SCSC Newsletter

December 12, 2022

State Charter Schools Academically Outperform in the 2021-2022 School Year


Over three-quarters of state charter schools performed better than the schools that students would otherwise attend in the 2021-22 school year, according to new data released by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) last month. Specifically, 76 percent (28 of 37 schools) outperformed their comparison schools, the schools that students are zoned to attend, on College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) Content Mastery scores. Ninety-one percent (91%) of state charter school students were enrolled in one of the 28 schools that outperformed, totaling 29,683 students.

Read the full release

SCSC Updates & Announcements

SCSC Board Meetings

At the November 30th board meeting, Executive Director Lauren Holcomb presented the 2023 board meeting calendar. Katie Manthey, Director of Research and Evaluation and Scott Riley, Research Analyst, presented the 2021-22 Content Mastery results. And Morgan Felts, Chief Operations Officer, shared a financial audit update regarding schools with outstanding submissions.


Additionally, Director Manthey provided an update on the SCSC authorizer standards pilot program in partnership with the National Association of Charter Authorizers. The State Charter Schools Foundation President Michele Neely shared the status of the GEER II and CSP grants.


Concluding the meeting, commissioners voted to approve the SCSC staff recommendation to approve Spring Creek Charter Academy's charter amendment to expand its attendance zone to include Grady County.


The next board meeting will be held on January 25, 2023. Click below for the 2023 SCSC board meeting calendar.

SCSC Meeting Page

FY23 Operational Performance Monitoring Updates

The SCSC Legal Division is currently conducting compliance reviews on school-submitted documents. Monitoring results are expected to be disseminated before the end of the calendar year. Schools are required to submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for any findings they receive. As a reminder, CAPs are due six weeks after monitoring results are issued.


Please contact SCSC General Counsel Cerrone Lockett at cerrone.lockett@scsc.georgia.gov or Legal Programs Coordinator Kiara Thompson at kiara.thompson@scsc.georgia.gov with any questions.

Charter Renewal Update

2022-2023 SCSC Charter Renewal Cycle 

At the September board meeting, the SCSC Board of Commissioners voted to initiate the 2023 renewal cycle by approving the renewal calendar and timeline. The cycle begins with the release of the renewal application on November 1, 2022. The application deadline is January 3, 2023. Renewal interviews are scheduled to take place at the end of January 2023, and renewal recommendations are slated to be brought for a vote at the February 2023 SCSC board meeting.


For more details about the timeline, process and renewal expectations please visit the SCSC website: https://scsc.georgia.gov/information-applicants/renewal or reach out to Katie Manthey, SCSC Director of Research and Evaluation, katie.manthey@scsc.georgia.gov.

Petitioner Updates 

The SCSC Board of Commissioners approved the following

petition items at the October 19, 2023, board meeting. 

FY23 Start-Up Petition Timeline

The SCSC will initiate the FY23 Start-Up Petition Cycle on the following timeline:


FY23 Start-up Application Portal opens on October 31, 2022*.

Application Link



FY23 Start-Up Application Portal will close on March 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. All petition applications must be submitted on or before this deadline. 


Capacity Interviews – the SCSC staff will schedule interviews with eligible FY23 petitioners beginning May 15, 2023.


SCSC staff will begin presenting recommendations for FY23 start-up charter petitions at the June 2023 board meeting. **.


The FY23 startup petition cycle will close on December 31, 2023FY23 concurrent petition submissions will not be considered in determining legal compliance for subsequent petition cycles. 

*Start-up charter petitions must be submitted through the online Application Portal to be considered.


**Approved petitions may be required to open on a deferred timeline depending on the approval date.

FY23 Replication Petition Timeline

The SCSC will initiate the FY23 petition cycle on the following timeline:


Letters of Intent – due by December 12, 2022, at 11:59 p.m*.


FY23 Replication & Expansion Application Window opens on January 2, 2023.


FY23 Replication & Expansion Application Window closes on July 14, 2023. All petition applications must be submitted on or before this deadline. 


Capacity Interviews – Eligible petitioners that submit applications on or before 5:00 p.m. on March 17, 2023, will be scheduled for interviews the week of May 15, 2023. Interviews for eligible petitions received after March 17, 2023, will be scheduled on a rolling basis.


SCSC staff will begin presenting recommendations for the FY23 replication & expansion petitions at the June 2023 SCSC board meeting.


Please visit the SCSC website for more information.

*The SCSC will only consider replication petitions if a Letter of Intent is timely filed.

FY23 Petition Priorities & Application Updates

Petition Priorities 

The SCSC has established petition priorities for the FY23 start-up and replication petition cycles as one of many strategies intended to meet the strategic objective of increasing charter school choice in communities with few or no educational options.   


To encourage charter applications from underserved communities, the SCSC will apply the following requirements to all FY23 petitions: 

  1. Define “Priority Area” as “a location more than five miles from any operational charter school.”
  2. Petitions for state charter schools located outside of Priority Areas may be denied solely due to location to ensure SCSC can devote sufficient resources to schools in Priority Areas.
  3. If approved, a petitioner that proposes a state charter school located in a Priority Area must locate and serve students within the Priority Area identified in the petition during its first operational school year.  

Application Updates

The FY23 start-up petition application captures the same substantive content as the FY22 petition with the following revisions:

  • Streamlined organization of petition contents to increase readability, including removal of the virtual school addendum;
  • Clarified SCSC’s evaluation of a petitioner’s selected attendance zone to reflect that a statewide attendance zone must include evidence of community interest in and a plan to recruit students from a majority of school districts;
  • Added an Education Service Provider (ESP) Addendum to enhance the due diligence information provided for proposed ESPs consistent with national best practices; and
  • Underscored the importance of SCSC’s evaluation of a school’s capacity to achieve sufficient enrollment.


