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Welcome to a new school year! This newsletter will address several important items to be aware of for a successful start to the 25-26 school year.
First and foremost, please ensure EDDIE is updated and accurate especially if you have a new school leader and/or new board chair. This is the authoritative source for DPI communications. If it’s not current, you may be missing important information. Not sure if it’s updated? Check with the person designated as the EDDIE administrator to verify EDDIE is updated. Still not sure? Contact Shannon Miller at DPI. shannon.miller@ocs.nc.gov
There are several other areas to highlight as we begin a new school year.
Do you have a new school leader? Especially if they are from a traditional school district and/or from a different state, they may not know all of the NC systems they need access to until it’s too late. Linked here is the OCS Leaders website which has helpful information. In addition, please verify they are familiar with and have access to the following:
- Infinite Campus: super important as this drives ADM and student funding.
- EDDIE
- EVAAS
- NCID
- Epicenter
- ECATS
- The current charter agreement and charter application. Don’t remember the difference? No problem! It is explained in this newsletter
Have you moved? Are you planning to move? Do you have a sub-campus?
Special Note about Relocation and Subcampus Requests
As a result of new legislation enacted in July 2025, NC public charter schools are no longer required to seek amendment approval for relocations that are within a 10-mile radius, so long as the location is within the local school administrative unit specified and approved in the charter.
While requests falling under this legislation do not require an amendment, OCS/DPI must be notified of any relocation or subcampus before student occupancy. More importantly, an educational certificate of occupancy (ECO) is required for all subcampuses and relocations before student occupancy. This applies to any building a student may occupy, including temporary relocations or summer programming. Failure to provide an approved ECO can impact and potentially freeze your state funding. The ECO must state the purpose as educational and/or be approved for the grade levels served via the authorizing entity. You can request EDDIE updates through OCS, and we will approve once we have the ECO.
Also, please keep in mind that E-rate internet services can take many months to set up, and we encourage prompt communication with that team if you will utilize said services. Regardless of the internet provider, the school is responsible for ensuring a secure (filtered, protected, firewalled) internet service and should consult its provider regarding the same.
If your relocation exceeds 10 miles or is outside the previously approved local administrative unit, your request will require CSRB review. Please consider this as you plan any future relocations or subcampus expansions.
Questions, requests for amendments, and/or CSRB review requests should be made in writing to Julie Whetzel, OCS Consultant, at julie.whetzel@dpi.nc.gov.
The sections that follow are good reminders for your board. Please share this newsletter with your board to maximize the impact of this information. If you have any suggestions or feedback to improve this newsletter please email Nicky Niewinski at nicole.niewinski@dpi.nc.gov
Section 1: The Charter Agreement
- Charter Agreement vs. Charter Application: Which is which? Why are they important?
- The Charter Application is the document that was submitted by the founding board of the school to be reviewed and eventually approved by the Charter Schools Review Board and/or State Board of Education. It is unique to each charter school and contains all the information about what makes your school special: Your Name, Curriculum, Instructional Philosophy, Grade Levels Served, Location, etc. Charter Applications can be amended with board approval, and sometimes require the Office of Charter Schools approval or Charter Schools Review Board approval.
- The Charter Agreement is the legal document signed by both the school’s Board Chair and the State Superintendent. It is effective for only a specific period of time, listed under the “Term”. Your Charter Agreement gives your board the authority to operate your school as a Public Charter School in North Carolina. Charter Agreements must be renewed before the termination of the agreement in order for your school to continue operating.
Section 2: Fiscal Oversight
- Legislative Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Expenditures of State and Federal financial assistance, including State financiaey were appropriated?
- What checks and balances are in place for preventing non-allowable expenditures?
- Has your board reviewed the Financial Policies and Procedures Manual?
Section 3: Governance Tips & Tricks
- Did you know…….
- The majority of board members and 50% or greater of the board officers for a charter school must have their primary residence in NC?
- The Nonprofit board of directors shall adopt and ensure compliance with a conflict of interest and anti-nepotism policy?
- The nonprofit board of a Charter School is subject to Open Meetings law as outlined in Article 33C of Chapter 143 of General Statutes. This includes but is not limited to:
- All official meetings are open to the public.
- Full and accurate minutes of all official meetings shall be made available to the public. Posting board meeting minutes on the school’s website is considered best practice.
- Closed session minutes may be withheld from public inspection so long as public inspection would frustrate the purpose of the closed session.
- Closed session may be held upon a motion duly made and adopted at an open meeting. Every motion to close a meeting shall cite one or more of the permissible purposes listed in subsection (a) of 143-319.11.
- Public notice of official meetings shall be in accordance with 143-318.12 which includes providing written notice of the meeting stating its purpose delivered at least 48 hours before the time of the meeting.
- If the school has a Web site, and the board has established a schedule of regular meetings, the board shall post the schedule of regular meetings to the Web site.
Section 4: Academic Monitoring
- Children w/Special Needs
- The Nonprofit accepts and understands that for purposes of federal and state law, it is obligated to provide free and appropriate education and related services to children with special needs.
- The Nonprofit shall be responsible for meeting the needs of English language learners in compliance with State and Federal Law.
- What questions can I ask when the school leader is presenting academic information?
- What is the plan of action for students who are struggling academically and those who are excelling and need to be challenged?
- Do teachers have adequate time to analyze student data? If not, why not. If so, how is the data used to move academic achievement forward?
- Are students aware of how they are doing academically? If not, why not? If so, how do they hold themselves accountable for improving?
Section 5: Operations
- Enrollment, Charter Agreement, Section 7
- Key Enrollment Provisions
- Admission must follow Charter School Act and lottery requirements (G.S. 115C-218.45)
- Charter Schools cannot limit admission based on:
- Intellectual ability
- Achievement or aptitude
- Athletic ability
- Disability
- Race, creed, national origin, religion, ancestry
- Sex (except for schools with approved single-sex mission)
- Fees, Charter Agreement, Section 17
- Charter Schools shall not charge fees, except that the school may charge any fees that are charged by the local school administrative unit in which the charter school is located.
- Contact the local school administrative unit or review the local school’s board meeting minutes to see what fees have been approved in that district.
Section 6: Resources & Professional Development
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