recommendation: approve apex southeast, inc. · 2) students thrive within structure and when...

Summary of Recommended BESE Action

The Department recommends that BESE approve the plan submitted by Apex Southeast, Inc. An approval authorizes the applicant to launch one Type 2 charter school serving grades 6-12 in East Baton Rouge Parish no earlier than fall 2016.

Applicant’s Proposal

Apex proposes a charter school serving grades 6-12 in East Baton Rouge Parish that will provide a college-preparatory education to students currently attending low-performing schools. Apex will start by serving grades 6-8 and will add one grade per school year to ultimately serve grades 6-12. Apex will focus on rigorous academics, core subject mastery, and character development to prepare students to excel in four-year colleges and successful professional and life opportunities. The school will feature a longer school day and an extended school year.

Applicant History

Experience Level New Previous BESE

Applications Yes

(Type 5 – Not Considered) Previous District Applications

Denied by East Baton Rouge Parish

Department Recommendation Rationale

• Recommendation: Approve • The Department agrees with SchoolWorks’ recommendation based upon the following key points:

• Apex has a clear mission: “Through rigorous academics, core subject mastery, and character development, Apex Collegiate Academy Charter School educates all students in grades 6-12 to excel in four-year colleges and gain access to professional and life opportunities”. The mission drives the academic program and character education. In addition, it is infused in teacher selection and training.

• Apex has defined their educational model as consisting of seven effective practices in urban education: (1) high academic expectations for all students, (2) clear expectations and high levels of support, (3) explicit character development instruction, (4) extended school day and year, (5) strategic use of data in instruction, (6) support and growth of teachers, and (7) mission-driven leadership.

• Apex has allocated time daily and throughout the year in a way that will allow them to implement the educational model and achieve all target outcomes by having an extended day. This extended day will eliminate the need for afterschool programs, and will afford students more time to develop the skills necessary to reach academic success.

• Apex has a strong plan for teacher development that includes robust, weekly observation cycles and immediate written or verbal feedback for teachers. All individual staff members will have performance goals that are aligned with student performance goals.

• The applicant’s budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of conservative, yet realistic, projections. The school ends each of its initial five years with surpluses that result in compliance with the Charter School Performance Compact in terms of percentage of fund balance in reserves.

Recommendation: Approve

Apex Southeast, Inc.

Apex Southeast, Inc. page 1

2015 Louisiana Department of Education Charter Application Review New Operator Executive Summary

Apex Southeast, Inc. – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation

Approve the application submitted by Apex Southeast, Inc.

Non-Profit Information

Non-Profit: Apex Southeast, Inc.

Origin: Local Experience Level: New

School Information

School: Apex Collegiate Academy Charter School

Home District: East Baton Rouge

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School: East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Central Community, City of Baker, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, and Zachary Community

Model: College Prep Year Opening: 2016-17

Grade Configuration at Start: 6 Grade Configuration at Scale: Grades 6-12

Enrollment at Start: 120 Enrollment at Scale: 840

Additional Features of the Application

x The proposal features a school model that is designed around rigorous academics, core subject mastery, and character development. The school will open with grade 6 and grow to grade 12. It will feature a longer school day and extended year. The applicant plans to recruit and serve students from low-income areas of Baton Rouge and, in doing so, address the impact of poverty on student success.

x The applicant provides a thorough description of its approach to character development. The proposal states, “Strong character traits are necessary for students to be successful in school and in life. Students CLIMB the mountain to college on a daily basis through Civility, Leadership, Integrity, Mastery, and Being our Best. These values are an integral part of every class and are displayed throughout the school.”

x The proposal outlines active, intensive, and sustained professional development for its teachers. The application includes descriptions of professional development on effective instructional strategies, as well as on components of the mission and vision.

