2006 National Charter Schools Conference  

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana is now scheduled to participate live, via satellite, on March 2 at the 2006 National Charter Schools Conference (to be held February 28 - March 3, 2006 in Sacramento, CA).* In a conversation with John Merrow (host of PBS' Learning Matters), she will discuss the impact of what is happening in New Orleans on the overall charter school movement. Other featured speakers include Bill Nye the Science Guy and a host of national charter experts and advocates who will share their perspectives on the state of the charter movement. View programming (over 170 sessions and table-talk discussions to choose from) and speaker details, as well as register and make hotel reservations at the conference web site at http://www.charterconference.org. To register by phone, call 800-280-6218. *Participation subject to Senator Landrieu's schedule.

2007 Charter School Facility Finance Landscape  

This 2007 edition of the Landscape provides an expanded snapshot of the public and nonprofit financing programs for charter school facilities across the nation. It is designed to serve as a roadmap for individual charter schools as they work to finance their buildings and as a policy guide for those interested in helping the sector and developing more equitable funding for charter school facilities. Based on extensive research, the document includes descriptions of financing products and geographic markets for 25 private nonprofit providers, two public-private partnerships, and several public initiatives for charter school facilities at both the federal and state levels. It also provides a listing of all state-level grant, loan and credit enhancement programs in the 41 jurisdictions with a charter law.

2007 National Charter Schools Conference, April 24-27 in Albuquerque, New Mexico  

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is excited to have over 2,500 attendees at the 7th Annual National Charter Schools Conference next week in Albuquerque! The conference will offer sessions presented by leaders of the national charter school movement and present numerous special events for networking and fun. Registrants should sign up for networking breakfast sessions Friday morning where groups will meet by profession or interest and ask their peers for solutions to their most pressing questions. The 15th anniversary of the first public charter school will be celebrated with an anniversary dessert reception followed by a dance and party with Alliance Board Member and disc jockey Howard Fuller. The unique exhibits include a "green" model school building on the exhibit floor and a timeline highlighting most states' charter school history on display in the conference hall. Online registration has closed but registration can be completed each day at the conference at the Albuquerque Convention Center beginning Tuesday, April 24th through Friday, April 27th.

A Cost Estimation Tool For Charter Schools  

The National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance provides this Cost Estimation Tool to help start-up public charter school operators identify and estimate the range of costs and timing of expenditures they will be obligated to cover during start-up and the early years of operation. The tool provides several worksheets to help developers identify basic cost assumptions (e.g., student enrollment and facilities needs) and use those assumptions to estimate their operating costs.

A Framework for Operational Quality: A Report from the National Consensus Panel on Charter School Operational Quality  

Building on the previously published Framework on Academic Quality which made recommendations for establishing a strong academic foundation, this document guides public charter school leaders and support organizations in establishing schools that are prepared to achieve and sustain success. The report also serves to advise authorizers, philanthropists and lenders in monitoring the operational practices of high-quality public charter schools. The Charter School Quality Consortium is a federally-funded initiative spearheaded by four collaborating organizations: the Colorado League of Charter Schools, CREDO at Stanford University, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

Accessing Federal Programs: A Guidebook for Charter School Operators and Developers  

( 1999, March )
This guidebook provides basic information to assist charter schools in accessing the federal programs and resources available to them. The programs selected are those that are commonly considered the most beneficial to charter schools.

Allocating Funds: Non-Regulatory Guidance (34 CFR Part 76, Subpart H)  

( 2000, December )
This multi-page guidance answers the question: "How does a state or local education agency allocate funds to charter schools that are opening for the first time or significantly expanding their enrollment?" It's sections include the following pdf files: the body of the guidance; an appendix that includes the Final Rule on State-administered Programs made in December, 2000; an appendix that provides summaries of federal programs covered by the guidance; and an appendix of examples using Title I fund allocations.

Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools  

Since 1997, the Center for Education Reform has regularly surveyed charter schools operating in the United States. This year's survey tracks the size, scope, demographics, and operations of 990 charter schools (out of 3,300) operating in Spring 2005. Findings include a 60 percent median minority population and a median 63 percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch. On average, charter schools enroll 297 students, about half the number enrolled in district schools. Over half (56%) report significant waiting lists for students who want to attend. Charter schools are serving considerably more at-risk children and doing so with $2,000 less per pupil than traditional district schools.

