This CACSA Update has information on four topics, including:
1. Notes from CACSA Call
This week’s call focused on themes of adjusting charter school accountability and financial concerns during the crisis. In announcements we learned that CDE is conducting analysis of the school and district needs assessment, including analysis of charter school responses, and we expect to hear about the results soon. They are working on guidance for summer school and for school in the fall. They are also considering applying for a waiver to provide funding from their federal Charter School Program grant to charter schools during the crisis. You can read about how a similar waiver application in Florida would provide funding to charter schools here.
Districts reported on their progress, including how they are handling renewals during the crisis. CSI, for example, is considering a differentiated process, based on each school’s historical record time to simplify the issue for schools with a strong track record. Many authorizers expressed concern for the financial outlook and discussed the need to work closely with schools on revised budgets as potential cuts in state and local funding become more likely.
Our next general CACSA/COVID call is on Thursday 4/23 at 9:00 am. Login information for that call is as follows:
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/367785315
Meeting ID: 367 785 31
Phone: 669-900-9128
One tap mobile: +16699009128,,367785315#
2. DPS Principles of Authorizing Focus Group
DPS is working on a set of guiding principles to inform each authorizing practice during remote learning and in the absence of state data. Some questions they are considering are:
What values should drive authorizing practices?
What are the roles of authorizing outside of high stakes accountability decisions that we can emphasize?
How can we acknowledge this extraordinary time and the incomplete set of evidence?
How can we return to outcomes based accountability after this is over?
CACSA will convene a focus group for authorizer colleagues to discuss the DPS approach. Join us to learn about what they are considering and to provide DPS with feedback. This discussion is a chance to slow down, back-up, and think about the big picture on all our work. Similar approaches may also help authorizers inform school boards about how they plan to adjust policies and procedures. Join us to work with your peers on ideas that can inform all aspects of authorizing work in the next year. Our plan is to have a zoom meeting on Tuesday, 7/21, at noon. If you would like to participate in this discussion, please contact Alex directly at alex.medler@coauthorizers.org.
3. Upcoming Webinar Topics
CACSA is planning to host a series of webinars on timely issues. The plan is to host a series of meetings that may be of interest to authorizers facing the same task, such as managing Year Zero Schools, revising approaches to renewal and annual reports, managing charter applications, and exploring financial challenges during the crisis. More information on the schedule will be forthcoming. If you have topics you want to convene a call about, or an issue you have something to share with your colleagues, please contact Alex directly.
4. Ongoing work on CACSA Tools
During the crisis, CACAS is working to further our work on model tools that had started before social distancing. This includes work to develop a model contract, a template for annual reports and a site visit protocol, and an updated version of the CACSA Standard Application and Rubric. Given the demands of the health crisis, we have focused on this work internally, and worked with our contractors to advance these projects and produce “strawman” tools that people can respond to when they have the bandwidth. We have delayed convening working groups to solicit CACSA member input as we originally had intended. To the extent that CACSA members have the bandwidth, we are happy to share the current drafts of these various initiatives and we are considering various strategies to get more systematic feedback on the drafts while we are working remotely. Those will likely include conference calls, surveys, and interviews. In the meantime, if you would like receive copies of any of the draft documents please contact Alex directly.
As always, reach me directly with questions or comments, or to add someone to this distribution list or to have your name removed.
Wishing you all strength and grace in these challenging times,