State Board of Education New Member Orientation August 20, 2013

State Board of EducationNew Member Orientation

August 20, 2013

SCHOOL SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY SCHOOL SYSTEM FLEXIBILITY AND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN GEORGIAAND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN GEORGIA

Overview and ComparisonOverview and Comparison

2

What is the Origin of Charter Schools?

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Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Innovation C

hoice

Competition

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 704/21/23

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 804/21/23

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 904/21/23

04/21/23 10Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Charter system law also passed, followed by

first 4 charter systems in

2008-09

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

For locally-approved and system charter schools

State Charter Schools

Commission

For state charter schools

13Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

14Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

What Kinds of Charter Schools Does Georgia Have?

04/21/23 15

Different starting points, but same end point

Same starting point as a conversion charter, but a

different end point

16

17Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

18Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

19Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

20Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

21

22

Georgia Charter Schools Growth

We have begun to address the low numbers of high quality charter school

applications

04/21/23 23

04/21/23 24Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

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04/21/23 26Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

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1519

22

39 39

61

75

21

4

35

27

0

1519 19

3026

18

40

15

27 8

00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

History of Charter School Applications and Approvals

Note: The 2010 number of applications and approvals is significantly higher because of Commission school transitions

Total Applications Commission Apps Total Approvals Commission Approvals

04/21/23 28

• Not yet a critical mass of high-quality charter schools

• Concentrated in Metro Atlanta• We had 315 charter schools in

Georgia in 2012-13 – including 77 start-up charter schools, 31 conversion charter schools, and 207 charter system schools in 16 charter systems

• The 15 state-chartered special schools have changed authorizers from the SBOE to the new State Charter Schools Commission

• Not yet a critical mass of high-quality charter schools

• Concentrated in Metro Atlanta• We had 315 charter schools in

Georgia in 2012-13 – including 77 start-up charter schools, 31 conversion charter schools, and 207 charter system schools in 16 charter systems

• The 15 state-chartered special schools have changed authorizers from the SBOE to the new State Charter Schools Commission

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Georgia’s Charter Landscape

04/21/23 30Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

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Number of Charter System Schools by District

04/21/23 32Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 33Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 34Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 35Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 36Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Georgia Landscape 2011-2012

National Landscape2011-2012

Georgia Charter Schools Academic Performance

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04/21/23 39Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 40Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 41Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

5-Year % Passing: CRCT Reading PerformanceCharter vs. Non-Charter

04/21/23 42Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

% Passing: CRCT Reading PerformanceBy Charter Type

04/21/23 43Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 44Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

5-Year % Passing: CRCT Math PerformanceCharter vs. Non-Charter

04/21/23 45Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

% Passing: CRCT Math PerformanceBy Charter Type

04/21/23 46Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 47Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 48Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 49Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

04/21/23 50Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

40.0%42.5%45.0%47.5%50.0%52.5%55.0%57.5%60.0%62.5%65.0%67.5%70.0%72.5%75.0%77.5%80.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5-Year EOCT Math Performance TrendCharter vs. Non-Charter

Charter Non-Charter

04/21/23 51Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

40.0%42.5%45.0%47.5%50.0%52.5%55.0%57.5%60.0%62.5%65.0%67.5%70.0%72.5%75.0%77.5%80.0%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

5-Year EOCT Math Performance Trendby Charter Type

Start-up Conversion System Non-Charter

04/21/23 52Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Georgia’s High Quality Charter School Requirements

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04/21/23 55

* High Quality Charter School

• Petitioners are asked:– What would having a

charter allow you to do differently to increase student achievement that you could not do without a charter?

– Why do you need a charter to implement the innovations you have proposed?

56Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Must show the following links:

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Governing Board Autonomy

59Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Can contract for services provided by the district• Must recruit/select governing board members without district or EMO/CMO assistance• Must have independent audit firm and attorney

Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Can contract for services provided by the district• Must recruit/select governing board members without district or EMO/CMO assistance• Must have independent audit firm and attorney

The school should be as close to this

end as possible

The school should be as close to this

end as possible

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04/21/23 60

* Fourth Generation

School District Flexibility and Accountability in Georgia

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• By June 30, 2015*June 30, 2015* each local school system must choose to operate as one of the following: – Investing in Educational Excellence School System (IE2)– Charter System– Status Quo School System• Other options include:– System of Charter Clusters– System of Charter Schools– Strategic School System

*Per OCGA §20-2-84.3

63

64

65

66

67

68

Decision Considerations

*College & Career Readiness Performance Index 69

70

Centralized or Decentralized Decentralized

Yes

No Waivers

Decision Structure Considerations

71

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

>School System seeks waivers – must include at least one of the following: class size; expenditure control; certification; salary schedule

>Schools must state how broad flexibility per-mitted by the Charter Schools Act will be utilized to improve student achievement>School must provide exam-ples of how they will utilize the broad relief from Title 20 permit-ted by the Chart-er Schools Act.

>School System must state how bundled Title 20 waiver requests for flexibility permitted by state statute and State Board rule will be utilized.>School System cannot include the following: class size; expenditure control; certification; salary schedule.

