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 SCHOOL 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 Office of Autonomous Schools (OAS). The application, along with the school's most recent Annual Performance Report is then reviewed by three separate committees organized by OAS. 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 Office of Autonomous Schools 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

June 2023

The Office of Autonomous Schools meets with each renewal school providing an orientation to the application process and reviews the record of performance.

August 1, 2023
  1. Charter school submits letter of intent via Charter.Tools benchmark to apply for charter renewal to Office of Autonomous Schools.
  2. Renewal Application is released in Charter.Tools

September 30, 2023

Renewal Applications are due in Charter.Tools

October 15, 2023

Within fifteen days after receiving a charter school application, the school district shall determine whether the application contains the minimum components specified in section 22-30.5-106 (1) and is therefore complete.

October 30, 2023

In the event that the application is deemed incomplete, the charter applicant has fifteen days after the date it receives the notice to provide the required information.

October-November 2023
  1. District conducts any actions required to analyze and evaluate renewal application(s) and request(s) for renewal.
  2. Interview questions are shared with the renewal applicants one week prior to the Capacity Interview (Interview specific dates and times TBD for individual schools).
  3. Renewal Applicant Capacity Interviews are held in-person.
  4. After the interview, additional written-response questions may be provided to the school. These responses are optional and are due 7 days after receipt.

January 2024 BOE Meeting

NLT January 28, 2024
  1. OAS provides information for the Superintendent’s recommendations to the APS BOE for renewal applicants.
  2. Applicants may have an opportunity to present as well.
  3. APS BOE rules on the charter renewal unless an extension is agreed upon by both parties.

April 2024 BOE Meeting

NLT April 28, 2024

Charter renewal contract(s) are finalized and provided to the APS Board for vote. Contract(s) must be prepared and executed by both parties.

*NO LATER THAN

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