SRI International, December 11, 1997





EVALUATION OF
CHARTER SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS
Appendices


APPENDICES

A: Profile of Charter School Survey Respondents
B: Survey Instruments
C: Interview Study Protocols
D: Supplemental Within-District Comparison Data
E: Charter School Law
F: Charter Study Advisory Panel


Appendix A

PROFILE OF CHARTER SCHOOL
SURVEY RESPONDENTS

PROFILE OF CHARTER SCHOOL SURVEY RESPONDENTS

Number of Schools Percentage of Schools
Sponsor type (n=98)
District 85 87%
County 7 7%
State 6 6%
Geographic location (n=98)
Urban or central city area 19 19%
Urban fringe or suburban area 27 28%
Small town or community 32 33%
Rural area 13 13%
Other 7 7%
Primary instructional methods (schools may use more than one) (n=97)
Classroom-based instruction 84 87%
Home-based learning with the parent as primary instructor 28(55) 29%
Independent study with a teacher as primary instructor 21 22%
Work and/or community-based learning beyond isolated projects 19 20%
Distance-learning and/or instruction via Internet or satellite 11 11%
Other 6 6%
School year began operating as a charter(56)(n=98)
1993-94 30 31%
1994-95 26 27%
1995-96 22 22%
1996-97 20 20%



Appendix B

SURVEY INSTRUMENTS

CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL SURVEY INSTRUMENT

Start time: _______ End time: ________

Date: __/___/___ Interviewer initials: _____

INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTIONS:



Bold, italics, or shaded things are generally not read.

  • Do not read "don't know", "refused" in shaded areas.


INTRODUCTION

Hi, my name is ______________, and I'm calling from SRI International. As I mentioned when I first called you, this interview is part of a statewide evaluation of charter schools. Is this still a good time to talk? (IF NOT, RESCHEDULE.)

Have you had time to look up the data on the worksheet that we sent to you?

IF YES, CONTINUE TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

IF NO, Would you have time to look up those numbers and reschedule this interview in the next week?

IF YES OR PROBABLY, RESCHEDULE

IF NO: Why don't we take advantage of the time we've scheduled and proceed with the interview. You can give your best estimates. READ INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS

Except when noted, all questions refer to the 1996-97 school year. In reporting findings, we will only report aggregate statistics, your school will not be individually identified. IF FILLED OUT WORKSHEET: At several points (þ) in the interview I will ask you to refer to the worksheet you filled out. [IF NOT FILLED OUT: If you haven't completed it please give your best estimate of these numbers.]

In the interest of time, we have made most of the questions closed-ended--you will be able to choose from a list of answers that I will read to you. As I mentioned when I first spoke to you, the survey will take about 30 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?

A. Screening and Preliminary Questions

I'll start with some questions about your charter granting process. The first question refers to question 1 on your worksheet.

1. In what month and year was your school's charter granted?

(month/year) __ __ / 199__ (fill in numeric codes)

2. Are you currently operating as a charter school?

1 Yes--skip to question 4

0 No

3. IF NO: Was your charter revoked or withdrawn, or have you suspended operation?

1 Revoked

2 Withdrawn

3 Suspended operation

8 Don't know

Unfortunately the rest of this survey will not be relevant. Thank you for your time.

4. Did the district or the county grant your charter? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 District

2 County--skip to question 7

The next question refers to question 2 on your worksheet. If you don't have the worksheet handy, would you please estimate this number.

5. During the 1996-97 school year, approximately what percentage of your students came from the district that sponsored your charter?

_____% of students (fill in percentage or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused

CHECKPOINT: IF ANSWERED "90-100%"--skip to question 9.


6. Did the remaining students come from one district, 2-4 districts, more than 4 districts but not all over the state, or did the students come from all over the state. (CIRCLE ONE)

1 One other district

2 Two to four other districts

3 More than four other districts but not statewide

4 Statewide

8 Don't know--skip to question 8

7. Please refer to number 3 on your worksheet for the name of the other district or districts and the approximate number of students from each. (If county sponsored or students are from more than 4 districts or all over the state ask for the names of the districts that supply the most students):

Name of District # of students


The next few questions are related to the approval of your charter.

