Application Instructions - Portfolio Management Team DPS...

District-Run School Application Guide Call for New Quality Schools SupplementFall 2015

Office of School Reform and Innovation, DPSEmily Griffith Campus

1860 Lincoln Street, 12th FloorDenver, CO 80203

Chris DeWitt, Manager of New [email protected]

District-Run School Application Guide 1

mailto:[email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ContentsApplication Instructions...............................................................................................................................3

Coordinating with the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI).......................................................5

Application Review Team (ART)...................................................................................................................6

APPLICANT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..............................................................................................................7

Section I. CULTURE....................................................................................................................................11

Section II. LEADERSHIP..............................................................................................................................14

Section III: EDUCATION PROGRAM………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17

Section VI: TEACHING................................................................................................................................25

Section V: GOVERNANCE & FINANCE........................................................................................................27

Optional Section VI: ESP/EMO Relationship..............................................................................................29

Optional Section VII: Turnaround Provider................................................................................................31

Appendix A: Letter of Intent- District-run School......................................................................................32

Appendix B: School Facility Questionnaire – District-run School...............................................................33

Appendix C: Applicant Checklist................................................................................................................35

Information for Applicants: Rubric for ELA Program Evaluation................................................................37

Information for Applicants: Student-Based Budgeting (SBB).....................................................................40

Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding...........................................................................................41

Information for Applicants: District-run Schools & Innovation Plans........................................................42

Information for Applicants: Sample Intent to Enroll Form........................................................................43


Application Instructions

DPS’ standard Call for New Quality Schools process typically begins in December and extends through June, when the Board votes on school approvals and denials. As pressing needs arise, however, DPS may issue a supplement to the Call. The Fall 2015 Call is answering this pressing need. For more information on these specific needs, please refer to the Call for New Quality Schools document.

What follows is a detailed process for applying to be a new district-run school in Denver Public Schools.

Process Overview & Materials DPS Responsibilities Applicant Responsibilities Shared Responsibilities

Month ActivitiesApril Release Call Supplement

Continued engagement with impacted communities and begin formation of Thought Partner Groups

May 18th: Release updated new school application materials and facility placement applications for existing and approved schools. Materials will include rubrics specific to ELA program expectations.

June 1st: Letters of intent due from new school applicants and from existing and approved schools seeking placement consideration

July 22nd: Applications due Application Review Team Meeting 1 Placement Review Team Meeting 1

August Thought Partner Group & Community Meetings (dates TBD) New school applicant interviews with Application Review Team and, for charters,

District Accountability Committee (dates TBD) Application Review Team Meeting 2 Placement Review Team Meeting 2

September 3rd (tentative): New school and placement applicant presentations to Board of Education (BOE)

8th (tentative): Staff, District Accountability Committee and Thought Partner Group recommendations to BOE

15th (tentative): Public comment to BOE 17th (tentative): BOE vote on new school approvals denials

September - November

BOE votes on placements (TBD)

Community Engagement: Ongoing

All applicants are responsible for proactively engaging with the intended neighborhood community to develop their applications.

DPS will invite applicants to present at applicable Thought-partner group meetings in each region for which applications are put forth.


http://osri.dpsk12.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CNQS_Summer2015_vff.pdf

Letter of Intent: Due June 1

All applicants are requested to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) prior to submitting a complete application. The LOI template is available in Appendix A. The LOI provides formal notice to DPS regarding applicants’ intentions to submit an application to open a new school in 2016-2017, allowing sufficient time for the district to coordinate application review teams (ART).

Complete Application: Due July 22

All applicants are required to submit an electronic version and two (2) hard copies of the application by July 22, 2015 at 5pm MST. See below for details on submission requirements.

Submission Requirements

1) Proposal Narrative: The narrative section seeks information about all major aspects of the proposed school. A complete application must include each section outlined in this application document (e.g., Executive Summary, Section I Culture, etc.). Within the narrative of each section, please use the outline headings we have provided.

2) Budget Forms: All proposals must be accompanied by completed budget forms using the template created by DPS, which can be found at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/2015-call-supplement/. Submit only electronic copies of the budget in Excel (no paper-based copy is necessary).

3) Appendices: Submit only those appendices that are referenced in this application. Additional material beyond the narrative and appendices referenced in the application will not be considered.

Formatting Requirements

Font and Page Format

o Use 12-point font and one-inch margins.o Number every page of the application & observe all page limits.o Include as text each major section header and each sub-section header, but do not

include the question prompt in your typed response.

Binders

o Compile two (2) copies in 3-ring binders. Include the name of the proposed school on the outside spine of the binders.

o Separate major sections with a labeled tab that uses the section name (e.g., “School Culture” or “Education Program”).

o Start each major section at the top of a new page.

Appendices

o Complete all required appendices, and observe appendix page limits.o Templates and forms for Appendices A-D are provided in the back of this application

guide to be filled out and included as part of the application. The applicant shall supply the remaining Appendices E-U, as instructed throughout this application guide.

Note: Some appendices are optional.o Separate appendices with a labeled tab that uses the appendix letter and name (e.g.,

Appendix A - Letter of Intent, Appendix B- Board Member Questionnaire, etc.)

Electronic submission


o Supply an electronic copy of your entire application o Supply three separate files:

1) a PDF of the main body of the application2) a PDF of the full collection of appendices, and 3) an Excel file of your budget (do not submit a PDF of your budget).

o Upload the electronic files to a Dropbox link, to be supplied by OSRI, or provide a flash drive with your application that includes the electronic files.

If a particular question does not apply to your proposal, please respond “Not Applicable” and include a statement as to why the question is not applicable to your team or proposal.

To confirm that you have reviewed your application for completeness, you must complete the Application Checklist that has been provided as Appendix D, and submit the completed checklist along with your application. On the date of your submission, a member of the Office of School Reform and Innovation will page through your application and confirm whether or not you submitted all sections of the application.

Submit Application:

Deliver proposals by 5:00pm MST on July 22, 2015* to:

Denver Public Schools, Office of School Reform and InnovationAttn: Chris DeWitt, Manager of New Schools

Emily Griffith Campus1860 Lincoln St.

Denver, CO 80203

Immediately upon receipt of the application, OSRI will review materials for completeness. Please plan to remain in the OSRI office for approximately 30 minutes while we conduct this review. If we determine that you have failed to submit any relevant sections or materials, we will notify you on the spot.

*No late submissions will be accepted.

Application Content & Review Process:

All applications for new schools (regardless of school type) are evaluated by a review team using a publicly available rubric based on DPS’ School Quality Framework. The rubric measures quality in the following areas: School Culture, Leadership, Teaching, Educational Program, and Finance. (See Application Review Team section below)

General Resources

Embedded within this application, the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI) provides links and directions to various informational resources for new school applicants. It is your responsibility to collect all the compliance and regulatory information necessary to open and operate a district-run school in the state of Colorado and in the City and County of Denver. The resource notations are for your assistance, but are not comprehensive.


Coordinating with the Office of School Reform and Innovation (OSRI)

OSRI works to serve as a national model for transformational change in public education by 1) improving outcomes for all Denver students by recruiting and supporting a diverse portfolio of high-performing charter and district-run schools that are accountable for results, and 2) producing transformational changes district-wide by identifying, sharing and facilitating the implementation of innovative, best-in-class policies and practices in all schools and central office departments. Within DPS, OSRI coordinates the application preparation, review, and evaluation process.

What Applicants Can Expect from OSRI:

One on One Support

o In lieu of Application Development workshops, the OSRI New Schools team will be offering one on one sessions with interested applicants in June and July. These hour-long sessions will cover the application guide, special requirements (ELA, SPED, etc.), and frequently asked questions. Contact [email protected] to set up a time.

Communications on the OSRI website

o Applicants can access application guides, rubrics, and related materials on the OSRI website: http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/.

Communications via Email and Phone

o Once an applicant submits a Letter of Intent with the correct contact information for their application team, OSRI will send email and occasionally phone reminders to the applicant about deadlines, opportunities to present to the community, interviews and opportunities to speak with the DPS Board of Education.

o These communications are restricted to logistical coordination only.

o OSRI will not communicate any feedback regarding the quality of the application after it has been received on July 22, 2015 until an approval or denial recommendation is made public to the DPS Board of Education.


http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/


Application Review Team (ART)

Your completed application will be reviewed by a team of professionals including staff experts at DPS, external experts and at least one parent/guardian representative. OSRI works to ensure that multiple areas of expertise are represented on each application review team (ART):

School Leadership Curriculum Special Education English Language Acquisition Governance Financial & Operational Parent/Guardian Human Resources

The Applicant Review Team (ART) works collectively to assess the quality of each application, using a standards-based rubric that identifies quality criteria within a variety of domains. Each of these domains is represented in an application section, detailed below. DPS’s quality criteria have been established in partnership with a variety of local and national experts and in consultation with exemplars and best-practice research. The rubric used to evaluate this application is available of on the DPS website at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/. Applicants do not have direct contact with the Application Review Team that evaluates their application. Applicants do meet with a handful of representatives in their in-person interview.


http://osri.dpsk12.org/

APPLICANT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This section in its entirety will be provided to the Board of Education of Denver Public Schools and will be posted online for the public to review, immediately upon submission of this application. Complete this form directly into the Word file for ease of formatting.

