CACSA/CDE Quarterly Authorizer Meeting
Friday, September 16, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
The agenda includes updates from CACSA and CDE and peer-to-peer networking. We will hear from CDE about the implications of the READ Act and opportunities to support charter improvement through state EASI grants. We will also discuss how authorizers can consider the impact of declining enrollment on charter viability and explore model tools used by Denver Public Schools (DPS). This is a hybrid meeting. You will receive the Zoom link upon registering. In-person participation is recommended.
The location is: Douglas County School District Inverness office, 373 Inverness Pkwy, Suite 207, Englewood, CO 80112.
_____________________________________
CACSA Meeting On State Board Rules Regarding Admissions of Students with Disabilities in Charter Schools and Public School Choice
Friday, September 30, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
The workshop will discuss the circumstances prompting these changes and explore procedural issues and scenarios that may arise as districts and charter schools update policies and procedures.
________________________________________
State Board of Education Remands 5280 Charter School Proposal back to DPS
On August 17, the State Board of Education (SBE) sided with the proposed 5280 Charter School and remanded the application back to DPS, which had denied the application on a 5 to 2 vote in June. DPS found that the budget, enrollment projections, and evidence of parent interest were problematic. A video of the hearing is available, and authorizers should note the deliberation that begins at 6:28:30 in the recording. Among other issues, the SBE members discussed DPS arguments about declining enrollment’s impact on charter viability and referenced the vote by Denver’s District Accountability Committee (DAC) in support of the school.
___________________________________
Role of DACs in Charter Reviews: Competing Views
In the SBE appeal of the 5280 Charter School, described above, issues related to DAC’s voting to approve or deny charter application came up as an issue. This an issue that many authorizers have considered. In a commentary this week, Alan Gottlieb argued that having DACs refrain from providing a yes/no recommendation on charter applications undermined community input. A commentary by Alex Medler in Boardhawk, provided an alternative view. Medler describes the implications of having DAC’s provide summary votes to approve or deny charter applications, as opposed to having them only provide a report with the strengths and weaknesses of a proposal. Districts are considering ways to deepen opportunities for community input while still protecting their ability to sustain high stakes decisions based on the district’s review.
_________________________________
Annual Reports to Charter Schools: Webinar Recording Available
CACSA convened a webinar to discuss Annual Reports. Experienced authorizers explained why and how they provide annual reports and how they fit into a strong authorizing approach. Annual reports are also required in the state’s charter school statute. A recording of the webinar is available, and the CACSA resource library has several resources available to help districts implement or update their annual report process. This summary document includes links to various CACSA templates.