8. Did you revise your original charter or enter into any written or unwritten side agreements in order to obtain approval by your sponsoring district or county? Please clarify which, if any, apply. (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY) (IF YES, clarify whether revised and/ or entered into any written or unwritten side agreements.)

1 Yes - Revised original charter

2 Yes - Entered into written side agreements

3 Yes - Entered into unwritten side agreements

5 No--skip to question 11

8 Don't know--skip to question 11

IF ASKED: "Revise" includes the addition or subtraction of provisions in the charter or any substantial rewriting of provisions. These revisions could have taken place prior to formally submitting the charter petition to the sponsoring agency. In other words, this could have taken place in negotiations with your sponsoring district or county during the drafting process.


9. Which of the following areas did the revised provisions and/or side agreements cover? Please answer yes or no to each of the following. (READ ITEMS)

Yes No
a. Teacher contract and personnel issues 1 2
b. Curriculum and instruction 1 2
c. Assessment 1 2
d. Student admission requirements 1 2
e. Governance 1 2
f. Liability 1 2
g. Financial independence 1 2
h. Amount of funds received 1 2
i. Amendment process to the charter 1 2
j. Another issue area (Can you specify? ___________________________) 1 2


10. Do you believe the revised provisions and/or side agreements helped, had no effect, or hindered your school's ability to (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH)?


Helped
No Effect
Hindered
a. Implement your 1 2 3
b. Select, evaluate, 1 2 3
c. Control how and 1 2 3
d. Receive the revenue limit and categorical funds generated by your enrollment 1 2 3
e. Remain financially 1 2 3
f. Be accountable for 1 2 3


11. I am going to read you 4 options, then please let me know which one best characterizes your school. For schools not yet open, characterize the school as planned. (CIRCLE ONE)

1 A newly created school, in other words the school was not previously connected to an existing school.

2 Originally a public school that converted entirely to a charter school.

3 Originally a public school program or grade levels within a public school that converted to a charter school. The original school may still be in operation as a noncharter entity.

4 Originally a district or county program that converted to a charter school.

12. In what month and year did your school begin providing instruction to students under the new charter? (fill in numbers or circle code)

(month/year) __ __ / 199__ --skip to next section

777 Still not open

998 Don't know

Unfortunately the remainder of this survey will not be relevant to schools not yet providing instruction. Thank you for your time. Perhaps we will the opportunity to talk to you again in the future. Good luck.

B. School Characteristics

The next set of questions are about your school characteristics. For the first question please refer to question 4 on your worksheet.

1. What was your school's total student enrollment for the 1996-97 school year and on what date was the data reported? Please use your most recent student count.

_______ students Date of count: __ __/199__ (fill in numbers or circle code)

8 Don't know

2. What grade levels did your charter school serve in the 1996-97 school year? (If your school was ungraded, please indicate ages.)

FILL IN RANGE, CIRCLE CODES AFTER INTERVIEW: grades _____________

(CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY IN APPROPRIATE COLUMN: NOTE THAT CODES DO NOT MATCH THE NUMERIC GRADES.)

School Grades Student Ages
01 Prekindergarten 21 <5 years old
02 Kindergarten 22 5 years old
03 First grade 23 6 years old
04 Second grade 24 7 years old
05 Third grade 25 8 years old
06 Fourth grade 26 9 years old
07 Fifth grade 27 10 years old
08 Sixth grade 28 11 years old
09 Seventh grade 29 12 years old
10 Eighth grade 30 13 years old
11 Ninth grade 31 14 years old
12 Tenth grade 32 15 years old
13 Eleventh grade 33 16 years old
14 Twelfth grade 34 17 years old
35 > 17 years old
98 Don't know 99 Refused


2. Which one of the following 5 options best describes your school's location? (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Urban or central city area

2 Urban fringe or suburban area

3 Small town or community

4 Rural area

5 Other (specify: ________________________________________________)

3. Does your school accept all students or only those who meet admission criteria?
(CIRCLE ONE)

1 Accept all students

2 Accept only students that meet admission criteria

4. Which of the following factors can prevent new students from being admitted to your school? Please indicate yes or no for each item. (READ LIST)

