The Charter School

Conversion Roadmap

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Table of Contents

Preface.............................................................................................................................................4Writing the Application...................................................................................................................5

Understandings............................................................................................................................6Stage One: Critical Conversations...............................................................................................8

Critical Conversation 1: What makes our school unique?.......................................................9Critical Conversation 2: What is our school’s educational philosophy?...............................10Critical Conversation 3: What qualities do we value in our teachers?..................................11Critical Conversation 4: What does learning look like in our classrooms?...........................12Critical Conversation 5: How is our philosophy guiding our work with at risk students?....13Critical Conversation 6: What qualities do we value in our instructional leaders?...............14Critical Conversation 7: How do we hold ourselves accountable?.......................................15Critical Conversation 8: Based on the above critical conversations, what is our school mission statement?.................................................................................................................16Critical Conversation 9: Based on the above critical conversations, what governance structure can best support our mission and program?...........................................................17

Stage Two: Network workshops................................................................................................18Workshop One: Board Development.....................................................................................19Workshop Two: Institutional Partnerships............................................................................21Workshop Three: Curriculum................................................................................................22Workshop Four: Finance.......................................................................................................23Workshop Five: School Facilities..........................................................................................25Workshop Six: Operations and Policies................................................................................26Workshop Seven: Getting a “YES” on the mandated parent vote.........................................27

Stage Three: Technical Writing.................................................................................................28Technical Writing Task One: Setting Protocols....................................................................29Technical Writing Task Two: Applicant Information...........................................................29Technical Writing Task Three: Completing the Executive Summary...................................30Technical Writing Task Four: Charter Goals........................................................................31Technical Writing Task Five: Student Enrollment................................................................32Technical Writing Task Six: Special Populations.................................................................33Technical Writing Task Seven: School Characteristics.........................................................34Technical Writing Task Eight: Governance Structure and Organizational Design...............36Technical Writing Task Nine: Support of Parent, Staff, Community Stakeholders..............38

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Technical Writing Task Ten: Operational Impact.................................................................40Technical Writing Task Eleven: Budget................................................................................41Technical Writing Task Twelve: Curriculum........................................................................42

Stage Four: Assembly................................................................................................................43Compile Section I: Applicant information........................................................................44Compile Section II: Executive Summary...........................................................................44Compile Section III: Capacity...........................................................................................44Compile Section IV: Conversion Plan...............................................................................44Compile Section VI: Goals................................................................................................44Compile Section VII: Educational Program......................................................................45Compile Section VIII: Governance Structure and Organizational Design........................46Compile Section IX: Personnel.........................................................................................46Compile Section X: Community Support..........................................................................46Compile Section XI: Financial Management Plan............................................................46Compile Section XII: School Facilities.............................................................................47Compile Section XIII: Operations and Policies.................................................................47Compile Section XIV: Operational Impact/ Dissolution...................................................47Compile Section XVI: Institutional Partnership Agreement.............................................47

Appendix One: Applicant Information..........................................................................................49Appendix Two: New York City Charter Application, Word Version...........................................50Appendix Three: Performance Goals Template............................................................................93Appendix Four: Exhibit H, Curriculum To Standards Crosswalk...............................................101Appendix Five: Board Questionnaire..........................................................................................102Appendix Six: Operational and Fiscal Impact of Charter School...............................................103Appendix Seven: Technical Assistance and Resources for Charter School Applicants.............104

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PrefaceThis manual is written for people who are determined to create a charter school based on Education for Global Citizenship (EGC) as its core value.

Why a charter school for EGC? EGC, as defined by EdGloCit’s framework, does not live exclusively in the curriculum; rather, it must be lived and silently conveyed by the school community. An element of deep respect must pervade the faculty and then must extend outward to relationships with students and parents. Every student must feel cared for and known. It is very rare to find these values in large public schools. Charter schools, however, have the freedom to select a size and shape that can support care.

This manual is aligned to New York City’s 2009 Department of Education Application. Applications vary in each state that has a charter school law; within a state there are often different authorizers with their unique applications. Regardless, the meticulous task of charter-writing should center on defining vision, mission, and enduring values.

This manual hence starts with the marrow of vision and then proceeds in an intuitive fashion to cover other aspects of a charter application. Because EGC is a value premised on community, the manual assumes that the charter-writing will be done by a community of writers. The members of the committee, through the arduous task of charter-writing, will deepen their vibrancy, trust, and communication.

In addition, the charter-writing committee should build relationships with similar committees of applicants and support organizations. Such work helps strengthen the larger charter community. Several of the exhibits can be completed more easily in workshops with other applicants. Various organizations such as the New York City Charter Center and the New York State Charter Association can assist with this process. Applicants may also wish to negotiate with Educational Management Organizations (EMOs) to see whether their services merit their costs.

Although the charter conversion process may seem daunting but the end result is a 60-page narrative and accompanying exhibits. This roadmap leads you through these steps together with your colleagues. When the process is completed you will have an almost-ready charter school application.

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Writing the ApplicationThe Charter School Conversion Manual (“Manual”) is designed to supplement the New York City Department of Education Charter School Application (page 50). With an intuitive step-by-step design that starts from core issues and then fans out to deal with the more complicated and technical aspects of the application, the Manual recognizes and builds on your impressive track record as a school.

We hope that after the exhaustive experiences of building of your school, you will find the char-ter-writing process to be a time to celebrate your accomplishments and proves to be a thrilling and renewing task.

The Manual breaks the charter-writing is broken down into four stages of work:• Stage One: Critical Conversations. This is the most important aspect of charter writing

and the entire staff should be involved in discussing the heart of the application. The Manual breaks this work into nine critical conversations to clarify: “What is our vision? What are our goals? What is our instructional program? How do we ensure that all stu-dents will be successful learners? How do we hold ourselves accountable? How do we create a leadership structure to support us?”

• Stage Two: Network workshops. Join together with other schools to run seven work-shops on parts of the application that require financial and legal expertise. In addition, work together with other schools to jointly develop “Curriculum to Standards Cross-walk” (Exhibit H), arguably the most formidable component of the application, which outlines your school’s curriculum and aligns them to New York State Learning Stan-dards. In order to facilitate this very comprehensive task, work with other schools to contribute best practices in order to assemble a Joint Proprietary Curriculum (Exhibit I) which schools can sign-on to and modify.

• Stage Three: Technical Writing. Now that a strong consensus has been formed about the purpose and form of the charter school, committees and/or individuals can fashion the understandings into the technical format of the Application. Work together with other schools to pool ideas, suggested language, and a menu of choices in the work-shops.

• Stage Four: Assembly. Each school should appoint an Application Secretary to help coordinate and assemble all responses. Work together with other applicants to pool the various pieces of the application into an integrated narrative and set of exhibits that can be submitted to the Office of Charter Schools.

We want you to derive enjoyment and value from completing this task. The best of luck on writ-ing a wonderful application.

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Understandings

There are several key understandings about charter schools that are worth stating for the reassur-ance of the key people writing the charter application:

(1) Whereas the New York State charter law mandates that a parent vote is necessary to ap-prove a charter conversion, it is recommended that staff must also have a consensus in the decision of whether or not to convert.

(2) All teachers and paraprofessionals of charter conversion schools remain members of the United Federation of Teachers; DC 37 employees remain members of DC 37 and all pro-visions of their contracts remain intact. Supervisors are eligible to write school-specific contracts with the Council of Supervisors and Administrators.

(3) Teachers and supervisors remain members of the Teachers Retirement System (TRS). DC 37 employees remain members of Board of Education Retirement System (BERS).

(4) Teachers have a “right to return” to the DoE for a period of two years.

(5) Think out-of-the-box, think big. The charter can be written in a way to provide expanded professional opportunities not available in traditional schools including new roles for ed-ucators.

(6) The charter can be written to include school self-determination about calendar schedules, professional development, and before/after/weekend/summer school opportunities as well as opportunities for telecommuting.

(7) The charter can be written to include expanded back office staff to assure speedy process-ing of payrolls, per session, salary increments, and initial payroll for new teachers.

(8) Conversion schools can opt to revert back to the Department of Education.

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Indexing of Charter Manual to Charter ApplicationStarting Points:

Manual Application

Consensus and support from Critical Conversation Nine (PageI. Applicant Information 49 67II. Executive Summary 7, 16, 17, 30 69III. Capacity 19 71IV. Conversion Plan 9, 38. 74V. Private School Conversion N/A N/A

Part 2: How Will Your School Be an Academic Suc-cess?VI. Goals 10 77VII. Educational Program 10 78

Part 3: How Will Your School Be a Viable Organiza-tion?VIII. Governance Structure and Organizational Design 17 89IX. Personnel 11, 14 93X. Community Support 38 95XI. Financial Management Plan 23 96

Part 4: How Will Your School Comply with Applica-ble Laws and Regulations?XII. School Facilities 25 100XIII. Operations and Policies 26 104

Part 5: MiscellaneousXIV. Operational Impact/Dissolution 40 109XV. Institutional Partnership Agreement 21 111

ExhibitsExhibit A: Resumes 19 72Exhibit B: Board Questionnaires 44 72Exhibit C: Track Record 104 72Exhibit D: School Information 21 72Exhibit E: Institutional Partner Value-Added Achievement 21 73Exhibit F: School Progress Reports 39 74Exhibit G: Consensus and Support 39 74Exhibit H: Curriculum to Standards Crosswalk 5, 22 79Exhibit I: Curricula 5, 22 79Exhibit J: Curriculum and Instruction Model 12 79

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Exhibit K: Bylaws 20 89Exhibit L: Code of Ethics 20 91Exhibit M: Evaluation Tools for Staff and Institutional Partner 11 91Exhibit N: Job Descriptions 14 93Exhibit O: Parent Petition of Support 38 95Exhibit P: Letters of Community Support 39 95Exhibit Q: Start-up and Five-year Operating Budget 23 96Exhibit R: Budget Narrative 23 97Exhibit S: Institutional Partnership Agreement 21 111

Stage One: Critical ConversationsThe most difficult work in completing the charter application lies in determining and articulating the unique qualities of your school. We are suggesting that you undertake a series of “critical conversations” to identify these qualities and express them in succinct form. These conversations can take place in whole faculty conversations or in committees. The products of these conversations will later be fitted into key segments of the Application.

The National School Reform Faculty (www.nsrfharmony.org) has established an array of “protocols” that can help facilitate your school’s critical conversations. A catalogue of these protocols can be found at http://www.nsrfharmony.org/protocol/a_z.html#T.

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Critical Conversation 1: What makes our school unique? Projected time to

completeLink to

application

There are three “overarching questions” in the charter application:1. How will your school be an academic success?2. How will your school be a viable organization?3. How will your school comply with applicable laws and

regulations?The first question is the most important of all. In this conversation, brainstorm to compile as large a list as possible of descriptors of what makes your school unique. Be sure to include features about instruction, curriculum, staff assets, culture, school history, and students as well as achievement data disaggregated by grade, major racial/ethnic groups, and free lunch status.

1/2 PD day forentire staff

Condense this discussion into a 1-2 page summary. Provide a description of the school’s background. Please include the type of school (elementary, middle, secondary), student enrollment, and evidence that describes the school’s successful track record.

IV.1

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Critical Conversation 2: What is our school’s educational philosophy?

Based on Critical Conversation 1, describe your school’s instructional methods, philosophy, and goals. The goals must be ambitious, measurable, and attainable, and must reflect your educational philosophy and goals. Condense this discussion into a one page summary.

1/2 PD day forentire staff

VII.1VI.1

Reviewers will look for an educational design that reflects the following characteristics:

• Well thought-out educational program that will likely result in academic success for ALL students

• Standards-based, academically rigorous curriculum• High academic expectations and strategies for the full range of

students served by the school, including those at risk of academic failure

• Use of research-based instructional models and methods• Engaging and authentic instructional strategies• Teachers empowered in a manner that promotes student success• Connections between classroom learning and the community.

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The next four Critical Conversations (3-6) should be carried out by committees in the morning. Committees should report back to the whole staff in the afternoon. The afternoon should conclude with the entire staff addressing Critical Conversation 7.

Critical Conversation 3: What qualities do we value in our teachers?

1/2 PD day for a committe

e

We will probe this question by answering one Application question: “Describe the attributes, skills and characteristics that you will seek out in teacher candidates for your school.” (1 paragraph)

VII.7.a

This conversation is revisited and further probed in a later section of the Application: “Describe the hiring policies and procedures of the school to be used, and the qualifications to be considered, in the hiring of teachers Describe the attributes and qualifications that you will seek out in teachers. What mechanisms and venues will your school utilize to recruit effective teachers? How will you ensure that your teacher recruitment targets a universe of candidates that aligns with your school’s mission and culture?” (3 paragraphs)

IX.9.a

Your answers above provide important insights. But what would they look like in practice? Please describe the evaluation process you will use for teachers? (1 paragraph) What type of evaluation tool would you use? (Write out a specific 1 page tool). What is the rationale for this tool?

Exhibit MVIII.8IX.1.c

Describe your school’s plan to provide teachers with the enrichment, training, tools for improvement, and opportunities for collaboration and communication. Your plan for teacher training should discuss, as relevant, pre-opening training the school may require, as well as plans for teacher enrichment on an ongoing basis once the school is in operation.

VII.7.b

Include a sample agenda of content for teacher enrichment that may be required in advance of school opening in the fall.

VII.7.c

Teacher induction. Describe your first-year teacher enrichment priorities. Discuss specific structures that will be put in place to support teachers and facilitate their success in driving student progress.

VII.7.c

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Critical Conversation 4: What does learning look like in our classrooms?

1/2 PD day for a committe

e

Curriculum map. Great instruction has a “look/feel” that is grounded on a purposeful curriculum. For the highest grade level in your school, provide a curriculum map for one curriculum unit in one subject. A Curriculum Map is a structure that many educators use to organize their thinking about curriculum within individual courses and throughout a school community. Categories in curriculum maps may include, but are not limited to: Essential Questions, Standards, Assessments, Skills and Content Knowledge, and Major Projects.1

Exhibit J

Sample Unit and Lesson Plan: Design the instructional model that teachers in the school will use and provide a sample unit and a sample lesson or project plan that represents the kind of teaching and learning you would like to see in the school.

Exhibit J

Assessment: Design an assessment and a rubric that will show students’ level of mastery on the task described in the unit or project above. The assessment should be reflective of the kind of task that students will be expected to do in order to graduate from the school.

Exhibit J

Differentiated Instruction: Redesign the sample unit, lesson plan and/or assessment in Critical Conversation 4, focusing on supports for special education, English Language Learners, and/or students who scored a Level 1 or 2 on promotional tests. (Coordinate with Critical Conversation 5)

Exhibit J

1 For further guidance, see Heidi Hayes Jacobs (1997), Mapping the Big Picture: Integrating Curriculum & Assessment; Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s (1998) backward design model from Understanding by Design (1998) and numerous websites.

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Critical Conversation 5: How is our philosophy guiding our work with at risk students?

1/2 PD day for a committe

e

Describe methods, strategies and/or programs for meeting the needs of students at-risk of academic failures. Include any diagnostic methods or instruments that will be used to identify and assess those students who are performing below grade level as well as the processes/programs/tools to be used in providing them with remedial instruction. If you are using a school design/model please describe the demonstrated effectiveness of the model (performance data, research-based evidence), the demand for this school/model and how closely your program will replicate this model.

VII.1.c

Be sure that your response describes the strategy (beyond legal requirements) you would use to ensure that Special Education students will have ways to improve their skills and access curricular content.

VII.5

A description of the special language instructional program to be provided to LEPs that is designed to teach English, as well as general curriculum and who will coordinate this effort.

VII.5

Appropriate evaluative standards for measuring the linguistic and academic progress of LEP students, including program exit criteria.

