CSI School Board Updates

February 2023

Welcome to February!

 

February is when many schools begin to strategically plan for the upcoming school year. This means taking a deep dive into student enrollment, Employee Intents to Return, and School Leader evaluation and compensation. 

 

Please see below for more information on each item addressed above and remember, we are here to help so please do not hesitate to reach out.

   

Best,

 

Anastasia  

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Upcoming Deadlines and Reminders

📅 Upcoming Deadlines:

  • January 31Board must pass resolution to adopt any amendments to the current year’s budget

Orientation for New School Board Members

CSI provides virtual modules for new school board members on topics including: accountability, compliance monitoring, special populations oversight, financial oversight, and understanding the charter contract. Access these modules here.

School Board Calendar
If you are following the CSI Sample School Board Calendar, below are the items that your board should be reviewing this month.

Included below are both summaries of key activities, contact information for CSI staff that can provide further support if requested, and links to related resources.  
Academic
Enrollment
Staffing
Culture
Board
Finance
Academic

✔️ Review midyear assessment data (if needed)

Questions to Consider


  1. What does the school’s data indicate about its strengths and areas for improvement? How do these strengths and weaknesses reflect the ways in which the board has allocated resources, and how may the board want to adjust resources going forward?
  2. How is the school progressing compared to the metrics and measures in its strategic plan? Are there any additional resources needed based on student outcomes?
  3. How is the board ensuring that curriculum and other academic resources are effectively helping leaders and teachers meet academic achievement goals? Does the academic committee and/or school leaders feel that any adjustments to curriculum choices or resources are needed, and if so, what are they and why?
  4. Participation: What percent of students are participating in this assessment? Are all student subgroups represented?
  5. Trends over time: How are students doing (using both achievement and growth measures whenever possible) compared to the last interim administration? How are they doing compared to this time last year? Two years ago? 
  6. Data disaggregation by race/ethnicity, English Language Learner status, free and reduced lunch status, grade level, teacher, cohort (students who have been at the school 0-1 years, 2 years 3 years, etc.). 
  7. Patterns: Are certain subgroups, grades, or teachers outperforming/underperforming? Why?
Enrollment

✔️ Update on Intents to Enroll for next year

✔️ Update on Lottery or Waitlist

Questions to Consider


  1. Has the board reviewed student recruitment, retention, and marketing plans? What does student retention look like at each grade level and by subgroup? If administered, do exit surveys provide a sense of the common reasons students leave the school?
  2. How will the school make good faith recruitments and retention efforts for students with disabilities, students eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch, and English Learner populations based on goals set from last year’s outcomes? Are these efforts reflected in the student recruitment and retention plans?
  3. How is the board monitoring student recruitment and retention efforts for specific populations? What is the demographic breakdown of newly enrolled students and returning students?
  4. What is your school’s enrollment process (first come, first served; lottery; weighted lottery)? Should there be any changes to the student recruitment plan based on the enrollment results including recruitment of target populations?
Staffing

✔️ Update on employee intents to return for next year

✔️ Review vacant positions

✔️ Start recruiting staff

Questions to Consider


  1. To what extent do staff demographics reflect our student population? How is leadership addressing staff demographics in school staff recruitment strategies? 
  2. How is the board evaluating the outcomes of staff recruitment and attrition from the prior school year? Are there any indications that it may be necessary to review benefits, culture, etc. to attract and retain well-qualified staff?
Culture

✔️ Participation in school events

Board

✔️ Approve next year's school calendar

✔️ Finalize school leader compensation structure and evaluation for next year

✔️ Designate place(s) for posting of board meeting notices (and agendas)  

Finance

✔️ Board begins discussions and priority setting for next year’s budget

Questions to Consider:


  1. Has the board established a timeline and priorities for formulating next year's budget, including time to discuss any changing resource needs (e.g. new curricula, etc.) with school leaders?
  2. Does the budget align with the priorities that were previously established by the board and school leadership?
  3. Has the board identified any long-term financing needs? Are there opportunities to refinance existing loans?
  4. Has the board reviewed enrollment targets and plans for the upcoming school year, including with school leaders? How will the board receive updates on progress through the spring recruitment season?
  5. What is the school’s fund balance? How does it compare to statutory requirements, CSI requirements, and the board’s requirements and goals?
  6. Are any amendments to the budget needed? If so, they must be passed by resolution by January 31.
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