New School Application

for schools interested in opening

August, 2014

The CSI New School Application

The first step in applying for

a charter school contract is

to submit an Executive Sum-

mary as set forth in the 2013

Call for Applications. The

New School Application is

intended for applicants who

wish to apply for CSI authori-

zation as a new school. It is

strongly recommended that

applicants use the 2013 New

School Application Rubric

and consult the CSI Services

document while drafting their

application. The Charter

School Institute Board re-

serves the right to request

additional information of the

charter school applicant dur-

ing the application or inter-

view processes, at its discre-

tion.

All application materials

must be submitted to the

Institute on or before Au-

gust 14th, 2013. Within five

days of the date the applica-

tion or any supplement ma-

terials are submitted to the

institute, the Applicant

The supporting documents men-

tioned in this section of the applica-

tion can be found on the CSI web-

site at http://www.csi.state.co.us/

pages/Charter_School_Institute/

Prospective_Schools

Introduction to the Charter School Institute

The mission of the

Charter School Institute

shall be to foster high-

quality public schools

choices offered through

Institute charter schools

that deliver rigorous

academic content and

high academic perfor-

mance in a safe envi-

ronment and on par

with the highest per-

forming schools, includ-

ing particularly schools

for at-risk students.

The Charter Schools

Act was adopted in Col-

orado in 1993. The

General Assembly con-

sidered several alterna-

tive authorizer pro-

posals before adopting

the Charter School In-

stitute (CSI) Act in

2004. CSI authorized

two charter schools in

2005 and now has a

total of 25 schools in its

portfolio throughout

Colorado with more

than 11,500 students in

attendance.

shall provide to its home

district Board of Education

and Accountability Commit-

tee a complete electronic

version of the application,

amendment, or supplement.

The applicant shall provide

to the Institute proof that it

has given such notice to the

the submission. Failure to

provide the district with

notice of the application

will result in denial of the

application by CSI.

An application is considered

filed when the Institute re-

ceives the application either

in hard copy or electronical-

ly. Within 15 days after Board of Educa-

tion and Ac-

countability

Committee of

the school dis-

trict in which the

proposed school

is to be located.

Such proof may consist of a

certified mail receipt, a

hand written receipt or other

written acknowledgement

from the recipient that writ-

ten notification was provid-

ed. The Board of Education

and Accountability Commit-

tee may each comment on

the application, amendment

or supplement to the Insti-

tute, in writing, within 30

days of receiving notice of

receiving an

application, CSI

shall determine

whether the

application sat-

isfies the re-

quirements

Specified in section 22-30.5

-509(1) and is therefore

complete. If the application

is not complete, CSI shall

notify the applicant within

the 15 day period and pro-

vide a list of the information

required to complete the

application. The applicant

has 15 days after the date it

receives the notice to pro-

vide the required infor-

mation to CSI for review.

All application materials

must be submitted by

August 14th, 2013.

Who May Apply

An application may be

submitted by one or

more individuals, or by

a nonprofit, govern-

mental, or other entity

or organization. For

new charter schools

geographically located

in districts which have

retained exclusive

chartering authority,

notice of the CSI appli-

cation must be provid-

ed by the applicant to

the district. A list of

districts with their

chartering authority

status can be ac-

cessed via this link:

http://

www.cde.state.co.us/

cdechart/download/

ECA_2012.pdf

Private schools and

current non-charter

public schools may not

apply to CSI through

this process.

The Institute is not required to

take action on the institute

charter application if the appli-

cant does not provide the re-

quired information within the 15

day period. CSI may request

additional information during

the review period and provide

reasonable time for the appli-

cant to respond. The Institute

may, but is not required to,

accept any additional infor-

mation the applicant provides

that the Institute does not re-

quest. Upon receipt of a com-

plete application, and upon

sufficient answers to CSI re-

quests for additional infor-

mation, the CSI Board, in a

public hearing, will rule on the

application on November 12,

2013.

Applicants will be asked to

make a presentation to the

CSI Board during a public

hearing scheduled for Octo-

ber 8,2013. Any additional

dates and times will be coor-

dinated with the applicant

upon receipt of the completed

application.

Essential Elements of a Quality Application

1. A demonstrated understanding of the

population the school intends to serve.

2. A comprehensive and research-based

curriculum and assessment program de-

signed to hold all students to high stand-

ards, including a plan to meet the differen-

tiated needs of all students.

