Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 281 - Education Department › Title II - Accredited Schools and School Districts › Chapter 19 - Charter Schools › Rule 281-19.7 - School Board-state Board Model

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
A school board may create a founding group to apply to the
				  state board for approval to establish and operate a charter school within and
				  as a part of the school district by establishing a new attendance center,
				  creating a new school within an existing attendance center, or converting an
				  existing attendance center. The application shall demonstrate the founding
				  group's academic and operational vision and plans for the proposed charter
				  school, demonstrate the founding group's capacity to execute the vision and
				  plans, and provide the state board a clear basis for assessing the founding
				  group's plans and capacity.
(1)
School board-state board model application.
An application
				submitted under this rule shall include all of the following items related to
				the proposed charter school:
a. An executive
				summary.
b. The mission and vision
				of the proposed charter school, including identification of the targeted
				student population and the community the charter school intends to
				serve.
c. The location of the
				proposed charter school or the proposed geographic area within the school
				district where the school is proposed to be located.
d. Identification of the grades to be served
				each school year during the duration of the charter school contract.
e. Minimum, planned, and maximum enrollment
				per grade for each school year during the duration of the charter school
				contract.
f. Evidence of need and
				community support for the proposed charter school.
g. Background information on the members of
				the founding group and background information on the governing board,
				administration, and management personnel of the proposed charter school, if
				available (if any or all of this information is not available, a projected date
				by which it will be available).
h.
				The charter school's proposed operations calendar and sample daily
				schedule.
i. A description of the
				academic program and identification of ways the program aligns with state
				academic standards.
j. A
				description of the charter school's instructional model, including the type of
				learning environment, class size and structure, curriculum overview, and
				teaching methods.
k. The charter
				school's plan for using internal and external assessments to measure and report
				student progress on the performance framework in accordance with Iowa Code
				section
				256E.9.
l. Plans for identifying and serving students
				with disabilities, students who are limited English proficient, students who
				are academically failing or below grade level, and gifted students, including
				but not limited to compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
m. A description of cocurricular and
				extracurricular programs and how the programs will be funded and delivered.
n. Plans and timelines for student
				recruitment, enrollment and transfers, including enrollment preferences and
				procedures for conducting transparent admissions selections, including
				admissions lotteries.
o. The
				proposed code of student conduct, including applicable procedures and
				disciplinary sanctions for both general students and special education
				students.
p. A chart or description
				of the charter school's organizational structure and the duties and powers of
				each position or group, including the delineation of authority and reporting
				between the governing board, administration, staff, and any related bodies or
				external organizations that have a role in managing the charter
				school.
q. A staffing chart for the
				charter school's first year and a staffing plan for the duration of the charter
				school contract.
r. Plans for
				recruiting and developing school administrators, staff, and governing board
				members and the charter school's employment policies, including performance
				evaluation plans.
s. Proposed
				governing bylaws for the charter school.
t. Identification and explanation of any
				partnerships or contractual relationships with the founding group or any of the
				founding group or school board's members that are related to the charter
				school's operations or mission.
u.
				The charter school's plans for providing transportation services, food service,
				and all other operational or ancillary services (including compliance with any
				requirement imposed by federal law on public charter schools).
v. Proposed opportunities and expectations
				for parent involvement.
w. A
				detailed school start-up plan and five-year plan, including all relevant
				assumptions used, identifying timelines for charter school finances, budget,
				and insurance coverage; facility construction, preparation, and contingencies;
				and the identification of persons or positions responsible for each such
				item.
x. Evidence of anticipated
				fundraising contributions, if any.
y. Evidence of the founding group's success
				in serving student populations similar to that which is proposed in the
				application and if the founding group operates other charter schools, evidence
				of past performance of such other charter schools and evidence of the founding
				group's capacity for an additional charter school.
z. A description of the proposed charter
				school's staff performance evaluation measures and compensation structure,
				methods of contract oversight and dispute resolution, investment disclosures,
				and conflicts of interest.
aa. A
				proposed duration and outline of the charter school contract, including
				designation of roles, authority, and duties of the governing board and the
				charter school staff.
ab. The
				specific statutes and administrative rules with which the charter school does
				not intend to comply. The department shall provide technical assistance to the
				applicant concerning statutes and administrative rules that may be waived under
				the charter school contract in order to facilitate the goals of the charter
				school.