Operate a Charter School
So, you were awarded a charter. Now what? The first few months after getting your charter are an important time to lay down a strong foundation for your school. There are many tasks to accomplish in creating the successful school you envisioned when you first applied for a charter. You must hire staff, solidify a curriculum, nail down your facility and begin countless other projects that are necessary to be ready to open.
We can help guide you through that process to make sure you’re on track to open a school on the best possible footing.
In this section, NJCSA provides a wide variety of resources and sample documents for operating a high-quality charter school.
Before you set out to recruit, enroll and register students, you should be aware of certain guidelines and policies so that you don’t run afoul of state laws. Find out here how best to carry out effective outreach and recruit a diversity of students as well as get some ideas on the best practices in the charter industry.
Charter schools should consider adopting policies regarding specific aspects of charter school operations.
Consult the selected sample documents, and use them as a guide in drafting policies appropriate for your school.
By and large, successful boards can make or break a school. Don’t underestimate the value of a strong, diversely-skilled board that has a handle on the day-to-day activities of the school, but that is also careful not to micromanage the school leader. That’s a fine line that has tripped up many a school. Here we offer some advice and examples of sound policies to make the board an asset to the school.
It’s a classic problem in education: so much to do, but not enough revenue to do it with. A school’s management of its finances is critical to carrying out a successful school program. Here we have several resources that can help you be good stewards of your school’s budget.
Among the biggest challenges new school operators face is finding a facility that works now, when you are still small, but also years from now when you are at full capacity. In addition, because New Jersey doesn’t provide facilities funding, you need to find adequate space for a reasonable price. Add to that the many hurdles associated with getting school-related building approvals, and you are dealing with one of your biggest potential headaches. Here we provide some guidance on this difficult challenge.
All employers, including charter schools, should have policies and practices that will guide them throughout the employer/employee relationship. Find resources here to assist your charter school with the hiring process, workplace environment issues, personnel handbooks, and more.