Name of Proposed School

Grade Configuration (Year-1) District-run School

Grade Configuration (Full Build)

Model or Focus (e.g. Dual Language, etc.)

Proposed Region and Neighborhood

Primary Contact (name, email, mobile phone)

Enrollment Projections: Delete unnecessary rows and/or provide additional columns if necessary .

GRADE 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21ECE

K123456789

101112

Total # students

Student Demographics: Provide your estimated student demographics below.

FRL % SPED % ELL % Hispanic/ Latino %

African American %

White % Other %

Student Demographics


Education Service Providers (ESPs) or Education Management Organizations (EMOs): Applicants seeking services from a third party ESP/EMO, or to operate as an ESP/EMO, must indicate the extent to which the school may employ services through these organizations or corporations. Note: Colorado State Statute prohibits schools from operating as for-profit corporations.

a. Does the school expect to contract with an ESP, EMO, or other organization for a substantial portion of school management/operation? (Y/N)

b. Is the applicant an existing operator applying to replicate its current school(s)? (Y/N) If so, list all the schools currently or previously operated by the ESP or EMO.

Schools ESP/EMO Operates Location (City/State) Dates of Operation

District-run School Executive Summary Narrative ( 3 page limit for this sub-section )

Address the following questions briefly in a narrative format. Please use the outline numbering and headers provided below, but do not repeat the questions.

1. Culture: a. What will be the vision and mission of the school? How have you engaged with your

neighborhood parents/guardians and community members to craft this application? b. Describe the community need that the proposed school addresses. Is the need articulated

in the 2015 Call for New Quality Schools Supplement?c. How many completed Intent to Enroll Forms have you collected to date?

2. Leadership: a. What critical qualifications, credentials and attributes have you identified for your school

leader? b. Have you already identified a candidate leader? If so, please provide a short bio for that

leader. 3. Education Plan:

a. Provide a brief overview of the education program of the proposed school, including major instructional methods, key program components and assessment strategies.

4. Teaching: a. Briefly explain how you will support teacher effectiveness through evaluations and

professional development. 5. Finance:

a. Complete the following table to summarize the budget that has been supplied in this application.


Summary Budget for District-run School Applicant ( no page limit for this sub-section )

School Name: ______________________ 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Number of Students

Per Pupil Revenue

State & Federal Grant Funds

Private Grants / Foundation Revenue / Gifts & Contributions

Other Sources

Total Revenue

Instructional Salaries & Benefits

Instructional Services / Supplies

Other Instructional Expenses

Total Instructional Expenditures

Supporting Services Salaries & Benefits

Other Supporting Services Expenses

Total Supporting Services Expenditures

Total Expenses

NET INCOME

For any grants or private funds identified above, indicate whether the funding has already been secured and any plans to secure future funding.


Section I. CULTURE

(10 page limit)

Resources: District Core Values: DPS Core Values can be viewed at: http://neweducators.dpsk12.org/FastStart/DPS _ Values Strategic School Design (SSD): New school applications are encouraged to include elements of SSD into their

applications. For more information on SSD consult the book The Strategic School: Making the Most of People, Time and Money by Karen Hawley Miles and Stephen Frank.

Collaborative School Committees (CSCs): State law requires all schools to have a School Accountability Committee (SAC). In DPS, this requirement is satisfied through the district policy related to Collaborative School Committees. Information related to district CSCs is available at: http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/communityrelations/CSCSampleBylawsProcedures20102011.pdf

SchoolChoice Unified Enrollment System: DPS operates a district-wide enrollment system (“SchoolChoice”) that provides a single streamlined enrollment process for all schools. SchoolChoice makes the enrollment process easier and ensures that families have access to an equitable process for choosing where to enroll their children. SchoolChoice allows schools to better predict student enrollment and eliminate administrative costs associated with managing school-based lotteries. More information on the DPS SchoolChoice process, enrollment guides, and timeline can be found at: http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/

Student Discipline: The school’s discipline policy must be consistent with the following District discipline policies: JK-Student Discipline, JK-R-Student Conduct and Discipline Procedures, and JFK-Discipline of Students with Disabilities (found at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/). Specifically, the district maintains full control over expulsion hearings and proceedings, including the definition of expellable offenses. DPS Policy JK-R includes a matrix of consequences that correlate with levels of offenses.

School Performance Framework (SPF): All Denver Public Schools are held accountable using the district’s School Performance Framework (SPF). The SPF measures the performance of schools on an annual basis taking into account student performance status, student performance growth, attendance, college readiness, and parent satisfaction. To learn more about the school performance framework please visit: http://spf.dpsk12.org/

Student and Parent Satisfaction: All schools must administer both parent and student satisfaction surveys on an annual basis. Parent and student survey information and results are published at: (http://testing.dpsk12.org/reseach_eval/reports/survey_results/index.html). Survey data factors into the DPS School Performance Framework (SPF), above.

Student Attendance: The school’s attendance goal must, at a minimum, meet the standard for the grade levels served, based on the SPF rubric for Student Engagement. Refer to the Compulsory School Act of the Colorado Revised Statutes for requirements on school attendance (http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_attendancelaw)

A. Vision and Mission Statements

1. Provide the mission and vision statements for the proposed school.

B. Targeted Student Population

1. Describe your intended student population and why you believe the program you are proposing is needed and will serve the intended population well.

C. Parent/Guardian & Community Support for the Application

Demonstration of community support and parent/student demand for the proposed school will be a component in the evaluation of all new school proposals.

1. Describe the role that neighborhood parents/guardians and community members have played thus far in developing, or providing input into, the proposed school.

2. Summarize the evidence of demand that you have gathered for your proposed program.


http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_attendancelaw

http://testing.dpsk12.org/reseach_eval/reports/survey_results/index.html

http://spf.dpsk12.org/

http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/

http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/

http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/communityrelations/CSCSampleBylawsProcedures20102011.pdf

http://neweducators.dpsk12.org/FastStart/DPS_Values

Please do not include copies of any Intent to Enroll forms. You will be asked to summarize this information.

(Appendix D – Evidence of Support from Parents/Guardians, Community Groups, Teachers & Pupils – no page limit)

D. School Culture & Student Engagement

1. Describe the planned culture for the school, how it is tailored to your intended student population, how this culture will promote a positive academic environment and how it will be operationalized. (Note: You will be asked to describe your discipline policy in the next section).

2. Explain how the school culture will include and serve all students, including students with special needs and English Language Learners.

3. Describe the investment strategies you will implement to involve students in the school and their academics, including any school-specific routines and rituals.

E. Student Discipline Policy

1. District-run schools must follow the district’s discipline ladder of consequences. Refer to the district’s discipline plane (Policies JK, JK-R, and JFK) to describe how your school will ensure that the school has a clear and equitable process for student discipline. How will the school’s discipline plan reflect the school culture you described above?

2. Do you have a strategy for positive behavioral reinforcements? What rituals or protocols will be in place as part of this strategy?

3. How will the discipline policy be practiced in the classroom to ensure students are on task and focused on learning?

4. What will be the key elements of the school discipline policy? How will it be operationalized? Note: DPS retains full authority of all student expulsions.

5. How will you guard against disproportionality in discipline matters?

(Appendix E – Discipline Policy – 10 page limit)

F. Student Recruitment & Enrollment

1. Describe your plan to recruit students in your pre-opening year

2. How many Intent to Enroll forms have you collected, as of the time of submission? Provide a summary disaggregating the Intent to Enrolls by student grade levels in your opening year, as well as the school for which they are zoned. Note: A sample Intent to Enroll Form is provided at the back of this application for your convenience.

3. Outline your planned admission process. Note: Be sure to review the information about SchoolChoice.

New district-run schools should expect to serve a boundary that will provide enrollment priority to students within that boundary.

4. What is your target re-enrollment rate for each year? Describe the ongoing student recruitment work that you will do once your school has opened.

G. Student Attendance & Satisfaction

1. Describe your percentage goal for student attendance, and how you will monitor and promote high rates of student attendance.


