1. Pre-Applicant Training| SC Public Charter School District| Robert Compton, Ph.D. Developing the Academic Program

2.  Chapter 7: Serving Students with Special Needs – IDEA – Section 504 – ESOL  Chapter 8 – Student Discipline, Suspension, and Expulsion – Student Handbook – Student’s Rights and Responsibilities – Disciplining Students with Disabilities – FERPA  Chapter 5 – Educational Program – Curriculum & Instructional Design – Meeting the Needs of Struggling Learners  Chapter 6: Goals/Objectives & Evaluation – Goals/Objectives – Progress Monitoring – State (Summative) and Formative Assessments Educational/Academic Sections the Charter Application

3.  The charter school’s educational program must include how it will meet or exceed the academic performance standards and expectations, including academic standards adopted by the State Board of Education and how the instructional design, learning environment, class size and structure, curriculum, and teaching methods enable each pupil to achieve these standards per S.C. Code Ann. § 59-40-60 (F)(5). What is the Educational Program

4. Mission / Improving Educational Outcomes Curriculum Instructional Design Learning Environment Begin with the End in Mind – How/Why?

5.  What’s the chosen Curriculum?  What research exists to support the curriculum in specifically helping the school fulfil its mission? – The research should support using the curriculum with the student body that the proposed school will likely attract, and benchmark assessments should be chosen to align with the curriculum.  Things to keep in mind: – Curriculum IS NOT just something you buy – One size DOES NOT fit all – If the plan is to have “the teachers develop the curriculum” what is your plan for the first year when the teachers haven’t had time to “develop the curriculum?” Curriculum

6.  What is the school’s instructional design?  What research exists to support the instructional design in specifically helping the school fulfil its mission? – The research should support the chosen instructional design with the student body that the proposed school will likely attract.  Other Design Components to Consider: – Class size – Daily Schedule – Teaching Methods  Things to Keep in Mind: – It’s not a competition to see how many educational buzz words you can Google and add to your application  Are you really going to create a single-gender, STEM, Language Immersion, arts infused, project based learning, outdoor educational program that focuses on the use of American Sign Language? Instructional Design/Learning Environment

7.  In a nutshell: – What is your chosen educational program (including curriculum, instructional design, learning environment, class size, and teaching methods)? – How is the chosen educational program:  research-based for the anticipated population (school mission)?  data-driven for the anticipated population (school mission)? – What evidence exists showing how the educational program will meet/exceed the academic performance expectations of the State and how it will close the achievement gap? The Educational Program

8.  What is the school’s plan to meet the needs of struggling learners through an intervention process?  Specifically: – What meets the criteria of struggling learner (how will you know)? – What will be done differently for these learners (what’s the actual plan)? – What additional resources will be needed for the school to meet the needs of these students?  Things to keep in mind: – We’re not talking about special education – Don’t just say “RTI” or “child study teams” – thoroughly describe your process Struggling Learners (everyone)

9. Section Review

10.  Does your application thoroughly cover the following: – Articulate how the academic focus supports the school’s mission. – Describe the most important characteristics of the academic plan, including the curriculum and any specific educational philosophy, instructional methods, or other important features of the proposed school. – Describe research supporting the academic plan and how the plan will drive academic improvement for all students and help close achievement gaps. – Explain why the instructional strategies are well-suited for the targeted student population. – Explain how the academic plan aligns with South Carolina’s academic standards. – Describe how the school will implement a response to intervention process, including a plan for how data will be collected, progress will be monitored, and instructional decisions made related to student performance. Did You Cover

11. Additional Application Components

12.  What courses are you going to offer to meet the South Carolina State High School Diploma requirements?  Are you going to exceed the requirements? If so, what happens to a student who meets the State requirements, but doesn’t meet the additional requirements? For High Schools

13.  A timeline for curriculum development  How the school will comply with the 25% real time requirement  A description of how much teacher interaction the student will receive  A description of the LMS For Virtual/Blended Schools

14.  For the Appendices: – School Yearly and Daily Calendar – Supporting documents/research for the chosen educational program – List of teaching positions, grades, and content areas the teachers will instruct and required qualifications/certification For Everyone

15. Questions?