Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 10 - Education Institutions and Agencies
Part 402 - MCSAB Board Policies
Chapter 1 - Request for Proposals 2013
Section 10-402-1-I - CULTURE
Rule 10-402-1-I-1.4 - Culture

Universal Citation: MS Code of Rules 10-402-1-I-1.4

Current through September 24, 2024

This section describes the systems in place to support a strong school culture and involve key stakeholders in the school community. Address the following questions in a narrative format. Please use the high level outline components (e.g., "A. Mission Statement") to organize the response. Do not repeat the text of the question.

A. Mission and Vision Statements

The mission and vision statements provide the foundation for the entire school proposal and operational plan. Accordingly, the rest of the school application should fully align with, and support the stated school mission and vision.

1. Provide the mission of the proposed school. The mission statement should be a concise statement that does the following:
a. Identifies the school's target student population and community to be served.

b. Articulates clear guiding purposes and priorities that are meaningful, measurable and attainable.

c. Provides the entire school community as well as external stakeholders a clear picture of what the school aims to achieve.

2. Provide the vision statement for the proposed school. The vision statement should be a concise statement that articulates the school's ultimate goal and reason for existence.

B. Targeted Student Population

A. Identify the district the school proposes to serve.
1. In the case of a conversion, also identify the school that will be converted.

B. What will be the maximum student enrollment? Provide forecasted figures by grade level that illustrate the build-out of the school over time. If the forecasted enrollment is different than the maximum enrollment, explain the rationale.

C. Provide the expected demographics for the students the school plans to serve including the percentage of Free and Reduced Lunch, Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners (ELLs). Estimate the percentage of students who will qualify for free lunch or receive special education services. The projections for the total number of students who receive free lunch and/or special education services must satisfy the 80% rule as described in the Application Toolkit.

D. Explain how the decision to serve this targeted population, including the grade levels that have been chosen, would meet the district's and community's needs.

C. Evidence of Need and Community Support

1. Describe the need for a charter school in this district. Make reference to academic achievement, dropout rates, disciplinary statistics, and/or other indicators of need.

2. Describe the role of families and community members in developing and providing input into the proposed school.

3. Describe the outreach that has been conducted to engage prospective parents, teachers and pupils in the district the school is proposing to serve.

4. Describe evidence of support from any identified community partners, organizations, agencies, or consultants. This evidence may include letters of intent/commitment, in-kind donations, memoranda of understanding, and/or contracts, and should specify the resources to be committed or contributed from the partner, as applicable.
a. As Attachment A, provide any applicable documents. If the school is relying on a community partner to provide a service or facility that is integral to the operation of the school or educational model, provide a copy of the contract or MOU as part of this attachment.

5. Provide evidence of support for the proposed school among prospective families, teachers, and pupils, or any combination thereof. Support may be gauged and demonstrated through community meetings, parent/teacher/student letters of support, surveys of prospective stakeholders, and/or evidence of letters of intent to enroll among other means.
a. As Attachment B, provide any applicable documents of any community support.

D. School Culture and Student Engagement

1. Describe the planned culture for the school and how this culture will promote a positive academic environment and reinforce student intellectual and social development.

2. Explain the systems, structures, practices, and traditions the school leader and leadership team will create to foster this culture for students, teachers, administrators, and families starting from the first day of school (note that a description of the planned discipline policy is requested in the next section).

3. Explain how the school culture will include and serve all students including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and any students at-risk of academic failure.

E. Student Discipline Policy

1. What will be the key elements of the school's discipline policy and how will it reflect the school culture described above? Which roles on staff will be responsible for implementing the school's discipline policy?
a. Provide a copy of the school's discipline policy as Attachment C.

2. Is there a strategy for positive behavioral reinforcements? What rituals or protocols will be in place as part of this strategy?

3. How will the discipline policy be practiced in the classroom to ensure students are on task and focused on learning?

4. How will the school ensure that minority students, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities are not disproportionately represented in disciplinary procedures?
a. Attachment C should include disciplinary procedures for students with disabilities.

F. Ongoing Stakeholder Involvement

1. What community resources will be available to students and their families? Describe any partnerships the school will have with community organizations, businesses, or other educational institutions. Specify the nature, purpose, terms, and scope of services of any such partnerships.

2. Describe how families will be engaged in the school's culture and operations. How will the school build family-school partnerships to strengthen support for learning and encourage family involvement?

3. Explain how families will be involved in the governance of the proposed charter school. . How will the school's policies, procedures, and culture reflect the importance of family satisfaction? How will family satisfaction be evaluated?

4. What communication protocols are planned for stakeholders? How will families be informed about school updates, board meetings and other events?

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-15.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Mississippi may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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