Strengths of Application

x The applicant states a very clear mission: “Through rigorous academics, core subject mastery, and character development, Apex Collegiate Academy Charter School educates all students in grades 6-12 to excel in four-year colleges and gain access to professional and life opportunities”. The mission is embedded throughout the application. It drives the academic program and character education or CLIMB. In addition, it is infused in teacher selection and training.

x The applicant clearly explains the seven core components or structures of the educational model that are identified and supported by research (the 2007 National Charter School Research project) as effective practices in urban education. They are: 1) A successful school can be built from day one with high academic expectations for every student, regardless of background, 2) Students thrive within structure and when expectations are clear and supports are high, 3) For students to succeed in school

Apex Southeast, Inc. page 2

and in life, we must explicitly teach character development, 4) For students to excel, an extended day and year with prioritized use of time is a must, 5) Students’ academic growth and levels of achievement in all grades and all subjects are supported by a school’s strategic use of data, 6) Successful schools identify, support, and grow teachers to produce great results, and 7) Successful schools that deliver academic results require mission-driven leadership.

x The applicant group understands the need for teachers who are highly trained and supported so they can meet the needs of the student population the school intends to serve. The proposal offers a solid plan for supporting and growing teachers. The teacher feedback cycle is clearly articulated.

x The applicant’s budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of mainly conservative, yet realistic, projections. The school ends each of its initial five years with surpluses that result in compliance with the Charter School Performance Compact in terms of percentage of fund balance in reserves.

Recommendation Drivers

x The applicant states a clear mission that is embedded throughout the application, drives the academic program and character education, and is infused in teacher selection and training.

x The education model is clearly articulated and the applicant has prepared sound processes aimed to orient staff to it and support the implementation of it.

x The proposal indicates that the founder has built relationships throughout the community and selected Board members who have the expertise or relationships in the community. Letters of support included in the appendices suggest that some of these stakeholders will contribute in a material strategic way.

x The applicant’s budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of mainly conservative, yet realistic, projections.


The Department recommends that BESE deny the plan submitted by Kingdom Builders Community Development Corporation.

Applicant’s Proposal Kingdom Builders proposes a regional career and technical education high school beginning with ninth grade and adding one grade per year until the school serves grades 9-12. The school would prepare students from Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermillion Parishes to meet Acadiana area workforce needs. After participating in a freshman exploratory year, students would select a career academy from three options: architecture and construction, manufacturing and transportation, and business and health. Students would graduate from Kingdom Builders with both a diploma and an Industry-Based Certificate in a high-wage, high-demand industry.

Applicant History


Applications Yes

(Denied) Previous District Applications

Denied by Lafayette Parish


• Recommendation: Deny • While the applicant provided a sound school model, a mismatch between the proposed school location and the target

student population would challenge the proposed school to achieve its objectives in Lafayette. For example, two-thirds of student demand identified by the applicant comes from families in Iberia and St. Mary Parishes, even though those two parishes account for only one-quarter of the school’s projected enrollment. In addition, five of nine board members live in Iberia and St. Mary Parishes, whereas only one lives in Lafayette Parish.

Recommendation: Deny

Kingdom Builders Community Development Corporation

Kingdom Builders Community Development Corporation page 1


Kingdom Builders Community Development Corporation – Official Recommendation to the Department

RecommendationApprove the application submitted by Kingdom Builders Community Development Corporation

Non-Profit InformationNon-Profit: Kingdom Builders Community Development CorporationOrigin: Local Experience Level: New

School InformationSchool: Kingdom Collegiate Academy

of ExcellenceHome District: Lafayette Parish

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School: Acadiana region-Lafayette, Vermillion, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Landry, Iberia Parishes

Model: Career Technical and Industry Based Certification

Year Opening: 2016-2017

Grade Configuration at Start: 9 Grade Configuration at Scale: 9-12Enrollment at Start: 190 Enrollment at Scale: 760


• The applicant is a Career Technical Education (CTE) and Industry Based Certification (IBC) school, with an emphasis on project-based and relevant learning.

• The applicant plans to pull from a regional area, one in which there is a mismatch between employers’ expectations and potential employees’ skillsets.


