Request for Applications from Existing Operators

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS FROM EXISTING OPERATORS

Interested in operating a charter school in New Jersey beginning in the 2014-15 school year

PHASE TWO APPLICATIONS DUE DECEMBER 13, 2013

(Only for Applicants Notified of Qualified Applicant Status)

Please direct all questions to Colleen Schulz-Eskow

or JoAnne Tubman (609) 292-5850

1

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2013 Request for Applications for Experienced Operators

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS 6

PHASE TWO APPLICATION NARRATIVE 9

Section 1: Educational Program and Capacity 9

Curriculum and Instructional Design 9

Promotion & Retention Strategies 10

Daily & Annual Schedule 11

School Culture & Supplemental Planning 12

Special Populations 13

Student Discipline 14

Educational Program Capacity 15

Section 2: Governance and Organizational Plan and Capacity 16

Governance 16

Parent & Community Involvement 18

Student Recruitment and Enrollment 19

School Staff Structure 20

Staffing Plans, Hiring, Management, and Evaluation 21

Professional Development 22

Goals and Objectives and Performance Management 23

Facilities 25

Start-Up 26

Education Service Provider/Replicating Entity Vision, Growth Plan, & Capacity 27

School Management Contracts 28

Waivers or Equivalencies of Regulation 29

Section 3: Financial Plan & Capacity 30

Financial Plan 30

Budget Summary 31

Detailed Budget Narrative 32

Cash Flow Schedule 33

Section 4: Portfolio Review/Performance Record 34

EXHIBITS

Exhibit 1b: Start-Up Plan Template September 2014 to June 2016 36

Exhibit 2b: Budget Term Definitions and Charter School Budget Summary Key 42

Exhibit 3b: Funding Calculation Example 51

Exhibit 4b: Receipt of 2013 Charter School Application 53

Exhibit 5b: Charter School Program Act of 1995 54

ATTACHMENTS

1b Curricular Choices
2b Graduation/Exit Requirements
3b Proposed Calendar
4b Sample Daily and Weekly Schedule
5b School Discipline Policy
6b Resume and Professional Biography – School Leader
7b Job Description/Qualifications for School Leader
8b Resume and Professional Biographies/ Leadership Team
9b Legal Governance Documents
10b Board Training and Development Plan
11b Community Partners Evidence
12b School Enrollment Policy
13b Leadership Evaluation Tool
14b Teacher Evaluation Tool
15b Personnel Policies/Employee Manual
16b Professional Development Plan
17b Certificate of Occupancy (if applicable)
18b Start-Up Plan
19b ESP/Replicating Entity Organization Chart
20b ESP/Replicating Entity Annual Reports
21b Draft Management Contract
22b Insurance Coverage
23b 4 Year Budget
24b Budget Narrative
25b ESP/Replicating Entity Litigation

Application Instructions

The application of the proposed charter school becomes a public document upon completion and submission to the New Jersey State Department of Education (NJDOE).

Response to Questions

·  Use the complete, proper name of the proposed charter school;

·  Respond to every statement with a discrete response;

·  Provide complete, concise responses to the statements immediately following the question; and

·  Respond to each statement in the text of the application and not in the attachments, unless an attachment is explicitly requested;

·  If a particular question does not apply to your team or application, simply respond “Not Applicable,” AND state the reason this question is not applicable to your team or application.

·  The page limit for Phase Two is 75 pages. A thorough and quality response can be developed within those guidelines. Attachments and Exhibits are not included in the narrative page limit.

Note: Failure to comply with formatting instructions may impact assessment.

Format for the Phase Two Application:

·  Type the application on 8 ½ x 11 white paper;

·  Use a twelve-point or larger font;

·  Single-space the body of the application;

·  75 page limit;

·  Use only one side of each sheet of paper. Do not copy front to back;

·  Separate each section by inserting tabbed dividers in the application document; on each tabbed divider label, indicate the name of the specific section;

·  In the header, include the complete, proper name of the charter school and section number and name of the section. (For example: Favorite Charter School, Section 1, Mission Statement);

·  In the footer, include page numbers that reference the application section and page number. (For example: Page 1-1 represents Section 1, page 1); and

·  Edit document for spelling, grammar, formatting and completeness prior to submission.

IF NOTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF “QUALIFIED APPLICANT” STATUS, submit the documents that comprise the Phase Two New Jersey Charter School Application in the following order and format:

1.  Title Page

a.  Use the complete, proper name of the proposed charter school;

b.  The words “Charter School” must be used in the title of the proposed school; and

c.  Title Page must include the words “New Jersey Charter School Application.”

2.  Sections 1-4: Application Narrative

a.  Follow the sequence and directions presented in this application booklet;

b.  Number and label each section in the header (i.e., Section 1. Educational Program and Capacity);

c.  Applicants must type each question before writing the response or download the template at www.nj.gov/education/chartsch/app/

d.  Begin each section on a new page; and

e.  Number all pages in the footer sequentially beginning with Page 1-1, (i.e. Section 1, page 1).

f.  To prepare the budget and cash flow, use the templates found at http://www.state.nj.us/education/chartsch/app/

3.  Attachments

a.  Only required attachments should be submitted; additional attachments should not be used to supplement or supplant information requested in the application narrative;

b.  Label the first page of each attachment with the appropriate number (i.e. Attachment 1b);

c.  When submitting resumes and biographies, label each document with the individual’s affiliation with the proposed school (board member, principal, teacher, etc.); and

d.  Complete all sheets in the Financial Plan Workbook.

