Charter Schools Performance Oversight: A New Approach

1. Charter Schools Authorized by the New York State Board of Regents:Performance Oversight – A New Approach New York State Education Department Charter School Office November 11, 2011 2:00 p.m. — 4:15 p.m. NYCSA Annual Conference

2. Presenters and Audience NYSED Charter School Office Presenters Cliff Chuang, Director Barbara Moscinski, Associate, CSP Project Director Susan Megna, Supervisor, New Schools Development Target Audience: Board Members, School Leaders and Teachers at charter schools directly authorized by the NYS Board of Regents Charter School Consultants who work with Regents-authorized Charter Schools Prospective founding groups 2

3. Session Overview This session will provide an update on the Charter Schools Office’s prioritized focus on high quality charter school authorizing in alignment with national best practice standards. This has been most apparent in the new school review process, but we are equally committed to ensuring that all charter schools directly authorized by the Board of Regents are of the highest quality through our ongoing performance oversight and renewal process. 3

4. Agenda The Big Picture Performance Oversight for Regents-authorized charters Liaison vs. Functional Structure Performance Framework Site Visits Report Format Activity 2012 RFP to Establish New Charter Schools Authorized by the Board of Regents Open Forum: An opportunity for session participants to ask questions and to share concerns with SED’s Charter School Office 4

5. NYSED CSO Mission Statement To create and sustain excellent educational options for New York State families on behalf of the Board of Regents through high quality charter school authorizing, fair and transparent oversight of all charter schools, and the dissemination of innovative school designs and practices. 5

6. The Big Picture NYSED CSO Strategic Plan http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/documents/CSOStrategicPlanJuly2011.pdf New York Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant $113 million for 2011-2016 Planning and Implementation funds for up to 200 new schools $5,000,000 for high-performing charter school dissemination grants New York State Quality Charter Authorizing Partnership 6

7. CSO Website All information pertaining to charter schools can be found at NYSED’s Charter School Office website at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/ Let’s take a brief tour … About Charter Schools (including laws and regs) Director’s Messages Regents-Authorized Performance Oversight Contact Us 7

8. Who We Are Contact Us http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/contact.html Liaison Structure “Frannie and her friends” – Up to 5 new hires over the next few months. 8

9. Performance Oversight Overview of Liaison vs. Functional Structure Example of administrative oversight activities: Approval of new trustees Admissions/Application process 9

10. Performance Oversight http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/OversightPlan.html Performance Framework Monitoring Plan http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/OversightPlan.html Site Visits Varying degrees of reporting Evidence for high-stakes decision-making Feedback to schools on performance 10

11. Report Format Activity “Looking under the hood” from the authorizer’s perspective Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 What type of reporting feedback do you prefer? 11

12. 2012 RFP for New Charter Schools Draft expected to be posted next week. See http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/startcharter.html Similar process, but streamlined and strengthened 2 cycles  RFP launched on 1/3/12; Jan-Jun, July to Dec Expanded LOI, no prospectus, everything incorporated into full application Eligibility for CSP is qualified by application that meets all criteria, i.e. issuance of charter Enhanced CSP funding for applications that meet priorities: special populations (at-risk of not graduating, ELL, SPED), innovative instructional models (online/blended), rural, diversity   Information sessions: November 30, Buffalo; December 12, NYCDoE; December 19, webinar; with others possible 12

13. Ongoing/Upcoming Projects Revisions of fiscal oversight protocols Finalization of Performance Framework Guidance on Enrollment and Retention Targets Policies around replication and mergers

14. Policy Advisory Group • Regents-Authorized Charter School Policy Advisory Group. We continue our process of developing and revising our oversight policies and protocols. Last spring, I made a more general call for volunteers to participate in focus group discussions on these topics. I would like to focus this request for volunteers to policies that directly affect Regents-authorized charters. One of the first topics of discussion will be the above-mentioned Performance Framework. I anticipate that this group will meet (generally over conference call) upon request throughout the 2011-2012 school year to provide field-based input on policy development topics. If interested, please send Robin Clow (rclow@mail.nysed.gov) an email message with a subject line of “Regents-Authorized Charter School Policy Advisory Group” containing your contact information (email address and phone number) and a very brief experience history and statement about the perspective and insights you would add to state-level policymaking discussions. 14

15. Keeping in Touch: Update SEDREF To make sure you get all communications from NYSED, please make sure that your school’s contact info is updated in SEDREF, NYSED’s administrative information system: Let’s check one of your schools at: http://portal.nysed.gov/portal/pls/pref/sed_inst_qry_vw%24.startup For assistance in updating your school’s info, see: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sedrefupdate.html. Also please be sure to copy charterschools@mail.nysed.gov on any updates. The Department currently maintains the contact info for the following at a charter school Board of Trustees President Chief Executive Officer (direct report to the Board of Trustees) Director of Special Education Information Officer Title I Coordinator 15

16. For Further Information, Contact: NYSED Charter School Office charterschools@mail.nysed.gov (518) 474-1762