>School System must provide examples of how broad flexibility permitted by the Charter Schools Act will be utilized to improve student achievement

>Waivers granted only in the case of a natural disaster>Statewide waivers expire June 30, 2015

Flexibility and Title 20

72

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

Status Quo

Cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Schools cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Cannot waive: >Big 4>Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Cannot waive: >Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

No waivers permitted except if natural disaster, but cannot waive:>Federal rules/ regulations >State and local rules/regulations such as: insurance; physical health; school safety; assessment; QBE funding; etc. >Court orders, civil rights statutes >Conflicts of interest; unlawful conduct

Waiver Limitations

72

73

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Flexibility proportionate to student performance goals>School System Strategic Plan is required>School System must conduct a public hearing to share Strategic Plan>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting.

>Emphasis on parent/ community involvement, including maximum school level governance>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting

>Flexibility is proportionate to increase in student performance goals >School System Strategic Plan is required>School System must conduct a public hearing to share Strategic Plan >Approved by the Local School Board

>Emphasis on parent/ community involvement, including maximum school level governance>Approved by the Local School Board at a public meeting

>School System must conduct a public hearing to provide notice of the system’s intent to select Status Quo>Local board of education must sign statement that the school system has selected Status Quo

Unique Features

74

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

Status Quo

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with more local school system expenditure controls

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with local expenditure controls>Federal charter school imple-mentation grants possible for each school

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding

>Possible savings through flexibility>Regular QBE funding with more local school system expenditure controls>Possible $100 (pre-austerity cut) per student

>No savings through flexibility

Fiscal Impact

75

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

>School System may maximize school-level governance by granting local schools authority to determine how to reach goals

>School System must grant each school substan-tial autonomy and maximize school-level governance and decision making over budgets, programs, personnel, and innovation

>School System may maximize school level governance by granting local schools authority to determine how to reach goals, manage personnel, and develop innovative strategies

>School System must provide each school with substantial autonomy and maximum school-level governance and decision making over budgets, programs, personnel and/or innovation

>No change in school-level governance

Governance

76

77

• Beyond the 4 responsibilities of a school board, everything else is the Superintendent’s responsibility

• Therefore, it is the Superintendent’s authority that is shared with schools in a charter system or a system of charter schools

• The authority of a local Board of Education is not diminished unless it has inappropriately taken the Superintendent’s authority

78

Charter System School Governing Team

Autonomy

79

Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Must recruit/select governing board members without district assistance (except for initial group)• Can contract for services provided by the district

Indicators of Autonomy• Must make personnel decisions (People)• Must make decisions about what happens in the school (Time)• Must set school budget spending priorities (Money)• Must recruit/select governing board members without district assistance (except for initial group)• Can contract for services provided by the district

The school should be as close to this

end as possible

The school should be as close to this

end as possible

80

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Student performance goals must meet or exceed state averages and exceed previous system performance >Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

>Student performance goals must meet or exceed state averages and exceed previous system performance >Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

>Student performance goals must exceed previous system performance and must show annual improvement>Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

>Student performance goals must meet or exceed state averages and exceed previous system performance >Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

>Student performance must meet all federal and state accountability measures

Performance Evaluation

81

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

>Loss of governance of non-performing schools: (1) conversion to charter school; (2) operation by another school system; or (3) operation by private or non-profit entity

>Charter status revoked for non-performing schools/clusters; those schools/clusters lose all flexibility >Possible fiscal impact due to loss of flexibility

>Flexibility status revoked and school system reverts to Status Quo>Possible fiscal impact when converting from Strategic School System to Status Quo due to loss of flexibility

>Charter status revoked and school system reverts to Status Quo >Possible fiscal impact when converting from Charter System to Status Quo due to loss of flexibility

N/A

Consequences

82

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

Status Quo

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education*

>Charter School Governing Board, Local School System Board of Education, and State Board of Education

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education

>Local School System Board of Education and State Board of Education

N/A

Contractual Partners

*Required by statute that the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement participate in the IE2 process.

83

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

Status Quo

>Initial term of contract is for 5 years>Contract may be renewed if contract performance goals are met for at least three consecutive years

>Initial term of individual school contract is for 5 years>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Subsequent contract term may range from 5 to 10 years if the charter contract goals are met

>Single contract term of 2 to 5 years>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Follow-up contract must be IE2, Charter System, System of Charter Schools or Charter Clusters, or Status Quo

>Initial term of contract is for 5 years>Contract status is reviewed annually, based on student performance>Subsequent contract term may range from 5 to 10 years if the charter contract goals are met

N/A

Length of Contract

84

85

86

IE2

SystemSystem of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

Status Quo

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff>Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 8 to 24 months

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff >Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 3 to 6 months

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff >Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 3 to 6 months

>Approved by local board>Petition sent to GaDOE>Petition vetted by GaDOE staff >Petition sent to GaDOE Cabinet>Petition sent to State Board of Education (SBOE)>Contract signed by all parties>Time from receipt of petition to SBOE approval and contract = 3 to 6 months