Arizona Charter Schools Conference, Carefree (November 10-11)  

At its 2008 conference,“Excellence by Design,” the Arizona Charter Schools Association is hosting more than 40 educational sessions led by state and national experts tailored to the needs of public charter leaders, administrators, business managers, teachers and board members. Attendees are encouraged to join round-table discussions, build peer-to-peer networks, and share best practices. The conference features Entrepreneurial Leadership Specialist Gregg Vanourek, Director of School Leadership Development for the New York City Center for Charter School Excellence Glenn Liebeck, Rebecca Gau of the Arizona Charter Schools Association and Dr. Yvonne Chan, who has consistently pushed the limits of education for nearly 40 years as an educator, school leader, and the founder of the first conversion charter school in the nation.

Building a Third Way on School Construction  

( 2002, November, Progressive Policy Institute )
This report reviews the history of the six-year debate over the federal role in school construction that continues to be centered on the details for various tax credit proposals. It also discusses the difficulties charter schools have accessing facilities financing due to their brief operating histories, length of charters, and a high risk factor.

California Charter Schools Conference, Sacramento, March 1-4  

The 17th Annual California Charter Schools Conference will be held March 1-4, 2010 at the Sacramento Convention Center. Hosted by the California Charter Schools Association, the conference will be focused on the most urgent issues facing the public charter school movement. The event will feature more than 120 breakout sessions on a wide range of topics, including Facilities, Budget/Finance, Increasing Student Achievement, Special Education, Individualized Learning, Legal Issues, Safety, Advocacy, Math, and English Learners.

Charter Market Database  

The Charter School Growth Fund, a philanthropic venture firm that makes early-stage grants and loans for the development of charter management and support organizations, has created a Charter Market Database to assist charter school operators, funders and other members of the national charter community. The database currently has profiles of 15 states and tracks information regarding startup/expansion funding; ongoing funding; facilities funding; state legislature information; governor information; charter and choice legislation; advocacy and support; state accountability framework; performance data; state charter requirements; and several other variables. The Charter School Growth Fund hopes that the database will help the broad charter school community to understand the dynamics of different public charter school markets and to share knowledge of these dynamics with each other.

Charter-Granting Agencies' Tool Kit, National Edition  

( 2000, December, Charter Schools Development Center )
Developed by the California Charter Schools Development Center for charter-granting agencies, school districts, and county and state offices of education nationwide, this extensive tool kit contains hundreds of sample documents addressing charter review, operational relations, monitoring and renewal, and leveraging system-wide change.

Community Development Block Grant  

The State CDBG Program provides states with annual direct grants, which they in turn award to smaller communities and rural areas for use in revitalizing neighborhoods, expanding affordable housing and economic opportunities, and/or improving community facilities and services.

Community Renewal Initiative  

The purpose of HUD's Initiative for Renewal Communities, urban Empowerment Zones and urban Enterprise Communities (RC/EZ/EC) is to create jobs and business opportunities in the most economically distressed areas of inner cities and the rural heartland. HUD re-energized this initiative in December 2001 by designating 40 urban and rural RCs and 8 new urban EZs. These new designees are able to use a remarkable $22 billion tax-incentive package to open new businesses, provide thousands of new jobs, rehab and build new housing, and change lives in urban and rural areas throughout the nation.

Discretionary Grant Application Packages 2003-2004  

This site lists currently open U.S. Department of Education grant competitions with their latest closing dates. It includes links to the program or office related to the grant and the on-line application package.

Dollars & Sense II: Lessons from Good, Cost-Effective Small Schools  

This study and accompanying website provide additional evidence that good small schools can be more affordable and successful even when compared to larger schools in the same district. It offers analysis of data from over 3000 school construction projects, and practical strategies for cost-effectiveness that have been field-tested by small schools. The website allows online viewing and searching of all content of the report. It also provides profiles of successful small schools, and supporting documents such as test scores, budget information, site and floor plans, photos of each school, and other relevant resources.

