Charter School Processes

AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

The Board of Education shall support efforts by parents, teachers or other persons or organizations interested in establishing charter schools within the district. In accordance with state law, charter schools are intended to:

Expand learning opportunities for all students
Encourage diverse approaches to learning using different, proven or innovative teaching methods
Provide parents and students with expanded choices in the type of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system
Encourage parental and community involvement with public schools.

Ref: Senate Bill 12-061 Ref: District policy LBD

As of 2018, all charter school applications must be submitted through Anvilar, an online platform now used by APS for receiving and reviewing charter school applications. Applicants must access the website, create an account, and may begin working on their application up until the due date when it must be submitted. In addition to the submission on Anvilar, two (2) hard copies of the application must be submitted, along with a PDF copy of the application and all attachments on a jump/usb drive. The two required hard copies of the application should be printed double-sided, be collated in notebooks, and sections should be separated by identifying tabs.

AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOLS APPLICATIONS

RENEWAL APPLICATION

The renewal process provides an opportunity for schools to (1) present any new or supplemental evidence of school performance and (2) articulate school plans and capacities for the next charter term. The charter renewal recommendation to the Board will be based on an array of evidence gathered over the charter term, including data and information collected by Aurora Public Schools (APS), the Colorado Department of Education and supplemental information that the applicant group provides.

The renewal process begins in August when the charter school declares its intent to apply for renewal. The charter school submits its Renewal Application to the APS Charter Authorizing Department (CAD). The application, along with the school's most recent Annual Performance Report is then reviewed by three separate committees organized by the CAD. These committees include the Internal Application Review Team (IART), the APS Charter School Advisory Committee (CSAC) and the District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC). As a part of the review, an interview may be warranted between these committees and the applicant team. The Charter Authorizing Department finalizes the recommendation to the Superintendent by compiling reviewer feedback, evaluating responses and rationales for specific rating components, and providing the applicant team with a final evaluation report.

APS 2024-2025 Charter School Renewal Application Timeline

Date	Action
August 1, 2024	Renewal Application made available online via Anvilar PDF of the application will be posted on the Charter Authorizing Department website
August 30, 2024	Charter School Renewal Applicants submit a “Letter of Intent” to renew their contract with APS through Anvilar
September 2024	Compile renewal application materials and review them with various stakeholders
September 30, 2024 2:00 p.m.	Charter School Renewal Applications due in Anvilar
NLT October 15, 2024	Within fifteen days of receiving a charter school application, the school district shall determine whether the application contains the minimum components specified in section 22-30.5-106 (1) and is therefore complete.
NLT October 30, 2024	In the event that the application is deemed incomplete, the charter applicant has fifteen days after the date it receives the notice to provide the required information.
TBD	School presentation to the APS DAAC
October 2024	Various review teams will assess the renewal application and body of evidence (Data over the term of the last charter including OSPR, APRs, State Assessment Data, etc.)
November 2024	Renewal Capacity Interview- To be scheduled individually with each applicant Interview questions are shared with the renewal applicants one week prior to the Capacity Interview School presentation materials and a list of interview participants will be due to the CAD one week before the interview. Renewal Applicant Capacity Interviews are held in person. After the interview, additional written-response questions may be provided to the school. These responses are optional and are due 7 days after receipt. Review Interview Summary Report when released
December 2024	Final evaluation shared with renewal schools The Superintendent’s Assessment and board materials will be published on board docs one week prior to the APS BOE meeting
December 17, 2024	APS BOE Presentation and Vote The Charter Authorizing Department provides information for the Superintendent’s recommendations to the APS BOE for renewal applicants. Applicants have an opportunity to present as well. Presentation guidelines can be found here. APS BOE rules on the charter renewal unless an extension is agreed upon by both parties.
March 2025 NLT March 29, 2025	Unless an extension is agreed upon and signed, the charter renewal contract(s) are finalized and provided to the APS Board for a vote. Contract(s) must be prepared and executed by both parties.

NLT-NO LATER THAN

NEW CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION

The new charter school application process begins in February when the charter school declares its intent to apply. The charter school submits its New Charter Application to the APS Charter Authorizing Department (CAD). The application is then reviewed by three separate committees organized by CAD. These committees include the Internal Application Review Team (IART), the APS Charter School Advisory Committee (CSAC) and the District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC). As a part of the review, an interview may be warranted between these committees and the applicant team. The Charter Authorizing Department finalizes the recommendation to the Superintendent by compiling reviewer feedback, evaluating responses and rationales for specific rating components, and providing the applicant team with a final evaluation report.

APS 2024-2025 New Charter School Application Timeline

Date	Action
January 2025	New application released on Charter Authorizing Website and on Avilar
February 6, 2025	Submit a Letter of Intent to the Charter Authorizing Department
February 2025	Required New Charter Orientation with APS Staff
NLT March 7, 2025	New charter applications are due in Anvilar Paper copies of applications submitted to the Charter Authorizing Department
NLT March 21, 2025	Within fifteen days after receiving a charter school application, the school district shall determine whether the application contains the minimum components specified in section 22-30.5-106 (1) and is therefore complete.
April 2025	Interview with the IART/CASC The district conducts any actions required to analyze and evaluate renewal application(s) and request(s) for renewal. New Charter Applicant Capacity Interviews are held in-person. After the interview, additional written-response questions may be provided to the school. These responses are optional and are due 7 days after receipt. Presentation to the DACC
May 2025	CAD provides information for the Superintendent’s recommendations to the APS BOE for renewal applicants. APS Board Meeting and Vote Applicants may have an opportunity to present as well. APS BOE rules on the new charter application

NLT-NO LATER THAN

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT APS CHARTER APPLICATION CYCLES, PLEASE CONTACT:

Leah Kent, APS Charter School Coordinator, [email protected]

CHARTER SCHOOL MODIFICATION APPLICATION

During the term of its charter, a charter school may determine that it is necessary or desirable to seek an amendment of its current approved charter. The District must approve any proposed change to the provisions of a charter before the change can be implemented. While some proposed changes to a charter may be deemed non-material and, therefore, can be handled administratively by the OAS, any amendment that would constitute a "material modification" of the charter must be approved by the governing board of the charter school and the APS Board of Education. An overview of the Modification process for charter schools in APS can be reviewed in the APS Charter Modification Process document.

Examples of material modifications include, but are not limited to:

Expanding grade levels
Expanding number of students served
Changing the mission/vision of the school
Changing curriculum
RELOCATION

CHARTER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The Charter School Improvement Plan (SIP) aims to help charter schools on the clock to develop plans to improve the academic achievement and growth of their students. This is only applicable for charter schools with PRIORITY IMPROVEMENT or TURNAROUND ratings per CDE.