3. A clear plan for evaluating pupil perfor-

mance across the curriculum, aligned with

state performance standards, school per-

formance goals, and accreditation require-

ments.

4. A plan for recruiting and hiring a strong

and compatible leader.

5. A strong, knowledgeable, diverse, and

capable board of governance or leader-

ship team committed to best practices in

school governance, business operations,

and financial management.

6. A balanced budget and financial plan

including revenues and expenditures com-

plying with state and federal accounting

and reporting requirements that demon-

strates diligence in financial practice and

alignment to other components of the ap-

plication.

7. Multiple viable school facility options

with a clear needs assessment for space

utilization.

A successful application should reflect the following components:

Who reviews the application?

Several members of CSI staff

review the application, includ-

ing representatives from all

primary areas of the applica-

tion components. In addition

to CSI staff reviewing the

application, CSI contracts

with external consultants who

possess applicable expertise

to review applications.

How often will the applicant meet with CSI?

The applicant will initially

meet with CSI staff to review

the process, timelines, and

requirements. A representa-

tive of the review team will

also attend and participate in

a required geographic com-

munity meeting. There will be

an applicant interview with

the review team, which will

allow the applicant to provide

additional clarification or in-

formation to the review team.

Additionally, the applicant will

present to the CSI Board in a

public hearing. All of these

events will occur prior to the

staff recommendation and

Board decision. CSI will work

with the applicant to arrange

these dates.

Timeline of Events

The table below outlines the application process steps that occur during the New School Cycle

What if the appli-cant did not sub-mit a Letter of In-tent or Executive Summary?

If the applicant did not submit a

Letter of Intent to Apply, please

include with your application a

copy of this document and Ex-

ecutive Summary. This form

with instruction can be found on

the CSI website via the follow-

ing link:

http://www.csi.state.co.us/

pages/

Charter_School_Institute/

Prospective_Schools

If you have provided this infor-

mation to the Institute already,

the Institute will ensure a copy

of these documents is included

in your application review. If

information is not aligned, or

has since changed since your

initial submission, the Institute

will request an updated copy.

Please note, these documents

help inform additional applica-

tion requirements, such as nec-

essary addenda.

The standard application is

divided into 9 primary ap-

plication components, plus

addenda, if applicable. It is

important to remember that

each of these components

may require upfront train-

ing and education to meet

the quality standard ex-

pected by the Institute and

the State of Colorado.

The proposal must be

typed and supplied in both

paper format (two copies

in 3-ring binders) and in

electronic format to CSI.

Number all pages within

each section. Each sec-

tion should adhere to the

page limits indicated in the

content pages of this ap-

plication.

Each of the 9 primary sec-

tions of the paper for-

mant must be separated

by labeled tab and begin

on a separate page. The

electronic format must

include one file that con-

tains all sections of the

application, as well as a

distinct and separate file

for each individual appli-

cation section. All of these

may be placed into a sin-

gle zipped file, flash drive,

or folder for submission.

To confirm that you have

reviewed your application

for completeness, the Ap-

plication Component

Checklist contained with-

in this document must be

signed and submitted

along with the application.

Writing the Application

Contact Us

CSI staff is happy to supply applicants with additional information, clarification, and direction toward resources

up until the application is submitted to CSI. Please contact CSI at 303.866.3299 or csi_info@csi.state.co.us.

www.cde.state.co.us/cdechart/DistAuthInfo

www.coloradoleague.org/

www.qualitycharters.org /

Websites:

Possible Resources

Content of the New School Application

A. Vision and Mission (3 pages)

1. The vision will articulate what the school hopes to

be. The mission should explain how the school will

reach that goal.

B. Evidence of Need & Support (15 pages)

1. Include information about the proposed charter

school’s student body, including the intended stu-

dents’ educational needs and demographics

(racial/cultural, socioeconomic, special needs, and

ELL). The application, in its entirety, should reflect

an understanding of the intended student popula-

tion.

2. Provide a description of the programmatic offer-

ings currently available to the target population

that support the need for the proposed school.

3. Detail the type of broad outreach the founders

conducted to make the student population and

their families aware of the proposed charter

school. This should include future outreach plans

if the charter school is approved.

4. Detail the approximate number of students ex-

pressing an interest in the proposed school. This

information should be disaggregated in a manner

showing demographic information about prospec-

tive students.

