IE 2, CHARTER, AND STATUS QUO SCHOOL SYSTEMS Flexibility Options Comparison F EBRUARY 26, 2015 Ken Thompson Chief Financial Officer

Legislative Requirement By June 30, 2015, each district is required to select one of the following options as its operational system:  Status Quo  IE2 (Investing in Educational Excellence)  Charter System The intent is to allow flexibility from state regulations in exchange for greater accountability for improving student achievement as outlined in a performance contract with the State Board of Education.

Review of Options  Performance (Accountability)  Waivers (Flexibility)  Fiscal Impact  School Governance  Consequences

Status Quo  Waivers – No waivers from state requirements.  Fiscal Impact - Because current waiver allowing classes to exceed state maximum sizes expires June 30, 2015, CCPS would have to add over 500 teachers at a cost of $38 million and acquire additional spaces for classrooms.

IE2 System  Performance – Student performance must meet CCRPI and “second look” contract goals. Accountability is measured at the school level.  Waivers – School system must specify which waivers from state requirements it is seeking in order to implement innovations.  Fiscal Impact – Possible savings through waivers and less restrictions on how state funds are spent (waiver of expenditure controls).

IE2 System  School Governance – No change required. School councils could continue to operate as they do currently.  Consequences – Loss of governance of non- performing schools  Conversion to Charter School  Operation by another school system  Operation by a private or non-profit entity  Operation under a Remedial Action Plan

Charter System  Performance – Student performance must meet contract goals and exceed state averages and previous system performance. This may prove difficult for our school system. Accountability is measured at the district level.  Waivers – School system is automatically waived from almost all current and future state requirements. The contract must provide examples of how flexibility will be utilized to improve student achievement.

Charter System  Fiscal Impact – Possible savings through waivers and less restrictions on how state funds are spent (waiver of expenditure controls). Possible $80-90 per pupil in supplemental funding through QBE, if appropriated. Supplemental funding must be spent on training of School Governance Teams (SGT) or spent on innovations as determined by the SGT.

Charter System  Governance – School system must implement school level governance and grant authority to make decisions regarding personnel, finances and resources, curriculum and instruction, school improvement goals, and school operations. School Governance Teams must include parents, members of the community including business and industry, and teachers. The majority cannot be school system employees. They must receive annual training comparable to that of the School Board.

Charter System  Consequences – Charter system status revoked and school system reverts to status quo. Possible fiscal impact due to loss of flexibility.

Waiver Limitations  Regardless of the model adopted, federal guidelines and state rules concerning health and safety cannot be waived.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DISTRICT FLEXIBILITY MODEL OPTIONS Q. What is the difference between a charter school and schools in a charter system? A. Locally approved charter schools and state charter schools have independent contracts with the State Board of Education. Charter systems are school districts that have a contract with the State Board of Education. Schools within a charter system do not become charter schools. Charter schools operating in the county can remain as charter schools. Q. If the decision was made to become “status quo”, why would that not result in smaller class sizes? A. To meet the maximum class sizes required by the state would cost the district about $38 million per year to acquire over 500 teachers and mandate additional class space. The district would not be able to afford or sustain this cost.

Q. When does the district begin to operate under the selected flexibility model? A. Status quo would become effective July 1, For either the IE2 or Charter System options, they would most likely become effective with the school year. The school year would be the base year under either model for measuring progress. Q. What is Title 20? A. Title 20 refers to that part of Georgia law that pertains to education. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Timeline Establishment of Flexibility Decision Steering Committee to include representation from each of the following groups: Teachers, Principals, District Staff, Parents, Community Members. Establishment of Flexibility Decision Steering Committee to include representation from each of the following groups: Teachers, Principals, District Staff, Parents, Community Members. Community Informational Meetings to explain flexibility options to the public. Community Informational Meetings to explain flexibility options to the public.  Projected Completion: February 2015 Superintendent’s flexibility option recommendation submitted to the Board. Superintendent’s flexibility option recommendation submitted to the Board.  Projected Completion: March 2015

Timeline Board approval of flexibility option. Board approval of flexibility option.  Projected Completion: April 2015 Submission of Letter of Intent. Submission of Letter of Intent.  Projected Completion: April 2015 Public Hearing(s) on draft contract. Public Hearing(s) on draft contract.  Projected Completion: September 2015 Application for contract for selected option submitted to GaDOE. Application for contract for selected option submitted to GaDOE.  Projected Completion: October 2015