• A clear description of the problem, with detailed, well-researched data on the region, creates a compelling need for the school.• The applicant has a clear mission and vision, with aligned values.• Board members have expertise and knowledge that is aligned to the mission and vision of the school and that will help support

the school. • The course sequence and schedule are aligned to the key instructional elements of the application.• The applicant has provided a clearly presented financial plan that appears to be accurate and conservative. The application

outlines line-by-line assumptions for Year 1, as well as for all five years, that are reasonable and seem to align with the assumptions made in the school’s narrative in terms of revenue (student population and demographics, No Child Left Behind [NCLB], free and reduced-price lunch), staffing, special education needs, and other than personal expenses (OTPS).


• The applicant provides a detailed plan for evidence collection of unbiased information for assessing teachers and partners.• The applicant provides evidence of expectations for partners and methods of assessments/measuring effectiveness of partners.• The applicant provides descriptions of how planned activities are aligned to applicant’s norms and values.• The applicant outlines clear plans for supporting English language learner (ELL) students, including research-based instructional

strategies. .• The applicant group presented detailed evidence that existing agreements specify services that encompass duties described in

the organizational chart.


The Department recommends that BESE approve the plan submitted by the Laurel Oaks Foundation. An approval authorizes the applicant to launch one Type 2 charter school serving grades K-8 in East Baton Rouge Parish no earlier than fall 2016.


Laurel Oaks proposes to launch a K-8 school that will prepare students for success in academically rigorous high school and college academics. The school will focus on high academic standards, character development, and will utilize extended instructional time to focus on literacy and mathematics instruction. Laurel Oaks will serve kindergarten students in its first year and will add one grade per school year to ultimately serve grades K-8.

Applicant History


Applications Yes

(Withdrew) Previous District Applications

Denied by East Baton Rouge Parish


• School Works Recommendation: Approve • The Department agrees with SchoolWorks’ recommendation based upon the following key points:

• Laurel Oaks has a clear mission: “To educate all kindergarten through grade 8 students for admission to selective preparatory high schools and four-year colleges and universities.” Laurel Oaks has also presented a plan by which they will uphold among students and staff the values of Scholarship, Team Respect, On-Target, No excuses, and Generosity (STRONG).

• The educational model that Laurel Oaks will implement is founded upon seven principles: (1) prioritizing literacy and mathematics, (2) increasing instructional time, (3) providing a warm and structured environment, (4) using data to drive instruction, (5) delivering academically challenging curriculum, (6) leading from the Laurel Oaks mission, and (7) safeguarding instruction above all else.

• Within an extended school day, Laurel Oaks will dedicate additional instructional time to reading and mathematics instruction. Formative assessments throughout the year will be used to gauge progress toward goals and to adjust instruction in order to meet the needs of individual students. Days dedicated to analyzing student data throughout the school year will allow school leaders and teachers to proactively plan and intervene if necessary.

• Laurel Oaks will provide professional development resources, mentorship, and a career progression track for teachers to develop in a chosen area, including school leadership, classroom leadership, or mentorship. This will create an internal pipeline of instructional leaders at a variety of levels.

• Laurel Oaks has provided a financial plan that is accurate, conservative, and clearly presented. The application outlines assumptions for the first five operating years that are reasonable and align with the revenue and expenses assumptions made in the school’s narrative. The budget is in accordance with the Charter School Performance Compact as the school will have a surplus of funds at the end of each year.


Laurel Oaks Foundation

Laurel Oaks Charter School page 1


Laurel Oaks Foundation – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation Approve application submitted by Laurel Oaks Foundation

Non-Profit Information Non-Profit: Laurel Oaks Foundation

Origin: Local Experience Level: New School Information

School: Laurel Oaks Charter School Home District: East Baton Rouge Parish

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School:

East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Baker

Model: Traditional Year Opening: 2016-17

Grade Configuration at Start: K Grade Configuration at Scale: K-8

Enrollment at Start: 108 Enrollment at Scale: 702 Additional Features of the Application

x The applicant proposes a traditional school focused on rigorous curriculum, frequent assessment, and extended academic time. x The applicant proposes to prepare students for selective high schools, including magnet and private schools, as well as

enrollment in Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) tracks at local comprehensive high schools. x The applicant is guided by a focus on six core values (STRONG values) and a clear, comprehensive, and consistent set of rules

and expectations. Strengths of Application

x The applicant has detailed plans to operationalize the organization’s STRONG values. x The Board readiness section presents a clear process and set of targets for evaluating the school leader. x Teachers and partners section presents a clear set of expectations for teacher performance. x The applicant group is in receipt of the Walton pre-authorization award for $30k. Once authorized, the school will apply for the

$220k post-authorization grant. The applicant indicated that the $5k from the Martha Jean Harris Trust Grant did have a letter of commitment in the application signed by a trustee of the Grant.