5. If there are any existing or anticipated partner-

ships or networking relationships, provide an ex-

planation of their role in development, as well as

the planned resources or agreements that have

been discussed or formalized.

6. Include information on community members,

leaders, and parents who publicly support the pro-

posed school and their role in the development

Maximum page numbers are indicated in the parentheses adjacent to each content area.

of the school.

7. Include a description of the efforts made to dis-

tribute information about the school, including

opportunities for community involvement. Evi-

dence may be included as attachments.

C. Leadership (5 pages)

1. Provide a detailed description of the recruiting,

hiring, selection process, and timeline for identify-

ing the school leader.

2. Detail the profile of your school’s ideal leader,

including skills, qualifications, and characteristics.

3. Provide a job description and board evaluation

process for the head of school.

D. Education Program (30 pages)

1. Provide a rationale for selecting the chosen mod-

el, including research-based evidence that sup-

ports the effectiveness of the selected model with

the target population.

2. Describe the core content areas, including the

curriculum and instructional strategies that are

supported by research matching needs of the stu-

dent population for the proposed school.

3. Provide an explanation of how the curriculum is

either already aligned to state model content

standards or will be aligned within the first year of

school operation including a timeline and process

for monitoring progress.

4. Include an explanation or plan for how the curric-

ulum is or will be aligned vertically and horizontal-

ly for all grades the school will serve.

5. Describe the process and methods that will be

used to differentiate instruction based on identi-

fied student needs.

6. Discuss the use of supplemental curricula for

electives or “special” courses that is thorough

and based on state model content standards

when available.

7. Detail the plans for supplemental programming

(summer school, extracurricular activities, psy-

chosocial programming, remediation and inter-

vention).

8. Include a description of the organizational struc-

ture that allows for full implementation of the

curriculum.

9. Include information about how the school calen-

dar and schedule will comply with statutory re-

quirements.

10. Describe the plan for selecting and engaging in

professional development activities.

11. Include the process for staff evaluation.

E. Serving Students with Special Needs (15

pages)

1. Include the school policy for a Response to Inter-

vention (RtI) or child study process that meets all

legal requirements.

2. Detail plans to meet the unique needs of stu-

dents with Individualized Education Plans (for

special education), 504 Plans, Advanced Learning

Plans (for gifted/talented), Health Plans and Eng-

lish Language Learners. Include information on

plans for staffing, identification, documentation,

assessment, progress monitoring, adaptation,

and alignment with the budget.

3. Provide research-based evidence that supports

the chosen strategies for interventions and sup-

port materials selected.

F. Goals, Objectives & Pupil Evaluation (20

pages)

1. Use the baseline targets template to provide

academic goals aligning with state and Institute

standards, as described in the Colorado School

Performance Framework and CSI Performance

Frameworks.

2. Provide a rationale for how the goals and objec-

tives of the program were determined, that in-

clude alignment with the school’s vision and

mission, and are based on reliable methods to

measure progress along state, CSI, and school

expectations.

3. Describe the purpose and frequency of assess-

ments used. These selections must meet re-

quirements of the Colorado Reading to Ensure

Academic Development Act (Colorado READ

Act), Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), and federal

requirements, such as the Elementary and Sec-

ondary Education Act (ESEA).

4. Describe the school’s data management plan to

include staff roles and responsibilities, the Stu-

dent Information System (SIS) and data ware-

house to be used, and indicate its alignment

with the budget.

5. Detail the plan to monitor progress towards

meeting these goals, including how the school

will collect, analyze, triangulate, manage, and

use data on an ongoing basis, particularly to in-

form

Content of the New School Application

professional development and instruction.

Provide a description of the procedures for tak-

ing corrective action in the event that pupil

performance falls below the goals and objec-

tives outlined in the application, including time-

line, responsible person, and changes as appro-

priate.

Explain how and when student data and school

progress will be communicated to parents and

the broader community.

G. Budget & Finance (10 pages)

Include a five-year budget, a cash flow projec-

tion for the first year of operation, minimum

enrollment needed for solvency, and adequate

staffing. Applications must use the CSI budget

template (www.csi.state.co.us.)

The budget should reflect an understanding of

specific statutory requirements including sepa-

ration of the general fund, Title funds and

grants, Public Employees’ Retirement Associa-

tion (PERA) contributions, and a three percent

TABOR reserve (Colo. Const. Art. X, Sect. 20)

each year as well.

