Office of Charter Schools

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Office of Charter Schools 2008-09 FALL VISIT
TAKE-AWAYS
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• Focus Areas reviewed in this years Fall Visit
• Staffing Vacancies, Teacher Credentialing, TB
  clearance, and Fingerprinting
• Governance Open Meeting Practices and
  Provisions of the Brown Act, and Inspecting
  Governing Board Agendas and Minutes.
• Facilities Lease Status, Building Occupancy
  Status, Fire and Safety Inspections
• Supplemental Hourly Instruction compliance,
  Student Eligibility, Documentation and Reporting
• SARC Reporting Deadlines and Site Contacts
• Admissions Enrollment Application, Public
  Lottery Process, Waiting List Procedures,
  Recruitment Strategies
• Parent Involvement Practices, Home / School
  Communication, Complaint Procedures
• Discipline Policies, Suspension Expulsion
  Procedures, Student Exit Processes
• Health Screening Food Program Overview,
  Reflection on Monthly Charter Meetings

• Measurable Pupil Outcomes Preview of Spring
  Visit Focus on Progress Towards Outcomes

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• Take-aways
• Transparency
• Many schools policies such as complaint
  procedures, suspension expulsion and enrollment
  were detailed, in writing, in the handbook or
  distributed widely
• Many schools lacked clearly defined policies, in
  writing, in the handbook or distributed widely in
  at least one or more areas
• ISSUES
• Some schools do not have all staff with required
  certification, TB, or DOJ clearance
• Most schools not in school buildings lacked
  evidence of occupancy status, permits
• Some schools use contracts that could be
  construed to incur expulsion for reasons other
  than those in policy
• Some schools do not perform required health
  screening

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Staffing Governing Text Education Code, NCLB,
Health Code, Charter Terms

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• Compliance Form
• To be created for use by OCS during Fall Visits
• 1. School Responses to Inquiry
• 2. Non-Compliance Record
• - Instances of Self-Reported Non-compliance
• - Instances based on Record Review
• Revised Spreadsheet
• (to be completed by school prior to visit
  submitted electronically)
• - Type of Credential including subject matter
  authorized
• - Add Middle Name (CTCC online review)
• - Expiration date of TB Clearance
• - Remove Date of Birth Request

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RESPONSE STEP 1 NOC (Notice of Concern)
Required documentation of compliance by
deadline. gt Credential non-compliance provide
minimum 20 calendar days to provide documentation
of compliance gt TB/DOJ non-compliance Require
immediate action to remove non-compliant staff
from workplace provide a minimum 10 calendar
days to provide documentation of
compliance Compliance timeline recognizes that
the date of the Fall Visit has likely occurred
after some period of non-compliant
employment. STEP 2 NOV (Notice of Violation)
Spell out violation, cure date, possible
remedy. gt Credential non-compliance dependent on
case-by-case analysis of circumstances gt TB/DOJ
non-compliance may result in initiation of
immediate revocation due to imminent health and
safety risk to students.
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ADMISSIONS
RESPONSE Evaluate practice through Fall Visit
Document Review and Inquiry Grade Schools
(letter grade) Based on Lottery, Preferences,
recruitment, admissions

• Admissions Grade Sheet
• Y) Meets Standard N) Not Meeting Standard
• Lottery
• Preferences
• Recruitment
• Admissions

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Lottery Governing Text Education Code, Charter
Text

• Seek to ensure schools maintain records of
• Number of applications received
• Results of Lottery
• Waiting Lists

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• Preferences
• Governing Text Education Code, Charter Text
• Current Students
• Students living in the jurisdiction of OUSD
  (Oakland)
• Approved charter terms
• Preferences permitted to all schools by
  authorizer
• Allow sibling as second only to current
  students.
• Allow children of Staff (provisional with 3 yr.
  review of impact)
• Additional preferences permitted on a case by
  case basis and ONLY if essential to fulfill the
  mission of the school.
• Preferences STANDARDS
• In writing, widely distributed
• Provided with application for admission
• Require information within application to
  determine preference eligibility

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Recruitment Governing Text Education Code,
Charter (Racial and Ethnic Balance) STANDARDS Eva
luated through Fall Visit inquiry
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Admission Requirements Governing Text Education
Code, Charter (Admissions Requirements) STANDARD