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Alpha Authorizing
Jim Goenner is an excellent speaker, regardless of the topic he's presenting on. True to his nature, Jim Goenner presented an excellent workshop on Alpha Authorizing. Goenner started by talking about...
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BEST Grants for Charter Schools Gets Preliminary Approval
Five Colorado charter schools were given preliminary approval for BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today) grants from the state Capital Construction Board. In the past, charter schools have had to...
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What's Important to Remember When Writing a Charter School Application:...
There's one piece of advice that's the most important for people writing a charter school application. That is to have the school's vision and mission fully developed and convey that, consistently,...
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State Board Unanimously Supports Swallows Charter Academy
In a rare display of unanimous support for a charter school, the State Board of Education voted to remand the Swallows Charter Academy appeal back to Pueblo 70 for further consideration. Two board...
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Crisis Management in Charter Schools
For years, leaders in Colorado's charter school community dreamed of having a team of experts who were available to deal with severe problems in a charter school whether the issues stemmed from...
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Watch for It! An Online Charter School Application Review Tool
CCS is developing an online system to review Colorado charter school applications called CHART (CHarter school Application Review Tool). This will allow selected experts to review applications using...
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What Authorizers Should Do to Renew a Charter School
Charter school authorizers require fair and transparent renewal practices. This includes a documented process and timeline for charter school renewal. Charter school contracts should not be for less...
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Dealing with Bad Board Behavior: Advice, Part 7
Most everyone who joins a charter school board either has an ego or an agenda. OK, maybe I'm being a little bit cynical, but it's rare to find the board member who just wants what is best for the...
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Should Management Companies Take Over Failing Schools?
The answer is YES! Management companies have the systems in place to start a new charter schools with most of the burden borne by the central office and a proven educational program that has already...
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COVA Seeks to Transfer Charter
The Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA), operated by K12 Inc., has submitted an application to the state Charter School Institute to transfer its charter beginning in 2013.COVA began in Colorado as a...
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Online Charter School Application Now Available in Colorado!
Charter School Solutions has developed a web-based system to review charter school applications that is based on the Colorado Standard Application and Review Rubric. This is the first time charter...
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Four Charter School Applications Submitted to Colorado Springs 11
The Colorado Springs 11 School District received a record number of new charter school applications this year. Four applicants have asked to open a charter school in the district's Thomas Jefferson...
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The Difference Between Charter Schools and Union-Operated Schools?
What's the difference between public charter schools and district-operated neighborhood schools? One really big difference is at-will employment in charter schools.There is a strike going on in Chicago...
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Why Parents Shouldn't Back Down
By now you've probably seen movie trailers for the soon-to-be-released movie, Don't Back Down. The movie is about two mothers who decide to start a charter school when the system isn't working for...
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Mike Petrelli on the Chicago Teacher's Strike
I'm reposting this in its entirety because it is a good explanation of what's happening in Chicago.What the Chicago Strike is Really AboutPosted: 14 Sep 2012 04:38 AM PDTI had a reporter ask me this...
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Four Charter Applicants Seek Same Vacant School Building
The Colorado Springs 11 School District has four charter school applications and all want to use the vacant Jefferson Elementary building for their new charter school. The four applications are in the...
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Interviewing Potential Charter School Leaders
In authorizer vernacular it's called a "capacity interview." This means staff, representing the board that will vote on the charter school application, interviews the founding committee or board of the...
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Implementing the School Leaders and Teachers Evaluation Law
There's been much discussion about how charter schools should implement SB 10-191, the Ensuring School Quality Through Educator Effectiveness law that was adopted in 2010.Like many education laws, this...
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The New Normal in New Orleans
Before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the schools were in such deplorable condition that policy makers in the city and state were all struggling with strategies that were effective in...
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Rick Hess on Cage-Busting Authorizing
This link is the essence of what Rick Hess spoke about at the National Association of Charter School Authorizer's conference in Memphis.
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