Yes No Don't Know
a. Space limitation or enrollment cap 1 0 8
b. Residency outside of school or district boundaries 1 0 8
c. Student ethnicity, in other words your school considers ethnicity in order to achieve racial diversity 1 0 8
d. Student's special needs because the school does not provide services such as special education or primary language instruction 1 0 8
e. Student's prior academic performance 1 0 8
f. Evidence that parent or adult cannot fulfill involvement requirements 1 0 8
g. Student and/or parent is not committed to school's philosophy 1 0 8
h. Something else (Please specify: ___________________________) 1 0 8


5. Did your school have more eligible applicants than it could serve during the 1996-97 school year?

1 Yes

0 No

8 Don't know

C. Student Demographics

Now I would like to ask some background questions about your students. This next one refers to question 5 on your worksheet.

1. During the 1996-97 school year, how many of your students were eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program?

________ students (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused

2. Was your school eligible to participate in the federal Title 1 program or is your school's eligibility pending?

1 Yes - eligible

2 No - not eligible--skip to question 5

3 Eligibility is pending--skip to question 5

8 Don't know--skip to question 5

3. IF YES: Was your school eligible for the schoolwide Title 1 program? By schoolwide, I mean that 50% or more of your students were from low-income homes.

1 Yes

0 No

8 Don't know

4. In 1996-97, did you receive your Title 1 funds?

1 Yes

0 No

8 Don't know

The next 6 questions are on your worksheet (questions 6-11).

5. How many of your students received special education services?

________ students (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

IF ASKED: "Special education services" are provided to students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) because of a disability. If respondent disagrees with this definition or states that all students have individual learning plans, not tied to this federal definition, please circle "999" and make a note of what s/he says.




6. How many of your students would you consider gifted and talented students, in other words, they would qualify for GATE or a similar program? Please answer the estimated number who qualify, regardless of whether or not your school has a GATE program.

________ students (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

7. How many students were identified as limited English proficient (LEP)?

________ students (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

8. IF HAVE LEP STUDENTS: What were the most common languages spoken at your school and how many LEP students spoke each of these languages? (FILL IN NUMBER OF STUDENTS FOR ALL LANGUAGES THAT APPLY; fill in 777 if they know a language was spoken but don't know how many students spoke it)

Number of
Students
Number of
Students
a. Spanish ______ h. Lao ______
b. Vietnamese ______ i. Russian ______
c. Hmong ______ j. Other (specify):________________ ______
d. Cantonese ______ k. Other (specify):________________ ______
e. Tagalog ______ l. Other (specify):________________ ______
f. Cambodian ______ m. Other (specify):________________ ______
g. Korean ______ n. Other (specify):________________ ______


9. Approximately what percentage of your students would you consider to be academically low-achieving?

________% students (fill in PERCENTAGE or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

10. What criteria did you use to determine the number of low-achieving students? (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Scores on standardized tests

2 Grades from previous school

3 Poverty status

4 Other means (Can you specify? ________________________________)

8 Don't know

D. Teachers

These next questions are regarding your instructional staff. Again, you should refer to your worksheet for these next 5 questions (questions 12-16 on worksheet).

1. How many staff professional development days did your school offer during the 1996-97 school year and during the summer prior to the 1996-97 school year? Please convert partial days to full-day equivalents, for example count two half day sessions as one professional development day. (fill in number or circle code)

Professional development days Number Don't Know
a. during the school year ________ 998
b. during the summer ________ 998


2. How many paid instructional staff did your school employ, including both part-time and full-time instructional staff? Please give me the total number.

_________ total instructional staff (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

IF ASKED: "Instructional staff" includes only paid staff employed by your school. It includes aides, regular teachers, instructional coordinators, and supervisors, such as curriculum specialists, and teachers who supervise home school activities. It does not include administrators (principals, assistant principals, or vice-principals), unless these individuals have part-time instructional responsibilities. If they do, please count them as part-time "instructional."