VII.5

Be sure to address how teachers will know or be trained in appropriate strategies for ELL and special education students.

VII.7

Differentiated Instruction: Redesign the sample unit, lesson plan and/or assessment in Critical Conversation 4 (coordinate with the committee working on this), focusing on supports for special education, English Language Learners, and/or students who scored a Level 1 or 2 on promotional tests.

Exhibit J

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Critical Conversation 6: What qualities do we value in our instructional leaders?

1/2 PD day for a committe

e

Describe how instructional decisions will be made in your school. Who will participate and what are their roles?

VII.1

Describe the hiring policies and procedures of the school to be used, and the qualifications to be considered, in the hiring of school administrators and other school employees. Describe the attributes and qualifications that you will seek out in each of these positions. What mechanisms and venues will your school utilize to recruit effective school leaders and key administrative staff? How will you ensure that your recruitment targets a universe of candidates that aligns with your school’s mission and culture?

IX.1

What tools will you use to evaluate school leaders? Exhibit M

Please provide job descriptions for each individual who works outside of the classroom. Are the roles and responsibilities for faculty, staff and administrators well-delineated and strategically-allocated?

Exhibit N

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Critical Conversation 7: How do we hold ourselves accountable?

1/2 PD day forentire staff

Reviewers will look for the following in assessment plans:• A commitment by the proposed school to hold itself accountable for

results• Clear, rigorous, measurable and data-driven indicators of

progress, including for supplemental educational and non-educational goals

• Student learning measured with multiple forms of assessments and metrics, including data-driven indicators, that will gleam a comprehensive picture of school progress

• Assessments that align with the school’s culture of continuous improvement, that reflect the school’s emphasis on accountability for student learning, that shape and inform instruction on an ongoing basis, and for which a solid rationale is provided

• Summative and formative assessment results that are used to gauge student /teacher / school progress.

• Goals that reflect the unique mission of the schoolDescribe how teachers or teams of teachers will be made accountable for student results. Describe the role of the principal in this.

VII.3.a

Describe how your school will use ongoing assessment data to drive the instructional program.

VII.3.b

Provide a chart describing the assessments that your school will use, both formative and summative. Assessments must align with any measurements referred to in the Goals section of your application (VI. Goals). Provide the dates or months that the assessments will be given.

VII.3.c

Describe the rationale for selection of assessments. For example, if you adopt goals based on student assessments other than New York City and State tests (e.g. Terra Nova), please explain why your school selected these assessments.

VII.3.d

Describe your school’s promotion requirements for each grade. If your school plans to serve the 12th grade you must provide the summative requirements for a diploma.

VII.3.e

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Critical Conversation 8: Based on the above critical conversations, what is our school mission statement?

School Ldrshp Team

Retreat AM

Based on the above conversations, succinctly state the mission of your proposed charter school. Your mission statement should be ambitious, measurable, and attainable, and must reflect your educational philosophy and goals. Mission statement should not exceed three to five sentences in length.

II.1

Goals: List your school’s performance commitments, or goals, for which your proposed charter school will be held accountable. These goals should reflect an intention to improve student learning and achievement and increase educational opportunities for all children. (1/2 page)

II.2

Educational Program: Describe the student population that your proposed charter school would serve, including prior academic performance of the student population. Describe the educational program of your proposed charter school, including any dynamic features. Describe how that educational program will enable the school to address the needs of your student population. (1/2 page)

II.2

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Critical Conversation 9: Based on the above critical conversations, what governance structure can best support our mission and program?

School Ldrshp Team

Retreat PM

Governance and Organizational Design: Briefly describe the governance structure and organizational design (including staff and board) of your proposed school. Briefly describe proposed relationships with any other organization (i.e. management or institutional partner as applicable), including nature of relationship and succinct description of services.2 (1/2 page)

II.5

2 The two most popular models are(1) Head of School Model (titles may be Director, Head of School, Principal, CEO, etc.) in

which one person reports to the Board of Trustees and is fully responsible for all aspects of the School or

(2) Co-Director Model in which two leaders share responsibilities and mutually report to the Board of Trustees. Usually one co-director supervises all aspects of operations and the other co-director leads curriculum, instruction, and professional development.

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Stage Two: Network workshops Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Work with other applicants to organize a series of workshops designed to help with issues that require legal and financial skill. In these workshops, which will be open to charter-writing committees from all schools, questions will be answered and participants will be presented with options and suggested language for critical parts of the Application.

To expedite the charter writing process, we suggest that sections of “Stage Three: Technical Writing Tasks,” can move forward at the same time that delegated committees meet with partners for the network workshops.

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Workshop One: Board DevelopmentBoard Development 101. What is the purpose of a board? What type of board can support the mission and growth of a school? What is the relationship of a principal to a board? What board models have been successful?

1 day session for delegated committee

Reviewers will assess the board of trustee and planning team’s depth and breadth of skills necessary to provide a high quality educational program that will result in:

• Strong academic outcomes for all students• Sound financial management and organizational stability• Tangible ties to the community• Effective oversight• Ability to manage conflict of interest• Long-term vision to make the school a success

The Capacity section should demonstrate the ability of the applicant team/board to create, operate and govern an effective charter school. This section must show evidence of your team’s successful track record in K-12 education, community engagement, business acumen, diversity, independence, and other defining characteristics that will ensure the long-term viability of your proposed school.To a surprising extent, some members of your future board have already self-identified themselves. Identify the key individuals responsible for the creation and operation of the proposed charter school. Identify key individuals in the community, parent body, or alumni who have greatly supported the school. Describe the proposed role, if any, each individual could serve in the charter school.3

III.1

Describe the specific attributes you will seek out in board members and key staff in your school. How will you recruit board members?

III.1

For purposes of incorporation, please list the names and addresses of proposed members of the school’s governing board of trustees. Include professional and philanthropic affiliations.

III.1

Provide résumés for the lead applicant, board members, and key personnel. These résumés should reflect that this team has the following skills and attributes:

• A commitment to providing the highest quality education for all children

• Experience in building an organization from the ground up• Financial and business acumen• Expertise and a proven track record in urban education,

Exhibit A

3 Recommendation from the Office of Charter Schools: The team working on the proposal should include representatives from various stakeholders of the proposed school. The team may include school leaders, staff, parents, and community representatives.

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including evidence of student success on a variety of indicators• Effective community and parent engagement• Ability to fundraise and develop strategic partnerships• Skills to convey ideas to numerous audiences including

students, teachers, parents, the media, legislators, and other interested constituents

• A clear understanding of the New York Charter Schools Act and other relevant laws including No Child Left Behind

Bylaws. Seek examples and templates of Board Bylaws that meet all legal criteria. For more information about this see Page 89.

Exhibit K

Code of Ethics. Seek examples and templates of a Code of Ethics that meet all legal criteria. For more information about this see Page 91.

Exhibit L

Grievance Policy. The workshop will provide you with guidance and suggested language for the board’s plan for handling complaints from individuals or groups. For more information about this in the Application see Page 107.

XIII.3

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Workshop Two: Institutional Partnerships Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Evaluate to pros and cons of working with an Educational Management Organization (EMO) to assist network schools with various financial and instructional services.

1 afternoon session for delegated committee

Your school may wish to partner with a for-profit entity (including but not limited to an educational service provider) or a not-for-profit management company. If this is the case, please provide the name of such entity, specify in detail the extent of the entity’s participation in management and operation of the school, explain how and why your charter planning team selected the for-profit entity or non- profit educational service provider.

III.2

If you work with an institutional partner you will have to provide Exhibits C, D, and E (See Page 72 for details) which document this partner’s achievement record. Exhibit M asks for an evaluation tool for the EMO.

Exhibits C,D,E,M

Institutional Partnership Agreement. This exhibit details the requirements of the signed contract or commitment letter from the institutional partner including clear delineation of roles and authority between the school and the partner and a provision that the board retains its autonomy and can hold the partner accountable for results. See Page 111 for more information.

Exhibit S

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Workshop Three: Curriculum Projected time to

completeLink to

application

The most extensive part of the charter application is the “Curriculum to Standards Crosswalk.” This is a description of the curriculum and how it will be implemented, including the objectives, skills, and content to be covered in each grade the schools will serve.

1 afternoon session for delegated committee

This is done through templates in which you will have to outline the topics to be taught in each of the 11 subject areas at every grade level that your school will serve during the term of the first charter and demonstrate that each topic is aligned with the 28 New York State Learning Standards to ensure that students will meet or exceed New York State’s performance standards (See Page Standards Crosswalk 121).

VII.2Exhibit H

Applicants can co-create or purchase from various organizations a proprietary curriculum which individual schools can either:

• Incorporate in its entirety• Incorporate with modifications• Use as a guide to a unique school-specific curriculum.

Exhibit I

Summary. Design a succinct summary of the school’s curriculum which will be used as an introduction to Exhibits H, I, and J.

VII.2

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Workshop Four: Finance Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Finance 101. This critical workshop will enable schools to write all aspects of the charter application that deal with finance.

1 day session for delegated committee

Reviewers will look for a financial management plan that includes the following:

• A budget consistent with all parts of the proposal, including school mission, educational program, and staffing plan

• Demonstrated knowledge of practical matters relevant to school operation

• Realistic assessments of projected revenues and expenditures• Sound and logical financial assumptions• Resources deployed over time in a manner that aligns with

school goals• Cash flow and financial projections that are free of sizable

deficit over five years• Rigorous and consistent internal / fiscal control procedures• For CMO/EMO: Fees to CMO/EMO that do not duplicate

services or products reflected in other budget linesFinancial Management. Describe the policies that your school will use to monitor the following internal fiscal procedures: payroll, purchases, accounting and audit requirements, cash management and investing, and fundraising.

XI.1

Defining your budget through a budget narrative that summarizes financial forecasts from the school’s startup phase through its fifth year of operation.

Exhibit R

How to create a start-up and five-year Operating Budget and accompanying narrative. Provide a start-up and five-year operating budget and first year cash flow that reflects all planned revenues and expenditures.

Exhibit QExhibit R

Board’s role of financial oversight. Note: The board of trustees will be held accountable for the school’s operational functions including but not limited to fiscal oversight and facilities planning. The school will be responsible for providing various financial reports to the board including but not limited to monthly budget status report, monthly cash reports and quarterly statements.

XI.1

Fundraising. Describe any planned fundraising efforts and who will lead and coordinate these efforts. Because there is no guarantee that these funds will be awarded, you must describe how your school would remain solvent if you did not receive these funds. If revenues include private support, please provide commitment letters and/or loan agreements from outside funding sources.

Exhibit R

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Operational Impact. The workshop will provide guidance and suggested language for the legal requirement of the programmatic and fiscal impact of your proposed charter school on existing public and nonpublic schools in the area.

XIV.1

Dissolution. The workshop will provide guidance and suggested language for the legal requirement of planning for dissolution in the event that the charter school must close. This includes a provision for the establishment of an escrow account to cover the costs of dissolution. See Page 109 for additional information.

XIV.2

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Workshop Five: School Facilities Projected time to

completeLink to

application

As a prospective charter conversion, it is expected that you remain in your current site. This workshop is designed to introduce you to site arrangements for charter schools and to complete the site provisions of the application.

1 afternoon session for delegated committee

Reviewers will look for a school facilities plan that includes the following:

• Well-developed facility plan for non-DOE space that presents a viable option for siting by the proposed school start date

• Appropriate and realistic assumptions about the amount of space needed in the school’s first year of operation and as it scales up

• Appropriate and realistic assumptions about the cost of space in the proposed neighborhood / community

• Acknowledgement of possible constraints in space availability and timing

• Alignment of financial projections to facility plan, and a viable budget factoring in cost of private space

• Demonstrated capacity to deliver on the financing proposal set forth

Location: Describe the specific building, address, community, and community school district where you are planning to open your proposed charter school.

XII.1

Description and Use: Provide a facility program stating the layout and planned use of rooms and facilities, growth plan (if any), necessary rehabilitation work, kindergarten usage, and food services. Suggested language will be provided.

XII.2

Cost estimates. Samples will be provided. XII.3

Certificate of occupancy. Samples will be provided XII.4

DOE space. Suggested language will be provided. XII.5

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Workshop Six: Operations and Policies Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Reviewers will look for operations and policies that include the following:

• A well-developed operations and policies section that reflects viable plans for health programs, food services, transportation services, student records, federal requirements, admissions and grievance policies

• Policies that are fair, reasonable and comply with all applicable laws and regulations

• An admissions policy (including outreach plans) for potential students that is equitable, non-discriminatory, and will ensure that the student populations will reflect community demographics and give preference to community school district (CSD) residents.

1 afternoon session for delegated committee

Required Programs and Policies (See Page 104 for additional details). The workshop will provide you with guidance and suggested language for regulations on

• health services• food services• transportation services• student records• attendance tracking• various federal requirements such as Child Find, IDEA data

reporting, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and IDEA regarding confidential student records (e.g. notice to parents of rights, record access log, training of personnel, maintenance of student records, and official records)

• the processes to be followed to ensure that parents are kept informed of their child’s progress in meeting his/her IEP goals

XIII.1

Admissions Policies (See Page 106 for additional details). The workshop will provide you with guidance and suggested language for regulations on student admissions including

• application and admission periods and procedures• equitable and nondiscriminatory outreach plan for publicizing

and recruiting prospective students that is nondiscriminatory and will help ensure the enrollment of students with disabilities and English Language Learners

• procedures for a student admissions lottery• a wait-list policy• your procedures for student withdrawal or transfer.

XIII.2

Codes of Conduct. The workshop will provide you with guidance and suggested language for Codes of Conduct for both general and special

VII.6

26

education populations.Collective Bargaining. As a conversion charter school you will recognize all the collective bargaining requirements set forth in the New York Charter School Act.

IV.2

Workshop Seven: Getting a “YES” on the mandated parent vote

From the NYCDOE Charter Application: Ed.L. §2851(3)(c) requires that the parents or guardians of a majority of students currently enrolled in the existing public school vote in favor of converting the school to a charter school. The NYCDOE mandates that you confer with other school constituencies, including teachers, administrators, and non-instructional staff in order to ensure the validity and legitimacy of your proposed charter school. See Agreement between the NYCDOE and the UFT, Art. 25, §A.7.

IV.2

Topic 1: Although not a requirement, how can a majority of staff members come agree to the charter conversion?Topic 2: How can schools help achieve a majority of parents or guardians to agree to the charter conversion?

27

Stage Three: Technical WritingWith the most difficult work in completing the charter application behind you, the task of fashioning understandings into the Application lies ahead. This task can proceed most rapidly if designated committees or individuals are assigned component tasks and submit their completed work to a designated Charter Application-Writing Secretary.

Some of the Technical Writing Tasks are dependent on the Stage Two workshops.

28

Technical Writing Task One: Setting ProtocolsAssigne

d to:

Projected time to

complete

Link to applicatio

n

The school’s Charter Application-Writing Secretary is responsible for collecting the completed work of individual/committees assigned to Technical Writing Tasks.Establish timelines, lines of authority, and turn-in protocols.Please set a common protocol for the requested format of completed work in Word (margins, fonts, etc.).Please set a common protocol for the requested format of Excel documents (e.g., budget).

Technical Writing Task Two: Applicant Information

See Appendix One, Page 49. 1 hr/ Individua

l

I

29

Technical Writing Task Three: Completing the Executive Summary

Enrollment Planning: Provide an enrollment chart to describe your proposed school’s planned enrollment by grade in years one through five of the charter school, as well as planned expansion through full enrollment (beyond year 5). In most cases this will describe the current enrollment at your school.

1 hr/ Individua

l

II.4

Financial Management Plan: Briefly describe key elements of your financial plan. Include any additional financial resources identified. Indicate anticipated fees to be paid to institutional/ management partners. In most cases, as a conversion charter school, you will indicate a per pupil allocation plus aggressive grants development.

