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School Board Policy

Policy Table of Contents 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Appendix A Appendix B

300 -- INSTRUCTION

310 Philosophy of the Instructional Program

Board policies and administrative procedures governing the organization, management, and operations of the school system are to establish and maintain a climate which promotes a high quality instructional program.

Our democratic way of life is founded upon a great spiritual heritage, the ability of people to govern themselves through representative government, and a recognition of the dignity and integrity of the individual.

The Anchorage School District accepts the responsibility of providing an education for all children of public school age. The Anchorage School District recognizes the separate but complementary roles performed by the family, where manners, morals, basic attitudes, and loyalties are first taught, and by the church and other community organizations where moral, spiritual, and ethical values are developed. We realize the success of our school system depends on a strong and active partnership between schools, parents, and the community.

320 Goals and Purposes of the Instructional Program

321 Goals of the Instructional Program

The staff of the school district utilizes appropriate research-based effective instructional and supervisory practices to educate students for success in life. We strive to challenge all students, regardless of their levels and abilities, to achieve at the maximum extent possible. As a district, we provide remedial, resource, enrichment, accelerated, and other special services and programs to help increase students' achievement. We strive to prepare students as fully as possible for success in their post-high school years, including maintaining a desire for life-long learning.

Students are provided with a balanced and well-developed curriculum in all academic areas, as well as in physical education, music, art, and technology. Our curriculum is based on local, as well as, national and state standards of student proficiency. High expectations for appropriate student behavior and work habits are the basic tenets of a sound instructional program. We provide, in conjunction with the State of Alaska, stringent criteria for receipt of a high school diploma.

We provide and encourage a range of educational philosophies and techniques in our instructional program. This range allows closer alignment between the instruction and the needs and desires of the students and parents in our neighborhood schools and our variety of options. Our open enrollment policy and offering of alternative programs and charter schools provide options for choice. We believe this leads to a more active participation by the students in their own learning as well as greater parental involvement and satisfaction.

(Section 321 - Revised September 12, 1983)
(Section 321 - Revised March 9, 1998)

322 Purposes of the Instructional Program

In the practical application of this philosophy, each student shall be encouraged and challenged to develop the following necessary skills to the maximum of his/her capacity:

  1. To achieve command of the English language, both spoken and written.

  2. To understand and apply mathematics.

  3. To understand and apply the tenets of the physical and biological worlds.

  4. To learn to think critically and act effectively through the mastery of the skills, knowledge, and appreciation of the major achievements of civilization.

  5. To understand the responsibilities of being an American citizen. To acquire the knowledge and appreciation of the principles of governance in the United States and other countries.

  6. To develop and cherish a commitment to American heritage and to gain knowledge of the culture and history of other peoples.

  7. To develop intellectually, emotionally, morally and socially.

  8. To develop intellectual curiosity and creativity.

  9. To develop skills and appreciation of the fine arts.

  10. To develop and maintain a healthy body.

  11. To acquire the basic preparation which will facilitate a wise choice among the various vocations and careers in society. This will include emphasizing knowledge, choices, and an awareness of academic opportunities.

(Section 322 Revised March 9, 1998)

330 General Organizational Plan

The Board has the power and duty under Alaska school laws to prescribe a course of study for all schools under its control, subject to the rules and regulations of the State Department of Education.

The educational organization of the Anchorage School District shall be maintained as a unified system under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools. The Superintendent shall be responsible to the Board.

Under the direction of the Superintendent, assigned administrators shall be responsible for developing, maintaining and improving the curriculum and instructional programs of the school system subject to the approval of the Board.

331 Elementary, Middle and High School

  1. The instructional program of the District shall provide appropriate instruction to all legally eligible students in the District.

  2. A program of instruction shall be organized into schools or other administrative units as follows:

    3. (1) Elementary schools include the primary grades of kindergarten, first, second, and third. The intermediate grades consist of fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

    (2) Sixth grade may be included in either an elementary or a middle school.

    (3) Middle schools include grades seven and eight.

    (4) High schools include grades nine, ten, eleven, and twelve.

    (5) Middle and high schools are considered secondary schools.

    (6) Schools and programs for students with special instructional needs may be organized to accommodate students from ages 3 through 21. Grade level organization is program specific.

    (7) Schools and programs for students with special instructional needs may be organized to accommodate students from ages 3 through 21. Grade level organization is program specific.

(Section 331 Revised March 9, 1998)

332 Alternative Programs

The Superintendent is authorized to plan and to implement alternative educational programs with the approval of the Board. Alternative programs are fully recognized, integral elements of the Anchorage School District's educational program. It is the intent of the Board that alternative programs be provided in geographic areas to allow ease of access for parents and students. All alternative programs shall, when appropriate, comply with applicable and current policies, procedures, rules, regulations and Anchorage School District educational goals.

332.1 Definition

Alternative educational programs are those voluntary programs which differ significantly from the District's standard elementary, middle level, or secondary program in five or more of the following ways:

  1. Organization
  2. Student assessment
  3. Curriculum
  4. Instructional methods
  5. Student involvement
  6. Parent involvement
  7. Learning location
  8. Resource provision
  9. Activities
  10. Educational philosophy

332.2 Concept Approval

A request for concept approval for alternative programs shall be submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee in proposal form. The preliminary program proposal shall include the following:

  1. A description of the proposed program and program organization: school-within-a-school or entire school alternative.
  2. How the proposed program differs significantly from existing programs.
  3. A statement of the proposed program's philosophy.
  4. A description of the student population and the number of students to be served by the program.
  5. Proposed site of the program.
  6. Signatures of individuals proposing program.
  7. Current school assignment and number of students represented by individuals proposing program.
  8. Timeline for all major events to accomplish the proposal.

The Superintendent or his/her designee will review the request for concept approval and recommend approval or disapproval of the program to the School Board as soon as possible.

332.3 Lottery Procedures - Open Enrollment

a. Purpose

(1) To provide an equal opportunity for all students who request participation in one of the Anchorage School District's programs or schools other than the assigned District program or school and to provide grade level and gender balance.  No student shall be denied participation because of a physical, mental, or learning disability, or special need.

b. Responsibilities

(1) Standard Schools

Requests for registration shall be made through the Attendance Zone Exemption Application process.  Approval or denial shall be based on the school's total space availability and the achievement of gender and grade level balance.

(2) Alternative Schools/Programs

To promote equal educational opportunities for all students, it is the goal of the school system to provide all interested students with a fair opportunity for access to alternative schools/programs. To carry out this goal, the Superintendent or designee should assist each alternative school/program in developing equitable recruitment strategies and to recruit a pool of applicants which reflects the diversity of the school system as a whole.

Administrators of each alternative school/program will inform the parents and students on the wait list of openings as they occur and will require an information session.  An “alternative school/program” is defined as: 1) an optional program and/or charter school, or 2) the K-12 language immersion programs.  All parents and students are required to attend an information session prior to enrollment when appropriate.  For primary grades, the parent information session may not be appropriate for their attendance.  These sessions will be designated to familiarize the parents and students with the new school or program and to identify the student's needs.  Approval or denial shall be based on the school's/program's total space availability; and the grade level of the applicant (to ensure grade level balance); and consideration given to the promotion of gender balance. 

Each year, the Superintendent or designee shall assess the extent to which each alternative school’s/program’s enrollment reflects the diversity of the school system as a whole.  Based on this analysis, the Superintendent or designee may set recruitment goals for groups that are underrepresented in alternative schools/programs.  “Recruitment” may include efforts such as targeted mailings, but shall not create any priority or preference for admission.

c. How to Apply

(1) Standard Schools

Parents of children requesting an Attendance Zone Exemption to another standard school outside their assigned attendance area will complete an Attendance Zone Exemption form and submit it to the building administrator.  If no space is available, the request will be held for inclusion in the next Lottery Process for that school.  The parent must submit a completed Lottery Application form at the time of the request.  If space is available, approval will be based on space availability, grade level, gender balance, and reasons stated on the request.

(2) Alternative Schools/Programs

Parents of children requesting entrance into an alternative school or program must complete and return an application on the approved Lottery Application form to the administrator in charge of the alternative school/program of their choosing.          

All applications received prior to the designated lottery date will be entered in the next available lottery.  The building administrator will keep a copy of the applications on file in the school office.  Information available to the Alternative Program Advisory Committee is the standard lottery application form and student generated writing sample.  At the time of the application, parents are given a copy of the Open Enrollment Lottery Procedures.  In addition, at the time of application, parents should be given any available written information regarding program philosophy, program goals, and parental and student commitments that are a part of the particular alternative program guidelines.

Any required orientations, information sessions, or visits should be explained to the parents at the time applications are submitted.

