1. Clayton County Board of Education August 31, 2015
charter schools in Georgia
Overview
Clayton County Board of Education
August 31, 2015

2. What is a Charter School?

3. What are Charter Schools?
Public schools of choice
Publicly funded but organized and governed by a Georgia non-profit governing board
Free from many of the regulations that govern traditional public schools
Based on partnerships with local communities and businesses
Georgia charter schools are…

4. What is the basic flexibility bargain?
Accountability
Autonomy
Freedom from state and local controls
Flexibility to Innovate
Waivers from state and local laws, rules, guidelines
CCRPI and Beating the Odds performance measures
Higher Academic Expectations
Students out-perform current level and state.
School districts and schools

5. Using flexibility to improve student achievement
Student Performance
Innovations
Flexibility/
Waivers

6. What is the Origin of Charter Schools?

7. Why charter schools?
Innovation
Choice
Competition
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8. Freedom from many state and district regulations inspires creativity
Innovation
Freedom from many state and district regulations inspires creativity
Advocates see charter schools as incubators of innovation where best practices will be implemented
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9. Can serve as an alternative to failing schools
Choice
Provide choice to parents and students – school quality should not depend on zip code
Can serve as an alternative to failing schools
Can have a specific focus or model that provides a better fit for some students
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10. Competition
Provide market competition to traditional public schools as an incentive for change
Traditional public schools must respond to the challenge to retain or win back students
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11. Four Overlapping Generations of Chartering
1 - Pioneers
Parents, teachers, administrators
Do it our way
Different is better
Limited or no accountability
2 - Entrepreneurs
For-profit companies
Some focused more on student results
Some focused more on the bottom line
Limited or no accountability
3 - social reformers
Non-profit organizations
Focused only on student results
Urban areas
Models that work
Increased academic accountability
4 - Professionals
Experienced school & organization people with proven record of effectiveness
Student achievement is the top priority
High levels of academic, financial, governance, and compliance accountability

12. What Kinds of Charter Schools Does Georgia Have?

13. Types of Georgia Charter Schools (Total=415)
Same starting point as a conversion charter, but a
different end point (serving 33 districts)
Different starting points,
but same end point (serving 56 districts and statewide)
Conversion Charter School LBOE-SBOE-School contract* (22)
Start-up Charter School
(93)
Locally-Approved Charter School
LBOE-SBOE-School contract* (73)
State Charter School SCSC-School contract, SBOE review; school is treated as an LEA* (20)
System Charter School
No contract; school included in LBOE-SBOE charter system contract** (300)
*Conversion and start-up charters must be held by a Georgia nonprofit **System charter schools CANNOT be a Georgia nonprofit and are NOT required to have nonprofit status
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14. What is a start-up charter school?
Charter held by non-profit, but can be initiated by private individuals and organizations, as well as state and local public entities
Can be locally approved (LBOE with SBOE) or a state charter school which is an LEA (Commission with SBOE review)
Definition
Did not exist prior to the petition
Most common type of non-charter system charter school in Georgia (93, including 20 state charter schools)
Facts & Features
Opportunity to start a school with everything needed to be a successful school
Relative Advantages
Must comply with all federal laws and regulations
Must comply with all state laws, rules and regulations not waived by the charter contract
Federal/State Compliance

15. What is a conversion charter school?
Traditional public school that becomes a charter school
Charter held by a non-profit; can be initiated by private individuals and organizations, and state and local public entities
Broad flexibility waiver, higher levels of accountability
Must be locally approved (with SBOE approval required)
Definition
22 conversion charter schools in Georgia
Possible strategy for turning around low-performing schools or implementing innovative programs
Facts & Features
Student population, building, and operational systems and structures are already in place
Relative Advantages
Must comply with all federal laws and regulations
Must comply with all state laws, rules and regulations not waived by the Charter
Federal/State Compliance

