Current through September 24, 2024
The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board
also welcomes conversion school applicants who specifically wish to provide a
high quality option for students where a majority of parents and/or teachers
and/or school board members of the existing school wish to convert the existing
noncharter public school, or where the existing school is undergoing State or
District turnaround efforts. Conversion charter schools must have a clear plan
for dramatically improving persistently underperforming school cultures,
significantly raising student achievement and effectively meeting the needs of
at-risk populations, especially students with disabilities. These conversion
school applicants are expected to establish strong partnerships with the school
community.
Please address the following questions if a
conversion school is being proposed.
A.
Petition.
1. As Attachment Z, provide the petition
signed by a majority of teachers or a majority of parents of students in the
existing noncharter public school, or by a majority vote of the local school
board, or in the case of schools in districts under state conservatorship, by
the State Board of Education.
B.
Community Need & Support.
1. Why is the noncharter public school being
proposed for conversion into a charter school?
2. What specifically will be done to seek
parent and community support?
C.
Student Recruitment &
Enrollment.
1. Describe the plan for
successfully recruiting, transitioning, and retaining students who are in the
existing school or who would be going to the existing school.
2. As part of Attachment I, provide the
school's policy for giving enrollment preferences to students who reside within
the former attendance area of the converted public school. This policy should
also provide for the enrollment of students outside of the former attendance
zone but within the school district in the event that the school has excess
capacity after enrolling resident students. The policy should state lottery
procedures for students seeking excess capacity seats if these seats become
oversubscribed.
D.
Addressing the Needs of a Turn around
1. Describe how the proposed school will meet
the needs of the student population currently attending the underperforming
school.
a. How will a strong school culture be
built?
b. How will the proposed
educational model ensure the school significantly raises student
achievement?
2. Provide
an accelerated phase-in plan that details how the proposed school would take
responsibility for all grades and all existing programs of a school, including
programs for students with severe disabilities, English Language Learner
programs, and any early childhood education programs.
3. Please describe the plan to work with the
existing school during the transition.
Miss. Code Ann.
§
37-28-15.