3 hrs/ Individua

l

II.6

Facilities: Briefly describe your proposed school’s private facility plan, including incubation/permanent space plans and financing options. In most cases, as a conversion charter school, you will indicate your desire to remain in your current site.

1 hr/ Individua

l

II.7

30

Technical Writing Task Four: Charter GoalsAssigne

d to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Every charter school has performance goals in the areas of student, financial, and organizational outcomes.

Use the format in Appendix Three: Performance Goals Template (Page 113) to define the goals to which you will be held accountable to achieving over the term of your proposed school’s charter. Some goals are mandated, others can be drawn from a menu of choices, and a charter school may define additional educational and non-educational goals for which it will be held accountable that supplement (and not supplant) the expectations the NYCDOE has set for all charter schools. Most NYCDOE common goals are 75% of students achieving proficiency. There are also value-added components.

5 hrs/ Committee

VI.2Appendix A (here listed as

Appendix Three)

31

Technical Writing Task Five: Student EnrollmentAssigned

to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Provide a student enrollment growth plan formatted as a chart that summarizes the total number of students enrolled each year for every year of the charter. Be sure to include the ages, grade levels, and class size that are served in each grade in each year. Include a rationale for enrollment decisions if your school plans to depart from its current enrollment patterns.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.4

32

Technical Writing Task Six: Special PopulationsAssigned

to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Special education services. Pulling from Critical Conversation Five (Page 13), describe the methods and strategies by which your proposed charter school will assure the provision of services to special education students in compliance with all federal laws and regulations including a description of:

• Special education services to be provided directly by the proposed charter school, and a clear plan of who on staff will coordinate this effort.

• Method in which the proposed charter school will interact with the student’s district of residence to ensure that the special education services listed on the student’s IEP are provided.

• How the proposed charter school will ensure that the teacher(s) of a student with a disability will participate in meetings of the Committee on Special Education and will have access to and understand their responsibility to implement the IEP.

• How the proposed charter school will make efforts to attract and retain a comparable or greater enrollment of students with disabilities as compared to the enrollment figures for students in the proposed district of location.

5 hrs/ Individual

VII.5

Services for students of Limited English Proficiency. By grade identify:

• The processes for identifying students whose first language is not English and the method for determining which of these students may need assistance.

• A provision that indicates that LEP students will not be excluded from curricular and extracurricular activities in school because of the inability to speak and understand the language of instruction.

• A plan that ensures that the appropriate staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used properly.

• A process for continued program assessment and modification where needed.

5 hrs/ Individual

VII.5

33

Technical Writing Task Seven: School Characteristics Assigne

d to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Reviewers will look for the following in schools’ plans for enrollment, students with special needs, etc:

• Enrollment plans that reflect sustainable growth• Well-defined plan and capacity to service the

learning needs of students with special needs, English language learners, and other non-traditional characteristics

• Behavioral expectations and social supports that reflect the school’s mission and comply with all applicable laws and regulations

• Plans to facilitate teacher effectiveness, learning, collaboration, instructional competency and development on an ongoing basis

• Student and teacher schedules that position the school for success

• Capacity to communicate effectively with the school’s families, and stakeholder engagement strategies that mobilize parents and the community in a way that promotes school success

Describe your school’s student population, including demographics, academic performance range, home languages, ELL, and special education populations.

2 hrs/ Individual

VII.1

Provide the following calendars/schedules:• A daily schedule and a weekly schedule from a student’s

perspective; a daily schedule and weekly schedule from a teacher’s perspective.

• An annual calendar (for more information see Page 85)

5 hrs/ Individual

VII.6

Code of conduct/discipline policy. Co-create templates for consideration that are in compliance with all laws and regulations.

• Provisions for suspension or expulsion and demonstrate that you will apply due process procedures that are consistent with federal laws and regulations governing the placement of students with disabilities

• Detailed discipline provisions for students with disabilities

• Provisions to address all types of disciplinary action, not only for the most serious forms such as out-of-school suspension and expulsion.

• Provisions to implement alternative instruction options for students of compulsory education age.

10 hrs/ Committee

VII.6

Family involvement. Describe the manner in which the school will communicate with students’ families and how the school will promote parental and staff involvement in school governance.

3 hrs/ Individual

VII.6

34

35

Technical Writing Task Eight: Governance Structure and Organizational Design Assigne

d to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Organizational Design. Review information from workshops on the creation of effective boards (Page 19). Meet with an Educational Management Organization (EMO) to evaluate whether their services merit consideration (See Page 21).Reviewers will look for a governance and organizational design that includes the following:

• Appropriate roles, responsibilities, and decision-making power of school community members (including board of trustees and school leadership)

• An accountability structure that provides effective oversight of the educational program and fiscal components of the school

• Board members with a range of expertise, who are independent and whose affiliations represent no conflict of interest

• Effective processes for policy development and a strong plan for ongoing board development and self- evaluation

• Data used to inform board decision processesProvide an organizational chart that reflects all levels of staffing and management of your proposed charter school (including your board of trustees). You may include an accompanying narrative.

5 hrs/ Committee

VIII.1

Oversight. Describe the reporting and oversight structure of your school, including the relationship between the board of trustees and school administration and EMO (as applicable) regarding governance and management of the school.

5 hrs/ Committee

VIII.1.a

Oversight of affiliated personnel. Just as your school’s board is ultimately accountable for the performance of your school, your school will hold affiliated personnel and partnership organizations (as applicable) accountable for their performance. Include a description of this evaluation process.

2 hrs/ Committee

VIII.3

Data. Describe how the board of trustees will use data to inform decision-making processes.

1 hr/ Committee

VIII.3

Board capacity. Provide the qualifications that you seek in potential board members. Begin the process of seeking members of the board of trustees who have the capacity to monitor school operational functions including but not limited to fiscal oversight, facilities planning, legal, etc.

5 hrs/ Committee

VIII.4

Board development. Describe the methods you will use to build capacity of your board of trustees. The application must provide for the training of the initial board of trustees and any new members, so that the trustees may understand their role,

2 hrs/ Committee

VIII.4

36

responsibility and the scope of their authority.Review Bylaws from Workshop 1, Page 20. Review proposed board Bylaws for the following criteria:

a. The method by which the board will be elected or appointed, as well as the term of office for each trustee.

b. The number of trustees to serve on the board after the charter school is authorized (the minimum required is five), and identify any seats reserved for specific constituents.

c. The responsibility and authority of the board for the policy and operations of the charter school.

d. A list of committees of the board of trustees (which must include, at minimum, an executive, finance, and education/accountability committee).

e. The calendar for board meetings, providing for a minimum of six meetings per year.

f. A list of the quorum and voting requirements for board meetings and committees.

Note: Trustees, officers or employees of any single organization shall hold no more than 40 percent of total seats comprising the board of trustees.

5 hrs/ Committee

VIII.2Exhibit K

Review Code of Ethics from Workshop 1, Page 20. Applying to trustees, officers and employees of the school, the Code of Ethics must include a formal conflict of interest policy and implementation procedures to include language regarding arm’s-length transactions.

3hrs/ Committee

37

Technical Writing Task Nine: Support of Parent, Staff, Community Stakeholders Assigne

d to:

Projected time to

complete

Link to applicatio

n

As long-standing schools, NV/NC schools enjoy considerable stakeholder support. In this section you will have to provide evidence of consensus and support among all stakeholders who are essential to the accomplishment of your proposed charter school’s educational mission. Stakeholders include but are not limited to administrators, teachers, parents, and community affiliates. Suggestion: one staff member for each constituency should be assigned the task of coordinating the documentation of support for the charter.Community Support. Reviewers will look for evidence of community support that includes the following:

• Community representation on the planning team and letters of support

• Genuine interest among the community for the proposed school (including local stakeholders such as community board, elected officials, community education councils (CEC))

• Solid capacity to reach out to both the local and broader communities

• Family, parent and student representation throughout the planning process

Community Engagement: Provide evidence of community support for and interest in the proposed charter school sufficient to allow the school to reach its anticipated enrollment.

10 hrs/ Individual

X.1

Parent support. As part of your evidence of community engagement, you must provide a petition signed by parents/guardians of school-age children that demonstrates that they would consider (still) enrolling their child in the proposed school.

• Petition should represent parents/guardians of school-age children who would enter the grade(s) your school plans to serve in first year of operation.

• At minimum, petition must include parent names, as well as addresses, district of residence, child name, and expected child grade during proposed charter school’s first year of instruction.

• Provide at l e ast as many signatures from potential parents with school-aged children in the grade(s) your school will serve to fill enrollment of your first year of operation.

20 hrs/Individual

Exhibit O

Parent voting. According to the charter school law, the parents or guardians of a majority of students currently enrolled in the existing public school must vote in favor of converting the school to a charter school. Please refer to the workshop about this

20 hrs/ Committe

e

38

process (Page 27).Letters of Community Support. Provide at least three letters of support for your proposed school from representatives of the community you wish to serve. This may include community leaders, CBOs, businesses, other institutions, etc.

5 hrs/ Individual

Exhibit P

School Progress Reports. Collect all NYCDOE School Report Cards and/or Progress Reports for the past three school years

1 hr/Individual

Exhibit F

Support of constituencies. The NYCDOE mandates that in addition to parent outreach, you confer with other school constituencies, including teachers, administrators, and non-instructional staff in order to ensure the validity and legitimacy of your proposed charter school. You will need to document this process in the application (see Page 74).

10 hrs/ Committe

e

Exhibit G

39

Technical Writing Task Ten: Operational ImpactThis writing task is a detailed expansion of Workshop Four.Reviewers will look for operational impact and dissolution plans that include the following:

• Reasonable fiscal impact on the educational budget of the New York City school system

• Clear plan for dissolution should the need ariseOperational Impact. Using the chart in Appendix 6 (Page 124), provide an assessment of the programmatic and fiscal impact of your proposed charter school on existing public and nonpublic schools in the area.

3 hrs/ Individua

l

XIV.1XIV.1.b

Operational Impact: Dollar Amount. List the dollar amount (public revenues) that your charter school expects will follow children from each school district of the student’s residence. See OCS budget template in Appendix D under “Charter School Creation” at http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/charters/.

3 hrs/ Individua

l

XIV.1.a

Write a brief summary of the programmatic impact of your new charter school on existing public and nonpublic schools in your proposed CSD. Public school information is available on the DOE website at www.schools.nyc.gov. Non-public school information by CSD can be accessed at http://www.nysed.gov/admin/admindex.html.

1 hr/ Individua

l

XIV.1.c

40

Technical Writing Task Eleven: BudgetBased on Workshop Four (Page 23), prepare a start-up and five-year operating budget and first year cash flow that reflects all planned revenues and expenditures. Be sure to include stated and detailed assumptions of each revenue and expenditure line items where requested in the templateThe NYCDOE Charter Application links to an interactive budget worksheet template called Appendix D which is available at: http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/charters/CharterSchoolCreation.

10 hrs/ Committe

e

Exhibit Q

Budget Narrative. Provide a written narrative summarizing financial forecasts from the school’s startup phase through its fifth year of operation.

3 hrs/ Individual

Exhibit R

41

Technical Writing Task Twelve: CurriculumThis is the most difficult and time-consuming part of the charter application. Based on Workshop Three (Page 22), a school has three options:

• Option A: Adopt an EMO’s Proprietary Curriculum in its entirety

• Option B: Incorporate an EMO’s Proprietary Curriculum with modifications

• Option C: Use an EMO’s Proprietary Curriculum as a guide to a unique school-specific curriculum.

Exhibit H

Option A: 11 subject committees are formed with 3 members per committee. They review 34 weeks of curriculum, spending .25 hr to examine and sign-off on each week’s unit.

280 hrs/ Grade

Option B: 11 subject committees are formed with 3 members per committee. They review and modify 34 weeks of curriculum, spending 1 hr to examine and edit each week’s unit.

1122 hrs/ Grade

Option C: 11 subject committees are formed with 3 members per committee. They review and significantly modify 34 weeks of curriculum, spending 3 hrs to rewrite each week’s unit.

3366 hrs/ Grade

The template in Appendix Four (Page 121), along with accompanying instructions, must be used to complete this task.

42

Stage Four: Assembly Projected time to

completeLink to

application

The assembly of the document is the final stage of the application process. To facilitate this process, please consider appointing one person to be the Application Writing Committee Secretary. The secretary will gather all responses from previous stages and prepare them for assembly.

Work together with other applicants to facilitate the assembly stage. This includes password-protected collaborative worksites that will help assemble the pieces of the application and printing resources.Length and Content Requirements

• Parts 1 through 5 of your application, not including exhibits, hereto forth called the “narrative,” must not exceed 60 pages. Use at least 11 point font.

• Each copy of your application should have a Table of Contents that indicates each section (and corresponding page number), each exhibit, and each appendix.

• Respond to each section, sub-section, and information request as indicated in the guidelines. You should label each response with its associated roman numeral, lettering, and numbering. [For example, your answer to Part I. Section II. Executive Summary, 1. Mission Statement; should be labeled II.1.]

• Please paginate all sections of your application, including the narrative and large exhibits.

• You may indicate “not applicable” (N/A) with a brief explanation if specific requests are not relevant to your proposed charter school.

• In some sections of the application, you will be asked to present relevant information as a separate exhibit. Please provide exhibits after your responses to all parts of the application and not in the narrative of your application.

• You are responsible for using original information in the application unless otherwise indicated. Any information excerpted or paraphrased from other sources that is not appropriately cited may invalidate the application. Material from any joint workshop must be appropriately cited.

Your complete application packet for submission must include all of the following:

• Two (2) paper copies of your complete application including the narrative, all exhibits, and all attachments. Please submit this complete copy in a three-ring binder. Double- sided printing is welcomed.

43

• Ten (10) CD-ROMs with your application in its entirety, including all exhibits and attachments. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all files on the CD-ROMs are accessible and readable.

Compile Section I: Applicant information. Projected time to

completeLink to

application

See Section I, Page 49 1 hr/ Individual

I

Compile Section II: Executive SummaryThis is not to exceed 5 pages. See Pages 7, 16, 17, 30. 2 hrs/

IndividualII.1-7

Compile Section III: CapacityKey individuals for the creation and operation of the charter school. See Page 19.

1 hr/ Individual

III.1.a

Identify, by name and affiliation, the primary individual(s) who were involved in the technical writing and editing of this application.

1 hr/ Individual

III.1.b

Attributes of Board members, proposed Board members. See Page 19. 3 hrs/ Individual

III.c,d

Gather resumes of lead applicant, board members, and key personnel (see Page 19).

3 hrs/ Individual

III.eExhibit A

Gather Board questionnaires. Please see Appendix Five (Page 122). 3 hrs/ Individual

Exhibit B

Gather information about the Institutional Partnerships of the school (see the results of Workshop Two, Page 21.)

1 hr/ Individual

Exhibits C, D, E

Obtain the buildings Certificate of Occupancy from the custodian or School Facilities

1 hr/ Individual

XII.4

Compile Section IV: Conversion PlanSchool history. Gather data from Critical Conversation One (Page 9). 1 hr/

IndividualIV.1

Consensus and support from Critical Conversation Nine (Page 38). 1 hr/ Individual

IV.2

Compile Section VI: GoalsMission statement. Gather from Critical Conversation Eight (Page 16). 1 hr/

IndividualVI.1

Goals. Gather the Performance Goals Template in Appendix Three (See Page 113).

1 hr/ Individual

VI.2.

44

Compile Section VII: Educational ProgramAssigned

to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Educational design: expected population. Gather from Page 34. 1 hr/ Individual

VII.1.a

Educational design: instructional methods. Gather from Critical Conversations 2, Page 10.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.1.b

Educational design: instructional methods for at-risk students. Gather from Critical Conversation 5, Page 13.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.1.c

Educational design: site research. Describe how information gathered by your school’s planning team through school visits, classroom observation, and research on best practices has informed the educational approach described above.