16. What is a system charter school?
A school within a charter system
It is included under the 2-party charter contract between the LBOE and SBOE (and therefore does not meet the federal definition of a charter school that requires a performance contract for the school itself)
Definition
Must implement school level governance
Most common type of charter school in Georgia (300)
Facts & Features
School level governance frees the school to choose and implement innovation that benefit students at the school
Relative Advantages
Must comply with all federal laws and regulations
Must comply with all state laws, rules and regulations that cannot be waived (e.g., health and safety)
Federal/State Compliance

17. What is a charter system?
A local district that has an executed charter from the SBOE granting it freedom from almost all of Title 20, SBOE rules, and GaDOE guidelines
Definition
Charter is a contract between district and SBOE
District gains flexibility to innovate in exchange for increased academic accountability
Distributed leadership process
Facts & Features
Flexibility to innovate
Financial savings possible from waivers
Additional per-pupil funding in QBE if appropriated
School level governance required
Relative Advantages/
Disadvantages
Must comply with all federal laws and regulations
Must comply with all state laws, rules and regulations that cannot be waived (e.g., health and safety)
Federal/State Compliance

18. Four Overlapping Generations of Chartering
1 - Pioneers
Parents, teachers, administrators
Do it our way
Different is better
Limited or no accountability
2 - Entrepreneurs
For-profit companies
Some focused more on student results
Some focused more on the bottom line
Limited or no accountability
3 - social reformers
Non-profit organizations
Focused only on student results
Urban areas
Models that work
Increased academic accountability
4 - Professionals
Experienced school & organization people with proven record of effectiveness
Student achievement is the top priority
High levels of academic, financial, governance, and compliance accountability
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19. Georgia Charter School History
First charter law was passed allowing conversion charter schools only
First three conversion schools open
Charter law allows start-up schools (including state chartered special schools)
First start-up charter school opened (Oglethorpe Charter School in Savannah-Chatham)
First two state chartered special schools were created (CCAT and Odyssey School)
Charter law established Georgia Charter Schools Commission (first schools in 2009)
Georgia Supreme Court ruled the Commission law unconstitutional
Constitutional amendment passed to allow new Commission
2013 – New State Charter Schools Commission appointed by SBOE
Charter system and IE2 law passed, followed by first 4 charter systems in
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20. Charter School and Charter System Growth
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21. Number of Charter Schools
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22. Charter Student Enrollment
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23. Number of Charter Schools
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24. Charter School Distribution (excluding Charter System Schools)
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25. Virtual Charter School Student Distribution
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26. Charter System
Strategic Waivers School System (SWSS/IE2)
Title 20/No Waivers School System (Status quo)
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27. Georgia’s High Quality Charter School Requirements
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28. What Makes a Charter School “High-Quality”?
Strong Academic Results
Financial Sustainability
Well-Trained and High-Functioning Governing Board
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
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29. HQCS* Academic Standards
High quality charter schools
Beat the Odds each year
CCRPI will exceed district and state averages each year
* High Quality Charter School

30. Accountability: CCRPI Comparison
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31. CCRPI Comparison by School Type
Accountability:
CCRPI Comparison by School Type
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32. CCRPI Overall Scores - Actual
Note: Charters schools may have more than one score within the distribution. The CCRPI calculates a school level score for grades K-5; 6-8; and 9;12 and schools with grade configurations that span multiple will receive a score for each level.
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33. 9/17/2018