Early Returns: Tax Credit Bonds and School Construction  

( 2002, September, Progressive Policy Institute )
This paper analyzes the results to date of the federal Qualified Zoned Academy Bond (QZAB) program piloting tax credit bonds, begun in 1997. This also discusses whether a better long-term model exists in the form of State Infrastructure Banks (SIBs).

Extraordinary Audit of the Options for Youth, Inc. and Opportunities for Learning, Inc. Charter Schools  

This California state audit of Options for Youth and Opportunities for Learning, a chain of charter schools that serve approximately 15,000 students, finds widespread accounting problems and conflicts of interest. The audit, initiated in conjunction with superintendents of several county offices of education, found that due to noncompliance with state laws, the OFL/OFY schools over-claimed more than $57 million than the schools were entitled to in state funding over a period of three years (2002-05). The audit also revealed excessive compensation for the founders of the charter schools, mixing of businesses that are privately owned with public schools that are controlled by the same individuals, and instances of nepotism. The report recommends that the California Department of Education try to recover the overpayments.

Fall 2005 Charter School Leadership Summit: Blazing the Trail  

The Charter Schools Development Center and CharterVoice have announced a 2005 Charter School Leadership Summit to be held in Berkley, CA on November 1-3. The conference is designed to provide charter school developers, operators, and grantors from California and around the nation with guidance on how to develop, lead, and oversee charter schools. Pre-summit "mini-boot camps" offered on November 1 will include "Advanced Charter School Governance," "Start Smart: Charter School Development," and other topics. Ted Kolderie is the featured keynote speaker.

Florida Charter School Conference, Orlando (November 20-21)  

The Twelfth Annual Florida Charter School Conference, hosted by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice, will take place November 20-21 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Orlando. The theme is "Charters: Providing Choice, Creating Change.”

Getting it Done: How Michigan's Charter Schools Survive and Thrive With Less  

Statewide, Michigan's charter schools operate on significantly less funding than other public schools, but in 2006 state assessment results, charters exceeded the average scores of their host districts on 23 of 27 tests. This document profiles administrative and operational strategies that cash-strapped charters are employing to perform well for less. Innovative approaches to administration, the use of education service providers, compensation and benefits, transportation, special education services, high school instruction, and facilities are profiled.

Grants Information  

The US Department of Education provides information about federal grants and contracts.

Green Book Grants Management Website  

Through this website, readers can find federal, foundation, corporate and other grants for schools with the application guidelines (RFPs). The grants listed on the site can be searched by funder or by specific need (curriculum, facilities, etc.). Current information on state grants is limited to Arizona state grants, but information about federal, foundation, and corporate grants available for charter schools can be found by using this comprehensive resource.

HOPE VI  

The HOPE VI program was developed as a result of recommendations by National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing, which was charged with proposing a National Action Plan to eradicate severely distressed public housing. The Commission recommended revitalization in three general areas: physical improvements, management improvements, and social and community services to address resident needs. The activities funded by HOPE VI Revitalitalization grants include the capital costs of major rehabilitation, new construction, and other physical improvements; demolition of severely distressed public housing; management improvements; planning and technical assistance; and community and supportive services programs for residents.

How Charter Schools Can Survive the Financial Crisis  

On November 12, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools offered a free webcast for those working across the public charter school landscape to better understand potential financial challenges and begin to form strategic business responses. The panel made a series of observations about what public charter school operators can expect in the near term. These include: funding delays in reaching schools as a result of the credit crunch; and, reduced philanthropic funding; less funding from commercial banks. Several recommendations to survive the financial crisis were offered, including: check the stability of your commercial bank, diversify and re-allocate funds to conservative investments; and focus on maintaining liquidity and securing a cash reserve.

How to Finance a Charter School Purchase and Construction: A Case Study  

This five-page case study of a Minneapolis charter school, El Colegio Charter School, examines the complex processes for initial financing and refinancing of a charter school building. The founders of this school believed it was important to build equity in the community by owning rather than renting a building. Initial financing through lease revenue bonds, while costly and unsustainable, gave them the opportunity to open their doors and begin to meet their missions. The refinancing process through more traditional means was achieved at minimal costs and great long term savings and gave added capacity both in the short and long-term to meet their missions and goals.