3 hrs/ Individual

VII.1.d

Educational design: instructional decisions. Gather from Critical Conversation 6, Page 14.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.1.e

Curriculum. Gather from Workshop Three a succinct introduction to the description of the curriculum which will be detailed in Exhibits H, I, and J. See Page 22.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.a

Curriculum: Exhibit H, Curriculum to Standards Crosswalk. This is, by far, the most extensive component of the application, ranging in hundreds of pages. Please make sure that all curriculum areas are included for each of the grades in your school and all standards are addressed. Please make sure that a uniform style is applied. Gather information from Writing Task Twelve, p. 42.

33 hrs/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit H

Curriculum: Exhibit I, Purchased Curricula. To facilitate the charter writing, consider working with an EMO to use their proprietary curriculum. Gather from Workshop Two, p. 22.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit I

Curriculum: Curriculum & Instructional Model, Curriculum Map. See Critical Conversation 4, Page 12.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit I

Curriculum: Curriculum & Instructional Model, Sample Unit and Lesson Plan. See Critical Conversation 4, Page 12.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit I

Curriculum: Curriculum & Instructional Model, Assessment. See Critical Conversation 4, Page 12.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit I

Curriculum: Curriculum & Instructional Model, Differentiated Instruction. See Critical Conversation 5, Page 13.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.2.aExhibit I

Assessment: Gather from Critical Conversation 7, Page 15. 1 hr/ Individual

VII.3

Note: item VII.3 is missing from the application.Student Enrollment: Gather from Technical Writing Task 5, Page 32.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.4

Special Populations: Special Education. Gather from Technical Writing Task 6, Page 33.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.5

Special Populations: English Language Learners. Gather from 1 hr/ VII.5

45

Technical Writing Task 6 (Page 33) and Critical Conversations 5 (Page 13).

Individual

School Characteristics. Gather from Technical Writing task 7, Page 34

1 hr/ Individual

VII.6

Teacher Effectiveness. Gather from Critical Conversation 3, Page 11.

1 hr/ Individual

VII.7

Compile Section VIII: Governance Structure and Organizational Design Assigned

to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Organizational Design. Gather information from Technical Writing task 8, Page 36.

1 hr/ Individual

VIII.1

Bylaws. Gather information from Workshop One, Page 20 and Technical Writing task 8, Page 37.

3 hrs/ Individual

VIII.2Exhibit K

Code of Ethics. Gather information from Workshop One, Page 20, and Technical Writing task 8, Page 37.20

1 hr/ Individual

VIII.2Exhibit L

Oversight. Gather information from Technical Writing Task 8, Page 36.

1 hr/ Individual

VIII.3

Oversight Tools for teachers, leaders, and affiliated partnerships. Gather information from Critical Conversations 3 and 6 and Workshop Two (see Pages 11, 21, and 14).

1 hr/ Individual

Exhibit M

Board Capacity. Gather information from Technical Writing Task 8, Page 36.

3 hrs/ Individual

Compile Section IX: PersonnelPersonnel Process and Policies. Gather the information from Critical Conversations 3 (Page 11) and 6 (Page 14).

3 hrs/ Individual

IX.1.

Job Descriptions. Gather the information from Critical Conversation 6 (Page 14).

3 hrs/ Individual

Exhibit N

Collective Bargaining. Gather information from Understandings (Page Error: Reference source not found) and Workshop Six (Page 27).

1 hr/ Individual

IX.2

Compile Section X: Community SupportCommunity Engagement. Gather information from Technical Writing task 9 about Community Engagement, Parent Petition of Support, and Letters of Community Support. See Pages 38-39.

3 hrs/ Individual

X.1Exhibit OExhibit P

Compile Section XI: Financial Management Plan

Financial Management. Gather information from Workshop Four, Page 23

1 hr/ Individual

XI.1

Start-up and Five-year Operating Budget. Gather information from Workshop Four, Page 23.

3 hrs/ Individual

Exhibit Q

46

Budget Narrative. Gather information from Workshop Four including planned fundraising efforts and private support, Page 23

1 hr/ Individual

Exhibit R

Compile Section XII: School FacilitiesGather information from Workshop Five, Page 25. 1 hr/

Individual

Compile Section XIII: Operations and PoliciesAssigned

to:

Projected time to

completeLink to

application

Required Programs and Policies. Gather information from Workshop Six, Page 26.

1 hr/ Individual

XIII.1

Admissions. Gather information from Workshop Six, Page 26. 1 hr/ Individual

XIII.2

Grievance Policy. Gather information from Workshop One, Page 20.

1 hr/ Individual

XIII.3

Compile Section XIV: Operational Impact/ Dissolution

Operational Impact. Gather information from Technical Writing Task Ten, Page 40.

1 hr/ Individual

XIV.1

Dissolution. Gather information from Workshop Four, Page 24. 1 hr/ Individual

Compile Section XVI: Institutional Partnership Agreement

Note: The NYCDOE application inadvertently omits Section XV.Institutional Partnership Agreement. Gather information from Workshop Two, Page 21.

1 hr/ Individual

XVI

Be sure This document must include, but is not limited to, the following information:

• Name of partner organization• Name, address, phone and facsimile numbers, and e-mail

address of contact person from partner organization• A copy of the institutional partner’s Certificate of

Incorporation, proof of tax-exempt status and documentation that proves the partner is authorized to do business in New York State

• All educational and non-educational services to be provided by the institutional partner. This description should be accompanied by a written understanding of the nature, duration, and cost of service commitments, including the extent to which the partner will participate in the management of the school.

• How the institutional partner will be held accountable for their performance

• Fees to be paid, financial or resource assistance committed, and services to be rendered by the proposed

1 hr/ Individual

Exhibit S

47

school to the institutional partner• Information regarding ownership of school assets, the

length of the proposed contract, terms for potential contract renewal, and termination provisions

• The institutional partner’s latest annual report• Copies of any actual or proposed contracts or other

agreements between the applicant and the institutional partner concerning the proposed charter school

• A draft copy of the contract between the management company and the proposed charter school

48

Appendix One: Applicant Information1. Name of proposed charter school (must include the term “Charter

School”]2. The proposed charter school is a conversion of an existing public

school, [Current school’s name here]

3. Name of lead applicant (The lead applicant will serve as the primary contact for the NYCDOE Office of Charter Schools.)

4. Mailing address5. Telephone number(s)6. E-mail address7. Name of management company (if any); Contact (name/phone/e-mail)8. Name of partner organization (if any); Contact (name/phone/e-mail)9. Tentative or preferred location of proposed charter school, including

community school district10. Tentative opening date of proposed charter school (include day,

month and year)11. First year projected student enrollment12. First year grade levels to be served13. Total projected enrollment at the time of charter renewal (after

five years of operation)14. Grades served at the time of charter renewal (after five years of

operation)15. Total projected enrollment at full growth16. Grade levels served at full enrollment17. Indicate whether you have applied previously to NYCDOE or

to any other charter entity. If so, indicate the entity, date of application submission, and outcome. Please include a copy of all relevant correspondence between the charter entity and you.

18. Proof of a federal and state criminal records check [Ed.L. §2852(4)] for the lead applicant and proposed school leader(s). Include a list of the name(s) and of the applicant(s) whose fingerprints have been submitted, the dates on which they have been fingerprinted, and provide the receipt(s).4

4 OCS encourages lead applicants to get fingerprinted through NYCDOE in order to receive more timely results. Once you obtain a referral letter through Aamir Raza at OCS (sraza@schools.nyc.gov) and get his guidance on required steps, NYCDOE fingerprinting services are available through the Division of Human Resources, Office of Personnel Investigation, located at 65 Court Street, Brooklyn (phone 718-935-2668). The applicant is responsible for all costs associated with fingerprinting services.

49

Appendix Two: New York City Charter Application, Word Version

CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION PACKET

2009New York City Department of Education

Office of Charter Schools52 Chambers

Street New York, NY 10007 http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSc

hools

50

Contents of Application Packet

Letter from Chancellor Joel Klein....................................................................................

Intro to the 2009 Edition – Letter from Executive Director Michael Duffy .......................

Timeline .........................................................................................................................

Notice of Intent to Apply.................................................................................................

Application Guidelines ...................................................................................................

Note: Contents of Application Packet is hyperlinked to respective sections of this document. To link directly to a section listed above, hit [Ctrl] and left click. For example, to jump to the Application Guidelines, hit [Ctrl] and mouse click on “Application Guidelines” in the Contents above.

51

LETTER FROM NYC CHANCELLOR JOEL KLEIN

Dear Prospective Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying to establish a charter school in New York City. A charter school is a public school that is given the freedom to organize around a core mission, curriculum, theme, and/or teaching method, control its own budgets, and manage staff. In return for this freedom, a charter school is held accountable for achieving high levels of student and organizational performance.

Charter schools are a vital component of our efforts to provide a high quality education to every student in New York City. At their core, charter schools embody the three components that guide the work across the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) and are necessary for any successful school -- leadership, empowerment, and accountability.

The charter school application offers school developers a “blank slate” to define how these three components will be used to provide an outstanding education that our children need and deserve. I encourage you to carefully review the materials in this application packet and seriously consider how you can use this blank slate to establish and operate a quality charter school for New York City students and families.

If you have any questions regarding the charter school application process, please contact Christina Grant in the Office of Charter Schools at (212) 374-6780. We look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Joel Klein52

New York City Department of Education

53

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHARTER SCHOOLS MICHAEL DUFFY

INTRODUCTION TO THE 2009 EDITION

Dear Education Pioneer,To meet the Children First goal of providing an effective school for every child, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have made charter schools an essential element of New York City’s education reform strategy. As I write this, 78 charter schools are operating in New York City (as of fall 2008). Should you submit an application and subsequently be awarded a charter, you will be part of the next wave of schools transforming the educational landscape of New York City.The Office of Charter Schools exists within the Office of Portfolio Development to assist the Chancellor in carrying out the responsibility of the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) in considering charter applications. More than half of the schools operating in New York City have been authorized by the NYCDOE.We anticipate that this year’s edition of the Application Packet, which contains generally the same as previous editions, will guide applicants in designing and articulating a comprehensive educational program that realizes the vision of the New York State Charter Schools Act (http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/SpecialPrograms/CharterSchools/LawsandRegulations/ KeyDocuments/A56.htm) to provide a high quality public education option for parents and students. As you’ll see, our guidelines provide technical assistance resources and additional direction in the imbedded notes. Your comprehensive review of these guidelines will help you understand the information requested and required by the Charter Schools Act.Charter school applications require substantial documentation of policies and procedures. We encourage you and your planning team to visit successful schools—both charter and non-charter—to speak with school operators and charter school boards to inform your own school design process. The policies and procedures that your planning team presents in your application should reflect your school’s fundamental mission and vision. Ultimately, the policies and procedures written in your application will be used by your charter school’s faculty, staff, administrators, and school trustees to operate the school, if and when your proposal is approved.It’s your responsibility as an applicant and planning team to review the entire application packet and all relevant guidance to ensure compliance. Additional information on the Application Packet, the

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New York City Department of Education, or charter schools in general can be found at our website http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools or by sending an email to charterschools@schools.nyc.gov.The June deadline for submission is the final deadline for a September 2010 launch. If you and your team are unable to synthesize your vision into an application by then, the NYCDOE’s next deadline for submission will be early January of 2010. Good luck!Yours,Michael Thomas DuffyExecutive Director, Office of Charter Schools

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TIMELINE FOR CHARTER AUTHORIZATION

Key steps in the NYCDOE’s authorization process are outlined below. Most successful charter planning teams have developed their charter proposals for several months or more before submitting a proposal to the NYCDOE. Dates below are subject to change.

Step 1:Intent to Apply

Due once your team decides to apply to NYCDOE.

Please submit byApril 20, 20 0 9

As soon as planning teams determine that they intend to submit a charter application to the NYCDOE, please submit your “Notice of Intent to Apply” form. Encouraged but not mandatory, these forms provide NYCDOE with proposal and contact information, allowing us to communicate with teams about any updates leading to the submission

Step 2:Full Charter Application

Due Monday, June 15, 2009NYCDOE will accept applications on a rolling basis prior to June 15, 2009. Applications not received by

Charter applications must be comprehensive descriptions of the proposed school model, including education program, governance structure, financial projections, and legal requirements. In order to be deemed complete, applications must reflect each section as specified in the application guidelines.

Step 3:Review of Application

Late June – July 2009 Reviewers within Office of Charter Schools and others internal and external to the NYCDOE will evaluate your charter application according to the criteria indicated in the application guidelines.

Step 4:Panel Interview

Late June – July 2009 Evaluation of applications may include an interview with the founding team, including applicants and proposed members of the charter schools’ board of trustees.

Step 5:Public Hearing

Late June – July 2009 Applicant teams are required to present briefly at a public hearing in the community of their proposed school site. The Office of Charter Schools will provide information to applicant teams about attending the public hearings.

Step 6:Clarification Requests

Mid July - August Applicant teams must respond in writing to follow-up questions/concerns generated by the NYCDOE’s application review process.

Step 7:Chancellor’sRecommendation

Late August 2009 The Chancellor will make recommendations to the State Department of Education (SED) regarding the award of charters.

Step 8:SED Review

Late August – November 2009

SED’s evaluation process includes a second review of the application and possible requests for clarification.

Step 9:Board of Regents Vote

November 2009 – January2010

The Board of Regents votes to award charters.

All forms and guidelines referred to above can be found and accessed at the Office of Charter

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Schools’ website: http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools

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Notice of Intent to ApplyFor NYCDOE Charter Schools

As soon as your planning team decides to apply for charter authorization through the NYCDOE, please submit your Notice of Intent to Apply. While these forms are not required, they are highly encouraged to facilitate communication in advance of submission.

Please submit your Notice of Intent to Apply form by April 20, 200 9 , or as soon as possible. Please email completed forms to Christina Grant at c g rant11@sch o ols.nyc.gov

Proposed name of school

Name of contact person

Contact phone number

E-mail addressName of Partner Organization and/or Management Partner (if applicable)

Initial grade levels

Initial enrollmentGrade levels at full capacity

Enrollment at full capacity

Is this a conversion school? (If Yes, please provide name of the Preferred Neighborhood and CommunitySchool District (CSD)Do you plan to request and be consideredfor possible DOE facilities? (If yes, please

* The NYCDOE helps to secure public facilities for charter schools when feasible. Given the scarce supply of public school space in NYC, all charter planning teams must pursue private facility

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options. In the NYCDOE’s charter application, charter planning teams are required to submit a private facilities plan and budget to demonstrate their readiness to open in private space in the likely case that public space is not available.

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New York City

Department of Education

Application for a Public Charter School

Requirements & Guidelines

2009 Edition

Office of Charter Schools

52 Chambers Street – Room 405

New York, New York 10007 http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools

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Application Framework and Instructions Table of Contents

Part 1: IntroductionI. Applicant InformationII. Executive SummaryIII. CapacityIV. Conversion PlanV. Private School Conversion

Part 2: How Will Your School Be an Academic Success?VI. GoalsVII. Educational Program

Part 3: How Will Your School Be a Viable Organization?VIII. Governance Structure and Organizational DesignIX. PersonnelX. Community SupportXI. Financial Management Plan

Part 4: How Will Your School Comply with Applicable Laws and Regulations?XII. School FacilitiesXIII. Operations and Policies

Part 5: MiscellaneousXIV. Operational Impact/DissolutionXV. Institutional Partnership Agreement

Note: The online DOE Application has a Table of Contents that is hyperlinked to respective Sections of the application guidelines. See:http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/16A8D638-1B2C-438B-873D-46B9F2F98FD5/0/CharterApplicationPacket2009.pdf

Your application to NYCDOE should consist of all of the components listed in the Table of Contents and Exhibits. The following exhibit requests are explained in the appropriate section of the guidelines and should be sequenced to follow your narrative. Please use formats provided in Appendices where asterisks (*) are listed.