3. How many full-time equivalent (FTE) instructional staff did your school employ?

_________ full-time equivalent (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

4. Of your school's total paid instructional staff. . . . . (IF THEY DON'T KNOW, WRITE "DK" IN BOX. SEE "IF ASKED" BOX ON NEXT PAGE)

Full-time staff Part-time staff
How many were full-time and part-time? ______ ______
How many of your full time staff had full state certification for the subjects they taught in your school? (IF HAVE PART TIME STAFF) How many of your part time staff had . . .
______

______
How many of your full time staff had CLAD or BCLAD certification or were certified to teach LEP students by equivalent certifications, such as the BCC? (IF HAVE PART TIME STAFF) How many of your part time staff had . . .
______

______
How many of your full time staff had special education credentials? (IF HAVE PART TIME STAFF) How many of your part time staff had . . .
______

______


NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: the sum of full-time and part-time in "a" should equal the answer to number 2 above.

IF ASKED: "Full state certification" refers to professionals who have completed education and training requirements mandated by state law to teach specific populations in California. It does not include emergency credential or personnel waivers. It does not include instructional staff who are working toward their credential. "CLAD" refers to the Crosscultural, Language, and Academic Development Certificate. "BCLAD" refers to the Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language, and Academic Development Certificate. "BCC" refers to the Bilingual Certificate of Competence.


5. We would like to know the ethnic/racial composition of your full 1996-97 paid instructional staff, including full and part time staff. How many of your teachers were (READ ITEM). (FILL IN NUMBER OF STAFF)

All instructional staff
a. White, not of Hispanic origin ______
b. Black, not of Hispanic origin ______
c. Hispanic ______
d. Filipino ______
e. Asian or Pacific Islander ______
f. American Indian or Alaska Native ______


IF ASKED: Hispanic includes Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin; Filipino includes a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Philippine Islands; Asian or Pacific Islander includes a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian islands, the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent; Alaska Native includes a person having origin in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains tribal affiliation or community recognition.


6. If there any non-paid staff that contribute regularly to your instructional program, please briefly describe their roles. ____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

7. Which of the following items were included in your school's contractual agreement with your instructional staff and/or in your school's personnel policy? (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH) (SEE "IF ASKED" BOX ON NEXT PAGE)

Yes No Don't Know
a. One-year at-will contract 1 0 8
b. Granting of tenure at your school or acknowledgment of teacher's right to return to tenured position in district 1 0 8
c. Annual performance evaluations 1 0 8
d. Coverage by district retirement benefits package or equivalent 1 0 8
e. Benefits package equivalent to or better than district's package 1 0 8
f. Minimum hours of work 1 0 8
g. Due process for dismissal proceedings 1 0 8


IF ASKED: "At-will contract" is a contract that either party may terminate on or before the end of the contract date. "Benefits package" may include both health benefits and leave policy (sick, bereavement, maternity, personal, etc.)


8. Were some, all, or none of your instructional staff members of bargaining units or unions?

1 Yes - all were member of bargaining units

2 Yes - some were member of bargaining units

3 No - none were members of bargaining units

IF ASKED: "Bargaining units" are employee groups that bargain collectively with an employer and are typically members of or affiliated with state and national labor unions or groups. Membership refers only to any affiliation as charter school staff, whether or not the staff were previously affiliated with bargaining units or unions.


9. In your opinion, what has charter status allowed you to do that you could not have done under the traditional district management structure? Do you believe it has allowed you to (READ LIST)? (CIRCLE APPROPRIATE NUMBER FOR ITEMS ANSWERED YES)

1 Reward teachers for exemplary performance

2 Dismiss teachers for unsatisfactory performance

3 Provide support to teachers to improve their skills

4 Contract for services with non-district providers

5 Allocate resources in a manner that is different from the district norm

6 Purchase materials in a manner that is different from the district norm

8 Don't know

Please refer to worksheet question 17.

10. What was your starting salary for new teachers in 1996-97? By new, we mean new to the teaching profession.

$ ____________ (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

E. Finance

I would now like to shift to the topic of school finance. The next three questions are on your worksheet (questions 18-20)

1. What was your school's total operating budget during the 1996-97 school year?

$___________(enter amount or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused/Not applicable

2. What was your school's total and per-pupil revenue, if applicable, from the following sources (READ LIST)? (ENTER AMOUNT OR CIRCLE CODE)



Total
Per Pupil

(if applicable)

Don't know
a. State revenue limit $________ $________ 8
b. State categorical funds $________ $________ 8
c. State lottery funds $________ $________ 8
d. Federal funds $________ $________ 8
e. Private funds $________ $________ 8
f. Other public grants/ miscellaneous government funds

$________


$________


8


IF ASKED: "Revenue limit funds" are base per-ADA revenues that school districts receive for every student in their district. "State categorical funds" are per-pupil funds received only for pupils that qualify for specific categorical programs such as Economic Impact Aid, GATE or Class Size Reduction. Together, these two sources of funds make up the total funds received from the state. "Private funds" refer to any money that came from individuals or private groups or organizations. These funds may include business donations and grants, as well as money raised through fundraising activities.