Recommendation Drivers x The applicant lays out a rigorous academic program and high expectations, with ambitious targets for student achievement. x The applicant’s plan for assessing student progress and using data to adjust instruction is comprehensive. x There is documented demand and support for the school among members of the community. x The applicant’s budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of mainly conservative, but realistic, projections. The

school ends all initial five years with surpluses that comply with the Charter School Performance Compact in terms of percentageof fund balance in reserves.

x The applicant has provided a thorough level of detail by adding supplemental tabs related to revenue, expense, and payroll assumptions to the budget template. These tabs present crucial data regarding the assumptions made to every line, including staffing levels, in the financial plan. This level of detail and explanation demonstrates a clear and well-thought-out plan.


The Department recommends that BESE conditionally approve the plan submitted by Noble Minds to open a charter school in serving grades K-8 no earlier than fall 2016 as either a Type 2 located in Orleans Parish or Type 5 as part of the Recovery School District. Approval is conditional upon the State Superintendent of Education determining the charter school type and year in which Noble Minds may open.


Noble Minds proposes to launch a K-8 school in Orleans Parish that will orient instruction and school culture towards serving students with special needs. Noble Minds will utilize an innovative model of therapeutic behavioral intervention, collaborative inquiry, and individualized instruction to promote self-directed learning. Noble Minds will begin by serving grades K-2 and will add one grade per school year. Noble Minds initially submitted a Type 5 proposal to BESE and subsequently submitted a Type 2 proposal to BESE on appeal from Orleans Parish.

Special Approval Conditions

Noble Minds presents a unique situation in which an applicant submitted both a Type 2 proposal for Orleans Parish and Type 5 Recovery School District proposal to BESE within the same charter school application cycle. This conditional approval will enable BESE to streamline authorization processes between the Department and Recovery School District to reach a unified decision regarding how and when Noble Minds may open. Through the Conditional Approval, BESE will authorize: (1) The State Superintendent to determine if and when BESE should ultimately enter into a contract with Noble Minds for either a

Type 2 or Type 5 charter school, but not both. (2) The Superintendent of the RSD to recommend to the State Superintendent to enter into a Type 5 contract, pending the

assignment of a RSD-operated school, or if an assignment is not made, the authority to recommend the Type 5 may be deferred or rescinded.

Applicant History

Experience Level New Previous BESE Applications

Yes (Withdrew)

Previous District Applications

Denied by Orleans Parish


• Recommendation: Approve • SchoolWorks evaluated both the initially submitted Type 5 proposal and subsequently submitted Type 2 proposal on appeal

from Orleans Parish. • As both applications consisted of similar school models, the Department considered SchoolWorks’ most recent evaluation of

the Type 2 proposal when informing rationale for the Department’s recommendation. • The Department agrees with SchoolWorks’ recommendation drivers for the Type 2 application the based upon the following

key points: • Noble Minds has a clear mission: “to prepare students who are not responding either academically or socio/emotionally to

the traditional reform strategies present in the current portfolio of schools to attend the most academically rigorous high schools in the region.” Noble Minds puts forth an innovative educational model influenced by Reggio Emilia and Maria Montessori that drives the mission.

• The educational model that Noble Minds will implement is founded upon the following pillars: (1) ongoing high quality professional development for teachers and support staff, (2) learning by doing, (3) whole child learning, (4) collaborative inquiry, and (5) therapeutic responses to challenging behavior. Noble Minds has identified rigorous curricula that

Recommendation: Conditionally Approve

Noble Minds

correspond with these school pillars.

