A. The Board shall ensure an administratively
complete application package for a new charter is reviewed as follows:
1. The Technical Review Panel shall score an
application package using the evaluation criteria identified in the application
to determine whether the application package meets the Board's
requirements.
a.
2. The Technical Review Panel shall assign an
application package a score of "Meets the Criteria," "Approaches the Criteria,"
or "Falls below the Criteria" for each evaluation criterion.
i.
a. The Technical Review
Panel shall score an evaluation criterion "Meets the Criteria" when the
application section within which that evaluation criterion is identified :
(1)
i.
Addresses the evaluation criterion fully with specific and accurate
information;
(2)
ii. Reflects a thorough understanding of the
evaluation criterion; and
(3)
iii. Is clear and
coherent.
ii.
b. The Technical Review Panel shall score an
evaluation criterion "Approaches the Criteria" when the application section
within which that evaluation criterion is identified :
(1)
i. Addresses the
evaluation criterion partially or lacks specific and accurate information for
some aspect of the evaluation criterion;
(2)
ii. Presents a partial understanding of the evaluation
criterion; or
(3)
iii. Is not clear and coherent.
iii.
c.
The Technical Review Panel shall score an evaluation criterion "Falls below the
Criteria" when the application section within which that evaluation criterion
is identified fails to address the evaluation criterion.
b.
3. An
application package meets the Board's requirements if:
i.
a. No evaluation
criterion is scored "Falls below the Criteria;"
ii.
b. No more than one
evaluation criterion in each application section is scored "Approaches the
Criteria;" and
iii.
c. At least 95 percent of the evaluation criteria in
the educational plan, operational plan, and business plan is scored "Meets the
Criteria."
2.
B. Board staff shall
conduct a background and credit check of each principal and authorized
representative of the applicant and determine whether each principal and
authorized representative possesses a valid fingerprint clearance card issued
by the State of Arizona.
a. If an issue arises
during the background and credit check of any principal or authorized
representative, Board staff shall provide the principal or authorized
representative written notice of the issue and an opportunity to provide a
written response addressing the issue. The Board shall consider information
obtained from the background and credit check when making the decision to grant
or deny a new charter.
b.
Information obtained and communications conducted
during this process shall be considered by the Board in making its decision on
whether to grant or deny a charter.
3.
C. If an application
package fails to meet the Board's requirements specified under subsection
(A)(3), Board staff shall provide written notice to the applicant. Board staff
shall include in the notice:
1. The reasons
the application package failed to meet the Board's requirements;
2. Comments of the Technical Review Panel,
which will serve as technical assistance and suggestions for improving the
application package; and
3. The
options specified under subsection (D).
4.
D. If an applicant
receives notice under subsection (C), the applicant may, within 20 days of the
date of notice, submit to the Board:
1. A
revised application package, or
2.
A written request that the previously submitted and scored application package
be forwarded to the Board.
5.
E. If an applicant that
receives notice under subsection (C) fails to act under subsection (D), Board
staff shall close the applicant's file. An applicant whose file is closed and
wants to obtain a new charter shall apply again under
R7-5-201 in a later annual application cycle.
6.
F. If an applicant
submits a revised application package under subsection (D), the Technical
Review Panel shall score the revised application package as specified under
subsection (A).
7. If the revised
application package fails to meet the Board's requirements as specified under
subsection (A)(3), Board staff shall provide written notice to the applicant of
the intent to close the file. Board staff shall include with the notice the
comments of the Technical Review Panel.
8.
G. An applicant that
receives notice under subsection (F) may, within 20 days after the date of
notice, submit a written request that the revised application package be
forwarded to the Board.
9. If a written request
is not submitted, Board staff shall close the applicant's file. An applicant
whose file is closed and wants to obtain a new charter shall apply again under
R7-5-201 in a later annual application cycle.
10.
H. At least 30 days
before the last Board meeting before the substantive review time frame expires,
and within 90 days after determining an application package meets the Board's
requirements under subsection (A)(3) or receiving an applicant's request under
subsection (D)(2) or (G), the principals and authorized representative of the
applicant shall make themselves available for an in-person interview with two
or more members of the Technical Review Panel. In the interview, the members of
the Technical Review Panel shall assess:
a.
1. The applicant's
understanding of the components presented in the application package;
b.
2. The
applicant's capacity to implement a plan to operate a charter school in
accordance with the performance expectations established by the
Board;
c.
3. The applicant's clarification of any issue revealed
in the course of the due diligence process for the applicant any principal,
authorized representative, or Education Service Provider; and
d.
4. Any
other factor relevant to determining whether the applicant is sufficiently
qualified to operate a charter school.
11.
I. Board staff shall
provide an applicant with at least seven days written notice of the date, time,
and place of the meeting at which the Board will consider the applicant's
application package and determine whether to grant or deny a new charter to the
applicant.
a.
For the purpose of deciding whether to approve or
deny the application package, the Board shall consider:
i. The application package;
and
ii. A copy of the scoring rubric
completed by the Technical Review Panel.
b. The Board shall use
the following information to determine whether the applicant is sufficiently
qualified to operate a charter school:
i.
1. The application
package;
ii.
2. The scoring rubric completed by the Technical
Review Panel;
iii.
3. The results of the in-person interview of the
applicant's principals and authorized representative;
iv.
4.
Information obtained through investigation and verification of the employment,
experience, and education backgrounds, fingerprint clearance card, and
creditworthiness of each principal and authorized representative of the
applicant;
v.
5. Information concerning any current or former
charter operations for any principal, authorized representative, or Education
Service Provider of the applicant;
vi.
6. Board staff report;
and
vii.
7. Testimony presented at the Board meeting.
12.
The Board shall provide an applicant, with at least
seven days written notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting at which
the Board will consider the applicant's application package.
J. After the Board
meeting held under subsection (I), Board staff shall provide written notice to
the applicant regarding the Board's decision to grant or deny a new charter to
the applicant. If the Board denies a new charter to the applicant, the Board
shall include the information required under A.R.S. §
41-1092.03
in the written notice.