3. What percentage, if any, of total revenues generated by your school is retained by your sponsoring agency?

___________ % (enter percentage or circle code)

998 Don't know--skip to question 6

999 Refused/Not applicable--skip to question 6

4. IF SPONSORING AGENCY RETAINS FUNDS: Do you receive goods and/or services in exchange for retained funds?

1 Yes

0 No--skip to question 6

8 Don't know--skip to question 6

5. IF YES: Would you purchase these goods and/or services elsewhere if you could?

1 Yes

0 No

8 Don't know

6. Who at your school was primarily responsible for handling day-to-day financial management? Please give the person's title at your school.

__________________________________________________________________

7. Did you contract with external agencies or individuals, excluding your sponsoring district or county, for any of the following financial accounting or management services? Please answer yes or no for each one.

Yes No Don't Know
a. Payroll 1 2 8
b. Bookkeeping 1 2 8
c. Budget preparation 1 2 8
d. Meeting state regulations, e.g., filling out forms 1 2 8
e. Another financial accounting or management service (can you specify _____________________________________) 1 2 8


IF ASKED: "Contract" does not include voluntary services.


8. What arrangements were made for your school's facilities? Which of the following statements best describes this arrangement? (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 We used district facility at no cost.

2 We rented facilities from the district or county.

3 We rented facilities independent of the district or county.

4 We purchased facilities.

5 Other (Can you specify? ______________________________________________)

8 Don't know/Not applicable

F. Authority for Budget, Administration, and School Policies

1. How much control did your school have over the following decisions and policies¾full control, partial control, or no control (READ LIST).(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH. "IF ASKED" IS ON NEXT PAGE)

Full Control Partial Control No Control Don't Know
a. Purchasing of supplies and equipment 1 2 3 8
b. Student disciplinary policies 1 2 3 8
c. Student assessment policies 1 2 3 8
d. Student admission policies 1 2 3 8
e. Staff salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
f. Budgetary expenses other than salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
g. Daily schedule 1 2 3 8
h. School calendar 1 2 3 8
i. Establishing curriculum 1 2 3 8
j. Staff hiring, discipline and dismissal 1 2 3 8


IF ASKED: "Full control" means that the charter school can make decisions about this matter independent of the sponsoring agency, in other words, the school is not required to secure input or agreement from the sponsoring agency. "Partial control" means that the charter school shares decision-making power with the sponsoring agency, in other words, the charter school could not make a decision on this matter without input and agreement from the sponsoring agency. "No control" means that the sponsoring agency makes decisions about this matter without input or agreement from the charter school.


IF CIRCLED FULL CONTROL FOR ALL PREVIOUS ITEMS--skip to question 3

2. Would you have wanted more control over any of the following decisions or policies?
(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH)



Yes

No
NA-already had full control
a. Purchasing of supplies and equipment 1 2 3
b. Staff salaries and benefits 1 2 3
c. Establishing curriculum 1 2 3
d. Staff hiring, discipline, and dismissal 1 2 3


3. How did you secure liability coverage for your school? Which of the following statements best describes your liability arrangement? (READ LIST) (CIRCLE ONE)

1 We are covered under the sponsoring agency's policy

2 We purchased insurance on our own from a local or statewide school insurance pool

3 We bought insurance from a private commercial carrier

4 We do not have liability insurance

8 Don't know

G. Charter School Design/Instructional Program

I would like to ask some questions about your school design and instructional program. Please refer to question 21 on your worksheet.