Both start-up and replication petitions are subject to the FY23 SCSC Petition Priorities and attendance zone requirements.

SCSC Training Opportunities & Events


The SCSC offers various training opportunities throughout the year. See below for the most up-to-date information about SCSC-offered training and resources.

New Schools Orientation

Jan 18 & Mar 22, 2023


This training equips newly approved state charter schools with the tools and resources they need for a strong start in their first year.

Visit the SCSC training page

FY23 Petition Cycle: Early Feedback Program

The purpose of the SCSC Early Feedback Program (EFP) is to provide an opportunity for charter petitioners to obtain clarification regarding the SCSC’s charter application expectations to make meaningful changes to their FY23 applications before the March 17, 2023 submission deadline. Participation in the EFP is not required, does not guarantee a positive recommendation of your charter petition, and should not be construed to guarantee a specific recommendation for the application.  


Applicants may request participation in the SCSC Early Feedback Program by reviewing the EFP Guide and submitting the EFP enrollment form below via email to naquita.smith@scsc.georgia.gov. The deadline for submitting an enrollment form is January 13, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

EFP Guide
EFP Enroll

Professional Learning Opportunity

Just-In-Time PL: TLSD Platform Tips for State Charter School Leaders

The Georgia Department of Education is offering a Just-In-Time Professional Learning for state charter school leaders responsible for implementing TKES and LKES using the TLSD platform. This virtual professional learning is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2023, from 10:00 am-11:00 am. Topics included during this professional learning include but are not limited to the following:

 

  • Enter teachers and set up their plans
  • Retrieving and archiving plans
  • Assigning roles and responsibilities
  • Managing TKES/LKES implementation
  • Accessing resources and tools
  • Reopening containers

 

Click the link below to register. If you have additional platform topics you would like for us to add to the agenda, please list them on your registration form. 

 

Just-In-Time PL: TLSD Platform Tips Registration Form

Funding & Engagement Programs

Grant Initiatives to Support Whole Child Education

The Georgia Department of Education will provide grants to support Whole Child Education. These grants target the areas of College Readiness and Talent Development, Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education, and World Languages.


Information on the grants can be found on the websites listed below. All Request for Proposals (RFPs) are available beginning December 6, and proposals are due on January 12, 2023.

Health & Physical Education


Health and Physical Education Equipment (HPEG) Grant


A total of 140 awards of up to $3,000 each for a total of $420,000 to be awarded for health and physical education to support quality health and physical education instruction. 

 

RFPs are available on the Health & Physical Education webpage at HPE Grant Information.

College Readiness &

Talent Development


The Summer Bridge Program for Rural Districts Grant 


To enhance access to accelerated and integrated learning for students, GaDOE will award 15 grants from the College Readiness & Talent Development team totaling $225,000.


RFPs are available on the Gifted Education website.

World Languages


World Language Cross Curriculum Innovation Grant (CCI)


40 awards for $2,000 each, totaling $80,000, will be awarded to create and support sustainable Cross Curricular World Language Instruction initiatives.


World Language Providing Access for Rural Teachers for New Equipment & Resources (PARTNER)


15 awards for $2000 each, totaling $30,000, to create and support sustainable world language initiatives in world language programs in rural districts.


RFPs are available on the World Languages & Global Workforce Initiatives website.

 Fine Arts


Fine Arts Consumable & Equipment (FACE) Grant 


$3,000 grants, totaling $500,000, will be awarded for fine arts consumables and equipment to support quality fine arts instruction that occurs as a graded course during the school day.


RFP is available on the Fine Arts website.

Affordable Connectivity Program


The Federal Communications Commission announced that 20 of the nation's internet providers have committed to lowering costs for low-income households, a step that will essentially provide free high-speed internet for those participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP lowers internet costs for eligible families by up to $30 a month through grant funding. For Georgia residents to get their share of the funding, families need to sign up for themselves.

 

Communicating about this program to eligible families is the largest barrier to implementing this program. The ExcelinEd team has developed resources to share to help students whose families may qualify for this free- and reduced-priced internet service.

 Affordable Connectivity Program

Employee Assistance Program

for all Public-School Teachers & Staff

Georgia’s Public Education Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a partnership between Kepro and GaDOE and will be provided at no cost to districts, schools, or employees. This program is designed to support teachers' and staff's mental health and wellness. It will allow access to mental health counseling, financial and legal resources, work/life referral services, and more.


Services are available now, and teachers and staff will receive additional access information directly from GaDOE or their district or school. The EAP is free, confidential, and supportive – neither the state nor local districts or schools will have access to information shared in counseling or consulting sessions.


Below is a toolkit of resources to assist you as you communicate with your staff.

Staffing Toolkit

External Opportunities

GeorgiaCAN - Charter Parent Organizer


GeorgiaCAN is hiring a Charter Parent Organizer to help lead their charter parent engagement work. This organization is looking for someone with experience in school recruitment and enrollment and a passion for training others on the subject. The salary is between 50k-60k, and the position is remote, but the priority focus is on Metro Atlanta. 


Please feel free to share the job description.

Charter Parent Organizer

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The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) is a state-level, independent charter school authorizing entity. The SCSC has the power to approve or deny petitions for state charter schools and renew, nonrenew, or terminate state charter school contracts in accordance with Georgia law.

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