• Noble Minds will foster a culture of high expectations and care among teachers and students. Teachers will set high academic and socio-emotional goals for students, embedding rigor within daily lessons and using socio-emotional assessments to gauge students’ progress throughout the school day. Teachers will be trained to implement Responsive Classroom and Restorative Justice models in their teaching practices.

• As Noble Minds will focus on students with special needs, they intend to use Child Find and the Special Education Reporting System to identify students upon enrollment. A student support team will be assembled to begin to provide intervention services to all students with special needs immediately.

• Noble Minds has outlined a thoughtful financial plan and contingencies to ensure that the school will successfully open and remain in operation despite unforeseen budget shortfalls or challenges.

Noble Minds page 1


Noble Minds – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation

Approve application submitted by Noble Minds


Non-Profit: Noble Minds

Education Service Provider: N/A Experience Level: New

School Information

School: Noble Minds Institute for Whole Child Learning

Home District: Orleans Parish

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School: Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany

Model: Whole Child Learning, Therapeutic Response


Grade Configuration at Start: K-2 Grade Configuration at Scale: K-8



x The applicant proposes a model that serves students with special needs. x The applicant identifies student outcomes:

x Students will be capable of engaging in independent and personalized approaches to learning. x Students will score at mastery on high stakes tests. x Students will demonstrate a high executive functioning skill set. x Students will be able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with peers and adults. x Students will possess the tools needed to problem solve.

x The following are the identified pillars used to ensure the outcomes are realized: ongoing high quality professional development for teachers and support staff, learning by doing, whole child learning, collaborative inquiry, and therapeutic vs. punitive responses to challenging behavior.


x The applicant group identifies a group of students to serve who are not typically served by traditional charter schools. x The applicant has completed substantive research to date to inform the school design and model. x The applicant has identified concrete, specific strategies and systems to be used to best support a diverse group of learners. x The applicant has provided an adequate financial plan that addresses most of the school’s needs. The application outlines line-

by-line assumptions for YR 1, which, for the most part, are reasonable and seem to align with the assumptions made in the school’s narrative.

Recommendation Drivers x The applicant group identifies a group of students who are not typically served by traditional charter schools, a student population

whose needs are not met by most charter schools. The applicant includes data regarding suspension rates in New Orleans, which are twice the state average in the lowest instances, and justifies a need for the school’s unique approach.

x The applicant has completed comprehensive research to inform the school model.

Noble Minds page 2

x The applicant group details comprehensive tracking of student progress, including but not limited to formative assessments, benchmark assessments, tracking of online learning, and monitoring students’ ability to demonstrate learning in “the ways outlined in the Common Core standards”.

x The applicant has sought significant input from the community and from families, including but not limited to offering them the opportunity to explore the school model in “pop-up schools”.

x The applicant outlines a thoughtful financial plan and contingencies to assure that the school will successfully open and remain in operation despite unforeseen budget shortfalls or challenges.

Noble Minds Page 1


Noble Minds – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation

Deny the application submitted by Noble Minds


Non-Profit: Noble Minds

Education Service Provider: N/A Experience Level: New

School Information

School: Noble Minds Institute for Whole Child Learning

Home District: Recovery School District

Type: 5 Districts Served / Specific School: Orleans

Model: Whole Child Learning, Therapeutic Response





x The applicant proposes a model serving students with special needs. x The applicant details core outcomes and pillars around which focus will be made. x The following are the identified outcomes:

o Students will be capable of engaging in independent and personalized approaches to learning at all levels including high school and college.

o Students will score at mastery on high stakes tests. o Students will demonstrate a high executive functioning skillset exhibiting characteristics that contribute to success in

academically rigorous high schools, colleges, and in the workforce. o Students will be able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with peers and adults. o Students will possess the internal and external questioning tools needed to problem solve.

x The following are the identified pillars used to ensure the outcomes are realized: ongoing high quality professional development for teachers and support staff, tight feedback loops for students and teachers, learning by doing, whole child learning, collaborative inquiry, and therapeutic vs. punitive responses to challenging behavior


x The applicant group identifies a group of students to be served who are not typically served by traditional charter schools. x The applicant has completed substantive research to date to inform the school design and model. x The applicant has identified concrete, specific strategies and systems to be used to best support a diverse group of learners.


x The applicant has sought significant input from the community and from families, including but not limited to offering them the opportunity to explore the school model in “pop-up schools”.