34. 9/17/2018

35. What is BTO?
The Beating the Odds analysis is a cross-sectional regression model
Analytical Aim: Use non-malleable factors to predict performance on a school’s CCRPI
Data: CCRPI school-level dataset, GaDOE student record file, and GaDOE CPI data
Be sure your school’s data in these datasets is accurate!
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36. Beating the Odds Data Sources
To complete the Beating the Odds analysis, an annual unique cross- sectional dataset is created using information from the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement’s Report Card, and the Georgia Department of Education’s Student Record. Data are matched across data sources using the unique concatenation of system ID and school ID variables that are captured within each of the databases.
The primary outcome variable, CCRPI Single Score, is extracted from the Georgia Department of Education’s Accountability website. Outcome variables are extracted after the official release of the CCRPI and results are signed-off by the Georgia Department of Education’s Accountability staff. Beating the Odds uses the CCRPI Single Score without Challenge points. For schools that do not span grade clusters, this score is the Single Score minus Challenge points. For schools that span grade clusters, this score is the weighted average based on enrollment of each grade cluster’s CCRPI score without Challenge points. Enrollment by grade cluster is provided by the Georgia Department of Education’s Accountability Division.
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37. Beating the Odds Data Sources (continued)
Demographic information is provided by the Georgia Department of Education and includes information on full academic year (FAY) students only, as defined by the CCRPI. BTO includes the percentage of students by race/ethnicity: Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Multi-racial, Native American and White. The percentage of students who are White serve as the reference category. The model also includes the percentage of students with disability, the percentage of English Language Learners, and the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL). The 2014 model also includes a variable that indicates whether the school participated in Provision 2 of the Special Assistance Alternatives (SAS) or the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), as provided by the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Program. The percentage FRL is recoded to equal 100% for all CEP and SAS schools.
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38. Beating the Odds Data Sources (continued)
The enrollment number represents the number of K-12 students enrolled at the school during the October FTE count. This information is from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement’s Report Card, as provided by the Georgia Department of Education.
The grade cluster information is based on grades served, as listed on the CCRPI. Schools are classified into one of the following grade clusters: elementary only, elementary and middle, middle only, middle and high, high only, K-12, and primary. The elementary only cluster serves as the reference category.
The churn rate is calculated by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, based on data from the Georgia Department of Education’s Student Record. The churn rate measures the number of student entries and exits during the school year divided by the number of students in the school on the Georgia Department of Education’s fall count date.
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39. Beating the Odds Analytical Technique
Beating the Odds is estimated through the following functional form:
Single Score without Challenge Points =
β0 + β1*(Demographic percentages) + β2*(Enrollment count) + β3*(Grade cluster) + β4*(SAS/CEP) + β5*(Churn rate) + ε
To control for heterogeneity of error, this analysis utilizes a robust standard error approach.
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40. Beating the Odds Estimation & Post-estimation Strategy
To calculate the predicted CCRPI score without Challenge points, the following approach was used. Specifically, a linear prediction from the fitted regression model is specified as:
𝑦 𝑗 = 𝑏 1 𝑥 1𝑗 + 𝑏 2 𝑥 2𝑗 +…+ 𝑏 𝑘 𝑥 𝑘𝑗
such that 𝑥 1𝑗 , 𝑥 2𝑗 ,…, 𝑥 𝑘𝑗 are obtained from the actual reported school- level data.
 After producing the predicted score, BTO estimates a 95% confidence interval to determine whether the predicted CCRPI score is statistically different from the actual CCRPI. The following approach is used to generate the BTO range:
 Generate the predicted scores using the approach described above.
Calculate the standard error of the prediction for each school.
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41. Beating the Odds Estimation & Post-estimation Strategy (continued)
Calculate the lower bound of the confidence interval by subtracting the product of the 1.96 (z-score for the 95th percentile) and the predicted standard error from the predicted score. If the lower bound is less than zero, it is recoded to equal zero. If the lower bound is greater than 100, it is recoded to equal 100.
Calculate the upper bound of the confidence interval by adding the product of the 1.96 (z-score for the 95th percentile) and the predicted standard error to the predicted score. If the upper bound is greater than 100, it is recoded to equal 100.
Schools then receive one of the three following designations:
Beat the Odds: If a school’s actual CCRPI single score is greater than the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval
Met Expectations: If a school’s actual CCRPI single score is within the 95% confidence interval
Did Not Beat the Odds: If a school’s actual CCRPI single score is less than the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval
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42. 2013 Draft BTO 9/17/2018 1 S 3 C 1 S 4 C 1 S 1 C 4 S 1 S 2 S 4 S 2 S

