Requirements for a start up charter school petition
submitted by a private individual, private organization, or state or local
public entity
OCGA Section 20-2-2-63 and State Board 160-4-9-.04(4)
Cover sheet B with required signatures
Electronic copy in Microsoft Word format
Write the page number from the charter petition
where each requirement is addressed.
- Page 1 Provide the name of the primary
contact.
- Page 1 Specify the proposed duration of the
charter.
- Page 1 Describe the school’s mission.
- Page 3 Describe the student’s to be served,
including students with special needs and disabilities.
- Page 4 Describe the ages to be included.
- Page 4 Describe the grades to be included
in the charter school.
- Page 4 Describe how the charter school will
provide state and federally mandated services for students with disabilities.
- Page 5 Describe the focus of the
curriculum.
- Page 5 Describe the instructional methods
to be used.
- Page 5 Describe any distinctive or unique
instructional techniques or educational programs to be employed.
- Page 7 If this is a charter high school,
describe the credits to be earned.
- Page 7 If this is a charter high school,
describe what completion credential will be awarded.
- Page 7 Designate the performance to be
improved.
- Page 8 Describe how the charter school will
measure the improvement in the designated performance.
- Page 8 Describe over what period of time
the performance will be improved.
- Page 9 Describe how the performance will be
improved through the waiver, in whole or in part, of specifically identified
state and local rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, or provisions of
Title 20 of the official code of Georgia.
- Page 9 Describe how the waiver does not
undermine, and is consistent with the intent of the waived state and local
rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, or the provisions of Title 20 of
the official code of Georgia.
- Page 9 State that you will not waive the
accountability provisions of O.C.G.A. 20-14-30 through 20-14-41.
- Page 10 Specify the proposed attendance zone
for the school.
- Page 11 Describe the rules and procedures
concerning admission of students.
- Page 12 Describe the rules and procedures
concerning student discipline.
- Page 12 Describe the rules and procedures
concerning student dismissal.
- Page 12 Describe the rules and procedures
concerning the student Code of Conduct.
- Page 13 Will you utilize a local school
council, as provided for in O.C.G.A. 20-2-85?
- Page 14 If you will uses another similar
board, state that it will be subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. 50-14-1 et
seq. (Open and Public Meetings).
- Page 14 If you will use another similar
board, state that it will be subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 et
seq. (Inspection of Public Records).
If the charter school elects to
utilize a board other than a local school council, as provided for in O.C.G.A.
20-2-85:
- Page 14 Describe the board’s role.
- Page 14 Describe the board’s function.
- Page 15 Describe the board’s composition.
- Page 15 Describe how the members of the board
should be selected.
- Page 16 Describe when the members of the
board should be selected.
State that the charter school
shall provide an annual report to:
- Page 16 parents and guardians of students
attending the charter school
- Page 16 the local board
- Page 16 the State Board
- Page 16 the community
- Page 16 State that the annual report will
indicate the progress made in the previous year in meeting the
performance-based goals identified in the charter.
- Page 16 State that the annual report will
include all State-mandated assessment scores.
- Page 16 State that the annual report will
include all State-mandated accountability indicators.
- Page 16 Describe proposed staff
qualifications.
- Page 17 Describe employee recruitment
procedures.
- Page 17 Describe hiring practices.
- Page 19 Describe compensation.
- Page 19 Describe employee evaluation
procedures.
- Page 20 State if you propose that students
will be taught by individuals other than those certified by the Georgia
Professional Standards Commission.
- Page 20 Describe the qualifications of your
teachers.
- Page 20 State that all personnel employed by
the charter school will be fingerprinted.
- Page 20 State that all personnel employed by
the charter school will have a criminal background check prior to employment.
- Page 21 Describe financial policies and
procedures proposed that are to be followed by the charter school to assure
sound fiscal management.
- Page 22 Describe financial policies and
procedures proposed that are to be followed by the charter school to assure a
predictable flow of funds to the charter school.
- Page 22 Provide a financial plan for the
first fiscal year.
- Page 22 Provide a budget for the full term of
the proposed charter.
- Page 22 Provide an estimate of all public and
private dollars available per student.
- Page 22 Provide an itemized list of all
working capital and assets, including cash, bonds and real estate.
- Page 22 Provide a monthly cash flow
projection detailing revenues and expenditures.
- Page 22 Provide all potential sources of
funding that petitioner is actively pursuing.
- Page 22 Describe how annual financial audits
will be conducted.
- Page 23 Describe how the school will be
insured.
- Page 23 Describe the terms and conditions of
the insurance.
- Page 23 Describe the amounts of coverage of
the insurance.
- Page 25 Describe the facilities to be used.
- Page 25 Describe the location of the
facilities.
- Page 25 Attach documentation of ownership or
lease of the facility.
- Page 26 Attach certification that the
building is in compliance with all building code standards and regulations,
fire requirements, safety requirements, environmental requirements, and
accessibility requirements.
- Page 26 If the facilities have not been
obtained or the documentation is not available at the time the petition is
submitted, provide a timeline for obtaining such facilities or providing such
documentation.
- Page 26 Address whether transportation will
be provided and if so, provide a brief description of the transportation
program for the charter school.
- Page 26 Address whether food service will be
provided and if so, provide a brief description of the charter school’s
proposed food service program.
- Page 27 Describe how parents, members of the
community, and other interested parties were directly and substantially
involved in developing the petition.
- Page 27 Describe how parents, members of the
community and other interested parties will be involved in the school.
- Page 28 State that the charter school to is
to be subject to the control and management of the local school system in
which the proposed charter school will be located, as provides in the charter
and in a manner consistent with the Charter School Act of 1998 and the
Constitution.
- Page 28 State that the charter school will be
organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of Georgia.
- Page 28 State that the charter school will be
operated as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of Georgia.
- Page 28 Attach a copy of the Articles of
Incorporation of the nonprofit corporation.
- Page 28 Attach a list of the current board
members of the nonprofit corporation.
- Page 29 State if the nonprofit corporation
intends to contract or has contracted for the services of a for-profit entity.
- Page 28 Attach a copy of the contract to the
petition.
- Page 29 If a contract has not been entered
into at the time the petition is submitted, include a timeline for providing
such documentation.