Florida’s charter school Conference November 20, 2013

1. Getting the Data Right! Presenter: Andrew (Andy) C. Binns, Ed.D. andy.binns@gmail.com (561) 352 - 1832 Florida’s charter schoolConferenceNovember 20, 2013

2. How does the FEFP work… • Public school funding, including charter schools, is based on individual student enrollments AND reporting the students in eligible courses to the FDOE in the FEFP Survey counts. • There are 2 Survey “counts” conducted during the year: • October 14 – 18, 2013 • February 10 – 14, 2014 • Base funding for SY 2014: $3,752.30 • Typical student approximately: $5,759 (Base + Categoricals + CSR allocation) * Martin County – DCD = 1.0006 • ESE students add approximately additional $1,000 (Matrix 251) • 2013/14 Charter School Revenue Estimating worksheet: http://www.fldoe.org/fefp/chartinst.asp

3. Which students count for FTE… • The charter school receives a maximum of .5000 FTE per student funding for each FEFP Survey (1.0 for the SY) • To be eligible for funding, the student must: • Be in Membership (enrolled) at least one day during FTE Survey week. (pay special attention to FTE week enrollments) • Be in Attendance at least one day during FTE Survey week OR one of the six school days prior to FTE week • Attendance is based on daily attendance, NOT per period attendance – if the student is present for any instruction, in at least one period during the 11-day attendance window, the student is eligible for funding • Students are funded in FEFP by the length of the course (this is driven by the school’s Bell Schedule!) • Class Size Averagesare calculated during the October FTE Survey count.

4. The Master Schedule… • Funding per survey is based on the minutes per week in a course : • .5000 funding for 1500 minutes/wk grades 4 – 12 (900 hours (5 hours daily) in the 180-day school year). • .5000 funding for 1200 minutes/wk grades PK (ESE) & Kg – 03 (720 hours (4 hours daily) in the 180-day school year). • Summer school (beyond 180-day school year) is funded through Supplemental Academic Instruction (SAI) funds. • Course minutes are based on the Bell Schedule (BS) • Day is divided into periods – with beginning/ending times Prd Begin End Minute (per day) 01 0800 0830 30 02 0830 0900 30 … 12 1330 1400 30 • Should be uniform length (i.e. 30, 50 minutes) – minimum of 300 instructional minutes per day + lunch time • Courses are reported from beginning period to ending period (i.e. 0101 = 150 min/wk, 0103 = 450 min/wk or 90 min/day) • Passing time – if a bell rings to end classes, then passing time must be reflected (i.e. 0800 – 0850, 0855 – 0945) in BS

5. The Master Schedule… • To develop the Master Schedule: • Develop a Bell Schedule to reflect instructional minutes • Define instructional space (classrooms) • Define instructional personnel (teachers) – must be certified • Identify courses to be offered (see Florida Course Code Directory CCD):http://www.fldoe.org/articulation/CCD/1213.asp • Determine length of daily instruction for each subject • Reading – 90 minutes per day, additional 30 – 60 if remediation required • PE (elementary) – 150 minutes per week • Work with Sponsor district if district report card is used • Build Course/Sections • Each teacher MUST have a course/section for every subject, for each group of students they teach • Make sure individual teacher’s periods do not overlap! • Make sure each teacher’s room is correct (Class Size) • Populate the courses with students.

6. Checking FTE for Accuracy… • Each district runs a program to calculate FTE for each student at each school center • Produce the report for you school center • Well in advance of FTE week! • Make corrections, get new report to verify corrections in district’s SIS were applied • Make sure EVERY student is on the report (a student is approximately $2,880per semester!) - match students with enrollment roster and headcount! • Check each student’s total funded FTE (it should be .5000 if the student receives 300 minute/day of instruction) • Verify that required courses reflect correct minutes per week – Reading, PE

7. Checking FTE for Accuracy…(cont.) • Verify that ESE students are funded in correct program: • MUST have a current IEP/EP • MUST provide services outlined on IEP – should be reflected in schedule if possible (i.e. speech therapy) • Matrix of Services: (levels 251 – 255) • Must maintain a current Matrix for each ESE student • Level on Matrix is used to fund supplemental ESE needs in charter schools • The higher the Matrix level: the greater the funding, the more ESE services required by the student! • FEFP Funding category: • ESE PK – 3rd = 111 • ESE 4th – 8th = 112 • ESE 9th – 12th = 113 • ESE 254, ESE 255 – (these are very involved students, these will most likely be limited to special education only charters)

8. Checking FTE for Accuracy…(cont.) • Verify that ELL (ESOL) students are funded in correct program: • Courses funded in FEFP Program 130 are: • Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, SS, and computer courses • Student must have a current LEP plan • If the student is both ESE & ELL, the student will be funded in the ESE programs (111,112, 113, 254, or 255) • Transportation: • If charter school is providing transportation – $394 for 13/14 • Maintain an ridership attendance roster for the 11 day attendance window • MUST be signed/dated (at end of Survey week) by BUS DRIVER • If the student is utilizing public transportation AND the school purchased a bus pass, the student should complete a self-report, ridership verification form • Must show days public transportation was utilized • Must be signed by student and school administrator

9. Class Size… • Class Size calculations are based on the October FTE Survey count (Survey 2) – based on courses offered on Friday • Charter schools are only required to meet school wide averagesin the following grade categories, which cannot exceed: • Grades PK – 03: 18:1 • Grades 04 – 08: 22:1 • Grades 09 – 12: 25:1 • Course included in CS calculation • Core Academic – Reading, Language Arts, Eng, Writing, Math, Sciences, Social Studies • High School – Core courses required for graduation (i.e. include Biology 1, not Biology 2) • Courses earning college credit and foreign language NOT included in calculation

10. Class Size… (how the calculation works) • The FDOE creates a facility/period/room from the CS courses reported in Survey 2 (October). (i.e FAC 123, Pd 01, Rm. A-101) • The total of these become the DENOMINATOR (units) • If a Class Size core course occurs in the facility/period/room, the FDOE sums the students. • If there is more than one course in the facility/period/room, AND one of the courses is a Class Size core course, then ALL the courses are considered Class Size core. • If multiple grade levels in class, the greatest grade level frequency becomes the grade category • The total sum of the students in the facility/period/room becomes the NUMERATOR • The FDOE divides the students in courses/units = CS Average for each grade category

11. Final Points to Consider… • Your school’s entire fundingis based upon the students reported in the October & February FTE Survey counts • A student is worth on average $5,760 per year • If the school does not report the students correctly, funding will be impacted - It is the responsibility of the charter school to report their data correctly, not that of the district! • Give your data processor time to get the student schedules input accurately into the sponsor district’s SIS • Work with your sponsor district’s staff, follow the directions provided to their regular schools, ask for assistance. • Make sure your Staff data is uploaded into your sponsor district’s reporting system – each district has their own way to record this information

12. Questions/Comments… Andrew (Andy) C. Binns, Ed.D. (561) 352- 1832 andy.binns@gmail.com