43. BTO and Charter Renewal
Renewal decisions for new charter schools first opening in 2014 or later will be based in part on whether the school “beat the odds” in each of the first four years of its first charter term (Years 1-4)
Renewal decisions for existing charter schools will be based in part on whether the school “beat the odds” in each of the remaining years of its charter term (beginning )
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44. CCRPI, BTO and Charter Renewal
The comparison to local and state CCRPI averages is only significant for those schools not "beating the odds" (BTO)
The key question for future charter renewals is whether a school is "beating the odds" -- i.e., doing better than schools across the state serving similar students in similar situations 
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45. CCRPI, BTO and Charter Renewal
An existing charter school can win renewal if it is beating the odds -- regardless of where its CCRPI stands compared to its local district and the state average
Existing charter schools will never suffer negative consequences merely for attracting students most in need of help!
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46. CCRPI, BTO and Charter Renewal
They will only risk their charters if they fail to add sufficient measurable value while educating the children that do show up.
That's what the BTO measure tells us about a school
Thus, even though it will take them years to catch up with their local district and the state on CCRPI, they will win charter renewal if they continue to beat the odds each year
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47. HQCS Financial Sustainability Standards
Balanced budget
Financial reserves
Qualified CFO
Limited debts or sustainable debt service
Meeting state and local board financial reporting deadlines

48. HQCS Governance Standards
Governing board composition reflects the diversity of the community
Meets regularly and complies with Open Records and Open Meetings Laws
Governing board sticks to governance and stays out of management
Autonomous from local district, CMOs, EMOs and all other organizations
Receives regular updates on academic operational, and financial progress of the school
Participates in regular governing board training each year

