HIGHLINE ACADEMY A Proposed Denver Public School Charter School Charter Application Submitted August 20, 2003 For questions or additional information, please contact: Jennifer Douglas, Founding Committee Member 303-875-2195 (Highline Academy Information Line) 303-756-9665 (Home) Email: [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................5 SECTION 1: MISSION STATEMENT...................................................................................6 SECTION 2: GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND PUPIL PERFROMANCE STANDARDS ......6 Pupil Performance Standards ..............................................................................................6 Other Goals..........................................................................................................................7 SECTION 3: EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT...............................................................................8 Founding Committee Membership.....................................................................................9 Letters of Support ..............................................................................................................10 Letters of Intent to Enroll...................................................................................................11 SECTION 4: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM................................... 12 Educational Program......................................................................................................... 12 Educational Philosophy..................................................................................................... 12 General Instructional Methods and Practices................................................................... 15 Curriculum......................................................................................................................... 16 Subject-Matter Specifics .................................................................................................... 18 Assessment.........................................................................................................................26 Staff Professional Development.........................................................................................27 Discipline...........................................................................................................................29 SECTION 5: AT-RISK, DISABLED, ELL AND GIFTED STUDENTS............................ 31 At Risk Students ................................................................................................................31 Disabled .............................................................................................................................32 English Language Learners (ELL) ...................................................................................33 Gifted Students ..................................................................................................................34 SECTION 6: EVALUATING PUPIL PERFORMANCE .....................................................34 Assessment Plan and Timeline for Achievement..............................................................35 Grading ..............................................................................................................................36 Reviewing and Reporting Progress ...................................................................................37 Corrective Action ...............................................................................................................37 SECTION 7: ECONOMIC PLAN .........................................................................................38 Highline Academy Charter Application 2 DRAFT Budget................................................................................................................................39 Accounting and Auditing ..................................................................................................40 Displacement of District Employees.................................................................................40 Services to Be Purchased from the District.......................................................................40 Denver Public School Retirement System.........................................................................40 Capital and Insurance Reserve Fund ................................................................................ 41 SECTION 8: STATEWIDE INCREASE IN PER PUPIL FUNDING................................42 SECTION 9: GOVERNING BOARD....................................................................................42 Number of Board Members, Manner of Selection, Vacancies and Attendance...............42 Operation of the Board of Directors..................................................................................43 Advisory Committees.........................................................................................................45 Parent and Community Involvement ................................................................................45 Non-Religious, Non-Sectarian Status ...............................................................................47 Commitment to Non-Discrimination................................................................................47 Accountability....................................................................................................................47 SECTION 10: EMPLOYEES .................................................................................................47 Staff Selection, Evaluation, and Employment Principles .................................................47 Terms and Conditions of Employment.............................................................................49 Staff Qualifications ............................................................................................................50 Performance Pay................................................................................................................ 51 SECTION 11: DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS RETIREMENT SYSTEM.........................53 SECTION 12: LEGAL LIABILITY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE ..............................55 Indemnification .................................................................................................................55 Faith and Credit.................................................................................................................55 Insurance ...........................................................................................................................55 SECTION 13: PUPIL TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................56 SECTION 14: ENROLLMENT POLICY .............................................................................56 Community Outreach........................................................................................................56 School Districts Where Students are Projected to Reside.................................................57 Enrollment Procedure .......................................................................................................58 SECTION 15: DISTRICT WAIVERS ....................................................................................59 Highline Academy Charter Application 3 DRAFT SECTION 16: STATE WAIVERS...........................................................................................59 Personnel Statutes – Teaching Staff..................................................................................60 Personnel Statutes – Administration .................................................................................60 SECTION 17: FACILITY .......................................................................................................60 SECTION 18: THIRD PARTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE........................62 SECTION 19: WORKS CITED ..............................................................................................63 APPENDIX A: PROPOSED BY-LAWS................................................................................65 APPENDIX B: LETTER OF INTENT TO ENROLL .......................................................84 APPENDIX C: BUDGET......................................................................................................85 APPENDIX D: PROPOSED DAILY ACADEMIC SCHEDULE ..................................... 100 APPENDIX E: PARENT LETTER OF COMMITMENT ............................................... 102 APPENDIX F: CSAP DATA FROM COLORADO SCHOOLS USING OPEN COURT READING............................................................................................................................. 103 APPENDIX G: CSAP DATA FROM COLORADO SCHOOLS USING SAXON MATH105 APPENDIX H: STAFF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ............................................... 108 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT ............................................................................... 108 SECTION I: Employment Practices .............................................................................. 109 SECTION II: Employee Benefits ....................................................................................112 SECTION III: Job Descriptions, Classifications, and Evaluations ................................117 SECTION IV: General Personnel Policies ....................................................................