CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
The 2013 charter school application process is one component of the Call for Quality Options – the Louisiana Department of Education’s initiative to find high-quality educational options for the 200,000 students that are currently stuck in D and F schools in our state. Through this charter school application process, non-profit organizations may apply for all five types of charter schools allowed in Louisiana.
Three school districts – East Baton Rouge Parish, Jefferson Parish, and Lafayette Parish – have agreed to partner with the State so that applicants seeking district-authorized charter schools in those districts can apply for charter schools on the State’s timeline. All applicants seeking a district-authorized charter school from a different district must wait until the district charter application process begins in the fall.
For charter applicants familiar with application processes in other states or past application processes in Louisiana, the 2013 charter application provides many welcome innovations. This year applicants will progress through the charter application process in stages so that applicants may focus resources on more manageable submissions in each stage. The application is also customized for new and experienced operators.
The application – which can be found on the sidebar to the right – includes all of the information that a charter applicant might need in order to successfully navigate the application process, including eligibility criteria for applying for each charter type, a timeline, guidelines, and numerous resources. Before beginning to complete an application, applicants are also encouraged to review the application in its entirety and explore other resources that can be found on the sidebar. The dashboard on the Call for Quality Options page may be an especially useful resource for applicants still considering where they would like to locate and what type of option they would like to provide.
In addition to the resources that can be found on this webpage, the Department has set up a charter application process email hotline. Applicants may submit questions about the charter application process to rfa@la.gov and expect a response from a Louisiana Department of Education staff member within 48 hours.