At the time of approval for entrance into the alternative school, the parents will complete an Attendance Zone Exemption form.

Parents must give written permission to share their name, address, and phone number in a “waiting list directory” in order to facilitate communication among parents. This information will be kept at the individual schools as well as at the offices of the appropriate Instructional Division Executive Director and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.

d. Time Period for Lotteries

The administrator of the school/program will conduct two (2) lotteries annually for all schools if the applications received to attend any school or program exceed the available openings at that school or program. 

(1) Schedule for Lotteries
No later than five months prior to each of the March and August lotteries, the superintendent will establish the date of the lottery and deadline for application and will ensure these dates are published.

a) The March lottery will be held during the last two weeks of March.

b) The August lottery will be held during the first two weeks of August.

c) Additional lotteries may be held if needed.

e. Priorities – The following priorities apply only to the drawing process for placement on a wait list.  The priorities do not guarantee placement in the desired school or program. 

(1) Siblings within that specific alternative school/program and attendance area children will have the same priority.

(2) Districtwide

(3) The building administrators may preempt the process with the approval of the appropriate Instructional Division Executive Director for the following reasons:

a) Grade level balance.

b) Documented hardship (extenuating circumstances, medical, safety, psychological, or curriculum considerations).

c) The achievement of gender balance.

f. Drawing Process

(1) All drawings will be by grade levels K-12.  Grade levels are drawn first to determine draw order for the lottery.

(2) When a student's name is drawn, it is placed on the appropriate schools' waiting list in numerical order.

(3) Students will be enrolled in the standard school or alternative school/program from the approved waiting list in numerical order.

(4) Students' parents must annually acknowledge their interest in remaining on a school's/program's waiting list by notifying the principal/designee of their interest.  Future drawings will add to the approved list.  Student's remaining on a waiting list will retain their place on the list; the grade level list will move up a grade annually.

(5) Pre-kindergarten students are eligible for the lottery only in March preceding eligibility for school entrance and if the program begins in kindergarten.  The first lottery for which pre-kindergarten students will be eligible will be the one in March preceding their intended enrollment. For example, for kindergarten students for the 200X-200Y school year, the first eligible lottery will be March 200X. Students wanting consideration for early entry to either kindergarten or first grade will be allowed to enter the lottery.  Their space will be reserved pending approval by the Executive Director of Elementary Education or the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction until the August lottery preceding their intended enrollment.

g. Continued Participation

Students who have been chosen to attend a school or program must register in that school or program within two (2) school days after notification.  In the case of pre-kindergarten students, they will notify the school within the two-day period of their acceptance, but actual registration will take place during the normal kindergarten registration period in August of each year.  Those students who do not enroll within the designated period will be withdrawn from the waiting list and they must reapply if they wish to attend.  If an attempt to contact a parent/guardian to offer a space to a waiting list student is not successful, the student will remain on the list through the next lottery period.  If an attempt to contact a parent/guardian is again unsuccessful during the next lottery period, the student will be removed from the waiting list.  If students are already in the program and are withdrawn for any reason, they must follow the lottery procedures if there is a waiting list.  Positions may not be reserved because of a student's withdrawal from the program.  No student will be allowed to accept a place in more than one program at the same time.  All schools will turn in their waiting lists to the appropriate Instructional Division Executive Director and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction within five (5) days of each lottery.

h. The Lottery Process

(1) All new applications will be held without priority ranking numbers between scheduled lotteries.

(2) At lottery time, the initial step will be the drawing for position according to grade level.  The lottery will then proceed as follows:

a) Draw grade levels to determine order of the drawing;

b) Draw siblings and attendance area children if applicable to the school/program;

c) Draw Districtwide applications.

(3) Siblings and attendance area (if there is an attendance area) names will be drawn and assigned the lowest available waiting list numbers.  Where families have more than one child, the lowest available number will be assigned simultaneously to each grade level.  To be eligible under this section, the sibling must be on the rolls for the school/program at the time the other entering sibling is enrolled.

(4) Names of children from the rest of the District will be drawn second and assigned waiting list numbers in sequence behind siblings and attendance area children's names.

(5) After each lottery, families will be notified of their status on the list and advised that they must notify the principal/designee if they wish to remain on the list.  At that time they should provide updated information (address, telephone number, etc.) if necessary.

i. Waiting List

(1) The names will be entered into the waiting list two (2) times each year in March/April and August of each year for grades K-12 after the scheduled lottery is held.  A copy of the list will be forwarded to either Elementary, Middle Level, or Secondary Education and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.  The Assistant Superintendent for Instruction will compile a listing of all students on wait lists and will include a listing of each program for which the student has applied.

(2) Names will be numbered consecutively within each grade level based on the lottery draw.

(3) An indication will be made after the last number entered from each lottery so that it will be possible to determine which names were entered from every lottery (i.e., Spring 200X; Fall 200X, etc.)

(4) Students will be enrolled in the school/program from the approved waiting lists in numerical order unless the administrator preempts the waiting list to ensure gender balance as stated in the criteria description below, or for documented hardship.  As openings occur in a particular grade level, the parents of the next student on the waiting list will be notified of the opening and must accept or reject the school/program within two (2) school days.  Registration should occur as soon as possible after that date but no later than five (5) days after acceptance. 

(5) When an opening occurs and no names remain on the waiting list, a special lottery will be held for that grade level only after soliciting for interest from students in the school and/or the District.

j. Criteria

(1) Space availability will be determined by weighing the following factors:

a) Overall program capacity as established by the District for zone exemptions and enrollment of the school; and

b) Grade level and individual classroom enrollments must be balanced within the program and school.  The classroom and grade level restrictions that may be applied are the standard pupil teacher ratios for the coming school year.

(2) Gender Balance

In order to provide gender balance, the administrator shall preempt the waiting list if more than two-thirds (2/3) of the class is of one gender in order to ensure a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) to one-third (1/3) gender ratio.

k. Preemption Policy

(1) The administrator shall preempt the lottery procedure in the interest of achieving gender balance within a school or program.  For purposes of this policy, gender classifications are (1) female and (2) male. Gender imbalance occurs when the student body in a particular school or program has more than 2/3 of either gender.

(2) The procedure for preemption the normal lottery process is as follows:

a) When a gender imbalance exists or would exist without preemption in a grade level at the time of the lottery, the administrator will fill the available spaces in the grade level by taking the numerically lowest ranking students of the minority gender until the occurrence of one of the following:

1) gender balance is achieved; or

2) all spaces in the grade level are filled.

(3) After balance is achieved, the administrator will fill the remaining available spaces in the grade level by following normal lottery procedures.

(4) The preemption policy becomes effective only when a gender imbalance exists in a grade level.

(Section 332.3 - Approved April 9, 1984; Revised October 11, 1993; Revised February 28, 1994; Revised October 30, 1995; Revised March 3, 2003; Revised January 9, 2006; Revised October 8, 2007; Revised November 12, 2007)

333 Charter Schools

Charter schools are schools established under AS 14.03.250 and that operate within the public school district. Charter schools are established upon the approval of an application for a charter school by the School Board and the State Board of Education and Early Development. Charter schools shall operate under a written contract between the charter school and the School Board. All charter schools must be non-sectarian.

333.1 Organization of a Charter School

A charter school operates as a school in the District except that a charter school:

  1. is exempt from the District’s textbook, program, curriculum, and scheduling requirements; all other rules, regulations, and policies, unless specifically waived, will be followed by students, staff, and parents;

  2. the principal of the charter school shall be selected by the Academic Policy Committee and shall select, appoint, or otherwise supervise employees of the charter school;

    3. Note: AS 14.03.255(a) exempts charter schools from the legal requirements of AS 14.14.130(c) – a statute providing that the superintendent selects and controls all school district employees.

  3. operates under the charter school’s annual program budget as set out in the contract between the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee;

  4. shall designate a contact person for all communications between the charter school and the Superintendent or designee;

  5. may organize as a nonprofit corporation pursuant to the Alaska Non-profit Corporations Act, AS 10.20.005 et.seq. Organization as a nonprofit corporation shall not affect the charter school’s status as a public school in the District. A charter school organized as a nonprofit corporation, but not a distinct non-profit corporation organized to support the school, must include in its articles of incorporation a provision specifying that upon dissolution, voluntary or otherwise, assets of the corporation not required for discharge of existing liabilities and obligations of the charter school, shall be returned/transferred to the District.

Note: Academic Policy Committee members are encouraged to seek legal advice regarding the potential benefits to the Academic Policy Committee and the charter school incorporating.

333.2 Communication

  1. Charter schools are an integral part of the Anchorage School District. Open communication between the charter school and the District is essential to the effective functioning of each.

