Aurora Public Schools

AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

The Board of Education shall support efforts by parents, teachers or other persons or organizations interested in establishing charter schools within the district. In accordance with state law, charter schools are intended to:

1. Expand learning opportunities for all students

2. Encourage diverse approaches to learning using different, proven or innovative teaching methods

3. Provide parents and students with expanded choices in the type of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system

4. Encourage parental and community involvement with public schools.

Ref: Senate Bill 12-061 Ref: District policy LBD

As of 2018, all charter school applications must be submitted through Charter.Tools, an online platform now used by APS for receiving and reviewing charter school applications. Applicants must access the website, create an account, and may begin working on their application up until the due date when it must be submitted. In addition to the submission on Charter.Tools, TWO hard copies of the application must be submitted, along with a PDF copy of the application and all attachments on a jump drive. The two required hard copies of the application should be printed double-sided, be collated in notebooks, and sections should be separated by identifying tabs.

AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOLS APPLICATIONS

• Aurora Public Schools Charter School Renewal Application

• Aurora Public Schools New Charter School Application

• Charter.Tools Platform (Current Charter School Operators and Applicants ONLY)

• APS Charter School Intent to Apply

RENEWAL APPLICATION

The renewal process provides an opportunity for schools to (1) present any new or supplemental evidence of school performance and (2) articulate school plans and capacities for the next charter term. The charter renewal recommendation to the Board will be based on an array of evidence gathered over the charter term, including data and information collected by Aurora Public Schools (APS), the Colorado Department of Education and supplemental information that the applicant group provides.

The renewal process begins in August when the charter school declares its intent to apply for renewal. The charter school submits its Renewal Application to the APS Charter Authorizing Department (CAD). The application, along with the school's most recent Annual Performance Report is then reviewed by three separate committees organized by the CAD. These committees include the Internal Application Review Team (IART), the APS Charter School Advisory Committee (CSAC) and the District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC). As a part of the review, an interview may be warranted between these committees and the applicant team. The Charter Authorizing Department finalizes the recommendation to the Superintendent by compiling reviewer feedback, evaluating responses and rationales for specific rating components, and providing the applicant team with a final evaluation report.

APS 2023-2024 Charter School Renewal Application Timeline

NLT-NO LATER THAN

NEW CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION

The new charter school application process begins in February when the charter school declares its intent to apply. The charter school submits its New Charter Application to the APS Charter Authorizing Department (CAD). The application is then reviewed by three separate committees organized by CAD. These committees include the Internal Application Review Team (IART), the APS Charter School Advisory Committee (CSAC) and the District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC). As a part of the review, an interview may be warranted between these committees and the applicant team. The Charter Authorizing Department finalizes the recommendation to the Superintendent by compiling reviewer feedback, evaluating responses and rationales for specific rating components, and providing the applicant team with a final evaluation report.

APS 2023-2024 New Charter School Application Timeline

NLT-NO LATER THAN

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT APS CHARTER APPLICATION CYCLES, PLEASE CONTACT:

Leah Kent, APS Charter School Coordinator, [email protected]

CHARTER SCHOOL MODIFICATION APPLICATION

During the term of its charter, a charter school may determine that it is necessary or desirable to seek an amendment of its current approved charter. The District must approve any proposed change to the provisions of a charter before the change can be implemented. While some proposed changes to a charter may be deemed non-material and, therefore, can be handled administratively by the OAS, any amendment that would constitute a "material modification" of the charter must be approved by the governing board of the charter school and the APS Board of Education. An overview of the Modification process for charter schools in APS can be reviewed in the APS Charter Modification Process document.

Examples of material modifications include, but are not limited to:

• Expanding grade levels
• Expanding number of students served
• Changing the mission/vision of the school
• Changing curriculum
• RELOCATION

CHARTER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The Charter School Improvement Plan (SIP) aims to help charter schools on the clock to develop plans to improve the academic achievement and growth of their students. This is only applicable for charter schools with PRIORITY IMPROVEMENT or TURNAROUND ratings per CDE.