November 8, 2007November 8, 2007

So you want to start a So you want to start a charter school?charter school?

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First, make sure the concept fits:First, make sure the concept fits:

Are you . . . Are you . . . committed to helping kids learn? committed to helping kids learn? excited about innovative excited about innovative

approaches to learning?approaches to learning? passionate about giving families passionate about giving families

more choice in how their students more choice in how their students are served?are served?

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . . Are you . . . Are you . . . willing to comply with the full state willing to comply with the full state

school code? school code? willing to admit anyone who applies willing to admit anyone who applies

without exception (and hold a without exception (and hold a lottery to decide which students get lottery to decide which students get it if you have more applicants than it if you have more applicants than space?)space?)

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . . Are you . . . Are you . . . ready to find and hire Highly ready to find and hire Highly

Qualified teachers (as defined by Qualified teachers (as defined by NCLB)? NCLB)?

prepared to accept public prepared to accept public responsibility for bringing students responsibility for bringing students to state proficiency standards even to state proficiency standards even if they come to you several grades if they come to you several grades behind expectations?behind expectations?

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . . Are you . . . Are you . . . prepared to fully serve students with prepared to fully serve students with

special needs? special needs? prepared to find and use a building prepared to find and use a building

that meets full state school code that meets full state school code requirements and can earn a requirements and can earn a current Certificate of Occupancy? current Certificate of Occupancy? (Many old school facilities do not)(Many old school facilities do not)

November 8, 2007November 8, 2007

If all those answers If all those answers were “YES”. . . were “YES”. . .

Welcome to the challenge of Welcome to the challenge of starting starting

a charter school!a charter school!

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Next step: What IS a charter?Next step: What IS a charter?

In Michigan, a charter school . . . In Michigan, a charter school . . . is organized under the State School is organized under the State School

Code Code as a Public School Academy under MCLA 380.501, oras a Public School Academy under MCLA 380.501, or

in Detroit as one of fifteen possible Urban High in Detroit as one of fifteen possible Urban High Schools under MCLA 380.521. (Urban High Schools Schools under MCLA 380.521. (Urban High Schools can include K-8 feeder schools as well), orcan include K-8 feeder schools as well), or

As a Strict Discipline Academy to serve suspended, As a Strict Discipline Academy to serve suspended, expelled or adjudicated youth under MCLA380.1311bexpelled or adjudicated youth under MCLA380.1311b

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t) What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t) A Public School Academy A Public School Academy gets its “charter” to operate from:gets its “charter” to operate from:

a state public university anywhere in the a state public university anywhere in the state,state,

the community college for its location, the community college for its location, the Intermediate School District for its the Intermediate School District for its

location, orlocation, or the Local School District for its locationthe Local School District for its location

serves any combination of Grades serves any combination of Grades Pre-K through 12 as specified in the Pre-K through 12 as specified in the charter contract.charter contract.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)A Public School Academy A Public School Academy receives “state aid” funding of receives “state aid” funding of

roughly $7000 per child attending.roughly $7000 per child attending. uses these operational funds to pay uses these operational funds to pay

for everything needed, including for everything needed, including facility costs.facility costs.

may qualify for additional Title I, II, may qualify for additional Title I, II, III, V and VI federal funding if the III, V and VI federal funding if the PSA serves at-risk children.PSA serves at-risk children.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

A Public School Academy A Public School Academy is governed by an autonomous is governed by an autonomous

school board appointed by the school board appointed by the authorizer and accountable under authorizer and accountable under oath to act in the best interests of oath to act in the best interests of the children it serves.the children it serves.

is required to conduct its business at is required to conduct its business at open, public meetings with agendas open, public meetings with agendas posted in advance.posted in advance.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

A Public School Academy A Public School Academy may hire a management company may hire a management company

(Education Service Provider) to (Education Service Provider) to operate all or any part of the school. operate all or any part of the school.

has a fiduciary responsibility to has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that any management ensure that any management services it uses are purchased at services it uses are purchased at “fair market value.” “fair market value.”

November 8, 2007November 8, 2007

If it still looks good If it still looks good to you . . . to you . . .

What’s the next step? What’s the next step? How do you get started?How do you get started?

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Step 1: Build a competitive Step 1: Build a competitive charter applicationcharter application

Most authorizers use a common Most authorizers use a common “Phase One” application to screen “Phase One” application to screen applicants and select those with whom applicants and select those with whom they move to a more intensive “Phase they move to a more intensive “Phase Two” set of negotiations. Two” set of negotiations. The Phase One application is available The Phase One application is available at at www.mccsa.uswww.mccsa.us under “Authorizer under “Authorizer Resources.” Resources.”

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The application will require. . . The application will require. . . Documented evidence of need:Documented evidence of need:

Community AnalysisCommunity Analysis Parent profile and preferences Parent profile and preferences

An academic vision:An academic vision: Curriculum decisionsCurriculum decisions Instructional design decisionsInstructional design decisions

A data and evaluation design:A data and evaluation design: What information will tell the board whether What information will tell the board whether

their goals are being met?their goals are being met? How will it be collected? Reported?How will it be collected? Reported?