Noble Minds Page 2

x While there is evidence that the applicant has completed comprehensive research to inform the school model, the applicant group lacks expertise needed to actualize the academic model and the board does not include a member with knowledge in charter school start-up and/or academic programming needed to inform and provide oversight of the educational model. Further, the board has not articulated a set of outcomes to hold the school leader accountable or the processes needed to evaluate the school leader’s ability to achieve the mission.

x There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the school will hold high expectations for all students. The application did not identify yearly performance goals. The applicant group indicated that the school would gather baseline data at the beginning of the school year and would use this data to set fair performance goals. Until baseline data is collected, the applicant team demonstrated hesitance to affirm the appropriateness of performance goals, including one provided at the interview by the proposed leader, that 80-85% of all students would be proficient by the end of year three.

x While the board has committed itself to raising $200k during the start-up phase, the applicant group’s inability to articulate mission critical priorities and a comprehensive method for making budgetary cuts, if necessary, brings into question the school’s ability to remain solvent.


The Department recommends that BESE approve the plan submitted by Smothers Academy, Inc. An approval authorizes the applicant to launch one Type 2 charter school serving grades K-8 in Jefferson Parish no earlier than fall 2016.


Smothers Academy proposes to launch a K-8 charter school in Jefferson Parish with a school model and culture geared towards providing a high-quality academic option for historically underserved male students. Smothers Academy will use the Core Knowledge curriculum, feature extended instructional time, and emphasize community-oriented leadership. Smothers Academy will begin by serving grades K-6 and will add one grade per year to ultimately serve grades K-8.

Applicant History


Applications Yes

(Denied) Previous District Applications

Not Reviewed by Jefferson Parish


• Recommendation: Approve • The Department agrees with SchoolWorks’ recommendation based upon the following key points:

• Smothers Academy has a clear mission: “Smothers Academy will offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum focused on developing these young men into competent, motivated, and selfless lifelong learners committed to improving the condition of their community.” This mission is woven into the educational model and teacher development plan.

• Smothers Academy will use the Core Knowledge curriculum that they will supplement with ancillary curricula. These programs provide a menu of research-based curriculum choices for teachers and are proven to be successful in other high-performing urban schools.

• Smothers Academy has allocated time daily and throughout the year in a way that will allow them to implement the educational model and achieve all target outcomes by having an extended day. This extended day will create additional time for athletics and additional academic support.

• Smothers Academy has a strong plan for teacher development that includes two hours dedicated to professional development once per week after school. Second, the leadership team will meet monthly to review the performance goals of all students, focusing on any necessary adjustments for students who are struggling.

• Smothers Academy has provided a financial plan that is accurate, conservative, and clearly presented. The application outlines assumptions for the first five operating years that are reasonable and align with the revenue and expenses assumptions made in the school’s narrative. The budget is in accordance with the Charter School Performance Compact as the school will have a surplus of funds at the end of each year.


Smothers Academy, Inc.

Smothers Academy, Incorporated page 1


Smothers Academy, Incorporated – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation

Approve the Application submitted by Smothers Academy, Incorporated


Non-Profit: Smothers Academy, Incorporated

Origin: Local Experience Level: New

School Information

School: Smothers Academy Home District: Jefferson Parish

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School: Jefferson and Orleans Parishes

Model: Boys Focused - Core Knowledge

Year Opening: 2016

Grade Configuration at Start: Grades K-6 Grade Configuration at Scale: Grades K-8



x The applicant group allocates extended time daily and throughout the year in such a way that it will be able to implement its educational model and achieve all target outcomes. The school will offer students up to 12 hours of support, instruction and athletics. The proposal includes a sample weekly schedule, a schedule of total instructional hours by content, and a description of a day in the life of a student. It also has scheduled early dismissal once a week with two uninterrupted hours dedicated to professional development.

x The applicant group has included five values that define the student culture. These values are Courage, Honor, Perseverance, Fraternity, and Intelligence.

