Charter Clues
Updates from IDOE's Office of Charter Schools
February Charter Clues Newsletter
Cohort Four RFP Available
The Indiana Department of Education is pleased to announce the release of the Cohort Four Charter School Program Request for Proposals. Please click here and navigate to the Cohort Four drop down menu for materials.
Applications are due July 31, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. ET
Quality Counts: Pre-K
Did you know that adding on a Pre-K program to your high-quality charter school could make you eligible for IDOE's Quality Counts grant? IDOE's Office of Early Learning will be releasing an Early Learning Guidebook later this year that includes ways to open a Pre-K program. Click here to sign up for the Early Learning newsletter. Contact Sarah Parks-Reese at sparksreese1@doe.in.gov if you have questions about Pre-K expansion.
Pre-School must be a part of your approved charter with an Indiana authorizer.
Please contact Amreen Vora or Bea Pacheco if you have questions about the Quality Counts grant.
Teacher Residency Grant Pilot Program and Fund
Per House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1009, the Indiana General Assembly established the Teacher Residency Grant Pilot Program and Fund which allocates one million dollars for the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) was charged with administrating the funds for school corporations or charters seeking to partner with a post-secondary institution in the development and implementation of a teacher residency program. CHE recently posted information regarding the application process for interested schools and charters. More information is available here. A link to HEA 1009 is posted here.
Indiana Department of Education Seeks Eligible Organizations to Participate in Summer Meals Program
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is recruiting eligible schools and qualified community organizations to participate in the 2020 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). During the summer months, SFSP provides nutritious meals to eligible children ages 18 and under.
“The Summer Food Service Program is vital to the health and wellbeing of some of Indiana’s most vulnerable children,” said State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick. “I encourage all capable schools and community organizations to participate and ensure Indiana’s children have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session. Together, we can make a difference.”
Created in 1968, SFSP is funded and operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and administered by the states. Participating organizations must adhere to all USDA regulations, including meal service and recordkeeping, and are reimbursed for their participation.
In 2019, 250 school corporations, local governments, and non-profit agency sponsors served 2.5 million meals at more than 1,300 meal sites throughout Indiana. Despite the large number of meals served, less than one out of every five low-income Indiana children receiving free or reduced lunch during the school year take advantage of the free meals offered during the summer months.
For 2020, IDOE is encouraging participating agencies to expand their programs to feed children and teens for the entire summer break, in areas where children are most at-risk for hunger. Schools located in high poverty areas are especially encouraged to participate.
The application deadline for potential sponsors is April 30 and IDOE will host multiple training workshops across the state for new and returning sponsoring organizations. Attendance is required for all new and returning sponsoring agencies.
For additional information regarding SFSP, including how to register for the training workshops, please visit: www.doe.in.gov/nutrition/summer-food-service-program.
Charter School Highlight: Anderson Preparatory Academy Students
Students pictured are using the MTSS system developed through use of the funds for professional development with the following goals:
- Increased motivation toward academic achievement including all students, special education, general education in danger of failing, ELL students, and students preparing for life after K-12 education. Students in grades K-8 will have 95% participation in creating a career path 5-year plan.
- Decrease frequency of discipline and attendance referrals for all student groups. Using the baseline of discipline referrals for the 2017-2018 school year, referrals will be reduced by 10% in grades K-12.
Our school has been dramatically transformed through the activities of the CSP grant as we have sought to implement restorative and therapeutic discipline measures. The picture is in a room developed for students to decompress or just find peace as needed. Staff have received extensive professional development with the result that we have adjusted to our small number of school counselors by having all personnel learn practices and strategies to provide an umbrella of counseling for our kids.
Title Con Save the Date
It is time to save the date for Title Con 20/20! The conference theme this year will be Creating a Vision for the Future. Registration information can be found here.
Monthly Charter Chats
Charter Chats are live, recorded webinars that occur on the first Thursday of every month at 12:15 p.m. ET. The Charter Chat schedule and recordings are posted on this website for future access. The topics discussed are often applicable to traditional public schools and new school leaders as well.
The next Charter Chat will be:
February 6, 2020
Federal Accountability Ratings
Join via phone: (415) 655-0001 | Join via computer HERE
Meeting number (access code): 733 656 945 | Meeting password: ZApSh497
Please contact Bea Pacheco at bpacheco@doe.in.gov if you have any questions. Click here to access previous Charter Chats.
School Recruitment, Enrollment, and Marketing Webinar Series
Nick Leroy, President of Bright Minds Marketing and a Hoosier expert in the field, through IDOE, is hosting the second year of school recruitment, enrollment, and marketing webinars. Bright Minds Marketing is a consulting company that works specifically with charter schools to support student enrollment, recruitment, and retention through marketing and communications.
Webinars will be held the second Wednesday of every month, and the schedule, resources, and recordings can be found here.
CSP Grant Calendars
Amreen Vora
317.234.3063
Beatriz Pacheco
317) 232-9057
Cole Dietrich
Indiana Department of Education
Website: https://www.doe.in.gov
Location: 115 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: (317) 232-6610