2. What are your goals regarding the outcomes of student satisfaction surveys, and how will you use that data?

H. Ongoing Parent/Guardian Involvement & Satisfaction

1. Describe and provide evidence of any partnerships the school will have with community organizations, businesses, or other educational institutions to support families and students. Note: As evidence, include in Appendix E letters of support from each organization, business or institution.

2. Describe how you will engage parents in the school’s culture and operations to support their involvement and satisfaction.

3. Explain the design of your School Accountability Committee.

Note: DPS refers to the statutorily required School Accountability Committee as the Collaborative School Committee (CSC).

4. What are your goals regarding the outcomes of parent satisfaction surveys, and how will you use that data?


Section II. LEADERSHIP

(8 page limit)

This section outlines not only the leadership personnel, but also the processes that will ensure school operational sustainability and achievement.

Resources: Principal Licensure: Information related to principal licensure can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/Licensure_Prin_req.asp LEAD in Denver: For information about the LEAD In Denver program, along with various investments related to

autonomous school leadership development, please visit the following site: http://www.leadindenver.com/#. Principal Evaluation: Leaders of district-run schools are evaluated consistent with the School Leadership

Framework, available at: http://leadindenver.com/leadindenver/lead-in-denver/assistant-principal-evaluation-and-mid-year-conversations.html

Instructional Superintendents (Principal Oversight): The principal of a district-run school reports directly to a DPS Instructional Superintendent (IS). For a list of elementary IS assignments, please visit: http://elementaryeducation.dpsk12.org/instructional-superintendents/. For a list of secondary IS assignments, please visit: http://psr.dpsk12.org/school-options-programs/

School Leadership Framework: This competency set allows school leaders to understand the expectations and behaviors for effective school leadership in the Denver Public Schools and can be found here: http://leadindenver.com/leadindenver/school-leadership-framework.html

Compensation: Salary schedules for school-based positions at district-run schools, including school leader positions, can be viewed at the following link: http://hr.dpsk12.org/salary_schedules

Transportation Requirements: Frequently asked questions related to district transportation policies can be found at: http://transportation.dpsk12.org/contact-us/frequently-asked-questions/

Emergency Response and Crisis Management: Consult the Emergency Response and Crisis Management web-site for important information about requirements for all schools in the District: http://riskmanagement.dpsk12.org/stories/storyReader$89

A. Leadership Team Personnel

1. Summarize the profile of your school’s ideal leader, including a description of the leader’s essential duties and responsibilities.

2. If the school leader has not been identified:

a. Describe the recruitment and hiring process for the school leader.

3. If the school leader candidate has been identified:

a. Explain why this individual is well qualified to lead the proposed school in achieving its mission and goals.

4. Summarize the responsibilities and qualifications of the rest of the leadership team, as well as which members of the team have been identified and the timeline and process to fill each role.

5. What is your succession plan for your school leader?

(Appendix F – Job Descriptions for all Leadership Team Positions – 10 page limit)

(Appendix G – Resumes for all Identified Leadership Team Members – 10 page limit)

B. Leadership Team Coaching & Evaluation


http://riskmanagement.dpsk12.org/stories/storyReader$89

http://transportation.dpsk12.org/contact-us/frequently-asked-questions/

http://hr.dpsk12.org/salary_schedules

http://leadindenver.com/leadindenver/school-leadership-framework.html

http://psr.dpsk12.org/school-options-programs/

http://elementaryeducation.dpsk12.org/instructional-superintendents/

http://leadindenver.com/leadindenver/lead-in-denver/assistant-principal-evaluation-and-mid-year-conversations.html

http://leadindenver.com/leadindenver/lead-in-denver/assistant-principal-evaluation-and-mid-year-conversations.html

http://www.leadindenver.com/

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/Licensure_Prin_req.asp

Note: District-run school principals/head of schools are hired and supervised by a DPS Instructional Superintendent and evaluated against the School Leadership Framework.

1. Explain the school’s system for providing coaching and professional development for the school leader.

2. Explain the evaluation process for the school leader.

3. What other leadership coaching or evaluation will the school leader and/or leadership team receive outside of support/evaluation from the district Instructional Superintendent?

C. School Personnel Structure

1. Supply an organizational chart for the school that clearly identifies each employee and which year they are added to the school.

Note: General education teaching positions can be included as one box on the org chart; however, special education and ELL positions should be listed separate from general teaching.

(Appendix H – School Organization Chart – 2 page limit)

2. Supply a staff roster that details all staff positions for the school.

(Appendix I – Staff Roster – 2 page limit)

D. Employment Policies

Note: If the applicant is proposing any employment terms that are non-standard, the applicant may require waiver(s) from the DCTA Collective Bargaining Agreement, District Policies and State Statute.

1. Explain the relationship that will exist between the proposed school and its employees, including employment terms and conditions.

2. Outline the school’s employment policies regarding salaries, contracts, hiring and dismissal, and other matters related to staffing. In addition, describe policies on equal employment opportunities, maintenance of a drug-free workplace, and how grievances will be addressed. If these policies are not yet in place, describe the timetable under which they will be developed and the outline of their contents. Attach your proposed personnel policies or an employee manual.

3. Describe the school’s compensation system.

(Appendix J – Personnel Policies or Employee Manual – 10 page limit)

Note: The following Operational Items will be used to confirm compliance with state and federal laws. Should an applicant be approved these operational items may require revisions and site-specific information, depending on facilities and location.

E. Operations - Transportation

1. Describe the school’s plan for meeting the transportation needs of students.

F. Operations - Safety and Security

1. How will you ensure the ongoing safety and security of students and staff in your building?

2. Explain your process to create and maintain the District required Emergency Management Plan. Who will have primary responsibility for this plan?

G. Operations – Food Services


1. Describe your proposed food service program. How will your food services program comply with applicable state and federal rules and regulations?


Section III: EDUCATION PROGRAM

(28 page limit)

This section will describe the educational program designed to meet the needs of all students through well-developed curriculum, assessment systems, programs for special populations, and clear systems for instructional planning.

Resources: DPS Curriculum: The DPS core curriculum is available at: http://curriculum.dpsk12.org/ All applicants are expected

to use DPS core curriculum, assessments and/or graduation and promotion policies, unless they are granted waivers.

DPS Academic Calendar: The district calendar can be found at: http://www.dpsk12.org/calendars/index.shtml Colorado Academic Standards: All schools must employ standards that meet or exceed the Colorado P-12

Academic Standards. Review the standards at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/coloradostandards

Graduation Requirements: High schools approved by the DPS Board of Education will be expected to meet, at a minimum, the same graduation requirements as all other DPS high schools, set forth in Policy IKF- Graduation Requirements (posted at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/).

Promotion and Retention: DPS policies IKE and IKE/R detail the rationale and process for retaining a student and provide specific authority to the school and student families in determining whether a student can be retained (posted at http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/).

Colorado Higher Education Admission Standards: Refer to the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Admission Standards Policy (http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Policies/Current/i-partf.pdf) for a list of courses required to enter four-year public institutions in Colorado.

Colorado Standardized Tests: All schools in Colorado must administer (at a minimum) the correct, state mandated assessments to monitor student progress. See http://www.cde.state.co.us/dataandaccountability.

Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS): The new Colorado Science and Social Studies Assessments will launch in Spring 2014. Please note: Both the Science and Social Studies assessments are computer-based and will only be available in paper format for students with accommodation needs that are outlined in their IEP. Learn more at http://testing.dpsk12.org/resources/online_science_ss.html.

Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act): The READ Act repeals the Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA) as of July 1, 2013, keeping many of the elements of CBLA such as a focus on K-3 literacy, assessment, and individual plans for students reading below grade level. All elementary schools shall meet the requirements of the READ Act that seek to ensure all students by the 3rd grade have the literacy skills essential for success in school and life. (C.R.S. 22-7-1201 et seq. ). Review information at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ReadAct/index.asp.

