Executive Officer Of Sponsoring Entity/date 6i1 :( ~id I Z Nii' iJIZ Signature of Application Preparer Was this person paid? Yes_ No_X_ ~, \ '~_.:V_"._\_/ ~.- : -. -, J' '} " f...: 'J 4 350/01/2IiOO-039 Proposed School Data (This page not provided to review committee members) Projected Student Populations (indicate estimated percentages): 100_ Students "at risk of dropping out of school" 15 _ Students requiring Special Education services _15_ Students of Limited English Proficiency _60_ Students of Economically Disadvantaged Families _60_ Minority Students Will the school require all teachers to be certified? no Will the school require that all teachers be degreed with at least a bachelor's degree? _yes_ Will the school allow an individual to serve as a paid employee of the school as well as member of the governing board? _no__. Will the school allow members of the same family to serve on the governing board? _no_ Has any member of the governing board or any professional person to be employed by the school No Been convicted of a felony? No Been convicted of a misdemeanor? No Been involved in bankruptcy? Has the sponsoring entity been involved in No Litigation? No Sanctions from any state regulatory agency? If YES to any of the above the applicant must give full disclosure and list all instances completely as required in other portions of the application. The application preparer has viewed the training video provided at the Regional Education Service Center. _X__ yes no OG3 BRAZOS RIVER CHARTER SCHOOL Evidence of eligibility of sponsoring entity 3 Statement describing sponsoring entity 3 501 c3 determination letter from IRS 3 Articles of incorporation of sponsoring entity 5 Bylaws of sponsoring entity 5 Biographical Affidavits for each member of the governing board of the sponsoring entity History of sponsoring entity 5 Community Support 6 Community groups involved in the charter school planning process 6 Notice for, the registration log, and a synopsis of public hearing held to discuss the proposed charter school plan 6 Business arrangements and partnerships 10 Persons who serve as references for the sponsoring entity 10 Statement in newspaper 10 Governance of the Sponsoring Entity 12 Profile of the Initial Incorporators of the sponsoring entity 12 Organizing group of initial incorporators 12 Role each person will play and why he/she has chosen to support the application 12 Further recruitment of founders or organizers of the school 14 School Management Board 14 Biographical Affidavit for each member of the school management board I Involvement of private entities in operations 14 Textbook selection 15 School Demographics 15 Enrollment projections for the first five years, maximum enrollment goal, grades will be \ '"J I N3J served, number of ~tudents exp~cteq ~~ R~;:;~lN3'NIi:JOO In each grade, maximum class size IOw~".JJ 15 004 The community or region where the school will be located 16 Why was this location selected? 16 Human Resource Information 16 Human resources policies governing salaries, contracts, hiring, and dismissal, sick and other leave, and benefits 16 Administrators 19 Administrator Biographical Affidavit 19 Powers and duties 19 Chief Executive Officer and organizational charter 20 CEO experience 20 Academic and financial leaders selection CEO and financial director 20 Job description 20 Evaluation of administrative personnel 20 Salary and benefits for administrative staff 20 Faculty and Staff 21 Qualifications required for all classroom teachers and staff 21 Staff size and the teacher-to-student ratio 21 Proposed faculty description 21 Faculty and staff evaluation 21 Job descriptions for faculty and staff duties 22 Graduation Requirements 22 Code of Conduct 22 School rules governing student behavior 22 Policies regarding student expUlsion and suspension 25 Mandatory student attendance plan 25 Business Plan 27 Financial Management 27 Preliminary startup budget 27 Three year budget covering all projected sources of revenue, both public and private, and planned expenses 27 Three year cash flow projection 27 Fundraising efforts and goals 28 Proposed business procedures handbook for the school 28 Proposed monthly budget status report 28 The financial accounting and payroll accounting system to be used 28 OC5 Facility Management 29 Description of and address for the physical facility 29 Special use areas of the facility 29 Partnership development 30 Lease agreement 30 Student Attendance Accounting 30 Attendance accounting procedures 33 Hours of school operation 33 Board policy providing for the admission of students eligible for a public education grant (PEG) .33 . Transportation and Food Service 33 Provision for transportation for students 33 Provisions for food service 33 Geographic Boundaries and Statements of Impact 33 Geographic Boundaries 33 Geographic area to be served by the school 33 Districts within the geographical area that may be affected by the charter school 34 Statements of Impact 34 Governance Structures and Processes 35 Steps taken to maintain continuity between the founding coalition's vision and future governing boards 35 Roles and responsibilities of the board(s) 35 Procedures for receiving and responding to complaints from both parents and employees 36 Steps taken to facilitate a productive relationship between administrators and teachers 37 Nature of parental and student involvement in decision-making matters 37 Vision of the School 38 Long-range vision of the school 38 Educational philosophy or pedagogy of the proposed school that supports how the vision will be reached 38 oe6 Goals for the School 40 Student Goals: Improvement and Attainment 40 Goals and Objectives 40 Academic goals for student learning for the first five years 40 Non-academic goals for student performance 40 School performance and objectives 40 Progress measurement 41 Progress timeline 41 Community Outreach and Marketing Plan 42 Attracting a sufficient pool of eligible applicants 42 Outreach to potential students and their families 42 General Description of School 43 Statement of Need: 43 A need of this type of school 43 The charter school model is the appropriate vehicle 43 Educational Plan 45 Educational program of the school to be offered 45 Required minimum curriculum as provided by Section 28.002, Texas Education Code 45 Incorporation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) into the curriculum, objectives, and content in all subject areas and grade levels 46 State graduation requirements 50 Teaching methods to be used, pedagogy enhancing student learning 50 Professional development opportunities 50 Admissions Policy 51 I To be followed 52 Timeline to be used for admitting students 52 These policies further the mission of the school in a non­ discriminatory fashion 52 OC7 Accommodating SPECIAL EDUCATION needs 53 Child Find 53 Confidentiality 53 Procedural safeguards 53 Notice of admission, review and dismissal (ARD) committee meetings 54 Assessment of children to determine eligibility 54 Development and implementation of the individual educational plan (IEP) 55 Least restrictive environment (LRE) placement 55 Transition planning 56 Certified personnel for the provision of services to children with special needs 56 Services to expelled students .56 . Meeting the needs of children who qualify for federal programs 56 Meeting needs of children who quality for state programs 58 Educational support for students who are identified as being "at risk of dropping out of school" 60 Other student activities 60 Programs planned for the charter school 60 Agreements with other public or private agencies 61 Student Assessment 61 Plan to assess individual student performance in the core academic areas 61 Methods to identify the educational strengths and needs of the individual students 62 Student evaluation results will be used by the school to improve instructional programs 63 ATTACHMENTS I oe8 APPLICATION QUESTIONS REVIEWED BY AGENCY I. Evidence ofEligibility