Utah Code 53E-5-304. Required action for a springboard charter school or elevate charter school — Notification to parents and municipality for a springboard charter school
53E-5-304. Required action for a springboard charter school or elevate charter school — Notification to parents and municipality for a springboard charter school.
(1)
In accordance with deadlines established by the state board, a charter school authorizer of a springboard school shall initiate a review to determine whether the charter school is in compliance with the school’s charter agreement described in Section 53G-5-303, including the school’s established minimum standards for student achievement.
Terms Used In Utah Code 53E-5-304
Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Charter agreement: means an agreement made in accordance with Section 53G-5-303 that authorizes the operation of a charter school. See Utah Code 53E-1-102
Initial remedial year: means the school year a district school or charter school is designated as a springboard school under Section 53E-5-302 or elevate school under Section 53E-5-302. See Utah Code 53E-5-301
School improvement committee: means a committee established under:
Springboard school: means a district school or charter school that has been designated a springboard school by the state board because the school:
(a)
is not a Title I school; and
(b)
when ranked according to the percentage of possible points the state board awards under 2, averaged over three school years is:
(i)
one of the five lowest performing elementary, middle, or junior high schools statewide; or
(ii)
one of the two lowest performing high schools statewide. See Utah Code 53E-5-301
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
If a springboard school is found to be out of compliance with the school’s charter agreement, the charter school authorizer may terminate the school’s charter agreement in accordance with Section 53G-5-503.
(3)
A charter school authorizer shall make a determination on the status of a springboard school’s charter agreement under Subsection (2) on or before a date specified by the state board in an initial remedial year.
(4)
In accordance with deadlines established by the state board, if a charter school authorizer does not terminate a springboard school’s charter agreement under Subsection (2), a charter school governing board of a springboard school or elevate school shall:
(a)
establish a school improvement committee composed of the following members:
(i)
a member of the charter school governing board, appointed by the chair of the charter school governing board;
(ii)
the school principal;
(iii)
three parents of students enrolled in the springboard school or elevate school, appointed by the chair of the charter school governing board; and
(iv)
two teachers at the springboard school or elevate school, appointed by the school principal;
(b)
solicit proposals from a continuous improvement expert identified by the state board under Section 53E-5-305;
(c)
partner with the school improvement committee to select a proposal;
(d)
submit the proposal described in Subsection (4)(b) to the state board for review and approval; and
(e)
subject to Subsections (6) and (7), contract with a continuous improvement expert.
(5)
A proposal described in Subsection (4)(b) shall include a:
(a)
strategy to address the root causes of the springboard school’s or elevate school’s low performance identified through the needs assessment described in Section 53E-5-302; and
(b)
scope of work to facilitate implementation of the strategy that includes at least the activities described in Subsection 53E-5-303(4)(b).
(6)
A charter school governing board may not select a continuous improvement expert that:
(a)
is a member of the charter school governing board;
(b)
is an employee of the charter school; or
(c)
has a contract to operate the charter school.
(7)
A contract entered into between a charter school governing board and a continuous improvement expert shall include and reflect the requirements described in Subsection 53E-5-303(4).
(8)
(a)
A school improvement committee shall partner with the continuous improvement expert selected under Subsection (4) to develop and implement a school improvement plan that includes the elements described in Subsection 53E-5-303(5).
(b)
A charter school governing board shall assist a continuous improvement expert and a springboard school or elevate school with:
(i)
addressing the root cause of the springboard school’s low performance; and
(ii)
the development or implementation of a school improvement plan.
(9)
(a)
On or before June 1 of an initial remedial year, a school improvement committee shall submit the school improvement plan to the charter school governing board for approval.
(b)
Except as provided in Subsection (9)(c), on or before July 1 of an initial remedial year, a charter school governing board of a springboard school or elevate school shall submit the school improvement plan to the state board for approval.
(c)
If the charter school governing board does not approve the school improvement plan submitted under Subsection (9)(a), the school improvement committee may appeal the disapproval in accordance with rules made by the state board as described in Subsection 53E-5-305(6).
(10)
The provisions of this part do not modify or limit a charter school authorizer’s authority at any time to terminate a charter school’s charter agreement in accordance with Section 53G-5-503.
(11)
(a)
A charter school governing board or a charter school governing board’s designee shall annually report to the state board progress toward the goals, benchmarks, and timetable in a springboard school’s or elevate school’s improvement plan.
(b)
A charter school governing board of a springboard school shall provide initial and annual notice:
(i)
that includes the following information regarding the springboard school:
(A)
the school’s improvement status;
(B)
the goals, benchmarks, and timetable in the school’s improvement plan and any progress toward the goals, benchmarks, and timetable; and
(C)
how the community may provide support to the school and students of the school inside and outside the classroom; and
(ii)
to:
(A)
parents of students enrolled in the school, using the same form of communication the charter school governing board regularly uses to communicate with parents; and
(B)
the governing council and the mayor of the municipality in which the school is located.