49. Governing Board Autonomy
Reliance on authorizer
(local, state) and EMO, CMO
Independence from authorizer (local, state) and ESP
Indicators of Autonomy
Must make personnel decisions (“People”)
Must make decisions about what happens in the school (“Time”)
Must set school budget spending priorities (“Money”)
Can contract for services provided by the district
Must recruit/select governing board members without district or EMO/CMO assistance
Must have independent audit firm and attorney
The school should be as close to this end as possible
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50. Governing Board Autonomy
The “Substantial autonomy” definition in the State Board of Education’s Charter Schools Definitions Rule :
(mm) Substantial autonomy – The nonprofit governing board of a charter school shall have authority to make, but is not limited to, personnel decisions, including selection of the principal or school leader; financial decisions and resource allocation decisions, including establishing the number and type of personnel, curriculum costs, supply costs, equipment costs and maintenance and operations costs; selection of a curriculum and accompanying instructional materials; establishment and monitoring of the achievement of school improvement goals, including approval of the school improvement plan and oversight of its implementation; and operations that are consistent with school improvement goals. The local board shall only override decisions of a conversion charter school’s governing board in those areas where the local board has constitutional authority and has a reasonable belief that a decision will be substantially detrimental to students and is not in the public interest.
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51. Governing Board Autonomy
Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix Is Required of All Applicants
All new and renewal applicants are required to submit a Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
This matrix distinguishes the school’s governing board decision-making authority in personnel decisions, financial decisions, curriculum and instruction, resource allocation, establishing and monitoring the achievement of school improvement goals and school operations from the day to day management responsibilities of the school leader. 
This Matrix is incorporated into the charter contract.
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52. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
Directions: Nonprofit Governing Boards (NGB) of Georgia Charter Schools must have decision-making authority in personnel decisions, financial decisions, curriculum and instruction, resource allocation, establishing and monitoring the achievement of school improvement goals and school operations. However, this authority should be distinguished from the day to day management responsibilities of the school leader. The second column of the matrix below gives examples of NGB authority. Please use the third column of the matrix to describe the actual authority of your NGB and how it will be implemented. The fourth column provides examples of school management authority. Please use the fifth column to list actual management authority and how it will be implemented.
School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
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53. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
Personnel Decisions
Select the principal or school leader, evaluate the school leader (LKES), control ALL hiring decisions, transfers, promotions, demotions, lateral moves, and termination of all faculty and staff
Teacher evaluation (TKES), AP evaluation (LKES), feedback on AP and staff performance, input on principal and faculty goals. Cross-training plan, school administrative succession plan. Criteria/qualifications for substitutes and administrative office positions.
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54. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
 School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
Financial Decisions and Resource Allocation
Establish compensation model including salary schedules, bonus or performance based increases, etc. Develop budget priorities that are aligned with school improvement plan, final school budget approval, establish financial policies and standard operating procedures
Input into the recommendations for  the school budget, including number and type of personnel, curriculum costs, supply costs, equipment costs and maintenance and operations costs
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55. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
Curriculum and Instruction
Final selection of instructional delivery model, final selection of curriculum, including any changes in curriculum as needed to improve student achievement.
Recommend curriculum and accompanying materials consistent with academic and organizational goals in the school's charter contract. Determine whether certification wil lbe required, plan professional development for staff based on training needed to enrich goals of school's charter.
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56. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB
Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
Establishing and monitoring the achievement of school improvement goals
Approve school improvement plan and provide oversight of its implementation, hold principal accountable for implementation and timeline, evaluate success and make revisions as needed
Recommend school improvement plan, hold faculty and staff accountable for implementation and timeline.
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57. Charter School Governance Decision-Making Matrix
School Name
NGB Authority
Actual NGB Authority and How and When NGB Authority will be Implemented
School Mgmt Authority
Actual Mgmt Authority and How and When Mgmt Authority will be Implemented
School Operations
Provide input into school operations that are consistent with school improvement and charter goals, including establishing human resources, financial, operational policies, procedures and handbooks. Establish work schedule and school calendar. Selects student information and financial information systems. Oversees and participates in development of Strategic Plan. Establishes community partnerships and sponsorships.
Develop yearly staff, parent/student handbooks, new teacher and substitute handbooks for board approval. Establish fieldtrips and extracurricular student activities before/after school (Saturdays) to enhance goals of school charter and SIP. Recommend professional development vendors and resources, manage day to day human resources recommend school calendar, recommend co-curriculur and extracurriculur activities
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58. Governing Board Autonomy
For conversion and locally-approved start-up charter schools, exercising substantial autonomy can include the charter school’s Governing Board choosing to:
Receive school support and other services from their school district;
Have their employees payroll be handled by their school district; and
Commit a portion of their per-pupil revenue to their school district to provide for their facility needs.
The key factor is that it is the charter school’s Governing Board choice and that it could also choose to provide all these things for its school on its own, rather than being required by the school district to rely on the district to provide them.
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59. Governing Board Autonomy
Conversion charter school applicants must describe all policies, procedures, and practices that materially distinguish the conversion charter school from the school’s pre-conversion model.
Conversion charter school applicants must also include a statement from their school district detailing the district’s plan to ensure the conversion charter school will operate with substantial autonomy and how the district will ensure its effective support of the charter school, including what, if any, changes it will make to its central office to ensure that the charter school is properly supported and operates with substantial autonomy.
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60. Minimum 4G* Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Minimum or no issues associated with federal Title programs or Special Education
Complies with Charter Schools Act, Rules, charter contract, Guidelines and Guidance
Lottery and application process are fair and legal
Incorporated as a Georgia non-profit
Participates in TRS
ESP does not employ teachers
* Fourth Generation