  2. The District shall

    (1) respond in a timely manner to requests for information from the charter school.

    (2) develop materials such as calendars, time lines, or forms to assist charter schools in meeting district deadlines and reports.

    (3) invite charter school employees to participate in District sponsored professional development workshops and programs.

  3. The Charter School shall

    (1) respond in a timely manner to requests for information from the District.

    (2) designate a contact person as the primary contact between the charter school and the District administration.

333.3 Establishment of Charter Schools

The School Board shall accept applications for charter schools in accordance with the application procedure set forth in this policy.

  1. Notice of Intent

    Any person(s) wishing to establish a charter school shall notify the Superintendent of their intention at their earliest convenience but no later than July 15 of the year the application will be submitted.

  2. Application Submission

    Applications for charter schools shall be submitted to the District no later than September 1 of the school year prior to the school year the charter school is proposed to begin operation. Applications received after the September 1 deadline shall not be considered until the next school year. All charter schools shall begin operations as specified in the charter school application.

333.4 Application Procedure for Establishing a Charter School

An individual, group or organization shall follow the steps delineated in 333.5 through 333.6 in applying to establish a charter school in the Anchorage School District.

333.5 Application Form

A charter school application must include the following information in writing:

  1. Name of the proposed charter school

  2. Name, address, and telephone number of a designated contact person authorized to act for the charter school applicants.

  3. Provisions for an Academic Policy Committee

Note: The Academic Policy Committee must comply with Board Policy 333.9.1(a).

The application must provide:

(1) the names, mailing addresses, and phone numbers of the members of the Academic Policy Committee proposing the charter school;

Note: It is recommended that the Academic Policy Committee have expertise in the following areas:  budget and finance, curriculum and instruction, fund-raising/grant writing, volunteer recruitment, public relations, office management, facility acquisition and management, library science, and, knowledge of school laws or legal expertise.

(2) a letter signed by each member of the original Academic Policy Committee attesting to their knowledge of their responsibilities toward the development and operation of the charter school;

(3) identification of procedures for the election/appointment of Academic Policy Committee members and their length of service.

  1. Description of Organizational Structure

    2. The application must include:

    (1) the proposed organizational type and structure of the charter school;

    (2) copies of proposed organizational documents, if any, including articles, bylaws, or similar organizational documents;

    (3) a statement of proposed principles and guidelines to create a cooperative working relationship between the District and the charter school; these principles and guidelines must accommodate both the supervisory authority and responsibility of the School Board under state law and policy as well as an appropriate level of autonomy and self-determination for the charter school.

  2. Description of the Educational Program

    3. The application must include:

    (1) a statement of the program mission and philosophy: explain the purpose of the program, for whom it is established, and what the intended areas in which student performance will be measured and performance targets will be for students enrolled in this charter school;

    (2) an estimate of the demand for this charter school and the basis for the estimate;

    (3) a statement of the goals for this charter school and a description of the process used to identify the goals;

    (4) the curriculum in each subject matter area of the charter school (including educational/academic goals, State and District Content and Performance Standards, program of study, scope and sequence, instructional methods and materials, and evaluation procedures to be used);

    (5) identification of any vocational courses to be offered in the charter school (if grades 9 through 12 are included);

    (6) scheduling requirements (length of the school day with start and end times and a calendar for the school year);

    (7)a description of the delivery model for specialized services, including, but not limited to, special education and required related services, gifted education, and English as a second language.

    Note: The school calendar needs to be approved by the School Board and the Department of Education and Early Development.

  3. Admission Policies and Procedures

    4. The application must include:

    (1) the annual calendar of registration and admission dates;

    (2) the proposed program for application and admission, including the school’s plan for academically low-achieving students, diverse student populations, “at risk” students (those students who because of physical, emotional, socioeconomic or cultural factors are less likely to succeed in school), and students who need specialized services;

    (3) a statement affirming that any eligible student who applies in a timely manner will be admitted, subject to the maximum number of students identified in the proposal

    a) During the first year of operation, a preference for enrollment may be given to the children of the originators of the charter school (parents and staff) if there are more applicants than the approved number of students.

    b) As specified in law, in the event of an excess number of student applicants, the charter school and the School Board shall attempt to accommodate the students by considering additional classroom space and/or additional teachers.  If it is not feasible to accommodate all eligible students, students shall be selected through the Anchorage School District’s Lottery Procedures.

    c) The District may not require a student to enroll in a charter school.

    Note: The District’s lottery procedures are found at School Board Policy 332.3.  Applicable charter school law regarding enrollment is found at AS 14.03.265.

    (4) a statement of non-discrimination in the school’s admissions policies, procedures, and educational program consistent with District, state and federal requirements;

    (5) the application procedure for students, including a copy of the student application form, and the timelines for application, approvals, and notification;

    (6) in the case of a multi-year charter school, provisions for handling the admissions procedures for continuing students from one school year to the next.

  4. Administrative Policies

    5. The application must include:

    (1) administrative policies to be followed by the charter school;

    (2) requested exemptions from specified School Board policies and/or administrative regulations;

    Note: Requested waivers will be discussed during the Administrative Review and at the School Board Work Session.  Any Board approved exemptions must be specified in the contract.  The most current copies of School Board Policies and Administrative Procedures Manuals will be provided to each charter school during the initial administrative meeting and after any subsequent changes.  If desired before then, a complete listing of School Board policies and administrative procedures is available at the District administration offices (Public Affairs and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction), at each school library in the District, and on the District Web Site (policies only).

    (3) requests for waivers from state regulations except that a charter school must comply with all local, state and federal requirements for receipt and use of public money;

    Note: Approval for waivers from state regulations will occur at the time the State Board of Education and Early Development acts on the locally approved application and must be requested by both the charter applicants and the School Board.  By law, waivers of state statutes are not permitted.  Copies of the state statutes and regulations are available for review on the Internet (http://www.legis.state.ak.us), at all schools, at the District administration offices, and the Loussac Library.

    (4) requests for waivers from sections of applicable collective bargaining agreements

    a) All provisions of the existing negotiated agreements apply to employees in the charter school unless the District and the bargaining unit agree to a waiver.

    b) Requests for waivers must be initiated by the charter school applicants, which may include informal discussions with the unions.  The formal waiver request should be submitted in writing with the application to the Superintendent and the appropriate union; these will be reviewed administratively as well as by the specific bargaining unit affected by the charter school proposal.

    c) Waiver requests and written responses from the appropriate bargaining units and the Superintendent must be submitted to the School Board prior to approval of the contract. 

    d) No waiver will set a binding precedent for any other school staff.

  5. Funding Allocation and Annual Program Budget

    6. (1) During the administrative meeting held in accordance with Policy 333.61 the administrative committee shall provide to the charter school applicants an estimated per pupil allocation available from the District for the first year of operation of the charter school.

    (2) The estimated per pupil allocation shall be computed in a manner consistent with the method by which the District receives revenues from the State less administrative costs retained by the District determined by applying the indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Education and Early Development.

    (3) The District may allocate additional revenue beyond the per pupil allocation based on the approved program for the charter school; this increase must be approved by the School Board annually.  The School Board shall provide an approved charter school with an annual program budget that is not less than the amount determined in accordance with AS 14.03.260.

    Note:

    Note:  AS 14.03.260 provides that the charter school budget “shall be not less than the amount generated by the students enrolled in the charter school less administrative costs retained by the local school district, determined by applying the indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Education and Early Development.  The ‘amount generated by students enrolled in the charter school’ is to be determined in the same manner as it would be for a student enrolled in another public school in that school district.”

    (4) The application subsequently submitted by the charter school shall include an annual program budget proposed by the charter school.

    (5) Actual revenues received by the charter school shall be derived from actual student enrollments in the charter school during the year in which the charter school is operating and by state funding for that year. 

    (6) Actual student enrollments in the charter school (and revenues generated from those enrollments) shall be ascertained in the same manner that the state of Alaska uses to determine student enrollments and state revenues generated in the District.

    (7) Foundation revenues generated for special populations of students, grants and special revenue funds will be available to the charter school as determined by the contract between the School Board and the Academic Policy Committee. 

    (8) Operating revenues will be provided to the charter school as specified in the contract.

  6. Method by Which the Charter School Shall Account for Receipts and Expenditures

    7. The application must include:

    (1) a description of how the charter school will be in compliance with AS 14.17.910 Restrictions Governing Receipt and Expenditure of Money from Public School Foundation Account;

    (2) a description of how the charter school will account for receipts and expenditures by using and complying with District accounting, audit, and fiscal procedures;

    (3) a request for waivers to be considered;

    (4) an assurance that all leases, debts, and other financial obligations of the charter school shall not constitute a debt, liability, or financial obligation of the School Board or the District.

