Request for Proposals to Open New Charter Schools

Solicitation for New York Educational
Organizations to Open New Charter Schools

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State

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SUNY Charter Schools Institute

LOI Date:

12/11/15

Deadline Date:

01/22/16 12:00 PM EST

Description:

Request a Grant Writer

Solicitation for New York educational organizations seeking to open and operate new charter schools throughout the State. LOIs are due no later than December 11. Diverse and innovative program designs for new charter schools are encouraged. Emphasis is placed on programming that sets a high bar for student achievement, particularly for students most at risk of academic failure.

Preference will be given to proposals that meet the following criteria:

1) Increase student achievement and decrease achievement gaps in ELA and mathematics;

2) Increase high school graduation rates for students particularly at-risk of not graduating and/or focus on middle school students’ academic achievement;

3) Increase the acquisition, adoption, and use of local instructional improvement systems that provide teachers and school leaders with the information and resources they need to inform and improve instructional practices, decision-making and overall effectiveness;

4) Use high-quality assessments designed to measure the learning of critical concepts;

5) Meet the statutory enrollment and retention targets for students with disabilities, students who are ELLs, and students who are eligible to participate in the FRPL program;

6) Conform to the public review process prescribed by the SUNY Trustees for the purpose of soliciting community input regarding the proposed charter school and its educational program;

7) Have the management and leadership capability to overcome start-up problems and establish a fiscally viable school;

8) Partner with low-performing district and charter schools to share best practices and innovations;

9) Gain support from the school district in which the school would locate, and demonstrate intent to establish an ongoing relationship with the school district; and,

10) Locate in a region of the state with limited educational alternatives.

GrantWatch ID#:

GrantWatch ID#: 164112

Term of Contract:

Target date for school opening is Fall 2017.

Eligibility:

See RFP and/or Grant Guidelines for full eligibility

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

This RFA is soliciting proposals from not-for-profit charter management organizations, educational service providers, or partner organizations providing a majority of the educational management services at a charter school.

A New York not-for-profit charter school education corporation that came into existence through the issuance of a charter and the subsequent formation of a corporation by the New York State Board of Regents (the “Board of Regents”).

Each charter entitles an education corporation to operate one school in one or more sites for each charter issued to it. Once a charter school education corporation has been formed, there is no need to form another education corporation in order to operate additional schools.

The New York Charter Schools Act of 1998 permits a charter school education corporation to have more than one charter issued to it, thus allowing it to operate the same grade at more than one site and to operate more than one charter school. It also allows existing schools operated under multiple education corporations to merge into one education corporation with the authority to operate all of the schools under one authorizer.

Pre-Application Information:

RFP Timeline:
-Letter of Intent due: December 11, 2015, 12:00 PM (noon)
-Final Proposals and Business Plan due: January 22, 2016
-Proposal Review: Late January - Early March 2016
-Applicants Notification: Mid-March 2016
-Anticipated Charter Schools Committee Meeting: Late March 2016
-Charter Transmittal Preparation: Early-Mid-April 2016
-New York State Board of Regents Action on Charters Approved: Up to 90 days after transmittal to Board of Regents.

Existing SUNY approved charter school education corporations may seek to add additional new schools using the Replication RFP Requests. All other applicants must apply to create a new SUNY approved education corporation using the Standard RFP Requests.

The institute will invite applicants whose Letter of Intent meets the requirements described in the RFP to submit a full proposal. The institute aims to provide a Letter of Intent determination within two weeks of the deadline.

Applicants are strongly encourage to consult with the Institute when identifying which application materials to submit.