1 Colo. Code Regs. § 302-1-5.00

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 1, January 10, 2025

Section 1 CCR 302-1-5.00 - Institute Charter School application review process and criteria

1) It is the intent of the Institute Board that all Institute Charter School applications address how the proposed school will be among the highest-performing schools in academic achievement.

2) An application is considered filed when the Institute receives the Institute charter application from the Institute charter applicant either in hard copy or electronically.

3) Within fifteen days after receiving an Institute Charter School application, the Institute shall determine whether the application contains the minimum components specified in Section 22-30.5-509(1) and is therefore complete. If the application is not complete, the Institute shall notify the applicant within the fifteen-day period and provide a list of the information required to complete the Institute charter application. The applicant has fifteen days after the date it receives the notice to provide the required information to the Institute for review. The Institute is not required to take action on the Institute charter application if the applicant does not provide the required information within the fifteen-day period. The Institute may request additional information during the review period and provide reasonable time for the applicant to respond. The Institute may, but is not required to, accept any additional information the applicant provides that the Institute does not request.

4) The Institute's review of applications shall include, but is not limited to, the following key evaluative areas:

a) The number of at-risk students that the applicant school anticipates serving, both as an absolute number and as a percentage of the entire student body expected to enroll at the applicant school;

b) Curriculum and instructional program;

c) Non-academic program characteristics;

d) Financial viability;

e) Appropriate governance model and proposed practices;

f) Appropriate, consistent, clear, and measurable accountability systems;

g) The extent to which the instructional program fits the mission statement of the applicant school;

h) Whether the applicant school will provide an Educational option that substantially differs from the Educational opportunities provided by existing schools of the school district that have capacity to accommodate additional students;

i) The applicant school's plan for outreach and recruitment of students whose race, gender and ethnicity reflect the demographics of the community that the applicant school intends to serve; and

j) The applicant school's plan for identifying and reducing the academic achievement gaps among its student population.

5) Once the Institute has completed an initial review of the Institute Charter School application, the Institute may ask for supplemental information, including but not limited to, interviews with the applicant school's leadership, founding Board members, administrators, teachers, and representatives of companies partnering or assisting in the development of the applicant school. The Institute will focus on approving only those Charter School applications that have a high likelihood of success, especially in regard to academics and financial operations.

6) The Institute Board shall rule by resolution on an application for authorization of an Institute Charter School, either new or existing, in a public hearing, following reasonable public notice, within ninety (90) days of receipt of a complete application, unless the Institute and the applicant school mutually agree in writing to a longer period of time. Before making its decision, the Institute Board shall give the applicant and members of the public reasonable opportunity to be heard.

7) If the application is denied, the Institute Board shall advise the applicant, in writing, of the reason(s) for the denial. Within thirty (30) days of the date of the denial, the applicant may submit to the State Board a notice of appeal stating the grounds for the appeal.

8) If the application is approved or approved with conditions, the Institute Board shall advise the applicant in writing.

9) After the Institute Board has approved an application, the applicant shall progress through a checklist of criteria or milestones that must be met before opening the Institute Charter School. The timeline for completing the checklist shall be mutually agreed between the Institute and the applicant school. Completion of the checklist, however, is required before the Institute Charter School may begin serving students.

10) The Institute Board and the school applicant may jointly waive any of the deadlines in this Rule 5 by mutual agreement in writing.

1 CCR 302-1-5.00

38 CR 01, January 10, 2015, effective 1/31/2015

38 CR 21, November 10, 2015, effective 11/30/2015

39 CR 03, February 10, 2016, effective 3/1/2016