Adopting Procedures for Review of Charter School Applications
Resolution Number 2004-36
July 21, 2004
The Board of Education adopts procedures for review of charter school applications, as follows:
Virginia Board of Education
Procedures for Review of Charter School Applications
Directions for Submission
The charter school applicant may submit its proposed charter application to the Board of Education (BOE) for review and comment. The Board of Education’s review shall take place prior to the submission to the local school board. Reviews will occur on an ongoing basis. Six (6) copies of the application must be received at the Department of Education (DOE).
The applications should be addressed to:
Executive Assistant to the Board of Education
Virginia Department of Education
P. O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120
In accordance with the law, the Board of Education will review the applications based on the following criteria: feasibility, curriculum, and financial soundness. For ease of reference, the charter school applicant should highlight and index or cross-reference all areas of the application that refer to the feasibility, curriculum, and financial soundness of the application.
An initial review of the applications will take place by a committee appointed by the Board of Education. The committee shall present comments to the board based on the established criteria. If the criteria have not been met, the committee shall make note of the reason(s).
Review Process
The Department of Education will ensure that all documents are complete and distribute the applications to committee members. Applications will be reviewed by the committee, and the committee shall prepare comments for the board based on the application’s conformation to the established board criteria. The committee shall be comprised of individuals who represent several areas. They are:
- Board of Education member appointed by the board president to serve as committee chair
- Individuals from the educational community having background in budget, curriculum, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and special education
- A local representative from a school division that already has a charter school (other than the division of the applicant)
The Board of Education will accept the committee’s report for review and comment. The report and the board’s comment will be sent to the public charter school applicant with a copy to the local school superintendent and board chair.
Criteria for Virginia Board of Education
Review of Charter School Applications
Introduction
The charter school legislation states that a public charter school applicant may submit its proposed charter application to the Board of Education for review and comment. The Board of Education’s review shall take place prior to the submission to the local board.
Board of Education Responsibility
The Board of Education shall examine applications for feasibility, curriculum, financial soundness, and other objective criteria as the board may establish, consistent with existing state law. The board's review and comment shall be for the purpose of providing technical assistance and verifying that the application addresses established criteria. It shall not include consideration as to whether the application shall be approved by the local school board.
Criteria
In accordance with the law, criteria have been established by the Board of Education and organized into three areas stipulated in the law: feasibility, curriculum, and financial soundness. These areas and the supporting criteria will be reviewed by the Board of Education. If the criteria have not been met addressed, the board shall make note of the reason(s).
Qualifying Statements
Several statements will accompany the final report of the Board of Education for each charter school application reviewed. They are:
A statement verifying that the Board of Education’s review is conducted outside the context of the division from which the charter school application was submitted and with no additional information or representative from that division. The review is based only on information presented in the application, which may or may not present accurately the local school division’s instructional programs, operations, finances, or other information specific to a particular school division.
A qualifying statement verifying that all documents are complete only in the view of the Board of Education for the purposes of its actions in compliance with Section 22.1-212.9 C of the Code of Virginia.
A statement recommending that the local school board of a division receiving such application make an independent judgment as to the completeness of the charter school application for its review for implementation.
Area 1: Feasibility(References Sections I, II, III, and IV of the Virginia School Board Association [VSBA] charter school application, revised 5/04)
A. Mission statement (Section I)
The mission of the proposed charter school, including any specific area of concentration, is described. The statement includes the core philosophy or purpose of the school as well as the target student population. The mission is consistent with the Standards of Quality.
Criterion Addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____B. Goals and educational objectives that meet or exceed the Standards of Learning
(Section II)
The application describes the goals and educational objectives of the proposed charter school and includes broad student achievement goals. The objectives are a concrete and measurable statement of what students should know and be able to do at various levels of education. They identify practices that will improve teaching and enhance learning.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____C. Evidence of support from parents, teachers, pupils, residents of the school division, in support of the formation of the public charter school (Section III)
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____D. Statement of need (Section IV)
The need for the charter school and how that need was determined is described.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____E. Comment on the criteria that were not addressed and the reasons (e.g., insufficient information, missing information, etc.).
Area 2: Curriculum(References Sections V, VI of the Virginia School Board Association [VSBA] charter school application, revised 5/04)
A. Public charter school’s educational program (Section V)
The application describes the curriculum and the methods of instruction, including teaching materials and any innovative techniques to be used.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____B. Pupil performance standards (Section V)
The application lists the pupil performance standards and how they were established.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____C. Pupil evaluation: assessments, timeline and corrective action (Section VI)
The application describes the plan for evaluating student performance, including any assessments to be used to measure pupil progress towards achievement of the school’s pupil performance standards, in addition to the Standards of Learning assessments.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____D. Included in the document is a timeline for the achievement of the stated standards and goals and a procedure for corrective action if student performance fall below the stated standards and goals. (Section VI)
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____E. Comment on the criteria that were not addressed and the reasons (e.g., insufficient information, missing information, etc.).
Area 3: Financial Soundness(References Section VIII of the Virginia School Board Association [VSBA] charter school application, revised 5/04). The review by the Board of Education is not intended to address the funds a local school board will provide the charter school. It is a technical review only, commenting on how the application addresses the criteria.
A. Financial Plan: Evidence of economical soundness, proposed budget and annual audit
A budget is provided. Included in the application are detailed sources of revenue and expenditures for the term of the charter and a description of the manner in which an annual audit of the financial and administrative operation of the charter school, including any services provided by the school division, will be conducted. Anticipated gifts, grants, or donations and a student fee scheduled are included.
Criterion addressed _____ Criterion not addressed _____B. Comment if the criterion was not addressed and the reasons (e.g., insufficient information, missing information, etc.).
Thomas M. Jackson, Jr., President
Board of Education
Adopted in the Minutes of the Virginia Board of Education
July 21, 2004