1. How many instructional calendar days did your school provide during the 1996-97 school year?

_______ calendar days (fill in number or circle code)

998 Don't know

999 Refused

2. Did your school operate on a year-round calendar?

1 Yes

0 No--skip to question 4

8 Don't know--skip to question 4

3. Please briefly explain what this year-round calendar looks like. ____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

4. Which of the following are primary methods of delivering instruction to students at your school? We realize that you may use some of these methods occasionally, however, we are interested in finding out about how most students are taught on a regular basis. Please indicate yes or no for each instructional method. (READ LIST)

Yes No Don't Know
a. Classroom-based instruction 1 0 8
b. Home-based learning with the parent as primary instructor 1 0 8
c. Independent study with a teacher as primary instructor 1 0 8
d. Work and/or community-based learning beyond isolated projects 1 0 8
e. Distance-learning and/or instruction via Internet or satellite 1 0 8
f. Other (specify ________________________________) 1 0 8


5. Does your school's educational program emphasize any subject areas or do you provide equal emphasis on all disciplines? (DO NOT READ LIST. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

01 Math

02 Science

03 Technology

04 English/Language Arts

05 Social Studies/History

06 Performing Arts or Visual Arts

07 Equal emphasis on all disciplines

08 Other (Can you specify?_____________________________________)

98 Don't know/Not applicable

H. Student Assessment

The next set of questions refers to the assessment practices in use at your school.

1. Which of the following best describes your assessment system? (READ LIST)
(CIRCLE ONE NUMBER)

1 Same for all students

2 Same for all students within a grade or developmental level

3 Varies from student to student

8 Don't know

The next two questions are question 22 and 23 on your worksheet.

2. The following are student assessment strategies or methods. For each item, please indicate whether it is essential, important, used but not considered, or not used to assess student performance at your school? (READ LIST. CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)

Used - Essential Used - Important Used - Not Considered Not Used Don't Know
a. Teacher assigned grades 1 2 3 4 8
b. Student portfolios 1 2 3 4 8
c. *Standardized achievement tests 1 2 3 4 8
d. Performance-based tests developed locally 1 2 3 4 8
e. Performance-based tests developed nationally or commercially 1 2 3 4 8
f. Student demonstrations or exhibitions 1 2 3 4 8
g. Student interviews or surveys 1 2 3 4 8
h. Behavioral indicators, such as attendance and suspension 1 2 3 4 8


IF ASKED: "Essential" refers to the assessment strategies or methods that are most critical in assessing student performance. "Important" refers to the second tier of strategies and methods used in assessing student performance. "Not considered" refers to the strategies or methods that are used at the school for purposes other than assessing individual student performance, for example, required by the district.


CHECKPOINT: IF DID NOT CHECK "C" ABOVE--skip to next section

*3. IF CHECKED "C" ABOVE: Which standardized test(s) did you administer and at which grade levels during the 1995-96 school year? Please also tell me what the mean normal curve equivalent (NCE) scores were for the reading and math portions for each test at grade levels 4, 5, 8, or 10. If you are unable to report NCE scores, please provide scores in a form that is available, such as percentiles, percentage scoring above 50%, etc.

1995-96 Mean NCE
(1)

Name of test

(2)

Grade level(s) tested

(3)

Grade reporting, e.g., 4th

(4)

Reading

(5)

Math

a. _______________________
b. _______________________
c. _______________________


Check here if NCE scores are not available. Report scores in alternative form. Be sure to clarify what these figures represent (percentiles, percent scoring above a certain benchmark, etc.).

I. School Accountability

1. Do you report any of the following data to your sponsoring district or county?

Yes No Don't Know
a. Student achievement data 1 0 8
b. Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance 1 0 8
c. Finance and accounting data 1 0 8
d. Parent satisfaction data 1 0 8
e. Other data (can you specify? ________________________) 1 0 8


2. Has the sponsoring district or county ever requested specific actions or imposed sanctions in response to these data?

1 Yes

0 No--skip to next section

8 Don't know--skip to next section

3. IF YES, What actions were required/sanctions imposed? _______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

J. Parental and Adult Involvement

I would like to switch to the topic of parent and adult involvement in your school.

1. Does your school require any of the following from parents or adults? Please indicate whether or not parents or adults are required to . . . (READ LIST)?