61. What Steps Should Renewal Applicants Take to Ensure They Are High-Quality Charter Schools?
Complete an evaluation of the school’s current academic progress, financial sustainability, governing board, and legal compliance
Determine if there are any gaps between their status and the high-quality charter school standard
Create and implement a strategic plan to close any gaps
Focus on continuous improvement

62. High Quality Charter Schools
The State Board of Education has made it clear during the past five years that they no longer want “charter schools in name only” – i.e., charter schools that do not meet the High Quality Charter School definition.
For locally-approved charter schools that do not meet this requirement, the choice is transformation into independent, autonomous charter schools, absorption into their district as traditional public schools, or closure.
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63. Charter School Authorizing in Georgia
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64. Who creates Georgia charter schools?
For locally-approved and system charter schools
Local Boards of Education
State Board of Education
For state charter schools
State Charter Schools Commission
State Board of Education (60-day review)
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65. What is an Authorizer?
Authorizers create, oversee, and renew or close charter schools
An authorizer enters into two- or three-party charter contracts with charter school nonprofit governing boards
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66. What Are An Authorizer’s Responsibilities?
An authorizer is an entity that has the authority to create charter schools
Maintain high standards for schools
Set high standards for approving charter schools
Close or non-renew schools that fail to meet standards and targets set forth in law and by contract
Cultivate quality charter schools that meet identified educational needs
Uphold school autonomy
Responsible for holding schools accountable for their overall performance
Minimize administrative and compliance burdens on schools
Focuses on holding charter schools accountable for outcomes not processes
Protect student and public interests
Make the well-being and interests of students the fundamental value informing authorizer actions and decisions
Ensure that schools fulfill fundamental public education obligations to all students including nonselective, nondiscriminatory access to services and the school
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67. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
Review and act on charter school applications (petitions)
Technical assistance to its new and renewal charter applicants
Technical assistance to its charter schools
Develop and implement a strategic plan and policy for its charter schools program
Fiscal management of federal and state charter school grants awarded to its charter schools
Annual report to the State Board of Education

68. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
(1) RESPONSIBILITIES OF LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION. Local boards of education (“local boards”) shall provide control and management of local charter schools and charter systems, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § (b)(2) and State Board of Education Rule
(a) At a minimum, this control and management shall include the following responsibilities for local charter schools:
1. Pre-Charter award or charter renewal:
i. Review and act on local charter school petitions;

69. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
2. Post-Charter award or charter renewal:
Enforce clear expectations for, and ensure achievement of, performance goals set forth in the charters;
Ensure that local charter schools are fiscally sound and operating in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards, including annually reviewing budgets and reviewing working papers as needed;
Ensure that local charter schools comply with the accountability provision of O.C.G.A. § et seq. and federal accountability requirements;

70. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
2. Post-Charter award or charter renewal: (continued)
Evaluate a local charter school’s performance in relation to the expectations and goals set forth in the charter and take appropriate action based on this evaluation;
Develop termination and nonrenewal processes that:

71. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
2. Post-Charter award or charter renewal: (continued)
Allow local charter schools to exercise substantial autonomy over decisions affecting the school. The nonprofit governing board of a charter school shall have authority to make personnel decisions, including selection of the principal or school leader; financial decisions and resource allocation decisions, including establishing the number and type of personnel, curriculum costs, supply costs, equipment costs and maintenance and operations costs; selection of a curriculum and accompanying instructional materials; establishment and monitoring of the achievement of school improvement goals, including approval of the school improvement plan and oversight of its implementation; and operations that are consistent with school improvement goals.

72. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
2. Post-Charter award or charter renewal: (continued)
Provide to the charter school, for inclusion in the locally approved charter petition, the base per-pupil amount that it will receive upon execution of the contract as long as the school system receives state and local revenues upon which the approved school budget is based;
Distribute applicable federal, state, and local funding to local charter schools in a timely manner and in accordance with law; ensure that funds are spent according to applicable laws, rules, policies, and guidelines, including requirements for monitoring the use of federal funds;

73. How Does a Local Authorizer Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
2. Post-Charter award or charter renewal: (continued)
Ensure that the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are met. The local board(s) must have a plan to ensure that the local school system shall:
Develop policies to provide for an expedited review process for high quality charter school renewal, expansion, and replication; and
Publish annually the name and address of each unused facility located in the school district that it governs.

