2018-19 Charter School Season Begins

Seven new charter schools are vying for a rose in 2019.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received seven letters of intent to submit new charter school applications  for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to consider in 2018-19.

More information on the charter school application process is available here.

A summary of the letters of intent:

*These schools submitted an application in previous years and either were not invited to submit a final application or were not recommended for approval.

The charter school application process includes the following steps:

1. June 12 Letters of intent due
2. August 1  Prospectus due
3. September- Invitation to submit final application – Commissioner decision
4. November 1 –  Final applications due
5. Hearing will be scheduled after final applications are submitted – November/early December. The hearing must be in the district where the school is to be located.
6. Commissioner will review applications and make a recommendation to the BESE.
7. January BESE meeting – BESE will discuss recommendations
8. February BESE meeting – BESE will vote on DESE recommendations in February

Typically a number of groups that submit letters of intent do not continue to the final application stage. Last year, the DESE received seven letters of intent to open new schools; three prospectuses (from three of the same schools submitting letters of intent this year); two final applications and recommended and approved one application. In additiona, the BESE did approve some charter enrollment expansions last year.