  7. Location and Description of the Facility

    8. The application must include:

    (1) the mailing and physical address and a description of the location and facility used to house the charter school, if known;

    (2) a description of how the facility will be obtained and maintained, any contracted services, and the identity of the proposed contractor;

    (3) notice of whether or not District space is requested; and, if so:

    a) specific parameters such as whether space is preferred at an elementary, middle, or high school, relocatables, geographic limitations, joint use of specific facilities and/or programs;

    b) acknowledgement that the District will make available district space that is suitable for charter school use only if doing so does not cause undue interference with an existing District program; charter schools proposing to use District facilities which are already in use as public schools may do so only with the approval of the Superintendent; 

    c) acknowledgement that a charter school operating in District facilities will pay not more than the fair market rental value of the space used and not less than the full operation and maintenance cost to the District including custodial/utility/ maintenance costs directly related to the charter school program, and depreciation;

    Note: A housing/space analysis may be conducted by the District in conjunction with the development of the Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).  Upon request, the District will make available a list from the CIP showing programmatic utilization and capacity of all District sites. 

    (4) a statement that the charter school will meet and maintain the federal, state and local building, fire, health, and safety requirements of applicable law.

    a) The Superintendent or designee shall make the determination of code compliance based on the Municipality of Anchorage code enforcement inspections paid for by the charter school applicants.

    b) A certificate of occupancy must be issued by the Municipality of Anchorage prior to a charter school opening its doors for students.

    c) A charter school using a private home or homes is subject to the applicable federal, state, and local building, fire, health, and safety requirements.  The Superintendent or designee will make this determination after consultation with appropriate Municipality of Anchorage officials.

    d) The charter school shall be responsible for obtaining these inspections and for correcting any deficiencies in non-District facilities.

    e) The charter school shall maintain code compliance in District and non-District facilities during the duration of the contract.

    (5) for a charter school using non-District facilities,

    a) The charter school may enter into a lease agreement with a property owner only after review and approval of the proposed lease agreement by the District Purchasing Department.  Review will occur within 20 school/working days after submission of the proposed agreement to the Purchasing Department.  Any renewals, extensions or amendments to a lease agreement shall also be subject to prior approval by the Purchasing Department.

    b) No lease agreement may be entered into without the approval of the charter school’s Academic Policy Committee.

    c) Unless the District expressly agrees otherwise in writing, a proposed lease agreement will be not be approved unless the agreement includes: a provision for termination of the lease agreement, without further obligation of the charter school, in the event of a lack of appropriation/funding for the charter school or in the event of termination of the charter school’s authorization to operate as a charter school; and, a provision stating the lessor’s agreement that the District is not a party to the lease agreement and is not subject to any obligation or liability under the lease agreement.

    d) Rented/leased space must be cleaned by District custodians unless a waiver is secured from the appropriate bargaining unit or the lease itself includes custodial service. 

    A location for the charter school must be identified by the charter school and approved by the District no later than May 1 of the year the charter school is scheduled to open.

    Note: The State Department of Education and Early Development may require that the charter school have an established location prior to State approval of the charter school.

  8. Teachers/Administrators in the Charter School

    9. A teacher or principal may not be assigned to a charter school unless the teacher or principal consents to the assignment.

    The application shall identify:

    (1) the names of teachers who are interested in teaching in the charter school, if known;

    a) It is understood that this shall not be a firm commitment, but an indication of interested and qualified teachers. 

    b) Current District teachers who are listed on the application maintain their current placement with the District until such time that they request and are granted a transfer.  All teachers must meet District eligibility requirements prior to being hired to teach at the charter school, but need not satisfy all requirements at the time of application.

    (2) whether a principal will be employed and may include the name of the principal, if known; 

    a) The principal must possess a current Alaska Type B Administrative Certificate and be either an existing principal in the District or be on the District’s Eligible for Hire list for administrators.  A retired District administrator may serve as a charter school principal if the administrator left the District in good standing, had satisfactory performance evaluations, and has a current Type B certificate.

    b) If the charter school Academic Policy Committee desires to contract by addendum with a principal who is currently employed as a District principal, the Superintendent’s approval is required prior to entering into the contract.

    (3) if the employment of a principal is not anticipated, the charter school Academic Policy Committee shall identify who, by title(s) and name(s) if known, will perform each of the administrative functions of the charter school including:

    a) the keeping of financial records;

    b) the evaluation of staff;

    c) the submission of appropriate information as required by the District;

    d) the oversight of the charter school to ensure that the terms of the contract are being met;

    e) meeting regularly with parents, teachers/staff, and students to review, evaluate, and improve operations of the charter school; and

    f) meeting with the Academic Policy Committee at least quarterly to monitor progress in achieving the Committee’s policies and goals;

    (4) description of evaluation procedures

    a) Charter school certificated staff shall be evaluated in an equivalent manner as other teachers and administrators in equivalent positions in the District.

    b) If the proposed evaluation procedures for certificated staff are not identical to the District’s procedures, then the charter school applicants shall include a detailed description of the evaluation procedures to be used in the charter school.  The Performance Standards adopted by the State Board of Education and Early Development and the Anchorage School District for teachers and administrators must be included in any alternative evaluation procedures that are proposed for certificated staff.  However, to clarify expectations, a charter school Academic Policy Committee may develop additional performance indicators that are relevant to the educational program of the charter school.  To the extent required by contract, any changes to the evaluation procedures for teachers must be developed in consultation with the teacher’s union, giving the union full opportunity to review and collaborate on those changes.

    c) A charter school that hires an administrator who is not certificated may develop its own evaluation procedures for that administrator.

    (333.5 (k)(4)(b) – Revised August 27, 2007)

  9. Other Staff in a Charter School

    10. The application form shall also describe the positions of any other employees in the charter school.

    Note: All bargaining agreements (TOTEM, Local 71, ACE, Teamsters, etc.) must be honored for any employees employed at a charter school unless specific waivers requested by the charter school’s Academic Policy Committee have been granted by the District, the bargaining unit, and the School Board.  See Policy 333.5(g)(4).

  10. Pupil-Teacher Ratio

    The application shall specify the projected number of students and pupil-teacher ratio.  This shall be determined by dividing the number of full-time equivalent students in the charter school by the number of full-time equivalent teachers in the charter school.  For the purposes of the application, the pupil-teacher ratio shall use the estimated number of full-time equivalent students in the numerator of this equation.

  11. Number of Students Served

    The application will include an estimate of the number of students to be served (specify both the full-time equivalent number of students and the headcount number of students) by the charter school for the next school year, how the estimate was determined, and the basis for confidence in the estimate.  Special education should be listed by level of service as is the current practice for all schools.  The anticipated number of bilingual students shall also be identified.

  12. Transportation

    The application will include a description of how the charter school will accommodate student transportation.  If there is a proposed contract and/or contractor for transportation services, this information and a budget must be attached to the application.

  13. Food Service

    The application will include a description of whether the charter school will provide student nutrition services.  If meals are to be provided by the charter school, a description and a budget must be provided with the application.  If meals are not to be provided by the charter school, the application must describe how student nutritional needs will be met.  The charter school contract will specify whether student nutrition services must, may, or may not be provided during the term of the contract.

  14. The Term of the Contract

    The application will specify the requested term of the contract.  No charter school may exceed a ten (10) year contract.  A charter school may apply for a contract extension or reapply for a new contract during the last year of the existing contract period, or for good cause at any other time.  During the initial contract, the term will generally not exceed five years.

  15. A Termination Clause

    The draft contract submitted with the application will include a termination clause providing that the contract may be terminated by the School Board for the failure of the charter school to meet educational achievement goals or fiscal management standards, or for other good cause.

  16. Certification of Compliance for Receipt and Use of Public Money

    The application will include a certification that the charter school will comply with all local, state and federal requirements for the receipt and use of public money.

  17. State Requirements

    The Charter School must include in its application any information requested by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development for review of a charter school application.

    The application will include any additional submission that may be requested by the Department.

    18. Note: The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development uses a “Charter Schools Application & Rating Template” as part of the state approval process.  This should be included in the charter school’s application to the School Board.  In using this template, charter school applicants may cross-reference to the District application the information sought in the template.

  18. Other Requirements or Exemptions

    The application should include any additional provisions that the charter school applicant wishes to include in the contract.  Additional provisions may include other requirements imposed by either the charter school or the School Board, or may include other waivers to exempt the charter school from School Board policies and regulations.  These additional provisions of the contract must also be agreed upon by both the charter school Academic Policy Committee and the School Board.  State regulations may only be waived by action of the State Board of Education and Early Development at the request of the School Board; state statutes may only be changed by action of the State Legislature.