School Performance Framework (SPF): All schools in Denver are evaluated using the SPF. Review more information at http://spf.dpsk12.org/

English Language Acquisition: Consult the website of the Department of English Language Acquisition at DPS for guidance around the provision of services to ELL students: http://ela.dpsk12.org/ . Refer to “Information for Applicants: Program Criteria for English Language Learners” in the back of this application guide for requirements around serving ELL students. The DPS English Language Acquisition Department provides providing principals with a manual describing the rationale and processes related to educational programming for English language learners (ELLs) at the following website: http://ela.dpsk12.org/principal-portal/43-2/ Applicants should consult the Instructional Services Advisory Team ( SA) Handbook to review requirements of the ISA teams at each school. The ISA Handbook is located at: http://ela.dpsk12.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/08-12-2012_ISAGuidebook.pdf

Consent Decree- 2012 (CD): The CD requires DPS to ensure English Language Acquisition Programs are fully implemented according to this federal court order. Review the CD for information on requirements for serving English Language Learner (ELL) Students: http://ela.dpsk12.org/consent-decree/

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Schools are responsible for implementing the state requirements for MTSS. To learn more about MTSS and the requirements and implementation please visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/RtI/.


http://www.cde.state.co.us/RtI/

http://ela.dpsk12.org/consent-decree/

http://ela.dpsk12.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/08-12-2012_ISAGuidebook.pdf

http://ela.dpsk12.org/principal-portal/43-2/

http://ela.dpsk12.org/

http://spf.dpsk12.org/

http://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ReadAct/index.asp

http://www.lpdirect.net/casb/crs/22-7-1201.html

http://testing.dpsk12.org/resources/online_science_ss.html

http://www.cde.state.co.us/dataandaccountability

http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Policies/Current/i-partf.pdf


http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/Policy.aspx?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=policyview&-sortfield=File&File=ike&-recid=32949&-find=

http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/Policy.aspx?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=policyview&-sortfield=File&File=ike&-recid=32845&-find=


http://ed.denver.k12.co.us:8080/policy/FMPro?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=html&-sortfield=File&-op=cn&Title=graduation&-recid=32846&-find

http://ed.denver.k12.co.us:8080/policy/FMPro?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=html&-sortfield=File&-op=cn&Title=graduation&-recid=32846&-find

http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/coloradostandards

http://www.dpsk12.org/calendars/index.shtml

http://curriculum.dpsk12.org/

Gifted and Talented (G&T): Schools must comply with the Exceptional Children’s Education Act (ECEA) regarding the provision of services to students with disabilities and gifted and talented (G&T) students. (C.R.S. 22-20-101 et seq.). Consult regulations at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/lawsregs.htm .


http://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/lawsregs.htm



A. Curriculum

Note: Any modification from the DPS core curriculum may require waiver(s) from District Policies and State Statute.

1. Do you plan to use DPS curriculum? If you are planning to supplement the DPS curriculum, include a description of the supplemental curricula you are proposing and the rationale for why they were chosen, including research-based evidence of success.

2. Focus/Model. Describe the school’s curricular focus and how this focus aligns with the Common Core State Standards/Colorado Academic Standards. Explain your rationale when deciding on curricular choices.

3. Research Basis. If you are proposing to utilize a curriculum other than the DPS curriculum, present evidence that the proposed curriculum is research-based and has delivered or will deliver quality instruction for the targeted student population and will enable the school to meet student achievement goals.

4. Instructional Materials. For each core subject area, unique focus area, and performance level (grade level, age grouping, etc.) for the first five years of operation, list the core instructional materials / textbooks that will be used in Social Studies, Science, Language Arts and Math.

Social Studies Science Language Arts Math

5. Cultural Relevancy. Describe how the school’s academic focus or model is culturally relevant to the student population, as well as how the curriculum will ensure cultural relevancy.

6. Timeline of Curriculum Development.

a. Describe the tools and resources you will use to choose or develop and implement the curriculum.

b. Provide a timeline and process for curriculum development and who has this expertise on your team.

c. Describe the training staff members will receive on the Common Core State Standards and curriculum design/implementation.

B. Scope/Sequence.

1. Provide the course scope and sequence for social studies, science, language arts, and math for one grade that the school would serve in year 1.

(Appendix K – Course Scope and Sequence for One Grade – 20 page limit)

C. Class Size

1. Describe the school’s planned class size and structure. Describe whether class sizes will vary between core and elective subjects.

2. What will be the Special Education Teacher-to-Student ratio?

D. School Schedule & Calendar


Note: If the applicant is proposing modifications to the school calendar, extended days or extended year, the applicant may require waiver(s) from the DCTA Collective Bargaining Agreement, District Policies and State Statute.

1. Provide and explain the school’s proposed annual calendar for the first year of operation (include as Appendix L).

2. Explain the structure of the school day and week both for students and teachers. Provide two weekly schedules – one for a student and one for a teacher in Appendix M.

(Appendix L – School Year Calendar – 2 page limit)

(Appendix M - Student and Teacher School Day Schedules – 2 page limit)

E. Progress Monitoring and Assessment

1. Assessments. Explain how the school will measure and evaluate academic progress – of individual students, student cohorts, and the school as a whole – throughout the school year and at the end of each academic year.

a. Confirm that you are administering state-mandated assessments and that you can provide necessary accommodations.

b. District-run schools take part in district-wide interim benchmark assessments. Do you plan to utilize DPS interim assessments? If so, why do you believe these assessments are appropriate for your program? If not, what interim assessments will you use and how do you know that these assessments align to your curriculum and state standards? How do you know that your proposed interim assessments are valid and reliable indicators of progress? Explain how these assessments align with the school’s curriculum, performance goals and state standards.

c. Identify any other measures or assessments you plan to use for particular indicators and goals.

d. How will you determine interim performance of students and preparation for the state tests?

2. Performance Goals. Outline the clearly measurable annual performance status and growth goals that the school will set in order to monitor and evaluate its progress accelerating student achievement. The District recognizes that shared benchmarks have not yet been set with PARCC, coming online in 2014-2015. Applicants must clearly articulate their rationale for proposed goals with these assessments.

3. Corrective Action. Describe the corrective actions the school will take if it falls short of student academic achievement expectations or goals.

4. Progress Monitoring. Explain how and how frequently the school will collect and analyze longitudinal student academic achievement data, use the data to refine and improve instruction, and report the data to the school community.

a. How will you determine whether or not a student is progressing satisfactorily?

b. Describe any additional data that you will collect, beyond items identified above in your description of your assessments and performance goals.

F. Academic Intervention & Acceleration

1. Detail your MTSS, including the use of PBIS and RTI.

2. How will the school identify students in need of academic intervention or acceleration?

3. What specific interventions will be employed to help close achievement gaps?


4. How will your school schedule and use of time ensure adequate opportunities to support the needs of all students?

G. Promotion & Retention Policies.

1. Explain the school’s policies and standards for promoting students from one grade to the next. How and when will promotion and graduation criteria be communicated to parents and students? If you plan to use promotion policies that differ from the District, please detail those policies. For schools serving grades covered by the READ Act, explain how these policies comply with the READ ACT.

2. Graduation Requirements (For High Schools only).

a. List your school’s graduation requirements (including courses and credits) and the school’s exit standards for graduating students. Exit standards should clearly set forth what students in the last grade you anticipate serving will know and be able to do.

b. Describe how the school will ensure all students meet their graduation requirements on-time.

c. Explain what systems and structures the school will implement for students at risk of dropping out of high school and/or not meeting the proposed graduation criteria. Include your plan for providing a path to graduation for students with disabilities.

H. English Language Learners

Note: the rubric used to assess English Language Acquisition programs is provided in the Information for Applicants Section at the back of this application.

1. Identification Process. Every district school has an Instructional Services Advisory (ISA) team. ISA teams are responsible for placing English learners in ELA program services, classifying them as English language learners (ELLs), reviewing their progress while receiving program services, recommending them for exit from program services, and monitoring students for one year after they have been exited from ELA program services. Consult the ISA Team Handbook to confirm that your identification process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, ensure that students are accurately identified as English language learners per district ISA team guidance? Who is in charge of collecting and administering the DPS Home Language Questionnaire? What will you do with the information from the questionnaire? Describe how your Instructional Services Advisory (ISA) Team will make recommendations regarding program entry, redesignation/exit, and services for ELLs. How will you use parents/guardians are adequately informed about student identification and program placement as well as student academic and language development progress?

2. Assessment and Placement. Consult the ISA Team Handbook to confirm that your assessment and placement process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, ensure accurate assessment of English language proficiency of ELLs? How will you ensure appropriate initial placement and program match of ELLs with ELA program services based on student language proficiency and parent preference, per the district ISA team guidance? When will you assess students for placement? District schools utilize W-APT to initially assess student proficiency levels in and use WIDA-ACCESS to assess ongoing progress. Confirm whether you will use these English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments and any additional assessments that you may you use to determine proficiency levels in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English? How often will you assess students for progress? What will you do with the


results? How will your ISA Team ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services as well as notify parents about placement in an English Language Acquisition(ELA) Program also known as a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP), what will be included in the notification, and when will it happen? If students receive Spanish instruction, confirm whether you will use the district’s grade or subject appropriate assessments to assess the knowledge of ELL students?

