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Overview
of Charter Start-Up Activities
The Idea
Create a team of people who share your vision and can help
you develop a school. You need people who can help you develop a strong
educational program and a successful small nonprofit business. At a
minimum, your founding group should include: educators, business/financial
managers, active community members and parents. Consider a lawyer, people
involved with other charter schools, people who have served on nonprofit
boards. Access other experts, as needed.
With your team, develop your school's mission.
What students will it serve and how? What is your approach to teaching
and learning? Why is this school a strong alternative for promoting
high student achievement? In what ways is the school designed to meet
one or more of the purposes of the charter school law?
Conduct a market analysis to determine whether
there is a need for your program and interest among parents and students
in your community.
Developing the Charter Proposal
The charter proposal forces you to think through all the elements of
operating a strong charter school. This includes, first and foremost,
your educational program and student achievement goals, but also covers
issues of governance, staffing, financial management and operations.
Refine and articulate your school's vision and mission.
Identify members of interim board of directors and
committee structure.
Develop your school design, including curriculum, instructional
methods and assessments. The learning program should be research-based
and aligned with Minnesota's academic standards.
Plan for how the school will serve students with special
education needs and students and families with limited English
language ability.
Develop expectations for parent involvement. Parents
should be involved early and often.
Develop clear and measurable goals for student achievement
(both academic and nonacademic), and identify how progress towards
those goals will be measured. Become familiar with state testing requirements.
Determine the composition and responsibilities of
staff. Become familiar with state licensure requirements.
Consider facilities needs and availability.
Develop a three-year projected budget with a positive
fund balance. Revenue should be based on projected enrollment, state
and federal funding streams and any other projected revenue. Expenses
should cover the range of expenses related developing and operating
a school.
Build support for the school within your community.
Identify an organization that agrees to serve as your
sponsor.
After Your Charter is Approved
Negotiate and enter into contract with your sponsor. This must be done
within 90 days of charter approval.
Submit application to the Minnesota Department of Education
for start-up funds through the Federal Charter School Grant Program.
This application is due approximately two months from the date you submit
your charter application.
Prepare to Open
There is a lot to do during the period between charter approval and
school opening, which usually lasts 1-2 years. Although you can't plan
for everything, the extent to which you have good systems in place when
you open will affect your ability to focus on promoting student achievement
and to adjust to (the inevitable) unexpected situations.
Of the many things you need to do to implement a strong
program, four are especially critical. They are: 1) hiring a school
leader/leadership team; 2) securing a facility; 3) developing the educational
program; and 4) recruiting students.
Personnel
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Hire school leader/leadership team.
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Recruit, hire and train staff well-qualified to implement your
program and, for instructional staff, who meet the state licensure
requirements. Hire consultants, as necessary. Develop personnel
policies and procedures. Develop plans for ongoing professional
development. Develop employee benefits package.
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Develop learning program, aligned with Minnesota academic standards.
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Refine accountability system to include clear, measurable goals
and objectives and ways to measure progress. Identify short, medium
and longterm goals and use multiple measures to determine progress,
including those required by the state. Establish system to collect
baseline data.
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Retain special education director and formalize plan for providing
services to students with special needs.
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Develop student/parent handbook, student code of conduct and discipline
policies.
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Develop forms for collecting student data and for student activities.
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Build a strong, shared school culture among the staff, board and
families. Develop plans for ongoing parent involvement.
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Legally establish school as a Minnesota nonprofit corporation or
cooperative and obtain Federal tax-exempt status and state sales
tax exemption.
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Draft By-Laws governing the operation (and election) of the Board
of Directors.
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Purchase equipment, furniture, materials and supplies.
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Finalize policies and procedures for transportation and food service.
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Establish systems for financial management, accounting and reporting.
Develop 3-5 year budgets and cash flow analyses (have several projections
based on different enrollment figures). Open a bank account and
develop internal controls policies. Establish relationship with
lender for bridge financing, line of credit, etc., if possible.
Develop a business plan.
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Develop systems for reporting financial and student data to state.
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Obtain appropriate insurance, including Directors and Officers,
general liability and property insurance.
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Identify sources of financial support and access available funding.
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