333.6 Approval Process

333.61 Administrative Meeting

The Superintendent shall establish an administrative committee to meet with the charter school applicants to review the application procedures, discuss the requirements of the application form and the contract between the charter school and the School Board, and to answer any questions the charter school applicants may have.  This meeting shall occur in a timely manner after receiving notification of intent.

Following the initial meeting with the administrative committee, the charter school applicants shall prepare the information required on the application form, and shall prepare a proposed contract between the charter school and the School Board.  The required provisions of the contract are the same as the elements required in the application form set forth in section 333.5 of this policy.  These documents shall be submitted to the Superintendent no later than September 1 of the school year prior to the school year in which the charter school proposes to begin operations.  However, with acceptable rationale, some documents may be submitted later on a mutually agreeable date.

333.62 Administrative Review

Upon the timely receipt of the complete application form and the proposed contract, the administrative review team shall meet to review all aspects of the proposal for compliance with the law and this policy.

  1. The meeting shall be scheduled with the charter school applicants prior to scheduling the School Board work session.

  2. The meeting will include discussion and suggestions to clarify any aspects of the application packet and charter school proposal. The District may recommend changes to the charter school application.

The administrative review and School Board work session will be scheduled to provide the District reasonable time to review and the applicant reasonable time to make clarifications and modifications to the application.

333.63 School Board Work Session

  1. The Superintendent shall notify the School Board of all applications to establish a charter school.

  2. Following the timely receipt of the complete application form and the proposed written contract, and after the administrative review, the Board shall hold a public work session with the charter school applicants and other interested persons.

  3. Prior to the School Board work session, the applicants may submit a revised application clearly showing revisions to the original application and contract that were discussed with the charter school applicants at the administrative review meeting.

  4. During this work session, the charter school applicants shall present their proposal for a charter school and the contract to the School Board for discussion/clarification.

  5. The School Board may seek additional information from the administration or the charter school applicants prior to scheduling formal School Board action. This will allow the charter school applicants to make adjustments, if necessary, before final Board action.

333.64 School Board Action and Public Hearing

  1. Following the work session, the School Board shall place the charter school proposal on the agenda for action no later than the first regularly scheduled School Board meeting in December.

  2. The School Board will take action to approve or deny the request to establish the charter school at this meeting, unless the Board determines that further information is needed.

  3. The approval may set forth conditions which must be met by the charter school prior to finalization of the contract.

  4. A separate opportunity for public testimony may be scheduled pertaining to the charter school application, or the opportunity for public testimony will be given at the meeting where the charter school application is scheduled for action.

  5. The applicants may modify their proposal based on Board or District comments and concerns and submit it in advance of School Board action.

  6. If an application for a charter school is denied by the School Board, the same person, group of people or organization may submit a new application in compliance with the timelines of these policies.

333.65 State Notification of a Charter School Application

Within 20 school/working days of the School Board’s action to approve or disapprove a charter school application, the District will submit a copy of the charter school application and the action taken by the School Board to the Commissioner of Education and Early Development for forwarding to the State Board of Education and Early Development for review and possible action.

Note: The result of School Board action, a copy of the application, supporting documents, and minutes of the School Board meeting will be forwarded to the Commissioner of Education and Early Development for final review and possible action by the State Board of Education and Early Development within 20 working days of Anchorage School Board action. Only those charter school applications approved by the Anchorage School Board will be considered for approval by the State Board of Education and Early Development. (4 AAC 33.110(g)-(i)). Charter school applications denied by the Anchorage School Board will not be considered for approval by the State Board. (4 AAC 33.110(i)).

333.7 Charter School Contract with the School Board

The charter school shall operate under the provisions of a contract as mutually agreed upon by the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee.

  1. The contract must include all the provisions listed in the application form and described in policy 333.5.

  2. The contract will reference the final form of the application including revisions approved by the School Board.

  3. Except for School Board policies that have been expressly waived by the Board, the contract will not supersede any Board policy but will be interpreted consistent with such policy.

  4. The contract shall establish the relationship between the School Board and the charter school and shall reflect all agreements regarding the operation of the charter school.

  5. Any revisions to the terms of the contract may be made only with the approval of the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee.

Upon approval of the charter school by the School Board and the State Board of Education and Early Development, the contract will be signed by the president of the School Board and the legally designated representative of the charter school. If the legal representative(s) of the charter school changes, the Superintendent or designee must be notified in writing within 10 working/school days.

333.71 Breach of Contract

  1. Failure to comply with the provisions of the contract between the charter school Academic Policy Committee and the School Board is considered a breach of contract and may result in the termination of the contract.

  2. During the charter school’s annual review with the School Board, each party’s compliance with the provisions of the contract will be reviewed.

  3. If any allegations of noncompliance with the charter school contract (either by the charter school or by the District) are presented either during the annual review or at any other time, then the School Board, through the Superintendent or designee, shall investigate these allegations. Any legal costs incurred as a result of an investigation will be borne by the charter school, if non-compliance by the charter school is verified.

  4. Prior to terminating the charter school contract, the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee shall attempt to remedy any violations of the contract.

333.72 Termination of Contract

The School Board shall provide written notice to the charter school Academic Policy Committee of its intent to terminate the contract and the reasons therefore. The charter school Academic Policy Committee may also terminate the contract on an annual basis. In such event, the Academic Policy Committee must notify the District by February 1 of a given school year of its intent to cease operations the following school year. This date may be waived by action of the School Board upon a recommendation of the Superintendent.

333.8 Modifications to Approved Charter School Contract

The approved charter school contract may be modified at the request of either party by School Board action. Requests for waivers from any provisions of School Board Policy or administrative procedures must be submitted in writing to the Superintendent or designee by the charter school. Requests for waivers may be submitted at any time. The District will review the request within 30 days and issue a timely written recommendation to the School Board. The District will provide notice to the Academic Policy Committee of its recommendation.

Requests for waivers from any provisions of union contract(s) must be submitted in writing by the charter school to both the Superintendent or designee and the appropriate union.

Note: Requests for substantial changes may take a longer time to process by the District and the Board. Charter schools are encouraged to plan ahead for those changes that may involve legal review or State approval.

333.9 Operations

333.91 Management

  1. The Academic Policy Committee

    (1) The Academic Policy Committee shall consist of parents of students attending the charter school, teachers at the charter school, and employees of the charter school. It may also include other adult community members and students enrolled in the school in grades 9 through 12. A list of the members of the Academic Policy Committee shall be submitted during each annual review as described in section 333.10, below. The Superintendent or designee must be notified in writing within 10 working/school days of changes in the committee membership.

    (2) The Academic Policy Committee of the charter school shall supervise the operation of the charter school and ensure the fulfillment of its mission.

    (3) The Academic Policy Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the charter school preserves the confidentiality of records relating to charter school students and personnel. Student records are confidential and may not be disclosed absent parental consent under federal and state law and the Anchorage School District’s student records policies (School Board Policy 343.3 - 343.38). Personnel records are confidential under state law and applicable provisions of the negotiated agreements governing charter school employees.

    (4) The Academic Policy Committee shall select and supervise the principal/administrator of the charter school. The principal/administrator shall select, appoint, and otherwise supervise employees of the charter school. The principal/administrator may hold another position in the school concurrently, such as a teacher, or may be a contract employee.

    (5) Personnel issues must be coordinated with the Human Resources office to insure compliance with administrative and statutory requirements with respect to the selection, hiring, termination, or non-retention of either a tenured or non-tenured charter school teacher or administrator.

    (6) The Academic Policy Committee shall select a District principal – which may be the Charter School principal, a retired District principal, or a person on the District’s eligible for hire list for administrators – with a current Alaska Type B certificate, to evaluate certificated staff. The evaluator must be available to do on-site observations of the staff in order to monitor compliance with required Performance Standards. If a contract evaluator is currently employed as a principal within the District, the Superintendent’s approval is required prior to entering into the contract.

    2. Note: See 333.96(a) - Evaluation of Charter School Personnel

  2. The Charter School Principal/Administrator

    (1) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall keep financial records of the charter school and submit appropriate information as required by the District and/or the charter school Academic Policy Committee.

    (2) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall oversee the operation of the charter school to ensure that the terms of the contract are being met.

    (3) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall meet regularly with charter school parents and with teachers/staff and students, where appropriate, to review, evaluate, and improve operations of the charter school.

    (4) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall provide to the District the names of the students who have pre-registered for the charter school prior to the starting date of the charter school each year, and shall provide waiting list information to the District on request. Membership information will be monitored on a monthly basis and reported on the District’s monthly membership report.