74. How Does the SBOE/GaDOE Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?
Review and act on charter school applications (petitions)
Technical assistance to local school systems that authorize charter schools
Technical assistance to new and renewal charter applicants
Develop and implement a strategic plan and policy for the state’s charter schools program
Management of federal and state charter school grants
Annual report to the General Assembly

75. How Does The SCSC Fulfill Its Obligations as an Authorizer?
Review and act on charter school applications (petitions)
Technical assistance to state charter schools
Technical assistance to new and renewal state charter school applicants
Develop and implement a strategic plan and policy for meeting the state’s need for high quality state charter schools
Ensure state charter school compliance
Annual report to the State Board of Education

76. Charter School Approval Process
LBOE
GaDOE
SBOE
New locally-approved start-up charter school
Approval
Review and make recommendation to SBOE
Approval
Start-up petition Y Y N N
End
(See next page for state charter school option)
Conversion petition
Approval
Review and make recommendation to SBOE
Approval
New conversion charter school Y Y N N
End
End

77. State Charter School Approval Process
Start-up petition for defined attendance zone
LBOE where school will be located
Commission
SBOE
Approval Y
(See previous page) N
Commission petition for defined attendance zone
Approval
Overrule
New state charter school Y N Y N
End
End
Commission petition for statewide attendance zone
Petition to district in which school will be located for information only (not required for virtual schools)

78. Charter System Approval Process
LBOE
GaDOE
SBOE
Review and make recommendation to SBOE
Charter system petition
Approval
Approval Y Y
New charter system N N
End
End
Charter Advisory Committee review and recommendation to SBOE

79. What is the SBOE/GaDOE Charter Petition Review Process?
Deadlines
First come, first served
Petition reviewed
Legal review to ensure eligibility
Substantive review
GaDOE panel interview with applicant
Letter to applicant
Core focus
Compliance
Applicant responds to letter
GaDOE makes approval/denial recommendations to SBOE
SBOE views Item for Information
SBOE considers Action Item
Execution of the Contract

80. What Steps does GaDOE Take to Ensure Only High-Quality Charter Schools are Recommended for Approval?
Provide petition writing workshops and technical assistance
Complete a comprehensive review of school’s submitted petition for legal compliance
Analyze academic performance for the duration of the charter school’s term (or projected performance)
Interview the charter school’s governing team
Provide an opportunity for an applicant to submit supplemental information to provide clarity
Make recommendations to the SBOE based on a charter school’s alignment to the High Quality Charter School standards

81. When Does GaDOE Recommend An Existing Charter School for Denial?
School has not fulfilled terms of charter contract
School has not made sufficient academic progress
School’s governing board has not received adequate training is ineffective
School’s governing board has not made sound financial decisions or has accumulated a large amount of debt
School has not made a sincere effort to address identified petition or operating deficiencies

82. When Should an Authorizer Close a Charter School?*
Failure to meet state standards
Failure to meet charter goals and standards
Academic Performance
Failure to comply with financial reporting requirements and deadlines
History of delinquent payments (lease, loans, equipment, TRS, SHBP)
History of operating deficits, unsustainable debt, and financial instability
Financial Management
Governing board instability and poor recruitment
Governing board makes poor decisions that have not been in the best interest of the charter school’s students
Governing board lacks the will or capacity to change and improve
Governance
Failure to comply with material elements of a school’s charter, state or federal laws
Compliance issues that jeopardize student safety or access to special education services
Legal and Regulatory Compliance Issues
*These guidelines are based on NACSA’s Red Flags for identifying “bad” schools.

