📅 Upcoming Training Opportunities:

• December 7: Brown Bag Board Training: Legislative Preview and Advocacy and Recruiting and Onboarding Great Board Members
• REGISTER here

💡 Important Reminders:

• Please note that at least one board member is REQUIRED to attend each of the Brown Bag Board Trainings for the year. The links to register for each can be found here. 

Just a reminder that CSI staff is in the process of conducting reviews of school websites for the following information. Feedback on each of these website reviews is forthcoming. 

• Student and Family Policies: Schools should have the following key student/family policies posted on their websites: Attendance, Fees, Grievance, Enrollment, and Suspension/Expulsion. 
• Colorado Open Meetings Law Info: Board member names, board contact information, board meeting notices, agendas, and minutes should all be updated, posted and accessible.  
• New Student Application/Intent to Enroll Audit: School websites will be audited in December to ensure language is welcoming to all students, and that new student applications/intent to enroll forms do not unintentionally create undue barriers or have the effect of excluding students. 
• Financial Transparency Audit: School websites will be audited in December to ensure they include the statutorily-required financial transparency items. The timing of the CSI audit will ensure that schools have time to make needed updates before the CDE Audit.  

2023 CARS Report 

Preliminary 2023 CARS reports, which included only academic data, were released to school leaders in late October. The full CARS report, which includes your school’s CARS rating as well as the academic, financial, and organizational sections of CARS, was released in late November. As always, schools will be given an opportunity to review the full report and provide any school narrative before it is published to CSI’s website. If you are interested in additional support or training on the 2023 CARS Report, CSI staff can coordinate training for CSI school leaders and/or school boards.  

Questions & Support Contact:

• Ryan Marks, CSI Chief of Authorizing & Accountability

We have received a number of inquiries recently about grievance policies. Here are some reminders:

• Your grievance process should be easy to find and navigate. It is best practice to have the policy and grievance form available in an easy-to-locate place on the school website (ideally, the board web page). Schools should also have copies of the grievance form available at the front office for families who do not have access to the online form.

• CSI policy states that complaints are best handled at the school level. If a community member contacts CSI, CSI staff will redirect the individual to the school’s grievance process.

• The CSI ED is the final step in the grievance appeal process in the event a complainant is not satisfied with the school board’s decision. School community members can appeal a written decision by the school board by emailing the complaint, the board’s response to the complaint, and the desired resolution to: legalandpolicy_csi@csi.state.co.us

Stephanie Aragon, CSI Director of School Policy and Compliance, has produced a useful overview of legislation that passed last year affecting CSI schools. She will be continuing to monitor and alert schools to changes in the upcoming legislative session as well. Here’s the 2023 Recap: https://resources.csi.state.co.us/2023-legislative-recap/

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.

✔️ Progress in carrying out Unified Improvement Plan (UIP)

✔️ Open enrollment and/or re-enrollment for the upcoming school year

✔️ Ensure enrollment policies and procedures are up-to-date and approved if updates are made for the 24-25 school year

✔️ Board support for student recruitment

✔️ Mid-year check-in with staff

✔️ Participation in school events

✔️ Student absentee rates

✔️ Review mid-year school culture survey results if applicable

✔️ Update on mid-year family engagement from School Leader

✔️ Mid-year School Leader evaluation and progress toward goals

✔️ Mid-year strategic plan review

✔️ Board receives update on PPR adjustments related to changes in Funded Pupil Counts and/or changes in PPR

✔️ Board receives proposed budget amendments