    (5) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall meet with the Academic Policy Committee at least quarterly each year to monitor progress in achieving the Committee’s policies and goals.

    (6) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall evaluate staff according to District approved practices and applicable bargaining agreements; certificated staff may be evaluated only by an administrator with a Type B certificate and according to District approved practices and in conformance with AS 14.20.149 and the State Board of Education and Early Development and Anchorage School District Performance Standards.

    (7) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall select, appoint, or otherwise supervise employees of the charter school.

    (8) The Charter School Principal/Administrator shall perform other duties as assigned by the Academic Policy Committee.

  3. The Charter School Lead Teacher/ Headmaster

    (1) The Academic Policy Committee may designate specific activities which will be the purview of a lead teacher/headmaster of the charter school.

    (2) Under no circumstances will the charter school lead teacher/headmaster evaluate certificated staff unless a waiver has been approved by the School Board consistent with applicable terms of any agreement with the Anchorage Education Association.

  4. Charter School Teachers

    All teachers in the charter school shall be selected from current teachers employed in the District, from the District’s eligible to hire list of approved teacher candidates, or from retired District teachers who left the District in good standing, had satisfactory performance evaluations, and maintained a current Type A certificate.

333.92 Specific Levels of Achievement for the Educational Program

The charter school will participate in the process by which the District reports school performance data to the State.

  1. All tests and assessments required by either the State Department of Education and Early Development or the Anchorage School District will be administered to charter school students.

  2. Consistent with state and federal requirements and School Board goals, charter schools should describe their academic performance targets and a timeline for achievement by all students. If academic performance targets for achievement are not reached by the specified timeline, the charter school shall identify corrective measures to be taken to remedy the situation. This corrective action plan must include a Plan for Improvement, specific activities for remediation and accommodation by the staff and Academic Policy Committee, a process for monitoring the progress of the Plan by both the Academic Policy Committee and the District, and a process for reporting on the progress of the Plan to the District and the School Board.

  3. The charter school must specify the role of the Academic Policy Committee and the Anchorage School District Administration in the Plan for Improvement effort if a school’s performance is determined to be unsatisfactory by the School Board, the Administration, the Academic Policy Committee, and/or the State of Alaska.

  4. If progress in improving student performance is determined to be unsatisfactory by the School Board, the Administration, and/or the Academic Policy Committee after attempts at remediation through the Plan for Improvement process, a recommendation may be made to terminate the contract of the charter school. Final action on termination of the charter school contract rests with the Anchorage School Board.

333.93 Charter School Location in District Facilities

If a charter school is approved by the School Board and the State Board of Education and Early Development, and District space has been approved, the District and the charter school Academic Policy Committee will meet to determine issues surrounding housing of the charter school. In addition, the Academic Policy Committee will meet with the building principal, the executive board of the PTA or other parent organization of that school, representatives of the staff and students, and the appropriate Instructional Division Executive Director, and come to a mutual agreement regarding the charter school’s observance of school rules and policies regarding student supervision and discipline, equipment, use of space, and other issues of mutual concern.

For charter schools requesting the use of space in an existing District facility, or on District property, the District will annually determine if the amount of space requested by the charter school will be available based on enrollment projections, administrative needs, and school capacity.

333.94 Finances

The charter school will comply with local, state, and federal requirements for receipt and use of public money. The charter school shall allow District personnel or the District’s auditors access to financial information to perform the annual or special audits and accounting. The charter school shall cooperate with the School Board and the Department of Education and Early Development in complying with the requirements of AS 14.17.910.

  1. Tuition and Fees

    A charter school may not charge tuition to students who reside within the District. Fees charged to students by the charter school, including but not limited to supply and activity fees, shall be placed in a separate district account for use by the charter school. The indirect cost rate does not apply to activity and supply fees collected by the charter school. The charter school shall comply with Board Policy 495, Student Fees. The Academic Policy Committee shall develop a procedure for waiving fees for families who cannot afford the fee.

  2. Budget and Budget Revision

    (1) The established charter school shall submit by November 15 of each year, a balanced program budget, approved by the school’s Academic Policy Committee that shows the expected revenues and expenditures for the charter school for the following school year. The budget for that following year shall use student enrollment of the current year unless the Superintendent or designee has approved budgeting for a larger or smaller enrollment. Requests for changes in maximum school enrollment for the following year must be made to the superintendent or designee by October 1 of the current school year. This annual budget shall be approved by the School Board during annual budget deliberations.

    (2) Adjustments to the charter school budget may be necessary if the estimated revenues are revised due to School Board, legislative and/or Assembly action. The charter school program budget will be adjusted according to actual enrollment during the Foundation count period.

    (3) If the student enrollment in the charter school is anticipated to deviate more than 10% above or below the School Board budgeted enrollment, the charter school and the District will meet to review the charter school’s enrollment and budget. If approved by the District, a revised charter school budget will be implemented.

    (4) A charter school may establish a PTA, PTSA, or similar non-profit school support organization to receive donations and/or raise funds in support of the charter school. Neither funds received from the District, nor any student fees, may be collected by or transferred to the organization.

  3. Operational Costs

    (1) All costs for operating a public school in the District shall be the responsibility of the charter school subject to restrictions imposed in the charter school law and the terms of the contract between the School Board and the charter school. Except for services provided by the District and covered by the indirect cost rate as determined by the State Department of Education and Early Development, all supplies, equipment, and services provided directly by the District to the charter school shall be charged to the charter school at the District’s cost.

    (2) If using a district facility, the charter school will pay for District custodial and utility services based on the number of square feet used in the school, or on the site. In addition, the charter school will pay for building maintenance costs directly related to the charter school program.

    (3) Students attending a District charter school may take classes and/or participate in student activities at other District schools once specific budgetary arrangements have been made according to administrative charge-back procedures.

    Note: Charge-back procedures may be obtained from the District’s Chief Financial Officer.

  4. Equipment and Supplies

    All equipment and supplies purchased by the charter school become the property of the District upon the completion or termination of the charter school contract. (School Board Policy 833). In addition, unless a donor or grantor specifically provides otherwise, all gifts, donations and grants to the charter schools are assumed to be specific to that charter school, but in all cases shall be included among the assets returned to the District upon completion or termination of the charter school contract or dissolution of the charter school.

333.95 Legal Status

  1. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the School Board, a charter school shall be a separate entity solely responsible for its own operation and the performance of all its obligations under the contract between the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee.

  2. A charter school shall not enter into any agreement or contract that gives rise to a multiple-fiscal year obligation on the part of the charter school without the prior express written consent of the District. No contract shall extend beyond the termination date of the charter without approval by the School Board and the charter school Academic Policy Committee.

  3. Except to the extent expressly assumed by the School Board (by a written contract with the charter school distinct from the contract described in school board policy 333.7), direct leases and financial obligations of a charter school shall not constitute a debt, liability or financial obligation of the District.

333.96 Evaluation of Charter School Personnel

Charter school certificated staff shall be evaluated in an equivalent manner as other professional staff in the District and in conformance with AS 14.20.149, performance standards for teachers and administrators adopted by the State Department of Education and Early Development and the District, and any applicable bargaining agreements. The evaluation procedures for professional staff shall be identical to the District’s procedures unless an alternative procedure has been agreed to in the charter school contract.

Note: These standards and procedures are available to charter schools and charter school applicants upon request.

Note: State law, AS 14.20.149, limits those individuals who may conduct evaluations of public school teachers and administrators. This statute provides: “A person may not conduct an evaluation under this section unless the person holds a type B certificate or is a site administrator under the supervision of a person with a type B certificate, is employed by the school district as an administrator, and has completed training in the use of the school district’s teacher evaluation system.”

  1. Teacher Evaluation

    (1) Charter school teachers shall be evaluated by the charter school principal holding a current Type B certificate if one is employed by the charter school. If the charter school principal is also a teacher in the charter school, however, the principal may not conduct teacher evaluations without any required waiver or modification of the Anchorage Education Association’s negotiated agreement.

    (2) If the charter school’s principal is ineligible to conduct evaluations or the charter school does not employ a Type B certificated principal, the charter school may contract with an administrator possessing a current Type B certificate for the purpose of conducting teacher evaluations. The individual must meet the requirements for an evaluator set forth at AS 14.20.149 and must be available to do regular on-site observations.

    Note: See 333.91 (a) (6) – Management – Academic Policy Committee – Hiring of Principal

    (3) If the charter school has neither a full-time principal eligible to conduct evaluations, nor a contract principal, nor a contract evaluator, the District, in cooperation with the charter school Academic Policy Committee, will designate a District administrator to evaluate the charter school teachers at the charter school’s expense. In that case, prior to October 1 of each year, the District and the charter school’s Academic Policy Committee will sign a written agreement identifying the evaluator.

