May 1, 2012May 1, 2012

So You Want to Start a So You Want to Start a Charter School in Charter School in

Michigan?Michigan?

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First, make sure the concept fits:First, make sure the concept fits:

Are you . . . Are you . . . committed to helping kids learn? committed to helping kids learn? excited about innovative excited about innovative

approaches to learning?approaches to learning? passionate about giving families passionate about giving families

more choice in how their students more choice in how their students are served?are served?

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . .

Are you . . . Are you . . . willing to comply with the full state willing to comply with the full state

revised school code? revised school code? willing to admit anyone who applies willing to admit anyone who applies

without exception (and hold a without exception (and hold a lottery to decide which students get lottery to decide which students get it if you have more applicants than it if you have more applicants than space?)space?)

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . .

Are you . . . Are you . . . ready to find and hire Highly ready to find and hire Highly

Qualified teachers (as defined by Qualified teachers (as defined by NCLB)? NCLB)?

prepared to accept public prepared to accept public responsibility for bringing students responsibility for bringing students to state proficiency standards even to state proficiency standards even if they come to you several grades if they come to you several grades behind expectations?behind expectations?

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Concept check continued . . . Concept check continued . . .

Are you . . . Are you . . . prepared to fully serve students with prepared to fully serve students with

special needs? special needs? prepared to find and use a building prepared to find and use a building

that meets full state revised school that meets full state revised school code requirements and can earn a code requirements and can earn a current Certificate of Occupancy? current Certificate of Occupancy? (Many old school facilities do not)(Many old school facilities do not)

May 1, 2012May 1, 2012

If all those answers If all those answers were “YES”. . . were “YES”. . .

Welcome to the challenge of Welcome to the challenge of starting starting

a charter school!a charter school!

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Next step: What IS a charter?Next step: What IS a charter?

In Michigan, a charter school . . . In Michigan, a charter school . . . is organized under the State Revised is organized under the State Revised

School Code School Code as a Public School Academy [Part 6A, MCL 380.501], as a Public School Academy [Part 6A, MCL 380.501],

oror As a Urban High Schools [Part 6C, MCL 380.521] As a Urban High Schools [Part 6C, MCL 380.521]

(Urban High Schools can include K-8 feeder schools (Urban High Schools can include K-8 feeder schools as well), oras well), or

As a School of Excellence [Part 6E, MCL 380.551]As a School of Excellence [Part 6E, MCL 380.551] As a Strict Discipline Academy to serve suspended, As a Strict Discipline Academy to serve suspended,

expelled or adjudicated youth [MCL 380.1311b]expelled or adjudicated youth [MCL 380.1311b]

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t) What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

With one exception, a Public School With one exception, a Public School Academy… Academy…

gets its “charter” to operate from:gets its “charter” to operate from: a state public university anywhere in the a state public university anywhere in the

state,state, the community college for its location, the community college for its location, the Intermediate School District for its the Intermediate School District for its

location, orlocation, or the Local School District for its location.the Local School District for its location.

serves any combination of Grades Pre-K serves any combination of Grades Pre-K through 12 as specified in the charter through 12 as specified in the charter contract.contract.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

A Public School Academy A Public School Academy receives “state aid” funding of receives “state aid” funding of

roughly $7000 per child attending.roughly $7000 per child attending. uses these operational funds to pay uses these operational funds to pay

for everything needed, including for everything needed, including facility costs.facility costs.

may qualify for additional Title I, II, may qualify for additional Title I, II, III, V and VI federal funding if the III, V and VI federal funding if the PSA serves at-risk children.PSA serves at-risk children.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

A Public School Academy A Public School Academy is a Michigan, Non-Profit Corporation is a Michigan, Non-Profit Corporation

governed by an autonomous school board governed by an autonomous school board appointed by the authorizer and appointed by the authorizer and accountable under oath to act in the best accountable under oath to act in the best interests of the children it serves.interests of the children it serves.

is required to conduct its business at is required to conduct its business at open, public meetings with agendas open, public meetings with agendas posted in advance.posted in advance.

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What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)What IS a Michigan Charter? (con’t)

A Public School Academy A Public School Academy may hire a management company may hire a management company

(Education Service Provider) to (Education Service Provider) to operate all or any part of the school. operate all or any part of the school.

has a fiduciary responsibility to has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that any management ensure that any management services it uses are purchased at services it uses are purchased at “fair market value.” “fair market value.”

May 1, 2012May 1, 2012

If it still looks good If it still looks good to you . . . to you . . .

What’s the next step? What’s the next step?

How do you get started?How do you get started?

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Step 1: Build a competitive Step 1: Build a competitive charter applicationcharter application

Many authorizers use a similar “Phase Many authorizers use a similar “Phase One” application to screen applicants One” application to screen applicants and select those with whom they move and select those with whom they move to a more intensive “Phase Two” set of to a more intensive “Phase Two” set of negotiations. negotiations.

A sample Phase One application is A sample Phase One application is available at available at www.mccsa.us under under “Authorizer Resources.” “Authorizer Resources.”