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ExhibitsExhibit A: ResumesExhibit B: Board Questionnaires*Exhibit C: Track RecordExhibit D: School InformationExhibit E: Institutional Partner Value-Added AchievementExhibit F: School Progress ReportsExhibit G: Consensus and SupportExhibit H: Curriculum to Standards Crosswalk*Exhibit I:CurriculaExhibit J: Curriculum and Instruction Model

Exhibit K: BylawsExhibit L: Code of EthicsExhibit M: Evaluation Tools for Staff and Institutional PartnerExhibit N: Job DescriptionsExhibit O: Parent Petition of SupportExhibit P: Letters of Community SupportExhibit Q: Start-up and Five-year Operating Budget* Exhibit R: Budget NarrativeExhibit S: Institutional Partnership Agreement

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Our standard for evaluating a charter application comes from the New York Charter Schools Act [Ed.L. §§2852(2)(a)(c)]. f Aligned with this, your application for a public school charter should answer the following overarching questions:

1. How will your school be an academic success?2. How will your school be a viable organization?3. How will your school comply with applicable laws and regulations?

The information you provide in this application should address these questions. The NYCDOE will use your responses to evaluate the quality of the plan and the capacity to successfully establish and operate a quality charter school. Teams are advised to carefully review the instructions and guidelines provided below to prepare your application for submission to NYCDOE.Planning teams should review the amended New York State Charter Schools Act and the New York State Education Department’s Technical Assistance Advisory, each of which contains the legal and policy regulations that guide operation of NYCDOE-approved charters. Links to these documents are referenced throughout the application guidelines, and are as follows:• New York State Charter Schools Act

http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEn r ollment/SpecialPrograms/CharterSchools/LawsandRegulations/Key Documents/A56.htm

• New York State Education Department’s (SED) Technical Assistance Advisory

http://www.emsc.nysed.g o v/psc/docu m ents/TAArev13-7-08.doc Application Instructions

Length and Content Requirements

Parts 1 through 5 of your application, not including exhibits, hereto forth called the “narrative,” must not exceed 60 pages.

Each copy of your application should have a Table of Contents that indicates each section (and corresponding page number), each exhibit, and each appendix. Use at least 11 point font.

Respond to each section, sub-section, and information request as indicated in the guidelines. You should label each response with its associated roman numeral, lettering, and numbering. [For example, your answer to Part I. Section II. Executive Summary, 1. Mission Statement; should be labeled II.1.] Please paginate all sections of your application, including the narrative and large exhibits.

You may indicate “not applicable” (N/A) with a brief explanation if specific requests are ot relevant to your proposed charter school.

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In some sections of the application, you will be asked to present relevant information as a separate exhibit. Please provide exhibits after your responses to all parts of the application and not in the narrative of your application.

Please note: The signed Charter Agreement will only be required if you are recommended for approval to the State Education Department for review. However, you and your team should review the Charter Agreement, School Readiness Review, and School Monitoring Plan included in the packet as Appendix E.

You are responsible for using original information in the application unless otherwise indicated. Any information excerpted or paraphrased from other sources that is not appropriately cited may invalidate the application.

Content must be consistent with federal, state, and local laws governing New York State charter schools, including but not limited to the New York Charter Schools Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Specific requests mandated by a statute are followed by bracketed citations. Unless otherwise indicated, all references represent provisions contained in the New York State Education Law, and will be cited as such. For example, [Ed.L. §2851(1)] refers to subdivision 1 of section 2851 of the New York State Education Law. Similarly, [34 CFR 300.347] refers to Section 300, subdivision 347 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. You should familiarize yourself with applicable laws, and specifically with the New York State Charter Schools Act.

Submission o f Application Your com p lete application packet for su bm i ssion must include all of the

followin g :a. Two (2) paper copies of your complete application including

the narrative, all exhibits, and all attachments. Please submit this complete copy in a three-ring binder. Double- sided printing is welcomed.

b. Ten (10) CD-Roms with your application in its entirety, including all exhibits and attachments. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all files on the CD-Roms are accessible and readable.

NYCDOE will accept applications on a rolling basis prior to June 15, 2009. Charter applications must be received by 5pm on M o nday, June 1 5, 20 0 9 , for consideration for this final 2010 round. Applications not received by 5pm on June 15, 2009, will be reviewed in the January 2010 authorization cycle.

Exhibits and Attachments should be saved as separate documents from the application narrative.

Acceptable electronic formats for the narrative, exhibits, and attachments are Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Please avoid

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PDF / Adobe Acrobat formats unless required. PDF may be used for signed letters of support and other documents where necessary.

Completed Applications Must Be Submitted By 5pm on June 15, 2 0 0 9 , to:New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) Office of Charter SchoolsAttention: Christina Grant52 Chambers Street - Room 405New York, New York 10007Email: cgran t 11@schools.nyc.gov Phone: 212-374-6780

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PART 1: INTRODUCTION

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I. Applicant Information

1. Name of proposed charter school (Note: The name of the school must include the term “charter school” and cannot include the name of a for-profit business or corporate entity. [Ed.L. § 2851(2)(k)])2. Indicate whether the proposed charter school is a conversion of an

existing public school. If it is an existing school, please provide its name.

3. Name of lead applicant (The lead applicant will serve as the primary contact for the NYCDOE Office of Charter Schools.)

4. Mailing address5. Telephone number(s)6. E-mail address7. Name of management company (if any); Contact (name/phone/e-mail)8. Name of partner organization (if any); Contact (name/phone/e-mail)9. Tentative or preferred location of proposed charter school, including community school district (CSD)10. Tentative opening date of proposed charter school (include day, month and year)11. First year projected student enrollment12. First year grade levels to be served13. Total projected enrollment at the time of charter renewal (after five years of operation)14. Grades served at the time of charter renewal (after five years of operation)15. Total projected enrollment at full growth16. Grade levels served at full enrollment17. Indicate whether you have applied previously to NYCDOE or to any

other charter entity. If so, indicate the entity, date of application submission, and outcome. Please include a copy of all relevant correspondence between the charter entity and you.

18. Proof of a federal and state criminal records check [Ed.L. §2852(4)] for the lead applicant and proposed school leader(s). Include a list of the name(s) and of the applicant(s) whose fingerprints have been

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submitted, the dates on which they have been fingerprinted, and provide the receipt(s). OCS encourages lead applicants to get fingerprinted through NYCDOE in order to receive more timely results. Once you obtain a referral letter through Aamir Raza at OCS (sraza@sch o o ls.nyc.go v ) and get his guidance on required steps, NYCDOE fingerprinting services are available through the Division of Human Resources, Office of Personnel Investigation, located at 65 Court Street, Brooklyn (phone 718-935-2668). The applicant is responsible for all costs associated with fingerprinting services.

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II. Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should be a narrative that describes the key components of your application. A critical part of charter applications, Executive Summaries must concisely and clearly relay the dynamic features of the proposed charter school. The Executive Summary must not exceed five (5) pa ge s , and it should include the following elements:

1. Mission Statement: State the mission of your proposed charter school. Your mission statement should be ambitious, measurable, and attainable, and must reflect your educational philosophy and goals. Mission statement should not exceed three to five sentences in length.

2. Goals: List your school’s performance commitments, or goals, for which your proposed charter school will be held accountable. These goals should reflect an intention to improve student learning and achievement and increase educational opportunities for all children.

3. Educational Program: Describe the student population that your proposed charter school would serve, including prior academic performance of the student population. Describe the educational program of your proposed charter school, including any dynamic features. Describe how that educational program will enable the school to address the needs of your student population.

4. Enrollment Planning: Provide an enrollment chart to describe your proposed school’s planned enrollment by grade in years one through five of the charter school, as well as planned expansion through full enrollment (beyond year 5).

5. Governance and Organizational Design: Briefly describe the governance structure and organizational design (including staff and board) of your proposed school. Briefly describe proposed relationships with any other organization (i.e. management or institutional partner as applicable), including nature of relationship and succinct description of services.

6. Financial Management Plan: Briefly describe key elements of your financial plan. Include any additional financial resources identified. Indicate anticipated fees to be paid to institutional/ management partners.

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7. Facilities: Briefly describe your proposed school’s private facility plan, including incubation/

permanent space plans and financing options.

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III. Capacity

Reviewers will assess the board of trustee and planning team’s depth and breadth of skills necessary to provide a high quality educational program that will result in:

• Strong academic outcomes for all students• Sound financial management and organizational stability• Tangible ties to the community• Effective oversight• Ability to manage conflict of interest• Long-term vision to make the school a success

The Capacity section should demonstrate the ability of the applicant team/board to create, operate and govern an effective charter school. This section must show evidence of your team’s successful track record in K-12 education, community engagement, business acumen, diversity, independence, and other defining characteristics that will ensure the long-term viability of your proposed school.

The NYCDOE highly encourages charter planning teams to identify qualified school leader(s) by the time full applications are submitted, and preferably earlier. Involving instructional leaders and/or executive directors in the charter planning process is extremely valuable in developing a solid plan that will be carried into execution.

1. Applicant Team, Members of Board of Trustees, and Key Personnel

a. Identify the key individuals responsible for the creation and operation of the proposed charter school. Describe the proposed role, if any, each individual will serve should a charter be granted to the group.

Note: Experience has shown that successful school proposals are generally designed and implemented by a team which includes representatives from various stakeholders of the proposed school. The team may include proposed leadership staff and board members, potential parents, teachers, and community representatives.

b. Identify, by name and affiliation, the primary individual(s) who were involved in the technical writing and editing of this application.

c. Describe the specific attributes you will seek out in board members and key staff in your school.How will you recruit board members?

d. For purposes of incorporation, please list the names and addresses of proposed members of the school’s governing board of trustees.

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Include professional and philanthropic affiliations.e. Provide background information such as resumes and board questionnaires in the following

Exhibits below [§2851(2)(m)]:Exhibit A - RésumésProvide résumés for the lead applicant, board members, and key personnel. These résumés should reflect that this team has the following skills and attributes:

• A commitment to providing the highest quality education for all children• Experience in building an organization from the ground up• Financial and business acumen• Expertise and a proven track record in urban education, including

evidence of student success on a variety of indicators• Effective community and parent engagement• Ability to fundraise and develop strategic partnerships• Skills to convey ideas to numerous audiences including students,

teachers, parents, the media, legislators, and other interested constituents

• A clear understanding of the New York Charter Schools Act and other relevant laws including No Child Left Behind

Not e : In some sections of the application, you will be asked to present relevant information as a separate exhibit. As indicated in the Application Directions, please provide exhibits after your responses to all parts of the application and not in the body of your application.

Exhibit B—Board QuestionnairesPlease see electronic copy in Appendix B posted under “Charter School Creation” at:http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools

2. Institutional Partnershipsa. If you are partnering with a for-profit entity (including but not

limited to an educational service provider) or a not-for-profit management company, please provide the name of such entity. Please specify in detail the extent of the entity’s participation in management and operation of the school.

b. Please explain how and why your charter planning team selected the for-profit entity or non- profit educational service provider.

Exhibit C - Track RecordProvide evidence of the organization’s successful track record in providing the services detailed above.Exhibit D - School Information

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Provide a list of schools managed or serviced by the institutional partner. Indicate the location and grade levels served of those schools. Please also include a description of the institutional partner’s involvement in any other charter schools, public schools, or private schools.Exhibit E - Evidence of Value-Added AchievementProvide evidence that the institutional partner has provided value-added benefit to students, indicated through longitudinal data on standardized tests or other assessments. This data preferably will reflect (a) similar student demographics to the students your school is proposing to serve and (b) school models that are similar to your school’s proposed design.

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IV. Conversio n Plan

(if applicable)

If you plan to convert an existing public school into a charter school, please complete the following:

1. School History: Provide a description of the existing public school’s background, not to exceed one to two pages. Please include the following:a. Type of school (elementary, middle, secondary)b. Student enrollmentc. Student achievement data disaggregated by grade, major

racial/ethnic groups, and free lunch statusExhibit F - School Progress ReportsNYCDOE School Report Cards and/or Progress Reports for the past three school years

2. Consensus and SupportExhibit G - Consensus and SupportProvide evidence of consensus and support among all stakeholders who are essential to the accomplishment of your proposed charter school’s educational mission. Stakeholders include but are not limited to administrators, teachers, parents, and community affiliates. Ed.L. §2851(3)(c) requires that the parents or guardians of a majority

of students currently enrolled in the existing public school vote in favor of converting the school to a charter school. The NYCDOE mandates that you confer with other school constituencies, including teachers, administrators, and non-instructional staff in order to ensure the validity and legitimacy of your proposed charter school. See Agreement between the NYCDOE and the UFT, Art. 25, §A.7.

Conversion vote procedures will be established by the NYCDOE. Contact OCS for more information. Not e : If you are currently a progra m , and not an existing s c hool ,

you are not eligible for conversion. You must first obtain official school status before you are eligible to convert to a charter school.

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V. Private School Status

(if applicable)

An existing private school shall not be eligible to convert to a charter school [Ed.L. §2852(3)].

1. Status of school: If applicable, please demonstrate that your application does not involve the conversion of an existing private school by answering the following:

a. Will your proposed charter school have the same or substantially the same board of trustees and/or officers as an existing private school?

b. Will your proposed charter school employ a substantial proportion of employees who will be drawn from an existing private school?

c. Will your proposed charter school receive a substantial portion of the assets and property of an existing private school?

d. Will your proposed charter school be located at the same site as an existing private school?

e. Will the private school close within one year of establishment of your proposed charter school?

f. Will a substantial portion of your proposed charter school’s students be drawn from the existing private school?

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PART 2: HOW WILL YOUR SCHOOL BE AN ACADEMIC SUCCESS?

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VI. Goals

Reviewers will look for Goals that include the following:• Mission statement that is ambitious, measurable and attainable, and that

reflects educational philosophy and goals of planning team• Goals that reflect the NYCDOE Performance Goals Template and that

exceed the NYCDOE Template’s minimum required levels as relevant to proposed community averages

• Clear, rigorous, measurable and data-driven indicators of progress, including for supplemental educational and non-educational goals

• Varying types of assessment, including data-driven indicators, that will gleam a comprehensive picture of school progress

• A commitment by the proposed school to hold itself accountable for results• Goals that reflect the unique mission of the school

1. Mission Statement [Ed.L. §2851(2)(a)]: State the mission for your proposed charter school that reflects your educational philosophy and goals. This statement should not exceed three to five sentences in length.

2. Goals [Ed.L. §2851(2)(b)]: The NYCDOE has defined high standards for performance,

including student, financial and organizational outcomes, to which all NYCDOE-authorized schools will be held accountable. In addition to these standards, a charter school may define additional educational and non-educational goals for which it will be held accountable. It is important to note that the goals set by the proposed school supplement (and not supplant) the expectations the NYCDOE has set for all charter schools.

a. Use the Performance Goals Template in Appendix A to define the goals to which you will be held accountable to achieving over the term of your proposed school’s charter. Note: NYCDOE Performance and Compliance Standards are available in Appendix F. Not e : Be sure your assessment plan in Section VII aligns with goals stated in Section VI.