  2. Principal/Administrator Evaluation

    (1) Evaluation of the charter school administrator is the responsibility of the Academic Policy Committee. The Committee shall demonstrate to the District that the individual conducting the evaluation meets the requirements of AS 14.20.149. These requirements may be met by having a Type B certificated administrator on the Academic Policy Committee, by contracting with such an individual, or by other means as agreed to in writing by the charter school Academic Policy Committee and the District.

    (2) The Academic Policy Committee shall ensure that during the evaluation process, the District will have the opportunity to provide written information on the performance of the administrator, including the administrator’s performance in meeting obligations set forth in school board policy and the charter school contract.

    (3) Prior to the beginning of each school year, the Academic Policy Committee is responsible to establish by a written agreement with the District the method by which the Academic Policy Committee will meet the obligations of AS 14.20.149 for conducting the administrator’s evaluation, as well as the procedures for obtaining District administration input into the evaluation. This agreement may be extended by mutual consent signed annually for the duration of the charter school contract.

  3. Principal-Teacher Evaluation (Dual Roles)

    If the charter school administrator performs both administrative and teaching functions, the procedures for evaluation shall be those for a principal/administrator identified above. However, the District administration will determine an appropriate evaluation instrument that must be used for accurate evaluation of both teaching and administrative duties based on District performance standards. This evaluation instrument does not preclude the Academic Policy Committee from supplementing the instrument, consistent with state and federal law.

  4. Confidentiality of Evaluations

    (1) As a matter of Board Policy, the Academic Policy Committee, as a body but not as individual members, has as much access to the contents of the charter school employee personnel evaluations as is allowed under law and applicable bargaining agreements. However, the Academic Policy Committee is neither responsible nor authorized to take personnel actions with respect to any employee other than the Charter School principal. Before receiving any information that is confidential under law or contract, each member of the Academic Policy Committee must sign a confidentiality agreement acknowledging and agreeing to abide by that confidentiality.

    (2) Certificated teacher evaluations are confidential and may not be publicly disclosed, including disclosure to members of the Academic Policy Committee, absent a written waiver signed and dated by the employee. The Academic Policy Committee may request that a teacher waive confidentiality so that the evaluation may be shared with the Academic Policy Committee.

    (3) If a waiver is not obtained, the Type B certificated evaluator performing the evaluation of charter school personnel shall work in an advisory capacity with the Academic Policy Committee to assist the Committee in making informed requests to the Superintendent regarding the assignment or employment of Charter School personnel. The details of this working relationship should be agreed to in writing between the evaluator and the Academic Policy Committee.

    (4) The Charter School principal/administrator’s evaluation may not be publicly disclosed but may be shared with the Academic Policy Committee without a waiver.

333.97 Complaint Resolution

  1. Written Procedure

    The Academic Policy Committee shall adopt a written procedure for informal and formal complaint resolution. These procedures will not apply to matters of discipline of specific students, personnel matters relating to specific employees, other than the principal/administrator of the charter school, or the matters listed in “i,” below.

    (1) The Charter School’s written complaint resolution procedure must contain a provision for review and decision by the school’s Academic Policy Committee. The Committee’s decision shall be final and binding unless appealed to the District. The complaint resolution procedure may contain steps prior to the Academic Policy Committee review.

    (2) The procedure shall be subject to review and approval by the Superintendent to ensure that the procedure complies with applicable law, including confidentiality requirements, and with respect to employees represented by a bargaining unit, complies with the collective bargaining agreement in effect at that time.

    (3) Copies of this procedure shall be made available in the school’s office, during orientation meetings, and at other appropriate times. A copy of this procedure will also be made available in the Superintendent’s office and at other locations at the discretion of the Superintendent.

  2. Informal Complaints

    The existence of a formal complaint procedure is not intended to discourage parents, students, and other concerned citizens from discussing their concerns informally with Charter School administrators or staff.

  3. Municipal Ombudsman

    The Municipal Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate complaints concerning the Anchorage School District, including Charter Schools. The existence of a formal complaint procedure is not intended to preclude or limit the powers of the Ombudsman.

  4. District Appeal

    Any party directly involved in the complaint may appeal the Academic Policy Committee’s decision to the Anchorage School District. Appeals must be in writing and signed by the person bringing the appeal. In addition, all appeals will include the following information:

    (1) a clear, concise statement of the complaint or dispute;

    (2) a statement of the steps by which the Charter School’s complaint resolution process has been followed, or the reasons that process could not be followed; and

    (3) a proposed remedy or resolution.

    Ordinarily, if the complaint resolution process has not been followed or completed, the appeal will be referred back to the Charter School for completion of that process.

  5. District Review

    The Superintendent or designee shall review the written appeal and may conduct such other investigation as he or she deems appropriate. At his or her discretion, a hearing may be held by the Superintendent, designee, or hearing officer. A written decision shall be issued promptly, but in any event within 30 days unless extenuating circumstances require more time.

  6. School Board Review

    A party to the dispute or complaint may request that the School Board review the Superintendent’s decision. The decision will be presented as a Board Memorandum for approval, modification, or rejection, and the Board will take such action as it deems appropriate.

  7. Standard of Review

    The Academic Policy Committee should remain free to make reasonable discretionary decisions concerning the operation of the Charter School without interference from the Board or District except as stated in this policy. The Academic Policy Committee’s decision will not be reversed or modified unless clearly required for health or safety reasons, or to comply with law, collective bargaining agreements, the Charter School Contract, or School Board Policies with which the Charter School is required to comply.

  8. Charter School Complaints

    If a charter school believes the District’s actions or inactions are inappropriate, it should attempt to resolve that situation informally. In addition, the Academic Policy Committee may file a complaint with the District pursuant to the procedures set out in 333.97(d) – (g), above, except that d(2) is not applicable.

  9. Exclusions

    Allegations of criminal activity, or of acts or conditions tending to create immediate risk of serious harm to the health or safety of others, are excluded from this Complaint Resolution Policy. A report should be immediately made to the Superintendent, or the appropriate state or municipal enforcement agency.

333.98 Risk Management

The charter school shall adequately protect against liability and risk through an active risk management program.

The risk management program shall include purchase of minimum insurance coverages and levels of appropriate coverage as determined by the District’s Risk Manager. The charter school shall operate in such a manner as to minimize the risk of injury or harm to students, employees, and others. School operations and activities shall be reviewed by the Anchorage School District Risk Manager for compliance with appropriate local, state and federal safety practices/codes and School Board policies. Copies of all pertinent documents shall be on file in the Risk Management Office.

333.10 Review of the Charter School

The charter school will be subject to review of its operations and finances by the School Board.  Annually, the Academic Policy Committee will submit a concise written report and make a presentation to the School Board and the public no later than September 15 of each school year.  This report will include, but is not limited to:

  1. information on the attainment of student performance expectations, including copies of the Terra Nova and Benchmark reports;

  2. recommendations for remediation of poor student performance;

  3. school goal attainment;

  4. trends in student/staff enrollment and mobility;

  5. an end of year preliminary financial statement showing revenues and expenditures;

  6. minutes of the meetings of the governing body of the charter school;

  7. descriptions of charter school activities;

  8. copies of any leases signed by the charter school;

  9. current bylaws of the Academic Policy Committee;

  10. notification of establishment of non-profit 501(c)(3) status;

  11. list of officers in any PTA/PTO or other parent organization;

  12. any changes in facility location;

  13. any major changes planned for the following school year;

  14. a list of the Academic Policy Committee for the past and coming school year, including officers, and staff members by position;

  15. a list of employees and job titles; and

  16. other information requested by the School Board.

If there is evidence of a breach of contract, then the School Board, through the Superintendent or designee, shall have a right to investigate this breach of contract and meet with the charter school to discuss possible remedies and/or possible termination of the contract.

(333.10 – Revised August 27, 2007)

333.11 Definitions

“Eligible for hire list of approved teacher/administrator candidates” means the list of persons who have applied to be teachers/ administrators in the District and who have passed the personnel office’s screening, interviewing, and reference checks and are eligible to be hired by a building principal, or in the case of the principal, the Academic Policy Committee. With respect to charter schools, the eligible for hire list will be deemed to include teachers and administrators who are retired from the District if they have a current Type A and/or Type B certificate, have received satisfactory performance evaluations, and have left the District in good standing.

“Employees” of charter schools are considered employees of the Anchorage School District with all rights guaranteed by their respective collective bargaining agreements unless specifically waived by mutual agreement between the appropriate bargaining unit and the School Board.

