ELLS: Statewide identification of English Language Learners
Effective February 1, 2014, a new State test will take the place of the current test used for the statewide identification of English Language Learners.
NYCDOE Charter School Directory
The 2018-19 NYC Department of Education Charter School Directory is available online. Please view the Introduction for general information or the specific borough name for the school listings in your area.
Fingerprinting
The Charter Center’s fingerprinting service ended in 2017. We are pleased to have been able to provide the sector with this important program for nearly a decade.
All appointments for fingerprinting now go through the NYSED-approved vendor, Identogo.
NYSED provides guidance on new procedures for fingerprinting here.
SPED: CSE and Compliance
The September 2010 presentation Common Coordination Issues, from the Brooklyn Charter School Student Support Agency, addresses common coordination issues facing schools with Special Education students.
The first half of the presentation covers the NYC Committee on Special Education (CSE), including the structure and function of the CSE, roles and responsibilities of the CSE and the charter school, and best practices for working with the CSE.
FUNDING: Participatory Budgeting
These webinars explain how charter schools can take advantage of the participatory budgeting process in NYC, which gives access to millions of dollars in discretionary funding for capital projects with grassroots participation. Get your students involved!
FUNDING: City Grants for Charter Schools
Each year, the Borough Presidents’ offices and New York City Council members distribute millions of dollars in public funds through discretionary grant programs. Public schools and non-profit organizations use these grants for everything from purchasing new technology and sports equipment to refurbishing playgrounds, science labs and auditoriums.
The Charter Center held a webinar to show schools how easy it is to apply for these funds and to share examples of successful recent applications.
FUNDING: School Funding Comparisons by the NYC Independent Budget Office (IBO)
The IBO released an updated report comparing public spending for charter schools to traditional district schools, and its analysis is clear: not only do NYC charter schools receive less in public spending than their district counterparts, but this funding disparity continues to grow. In the current school year (2016-17), the IBO reports that charter schools will again receive substantially less per pupil regardless of whether it operates in public or private space; the IBO estimates that charters are underfunded compared to traditional district schools by $1,145 to $4,863 per pupil.
Charter School Legal Issues: "Friends Of" Organizations
A “Friends of XYZ Charter School” organization is a separate, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that is created to raise funds, awareness and otherwise support a charter school or the charter school movement. This white paper from the Lawyers Alliance for New York is a guide for any charter school who is thinking of establishing one.
Examples of Full Charter School Applications (SUNY)
Here are full applications from charter schools that were recently approved by the State University of New York (SUNY).
Model Conflict of Interest Policy
Model policy on conflicts of interest, including exceptions to the law; express prohibitions; penalties; disclosure of interests.