3. Program Design and Curriculum. The type of English Language Acquisition program provided in DPS Schools is determined by the number of ELL students at each school. Considering your projected student enrollment and regional analysis of student demographics, how many ELLs do you expect to serve at full-build? Based on the number of ELLs that you are projecting to serve, which ELA program model will your school implement (see table below)?

DPS English Language Acquisition (ELA) Program Models and Services for English Language Learners

GRADES SERVED THRESHOLD PROGRAM MODEL

SERVICES BY PROGRAM MODELNative

Language Support1

Resource Teacher

English Language

Development (ELD)2

Supported Content

Instruction in English3

Native Language Instruction4

Elem

enta

ry(E

-5, E

-8)

<15 ELLs No ELA Program-Strategic Support

≥15 ELLs (all languages) ESL/ELA-E5 Yes Yes Yes Yes≥15 ELLs (Spanish-speaking) ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes

(ELA-S)Yes Yes

≥60 Spanish-speaking ELLs TNLI6 Yes Yes Yes Yes≥60 Spanish-speaking ELLs and ≥15 ELLs (other than native-Spanish speaking)

TNLI and ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes (ELA-E)

Yes Yes Yes (for Spanish-speaking ELLs)

Seco

ndar

y(6

-8, 6

-12,

9-1

2)

<15 ELLs No ELA Program- Strategic Support

Yes

≥15 ELLs (all languages) ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes Yes50-99 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below)

ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes (ELA-S)

Yes Yes

≥100 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below)

TNLI Yes Yes Yes Yes

≥100 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below) and ≥15 ELLs (other than native-Spanish speaking)

TNLI and ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes Yes Yes (for Spanish-speaking ELLs)

1 Native language support includes curricular resources in the native language, paraprofessional support in the native language, preview/review in the native language, and appropriate

strategies to support the transition to English for ELLs. Native language support is not a substitute for native language instruction, where such instruction is required by the Program or the Consent Decree (CD).2

English Language Development (ELD) is the provision of direct instruction in English language usage including: content vocabulary development, survival vocabulary development, oral language development, listening comprehension, and the development of reading and writing skills in English.3

Supported English Content Instruction is instruction in core subject areas in sheltered English, which is the use of specialized strategies to make the content accessible to, and increase the likelihood that content in English will be comprehended by, ELLs. When content cannot be adequately explained in English, an explanation or feedback in the student’s native language may be given.4

Native language instruction includes the provision of instruction in one or more core subject areas in a student’s native language. The development of native language arts includes oral language development, reading, and writing. The purpose of native language instruction is to provide a foundation for literacy in English and/or opportunities for learning in core subject areas until instruction in English is appropriate. Native language instruction will follow the District’s research-based language allocation guidelines. At the Elementary level, the native language instruction portion of the day includes activities that promote literacy and cognitive development in a student’s first language in a manner comparable to their never-ELL District peers. At the Secondary level, the native language instruction portion of the day includes activities that promote content acquisition in science, social studies, and/or math.5

English as a Second Language (ESL/ELA-E) is the English Language Acquisition Program for providing services to English Language Learners that includes Supported English Content Instruction and English Language Development.6

Transitional Native Language Instruction (TNLI) is the program in which services, including native language instruction in Spanish, supported English Content Instruction, and ELD, are provided to ELLs. For purposes of this Consent Decree, dual language programs qualify as part of the TNLI program.


a. Describe how ELLs will receive supported English Content Instruction in core subject areas? What sheltered English instruction and classroom-based instructional strategies will be used to make content accessible to English language learners?

b. Please describe how you will effectively implement the district curriculum for English language development: Avenues (elementary), Inside (middle school), and Edge (high school).

c. What are your performance objectives and what standards will you use to measure the progress of ELL students? Describe how your ISA Team will monitor student progress in English language proficiency and core content area development. If you will serve a TNLI program, how will your ISA Team monitor Spanish language proficiency?

d. What instructional techniques will be utilized to help ELLs develop and understand academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking, reading, and writing? How will teachers support students’ various English language development levels? What types of native language support will you provide to English language learners? How will you ensure that English language learners receive appropriate curricular materials and classroom assistance when necessary? Will you hire any paraprofessionals to provide support in the native language? What instructional strategies will all teachers use to make content assessable to English language learners?

e. How will you ensure that ELL students are integrated into a supportive school culture?

f. If you expect to provide a TNLI program, describe which program goal describes the purpose of your TNLI program (see table below)?

i. Based on the goal you have identified for your TNLI program, how will you provide native language instruction to English language learners?

DPS Language Development Goals for TNLI Programs

EXPECTED RESULTS/GOALS TNLI PROGRAM TYPE

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Sufficient academic foundation in Spanish literacy and content areas until

instruction in English is appropriate (for Spanish-speaking English learners)Early-exit

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Full academic proficiency in English and Spanish for native Spanish speakers Late-exit

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Full academic proficiency in English and Spanish for native Spanish speakers

and native English speakersDual language


Note: All ELA-designated teachers must become qualified via state-endorsement in teaching the culturally and linguistically diverse, masters or doctorate degree in teaching the linguistically diverse, or completion of a district-approved training program.

4. Teaching. Provide the profile of the staff member responsible for the management of the ELA program, including responsibilities, qualifications, certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program. Describe the professional development opportunities that will be offered to administrators evaluating the ELL program staff, and to teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms.

a. How will the school’s staffing structure ensure that the school meets the non-academic needs of English learners and their parents/guardians?

5. Exiting/Redesignation. Consult the ISA team handbook to confirm that your exiting/ redesignation process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, implement the processes for redesignation/exit and monitoring per ISA team guidelines to ensure that students successfully transition to mainstream English instruction? Describe your plan to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program. What will determine the exiting/redesignation of students? What valid, reliable, and objective criteria will you use to measure English proficiency in each of the four language domains? Describe your plan to monitor students for two years following their exit/redesignation. How will you determine if additional ELA program services are needed?

I. Students with Disabilities

1. Recruitment/Enrollment, Identification and Monitoring

a. How will the school recruit students with special needs?

b. How will information about a student’s specific needs factor into a decision to offer admission, if at all?

c. Explain the process the school will use to identify students with disabilities.

d. How will students with disabilities be monitored and regularly assessed through the school’s assessment system?

e. Describe the methods the school will use to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s special education program overall.

2. Staffing and Professional Development

a. How will the school provide qualified staffing for students with mild and moderate needs?

b. Describe your staffing structure to serve students with disabilities.

c. How and when will the school provide professional development about serving students with special needs and train special education teachers and general education teachers to serve the needs of mild and moderate needs students?

3. Program Plan


a. Describe the instructional programs, practices, and strategies, as well as any schedule adjustments and any additional resources, the school will employ to meet the needs of your students with mild and moderate disabilities.

4. Serving Students with Severe Disabilities (providing services above mild/moderate needs)

a. Indicate the school’s willingness to host a center-based program to serve students with above mild/moderate intensity of supports (the specific process and resources would be negotiated with DPS upon approval).

J. Gifted and Talented Students

1. Explain how the school will identify gifted/talented and academically advanced students. What criteria will be used to determine exceptional ability or potential? Who will be accountable for identifying these students?

2. What methods will the school use to improve the representation of traditionally under-represented student cohorts in its G&T programs?

3. Describe the research-based instructional programs and strategies that the school will use to appropriately address the educational needs of gifted students. Will the programs require additional instructional materials?

4. How will you adjust your schedule, if necessary, to meet the needs of G&T students?

5. How will the assessment system described earlier support the ongoing tracking of progress for students who may be above grade level?

6. How will the school provide qualified staffing for G&T students, ensuring that all staff hired are “Highly Qualified” in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)? What are the pre-requisite qualifications for these positions? Explain how you will recruit, hire and retain teachers that meet these requirements.

7. How will the school provide professional development about serving G&T students and train both G&T and general education teachers to serve the needs of G&T students?

8. For High Schools Only. Explain what systems and structures the school will implement to support students with ALPs.

K. Supplemental Programming

1. How will you ensure you address the needs of the whole child?

2. Describe any unique or supplementary programs you will offer students (and families).

3. Describe the extra- or co-curricular activities or programming the school will offer.

4. Describe any volunteer or service programs for students, if these have not already been addressed elsewhere in the application.

5. For schools offering summer school. Describe the summer school program you are proposing.


Section IV: TEACHING(8 page limit)

This section will describe the systems in place to promote teacher quality, beginning with a rigorous hiring process and including teacher coaching, evaluation, and professional development.

Resources:

Highly Qualified Teacher Status: The DPS website provides guidance around Highly Qualified Teachers, found at: http://nclb.dpsk12.org/teachers.

Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA): The DCTA is the collective bargaining unit representing teachers in DPS. Information related to the DCTA, including the current collective bargaining agreement with the district, can be found at: http://hr.dpsk12.org/dcta

Compensation: Salary schedules for school-based positions at district-run schools, including teacher positions, can be viewed at the following link: http://hr.dpsk12.org/salary_schedules. Additionally, information about ProComp, the district’s performance based evaluation system, can be accessed at http://denverprocomp.dpsk12.org/.

LEAP: The district system for ensuring effective teaching is administered through the LEAP program. Information about LEAP is available at: leap.dpsk12.org

SB-191: All schools in Colorado must use teacher evaluation systems that are in compliance with requirements specified in SB-191. Information related to SB-191 is available on the CDE site at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/EducatorEffectiveness/OverviewOfSB191.asp

Professional Development: District resources related to professional development, including the annual professional development calendar, are available at: http://teacherlearning.dpsk12.org/

DPS Salary Schedule: The DPS website provides the salary schedule for teachers and can be referenced to help determine competitive salaries. The salary schedule can be found here: http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/hr2009/DCTATraditionalSchedule912013.pdf.

Teacher Effectiveness: The Colorado League of Charter Schools can provide guidance to applicants on approaches to evaluating teacher effectiveness in charter schools. See http://www.coloradoleague.org. Within DPS, LEAP serves as the foundation for teacher evaluations in district-run schools; its tenants may prove useful to some applicants: http://leap.dpsk12.org/The-Framework/Overview.

A. Teacher Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention

1. Describe the standards that will be used in hiring teachers and other school staff.

2. Explain how you will ensure that all staff are “Highly Qualified” in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

3. Describe your teacher recruitment and selection process, including plans for recruiting culturally and linguistically responsive teachers.

4. What strategies will you deploy to promote retention of your best performing teachers?

B. Teacher Coaching1. Describe the school’s plan to coach and support teachers.

2. Outline the schedule for classroom observations and subsequent feedback discussions with teachers. How often will teachers receive feedback?

C. Teacher Evaluation

Note: The DPS evaluation system is LEAP, only minimal modifications to this system are allowable and may require waiver(s) from the DCTA Collective Bargaining Agreement, District Policies and


http://leap.dpsk12.org/The-Framework/Overview

http://www.coloradoleague.org/

http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/hr2009/DCTATraditionalSchedule912013.pdf

http://teacherlearning.dpsk12.org/

http://www.cde.state.co.us/EducatorEffectiveness/OverviewOfSB191.asp

http://denverprocomp.dpsk12.org/

http://hr.dpsk12.org/salary_schedules

http://hr.dpsk12.org/dcta

http://nclb.dpsk12.org/teachers

State Statute. Please consult district staff before recommending modifications to LEAP.

1. Describe your evaluations tools and processes, as well as the standards and criteria that will be used to evaluate teachers. Attach your school’s teacher evaluation tools as Appendix N.

2. What steps or actions will the school take when teacher performance is unsatisfactory?

(Appendix N –DRAFT Teacher Evaluation Tools – 10 page limit)

D. Professional Development

Note: DPS provides Professional Development to all district-run schools. If the applicant is proposing a unique PD plan, the applicant may require waiver(s) from the DCTA Collective Bargaining Agreement, District Policies and State Statute.

1. Provide a professional development schedule/ calendar and state the number of days/hours for PD throughout the school year.

2. Outline components of your professional development plan. Describe the professional development that will take place prior to school opening and throughout the academic year. Note when teachers will have time for common planning or collaboration, and how such time will typically be used.

E. Pedagogy

1. Describe the expected school-wide instructional methodology and strategies that your teachers will employ in order to effectively deliver the school’s curricula, including strategies teachers will use to meet the needs of your targeted student population.

2. Describe the teacher lesson planning process. What planning tools will teachers use to prepare lessons?


Section V: GOVERNANCE & FINANCE

(8 page limit)

Resources: Collaborative School Committees (CSCs): State law requires all schools to have a School Accountability

Committee. In DPS, this requirement is satisfied through the district policy related to Collaborative School Committees. Information related to district CSCs is available at http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/communityrelations/CSCSampleBylawsProcedures20102011.pdf

Budget Guidance Manual: Each year, the district publishes a manual for school leaders to provide guidance on the budget process for district-run schools. This manual is available at: http://budgetoffice.dpsk12.org/stories/storyReader$84

CDE Resources on Funding: Per Colorado Revised Statutes § 22-44-105(4), refer to CDE’s Chart of Accounts Handbook, found at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfCOA.htm Financial Policies and Procedures: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfFPP.htm CDE provides guidance on Colorado school finance and categorical program funding, found at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/generalinfo.htm For information on Title I, II, and III grants, refer to http://fedprograms.dpsk12.org/

Mill Levy Funding: Please refer to “Information for Applicants: School Based Budgeting” and “Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding” at the back of this application guide.

District Policy on Quality and Budget (Policy AI): The DPS policy guidelines for budgeting that aligns with the Innovation Schools Act 2008 can be found here: http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/Policy.aspx?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=policyview&-sortfield=File&File=ai&-recid=33151&-find

Denver Association of Educational Office Professionals (DAEOP): DAEOP is the collective bargaining unit representing school secretaries. Information related to DAEOP, including the current collective bargaining agreement with the district, can be found at: http://daeop.dpsk12.org/

A. School Governance

1. How will you ensure that parents/guardians, teachers, and community members are active participants in the school’s governance structure? How will you ensure that the School Accountability Committee (SAC) and/or Collaborative School Committee (CSC) provides meaningful accountability and support to the school?

2. How often will the SAC meet? What will be the essential duties of the SAC? How will they be regularly updated and given opportunities to provide input into important school governance decisions? How will the SAC be empowered to provide input and oversight to the school leader?

3. How will you ensure that the SAC provides adequate input into a transparent budgeting process, and progress monitoring against the school’s academic goals?

4. Provide a detailed leadership succession plan that engages the school’s parents and teachers to ensure consistency and stability in implementing the school’s mission.

B. Budget & Policy Narrative

1. Describe any expenses the school expects to incur that are in addition to what DPS traditionally funds (e.g., additional curriculum materials, extended overnight field trips, additional professional development experience, etc.). If you believe you will have additional revenues separate from DPS funding, please list them as well.


http://daeop.dpsk12.org/

http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/Policy.aspx?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=policyview&-sortfield=File&File=ai&-recid=33151&-find

http://www.dpsk12.org/policies/Policy.aspx?-db=policy.fp3&-format=detail.html&-lay=policyview&-sortfield=File&File=ai&-recid=33151&-find

https://webmail.dpsk12.org/OWA/redir.aspx?C=d115553545fa4f809575bab15104411a&URL=http%3A%2F%2Ffedprograms.dpsk12.org%2F

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/generalinfo.htm

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfFPP.htm

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdefinance/sfCOA.htm

http://budgetoffice.dpsk12.org/stories/storyReader$84

http://static.dpsk12.org/gems/communityrelations/CSCSampleBylawsProcedures20102011.pdf

2. Provide an overview of how the allocation of resources supports the vision, mission, and education plan of the school.

3. Explain the policies and processes that will be implemented to ensure that sound financial management practices are implemented and that the financial plan is executed with fidelity. Who will be directly managing and overseeing the school’s budget?

4. Describe your School Finance Act revenue assumptions including estimated percentage of students who are eligible for free lunch.

5. Describe your anticipated private revenue sources including contributions and grants. Note which are secured and which are anticipated, as well as how each revenue stream will be used in support of non-core operational expenses.

6. Describe any services to be contracted, including costs and criteria for selecting such services.

7. If anticipated revenues are not received or are lower than expected, what specific changes will you make (explain in narrative format)? In addition, have you included a contingency set aside in your budget?

8. Assume your enrollment falls short of your projection, and you are only able to enroll 80% of your year-1 student enrollment projection. Detail your contingency plan. What is the overall financial impact on your budget? What adjustments would you make to your school plan to account for this reduction? Specify each budget cut, the dollar amount related to each adjustment and how each choice would affect your school’s program.

All applicants are required to submit the completed district-run school application budget form as a separate electronic document in excel. Applicants do not need to submit a hard copy of the budget form. This budget template can be found on the DPS website at http://osri.dpsk12.org/school-development/.

C. Facility

Note: There are significant limitations on available facilities for new school programs.

1. Should your application be approved, what facility options have you considered for your school’s location? Describe any facilities you are considering that meet the instructional needs of your school?

