TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPER

 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPER

No: 2006-16

 

 

Charter School Improvement Plans

 

 

Purpose

The 2006 Legislature enacted HB 7103 which substantially amends provisions of s. 1002.33, F.S. The bill

revises numerous provisions related to charter schools and adds new academic accountability requirements

for charter schools graded D or F, including the development and implementation of school improvement

plans.

 

School Improvement Plan Requirements

Any charter school that receives a school grade of D must have the director and a representative of the

governing body of the charter school appear before the sponsor at least once a year to address each contract

component having noted deficiencies. At this meeting and in writing, the sponsor must communicate the

services that will be provided to help the school address these deficiencies.

 

A charter school that receives a school grade of D for two consecutive years or a grade of F must have the

school’s director and a representative of the governing body submit a school improvement plan to raise

student achievement to its sponsor for approval. This plan will be implemented in the following school year.

Additionally, the director and a representative of the governing body of the charter school must appear before

the sponsor or the sponsor’s staff at least once a year to present information regarding the corrective

strategies that are being implemented by the school according to the school improvement plan. At this

meeting and in writing to the director of the school, the sponsor must communicate the services that will be

provided to help the school address its deficiencies.

 

A charter school failing to improve its student performance from the year immediately prior to implementing its

school improvement plan will be put on probation by the sponsor. The school’s governing board will be

required to take one of the following corrective actions:

 

•

 

Contract for the school’s educational services

•

 

Reorganize at the end of the school year under a new director or principal who will have the authority

to hire new staff and implement a plan to address the inadequate progress

•

 

Reconstitute the school (terminate the existing charter contract and develop a new charter contract for

the same school)

 

Any school placed on probation will continue these corrective actions until it improves its student performance

from the year prior to implementing its school improvement plan.

 

 

 

 

Increasing the Quantity and Improving the Quality of Educational Options

 

Contact Information:

Karen Hines-Henry

850-245-0502

karen.hines@fldoe.org

Independent Education

and Parental Choice

 

September 2006

 

 

 

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The sponsor may terminate the charter school at any time pursuant to the provisions of s. 1002.33(8), F.S.,

causes for nonrenwal or termination of charter.

 

Any graded charter school that has submitted a school improvement plan or has been put on probation must

appear before its sponsor at least once a year to inform the sponsor of the corrective strategies being

implemented to improve student performance in accordance with its improvement plan. At this meeting and

in writing, the sponsor must communicate the services that will be provided to help the school address any

deficiencies.

 

School Improvement Plan Assistance

The Department of Education, Bureau of School Improvement, has developed an online school improvement

plan template. Charter schools required to submit a school improvement plan may use this template which is

located at http://www.bsi.fsu.edu/0607_sip_template/login.aspx

 

 

Additional Resources and Information

The charter schools statute, s. 1002.33, F.S.:

 

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch1002/SEC

33.HTM&Title=->2006->Ch1002->Section%2033#1002.33

 

The Accountability, K-20 statute, s. 1008.31- 46, F.S.:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch1008/part02.htm&StatuteY

ear=2006&Title=%2D%3E2006%2D%3EChapter%201008%2D%3EPart%20II

 

The Florida Department of Education, Bureau of School Improvement: http://www.bsi.fsu.edu/

 

The Florida Department of Education, Bureau of School Improvement Technical Assistance Document:

http://www.bsi.fsu.edu/pdf/2006TA.pdf

 

The Florida Department of Education, Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice:

http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org

 

For questions and information on charter schools, contact Karen Hines-Henry at 850-245-0502 or

karen.hines@fldoe.org