Illinois Charter School Developer's Handbook: Getting Your Charter School Off the Ground  

( Leadership for Quality Education )
While this guide was developed for Illinois' charter schools, charter school leaders in other communities will find that this resource offers practical, valuable advice for the phases of planning, designing, and operating a charter school. Important guiding principles and tips for several areas are provided, including: drafting a charter proposal, gaining community support, developing an educational program and accountability standards, recruiting and enrolling students, designing a school governance structure, recruiting and selecting staff, making personnel policies and contracts, fundraising and budgeting, finding and financing facilities, and complying with laws that apply to charter schools.

Illinois Charter School Developers' Handbook: A Resource Guide for Getting Your Charter School Off the Ground  

This handbook, published by Leadership for Quality Education, provides potential charter school developers with practical advice for the essential phases of planning, designing, and operating a charter school. Guiding principles and tips for the following are included: drafting a charter proposal; gaining community support; developing an educational program and accountability standards; recruiting and enrolling students; designing a school governance structure; recruiting and selecting staff; making personnel policies and contracts; fundraising and budgeting; finding and financing facilities; and complying with laws that apply to charter schools. While the document was crafted for developers in Illinois, charter founders in other states will find the advice valuable.

Issue Alert: Public Charter Schools Deserve Adequate Funding  

In early October, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools put forth a call for individuals to contact their Congressional representatives to encourage increased funding for public charter schools. President Obama has called upon Congress to increase funding for the public charter school programs by $52 million dollars this year, bringing total funding for the charter school programs to $268 million. The federal public charter schools programs provide support at key points in the development of charter schools: helping cover the extraordinary costs of launching successful charters; disseminating their successful innovations to other public schools; and providing financial incentives to state governments and private lenders that help enable schools to build and renovate facilities. The National Alliance has made available an online letter writing program for individuals to send letters to their Congressional representatives requesting support for the President's budget request for the Charter School Program.

Let's Do the Numbers: Seven Practices for Sound Fiscal Management  

The Executive Director of the National Charter Schools Institute offers an examination of seven practices designed to help a charter school accomplish sound fiscal management. These include: establishing internal controls (through policy); monitoring compliance with fiscal policies; developing financial reporting interpretation skills; developing accurate budgets; recognizing red flags; minimizing risk; and hiring an independent auditor. He recommends that every board should understand is that it is ultimately responsible for the school’s finances. Even in schools where the board has contracted the management of the school, the board is still ultimately responsible for the school’s finances.

Maintenance Required: Charter Schooling in Michigan  

This report on the state of charter schooling in Michigan is the latest in the charter school series begun by the Progressive Policy Institute and carried on by Education Sector. Michigan's charters have seen improvements in academic performance in recent years, and on the most recent state assessments (MEAP), a slightly higher percentage of charter school students in most host districts were proficient on the English language arts (ELA) and math tests in grades 3-8. At the high school level, charter high schools had about the same percentage of students proficient in ELA as host district schools, but a lower percentage of students proficient in math. The author notes the EMO dominance of chartering in the state -- 75% of schools are EMO-affiliated, the highest percentage in the nation -- which has led critics to assert a "corporate" model of schooling.

Massachusetts Full Charter School Task Force Report  

This report, released by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, offers many recommendations for redesigning the state’s charter school funding mechanism and application and oversight processes. Recommendations include: (1) charging public school districts a maximum tuition rate of either $5,000 or 75% of per pupil spending of the sending district for each student attending a charter school, (2) requiring charter schools to complete end-of-the-year financial reports, (3) providing transitional financial assistance to school districts impacted by the closure or non-renewal of a charter school, and (4) enhancing fairness, transparency and accountability within the Department of Education’s charter review process. The report states that while charter schools are worth continuing, the state should initiate a full and independent review of the effectiveness of charter school policies and charter schools before spending additional resources.

