NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates
From the desk of………….
I hope that by the time you are reading our last newsletter of 2018, you have started your holiday break and are ready for some “down time”. I want to share a few interesting charter facts:
- 109,389 students are being served by our 185 charter schools
- That represents 7.3% of the total public school population
- 50% are female and 50% are male
- 35 applicants to open a charter school are currently being reviewed by CSAB
- 11 charter schools were considered for renewal in 2018, 28 schools in 2019
- For the 5th consecutive year, the percentage of schools earning a D or F has decreased
- The number of charter schools exceeding growth increased from 36 to 46 last year
As you can see, the demand for high quality charter schools remains strong. I thank you for all your hard work to meet that demand and to provide the best, innovative education possible. On behalf of our OCS team, we wish you a very Happy Holiday Season and a fulfilling New Year.
Dave Machado
Director of Office of Charter Schools
6303 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-6303
dave.machado@dpi.nc.gov
(P) 919-807-3490
(F) 919-807-3496
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To Charter Administrators --- Good News
As we approach the holiday break, we wanted to share some good news with you of which more details will be made available when you return in the new year. The NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is submitting a North Carolina grant application to the US Department of Education (USDOE) on behalf of public school districts and charter schools impacted by Hurricane Florence. By submitting this application from the state level, the process will be much easier for LEAs. Rather than submitting a complete application, eligible LEAs will need only to complete the information on the LEA form that will be emailed to you separately in January 2019.
The Project SERV grant provides short-term support to meet acute needs and help restore the learning environment. Schools may consider not only costs for which you need to be reimbursed, but also costs as you continue this school year and begin the 2019-20 school year. Please note that federal regulations require that these funds primarily target services rather than material goods and cannot be used for any expenses that can be covered by insurance, FEMA or any other existing sources.
If you are located in one of the counties declared as a disaster area by FEMA (linked here) and are interested in submitting a request for SERV grant funding for your charter school, please contact Cynthia Floyd at cynthia.floyd@dpi.nc.gov during the first two weeks of January, no later than January 10th. The deadline to submit your information will be January 25, 2019.
Thank you for all you do and have a wonderful holiday.
2019 North Carolina Charter School Teacher of the Year
The Office of Charter Schools is excited to announce that Doug Price has been named the 2019 NC Charter School Teacher of the Year! Doug is the sixth grade Core Connections teacher at Voyager Academy Middle School in Durham. Please join us in congratulating Doug!
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Epicenter Virtual Training Webinar
Contact: Jay Whalen (Jay.Whalen@dpi.nc.gov)
For those unable to attend the regional Epicenter training sessions, or for anyone who needs additional support, we have recorded and posted a virtual training webinar, which you can view here.
Let me know if you have any questions!
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2019 Charter School Performance Framework Submission Dates
OCS collects evidence of operational, financial, and academic compliance through the Charter School Performance Framework (PF). January 1, 2019 will begin the formal collection process for the 2019 Charter School Performance Framework.
Submissions for the 2019 PF will be divided over four (4) months. Please review the 2019 PF submission schedule:
Deadline- January 31, 2019- All Schools
A01.1 – School Performance Score and Letter Grade
A06.1 – Board Admissions and Enrollment Policy
A06.2 – Lottery Application
A08.1 – Parent Grievance Policy
A08.2 – Employee Grievance Policy
A14 – Certificate of Occupancy
Deadline- February 28, 2019 – All Schools
A09 – Board Conflict of Interest Policy
A10 – Nepotism Policy
A11 – Board Meeting Schedule
A12 – Board Membership List
Deadline- March 31, 2019 – All Schools
A01.2 – Parent Letter for Schools with a D or F
A13 – Fire, OSHA, and Other Required Health or Safety Inspections
A15 – Civil and Liability Insurance Certificate
A16 – Board Criminal History Check Policy
A19 – EMO/CMO Public Records Request
A21 – School Improvement Plan
Deadline- April 30, 2019- All Schools
A20 – NC Retirement System Dissolution Funds
2020 Renewal Schools Only (Deadline April 30, 2019)
B1 – Graduation Requirements
B2 – Student Promotion Requirements
B7 – Board Student Discipline Policy
Information will be collected through a new web-based document management tool called Epicenter. Additional details with submission criteria, notable changes from previous reporting periods, and Epicenter specific resources will be provided the week of December 17th – 21st.
All schools must submit the required documents per the established reporting timelines. While the submissions are divided over the course of several months, schools are invited and able to submit any items ahead of the defined due dates if doing so is more convenient.
For questions regarding the 2019 Charter School Performance Framework, please contact Stephenie Clark at (919) 807-3492 or stephenie.clark@dpi.nc.gov.
