HOW TO START: THINKING ABOUT A CHARTER SCHOOL

Our concept of 4 stages:
• Stage 1: Curiosity
• Stage 2: Initial Interest
• 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 the 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 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 state and federal charter school law and the process for developing and seeking authorization for a chartered public school.
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Stage 3: Moving Forward ...

For people wanting to explore their interest, study feasibility, or pursue parent/community interest, feasibility or vision grants are not available through New Hampshire since 2007. Although these small planning grants were available in 2005 and 2006, in fact receiving one takes away one year of possible start-up funding. For $10,000, it is not worth giving up a year of school start-up funding.

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.”

A separate provision allows any existing public school to convert to charter status. One of the education rules requires even any applicant group to submit its proposal as a Chapter 292 non-profit organization. This is not difficult to do. Click here for forms to create your non-profit if you are not working through an existing non-profit organization, e.g. Friends of the ABC Schools or the YMCA. The purpose for the requirement of applicants to form as a non-profit was to assure any money awarded did not just go into someone’s personal account with no financial reporting oversight.

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 university, business, or school district support will have more strength and credibility when asking a public body for authorization.

Advice: There are over 4,300 chartered public schools in the United States. You can get wonderful ideas from schools that exist, but the laws in each state differ so charter applications from other states may not fulfill all of New Hampshire’s requirements.

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Stage 4: Submitting a Charter Application
(and, if approved, writing a start-up grant)
The State Board of Education is the only body under NH law that can award a five-year charter.

Once the charter is awarded, it must be “authorized” so the school can open. At least seven groups have been awarded chartered that were not subsequently authorized.

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, then the planning to start work begins. The school must open within 2 years under New Hampshire guidelines. If a federal start-up grant is awarded (through the US Department of Education until New Hampshire again receives a start-up grant), the school must open within 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 not guaranteed. There is a specific grant from the US Department of Education for new charter schools opening in states without a state grant, such as New Hampshire in 2008.

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 (our website lists each project and its contact information so others can find and contact new charter schools),
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 bonding, as required.

Our technical assistance group can help you with these tasks.
For assistance in these areas, contact us.