Deadline

1.  The original Phase Two charter school application along with 2 hard copies and 1 PDF electronic copy (including all sections and appendices in PDF) on CD or flash drive must be submitted, by the applicant, to the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) by 4:15 P.M. on December 13, 2013. The NJDOE will provide the applicant with a signed and dated receipt.

A copy must be submitted, by the applicant, to the respective county superintendent of schools and the district board(s) of education and/or the state district superintendents of the charter school’s proposed district of residence or region of residence no later than 4:15 P.M. on December 13, 2013.

An application received after 4:15 P.M. on December 13, 2013 may be disqualified. Disqualified applications will not be reviewed or evaluated by the Department of Education.

Applications due to the Department should be mailed to the address below or hand-delivered to the Department’s application control center:

Office of Charter Schools

New Jersey Department of Education

100 River View Plaza, Route 29

P.O. Box 500

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0500

2.  The applicant must have the district and county representatives sign a receipt indicating the date and time that the application is received. Copies of each receipt are to be submitted to the Office of Charter Schools within one week of the deadline. Receipts should be faxed to 609-633-9825 or email .

Note: Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:11-2.1(b)3, failure to submit the application to all required parties by 4:15 p.m. will result in the disqualification of the application.

PHASE TWO APPLICATION NARRATIVE

Please respond to the following questions, limiting your narrative response to all sections to 75 pages total, excluding attachments.

Section 1: Educational Program and Capacity

Curriculum and Instructional Design

1.  Describe the educational approach(es)(e.g., classroom-based, independent study, blended learning), including class size and structure for all grades (elementary, middle, high school) to be served and how it relates to the Mission.

2.  Summarize curricular choices, by subject, and the rationale for each. Include, as Attachment 1b, examples of how these choices align with the Mission, and provide evidence of how these curricula will improve academic results with the anticipated student population. Identify course outcomes and demonstrate alignment with the Common Core State Standards.

3.  Describe instructional strategies that will be implemented to support the education plan and why they are well-suited for the anticipated student population. Describe the methods and systems teachers will use to provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students.

4.  Discuss the rationale for the proposed educational program, including evidence of results, especially with comparable student populations, as available.

5.  Describe any key educational features that will differ from either the Education Service Provider’s (ESP’s) existing schools, or the school model that is being replicated, not already discussed in Phase One or above. Explain these different features, any new resources they would require, and the rationale for the variation in approach.

Promotion and Retention Strategies

1.  Explain the policies and standards for promoting and retaining students from one grade to the next. Discuss how and when promotion and graduation requirements will be communicated to parents and students, and include timelines for parental notification of student retentions.

2.  Provide, in Attachment 2b, the school’s graduation or exit requirements for students. These should clearly set forth what students in the last grade served in the school will know and be able to do.

3.  Explain how the graduation requirements will ensure student readiness for college or other postsecondary opportunities (trade school, military service, or entering the workforce). (High school only)

4.  Explain what systems and structures the school will implement for students at risk of dropping out and/or not meeting the proposed graduation requirements. (High school only)

Daily and Annual Schedule

1.  Discuss the annual academic schedule for the school. Explain how the schedule reflects the needs of the educational program and aligns with the Mission. In Attachment 3b, provide the school’s proposed calendar for the first year of operation, and include the first and last day of school, vacations, professional development/in-service days, holidays, etc. List the number of school hours and days per month and the total number of hours of instruction and school days per year for students and for teachers.

2.  Describe the structure of the school day and week. Include the number of instructional hours/ minutes in a day for core subjects such as language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Note the length of the school day, including start and dismissal times and times for before- and after-school programs, if applicable. Explain why the school’s daily and weekly schedule will be optimal for student learning. Provide the minimum number of hours/minutes per day and week that the school will devote to academic instruction in each grade. The response should include, in Attachment 4b, a sample daily and weekly schedule for each grade of the school.

School Culture and Supplemental Programming:

1.  Describe the culture or ethos of the proposed school. Explain how it will promote a positive academic environment and reinforce student intellectual and social development.

2.  Explain how this culture will be implemented for all students, including those with special needs, those receiving special education services, English Language Learners and students at risk of academic failure, as well as teachers, administrators, and parents starting from the first day of school.

3.  Describe a typical school day from the perspective of a student in a grade that will be served in the first year of operation.

4.  Describe a typical day for a teacher in a grade that will be served in the first year of operation.

5.  Describe the plan for enculturating students who enter the school mid-year.

6.  If summer school will be offered, describe the program(s). Explain the schedule and length of the program, including the number of hours and weeks. Discuss the anticipated participants, including number of students and the methods used to identify them. What are the anticipated resource and staffing needs for these programs?

7.  Describe the extra- or co-curricular activities or programming the school will offer; how often they will occur; and how they will be funded.

8.  If applicable, describe any other student-focused activities and programs that are integral to the educational and student-development plans.

Special Populations

1.  Describe how the charter school will address the needs of students who may be:

a.  At-risk of academic failure or dropping out;

b.  Eligible for special education and related services;

c.  English language learners;

d.  Eligible for services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

e.  Discuss how the course scope and sequence, daily schedule, staffing plans, and support strategies and resources will meet or be adjusted for the diverse needs of students.

2.  Explain more specifically how the program will identify and meet the learning needs of the student groups identified above. Specify the programs, strategies, and supports that will be provided, including the following:

a.  Methods for identifying students (and avoiding misidentification);

b.  Specific instructional programs, practices, and strategies the school will employ to provide a continuum of services; ensure students’ access to the general education curriculum; and ensure academic success;

c.  Plans for monitoring and evaluating the progress and success of students with diverse needs to ensure the attainment of each student’s goals, which may be set forth in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), where applicable; and