Strengths of Application x The applicant states a very clear mission. The mission states: Smothers Academy will offer a rigorous college preparatory

curriculum focused on developing these young men into competent, motivated, and selfless lifelong learners committed to improving the condition of their community.

x The applicant group has established a Board with essential skills. At least one Board member has the appropriate knowledge to recognize if the school is at risk of failing to achieve its mission because it is going astray – academics, finances, legal issues, management and operations, and community relations.

x The design of the curricula is robust: Core Knowledge is the primary curriculum and will be delivered with fidelity. This is supplemented by an ancillary curriculum. The ancillary curriculum was chosen based on their successful use in other high performing urban schools serving a similar student population as Smothers Academy. These programs are meant to be a menu of research-based curriculum choices for teachers. Each component of the curriculum is explained in relationship to the educational model. In addition, the proposal describes the instructional strategies that will be used to implement the curriculum.

x The applicant has provided a financial plan that appears to be accurate, conservative, and clearly presented. The application outlines line by line assumptions for YR 1, as well as all five years, which are reasonable and seem to align with the assumptions made in the school’s narrative in terms of revenue (student population and demographic; No Child Left Behind [NCLB], free and reduced-price lunch), staffing, and other than personal expenses (OTPS).

Smothers Academy, Incorporated page 2


x The applicant group seeks to solve a problem related to student outcomes. Specifically, the proposed school would work to close the achievement gap between African American and Latino males in comparison to white male students. The applicant group indicated that the problem is evidenced by poor academic performance on state benchmark and formal assessments. The applicant group also provided evidence to demonstrate the disparity exists. For example, alternative schools in Jefferson Parish, which are deemed as a direct conduit to the “School to Prison Pipeline,” have approximately 95% African American students enrolled even though African Americans only make up 41% of the population in the proposed parish.

x The applicant group proposed to implement rigorous curricula and provides research to support the choice of curricula. In addition, the applicant group indicated that the ancillary curriculum was chosen based on its successful use in other high performing urban schools serving a similar student population as the proposed Smothers Academy.

x The applicant group identified school culture as the primary component that would drive student achievement. High expectations would be established through clearly defined outcomes, behavior, and discipline to drive performance. The applicant added that the establishment of a strong culture and attention to basic needs would remove prevailing obstacles and afford the students with the opportunity to engage in learning required to close the achievement gap.

x The five-year operational plan/budget presented is in alignment with the expectation presented in the Charter School Performance Compact. According to the budget, the school will have a surplus of roughly $537k in YR 1 (16%) and $759k ($3.6M cumulative) in YR 5 (17%; 81% cumulative). These balances exceed the expectation of >2% in YR 1 and >6% in YR 5.

!Summary of Recommended BESE Action

The Department recommends that BESE approve the plan submitted by Athlos Academies of Jefferson Parish. An approval authorizes the applicant to launch one Type 2 charter school serving grades K-8 in Jefferson Parish no earlier than fall 2016.


Athlos Academies is a national support-service operator proposing to launch a K-8 charter school in Jefferson Parish. The school would provide a whole-child education on a fitness-focused campus. Athlos Academies’ school model is based on three foundational pillars: prepared mind, healthy body, and performance character. Athlos Academies would initially open by serving grades K-6 and add one grade per year to ultimately serve grades K-8. Athlos Academies currently partners with and provides non-core academic support services to 21 schools in 5 different states. Athlos Academies is proposing to launch its first full charter school in Jefferson Parish.

Applicant History

Experience Level

New Previous BESE Applications

None Previous District Applications

Not Reviewed by Jefferson Parish


• Recommendation: Approve

• The Department agrees with SchoolWorks’ recommendation based upon the following key points:

• Athlos describes each component of the model including innovative academic curriculum and instruction, regular physical activity and health education, and character development and addresses how each component will be used to drive the intended student outcomes and combat dropout. Athlos strives to ultimately lower dropout rates by instilling students with strong academic skills, healthy bodies, and resilient performance character.

