Free Resources
Charter Schools Get Smart about Marketing
By Patty Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer, Kennedy Spencer
You understand how you are changing the world. Now you need to simply, clearly and consistently communicate that - and share exactly what inspires you about your school and students – with the rest of the world.
http://foundationsinc.org/charter-school-services/free-resources/smart-m...
Top 10 Tips: Summer Professional Development for Charter Schools
By Julie Stapleton Carroll, Director of School Services, Foundations, Inc.
Summer is a great time to get your team on track to start the school year right. Follow these tips for a smooth school opening.
http://www.foundationsinc.org/charter-school-services/free-resources/top...
Webinar: Program Assessment and Planning: Ending Your School Year Right
By Julie Stapleton Carroll and Donyatta Tinson-Smith, Foundations, Inc. PD@your.desktop
Effective program assessment and year-end reflection are hallmarks of high performing schools. Learn proven strategies and practical tips for reviewing and setting goals, assessing program success, and planning for implementation.
http://foundations.adobeconnect.com/p5m317zh454/
A New Spin On Back-to-School Night
By Brenda Dyck, Education World
As educators re-examine the purpose, relevance, and appeal of Back-to-School Night, Brenda Dyck describes a new model where students take the lead and adults step back and follow. Included: Ideas for planning a student-led Back-to-School Night.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/voice/voice092.shtml
Charter School Executives: Toward a New Generation of Leadership
By The Working Group on Charter School Leadership, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, December 2008
This brief outlines a proposed charter leader development program and also emphasizes improving current leadership opportunities. Key components of such a system would be the creation of a leadership credential, increased access to leadership training, and evaluations based upon student achievement gains, among others.
http://www.publiccharters.org/data/files/Publication_docs/2008_Toward_a_...
The Trials and Tribulations and Exhilaration of Starting a Charter School
By California Charter Schools Association
In September 2011, Jim Kennedy will be heading a new elementary school opening on the eastside of Los Angeles called Extera Public School. This exciting new beginning is also the culmination of two decades of work in education for Kennedy, who visited the CCSA offices recently to reflect on the events of the past year since taking the plunge into the charter school landscape.
http://www.calcharters.org/blog/2011/06/the-trials-and-tribulations-and-...
Steps to Starting a Charter School
By US Charter Schools
Though the specifics vary widely from state-to-state, charter school developers in many states proceed through several common stages in their school development process. Here is an overview of that process.
http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/r/steps.htm
A Framework for Operational Quality: A Report from the National Consensus Panel on Charter School Operational Quality
By The National Consensus Panel, Charter School Quality Consortium, May 2009
This framework highlights the importance of financial performance and sustainability, board performance and stewardship, and parent and community engagement in relation to successful charter operations.
http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=RUBMbU6flAg%3D&tabid=449&m...
The Color of Success: Black Student Achievement in Public Charter Schools
By Gerard Robinson and Edwin Change, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, June 2008
This brief profiles seven charter schools having success in working with African American students. Leaders of these successful charter schools describe how providing a safe learning environment, having high expectations of all students, hiring high-quality staff who are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, and involving parents and the surrounding community in the life of the school have translated to student success.
http://www.publiccharters.org/data/files/Publication_docs/The_Color_of_S...
Diversifying Funding for Career and Technical Education: Educational Center Charter School, Newnan, Georgia
By National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance: Promising Practices Profile
This profile details the diversified funding base that supports, Central Education Center (CEC), a charter high school offering career and technical education, established as a partnership among the school district, local technical college, and business community. The brief provides charter school leaders tips on establishing meaningful public-private partnerships that can provide capital and operating funds as well as in-kind support and resources to sustain independent charter schools.
http://www.charterresource.org/files/Diversifying_Funding--Central_Educa...
A Framework for Academic Quality: A Report From the National Consensus Panel on Charter School Academic Quality
By The National Consensus Panel, Charter School Quality Consortium, June 2008
The charter school idea is based on a simple, compelling bargain: greater autonomy in exchange for greater accountability for student achievement. This report describes a "common core" of academic quality indicators, measures, metrics and benchmark comparisons to be used by charters nationwide that will enable charter school leaders to fulfill the promise of the charter movement and maximize its success.