All applicants are to fill out the School Facility Questionnaire, located in Appendix B.


http://osri.dpsk12.org/

Optional Section VI: ESP/EMO Relationship

(10 page limit)

If the proposed school intends to contract with an education service provider (ESP) or an education management organization (EMO) – such as a school management organization – provide the following additional information:

A. ESP/EMO Selection

1. Explain how and why the ESP/EMO was selected. Provide summary information from specific reference checks conducted by the applicant (regarding the ESP/EMO) and include the name of the reference.

B. ESP/EMO Track Record

1. List of all schools operated by the ESP/EMO that serve the same grade levels as, and student populations demographically similar to, the anticipated population of the proposed school. Include name, year opened, contact information, location, number of students, and contact information for the authorizer for each currently operating school.

2. Detail the ESP’s/EMO’s success in serving student populations similar to the target population of the school, including the ESP’s/EMO’s demonstrated academic track-record as well as successful management of non-academic school functions.

3. Provide evidence of the financial health of the ESP/EMO.

(Appendix O – Financial Audit of ESP/EMO - 15 page limit)

4. Explain any management contract terminations, non-renewals or withdrawals/non-openings that the proposed ESP/EMO has experienced.

C. Legal Relationships

1. Provide evidence that the board is independent from the ESP/EMO and self-governing.

2. Discuss any potential conflicts of interest between the ESP/EMO and the school.

3. Provide evidence that the corporate entity is authorized to do business in Colorado.

(Appendix P – License Authorizing Business in Colorado – 2 page limit)

4. Identify and separately document any agreements the applicant has made with the ESP/EMO.

D. Organizational Structure

1. Provide a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of the ESP/EMO, including the supervisory responsibilities of the ESP/EMO (if any) and how the school will oversee the ESP/EMO supervisory responsibilities.

2. Describe the scope of services and costs of all resources to be provided by the ESP/EMO.

3. Describe the compensation structure, including clear identification of all fees to be paid to the ESP/EMO.

4. Describe the oversight and evaluation methods that the Board will use to oversee the ESP/EMO.

5. Describe the financial responsibilities of the ESP/EMO.

6. Explain the duration, renewal and termination of the management agreement.

NOTE: By law, the application must include a copy of the actual or proposed performance contract between DPS and the education management provider that specifies, at a minimum, the following material terms: (A) Performance evaluation measures; (B) The methods of contract oversight and enforcement that the governing


board will apply; (C) The compensation structure and all fees that DPS would pay to the education management provider; and (D) The conditions for contract renewal and termination.

(Appendix Q – Draft of Management Agreement – 10 page limit)


Optional Section VII: Turnaround Provider

(5 page limit)

If the proposed school intends to be considered as a replacement option for need identified in the Call for New Quality Schools, this section must be completed. While the capacity of the applicant to operate effectively in a turnaround environment will be assessed using the entirety of the application thus far, the following questions are meant to add to the body of evidence of whether a school applicant is well positioned to be successful replacement option. This portion of the application provides the opportunity to tie key design elements that have previously been discussed to the unique situation that is a turnaround.

A. Culture and Education Program

1. Describe your understanding of the key issues and root causes of underperformance at the existing school or school cluster you propose to be a turnaround provider for.

2. Explain how the proposed school design elements will effectively address the root issues described above and will transform a persistently poor school climate. Provide the evidence-based practices, rituals, and routines that will build a culture of high achievement for this particular population.

3. Make the argument for why the education model described, including the intervention program and ELL/SPED designs, will address the root issues described above and will significantly increase student achievement for the school. Highlight the key program elements that you believe will have the most impact for transforming persistently low academic performance, based on your knowledge of the target student population and current achievement data.

4. How will you ensure both students and their families understand, are invested in, and have ownership for the new school culture and the goals of improving academic performance?

5. What challenges do you anticipate with a fast-growth model? What are your plans to mitigate these challenges to effectively set the foundation of the school?

B. Leadership and Teaching

1. How will you ensure you hire a leader that is well equipped to lead in a turnaround environment? If a leader candidate already has been identified, detail the candidate’s track-record and readiness to serve as a turnaround leader.

2. Explain how the leader will use the planning year.

3. What specialized professional development and coaching do you anticipate providing to your leader to both persist and succeed in a turnaround environment?

4. Describe the professional culture of the proposed school and the strategies that will be used to create this culture. How will the leader ensure the change process is owned and managed by a strong leadership team and staff?

5. Detail the communication systems and structures that will be used to ensure the entire staff is aligned during the change process.

6. How will you ensure you hire teachers who are well equipped to teach in a turnaround environment?

7. What specialized professional development and coaching do you anticipate providing to effectively train your teachers to both persist and succeed in a turnaround environment?


Appendix A: Letter of Intent- District-run SchoolThis letter of intent (LOI) will provide formal notice to the Office of School Reform and Innovation in

Denver Public Schools regarding an applicant’s intention to submit a new school proposal for the 2016-17 school year.

The information presented in the LOI is non-binding.

Proposed School Name:

Grade Configuration:

Model or Focus:

Primary Contact Person:

Phone:

Email:

Region and Neighborhood:

Proposed Leader (if known):

Replication: Yes No

Contract with ESP/EMO: Yes No

Enrollment Projections: Provide additional rows and columns if necessary.

GRADES 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21XXX

Total # studentsFRL % SPED % ELL %

Proposed Demographics

Mission of School:

Provide a brief overview of the education program of the proposed school:


Appendix B: School Facility Questionnaire – District-run School

School Name:

Primary Contact for Facility Planning:

Telephone: Email:

Grade levels and student enrollment estimates for the first five years:

2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021Grades

Enrollment

Region:

Description of the facility/ies under consideration including available square footage and quotes (for years 1-5) from property owners:

Facility #1:

Facility #2

Facility #3

Are you interested in investigating the possibility of occupying a district-owned facility should a district-owned facility be available?

Yes No

Note: DPS believes that both district-run and charter schools should have equity of opportunity in accessing district facilities. However, the current reality is that there are significant limitations on district facilities.



Classroom Requirements Years 1-3:

How many students will you have per classroom on average?: ____

Number of full size classrooms you will need each year as you grow out – include core, special education, and elective classroom but not gym.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Administrative/Support Spaces

Main Office Yes NoIf yes, list number of private offices needed (e.g., principal, AP, etc.):

Satellite Office Yes NoWork Room/Copy Room Yes NoTeacher Work Room(s) Yes NoIf yes, list number of teacher work/planning rooms needed:

Specialty Classroom Needs

Number of science labs:

Number of art rooms (with or without kiln):

Number of computer labs:

Library Media Center (LMC) Yes No

Performance/Dance Room Yes No

Auditorium Yes No

Other (list room type and number):

Physical Education/Athletic Requirements

Gymnasium Yes No

Locker Rooms Yes No

Weight Room Yes No

Field(s) – soccer, football, multipurpose Yes No

Baseball Field Yes No

Softball Field Yes No

Other (please list):

Other Needs

Playground(s) Yes No

Large space for class/school assemblies (e.g., morning meeting, cafeteria) Yes No

Spaces not addressed and/or special considerations:

Appendix C: Applicant Checklist

The applicant will use the first column of boxes to check off the sections completed. OSRI will use the second column of boxes for its completeness check

Application Component Applicant Check

Reviewer Check

Executive SummarySection I.Culture

A. Vision & Mission StatementsB. Targeted Student PopulationC. Parent/Guardian & Community Participation in App. Process & (Appx.

D)D. School Culture & Student EngagementE. Student Discipline Policy & (Appx. E)F. Student Recruitment & EnrollmentG. Student Attendance & SatisfactionH. Ongoing Parent/Guardian Involvement & Satisfaction

Section II.Leadership

A. Leadership Team Personnel & (Appx. F, G)B. Leadership Team Coaching & EvaluationC. School Personnel Structure (Appx. H, I)D. Employment Policies & (Appx. J)E. Operations – TransportationF. Operations – Safety and SecurityG. Operations – Food Service

Section III.Education Program

A. CurriculumB. Scope/Sequence (Appx. K)C. Class SizeD. School Schedule and Calendar & (Appx. L, M)E. Progress Monitoring and AssessmentF. Academic Intervention & AccelerationG. Promotion and RetentionH. English Language LearnersI. Students with DisabilitiesJ. Gifted and Talented StudentsK. Supplemental Programming

Section IV. Teaching

A. Teacher Recruitment, Hiring, & RetentionB. Teacher CoachingC. Teacher Evaluation & (Appx. N)D. Professional DevelopmentE. Pedagogy

Section V. Governance

A. Governance PhilosophyB. Budget & Policy NarrativeC. Facility & (Appx. B)

Optional Section VI: ESP/EMO

A. ESP/EMO SelectionB. ESP/EMO Track Record & (Appx. O)C. Legal Relationships & (Appx. P)


Relationship D. Organizational Structure & (Appx. Q)Optional Section VII: Turnaround