The budget narrative reflects the financial poli-

cies and procedures and anticipated manage-

ment plan that will ensure checks and balances

in cash disbursement.

The budget narrative details funding for facili-

ties and FFE acquisition, the curriculum, profes-

sional development plan, and anticipated

growth of the school.

The proposed budget balances each year and

includes a five-year plan to reach at least a five

Maximum page numbers are indicated in the parentheses adjacent to each content area.

percent reserve (in addition to the TABOR re-

serve) that the school can use for emergency pur-

poses or as a long-term reserve.

Include a line item for independent financial audit

of the school’s finances annually.

Include a list of planned services to be contracted

to outside providers.

H. Governance & Operations (30 pages)

Provide a description of the governance and oper-

ation of the school, including the nature and ex-

tent of parental, professional educator, and com-

munity involvement in the governance and opera-

tion of the proposed Institute charter school.

Attach the following:

Governing board bylaws

Articles of Incorporation

Organizational chart explaining the rela-

tionship between the board, the lead ad-

ministrator, and committees

Resumes of applicant team members and/

or founding board members

Draft of initial board policies

Draft of the Board Member Agreement

Draft of Conflicts of Interest and Griev-

ance Process and Dispute Resolution

board policies

Provide an explanation and timeline of the pro-

posed transition from an applicant team to the

founding governing board including the identifica-

tion of individuals making the transition. Further,

detail how the transition plan will provide for a

shift of responsibilities and how the founder’s

original vision and mission will be brought to frui-

tion.

Provide a plan for ongoing board training and ca-

pacity building is included in a board calendar.

Include a proposed policy detailing how the char-

ter school intends to select students for enroll-

ment including, but not limited to, proposed

timeline, description of wait list or lottery pro-

cess, any enrollment criteria, or pre- or post- en-

rollment testing.

Provide an explanation of how the community

will receive information about the formation of a

new charter school and any upcoming lottery or

enrollment deadline.

Include a proposed policy for student discipline,

expulsion, or suspension that meets state law.

Provide an explanation of how the school will

provide the expelled student with alternative ed-

ucation, if applicable.

Except as otherwise provided in C.R.S.22-30.5-

509 (r), a plan should be provided to settle any

disputes between a charter school and its author-

izer, concerning governing policy provisions of

the charter contract, to include a reasonable

written notice which gives a brief description of

the matter in dispute and the scope of the disa-

greement between parties.

Include a list of anticipated requests for waivers

from state statutes including rationale for re-

questing the waiver, replacement policy or expla-

nation of intent, expected financial and imple-

mentation impact, and how the waiver will be

evaluated.

Include a list of the types of insurance for which

the charter school will contract and their fiscal

impact.

I. Facilities (5 pages)

Provide a facility needs assessment including

number of classrooms, bathrooms, and offices

needed; minimum size of each room; library,

outdoor, and common space needed; overall

size; cost per square foot; zoning and occupancy

requirements; and how each facility aligns with

the facility needs assessment is included in the

narrative.

Include proposed locations for the school that

are given based on school design and intended

population with an explanation of prospective

school sites and assistance to find them.

Arrange legal review by an experienced attorney

of all contract negotiations and terms before

final approval by the governing authority.

Application Components Checklist

To confirm that you have reviewed your application for completeness, this checklist MUST

be signed, dated, and submitted along with your application materials.

Signature

Date

1580 Logan St, Suite 210

Denver, Colorado 80203

303.866.3299 ph

303.866.2530 fax

www.csi.state.co.us

C OL O RA D O

C HA TE R S C H OOL

INS TI T UTE

Th e m i ss io n o f th e Ch a r te r

S ch o o l I ns t i t u te sh a l l b e to

f o s te r h i g h -q u a l i t y p u b l i c

s ch o o l ch o ic es o f fe re d t h roug h

I n s t i tu t e s ch o o l s th a t de l i v e r

r i g o ro us ac a dem ic co n ten t a nd

h i g h a ca d em ic pe r f o rma nc e in

a s a fe e nv i ron me n t an d on pa r

w i t h t he h ig h es t pe r f o rm i n g

s ch o o l s , i nc l ud i ng p a r t i cu l a r l y

s ch o o l s fo r a t - r i sk s tu de n ts .