New Schools of Excellence Process

1. New Schools of Excellence Process A step-by-step explanation of the process for receiving the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s approval as a new School of Excellence

2. Background • New legislation signed into law in early January 2010 created an opportunity to create 10 new Schools of Excellence. • These new schools require the approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI). • These new schools must be patterned after a high performing school or model.

3. Guiding Standards • The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has created a set of Guiding Standards to be used for this purpose. • The Guiding Standards are accompanied by a set of Expectations and a sample list of Evidence. • The Guiding Standards include a wide range of variables that educators have come to recognize as indicators of high performing schools.

4. Process • In order to facilitate a smooth and orderly process, MDE will accept applications for Schools of Excellence from non-profit development groups that have already made it through to the second phase of the application process with an authorizer. • MDE will call for applications annually, normally in April, starting in April 2011 and ending in 2014 until the ten new Schools of Excellence have been opened.

5. Process Flow • Step 1. Nonprofit charter school developer applies to authorizer. • Step 2. Authorizer moves nonprofit charter school applicant to Phase II. • Step 3. Applicant applies to MDE for Schools of Excellence status approval. • Step 4. MDE holds a peer review process to make recommendations to SPI. • Step 5. SPI selects/non-selects applicants. • Step 6. Notification letters are sent to applicants. Those approved for Schools of Excellence status may then approach their respective authorizer for charter authorization as a School of Excellence. • Step 7. Authorizers may or may not choose to authorize those with the Schools of Excellence designations. • Step 8. MDE will accept the first ten Schools of Excellence contracts provided they have not substantially changed their proposed school from the time they were approved by MDE. Note: The SPI reserves the right to deny any Schools of Excellence charter application if he determines that the proposed new school is not patterned after a high performing school or model or that the charter applicant does not demonstrate the capacity to replicate the success of that high performing school or model in a specific environment. The SPI’s decision is final and is not subject to appeal.