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NCCAT Conference: Advocacy & Best Practices - The Charter School Connection
Contact: Karen Sumner (Karen.Sumner@nccat.org) or Jay Whalen (Jay.Whalen@dpi.nc.gov)
Join us in Cullowhee, NC on January 28-31, 2019 for the annual NCCAT Charter Conference. This program, designed specifically for charter school teachers, will focus on teacher leadership through advocacy, best practices, and school growth. We will explore how teachers can better advocate for their specific school and charters in general, and how to utilize your own leadership style to help support school initiatives. Teachers will learn best practices in STEM, literacy development, and digital learning and discuss ways to model these practices in your schools.
Interested participants must apply online and a select number of attendees will be selected. One teacher per charter school may apply and spots are limited. Apply Here!
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Chapel Hill, NC - Mia Leonard from Uwharrie Charter Academy has been named a recipient of the NCHSAA Performance of the Week award Each week two athletes in North Carolina High School Athletic Association competition are selected for this award from nominations received from media and school administrators.
Leonard, is a junior on the women's basketball team at Uwharrie Charter. She had a record setting night in the Eagles 81-63 win over East Montgomery. Leonard posted a career high and school record 31 points, which included another school record of 8 made 3-pointers. She was 10 for 17 shooting on the night. To add onto her record setting night, Leonard posted 6 assists, 2 rebounds and a steal.
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Follow the Office of Charter Schools on Twitter
The Office of Charter Schools is officially tweeting! Follow us @NCCharterOffice for news, updates, and to see the great things happening at charter schools around the state.
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NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates
Superintendents' Weekly Message: Dec. 18
Superintendents' Weekly Message: Dec. 18
North Carolina Chief Academic Officer and Curriculum Listserv Updates
For the Charter listserv
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction remains committed to providing communication to Chief Academic Officers and Curriculum Leaders throughout the state. The Department is taking a collaborative approach across all academic areas to ensure that you receive information and updates, as well as opportunities for professional learning and collaboration, throughout the year.
One of the ways DPI provides communications is through the C and I Leaders Listserv Update, which is sent to CAOs and C and I Leaders across North Carolina twice per month. Please be sure that your LEA Chief Academic Officer or Central Office Curriculum Leaders or Charter Curriculum Leaders are subscribed to receive this resource by contacting Amy.Betsill@dpi.nc.gov with the subject line "C and I Leaders - Subscribe."
Thank you for all that you do to support the education of NC’s over 1.5 million school children!
Christie M. Lynch Ebert NC Department of Public Instruction Director, K-12 Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction Division. christie.lynchebert@dpi.nc.gov
TO: LEA Superintendents and Charter School Directors
Low Performing District and/or School Plans
School Leaders:
Please see the memo linked below from Dr. Nancy Barbour regarding NCStar plans as required by North Carolina statute.
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Professional Learning Session: Evaluation of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Please see the attached invitation for professional learning regarding Evaluating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Memo-Professional Learning-Evaluation of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.pdf
Webinar: CTE Indicator Assessments (CTE-IA)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/6311297194422678787
To ensure that the needs of all participants are addressed, questions related to CTE-IA should be submitted by January 7, 2019, using the following link:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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Recruitment and Retention of Special Education Summit-Save the Date
Please see the attached invitation for the Exceptional Children Division Recruitment and Retention Summit. If you have questions, contact Carol Moffitt at (919) 807-3997 or carol.moffitt@dpi.nc.gov.
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NCDPI Link:
NC Schools Earn State – And Local Recognition for Student Progress
 Other News
Rescheduled New Homeless Liaison Training
NCHEP will be conducting its annual New Homeless Liaison Compliance Training (NHLCT) for Charter Schools on January 10, 2019 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. This is the replacement date for the training canceled on September 13, 2018, due to Hurricane Florence. Registration for January 10th is needed even if you registered previously in September. Please visit the NCHEP NHLCT web page for details, including the registration link. Registration is limited, so please register by December 18th.
https://uncg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bHD5jjyHv3H6ddb
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School Health Consultant Announcement
New Charter School Health Nurse Consultant
Annette Richardson will be the new Charter School Health Nurse Consultant. Ms. Richardson is a Nationally Certified School Nurse with experience working in both charter schools and the public school system. She currently serves as the Regional School Health Nurse Consultant in the Northeast providing technical assistance and guidance to school nurses and other school health professionals. Ms. Richardson will be the contact person for school health and her information is provided below.
Annette Darden Richardson, MSN, RN, NCSN
Charter School Health Nurse Consultant
Division of Public Health - Children and Youth Branch
NC Department of Health and Human Services
Office: 252-339-3009
annette.richardson@dhhs.nc.gov
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