March 2015

Exceptional Children programmatic issues – from THE FIRST DAY Failure to have appropriate policies OR failing to follow them Ignoring issues because they “will just go away” Test security or implementation Enrollment/lottery

 Charter School Law  115C-218  State Board policies  TCS-U series ▪ 003 – 30 day admission cycle ▪ 004 – liability insurance ▪ 006 – $$ impact of not starting year meeting certification requirements ▪ 014 – amendment process  Charter Agreement  Must have conflict of interest and nepotism policies**  Cannot hire teacher with revoked license  Notification of default  Fees that LEA charges  SBE may do announced or unannounced visits

 TCS-U-017 (Bid Process)  On a case-by-case basis  Statute says who can assume a charter: ▪ Comparable to LEA in academics ▪ Clean financials ▪ Compliant with law, policies, and bylaws 1.Revision of Renewal policy 2.Recodification 3.Governance policy???

 SBE Strategic Plan directs OCS to create  is the baseline year for data  Held regional meetings and presented to CSAB  Will present 3 year trend 1.Academic 2.Operational 3.Finance

Teacher, employed by the charter school, may be a board member but that person must be NONVOTING Balance this with the Charter Agreement…. No employee of charter school is immediate family of board member No employee shall be a voting member of the board No board member is employee of for-profit company serving the school Renewal is 10 years unless one of the following: Not financially sound audits for 3 years Not comparable with LEA academics last three years Current compliance issues

Expand one grade lower without SBE approval if….*** Academics are comparable to LEA in previous year Financial audits are sound previous year School in compliance Operation for less than 3 years Board member preference is no longer reserved for the first year only Cannot exceed 15% (for board and staff children) of total

If single gender mission, the charter may limit admission on gender Statutory – Public Records Act and NC Open Meetings Law CFO memo and yearly submission Follow Retention and Disposition Schedule for LEAs put forward by Department of Cultural Resources Funding of charters LEAs must provide additional info in local current expense fund One year to pay settlement Permanent plates if you run buses to pick up children

Annual distribution of school/cyber bullying policies Charters are encouraged to have…if you do, then shall provide policy to staff, students, and parents in student/employee handbooks You must be thinking about this RIGHT NOW!! Property insurance system by SBE – stay tuned….

AP/IB pay testing fees for students (if funds are available) Epi-pens and auto-injectors….effective 11/1/2014 Funds for charter school closure -- $50,000 Groups that submit initial charters or their renewal AFTER bill is law

CONSULT WITH YOUR ATTORNEY FOR ADDITIONAL INTERPRETATION Students may voluntarily pray, express religious viewpoints at school (and in assignments), organize prayer groups, and possess or distribute literature Personnel cannot be prohibited from adopting a “religious posture” during the student-initiated activity Student prohibited from the above IF the school needs to do so for purposes of maintaining order, discipline, or the rights of other students

DO NOT FORGET: charter schools have curriculum flexibility A curriculum review board is formed to look at the standards May keep some components of the common core Common Core and Essential Standards remain in place for now State Board of Education must approve any new curriculum