For SUNY Authorized Charter Schools

The Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, jointly with the Board of Regents, are required to provide oversight sufficient to ensure that each charter school that the Trustees have authorized is in compliance with applicable law and the terms of its charter.  The Institute, together with the State Education Department (on behalf of the Regents), oversees compliance through the monitoring plans contained in each school's charter as well as through other key methods designed to ensure accountability while still respecting a school’s autonomy. 

The For Schools section of www.newyorkcharters.org is designed to be a comprehensive resource for those charter schools authorized by the State University of New York in meeting their legal, fiscal and compliance obligations as well as in their ongoing efforts to provide the highest quality education possible to their students.

Key components of this section are:

Accountability Plans and Progress Reports
Providing comprehensive guidance regarding the development of a school's initial accountability plan and the subseqently required annual accountability plan progress reports. Progress made in meeting accountability plan goals is a key factor in the Trustees' decision about whether or not to renew a school's charter.

Compliance Resources
The Compliance Resources component of the site provides quick access to legal and compliance resources designed to help SUNY authorized charter schools answer common questions and address common challenges on issues ranging from protecting the confidentiality of student information to requirements of charter school board of trustee members.

Charter Renewal
While the Board of Trustees has the obligation and authority to hold charter schools accountable through a number of means during the charter period (including revoking a school’s charter), the requirement that a school apply and be approved for renewal on a periodic basis is at the core of the Act’s charter school accountability bargain.  Renewal, and the review that the State University conducts, is, therefore, a high-stakes process for charter schools and, of course, the parents of students enrolled in those schools. This component of the site provides the University’s comprehensive guidelines for renewal, details the various types of renewal, and includes the various renewal applications necessary to begin the renewal process.

Fiscal Operation Resources
The foundation of the Fiscal Operation Resources component is the reference guide for completing audits of charter schools; a key resources for school leaders, business officers and finance staff.  Additional resources will continue to be added to provide SUNY Authorized Charter Schools with a quick reference point for guidance on addressing the fiscal challenges of charter school operation.

Grant Opportunities
The component of the website provides comprehensive guidance and application forms to SUNY Authorized Charter Schools about three potential sources for grant funding: New York State Stimulus Grants;  Federal Public Charter Schools Program Planning and Implementation Grant Program; and the NYC Charter School Planning Grants.  Additional resources on successful grant writing and other grant opportunities will continually be added here.

Institute School Visit Reports

A central component of the Institute’s evaluative oversight system is a schedule of periodic visits to, and inspections of, charter schools, resulting in letters and reports to the school’s board of trustees. Renewal visit reports build on the findings of the existing visit reports; they serve as the primary vehicles by which the Trustees determine whether or not to renew a school's charter.

School Performance
Quick access to the latest charter school performance results from the State Education Department and the New York City Department of Education.  Institute analyses and national studies will also be added here.