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VII. Educational Program

Reviewers will look for an educational design that reflects the following characteristics:

• Well thought-out educational program that will likely result in academic success for ALL students• Standards-based, academically rigorous curriculum• High academic expectations and strategies for the full range of

students served by the school, including those at risk of academic failure

• Use of research-based instructional models and methods• Engaging and authentic instructional strategies• Teachers empowered in a manner that promotes student success• Connections between classroom learning and the community

Reviewers will look for the following in assessment plans:• Student learning measured with multiple forms of assessments and metrics• Assessments that align with the school’s culture of continuous

improvement, that reflect the school’s emphasis on accountability for student learning, that shape and inform instruction on an ongoing basis, and for which a solid rationale is provided

• Summative and formative assessment results that are used to gauge student /teacher / school progress

Reviewers will look for the following in schools’ plans for enrollment, students with special needs, etc:

• Enrollment plans that reflect sustainable growth• Well-defined plan and capacity to service the learning needs of

students with special needs, English language learners, and other non-traditional characteristics

• Behavioral expectations and social supports that reflect the school’s mission and comply with all applicable laws and regulations

• Plans to facilitate teacher effectiveness, collaboration, learning, instructional competency and development on an ongoing basis

• Student and teacher schedules that position the school for success• Capacity to communicate effectively with the school’s families, and

stakeholder engagement strategies that mobilize parents and the community in a way that promotes school success

1. Educational Design [Ed.L.§2851(2)(a)]a. Describe your school’s expected student population,

including demographics, academic performance, home languages, ELL, and special education populations.

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b. Describe your school’s instructional methods and philosophy.c. Describe methods, strategies and/or programs for meeting the needs

of students at-risk of academic failures. Include any diagnostic methods or instruments that will be used to identify and assess those students who are performing below grade level as well as the processes/programs/tools to be used in providing them with remedial instruction.

Not e : If you are using a school design/model please describe the demonstrated effectiveness of the model (performance data, research-based evidence), the demand for this school/model and how closely your program will replicate this model.

d. Describe how information gathered by your school’s planning team through school visits, classroom observation, and research on best practices has informed the educational approach described above.

e. Describe how instructional decisions will be made in your school. Who will participate and what are their roles?

2. Curriculuma. Provide a description of the curriculum and how it will be implemented,

including the objectives, skills, and content to be covered in each grade the schools will serve.Exhibit H—Curriculum to Standards Crosswalk [Ed.L.§2851(2)(a)]You are advised to use the online OCS template found in Appendix C under “Charter School Creation” at: http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools

In the template, outline the topics to be taught in each of the 11 subject areas at every grade level that your school will serve during the term of the first charter. Demonstrate that each topic is aligned with the 28 New York State Learning Standards to ensure that students will meet or exceed New York State’s performance standards [Ed.L. §2851(2)(b)].

Not e : See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov/ciai/ls.html for New York State’s requirements. (Be sure to use the Math Standards, revised 2005.)

Not e : See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13- 7-08.doc for the

NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

Exhibit I - CurriculaInclude names of purchased materials/programs to support the stated curriculum.Exhibit J - Curriculum & Instruction ModelProvide as Exhibit J:

a. For the highest grade level the school plans to serve in its first year, provide a curriculum map for one curriculum unit in one

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subject. Not e : A Curriculum Map is a structure that many educators

use to organize their thinking about curriculum within individual courses and throughout a school community. Categories in curriculum maps may include, but are not limited to: Essential Questions, Standards, Assessments, Skills and Content Knowledge, and Major Projects.

b. Sample Unit and Lesson Plan: Design the instructional model that teachers in the school will use and provide a sample unit and a sample lesson or project plan that represents the kind of teaching and learning you would like to see in the school.

c. Assessment: Design an assessment and a rubric that will show students’ level of mastery on the task described in the unit or project above. The assessment should be reflective of the kind of task that students will be expected to do in order to graduate from the school.

d. Differentiated Instruction: Redesign the sample unit, lesson plan and/or assessment described above, focusing on supports for special education, English Language Learners, and/or students who scored a Level 1 or 2 on promotional tests.

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3. Assessmenta. Describe how teachers or teams of teachers will be made accountable

for student results. Describe the role of the principal in this.b. Describe how your school will use ongoing assessment data to drive the instructional program.c. Provide a chart describing the assessments that your school will use, both formative and summative.

Not e : Assessments must align with any measurements referred to in the Goals section of your application (VI. Goals).

Note: Provide the dates or months that the assessments will be given.

d. Describe the rationale for selection of assessments. For example, if you adopt goals based on student assessments other than New York City and State tests (e.g. Terra Nova), please explain why your school selected these assessments.

e. Describe your school’s promotion requirements for each grade. Not e : If your school plans to serve the 12th grade you

must provide the summative requirements for a diploma [Ed.L. § 2851(2)(u)].

Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7- 08.doc for the

NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

4. Student Enrollmenta. Provide a student enrollment growth plan formatted as a chart that includes the following:

• The total number of students enrolled each year for every year until the school has met its total planned enrollment. If the school will open with fewer than 50 students, please present a compelling justification for doing so [Ed.L. §2851(2)(i)].• The ages, grade levels, and class size to be served in each grade in each year [Ed.L. §2852(2)(l)].• Include your rationale for enrollment decisions.

Not e : If your proposed charter school offers a kindergarten, this program must be open to all children who turn five years of age on or before December 31st of the year in which they begin kindergarten classes, as required by law [Ed.L. §3202(1)].

Not e : If the total number of students enrolled in the charter school on the first day on which it commences instruction exceeds 250 students, or if the average daily student enrollment exceeds 250 students at any time during the first two years of the school’s operation, all employees who are eligible for representation under Article 14 of the Civil Service Law shall be deemed to be represented in a separate negotiating unit at the proposed charter school by the same

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employee organization, if any, that represents like employees in the school district of location [Ed. L.§ 2854(3)(b-1)]. Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7- 08.doc for the

NYSED’s Charter School Application Technical Assistance Advisory.

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5. Special Populationsa. Describe the methods and strategies by which your proposed

charter school will assure the provision of services to special education students in compliance with all federal laws and regulations, [Ed. L. §2851(2)(s)] including a description of:• Special education services to be provided directly by the

proposed charter school, and a clear plan of who on staff will coordinate this effort.

• Method in which the proposed charter school will interact with the student’s district of residence to ensure that the special education services listed on the student’s IEP are provided.

• How the proposed charter school will ensure that the teacher(s) of a student with a disability will participate in meetings of the Committee on Special Education and will have access to and understand their responsibility to implement the IEP.

• How the proposed charter school will make efforts to attract and retain a comparable or greater enrollment of students with disabilities as compared to the enrollment figures for students in the proposed district of location.

Note: Be sure that your response describes the strategy (beyond legal requirements) you would use to ensure that Special Education students will have ways to improve their skills and access curricular content.Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7-08.doc for the NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

b. Describe the methods and strategies by which your school will serve students with Limited English

Proficiency (LEP), by grade level, including:• The processes for identifying students whose first language is not

English, and the method for determining which of these students may need assistance.

• A description of the special language instructional program to be provided to LEPs that is designed to teach English, as well as general curriculum and who will coordinate this effort.

• A provision that indicates that LEP students will not be excluded from curricular and extracurricular activities in school because of the inability to speak and understand the language of instruction.

• A plan that ensures that the appropriate staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used properly.

• Appropriate evaluative standards for measuring the linguistic and academic progress of LEP students, including program exit criteria.

• A process for continued program assessment and modification where 83

needed. Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7-08.doc for the NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

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6. School Characteristics

a. Please provide your school’s daily and weekly schedule from a student perspective. Please provide your school’s daily and weekly calendar from a teacher perspective. Please provide an annual calendar [Ed.L. §2851(2)(n)].

Not e : This organization of time must include evidence that your proposed school provides at least as much instruction time during a school year as required of public schools [Ed.L. §2851(2)(n)]. In New York, that minimum is 180 days. In order to count as an instructional day, the school must be in session for a minimum of two and a half hours per day for a half day of kindergarten; five hours per day for a full day of kindergarten; and five and a half hours per day for grades 7-12, excluding lunch. However, Ed.L. § 6304(8) and Commissioner's Regulation 175.5 permit up to 4 days of the 180 to be used for professional development or parent-teacher conferences, but they must be held on days that the school could legally be in session (i.e. not on weekends).

b. Your school’s code of conduct / discipline policy• Include provisions for suspension or expulsion and demonstrate that

you will apply due process procedures that are consistent with federal laws and regulations governing the placement of students with disabilities [Ed.L. §2851(2)(h)]. Furthermore, include detailed discipline provisions for students with disabilities [34 CFR §§ 300.530, 300.532(a), 300.532(b), 300.533, 300.534 and 300.536].

• Include provisions to address all types of disciplinary action, not only for the most serious forms such as out-of-school suspension and expulsion.

• Include provisions to implement alternative instruction options for students of compulsory education age. Not e : See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13- 7-08.doc for the

NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

c. Describe the manner in which the school will communicate with students’ families and how the school will promote parental and staff involvement in school governance. [Ed.L. §2851(2)(c)].

7. Teacher Effectivenessa. Describe the attributes, skills and characteristics that you will

seek out in teacher candidates for your school.b. Describe your school’s plan to provide teachers with the

enrichment, training, tools for improvement, and opportunities for collaboration and communication. Be sure to address how teachers

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will know or be trained in appropriate strategies for ELL and special education students. Your plan for teacher training should discuss, as relevant, pre-opening training the school may require, as well as plans for teacher enrichment on an ongoing basis once the school is in operation.

• Include a sample agenda of content for teacher enrichment that may be required in advance of school opening in the fall.

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• Describe your first-year teacher enrichment priorities. Discuss specific structures that will be put in place to support teachers and facilitate their success in driving student progress.

Not e : Teacher recruitment is a key element in staffing effective personnel in your school. Section IX will request a description of your teacher recruitment plan.

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PART 3: WILL YOUR SCHOOL BE A VIABLE ORGANIZATION?

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VIII. Gover n ance S truct u r e and Organizational Design

Reviewers will look for a governance and organizational design that includes the following:

• Appropriate roles, responsibilities, and decision-making power of school community members (including board of trustees and school leadership)

• An accountability structure that provides effective oversight of the educational program and fiscal components of the school

• Board members with a range of expertise, who are independent and whose affiliations represent no conflict of interest

• Effective processes for policy development and a strong plan for ongoing board development and self- evaluation

• Data used to inform board decision processes

1. Organizational Designa. Provide an organizational chart that reflects all levels of staffing

and management of your proposed charter school (including your board of trustees). You may include an accompanying narrative.

b. Describe the reporting and oversight structure of your school, including the relationship between the board of trustees and school administration and EMO (as applicable) regarding governance and management of the school [Ed.L. 2851(1)]. Not e : A copy of the contract between the EMO and the board of trustees is required in Section XV.

2. Board Structure and OperationsExhibit K - BylawsProvide the proposed charter school’s bylaws. Bylaws must reflect the charter school’s mission and non-profit status as an Educational Corporation under the New York State Education laws, and include:a. The method by which the board will be elected or appointed, as well

as the term of office for each trustee.b. The number of trustees to serve on the board after the charter

school is authorized (the minimum required is five), and identify any seats reserved for specific constituents.

c. The responsibility and authority of the board for the policy and operations of the charter school.

d. A list of committees of the board of trustees (which must include, at minimum, an executive, finance, and education/accountability committee).

e. The calendar for board meetings, providing for a minimum of six meetings per year.

f. A list of the quorum and voting requirements for board meetings and committees.

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Not e : Trustees, officers or employees of any single organization shall hold no more than 40 percent of total seats comprising the board of trustees, per NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory at: (http://www.emsc.nysed. g ov/psc/documents/TAArev13-7-08.d o c ).

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Note : Planning teams should adhere to best practice and common sense as they develop boards positioned for maximal school and student success. Board independence, diversity and management for conflict of interest are critical elements.

Exhibit L - Code of EthicsAttach a code of ethics for the prospective charter school that applies to trustees, officers and employees of the school, to include a formal conflict of interest policy and implementation procedures (to include language regarding arm’s-length transactions) [Ed.L. §2851(2)(v)].

Note: Chancellor-authorized charter schools have several reporting and oversight requirements in the NYCDOE Charter Contract.Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7- 08.doc for the NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

3. Oversight

a. Just as your school’s board is ultimately accountable for the performance of your school, your school will hold affiliated personnel and partnership organizations (as applicable) accountable for their performance. Include a description of this evaluation process.

b.Describe how the board of trustees will use data to inform decision-making processes.

Exhibit M - Evaluations Tools for Staff and Institutional PartnerProvide the specific tools you will use to evaluate the EMO/CMO (if applicable).

Not e : Exhibit M also asks for evaluation tools of school leadership and teaching staff, to be discussed in Section IX, Personnel.

4. Board Capacity

a. Provide evidence that members of the board of trustees who you have selected have the capacity to monitor school operational functions including but not limited to fiscal oversight, facilities planning, legal, etc.

b. Describe the methods you will use to build capacity of your board of trustees. The application must provide for the training of the initial board of trustees and any new members, so that the trustees may understand their role, responsibility and the scope of their authority.

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c. Provide the qualifications that you seek in potential board members.

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IX. Personne l

Reviewers will look for personnel plans that include the following:• Staff plans, staff hiring criteria and staff evaluation procedures that

are clear and aligned with the school’s mission and educational design

• Well-delineated and strategically-allocated roles and responsibilities for faculty, staff and administrators

The NYCDOE highly encourages charter planning teams to identify qualified school leader(s) by the time full applications are submitted, and preferably earlier. Involving instructional leaders and/or executive directors in the charter planning process is extremely valuable in developing a solid plan that will be carried into execution.

1. Personnel Process and Policiesa. Describe the hiring policies and procedures of the school to be used,

and the qualifications to be considered, in the hiring of teachers [Ed.L. §2851(2)(g)]. Describe the attributes and qualifications that you will seek out in teachers. What mechanisms and venues will your school utilize to recruit effective teachers? How will you ensure that your teacher recruitment targets a universe of candidates that aligns with your school’s mission and culture?

b. Describe the hiring policies and procedures of the school to be used, and the qualifications to be considered, in the hiring of school administrators and other school employees [Ed.L. §2851(2)(g)]. Describe the attributes and qualifications that you will seek out in each of these positions. What mechanisms and venues will your school utilize to recruit effective school leaders and key administrative staff? How will you ensure that your recruitment targets a universe of candidates that aligns with your school’s mission and culture?

c. Please describe the evaluation process for teachers and leadership staff, and the rationale behind the selected evaluation tools provided in Exhibit M.

Exhibit M - Evaluations Tools for Staff and Institutional PartnerProvide the specific tools you will use to evaluate the school leadership (principal, director) and teaching staff.

Not e : Exhibit M also asks for evaluation tools EMO/CMO as addressed in Section VIII.

Exhibit N - Job DescriptionsPlease provide job descriptions for each individual on the chart submitted in VIII.1 [Ed.L. § 2851(2)(g).You do not need to provide a job description for each individual teacher by subject unless certain teaching jobs require specific skills

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or expertise.2. Collective Bargaining: Explain how you will comply with the

collective bargaining requirements set forth in the New York Charter Schools Act if a ny of the following statements are applicable to your proposed charter school:

• You are converting a New York City public school into a charter school.• The number of enrolled students in your proposed charter school

exceeds two hundred and fifty (250) on the first day that school commences student instruction, or you plan an average daily student enrollment exceeding two hundred and fifty (250) students at any point during the first two instructional years [Ed.L. §2854(3)(b-1)(i)].

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X. Communit y Support

Reviewers will look for evidence of community support that includes the following:

• Community representation on the planning team and letters of support• Genuine interest among the community for the proposed school

(including local stakeholders such as community board, elected officials, community education councils (CEC))

• Solid capacity to reach out to both the local and broader communities• Family, parent and student representation throughout the planning process

1. Community Engagement: Provide evidence of community support for and interest in the proposed charter school sufficient to allow the school to reach its anticipated enrollment.