83. Why Should Authorizers Close Schools?
Safeguard Students and Parents
Authorizers are responsible for ensuring that their schools provide a safe learning environment that prepare students for college and careers
Protect the public interest from poor governance or financial mismanagement
Charter schools are PUBLIC entities that receive PUBLIC funds. They must be held to high standards to good stewardship of public funds and trust
Maintain high standards and integrity
Charter schools are part of a larger reform movement. Low-quality charter schools hurt the larger reform movement and jeopardize future success for all charter schools and students

84. Accountability Project
Assess academic, financial, organizational, governance, and compliance performance of all charter schools
Notification sent out if charter school is not meeting the standard
Remediation period if issue is not jeopardizing students
Close schools that are jeopardizing students or failing to remediate
Use information gleaned from this project to improve state and local charter school authorizing

85. Clayton County’s Locally-Approved Start-up Charter Schools Strength and Challenges
9/17/2018

86. Compared to High Quality Charter School Criteria
Academic Standards
CCRPI and BTO
School Name
Cluster
Grades
CCRPI
Predicted low range
Predicted high range
BTO
Elite Scholars Academy School
M,H
6-12
85.6
58.9
71.1
Beat the Odds
Unidos Dual Language Charter School
E,M
K-8
57.1
64.1
68.0
Did Not Beat the Odds
9/17/2018

87. Compared to High Quality Charter School Criteria
Academic Standards
CCRPI and BTO
School Name
Cluster
Grades
CCRPI
Predicted low range
Predicted high range
BTO
Elite Scholars Academy School
M,H
6-12
84.1
63.8
75.3
Beat the Odds
Unidos Dual Language Charter School
E,M
K-8
67.1
65.1
69.0
Met Expectations
9/17/2018

88. Compared to High Quality Charter School Criteria
Academic Standards
CCRPI and BTO
School Name
Cluster
Grades
CCRPI
Predicted low range
Predicted high range
BTO
Elite Scholars Academy School
M,H
6-12
86.8
65.7
77.3
Beat the Odds
Unidos Dual Language Charter School
E,M
K-8
64.2
62.8
66.7
Met Expectations
9/17/2018

89. Compared to High Quality Charter School Criteria
Financial Sustainability Standards
No way to tell since no school-level financial reports were filed for either school
Governance Standards
No evidence presented of well-trained and high- functioning governing boards
Little evidence of governing autonomy
Legal and Regulatory Compliance Standards
Out of compliance with requirement to file annual audit report
9/17/2018

90. Compared to High Quality Charter School Criteria
Clayton County School District's two locally- approved charter schools appear to be closer to “charter schools in name only” than independent, autonomous charter schools
The schools and the districts must decide whether these schools will undergo a transformation into independent, autonomous charter schools or be absorbed by the district as traditional public schools
The Georgia Department of Education will support the district and the schools whatever they decide
9/17/2018

91. Additional Information
Aarti Sharma
Director
District Flexibility and
Charter Schools Division
Janelle Cornwall
Staff Attorney
District Flexibility and
Charter Schools Division
Louis Erste
Associate Superintendent,
Policy, Charter Schools,
District Flexibility, and Governmental Affairs
9/17/2018

92. Charter School and Charter System Academic Performance
9/17/2018

93. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

94. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

95. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

96. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

97. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

98. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

99. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

100. Academic Performance
9/17/2018

101. Where is Georgia chartering headed?
525 approved charter schools by the end of
415 + Petition Pipeline (10 start-ups charter system schools)]
Increased communication and collaboration with local district authorizers
Expanded partnerships with CAC, GCCS, AdvancED, GCSA, GSSA, GSBA
Expanded charter school and charter system
governance training, partnerships within GaDOE and with school districts
Revised Charter Schools Rules, Guidelines, and Guidance
Progress on charter school funding
9/17/2018