N/A

Petition Process

87

IE2

System System of

Charter Schools and Charter

Clusters

Strategic School System

CharterSystem

StatusQuo

O.C.G.A. §20-2-80 §20-2-81§20-2-82§20-2-83§20-2-84.1§20-2-84.2§20-2-84.3

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2062§20-2-2063.1§20-2-2063.2§20-2-2064.1§20-2-2065§20-2-2066§20-2-2067§20-2-2067.1§20-2-2068§20-2-2068.1§20-2-2068.2§20-2-2069§20-2-2070§20-2-2071

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063.2

O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063.2

O.C.G.A. §20-2-80

Legal References

88

Category 1: Strategic School System

Category 2: High Performing System

Category 3: Charter System

>Description: Receive Title 20 flexibility via waiver request process>Eligibility: Any system not categorized as 2 or 3. In general, this will mean system scoring less than an 80 on the CCRPI.>Incentive: Flexibility: Specific Title 20 regulations (including “Big 4” at the discretion of the SBOE) can be waived at the request of the system by the SBOE based on completion of strategic plan and monitoring by DOE. Plan must clearly indicate how the flexibility will affect student achievement. Higher bar on student achievement for Big 4 waivers.>Accountability: Term of waivers is 3 years, can only be revoked if system materially breaches its plan. -- or system can be promoted to Category 2 and get the broad flexibility waiver or go through the process to become Category 3.

>Description: Receive Title 20 flexibility without waiver process

>Eligibility: Granted automatically without process or performance contract if district meets (a1) and (a2), or (b):

(a1) System CCRPI grade of >= 80

AND

(a2) 90% of schools >= 80 (or all but 1 for systems with 10 or fewer schools) OR(b) Exceptional CCRPI growth (definition TBD)

>Incentive: Broad flexibility.

>Accountability: Maintain High Performance criteria; Term of broad flexibility is 3 years

>Description: Receive Title 20 flexibility through charter system application process.

>Eligibility: Any system is always eligible to apply but must go through the current application process; local school governance assurance

>Incentive: Broad flexibility

>Accountability: Student performance and local school governance

HB 327: Georgia’s Statewide Tiered Accountability and Flexibility System (G-STAFS)

Charter School Authorizing in Georgia

04/21/23 89

90Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

What is an Authorizer?

04/21/23 91

What Are An Authorizer’s Responsibilities?

92

An authorizer is an entity that has the authority to create charter schools

Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

How Does the SBOE/GaDOE Fulfill their Obligations as an Authorizer?

04/21/23 93

How Does The Commission Fulfill Its Obligations as an Authorizer?

04/21/23 94

Charter School Approval Process

95Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Start-up petition

Conversion petition

LBOE GaDOE SBOE

ApprovalReview and make recommendation

to SBOEApproval

New locally-approved start-

up charter school

Approval Approval

Review and make recommendation

to SBOE

New conversion

charter school

Y Y

Y

N

N

End

EndEnd

Y

N

04/21/23

N

(See next page for state charter school option)

Commission School Approval Process

96Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Start-up petition for

defined attendance

zone

Commission petition for

defined attendance

zone

LBOE where school will be located

Commission SBOE

Overrule

New Commission

school

N

N

YEnd

04/21/23

ApprovalY

EndN

Commission petition for statewide

attendance zone

Petition to district in which

school will be located for

information only (not required for virtual schools)

(See previous page)

YApproval

Charter System Approval Process

97

Charter system petition

LBOE GaDOE SBOE

Approval Approval

Review and make

recommendation to SBOE

New charter system

Y

NEndEnd

Y

N

Charter Advisory Committee review and

recommendation to SBOE

What is the SBOE/GaDOE Charter Petition Review Process?

98Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent 04/21/23

What Steps does GaDOE Take to Ensure Only High-Quality Charter Schools are Recommended for

Approval?

04/21/23 99

What Should New and Renewal Charter School Applicants Do to Ensure They Are

High-Quality Applicants?

04/21/23 100

What Steps Should Renewal Applicants Take to Ensure They Are High-Quality

Charter Schools?

04/21/23 101

When Does GaDOE Recommend An Existing Charter School for Denial?

04/21/23 102

When Should an Authorizer Close a Charter School?

*These guidelines are based on NACSA’s Red Flags for identifying “bad” schools.04/21/23 103

Why Should Authorizers Close Schools?

04/21/23 104

Accountability Project

04/21/23 105Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Charter School Grant Opportunities

04/21/23 106Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

107Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent

Where is Georgia chartering headed?

What’s Best for Charter School Students?

04/21/23 108

For More Informationhttp://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Charter-Schools/

109

Garry McGiboney, Ph.D.Associate Superintendent

gmcgiboney@doe.k12.ga.us404-656-0619

Howard Hendley, Ed.D.Director, Policy Division

hhendley@doe.k12.ga.us404-657-2965

Louis ErsteDirector, Charter Schools Division

lerste@doe.k12.ga.us404-651-8734

Allan MeyerAssistant Director

Policy Divisionameyer@doe.k12.ga.us

404-657-1065

Morgan FeltsProgram Manager and

Senior AttorneyCharter Schools Divisionmfelts@doe.k12.ga.us

404-656-0027