Transcript So you want to start a charter school?

So you want to start a
charter school?
November 8, 2007
First, make sure the concept fits:
Are you . . .
 committed to helping kids learn?
 excited about innovative approaches
to learning?
 passionate about giving families
more choice in how their students
are served?
2
Concept check continued . . .
Are you . . .
 willing to comply with the full state
school code?
 willing to admit anyone who applies
without exception (and hold a
lottery to decide which students get
it if you have more applicants than
space?)
3
Concept check continued . . .
Are you . . .
 ready to find and hire Highly
Qualified teachers (as defined by
NCLB)?
 prepared to accept public
responsibility for bringing students
to state proficiency standards even
if they come to you several grades
behind expectations?
4
Concept check continued . . .
Are you . . .
 prepared to fully serve students
with special needs?
 prepared to find and use a building
that meets full state school code
requirements and can earn a
current Certificate of Occupancy?
(Many old school facilities do not)
5
If all those answers
were “YES”. . .
Welcome to the challenge of
starting
a charter school!
November 8, 2007
Next step: What IS a charter?
In Michigan, a charter school . . .
 is organized under the State School
Code
 as a Public School Academy under MCLA 380.501, or
 in Detroit as one of fifteen possible Urban High
Schools under MCLA 380.521. (Urban High Schools
can include K-8 feeder schools as well), or
 As a Strict Discipline Academy to serve suspended,
expelled or adjudicated youth under MCLA380.1311b
7
What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)
A Public School Academy
 gets its “charter” to operate from:
 a state public university anywhere in the
state,
 the community college for its location,
 the Intermediate School District for its
location, or
 the Local School District for its location
 serves any combination of Grades
Pre-K through 12 as specified in the
charter contract.
8
What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)
A Public School Academy
 receives “state aid” funding of
roughly $7000 per child attending.
 uses these operational funds to pay
for everything needed, including
facility costs.
 may qualify for additional Title I, II,
III, V and VI federal funding if the
PSA serves at-risk children.
9
What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)
A Public School Academy
 is governed by an autonomous
school board appointed by the
authorizer and accountable under
oath to act in the best interests of
the children it serves.
 is required to conduct its business
at open, public meetings with
agendas posted in advance.
10
What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)
A Public School Academy
 may hire a management company
(Education Service Provider) to
operate all or any part of the school.
 has a fiduciary responsibility to
ensure that any management
services it uses are purchased at
“fair market value.”
11
If it still looks good
to you . . .
What’s the next step?
How do you get started?
November 8, 2007
Step 1: Build a competitive
charter application
Most authorizers use a common
“Phase One” application to screen
applicants and select those with whom
they move to a more intensive “Phase
Two” set of negotiations.
The Phase One application is available
at www.mccsa.us under “Authorizer
Resources.”
13
The application will require. . .

Documented evidence of need:
 Community Analysis
 Parent profile and preferences

An academic vision:
 Curriculum decisions
 Instructional design decisions

A data and evaluation design:
 What information will tell the board
whether their goals are being met?
 How will it be collected? Reported?
14
The application will also require. . .

A business plan:
 Facility plan (including obtaining a
Certificate of Occupancy for the planned
location and leasing costs)
 Staffing plan (including recruitment and
professional development costs)
 Operational and Management plan
 Equipment and Furnishings plan
 Budget (balanced with expected revenues)
15
Step 2: Find an authorizer
Approach any eligible authorizer. Even
if they decline to accept applications,
their board should hear from you
about why you believe a charter is
needed.
Use statewide authorizer websites to
see when any announce that they
have charters available and will
evaluate the applications they’ve
received.
16
How long will it take?
How much will it cost?
Experienced charter developers
suggest that the planning and
development process to successfully
compete for scarce charter “slots” will
require between $250,0000 and
$500,000.
17
Coaching help is available
The Michigan Association of Public
School Academies (MAPSA) has
experienced charter developers on
staff who can coach applicant teams
through the Charter Application
process.
MAPSA: 517/374-9167
18
Consulting help is available
The National Charter School Institute
(NCSI) is located here in Michigan, and
provides customized consulting to
development teams. For instance,
they have offered:
Board governance training
Policy development assistance
Curriculum alignment processes
Strategic planning facilitation
989/774-2999
19
Financial help is available
The Michigan Department of Education
offers 12-15 competitive federal
“Charter School Program Start-up and
Implementation” grants.



Applications for the current round of grants are
due on January 10, 2008.
To apply for a grant, a development team must
have a charter application on file with a Michigan
authorizer.
Successful grantees will receive funds by
April 1, 2008 for planning toward a Fall 2009
school opening.
20
How do the grants work?
Successful planning grantees receive a
total of $160,000 in three stages:
 Upon award, $35,000 is available for


strengthening its Academic Vision and Evaluation
plan.
Upon delivering those products, the grantee
receives another $75,000 to strengthen the
supporting business plan.
Upon receipt of a charter, a final $50,000 is
available for ramp-up.
21
How do the grants work?
Planning grantees that successfully
open their PSA are eligible for two
more Implementation grants of
$150,000. Both planning and
implementation grants must be used
within 36 months of the first award.
22
How do I apply for a grant?
A grant announcement and application
for the current “Second Round” of
planning grants is available at
www.michigan.gov/charters
Michigan has federal funds for two
more years of planning and
implementation grants, so a similar
amount of funds will be available next
year as well.
23
Grant Eligibility
Michigan PSAs “may not be organized
by … and shall not have any
organizational or contractual affiliation
with a church or other religious
organization” (MCLA 380.502), a
church is not an eligible grant
recipient.
The grant applicant (like the school
board) must be a non-profit with
legitimate, arms-length distance from
a church.
24
Best wishes for your
success!
Michigan’s kids deserve
great schools!
November 8, 2007