Exhibit O - Parent Petition of Support [Ed.L. §2851(2)(q)]As part of your evidence of community engagement, you must provide a petition signed byparents/guardians of school-age children that demonstrates that they would consider enrolling their child in the proposed school.

• Petition should represent parents/guardians of school-age children who would enter the grade(s) your school plans to serve in first year of operation.

• At minimum, petition must include parent names, as well as addresses, district of residence, child name, and expected child grade during proposed charter school’s first year of instruction.

• Provide at l e ast as many signatures from potential parents with school-aged children in the grade(s) your school will serve to fill enrollment of your first year of operation.

Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7-08.doc for further information.

Exhibit P - Letters of Community SupportProvide at least three letters of support for your proposed school from

representatives of the community you wish to serve. This may include community leaders, CBOs, businesses, other institutions, etc.

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XI. Financial Management Plan

Reviewers will look for a financial management plan that includes the following:• A budget consistent with all parts of the proposal, including school mission,

educational program, and staffing plan• Demonstrated knowledge of practical matters relevant to school operation• Realistic assessments of projected revenues and expenditures• Sound and logical financial assumptions• Resources deployed over time in a manner that aligns with school goals• Cash flow and financial projections that are free of sizable deficit over five years• Rigorous and consistent internal / fiscal control procedures• For CMO/EMO: Fees to CMO/EMO that do not duplicate services or products reflected in other budget lines

1. Financial Managementa. Describe the policies that your school will use to monitor the following internal fiscal procedures:

• Payroll• Purchases• Accounting and audit requirements• Cash management and investing• Fundraising

Not e : The board of trustees will be held accountable for the school’s operational functions including but not limited to fiscal oversight and facilities planning.Note: The school will be responsible for providing various financial reports to the board including but not limited to monthly budget status report, monthly cash reports and quarterly statements.

Not e : See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7- 08.doc for the

NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

Exhibit Q - Start-up and Five-year Operating Budget and First Year Cash FlowProvide a start-up and five-year operating budget and first year cash flow that reflects all planned revenues and expenditures [Ed.L. §2851(2)(e)].

• Use the interactive budget worksheet template in Appendix D, available under “Charter

School Creation” at: http://schools.nyc.gov/community/planning/charters/CharterSchoolCreation.

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• Be sure to include stated and detailed assumptions of each revenue and expenditure line items where requested in the template. Not e : These are the same templates that were required in the concept paper.

Exhibit R - Budget NarrativeProvide a written narrative summarizing financial forecasts from the school’s startup phase through its fifth year of operation.

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a. Describe any planned fundraising efforts and who will lead and coordinate these efforts. Because there is no guarantee that these funds will be awarded, you must describe how your school would remain solvent if you did not receive these funds.

b. If revenues include private support, please provide commitment letters and/or loan agreements from outside funding sources.

Not e : If you are proposing to use a DOE facility, you must submit two budgets: one assuming your request for DOE space is granted AND another contingency budget that assumes the school is not located in a DOE facility.

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PART 4: WILL YOUR SCHOOL COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE RULES AND REGULATIONS?

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XII. School Facilities

Reviewers will look for a school facilities plan that includes the following:• Well-developed facility plan for non-DOE space that presents a viable

option for siting by the proposed school start date• Appropriate and realistic assumptions about the amount of space

needed in the school’s first year of operation and as it scales up• Appropriate and realistic assumptions about the cost of space in the

proposed neighborhood / community• Acknowledgement of possible constrains in space availability and timing• Alignment of financial projections to facility plan, and a viable budget

factoring in cost of private space• Demonstrated capacity to deliver on the financing proposal set forth

The Chancellor is committed to making public school space available to charter schools when feasible. However, NYCDOE space options are in very short supply. Given the limited likelihood of DOE public school space for new schools, all charter planning teams must demonstrate strong and feasible private facility plans, since most charter schools will need to employ these private facility plans.

1. Location: Describe the specific building, address, community, and community school district where you are planning to open your proposed charter school [Ed.L. § 2851(2)(j)].

2. Description and Use: Provide a facility program stating the layout and planned use of rooms and facilities, which should include:a. A description of the required space for the proposed school,

including number and type of classrooms, administrative offices, and meeting space and any program specific space.

b. Growth plan for school in this facility.c. Any rehabilitation work necessary for this site to meet building

codes applicable to schools or completed before the start of the school year including:• The scope of the work to be completed and proposed funding mechanism to cover these costs;• The person(s) who will manage the project and their qualifications;• A project timeline

d. Whether the facility space to be occupied will include space used for food preparation, kindergarten students located on or above a third floor, or other uses requiring a permit from the New York City Department of Health Note: If your site will use residential facilities, please include this in

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your description [Ed.L§2851(2)(w)].Note: If you have not yet secured a site, provide a detailed description of your anticipated space needs.

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3. Cost Estimates: Provide the following cost estimates regarding your proposed charter school’s facility arrangements:a. The percentage of your total budget expected to be spent on rent/leaseb. If your school will be housed in a leased or rented facility, provide

evidence that you have researched comparable rents in the marketplace, within and outside of your desired geographic location.

c. Provide any information that you have gathered about leasehold improvements.d. The basis on which you have determined that this facility complies with New York City’s Zoning Resolution Not e : Charter schools must comply with NYC zoning, land use,

and building code regulations extended to nonpublic schools [Ed.L. § 2853(3)(a)].

4. Please provide a copy of the facilities certificate of occupancy and evidence that the site has been secured, which should include:a. Preferred: Letter of intent (LOI) signed by the building owner, to lease

or sell the proposed facility to your organization. The LOI must contain specific terms, including rent or purchase amount and any agreement(s) on building renovation costs; or if an LOI is not possible

b. Alternativ e : Provide a memorandum of understanding signed by the owner, that does each of the following:• Describes the status of negotiations with your organization

regarding the possible lease or purchase of the building should your proposal be approved;

• Describes any foreseeable conditions, circumstances, or considerations that may affect the decision to lease or sell the building to your organization;

• Specifies any decision-making process that may be required before an agreement can be finalized;

• Specifies a date by which a decision to lease or sell is likely to be reached

5. Please indicate if you would also like to be considered for DOE space if available.

Note: The Chancellor has made it a priority to secure public school space for charter schools when feasible. Possible public school space might include available space in an underutilized building. Space might also become available in a building if a district or charter school has to close as a result of ongoing failure. In these cases, charter schools should be prepared to accommodate students in the immediate community who are impacted by local school closures. Note: While the provision of facilities frees up funds that a charter school can redirect toward the instructional needs of its students, applicants should have a clear understanding of the challenges implicit in this opportunity, including the following:• Co-locating with another school or schools to share a single facility,

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requiring you to build collaborative relationships with other DOE and/or charter principals and share common space (cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium)

• Making modifications to the charter’s proposed growth plan, enrollment configuration and/or admissions policy

• Being housed in a facility that may not be located in the specific community you wish to serve

• Working within the DOE timeline to plan facilities• Potentially occupying an “incubator” space for fewer years than

your charter and then moving into another space (which may or may not be permanent)

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XIII. Operations and Policies

Reviewers will look for operations and policies that include the following:• A well-developed operations and policies section that reflects viable

plans for health programs, food services, transportation services, student records, federal requirements, admissions and grievance policies

• Policies that are fair, reasonable and comply with all applicable laws and regulations• An admissions policy (including outreach plans) for potential students that

is equitable, non-discriminatory, and will ensure that the student populations will reflect community demographics and give preference to community school district (CSD) residents

1. Required Programs and Policies: Provide your school’s policies regarding the following areas:

a. Health Programs [Ed.L. §2851(2)(r)]: Describe the health services to be provided to students in your proposed charter school including:• General medical services• Plans and procedures for students who require daily medication

b. Food Services [Ed.L. §2851(2)(r)]: Provide a description of food service to be provided by the charter school.

c. Transportation Services: Provide a description of transportation arrangements that the charter school will make for its students including:• Arrangements for students who would not qualify for public school transportation under New York State Education laws• Supplemental transportation sources planned with the school district and the NYCDOE

Note: With regard to transportation issues, charter schools are considered “nonpublic” schools [Ed.L. §2853 (4)(b)]. Charter school students are therefore eligible for comparable services from the school district received by other students attending nonpublic schools. Contact OCS for more information.

d. Student Records: Describe processes to maintain student records, including attendance tracking.

e. Federal Requirements: Provide evidence that your proposed

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school plans to meet required federal regulations, including:• The processes to be followed by the proposed charter school to

comply with the Child Find requirements of IDEA [34 CFR 300.111]

• The processes to be followed by the proposed charter school that will comply with the data reporting requirements of the IDEA [34 CFR 300.642]

• The processes to be followed by the proposed charter school that will ensure compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and IDEA regarding confidential student records (e.g. notice to parents of rights, record access log, training of personnel, maintenance of student records, and official records)

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• The processes to be followed by the proposed charter school that will ensure that parents are kept informed of their child’s progress in meeting his/her IEP goals [34 CFR 300.322, 34 CFR 300.320] at least as often as parents are informed of their non-disabled children’s progress

2. Admission Policies [Ed.L. §2854(2)(d)]: Write your proposed school’s student admission policy, to include the following:a. Application and admission periods and proceduresb. An outreach plan, including strategies for publicizing and

recruiting prospective students that is equitable, nondiscriminatory, and will help ensure that the student population will reflect the demographics of the community you intend to serve. In addition, the application must clearly describe all efforts that will be used to attract and retain a comparable or greater enrollment of students with disabilities and English Language Learners as compared to the enrollment figures for students in the proposed district of location.

c. Procedures if student applications for admissions exceed available space, including the following:

• The precise manner in which the lottery will be conducted and by whom• Measures to ensure that the admissions process adheres to legal requirements• Procedures for wait-listing students who are not included in the first round of lottery offers Note: Your proposal should include a plan to enroll any

student who submits a timely application by April 1st of each school year. You should have a plan for providing a wait list for students if the number of application exceeds the capacity of a grade level or building.Note: All charter schools are required to provide equitable admissions access to students with disabilities and English Language Learners.Note: If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available seats, a random selection process, such as a lottery, must be used. The Charter Schools Act does require that a charter school give preference to siblings of students already enrolled in the charter school, and in the second and subsequent years of operation, students returning to the charter school. In addition, the amended Charter Schools Act requires that a charter school in New York City give admissions preference to students residing in the community school district (CSD) in which the charter school is located.Not e : As the New York State Charter Law permits charter schools to give preference in their admission to students at risk of academic failure, your school may be asked to reserve ten

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percent of open seats in a given year for student transfers under the New York City Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind choice transfer program. For additional information regarding this program, go to: http://www . ed.gov/nclb/ l anding . jhtml and http://www.emsc.nysed.g o v/deputy/nclb/nclbhome.htm

d. Your procedures for student withdrawal or transfer3. Grievance Policy [Ed.L. §2854(2)(d)]: Provide the policies of the

charter school’s board of trustees for handling complaints from individuals or groups.

Not e : The policy should clearly articulate how individuals may present grievances, how those grievances will be reviewed, and who will undertake that task, as well as the timeframe for disposing of a grievance. In addition, the policy must provide adequate notification to findividuals of their right to appeal to the New York City Department of Education if they are not satisfied with the handling of their grievance by the school’s board of trustees, and, if still unsatisfied, thereafter to the Board of Regents.

Note: See http://www.em s c .nysed.gov / psc/documen t s/TAArev13-7- 08.doc for the NYSED’s Charter School Applications Technical Assistance Advisory.

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PART 5: MISCELLANEOUS

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XIV. Operational Impact/Dissolution

Reviewers will look for operational impact and dissolution plans that include the following:

• Reasonable fiscal impact on the educational budget of the New York City school system• Clear plan for dissolution should the need arise

1. Operational Impact [Ed.L. §2851(2)(q)]: Using the chart in Appendix G, provide an assessment of the programmatic and fiscal impact of your proposed charter school on existing public and nonpublic schools in the area. It is necessary to do the following:a. List the dollar amount (public revenues) that your charter school

expects will follow children from each school district of the student’s residence. See OCS budget template in Appendix D under “Charter School Creation” at: http://schools.nyc.gov/CharterSchools

b. Calculate the percentage of NYCDOE’s overall funding that your proposed charter school would receive assuming a NYCDOE’s annual budget of $17 billion.

c. Write a brief summary of the programmatic impact of your new charter school on existing public and nonpublic schools in your proposed CSD. Public school information is available on the DOE website at www.schools.nyc.gov. Non-public school information by CSD can be accessed at http://www.nysed.gov/admin/admindex.html.

2. Dissolution [Ed.L. §2851(2)(t)]: In the event of your proposed charter school’s dissolution, describe the procedures that the school would follow, to include how you intend to do the following:a. Hold public meetings to provide information on the school’s dissolution to parentsb. Transfer student records to appropriate school districts and provide a

copy of such records to each student’s parent or legal guardianc. Logistically transfer the studentsd. Establish an escrow account of no less than $70,000 by the first

three years of operation to pay for legal and audit expenses related to the dissolution of the charter school, adhering to the following timeline:

1. By April 1st of year 1 of a charter school’s operation, the balance of the escrow account must be at least $10,000;

2. By April 1st of year 2 of a charter school’s operation, the balance of the escrow account must be at least $30,000; and

3. By April 1st of year 3 of a charter school’s operation, the balance of the escrow account must be at least $70,000

e. Transfer the school’s assets to another school within your school’s prospective district

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XV. Institutional Partnership Agreement

Reviewers will look for an Institutional Partnership Agreement that includes the following:

• An organizational design in which the board, as ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the school, retains its autonomy and reserves the authority to hold the institutional partner accountable for results

• Clear delineation of roles and authority between the school and the institutional partner• Clear delineation of services to be provided by institutional partner and costs associated with those services

Exhibit S - Institutional Partnership AgreementIf you are submitting your application with a college, university, museum, educational institution, not-for-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code, or a for-profit business or corporate entity authorized to do business in New York State, including an Educational Management Organization, Education Service Partner, or a Charter Management Organization, you will need a signed contract or commitment letter/term from said partner that specifically describes how they intend to carry out respective responsibilities. This document must include, but is not limited to, the following information:

• Name of partner organization• Name, address, phone and facsimile numbers, and e-mail

address of contact person from partner organization• A copy of the institutional partner’s Certificate of

Incorporation, proof of tax-exempt status and documentation that proves the partner is authorized to do business in New York State

• All educational and non-educational services to be provided by the institutional partner. This description should be accompanied by a written understanding of the nature, duration, and cost of service commitments, including the extent to which the partner will participate in the management of the school.

• How the institutional partner will be held accountable for their performance• Fees to be paid, financial or resource assistance committed,

and services to be rendered by the proposed school to the institutional partner

• Information regarding ownership of school assets, the length of the proposed contract, terms for potential contract renewal, and termination provisions

• The institutional partner’s latest annual report

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• Copies of any actual or proposed contracts or other agreements between the applicant and the institutional partner concerning the proposed charter school

• A draft copy of the contract between the management company and the proposed charter school

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Appendix Three: Performance Goals TemplateIntroductionThe New York Charter Schools Act enables the creation of charter schools, which are independently run and publicly funded. Charter schools are granted greater flexibilities than traditional public schools in return for high levels of accountability. The Charter Schools Act states that charter schools shall be held to “performance-based” accountability systems and must meet measurable student achievement results. As such, the NYCDOE has high standards in evaluating the accountability plans (and, hence, goals) of proposed charter schools. The NYCDOE has articulated specific educational and organizational goals (NYCDOE common goals) that all charter schools authorized by the NYCDOE must write into their school goals and must achieve over the term of their first charter. Most charter schools also elect to supplement the goals beyond what the NYCDOE requires because this allows the school’s accountability plan to more meaningfully reflect the programmatic nature and culture of the school. Performance goals that are proposed by a school must be measurable and externally verifiable, and should be designed to measure distinct elements of the school’s program. Your accountability plan, including the benchmarks specified within the NYCDOE common goals and the school’s individualized goals, will guide your school in self-evaluation as you serve students on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, your accountability plan will guide NYCDOE in its evaluation of your school performance across all five Performance and Compliance Standards on a yearly basis. The NYCDOE’s review will culminate at the five year renewal, during which a school’s achievement towards the goals outlined in their accountability plan guide the NYCDOE’s determination on whether to renew the charter and grant authorization to continue to operate.During the first year of a school’s operation, the school will have the opportunity to work with the NYCDOE to revise and tighten its goals and accountability plan. While we will work with each school in its first year to refine these goals, applicants should be thoughtful about designing goals in their charter application that carefully reflect how the school proposes that it be held accountable. Please note that most NYCDOE common goals are 75% of students achieving proficiency. Planning teams must evaluate the average performance levels of their proposed community school district, and should consider increasing these goals in cases where the average CSD proficiency exceeds 75% in given subject areas.InstructionsPlease complete the template below, and include it in your charter application. The template contains both the NYCDOE common goals, as well as opportunities for your school to input its own school specific goals.