Yes No Don't Know
a. Sign a contract with the school 1 0 8
b. Participate in a minimum number of hours at the school 1 0 8
c. Participate in a minimum number of activities 1 0 8
d. Participate on committees or the governance board, or to attend parent meetings 1 0 8


IF ANSWERED NO TO ALL OF A-D--skip to question 3

IF ASKED: "Adult involvement" refers to an arrangement the school may have made for families with parents unable to fulfil involvement requirements (e.g., single parent that works, student living in group home). In these cases, the student may be designated an adult mentor or supervisor who is expected to fulfil the same requirements expected of parents.


2. IF YES TO ANY ONE OF A-D: Has a student ever been asked to leave because his or her parent or adult has failed to fulfill these requirements?

1 Yes

0 No

8 Don't know

3. Does your school systematically assess parent satisfaction?

1 Yes

0 No--skip to question 5

8 Don't know--skip to question 5

4. IF YES: How does your school determine parent satisfaction? Please answer yes or no for each item. Does your school use (READ ITEM)?

Yes No Don't Know
a. Surveys 1 2 8
b. Interviews and/or focus groups 1 2 8
c. Behavioral indicators, such as attending school meetings 1 2 8
d. Other means (Can you specify? ________________________) 1 2 8


The next two questions are on your worksheet (questions 24-25).

5. During the 1996-97 school year, approximately what percentage of your parents or adults participated in (READ LIST)?

Percentage of Parents Don't Know
a. Parent-teacher conferences ______% 8
b. Ongoing monitoring of student homework completion ______% 8
c. Instructional roles at your school ______% 8


6. During the 1996-97 school year, approximately what number of your parents or adults served on (READ LIST)? (fill in number or circle code)

Number of Parents Don't Know
a. The school governing board ______ 8
b. Other advisory bodies or task forces ______ 8


K. Future plans and final remarks

We've reached the final section. The following question is worksheet question 26.

1. On what month and day do you expect to begin your school's 1997-98 academic year?

Month __ __ (fill in numeric code) Day __ __ (fill in number, use a leading zero)

9998 Don't Know

9999 Refused/Not applicable

2. Will your enrollment increase, stay the same, or decrease during the 1997-98 school year?

1 Increase

2 Stay the same

3 Decrease

8 Don't know

3. Will the number of grades or grade-level groupings covered by your charter school increase, stay the same, or decrease during the 1997-98 school year?

1 Increase

2 Stay the same

3 Decrease

8 Don't know

4. Has your charter gone through a renewal process yet?

1 Yes

0 No--skip to question 6

8 Don't know--skip to question 6

5. IF YES: In what month and year was your charter renewed?

(month/year) __ __ / 199__ (fill in numeric codes or circle code)

998 Don't know

6. In what month and year is your charter up for its next renewal?

(month/year) __ __ / 199__ or 200_ (fill in numeric codes or circle code)

998 Don't know

On this final question I want to make sure that I haven't missed anything that you consider to be a defining feature of your school. Please briefly list up to four things that you would like me to know about your charter school that this survey has not already captured. (IF THEY WANT TOPIC IDEAS OR GUIDANCE: your student population, your curriculum focus, your instructional delivery methods, or your school's philosophy.) THIS IS OPTIONAL: THERE'S NO OBLIGATION TO FILL IN ALL FOUR LINES.

1.___________________________________________________________________________

2.___________________________________________________________________________

3.___________________________________________________________________________

4.___________________________________________________________________________

CLOSING

Okay, we are done! Thank you very much for helping us with this survey. The information you have provided will contribute greatly to our understanding of charter schools in California. At the end of this year we will report our overall findings to the Legislative Analysts' Office, who will in turn make recommendations to the Legislature about the state's charter school law. Again, thank you for your time and cooperation.


CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL STUDY:

DISTRICT SURVEY

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT:

Julie Marsh (650) 859-5001

(email: jmarsh@unix.sri.com)



Please use the enclosed envelope to return the completed survey to:

California Charter School Project

SRI International

333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125

Menlo Park, CA 94025



CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL STUDY: DISTRICT SURVEY

Dear Superintendent:

This questionnaire is an important part of a statewide study on California's charter schools being conducted by SRI International for the Legislative Analyst's Office. The results of this study will be used by the California legislature in its upcoming 1998 review of California's charter school legislation. Therefore, it is very important that your district contribute to this process, so that legislators will have access to the most up-to-date and complete information possible. Here are several important points that will help you complete the questionnaire.

