Deny Application for Padah’s Academy Charter School.

On October 18, 2006, the School Board voted to deny an application for Padah’s Academy Charter School. This decision was appealed by the applicant and upheld by the State Board of Education on February 20, 2007. Subsequently, on March 5, 2007, District staff received an application for Padah’s Academy Charter School, which was originally submitted for consideration for the 2007-2008 school year. The applicant was informed that the application would be reviewed for the 2008-2009 school year. A Charter Application Review Team, made up of staff from a variety of District departments and a charter school principal, reviewed the application, and an interview with the applicant was conducted. Because the new application was not substantively different from the original application that was denied, it was deemed unnecessary to request an additional legal review of the application. According to the requirements of F.S. 1002.33(6), charter applications must:

1. Demonstrate how the school will use the guiding principles and meet the statutorily defined purpose of a charter school.

2. Provide a detailed curriculum plan that illustrates how students will be provided services to attain the Sunshine State Standards.

3. Contain goals and objectives for improving student learning and measuring that improvement.

4. Describe the reading curriculum and differentiated strategies that will be used for students reading at grade level or higher and a separate curriculum and strategies for students who are reading below grade level.

5. Contain an annual financial plan for each year requested by the charter for operation of the school for up to five years.

A summary of the application for Padah’s Academy Charter School is attached.

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

The estimated cost of the review of the charter application is $3,000. Additional costs will be incurred in the event that a charter school appeals the School Board’s decision to deny an application. The review of charter applications is not covered by the five percent administrative fee collected to support the District’s charter schools.