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Standard 1: High Academic Attainment and ImprovementExpectation: Students’ academic performance meets or exceeds local, state, and national

standards.Absolute Performance Each year, 75 percent of ___--___ graders will perform at or above Level 3 on the New York State ELA examination. (Relevant for schools serving grades 3-8.)Each year, 75 percent of ____ -- ____ graders will perform at or above Level 3 on the New York State Mathematics examination. (Relevant for schools serving grades 3-8.)Each year, 75 percent of ____ -- ____ graders will perform at or above Level 3 on the New York State Science examination. (Relevant for schools serving grades 4 and 8.)Each year, 75 percent of ____ -- ____ graders will perform at or above Level 3 on the New York State Social Studies examination. (Relevant for schools serving grades 5 and 8.)Value-Added Performance/ Progress

For years 2 through 5 of the proposed charter, grade-level cohorts of the same students (i.e. students who are in the school for two years in a row) will reduce by one-half the gap between the percent at or above Level 3 on the previous year’s State ELA exam and 75 percent at or above Level 3 on the current year’s State ELA exam. For schools in which the number of stu-dents scoring above proficiency in a grade level cohort exceeded 75 percent on the previous year’s ELA exam, the school is expected to demonstrate growth (above 75 percent) in the cur-rent year (relevant for schools serving grades 3-8).For example, if 35% of a school’s students score proficient in year 1, the school must ensure that at least 55% of its students are proficient the following year, thereby reducing the gap be-tween the first year’s performance of 35% proficient and the goal of 75% proficient (or what-ever level the school sets above 75%).For the 2010-11 through 2013-14 school years, grade-level cohorts of the same students will re-duce by one-half the gap between the percent at or above Level 3 on the previous year’s State Math exam and 75 percent at or above Level 3 on the current year’s State Math exam. For schools in which the number of students scoring above proficiency in a grade level cohort ex-ceeded 75 percent on the previous year’s Math exam, the school is expected to demonstrate growth (above 75 percent) in the current year. (Relevant for schools serving grades 3-8.)High School and Post-Secondary Success GoalsEach charter high school has a very different design and mission. In order to accommodate the variety of program designs, we have created a list of goals that schools can choose to adopt. Each school should carefully consider which of the goals below will help them measure the attainment of their mission. Goals for performance on English and Math Regents as well as Graduation goals are all required. Schools should also choose at least one other performance goal below, or design a different goal that will more appropriately measure the effectiveness of the school’s program.

• By the end of year 4 in the charter, 75 percent of the first cohort will have scored at least 65 on the New York State Regents examinations in ELA. (REQUIRED for schools serving grades 9-12.)

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• By the end of year 4 in the charter, 75 percent of the first cohort will have scored at least 65 on the New York State Regents examinations in Math. (REQUIRED for schools serving grades 9-12.)

• By the end of year 4, 75 percent of the initial cohort will have scored at least 65 on the New York State Regents examinations in Science (Living Environment, Chemistry, or other). (OPTIONAL for schools serving grades 9-12.)

• By the end of year 4, 75 percent of the initial cohort will have scored at least 65 on the New York State Regents examinations in History (Global Studies or U.S. History). (OPTIONAL for schools serving grades 9-12.)

• Each year, the average performance of students in the 10th grade will exceed the state average on the PSAT tests in Critical Reading and Mathematics. (OPTIONAL for schools serving grades 9-12.)

• Each year, the average performance of students in the 12th grade will exceed the state average on the SAT or ACT tests in reading and mathematics. (OPTIONAL for schools serving grades 9-12.)

Each year, the school will demonstrate the preparation of its students for post-secondary suc-cess through at least one measure of its own design. Such measures might be based on:

Attainment of Advanced Regents Diplomas Performance on AP, IB, or SAT II exams College credits earned during high school Attainment of Honors Regents Diploma Attainment of industry certification or licensing in a Career and technical education pro-

gram Each year (after the first class has graduated), at least 75% of students will successfully

complete their first semester of college by passing all classes in which they are enrolled.Graduation Rates Each year, at least 75% of each student cohort (as defined by the New York State Education Department) graduates within five years.Comparative Performance

Note: The NYCDOE will determine similar schools based on characteristics, including, but not limited to previous student performance, geographic location and student ethnic, racial, and low-income status. (Peer groups may be determined by the NYCDOE Progress Report.)

Each year, the percent of students performing at or above Level 3 on the State ELA exam in each tested grade will place the school in the top quartile of all similar schools. (Relevant to schools serving grades K-8.)Each year, the percent of students performing at or above Level 3 on the State Math exam in each tested grade will place the school in the top quartile of all similar schools. (Relevant to school serving grades K-8.)Each year, the percent of students in the high school accountability cohort passing an English Regents exam with a score of 65 or above by the end of their fourth year will exceed that of

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the students in the high school accountability cohort from a group of similar schools. (Relevant to school serving grades 9-12.)Each year, the percent of students in the high school accountability cohort passing a Math Regents exam with a score of 65 or above by the end of their fourth year will exceed that of the students in the high school accountability cohort from a group of similar schools. (Relevant to schools serving grades 9-12.)AYP Status Each year, the school will be deemed “In Good Standing.” Alternative/Internal Assessment Indicators5

Each year, _______________________________________________________________Each year, _______________________________________________________________School-Specific Educational Indicators6

Each year, _______________________________________________________________Each year, _______________________________________________________________

5 Schools may voluntarily include alternative/internal indicators by which their performance will be measured. Such measures must be externally verifiable, for example, portfolio assessments by external community jury.6 Schools may voluntarily include school-specific educational indicators by with their performance will be measured. Such measures must be externally verifiable and may include measures such as performance on nationally-normed assessments or college acceptance rates.

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Standard 2: Responsive Educational Program and EnvironmentExpectation: A quality educational program enables all students to achieve academically and

socially.Student Engagement Each year, the school will have an average daily student attendance rate of at least 95 percent. Each year, 95 percent of all students enrolled during the course of the year return the following September.Adherence to Contract TermsEach year, the school will comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and contract terms including, but not limited to, the New York Charter Schools Act, the New York Freedom of Information Law, the New York Open Meetings Law, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.School-Specific Non-Academic Indicators7

Each year, _______________________________________________________________Each year, _______________________________________________________________

7 . Schools may voluntarily include school-specific non-educational indicators by with their performance will be measured. Such measures must be externally verifiable and may include indicators such as civic involvement of students and professional growth of teachers.

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Standard 3: Responsible School Leadership, Governance and ManagementExpectation: Leadership furthers the school’s mission, program and goals and is strategic to

ensure adequacy, alignment and coherence of actions.- School-specific goals to be input by individual teams–

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Standard 4: Financial Sustainability and Internal ControlsExpectation: The school is a well-run organization and capable of achieving long-term success.Enrollment StabilityEach year, student enrollment will be within 15% of full enrollment as defined in the school’s contract. This will be maintained on an ongoing basis and monitored bi-monthly. Financial ComplianceUpon completion of the school’s first year of operation and every year thereafter, the school will undergo an independent financial audit that will result in an unqualified opinion and no major findings8.Financial ViabilityEach year, the school will operate on a balanced budget9 and maintain a stable cash flow.

8 The NYCDOE will determine a finding to be “major” if it indicates a deliberate act of wrongdoing, reckless conduct or causes a loss of confidence in the abilities or integrity of the school or seriously jeopardizes the continued operation of the school.9 A budget will be considered “balanced” if revenues equal or exceed expenditures.

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Standard 5: Strong Culture and Supportive RelationshipsExpectation: There is high social trust among the school community and culture of excellence.Parent SatisfactionEach year, parents will express satisfaction with the school’s program, based on the NYCDOE Learning Environment Survey in which the school will receive scores of 7.5 or higher in each of the four survey domains: Academic Expectations, Communication, Engagement, and Safety and Respect.Staff Satisfaction and RetentionEach year, teachers will express satisfaction with school leadership and professional development opportunities as determined by the teacher section of the NYCDOE Learning Environment Survey in which the school will receive scores of 7.5 or higher in each of the four survey domains: Academic Expectations, Communication, Engagement, and Safety and Respect.*Schools are strongly recommended to set a goal for staff retention for each year of the charter.

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Appendix Four: Exhibit H, Curriculum To Standards Crosswalk

Subject Area: <Name of Subject Area>

Course: <Specific Course within subject area if applicable> Grade: <Grade level>

NOTE TO APPLICANT: The full text of the NY State Standards, Key Ideas, and Performance Indicators must precede this Stan-dards Crosswalk. The abbreviations you use below should refer to this document with the intent that they be used alongside the full text to ensure that teachers adequately address every state standard. Standards should be indicated by the subject area and number abbreviation (i.e. for Math Science Technology Standard 3, MST 3). Key Ideas should be indicated by the as-sociated number within the standard. Each performance indicator in the full text of the State Standards should be lettered and referred to by the appropriate letter. You may choose to either write out each performance indicator or provide an appropriate key. Use the Standards at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ls.html (click on VLS at the top right for a user-friendly format from which to develop your key.

Topic

(The topic section should describe the content to be taught. Themes and concepts may also be included in this section, but do not include instructional strategies, specific

activities or key resources)

Standards and Key Ideas

(Identify the elementary, intermediate or

commencement level)

Performance Indicators

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Appendix Five: Board QuestionnaireExhibit B: Board Questionnaire

1. Explain how you became aware of the proposed charter school and the opportu-nity to serve as a member of its board if it becomes chartered.

2. Explain why you wish to serve on the board.

3. Describe the knowledge and experience that you would bring to the board.

4. Indicate your understanding of the appropriate role of a public charter school board member.

5. Explain your understanding of the proposed school’s mission and/or philosophy.

6. Explain your knowledge of the proposed school’s educational program.

7. Explain how you would handle a situation in which you believe one or more members of the school’s board are involved in anything considered to be a con-flict of interest (working for their own benefit or the benefit of their friends and family)?

8. Indicate if you have previously served on the board of a school district or a non-profit corporation (including the board of a non-public school) and describe any relevant experience.

9. If your spouse or you: a. Know other prospective board members, please indicate the relationship.

b. Are aware of people already known to be prospective school employees, please indicate and describe the relationship.

c. Plan to do business with the school, please indicate and describe the relation-ship and the nature of the potential business.

10. If the school will partner with an educational service provider (management company), please indicate if your spouse or you know of any employees, owners, or agents of that provider. If your answer is yes, please list the individuals you know and the nature of the relationship.

11. Indicate if you anticipate that you, or a company of which you are an employee or in which you have a financial interest, will conduct any business with the edu-cational service provider, the school or both. If so, please describe the potential relationship.

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12. Indicate whether you foresee any potential ethical or legal conflicts of interests should you serve on the school’s board.

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Appendix Six: Operational and Fiscal Impact of Charter SchoolTemplate for Calculation of Operational Impact You may wish to use the template below to calculate the fiscal impact of your proposed charter school. To use the chart below, replace the green plugs with the numbers used in your individual application.

Potential Fiscal Impact of ABC Charter School

(New York City CSD __/Region __ – Borough)

School Year # StudentsPer Pupil

Allocation 1

Projected Charter

School Cost District Budget 2Projected

Impact2007-2008 0 $11,023 $0 $17,000,000,000 0.0000%2008-2009 150 $11,354 $1,703,054 $17,510,000,000 0.0097%2009-2010 225 $11,694 $2,631,218 $18,035,300,000 0.0146%2010-2011 300 $12,045 $3,613,539 $18,576,359,000 0.0195%2011-2012 375 $12,406 $4,652,431 $19,133,649,770 0.0243%2012-2013 450 $12,779 $5,750,405 $19,707,659,263 0.0292%

Annual Increase 3.00% 3.00%

Calculations: (# Students) x (Per Pupil Allocation) = Projected Charter School Cost(Projected Charter School Cost) / (District Budge) x 100% = Projected Impact

1 Assumes a 3 percent annual increase from the 2007-2008 estimated average per pupil Allocated Operating Expenses (AOE) of $11,023. (Note: this AOE estimate is subject to unpredictable increases and decreases in any given year.)

2 Assumes a 3 percent annual increase from the 2007-2008 New York City DOE budget base of $17 billion.

Include brief summary that explains findings in the chart-- ie. When fully enrolled with XXX students, the charter school will receive no more than XXX% of the District’s budget (see fiscal impact chart)…

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Appendix Seven: Technical Assistance and Resources for Charter School Applicants(From NYCDOE, Technical Assistance and Resources for Charter School Applicants, 2008 Edition, Appendix G: Technical Assistance Resources)

Charter planning teams should draw upon comprehensive resources to draft school proposals. Resources that the NYCDOE encourages teams to use in strengthening their proposals are as follows.

School VisitsApplicant groups are encouraged to visit successful schools (charter and non-charter) and speak with school operators and boards of trustees to formulate their own charter school design and processes.

Other Resources and Supports

Fast Reference List for Charter School CreationNYCDOE Application Guidelines

http://schools.nyc.gov/charters

NYC Center for Charter School Excellence

http://nycchartercenter.org/

NYSED Technical Assistance

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/cstechassadvisory3.htm

NY State Charter Schools Act

http://schools.nyc.gov/OurSchools/Region84/LawsandRegulations/default.htm

Other Helpful ResourcesOrganization WebsiteBoardnetUSA www.boardnetusa.orgCenter for Education Reform www.edreform.comCenter for Educational Innovation - Public Education Association

www.cei-pea.org

Charter Friends National Network www.charterfriends.orgChildren First Reform Agenda www.nycenet.edu/Administration/Childrenfirst/CFAgenda.htmCity and State Public School Tests and Assessments

www.nycenet.edu/daa/test_info/

Civic Builders www.civicbuilders.orgLocal Initiative Support Corporation - New York City

www.lisc.org/new_york/

New York Center for Charter School Excellence

http://www.nycchartercenter.org/

New York Charter Schools Act of 1998, Article 56 of the New York State Education Law

www.nycenet.edu/charterschools/law.text.htm

New York Charter School Resource Center

www.nycsrc.org

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New York State Charter School Association

www.nycsa.org

New York State Education Department

www.emsc.nysed.gov

New York State Education Department Charter School Report Cards

www.emsc.nysed.gov/repcrdfall2003/links/charter-schools.html

New York City Department of Education

http://schools.nyc.gov/

New York State Learning Standards www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciaiNo Child Left Behind www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/nclb/nclbhome.htmPublic School Choice Programs www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/Special Education Services related to charter schools

www.emsc.nysed.gov/psc/specialed.htm

State University of NY (SUNY) Charter Schools Institute

www.newyorkcharters.org

U.S. Dept. of Education - Office of Innovation and Improvement

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/index.html?src=oc

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