How to Become Authorized as a Charter School

**** The Charter School Office is specifically seeking proposed applications focusing on high quality secondary education in order to meet Objective#2 of New Hampshire's federal grant objectives:

Objective 2: Use Federal CSP grant funds to improve student achievement for secondary charter school students and increase graduation rates.

Currently, there are two forms of charter school authorization in New Hampshire:

1. Local Authorization
2. State Board Authorization

Local Authorization Explained: (an existing school district that directly supports the establishment of the charter school)

• Locally authorized charter schools receive approval to open from the local legislative body, in most cases this is the voter.
• Funding is received directly from the district, the amount of funding is determined through an agreed upon contract between the charter school and the local school board.
• A warrant article is submitted to the voters for authorization to fund the school.
• Locally authorized charter schools must still receive a State Board approved charter prior to submitting a warrant article.

State Board Authorized Explained:

• Persons or entities eligible to submit an application to establish a State Board Authorized Charter Public School shall include:
  (a) A nonprofit organization including, but not limited to, a college, university, museum, service club, or similar entity.
  (b) A group of 2 or more New Hampshire certified teachers.
  (c) A group of 10 or more parents.
  
  
• Authorization to open is given by the New Hampshire State Board of Education.

STEP 1 - Process for Charter School Authorization - please review the Charter School Proposal protocol which outlines the steps and timelines involved in this process.

• Please complete an "intent to submit" form and send it to Michelle Gauthier at the Charter School Office.
• Charter School Application Guidelines - use these guidelines (refer to New Hampshire Statutes, Chapter 194-B:3, II) when first applying for authorization to establish a Charter School. Applications must be consistent with the alpha numbering within the guidelines. Applications will be reviewed (and scored) based upon the required components. Proposed applications are reviewed concurrently by the Charter School Office and an attorney. Please also complete the attached cover sheet and submit with proposed application.

• Proposals are reviewed by a committee of peers:
  An evaluation scoring guide will be used to score the charter school application; scoring is based upon a 100-point scale.
• Reviewer feedback will be complied by the Charter School Office and sent to the applicant along with suggested revisions to the application (if necessary).
• Once the proposed application has been finalized, the Commissioner of Education will thoroughly review the application. Upon completion of review, an appointment will be scheduled for the applicant to meet with the Commissioner of Education.
• Charter school developers proposing innovative, high quality charter schools will present to the State Board of Education; charter authorization is given by the State Board of Education.

New Charter Schools Authorized by the State Board of Education 2010-2012

State Board of Education meeting dates, agendas and minutes can be found on the the State Board of Education website along with a video for each meeting provided by Exquisite Productions of Newport.

PACE Career Academy Charter School - SAU # 53 Pembroke School District. Approved December 8, 2010
The Pembroke School District submitted an application for a Charter Alternative High School. The SAU #53 Alternative High School Task Force has consulted with stakeholders, researched options and collaborated with colleagues. We feel that our proposal will provide struggling high school students with an alternative pathway to completing their high school diploma while providing a bridge to their adult lives. On March 5, 2011 the Pembroke School District approved the creation of a district-sponsored charter school, PACE Career Academy, intended as an alternative program to help improve the graduation rate.

Mill Falls Charter School - Bringing Montessori Public - Manchester. Approved March 9, 2011
Mill Falls Charter School is New Hampshire’s first Public Montessori School. It launches in September 2012 beginning with grades K-3, and by year four, plans to offer a full elementary program for children grades K-6. Located in Manchester, Mill Falls brings together children of all backgrounds and learning styles in mixed-age classrooms that merge the Common Core Curriculum with the individualized and academically integrated Montessori approach. Students’ emotional and social growth is cultivated along-side their academic achievement in an inclusive and diverse public school setting.

Making Community Connections Charter School (MC2) - Manchester. Approved March 9, 2011
Built on the footprint of the original MC2 (Monadnock Community Connections School in southwest New Hampshire), Making Community Connections Charter School incorporates the successes of the original model, as well as the lessons learned through that eight-year development and pilot cycle.The Making Community Connections Charter School mission is to establish a sustainable network of multiple preschool through graduate school pathways for high quality learning that are student centered, mastery based, and community oriented. On March 9, 2011 the State Board of Education voted unanimously to accept MC2's application and granted them charter school status.

TEAMS Charter School - Penacook. Approved June 8, 2011
Grade level to be serviced 9-12. The mission of this charter school is to expand opportunities for all students especially those who face the perception of bleak prospects because of where they live. TEAMS (Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Science) will offer a sound college prep program with a career focus and emphasis on technology, mathematics, science and engineering.

Polaris Charter School - Manchester area. Approved October 12, 2011
The Polaris Charter School will serve elementary-aged students five to eleven years old at the time of entry. The mission of Polaris Charter School is to create a joyful and exciting learning community for intellectually curious elementary-aged children. Through an engaging, inquiry-based curriculum, our students will develop the ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, think critically, and excel academically. Our program fosters creativity and the development of social and emotional skills, instilling a positive attitude about future studies and ensuring students are well-prepared for the challenges of an ever-changing world.

Robert Frost Charter School - Conway area. Approved October 12, 2011
The Robert Frost Charter School creates life-long learners by providing an intellectually rich and challenging experience delivered through the combination of the Montessori tradition and Project-Based Learning. In a safe and peaceful setting, dedicated educators foster students’ individuality, creativity and critical-thinking skills to fully prepare them for future scholastic, civic and personal success. The first phase of the School will begin with an elementary classroom of mixed ages (grades 1- 3), and gradually add additional lower elementary classrooms as well as upper elementary and junior high classrooms (grades 4-6 and 7-8). We will also add kindergarten in the second year after the School is established.

The Birches Academy of Academics & Arts: A Public Charter School - Salem area. Approved January 18, 2012
The mission of The Birches Academy is to provide a learning community that supports excellence in core academics and the arts while cultivating the individual qualities and strengths of each child. The Birches Academy will open with 4 multi aged classrooms in grades 1-8. Expansion into kindergarten and additional classrooms will be added in future years.

Next Chartered High School - Derry area. Approved June 20, 2012. NEXT Charter High School will meet the needs of students not fully served within a traditional high school educational program and to employ a system of instructional and assessment practices that values competency, inquiry, flexibility, and the social nature of learning so that all students will graduate and initiate post-secondary learning options. Grades 9-12

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