A. Culture and Education Program

B. Leadership and TeachingAppendices Appx. A – Letter of Intent (copy of LOI submitted)

Appx. B – School Facility QuestionnaireAppx. C – Applicant ChecklistAppx. D – Evidence of Support from Parents/Guardians, Community Groups, Teachers & PupilsAppx. E – Discipline PolicyAppx. F – Job Descriptions for all Leadership Team PositionsAppx. G – Resumes for all Identified Leadership Team MembersAppx. H – School Organization ChartAppx. I – Staff RosterAppx. J – Personnel Policies or Employee ManualAppx. K – Course Scope and Sequence for One Grade LevelAppx. L – School CalendarAppx. M – Teacher and Student School Day SchedulesOptional Appx. N – Draft Teacher Evaluation ToolsAppx. O – Financial Audit of ESP/EMO (if applicable)Appx. P – Licensre Authorizing Business in CO (if applicable)Appx. Q – Draft of Management Agreement (if applicable)

Electronic copy of entire applicationElectronic copy of completed budget templates


Information for Applicants: Rubric for ELA Program Evaluation

Applicant: Middle School High School Elementary School

Reviewer Name: Review Completed: Plan approved:

All areas included in this rubric must be addressed in the application, as indicated by a “yes” in every box.

1. Identification Process and Parent Involvement YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The DPS Home Language Questionnaire is used as part of the registration process for all students to identify those whose Primary or Home Language is Other Than English (PHLOTE).

b. The English Language Acquisition (ELA) plan includes a parent notification about placement in a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) that is sent no later than 30 days after the beginning of school.

c. Parents who are not proficient in English are provided with appropriate and sufficient information, in a language and/or manner that parents can understand, about all essential information in a manner that allows parents to make well-informed decisions about the participation in the school programs and services.

2. Assessment and Placement YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The school assessment and placement plan includes provision for a timely (within 10 days) screening placement assessment (W-APT) as students enter the school and provision of English language development services within 30 days of arrival.

b. The school assessment plan includes an identified student progress monitoring process (including W-APT and ACCESS) to support educational planning.

3. Program Design and Curriculum YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The plan includes and describes a research-based methodology to schedule appropriate amounts of ELD time commensurate with the school's student population and their identified needs. The ELD plan includes direct instruction in English language usage and including content vocabulary, survival vocabulary, and, reading, and writing development in English. (Note: Time could range from 45 minutes at a minimum to up to 90 minutes in secondary school and up to 30% of the school day in elementary schools).

b. The program describes the use of annual performance objectives, activities, timeframes, language(s), grade(s), performance standards, expected performance level(s), and method(s) for parent engagement.


c. The ELA program is organized to promote second language acquisition using cognitively demanding, grade-level appropriate content, and to increase academic content knowledge at the same time.

d. District-run school requirement: The applicant correctly identifies the appropriate district ELA program based upon the projected student population and describes a plan to provide prescribed services and staffing.

Charter school requirement: A research-based model is in place to facilitate English language development for ELLs (e.g., ESL, structured sheltered instruction, early or late transition, dual language education).

e. The school identifies a school administrator or an administrator designee responsible for the management of the program, their responsibilities, and qualifications, including certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program.

Note: District-run schools must identify ISA Team members.

4. Professional Development and Evaluation7

YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

a. The application incorporates mandatory high-quality professional development for teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms. The central focus of the professional development is: language development and second language acquisition, effective teaching strategies to make content comprehensible to ELLs, and other essential elements in teaching ELLs with high standards.

b. Teachers are evaluated to ensure that the training prepares them adequately to implement the ELA program and that their delivery of Program services is effective as measured by student achievement.

c. Administrators shall receive regular professional development regarding appropriate assessment and implementation of ELA programing.

5. Exiting/Redesignation and Monitoring Criteria YES NO Comment(s) Page Number

7 All ELA-designated teachers must become qualified via state-endorsement in teaching the culturally and linguistically diverse, Masters or doctorate degree in teaching the linguistically diverse, or completion of a district-approved training program


a. A collaborative plan including the parent of the ELL exists to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program consistent with CDE standards and a solid body of evidence (e.g., ACCESS scores, TCAP scores, DRA, reading and writing samples).

b. A plan exists to monitor students for two years after exit/redesignation to determine if additional ELA program services are needed.

Reviewer Comments

Information for Applicants: Student-Based Budgeting (SBB)

Student-Based Budgeting (SBB): SBB is a budgeting approach where dollars follow students directly to schools where decisions can be made on how to best serve those students.


SBB was first implemented at DPS for the 2007-2008 budget year and is continuously being refined to increase buying power at schools. Key objectives of SBB include:

Empower site-based management and enhance the flexibility of resource utilization by schools

Provide transparency of the dollars allocated to schools

Provide weighted (differentiated) funding based upon the costs to serve certain categories of students including special needs students, low-income students, and gifted & talented students

The SBB model was enhanced for FY12-13. Goals of the improvements were to:

Continue to provide weighted funding to identify and serve various categories of students Continue to provide a more streamlined student based formula that allows the SBB model to

fund schools under a consistent methodology

DPS Budget Guidance Manual: The DPS Budget Guidance Manual is updated annually and should be online in February 2015. Please consult the following website to review this document:



Author, 01/03/-1,

Revised version available?


Information for Applicants: Mill Levy Funding

Mill Levy allocation formulas and guidance are available in the DPS Budget Guidance Manual. The Budget Guidance Manual can be found here: http://budgetoffice.dpsk12.org/

Please send specific Mill Levy funding questions to [email protected] .



http://budgetoffice.dpsk12.org/

Information for Applicants: District-run Schools & Innovation Plans

District-run Schools

A district-run school is a public school within the DPS system governed by district and state policies, exactly the same as existing district-run schools. Employees of these schools are covered by district-negotiated collective bargaining agreements. District-run schools are approved to meet the district’s targeted needs as identified annually in the Call for New Quality Schools. As a result, district-run school applications often include innovative elements of school design to meet the needs of the targeted student populations. In situations where existing local and state policies and collective bargaining agreements challenge the school’s ability to execute the school’s program, a school may seek waivers from these policies and agreements to execute their plans. Schools may seek waivers on an individual basis per statute, policy, or provision, or they may develop a comprehensive request for waivers known as an Innovation Plan.

Innovation Plans

A district-run school may exist without waivers. The choice of whether or not a school should submit an Innovation Plan is a local determination that should be made by the school and the school’s stakeholder community. Depending on the extent to which a district-run school application proposes models other than existing district policies, state statutes, or DCTA or DAEOP Collective Bargaining Agreements, the school may need to seek waivers or innovation status. District-run schools that choose to seek waivers or an innovation plan may submit a separate innovation plan, once the school has been approved by the DPS Board of Education. In most cases, new district-run schools will not have innovation status or waivers in place during their first year of operation. Please contact Joe Amundsen, Sr. Manager of School Development at [email protected] for more information.

Innovation Schools Act 2008

The Innovation Schools Act provides a pathway for schools and districts to develop innovative educational practices, for improving educational opportunities for students by allowing schools increased autonomy over school-level decisions. The Act allows public schools to submit an innovation plan to the local board of education. The plan is designed to increase student outcomes at the school(s). Once approved by the local board of education, the innovation plans and waiver requests must receive final approval by the Colorado State Board of Education.



Information for Applicants: Sample Intent to Enroll FormThis confidential Intent to Enroll Form is used to demonstrate interest in having your child(ren) enroll at ___________________. Signing this Intent to Enroll does not obligate the student to attend ___________________ nor does it guarantee admission. However, parents/legal guardians who sign this Intent to Enroll are indicating a sincere desire to enroll their child(ren) in this school in the event that Denver Public Schools approves the applicant’s proposal to open ___________________ in the fall of 2016.

Parents and guardians should understand that the DPS Board of Education must vote to approve any new school (regardless of school type) and such vote has not yet occurred for the school referenced herein.

School Information

School Name:

Grades Served:

Proposed Regional Location:

Anticipated Opening Date:

School Leader/Contact:

Parent/Legal Guardian Information

Parent/Legal Guardian’s Name(s):

Primary Phone:

Email:

Student’s Home Address

Street Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Student(s) Information:

Please list each child whom you are interested in enrolling in the school.

Student’s Name: Age: Grade in fall 2016: Zoned School:



Parent/Legal Guardian Name (Print) ___________________________________________________

Parent/Legal Guardian (Signature) _____________________________________________________

Date______/______/______


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