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The application will also require. . . The application will also require. . .

A business plan:A business plan: Facility plan (including obtaining a Facility plan (including obtaining a

Certificate of Occupancy for the planned Certificate of Occupancy for the planned location and leasing costs)location and leasing costs)

Staffing plan (including recruitment and Staffing plan (including recruitment and professional development costs)professional development costs)

Operational and Management planOperational and Management plan Equipment and Furnishings planEquipment and Furnishings plan Budget (balanced with expected revenues)Budget (balanced with expected revenues)

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Step 2: Find an authorizerStep 2: Find an authorizerApproach any eligible authorizer. Even Approach any eligible authorizer. Even if they decline to accept applications, if they decline to accept applications, their board should hear from you about their board should hear from you about why you believe a charter is needed. why you believe a charter is needed.

Use statewide authorizer websites to Use statewide authorizer websites to see when any announce that they have see when any announce that they have charters available and will evaluate the charters available and will evaluate the applications they’ve received. applications they’ve received.

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How long will it take?How long will it take?How much will it cost?How much will it cost?

Experienced charter developers Experienced charter developers suggest that the planning and suggest that the planning and development process to successfully development process to successfully compete for scarce charter “slots” will compete for scarce charter “slots” will require between $250,0000 and require between $250,0000 and $500,000. $500,000.

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Coaching help is availableCoaching help is available

The Michigan Association of Public The Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) has School Academies (MAPSA) has experienced charter developers on experienced charter developers on staff who can coach applicant teams staff who can coach applicant teams through the Charter Application through the Charter Application process. process.

MAPSA: 517/374-9167MAPSA: 517/374-9167

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Consulting help is availableConsulting help is availableThe National Charter School Institute The National Charter School Institute (NCSI) is located here in Michigan, and (NCSI) is located here in Michigan, and provides customized consulting to provides customized consulting to development teams. For instance, development teams. For instance, they have offered:they have offered:

Board governance trainingBoard governance training Policy development assistancePolicy development assistance Curriculum alignment processesCurriculum alignment processes Strategic planning facilitationStrategic planning facilitation

989/774-2999989/774-2999

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Financial help is availableFinancial help is availableThe Michigan Department of Education The Michigan Department of Education offers 12-15 competitive federal offers 12-15 competitive federal “Charter School Program Start-up and “Charter School Program Start-up and Implementation” grants.Implementation” grants. Applications for the current round of grants are Applications for the current round of grants are due on January 10, 2008.due on January 10, 2008. To apply for a grant, a development team must To apply for a grant, a development team must have a charter application on file with a Michigan have a charter application on file with a Michigan authorizer.authorizer. Successful grantees will receive funds by Successful grantees will receive funds by April 1, 2008 for planning toward a Fall 2009 April 1, 2008 for planning toward a Fall 2009 school opening.school opening.

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How do the grants work?How do the grants work?Successful planning grantees receive a Successful planning grantees receive a total of $160,000 in three stages:total of $160,000 in three stages: Upon award, $35,000 is available for Upon award, $35,000 is available for strengthening its Academic Vision and Evaluation strengthening its Academic Vision and Evaluation plan.plan. Upon delivering those products, the grantee Upon delivering those products, the grantee receives another $75,000 to strengthen the receives another $75,000 to strengthen the supporting business plan.supporting business plan. Upon receipt of a charter, a final Upon receipt of a charter, a final $50,000 is $50,000 is available for ramp-up.available for ramp-up.

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How do the grants work?How do the grants work?

Planning grantees that successfully Planning grantees that successfully open their PSA are eligible for two open their PSA are eligible for two more Implementation grants of more Implementation grants of $150,000. Both planning and $150,000. Both planning and implementation grants must be used implementation grants must be used within 36 months of the first award. within 36 months of the first award.

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How do I apply for a grant?How do I apply for a grant?A grant announcement and application A grant announcement and application for the current “Second Round” of for the current “Second Round” of planning grants is available at planning grants is available at www.michigan.gov/charterswww.michigan.gov/charters

Michigan has federal funds for two Michigan has federal funds for two more years of planning and more years of planning and implementation grants, so a similar implementation grants, so a similar amount of funds will be available next amount of funds will be available next year as well. year as well.

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Grant EligibilityGrant EligibilityMichigan PSAs “may not be organized Michigan PSAs “may not be organized by … and shall not have any by … and shall not have any organizational or contractual affiliation organizational or contractual affiliation with a church or other religious with a church or other religious organization” (MCLA 380.502), a organization” (MCLA 380.502), a church is not an eligible grant church is not an eligible grant recipient. recipient. The grant applicant (like the school The grant applicant (like the school board) must be a non-profit with board) must be a non-profit with legitimate, arms-length distance from legitimate, arms-length distance from a church.a church.

November 8, 2007November 8, 2007

Best wishes for your Best wishes for your success! success!

Michigan’s kids deserve Michigan’s kids deserve great schools!great schools!