National Charter Schools Conference  

The National Charter Schools Conference will be held in Sacramento, February 28-March 3, 2006, in conjunction with the 13th annual California Charter Schools Conference. Online attendee registration & hotel reservations will be available beginning August 15, 2005.

New Millennium Schools: Delivering Six-Figure Teacher Salaries in Return for Outstanding Student Learning Gains  

This policy report proposes a public charter school model based on providing value-added merit pay, identifying “master teachers” through value-added assessment, and adding more students to classes taught by master teachers. By giving these high-performing teachers two-thirds of the revenue for additional students, the authors find that a six-figure salary may well be within reach for master teachers with average class sizes in the low 30s (based on the current and recent historical practice in the United States). With high salaries as incentive, public charter school leaders can access new pools of talent and recruit more high-ability graduates into the classroom.

New Tax Law Boosts School Construction with Public-Private Partnerships  

( 2001, August, The Heritage Foundation )

Ninth Annual North Carolina Charter School Conference, September 27-29 in Durham, NC  

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is holding its annual public charter school conference September 28-29 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham, NC. This year's theme is "Leading for Results." Sessions on classroom management, technology, innovative practices, and other education topics will be available.

North Carolina Charter Schools Annual Conference, September 20-21 in Research Triangle Park  

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is hosting the 10th annual state charter school conference in the Research Triangle Park on September 20-21. Sessions are geared toward charter school teachers, administrators, board members, and finance officers. Online registration is available.

North Carolina Tools and Resources  

The North Carolina Office of Charter Schools provides a list of resources, including the charter school application/resource manual, a financial guide for charter schools, charter school evaluation reports, and the Charter Schools Alert! newsletter.

Online Charter School Funding Seminar  

Education Commission of the States is sponsoring a free, interactive Web seminar focused on charter school funding. The session, which begins at 2 p.m. (EST) on October 17, will feature a presentation by Bryan Hassel, co-author of a recent multistate study of charter vs. district funding. Todd Ziebarth, policy analyst at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, will moderate the session. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout.

Overview of Federal Grants  

This site provides a general introduction and an on-line database for a wide range of federal education programs.

Prism: Charter Schools  

In 1993, the Colorado legislature provided for the creation of charter schools. In spring 2006, there are more than 100 public charter schools, serving over 36,800 students across the state. Twenty thousand families are on waitlists to enter them. The impact of charters are definitely being felt and the Colorado Association of School Boards devotes its whole spring issue of its journal, the Prism, to charter schools. Articles –- crafted by an array of education researchers, school board members, district officials, and charter school advocates -- focus on academic performance (charter schools perform equal to or better than district schools), issues of racial/income equity, ways to address charter school funding issues, and the effects of districts' declining enrollment.

School-District Contract  

Developed by the Jefferson County School District in Colorado, this school contract contains over 20 pages of detailed provisions addressing a variety of legal, financial, and operational matters between the district and charter schools.

School-District Fiscal Memorandum of Understanding  

This MOU between a charter school and school district is provided by the California Charter Schools Development Center. It outlines the specific funding sources anticipated to be available to the school, the terms under which the district will claim funding entitlements on behalf of the school, and how the district will make such funding available.

Small Business Administration  

( 1997 )
This web site contains basic information such as a helpful Business Plan Outline. Though charter schools' needs differ from small businesses, many concepts are similar.

State Charter School Funding Systems  

This outline, one of a series of documents produced for the Charter School Leadership Council as part of its effort to document the various policy challenges and solutions, examines the complexity of state charter school funding systems. The authors find that states have a "crazy quilt" of financing arrangements, some which work well for charter schools and some which do not. They predict that opponents, unable to stop charter schooling altogether, will seek to staunch the outflow of funds to charter schools. They suggest that as many low-wealth school districts have challenged state school finance systems on equity grounds, charter schools in states where charter school funding is below district levels may be able to make similar claims.