• Athlos’ Board members demonstrate the necessary experience and professional expertise to ensure the school will be successful. The proposed Board chair has experience in wealth management and finance, and will oversee policies, procedures and ethics, human capital management, and finances. In addition, a retired educator with over 25 years of experience in education will lead the Academic Excellence Committee. This committee will ensure that the school is achieving academic success.

• Athlos has secured staff to provide high quality leadership and instruction. The School Leader plans to hire qualified teachers, place a focus on literacy, utilize a robust benchmarking system, ensure data driven instruction, and create a culture that is mission and vision aligned.

• Athlos will use assessment data to drive teaching and learning, permitting staff to track student progress and make appropriate changes, adjust classroom instruction, and address learning gaps.

• Their budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of conservative, but realistic, projections. The five-year operational plan/budget presented aligns to the expectations presented in the Charter School Performance Compact.

Recommendation:,Approve,Athlos,Academies,of,Jefferson,Parish,

Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish page 1


Athlos Academies of Jefferson Parish – Official Recommendation to the Department

Recommendation

Approve the application submitted by Athlos Academies of Jefferson Parish


Non-Profit: Athlos Academies of Jefferson Parish

Origin: National Experience Level: New

School Information

School: Athlos Academy Home District: Jefferson Parish

Type: 2 Districts Served / Specific School: Jefferson, St. Charles, Orleans, St. John the Baptist, St. Bernard

Model: Three Pillars of Whole Child Development





x The mission of Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish is to provide high quality educational opportunities for the whole child through three foundational pillars: Prepared Mind, Healthy Body, and Performance Character. The inextricable connection of each pillar to the lives of the students inspires them to become life-long learners, thereby increasing overall student attendance, lowering dropout rates, and inspiring student achievement.

x The applicant states that Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish will help lower dropout rates by instilling students with strong academic skills, healthy bodies, and resilient performance character.

x The applicant suggests that the three pillar educational model will challenge obesity by providing health and wellness support as well as focused physical activity training; it will also engage students academically via rigorous, relevant curriculum; and lastly, it will help students develop the Performance Character traits necessary for success both in school and life.

Strengths of Application x The applicant demonstrates that its three pillars are rooted in sound research and science. x The school’s education service provider (ESP) implements the model in three existing charter schools (in both Texas (2) and

Minnesota (1)). x The applicant’s budget provides detailed, clear assumptions consisting of conservative, but realistic, projections. The school

ends each of its initial five years with surpluses that comply with the Charter School Performance Compact standards.

Recommendation Drivers x The proposal’s theory of change is grounded in the school’s educational model that a combination of components contributes to

student success. The applicant indicates that for students to stay in school and to meet full potential, a school must offer the following: innovative academic curriculum and instruction, regular physical activity and health education, and performance character development. The applicant states that the three pillars (Prepared Mind, Healthy Body, and Performance Character) are rooted in sound research and scientific thought. The school’s proposed education service provider implements the model in three existing charter schools (in both Texas and Minnesota).

x The applicant provides specific detail to describe each component of the proposed school’s model, including innovative academic curriculum and instruction, regular physical activity and health education, and performance character development.

Athlos Academy of Jefferson Parish page 2

Correspondingly, the applicant effectively links each component to the problem(s) the school will address to drive the intended student outcomes and combat dropout. For example, the applicant states that its healthy body approach would address the fact that obese students miss more school days, are more likely to suffer from social demands such as bullying, and are less likely to be fully engaged in the academic process.

x The five-year operational plan/budget presented aligns to the expectation presented in the Charter School Performance Compact. According to the budget, the school will have a surplus of roughly $181k in YR 1 (2%) and $971k ($3.6M cumulative) in YR 5 (8%; 29% cumulative). These balances exceed the expectation of >2% in YR 1 and >6% in YR 5 according to the five-year budget tab.

x The school has secured staff they feel will provide high quality leadership and instruction. In the interview, the applicant team stated that teachers who meet their minimum qualifications have been identified to surpass the number needed to fill 44 teaching positions in year one of its charter term.

recommendation: approve apex southeast, inc. · 2) students thrive within structure and when...

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