Welcome to the Prospective Applicant Workshop 2009-2010 Cycle

1. Welcome to the Prospective Applicant Workshop2009-2010 Cycle Presented by Arizona State Board for Charter Schools

2. Purpose of the Prospective Applicant Workshop • What is a Charter School? • ASBCS staff and the role we serve • Application Timelines • Application Instructions • Scoring the Application • Business Section Requirements • Curriculum Section Requirements

3. What is a Charter School?A.R.S. § 15-181 ….Charter Schools are public schools that provide additional academic choices and are established to improve pupil achievement….

4. Charter Schools A.R.S. § 15-181 • Charter Schools are public schools • No fees • No restrictions on population you’ll serve, except by age, grade level and predetermined capacity.

5. Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS)

6. An entity authorized by statute to approve charter applications and enter into contractual agreements with a charter school. A.R.S. §15-182 provides a description of the membership of the State Board for Charter Schools. Definition of a Sponsor

7. Role of ASBCS • ASBCS has oversight and administrative responsibility for the charter schools it sponsors. • Monitor • Accountability

8. Arizona State Board for Charter Schools • We have 347 charter holders operating 451 school sites across the state. • We also oversee 26 charter holders, operating 43 sites sponsored by the State Board of Education.

9. Application Timeline

10. Application Timeline • Board Approved the Application (February 11, 2008) • Technical Assistance Made Available • Prospective Applicant Workshop • March 13 • April 16 • May 9 • June 6 • Advisory Round Table (June) • Soft deadline- June 24, 2008 by 5:00 p.m. • Applicants may submit applications up to the final deadline August 1, 2008 by 5:00 p.m.

11. Importance of Timeframe Case 1. An application package is submitted on June 24, 2008. The Administrative Completeness Review is completed on July 29, 2008 (within the 25 day time-frame) and a letter is sent to the applicant notifying them that the application package is INCOMPLETE. The applicant submits a new application package prior to the August 1, 2008 deadline. The time-frames for Administrative Completeness Review begin with the new submission.

12. Importance of Timeframe Case 2 An application is submitted on July 11, 2008.  The Administrative Completeness Review is completed on August 13, 2008 (within the 25 day time-frame) and a letter is sent to the applicant notifying them that the application is INCOMPLETE.  This applicant cannot resubmit since the deadline has passed.  This application will NOT be forwarded for scoring or for Board approval.

13. Playing it Safe! • June 24, 2008 is your target date for submittal if you want a second chance at Administrative Completeness. • 25% of applications submitted on the deadline date last year did not move forward because they were administratively incomplete.

14. Application Timeline • Application Deadline: • August 1, 2008 by 5:00 p.m.

15. Incomplete Applications • Incomplete Applications submitted on the deadline (August 1, 2008) will not move forward and will be considered closed. • Incomplete Applications submitted prior to June 24, 2008 will have an opportunity to resubmit. • Please do not submit a partially complete application for an Administrative Completeness check.

16. Application Timeline • Technical Review Panel Scoring in September/October • Applicants will be notified of Technical Review Panel results in Late October/Early November • Applicants revise the applications in November and early December

17. Application TimelineTechnical Review Panel Scoring • Applicants whose applications don’t meet scoring criteria can: • Revise and Resubmit within 20 days • Withdraw • Move Forward to Board for consideration without any revisions.

18. Application Timeline • Applications that move forward to the Board will be presented in January.

19. Board Consideration • A.R.S. § 15-183.C.2…. the state board for charter schools may approve the application if the application meets the requirements of this article and may approve the charter if the proposed sponsor determines, within its sole discretion, that the applicant is sufficiently qualified to operate a charter school….

20. Application Instructions

21. Application InstructionsFormat • Be presented on typed, consecutively numbered pages • Follow section formatting • Contain complete information for all items listed on the Application Checklist (Attachment L) • Adhere to page limitations set in each section

22. Application Instruction/Process Submit on or before August 1, 2008 (by 5:00 p.m.): • One (1) binder clip bound, single sided original of a complete application package (including attachment D, E, and F) • Five (5) binder clip bound, single-sided copy of the complete application package without Attachments D, E and F • Note: Attachments D, E and F require the inclusion of information that is confidential by state law . The Board will maintain the confidentiality of original Attachment D, E and F as provided by law. The Board is not responsible for the release of confidential information contained in Attachment D, E, and F that is submitted by the Applicant in a manner other than described herein.

23. Application Instructions/Process • Review of Application for Administrative Completeness • Evaluation of a complete application for substantive completeness by Technical Review Panel • Applicants who meet the scoring criteria from the Technical Review Panel will: • Submit (12) additional double-sided copies of their application without Attachment D, E and F to be forwarded to the Board for Consideration

24. Applicants that Revise and Resubmit • Submit: • One (1) single-sided revised original without Attachment D, E, and f • Thirteen (13) double-sided copies without Attachments D, E, and F • A written request for the application package that fails to meet the scoring criteria to move forward for consideration by the Board, if the applicant chooses to have the Board consider the application under this condition. (Optional)

25. Application Instructions/Process • If the revised application package is administratively incomplete and accompanied by a request to move forward, the Board will be provided with a copy of all work completed to date.