Texas Open Enrollment Charter Schools: 2004-05 Evaluation  

This report examines performance, demographics, satisfaction, and the financial impact of the 192 open-enrollment charter schools operating in Texas in 2004-05. Academic comparisons of charters and traditional public schools generally favored traditional public schools. For campuses rated under standard procedures, small percentages of charter campuses received Exemplary (2%) or Recognized (13%) status. Traditional public school campuses, in contrast, had higher percentages of Exemplary and Recognized ratings (a combined 30%). Proportionally more charter campuses earned Academically Unacceptable ratings (21% vs. 3%). The researchers, however, found that continuous enrollment in charter schools had a significant positive effect on achievement. Controlling for students' prior academic and social backgrounds, they found that consecutive years spent in a charter school was a positive predictor of language arts and math scores.

Texas Open Enrollment: Charter School Revenue  

This study assesses the funding differences between charter schools and traditional districts in Texas. The researchers find that on average, in 2003-04, charters received $8,098 per-student compared with $8,712 for traditional districts, a gap of $614. The lack of debt service revenue for charter school facilities accounted for most of the per-pupil revenue difference between charters and traditional districts.

Texas Roundup: Charter Schooling in the Lone Star State  

With more than 80,000 students enrolled in over 300 charter campuses, Texas charter schools trail only those of California in enrollment. This document traces the evolution of charters in Texas, details student and school performance and offers a series of recommendations. Findings include the state’s charters serve a larger percentage of disadvantaged students; they are racially/ethnically more diverse than other public schools, but enroll fewer students with disabilities and with limited English proficiency; the performance gap between the state’s charter school students and traditional school students is closing; and charters face immense funding challenges. Recommendations include making accountability more meaningful, eliminating the cap on open-enrollment charters, encouraging multi-campus charters, encouraging universities to operate charters, expanding virtual charters cautiously, and leveling the playing field.

The Renaissance Schools Fund Symposium, May 6  

The Renaissance Schools Fund (RSF) invites education leaders from across the country to it's first symposium, "Free to Choose Free to Succeed: The New Market of Public Education." RSF is a strategic partner to Chicago Public Schools' Renaissance 2010, an initiative to create 100 new schools of exceptional quality in Chicago’s most underserved communities. Guests will learn how the city's business, civic and local communities have come together with the district to drive education reform through new school development. National experts and local leaders will present on topics such as; The Role of the Private Sector in the New Market of Education, Replicating District Success and Going to Scale: Strategically Growing High Performing Networks. The event will be held on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at the Mid America Club in Chicago, IL. Register soon because space is limited. Registration and additional information is available at the conference website.

Turning the Corner to Quality: Policy Guidelines for Strengthening Ohio's Charter Schools  

At the request of Ohio's top government and education leaders, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and National Alliance for Public Charter Schools have issued a report seeking to strengthen the state's charter school program. The report breaks its 17 recommendations into four categories: Keep the Accountability/Autonomy Promise, Strengthen Ohio's System of Charter School Sponsors, Fund Charter Schools Fairly, and Help Open Quality Charter Schools. Recommendations include closing low-performing charter schools and holding sponsors more accountable for oversight of the growing charter movement while also helping more high-performance schools to open and succeed in Ohio. In return for stepped-up accountability, the document calls for restrictions on the formation of high-quality charters to be removed and for charter schools to receive more equitable funding.

USCS Start-Up Brief: Budget, Finance, and Fundraising  

This page provides information and resources on charter school budgets, financial management, and fundraising. Because of variations in state laws, however, the materials presented here cannot cover specific state requirements. Instead, they are designed to provide examples and should not be viewed as a substitute for qualified financial counsel.

Virtual Back to School Day Transcripts  

In early September, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools held a series of live online chats over the course of a school day. Charter school leaders, parents and students, and policymakers and education experts discussed the latest information on the most pressing issues facing charter schools today, such as funding, facilities, and restrictive legislated caps. Guest speakers included newly appointed Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement Morgan Brown, education bloggers Alexander Russo, Andrew Rotherham, and Joe Williams, and Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Transcripts from each session are available online.

Web Seminar: Financing Charter Schools  

The Education Commission of the States has made available a replay of a webcast that presents data and analysis to help state policymakers and other education leaders understand the issues and the policy options states have regarding charter school financing. Users can simply login and view the web seminar at their leisure.