Submit To The Authorizers

The window for submitting the application is established by state statute to be no earlier than August 15th and no later than October 1st. However, it is important to check with the individual school district or the Charter School Institute for an exact deadline. There is no fee when submitting a charter school application.

When the application is ready for submittal, the founding group must continue to prepare for the authorizer’s review process which may include interviews, written questions and responses, and two public hearings. If the required elements of the application are missing, the authorizer may deem that an application is incomplete, and may request additional information. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Founders should respond to any requests in a timely manner. Once an authorizer has received a complete application, the authorizer has seventy-five days to approve or deny the charter school application.

The authorizer will hold two public hearings prior to approving the application. During public hearings, it will be important to show community support; therefore, maintaining communication with prospective parents and supportive community partners is important during this phase of development. In addition, founders should engage the assistance of legal counsel and review timelines in preparation for charter approval.

During the seventy-five day review period, founders should use this time to further develop the school by pursuing options for school facilities, training existing and prospective board members, reviewing the sample contract language and waivers, preparing policies, etc.