Charter Schools | StanJester - FactChecker

Category Archives: Charter Schools

DeKalb Charter Updates – Sept 2

Posted on September 2, 2015 by FactChecker | 4 comments

Charter Office
Conversion-Renewal and Start-Up Renewal Petitions will be reviewed in the fall 2015. The District received four renewals and 1 new start-up petition:

Destiny Achievers Academy of Excellence (Start-Up Renewal)
DeKalb Academy of Technology & Environment (Start-Up Renewal)
Chamblee Conversion Charter High School (Conversion Renewal)
Peachtree Charter Middle School (Conversion Renewal)
East Atlanta Charter School (New Start-Up)

The District and Board of Education will have 90 days to review all 4 petitions. These petitions are expected to be scheduled for action by the Board of Education at the November 2015 DeKalb Board of Education Meeting.
The East Atlanta Charter School Petition and Cumulative Review Results, which includes the District’s rationale for a denial to the Board of Education, were delivered to Board members on August 21. This petition has been scheduled for action at the September 14 Board meeting.
School Choice
This school year elementary and middle school students will complete the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills test (ITBS) in September. During this time, the School Choice Office will offer currently enrolled 4th, 6th and 8th grade students and private and home school students in 3rd – 8th grades the opportunity to complete the ITBS. The sole purpose of the test is to determine if the students are eligible to apply for admission to the 2016 – 2017 school year at:

High Achievers Magnet Programs at Wadsworth Magnet School
Chapel Hill Middle School
Southwest DeKalb High School
Kittredge Magnet School
Chamblee Middle School
Chamblee Charter High School
Environmental, Energy and Engineering Magnet Program at Arabia Mountain High School.

School Flexibility Option
The District has begun the work to update the charter application and allow it to meet new GaDOE requirements. Part of this process will include the Community Engagement Sessions. The dates for these sessions will be adjusted and set to occur during the middle of September to allow for proper notification of our community and stakeholders, with the focus of these meetings on the Local School Governance Teams that will be required at each school and how those teams will have the opportunity to assist in the governance of the school.
As a standing reminder, November 1, 2015 is the deadline to submit the district’s current charter petition application if the district wishes to begin operating as a charter district at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.
Various board members will have mini meetings in the near future to meet with the Superintendent and designated staff regarding the School Flexibility Option.

4 Comments

Posted in Charter Schools, School Choice

DeKalb Charter Updates

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Stan Jester | 10 comments

Charter Petitions
Currently the District is expecting four (4) renewal petitions due on August 21, 2015. The District and Board will have 90 days to review all four (4) petitions, as mandated by state law.
Charter Policy Mini Meetings
Mini-meetings have been identified to create an opportunity for Board Members to meet in small group settings to discuss and address key topics of importance. The August sessions focused on Charter Schools Matters. Nelson Mullins facilitated confidential and privileged discussions about the proposed charter school policy revisions.
Declassified Details of Charter Discussions
Question: Why were these meetings deemed “Privileged and Confidential”.
Nelson Mullins (outside counsel): The meeting and the discussions held during it are attorney/client privileged because the meeting and discussion were for the purpose of discussing legal advice, analysis, and interpretation.
Question: Is the mediation defined in SBOE rule 160-4-9-.05 expected to be deleted from the new SBOE rules? What about the appeals process, could it potentially place an undue financial burden on the district.
Nelson Mullins: The option to mediate between a charter petitioner and a local board regarding denial of a petition is not currently proposed to be revised. It is currently proposed that the requirement to hold a hearing when a local board elects not to renew a charter petition be removed.
Question: Conversion charters are not limited to the amount of autonomy they can request. Conversion charters were given a “Local & System Governance Decision Making Matrix” document at petitioner meetings. [Were the petitioners] told the autonomy they may request is not limited to the autonomy described in this matrix document. [Was] this matrix meant to be the starting point of a conversation about their roles and responsibilities and not a limit.
Dr. Jose Boza (Director of Charter Schools): Your understanding is correct. The document serves as a starting point. The Petitioners can also identify specific areas where autonomy is needed in order to carry out their innovation.
Question: There is a 2015 Charter School Petition Guidelines document. The “Charter School Letter of Assurances” starts on page 35. All charter petitioners are being asked to sign this. This letter of assurances is not accurate and needs to be revised. What are the district’s current instructions for conversion charter petitioners regarding the Charter Petitioner Guidelines 2015?
Dr. Jose Boza: [That] is accurate for start-ups. Conversion Charter Schools were informed during the informational sessions to use the phrase of “not applicable” below the assurance.
Question: Petitioner meetings are open to as many people that would like to attend. However, the petitioner is asked to select a few representatives to speak for the group.
Dr. Jose Boza: [That] is correct. Petitioners are asked to identify a few representatives, principal and members of the proposed governing board, to attend the Capacity Interview and Clarification session.
Question: “Arm’s Length” is a commonly used legal expression.
Nelson Mullins: Yes, the term “arm’s length” is a commonly used legal expression. It refers to when business is conducted in a formal manner, and the parties are beyond the reach of each other’s control or over-mastering influence.
School Flexibility Option
Community Engagement Sessions for each of the five Regions are being planned, with August 24 through August 28 and August 31 through September 4 as the potential window. These Community Engagement Sessions will allow stakeholders to provide input on the Charter System application before final submission to the Board for approval. In addition to planned mini-meetings with the Board on this topic, the Board of Education will also be notified of the Community Engagement Sessions.
The GADOE has an established deadline of November 1, 2015, for submission of charter petition applications that wish to begin operating as a charter district at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. Without a called meeting, this requires that the petition be presented to the Board at their October 5, 2015, meeting as a resolution for adoption.
The petition can be reviewed at the link below.
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/charter-system-petition/charter-system-application-cover-sheet.pdf