“Administrator” means a person selected by the Academic Policy Committee to perform the administrative functions of the charter school including the keeping of financial records; the submission of appropriate information as required by the District; the oversight of the charter school to ensure that the terms of the contract are being met; meeting regularly with parents and teachers/staff and students to review, evaluate, and improve operations of the charter school; and meeting with the Academic Policy Committee at least quarterly to monitor progress in achieving the committee’s policies and goals. The administrator may be a Type B certificated principal, a head teacher, headmaster, or other title as established by the charter school Academic Policy Committee. An administrator who does not possess a current Type B administrative certificate may not conduct certificated employee evaluations. The District assumes no responsibility for employing this person after the termination of the charter school contract unless the person is also employed as a teacher.

“Principal” means a person selected by the Academic Policy Committee to select, appoint, or otherwise supervise employees of the charter school. This person is required to possess a current Alaska Type B Administrative Certificate in the Anchorage School District. The District assumes no responsibility for employing this person after the termination of the charter school contract unless the person is also employed as a teacher.

“Per-pupil allocation” means the funding generated, calculated on a per student basis, using the formula for basic need defined in AS 14.17.410.

(Section 333 - Revised January 25, 1999)
(Section 333 – Revised February 7, 2005)

340 Elementary, Middle School and High School Education

341 The Curriculum

The program of instruction in the schools shall be based on locally adopted standards and shall meet or exceed the requirements set forth by the State Department of Education. The Board shall approve the curriculum and the major instructional materials.

The standard curriculum is intended to challenge and stimulate students. Academic programs to meet the needs of advanced students shall be established within the Anchorage School District. Acceleration, enhancement and/or differentiation of the regular curriculum, including Honors, Advanced Placement, Special Education, and ESL classes, will be incorporated into the curriculum.

(Section 341 - Revised May 18, 1998)

341.1 Course of Studies

The secondary courses will include language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, world languages, career technology, fine arts, physical education and health. Additional electives in the middle schools may be offered, pending approval of Middle School Executive Director. A Program of Studies book for each level will be published annually and describe the curricular offerings.

The elementary curriculum shall include language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, art, health, music, physical education and library skills.

(Section 341.1 - Revised May 18, 1998)

341.2 Curriculum Development

The District's curriculum is regularly reviewed and developed to enhance student achievement. The Superintendent, or his/her designee, shall be responsible for developing procedures for planning, implementing, and evaluating curriculum. The Board shall have opportunities to provide comments and direction on the specific curriculum under review at the beginning of the process.

(Section 341.2 - Revised May 18, 1998)

341.21 Curriculum Committees

The Superintendent shall be responsible for the establishment of curriculum committees composed of parents, business and community representatives, students and professional staff, with overlapping terms.

The functions of the curriculum committees shall include but not be limited to the following:

  1. Develop recommendations for content and performance standards for respective areas.

  2. Develop recommendations for curriculum frameworks, course descriptions, and titles.

  3. Develop recommendations for the adoption of instructional materials and textbooks to support the adopted content and performance standards.

  4. Assist central administration staff in review, evaluation and recommendations for changes in curriculum implementation and design.

  5. Develop recommendations to address training needs in curriculum areas.

Curriculum committees shall be scheduled to meet at least quarterly, and may meet more frequently if necessary.

During curriculum renewal and materials adoption processes, a “Curriculum/Adoption Review Committee” representing cross sections of the professional staff, students, and of the community may be appointed to work under the direction of, and make recommendations to, the Curriculum Committee in the appropriate area. These recommendations will then be reviewed by the Instructional Division, the Anchorage Council of PTAs, the MECC, and the Student Advisory Board prior to forwarding to the Superintendent for final recommendation to the School Board.

Due to the community concerns regarding representation of various viewpoints on the Health Curriculum Committee, the Board will participate in and approve the selection of parents and citizen members, to this committee.

(Section 341.21 – Revised March 14, 1994)
(Section 341.21 – Revised June 5, 2000)

341.22 Pilot Programs

Pilot programs may be modifications to the current curriculum and/or changes in how the curriculum is delivered. The Superintendent shall create procedures for developing, implementing and evaluating pilot programs. Pilot programs shall be reported to the Board. Pilot programs that have major impact or involve the expenditure of more than $20,000 shall require Board approval.

(Section 341.22 - Adopted May 18, 1998)

341.3 Controversial Issues

  1. Rational discussion of controversial issues is an important part of the school program.

    Teachers should assist students in identifying relevant information, learning techniques of critical analysis, and making independent judgments. Teachers should help students become sensitive to the continuing need for objective re–examination of issues in light of any new information and changing conditions and attitudes in society.

  2. It is recognized that from time to time various portions or elements of educational programs may be viewed as controversial by one or more segments of the Anchorage community. When written objections are raised to the use of materials in one or more of the schools, such objection should initially be directed to the principal or unit supervisor who will process the objection at the unit level in accordance with administrative procedure.

  3. If the site level procedure does not resolve the objection within 10 school days of the filing of the original written objection, or if the site level resolution results in an agreement that the material in question is inappropriate, the matter shall be submitted to the District Controversial Issues Review Committee for review in accordance with administrative procedure.

  4. In lieu of raising objections at the site level, individuals may request a re–evaluation of materials or issues on a Districtwide basis. Such requests should be in writing and directed to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

  5. The District Controversial Issues Review Committee consists of seventeen members appointed by the School Board. The School Board encourages a broad range of individuals to apply in order to represent the various backgrounds and viewpoints in our community. Individuals interested in applying for a seat must complete a District application. The members shall be appointed from the applicants as follows:

    (1) Nine citizen members who are not district employees:

    a) two recommended by the Anchorage Council of PTAs;

    b) two representatives from the minority community; and

    c) five selected at-large.

    (2) Two students recommended by the Student Advisory Board.

    (3) Six employees of the District:

    a) two principals: elementary and secondary;

    b) two teachers: elementary and secondary; and

    c) two librarians: elementary and secondary.

The Committee shall be a standing committee with members appointed to staggered two year terms. The Superintendent shall appoint an administrator as a non–voting chairperson for the committee.

  1. The Superintendent will develop guidelines for the Controversial Issues Review Committee. All meetings of the committee shall be conducted following standard parliamentary procedures in accordance with Alaska Open Meeting requirements.

  2. Upon completion of the review, the committee shall submit its report as an advisory report to the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall submit a recommendation to the Board for consideration. The Superintendent must include the committee's recommendation in the transmittal to the Board. If the Superintendent's recommendation differs from the committee's recommendation, the Superintendent must explain the reason for the divergence.

  3. The committee must submit its report to the Superintendent within forty school days of the date on which a matter is submitted to it for review. All interested parties, including the complainant and committee members, shall be advised of the committee's and the Superintendent's recommendation prior to Board review and shall have the opportunity to address the Board. The decision of the Board shall be final.

    4. (Section 341.3 - Revised October 10, 1988)
    (Section 341.3 - Revised October 14, 1991)
    (Section 341.3 - Revised August 14, 1995)
    (Section 341.3 - Revised September 28, 1998)

341.4 Staff Development

The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for staff education that is consistent with the District's mission and goals. In carrying out a staff development program, priority will be given to activities that prepare staff to use effective management and instructional practices and provide instructional programs in priority areas as established by the Board. Unique building level needs may also be considered. Efforts shall be made to minimize the impact to the instructional day.

(Section 341.4 - Revised September 12, 1983)
(Section 341.4 - Revised May 18, 1998)

342 Allocation and Use of Instructional Time

The Superintendent or designee shall establish time allocations for instruction. The allocations will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary according to current priorities, expectations and achievement levels. The Board encourages schools to minimize interruptions to instructional activities.

(Section 342 - Revised September 12, 1993)

342.1 School Year

The school year begins on the first day of July and ends on the last day of June. (Sec. 1, Ch 98, SLA 1966)

342.2 School Calendar

The school calendar is approved by the School Board. The length of the school term shall be 188 days, including inservice days and holidays. School holidays will be scheduled at the discretion of the School Board in accordance with state law. Inservice days will be scheduled on national, state, and local holidays whenever possible. The Superintendent shall determine summer school dates and may grant calendar waivers for individual schools.

(Section 342.2 - Revised July 27, 1987)
(Section 342.2 - Revised May 18, 1998)

342.3 The School Day

342.31 Students

The school day in kindergarten shall be at least two and a half hours. The school day, exclusive of recess and lunch, shall be at least five hours for grades one and two and at least five and a half hours for grades three through six. The school day for secondary students will be at least six hours, inclusive of passing time (in accordance with State Law Section 14.03.040). The beginning and ending times of the "standard" school day for the elementary, middle, and high schools shall be determined by the School Board. The Superintendent has the authority to grant waivers to schools on an individual basis, as well as modify the times for student conferences, inservice