Polk County Public Schools
The School Board of Polk County, Florida, pursuant to Florida Statutes 1002.33, 1001.41, establishes charter schools for the following purposes: to improve student learning and academic achievement; to increase learning opportunities for all students with special emphasis on low-performing students and reading; to encourage the use of innovative learning methods; to increase choices of learning opportunities for students; to establish a new form of accountability for schools; to require the measurement of learning outcomes and create innovative measurement tools; and to create new professional opportunities for teachers.
Charter Schools in Florida shall be guided by the following principles: Meet high standards of student achievement while providing parents flexibility to choose among diverse educational opportunities within the state’s public school system; promote enhanced academic success and financial efficiency by aligning responsibility with accountability; provide parents with sufficient information on whether their child is reading at grade level and whether the child gains at least a year’s worth of learning for every year spent in the charter school. Charter schools are fully recognized as public schools.
Interested parties are encouraged to call Carla McMullen at (863) 534-0625 to register or request additional information.
When: April 29, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Polk County School Board
This meeting is essential for anyone planning to submit a charter application. Various School Board employees will provide attendees with general information on the charter application process, School Board Policies, and requirements of charter applicants.
Florida Statutes states “…A sponsor shall receive and consider charter school applications received on or before August 1 of each calendar year for charter schools to be opened at the beginning of the school district's next school year… A sponsor may receive applications later than this date if it chooses.” The deadline for charter school applications to be received by the Office of Magnet, Choice and Charter Schools is Monday, August 3, 2009 no later than 5:00 PM.
SPECIAL UPDATE as of June 9, 2009:
The 2009 Charter Law, Florida Statutes 1002.33, has been signed by the Governor and became effective July 1, 2009. This law now includes a provision that requires districts to use the DOE Model Charter School Application and also allows districts to require additional information that will be added as an addendum to the charter application. Polk County requires all 2009 Charter Applicants to submit a Table of Contents that follows the DOE Model Charter School Application.
This law also requires all charter applicants to participate in applicant training provided by the Department of Education prior to submitting an application. Polk County will not be providing this training, nor does the New Applicant Orientation offered by PCSB on April 29, 2009 meet this requirement for training. If the applicant is a management company/ESP, the charter school principal and the chief financial officer or his/her equivalent is required to attend the training as well. DOE has scheduled the training dates for the following dates:
You may register for the training on the DOE Website at: http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/Charter_Schools/
PLEASE NOTE: DOE has notified Districts that each applicant who attends the training will be provided a certificate as verification of training from DOE. This certificate for each participant (EMOs will have more than one as required by law) must be attached to your application upon submission on or before the August 3, 2009 deadline. If this certificate is not provided with your application by the August 3, 2009 deadline, your application will not be accepted and you will have to wait until the 2010 application deadline to submit.
2009 Florida Statutes 1002.33 (passed April 2009, effective July 1, 2009)
All documents must be delivered to the Polk County School Board, Office of Magnet, Choice and Charter Schools at 1915 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830.
All documents must be received before 5:00 PM on August 3, 2009. Late submission will not be accepted.
All submissions must include a one-page Executive Summary and 48 copies of your charter application.
Contact Information:
Carla McMullen
School Choice Specialist
The following documents are available to individuals and/or groups who are interested in applying to open a charter school in Polk County. The current deadline to submit a charter application to the Polk County School Board is August 3, 2009.
For additional documents and Technical Assistance Papers regarding Charter School Implementation Grant, please visit the DOE Charter School website.