26. Application Instructions • All information presented in the application becomes part of the charter contract and will be used for accountability purposes throughout the term of the charter contract.

27. Scoring of the Application

28. Scoring • Applicants should refer to the Rules, Terms to Know, the Applicant Check List, and the Scoring Criteria when developing the application package.

29. Administrative Completeness Review • Reviewed by ASBCS staff (not a substantive review) • 25 business days to review • Verification that the information presented on the Application Checklist (Attachment L) is included on the pages listed. • Verification that no item is left blank or unanswered • Consistency throughout Application • Information presented must have content that can be evaluated by the Technical Review Panel

30. Technical Review Scoring • Scoring done by the Technical Review Panel • Technical Review Panel is composed of individuals approved and acting on behalf of the Board.

31. Technical Review Scoring • Technical Review Panel utilizes scoring rubric that is found in Part 3 of 3 of the application: • F.A.M.E. scale

32. Technical Review Panel ScoringF.A.M.E. Scale • Falls Below the Expectation-the application does not provide any of the requested elements. • Approaches the Expectation-the application may include some of the requested elements, but does not include ALL the elements. • Meets the Expectation-the application provides all of the requested elements • Exceeds the Expectation-the application provides all the requested elements and additional elaboration is included.

33. Technical Review Panel Scoring • Technical Review Panel will consider: • Clarity of Application • Feasibility of Application • Consistency of Application

34. Technical Review Panel Scoring • Upon review of the completed scoring rubric, if it is determined that: • No scoring area receives a Falls Below the Expectation; and • No more than one scoring area in each section is scored as Approaching; and • 95% of all scored sections score at the Meets or Exceeds level the application is automatically eligible to be forwarded to the Board for consideration.

35. Staff Review • Upon correction and submission of a revised application staff will: • Review corrections and re-score using rubric. • Write a Report that includes: • Background Information • Curriculum/Business Summary with re-scoring of sections

36. Application ContentAttachments

37. Application ContentAttachments • Cover Sheet-Attachment A • Title Page-Attachment B • Target Population-Attachment C • Background Information-Attachment D • Affidavit-Attachment E

38. Application Content Attachments (Continued) • Verifiable Proof of Start-up Funds-Attachment- Attachment F • Compliance Assurances-Attachment G • Workshop Waiver-Attachment H • Application Checklist-Attachment L

39. Questions/Lunch

40. Application ContentCurriculum Requirements

41. Curriculum Emphasis Narrative • Curricular Emphasis Narrative Must include: • Needs Analysis Narrative • Educational Philosophy • Methods of instruction • Methods of Assessment • Remediation Plan • Promotion and Retention plan • Class size • 10 page maximum • Cite research but do not provide research

42. Curriculum RequirementsNeeds Analysis Narrative • Explanation of need or interest for proposed school model • Description of community • Target population of the community • How the community will benefit from the school

43. Curriculum RequirementsEducational Philosophy • Identify the principles or concepts fundamental to the proposed instructional strategies. • Identify the educational concepts that are fundamental to your school design.

44. Curriculum RequirementsMethods of Instruction • The methods of instruction that will be implemented to support your educational philosophy and will be demonstrated in curricular samples • Rationale for using such methods with targeted population

45. Methods of Assessment • How will the school assess student academic gain and how assessments will align to methods of instruction and educational philosophy? • How will academic achievement be monitored throughout the year? • How will assessments be used to guide instructional decisions?

46. Remediation Plan • Narrative description of how the school will structure remediation. • Must include: • Criteria for when remediation will occur • How it will be implemented

47. Promotion and Retention Plan • Identify criteria for grade level promotion and retention: • proficiency levels for academic subject areas and other criteria that would support promotion

48. Class Size • Identify class size for each grade level you intend to serve • Rationale to include support of methods of instruction, target population, and facility description provided on Attachment C.

49. Student Achievement Goals • The applicant is required to provide Performance-Based Student Achievement Goals and a strategic plan for how the school will complete and evaluate those goals. • Performance based student achievement goals allow the school to outline how the school will evaluate student achievement. • Performance goals are another component of the charter contract (application) that will be evaluated and monitored. The intent is for these goals to be meaningful and useful. • 4 page maximum

50. Student Achievement Goals Student Achievement Goals must be: • Performance-based • Some type of assessments that are completed by students • Specific • Identify benchmarks or objectives • Measurable • What tool or device will be used to measure the expected changes. • Attainable • Goals that students are able to achieve • Timely • Provide a timeframe in which the goal will be accomplished