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The application will require. . . The application will require. . . Documented evidence of need:Documented evidence of need:

Community AnalysisCommunity Analysis Parent profile and preferences Parent profile and preferences

An academic vision:An academic vision: Curriculum decisionsCurriculum decisions Instructional design decisionsInstructional design decisions

A data and evaluation design:A data and evaluation design: What information will tell the board whether What information will tell the board whether

their goals are being met?their goals are being met? How will it be collected? Reported?How will it be collected? Reported?

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The application will also require. . . The application will also require. . .

A business plan:A business plan: Facility plan (including obtaining a Facility plan (including obtaining a

Certificate of Occupancy for the planned Certificate of Occupancy for the planned location and leasing costs)location and leasing costs)

Staffing plan (including recruitment and Staffing plan (including recruitment and professional development costs)professional development costs)

Operational and Management planOperational and Management plan Equipment and Furnishings planEquipment and Furnishings plan Budget (balanced with expected revenues)Budget (balanced with expected revenues)

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Step 2: Find an authorizerStep 2: Find an authorizer

Approach any eligible authorizer. Even Approach any eligible authorizer. Even if they decline to accept applications, if they decline to accept applications, their board should hear from you their board should hear from you about why you believe a charter is about why you believe a charter is needed. needed.

Use statewide authorizer websites to Use statewide authorizer websites to see when any announce that they see when any announce that they have charters available and will have charters available and will evaluate the applications they’ve evaluate the applications they’ve received. received.

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How long will it take?How long will it take?

Experienced charter developers Experienced charter developers suggest that the planning and suggest that the planning and development process to successfully development process to successfully compete for a charter takes at least 8 compete for a charter takes at least 8 to 12 months. to 12 months.

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Help is AvailableHelp is Available

The charter school program in Michigan has The charter school program in Michigan has been evolving since 1994. As such, there been evolving since 1994. As such, there are a number of experienced coaches and are a number of experienced coaches and consultants available to assist you in your consultants available to assist you in your effort. MDE’s Public School Academies unit effort. MDE’s Public School Academies unit has experienced charter consultants on staff has experienced charter consultants on staff that can help you navigate through the that can help you navigate through the processes. You can call us at (517) processes. You can call us at (517) 373-4631, or email us at 373-4631, or email us at MDEPSAGrant@michigan.gov MDEPSAGrant@michigan.gov

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Financial help is availableFinancial help is availableThe Michigan Department of Education The Michigan Department of Education offers competitive federal “Charter offers competitive federal “Charter School Program Planning and School Program Planning and Implementation” grants.Implementation” grants.Application documents are posted at the Application documents are posted at the www.michigan.gov/charters website. website.To apply for a grant, a development team must To apply for a grant, a development team must be a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation with a be a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation with a federal employer Identification number and a DUNS federal employer Identification number and a DUNS number.number.Applications are submitted and processed through Applications are submitted and processed through the Michigan Electronic Grants System –Plus the Michigan Electronic Grants System –Plus (MEGS+).(MEGS+).

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How do the grants work?How do the grants work?Successful planning subgrantees Successful planning subgrantees receive a total of $100,000 in two receive a total of $100,000 in two stages:stages:Upon award, $35,000 is available for Upon award, $35,000 is available for strengthening its Academic Vision and Evaluation strengthening its Academic Vision and Evaluation plan.plan.Upon delivering those products, the grantee Upon delivering those products, the grantee receives another $65,000 to strengthen the receives another $65,000 to strengthen the supporting business plan.supporting business plan.A planning subgrantee may be eligible for A planning subgrantee may be eligible for implementation funds once they receive a district implementation funds once they receive a district code.code.

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How do the subgrants work?How do the subgrants work?

Implementation subgrants may be Implementation subgrants may be awarded in the amount of up to awarded in the amount of up to $200,000 in each of two years. Both $200,000 in each of two years. Both planning and implementation planning and implementation subgrants must be used within 36 subgrants must be used within 36 months of the start date of the months of the start date of the planning subgrant. planning subgrant.

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How do I apply for a grant?How do I apply for a grant?The charter school planning grant The charter school planning grant announcement and application is announcement and application is available at available at www.michigan.gov/charters

Michigan has federal funds for Michigan has federal funds for planning and implementation grants planning and implementation grants though 2015, so a similar amount of though 2015, so a similar amount of funds may be available next year. funds may be available next year.

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Grant EligibilityGrant EligibilityMichigan PSAs “may not be organized Michigan PSAs “may not be organized by … and shall not have any by … and shall not have any organizational or contractual affiliation organizational or contractual affiliation with a church or other religious with a church or other religious organization” [MCL 380.502], a church organization” [MCL 380.502], a church is not an eligible grant recipient. is not an eligible grant recipient.

The grant applicant (like the school The grant applicant (like the school board) must be a non-profit with board) must be a non-profit with legitimate, arms-length distance from legitimate, arms-length distance from a church.a church.

May 1, 2012May 1, 2012

Best wishes for your Best wishes for your success! success!

Michigan’s kids deserve Michigan’s kids deserve great schools!great schools!