HOW
TO START: THINKING ABOUT A CHARTER SCHOOL
Our concept of 4 stages:
• Stage 1: Curiosity
• Stage 2: Initial Interest
... Josiah Bartlett Center Mini-Grant Program
• Stage 3: Moving Forward ...
Department of Education Vision & Design Grants
• Stage
4: Starting a School ... Department of Education Start-up Grants
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Stage
1: Curiosity
One or more persons thinks “This is interesting. I’d like to know
more about this charter school law and option. Maybe I, some people
I know, or my school district would be interested.”
Advice: You are welcome to call our office and
ask questions (224-0366).
We don’t charge for information. Or you could contact Roberta Tenney
at the Department of Education. This web site links you to the charter
school law in New Hampshire, how
charter schools work, how charter schools fit into the national
interest of choice public schools. Read about the approved
charter schools and the 20
or more groups incubating ideas in New Hampshire.
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Stage 2: Initial Interest ... See if You Have 3-4 people for
a Starting Team
After considering the charter school development process and model,
an interested person needs to find one or more similarly-interested
adults. Pursuing a charter school involves tremendous work. No matter
how many people become involved, a small design team is apt to do
most of the actual work. What many successful groups do is hold
one or more local meetings, either open to the public or by invitation,
to see if there is interest and/or need for a school.
Advice: Request an introductory informational program in your area
and invite others. You can accomplish this in someone’s home or
in a public forum, e.g. at the library or town office. Our office
provides informational seminars at no cost to those considering
a potential charter school project. We believe it's highly important
to start with accurate information about the law and process.
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Stage 3: Moving Forward ...
Department of Education Vision & Design Grants
Part of the 36-month Federal Charter School Stimulus Grant
For
people wanting to explore their interest, study feasibility,
or pursue parent/community interest, a 6-month grant is possible
through the Department of Education to refine an idea and develop
a charter (or decide not to develop a charter).
With or without this “vision and planning” grant, a group can
study feasibility, write, and submit a charter application. Potential
applicants must know the law about who can submit a charter application.RSA
194-B:3, V, states: “Persons or entities eligible to submit
an application to establish a charter school shall include:
(a) a nonprofit organization including, but not limited to, a college,
university, museum, service club, or similar entity,
(b) a group of 2 or more New Hampshire certified teachers,
(c) a group of 10 or more parents.”
There is a separate provision for an existing public school converting
to charter status. One of the education rules requires even parents
and teacher groups to submit their proposal as a Chapter 292 non-profit.
This is not difficult to do. Click
here for forms to create your non-profit, e.g. The Sullivan
Country Charter School Association.
New Hampshire’s charter school law does not allow a school district
to submit a charter; however, a school district can collaborate,
help sponsor, or even create a non-profit organization that then
sponsors a charter school application. Charter school applications
developed with some university, business, or school district support
will have a stronger political and financial position when the decision
to authorize or not is considered.
Advice: New Hampshire’s Department of Education federal grants allow
for a portion of the
36-month federal grant to be used as a “pre-charter” planning" period.
To date, pre-charter planning grants have been available in amounts
of $5,000 to $10,000. There is no requirement that receiving a
pre-charter planning grant must conclude with a charter school
application. The grant expectation, however, is that the funds
will be used by entities authorized to submit a charter application
and who are seriously considering the study and design of a charter
application.
The
Department's application for pre-charter (planning, visioning)
grants is posted on the Department of Education web site. If
you are a private, non-profit group it could take 4-6 months
to receive this money, if your grant request is approved. This
amount of money may not be worth the time it uses: 1) writing
and processing the grant takes months, and 2) the number of months
used for a pre-charter grant is subtracted from a new school's
36-month real start-up grant period (when the time and start-up
funding is really needed).
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Stage 4: Submitting a Charter Application
And, if approved, writing a Start-up Grant
Once a charter application is written, submitted, and approved,
the group moving forward is awarded a 5-year charter. The State
Board of Education is the only body under NH law that can award
a charter.
The
charter must then be "authorized" so the school can open
and receive funding. New Hampshire has 2 authorizers: 1) the legislative
body of the local school district (everywhere except cities this
is the voters--and the procedures are very time intensive), and
2) the State Board of Education.
If
the charter application is authorized, the work begins. The school
must open within 2 years under New Hampshire guidelines. If a federal
start-up grant is awarded (through NH’s Department of Education),
the school must open after 18 months of the start-up grant award.
The
New Hampshire Center for School Reform web site is dedicated to
providing technical assistance to groups starting charter schools.
How-To guidelines are outlined for many initial procedures you need
to enact Contact us
for assistance or to answer questions or for help with charter applications
and the authorization process.
Start-up
grants are only allowed for 36
months. They are competitive and as of December 2006 NH has
supported 12 charter school start-ups. The 7.2 million federal stimulus
grant was for 15 charter schools--so only 3 ore schools can be supported
and the grant runs out this summer, 2007.
Advice:
Complicated first steps after authorization include:
a. creating a Board of Trustees (a different board than the sponsoring
agency board)
b. developing the Board of Trustees’ initial governing policies
so these can be voted at the board's first meeting,
c. obtaining Board insurance, as required (should not meet until
there is a binder for this),
d. setting up a financial office or system, adopting financial management
policies, preparing the charter school to be an independent employer
e. setting up an office, contact number, and method of providing
information to others (this website lists each project and contact
information to help with initial contact)
f. developing an initial personnel system including recruitment
and hiring.
g. selecting a bank and establishing bank accounts
h. establishing an EIN (Employer Identification Number) for the
charter school
i. selecting a treasurer or fiscal agent who would have check writing
authority and short bonding, as required.
Our
technical assistance group can help you with these tasks.
For assistance in these areas, contact
us.
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