The questionnaire consists of a main body and a supplement for each charter school in your school district. The main body consists of the following sections:

The supplement(s) is Section F and contains questions that pertain to specific charter school(s) in your district.

The majority of questions in the questionnaire have been designed to make responses user friendly. However, some additional effort may be required to obtain some quantitative information, such as achievement test scores, and copies of district and charter school SARCs to be returned with the questionnaire.

  • Please write your answers directly on the questionnaire, by circling the appropriate number or code or by writing in the space provided.
  • Except when noted, all questions refer to the 1996-97 school year.
  • Please complete the questionnaire and return it in the enclosed envelope by September 5.

Thank you for your help in this important project.

A. Background Questions


A1. What grade levels are taught in your district's schools? (Please Fill in Grade Levels Served, for example, K-12)

________________ grade levels taught

A2. How many students in your district received special education services during the 1996-97 school year? (FILL IN NUMBER or circle code)

________ students

0 none

Clarification: "Special education services" are provided to students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) because of a disability.


A3. How many students in your district were identified as limited English proficient (LEP)? (FILL IN NUMBER OR CIRCLE CODE)

________ students

0 none

A4. How many instructional calendar days did your district's non-charter schools provide during the 1996-97 school year? (Fill in number)

_______ calendar days

A5. What was your district's total and per-pupil revenue limit funding generated by ADA in 1996-97? (Enter Amount or Circle Code)

Total Per Pupil
State revenue limit $________ $________


A6. How many of your district's students attended schools outside of their normal attendance boundaries? (Fill in Number OR CIRCLE CODE)

_______ students

0000 none

9998 Don't know

B. Background on district Teachers



B1. On average, how many staff professional development days did your district offer per school during the 1996-97 school year? (ENTER NUMBERS)

a. During the school year: ________ professional development days
b. During the summer: ________ professional development days


B2. How many paid instructional staff (including charter staff, if they are considered to be employees of the district) did your district employ in the 1996-97 school year, including both part-time and full-time instructional staff? (ENTER NUMBER)

_________ total instructional staff

Clarification: "Instructional staff" includes only paid staff employed by your district. It includes aides, regular teachers, instructional coordinators, and supervisors, such as curriculum specialists, and teachers who supervise home school activities. It does not include administrators (principals, assistant principals, or vice-principals) unless these individuals have part-time instructional responsibilities. If they do, please count them as part-time "instructional staff."


B3. Please enter the numbers of full-time and part-time paid instructional staff, and the numbers of full-time and part-time paid instructional staff who held the certificates listed below.

Full-time staff Part-time staff
How many of the district's professional staff were full-time and part-time? ______ ______
How many of the district's full-time and part-time instructional staff had full state certification for the subjects they taught in 1996-97?
______

______
How many of the district's full-time and part-time instructional staff had CLAD or BCLAD certification or were certified to teach LEP students by equivalent certifications, such as the BCC, in 1996-97?

______


______
How many of the district's full-time and part-time instructional staff had special education credentials in 1996-97?
______

______


B4. What was the average annual starting salary for new full-time teachers in your district in 1996-97? (ENTER DOLLAR AMOUNT)

$_________ annual full-time starting salary

Clarification: "Starting salary" refers to Step 1 of your district's salary schedule. By "new," we mean new to the teaching profession.


B5. Were some, all, or none of your district's non-charter school instructional staffmembers of collective bargaining units or unions? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 All were members of bargaining units

2 Some were members of bargaining units

3 None were members of bargaining units

C. Charter School Policies



C1. How many petitions for charter schools have been submitted to your school district since 1992? Please count schools/charter developers that submitted more than one petition for a particular school only once. (FILL IN NUMBERS)

_______ petitions

C2. Of this number of petitions submitted, how many were ultimately approved, denied, withdrawn, and are still pending? (PLEASE FILL IN NUMBERS)

______ approved

______ denied

______ withdrawn

______ pending

______ other (please specify) ___________________________________________

______ TOTAL PETITIONS SUBMITTED


NOTE: The total number in this column should equal the number reported in C1.

C3. Please indicate why the district has denied approval for charter school petitions. (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

01 Not applicable; district has not denied charter petitions
02 Lack of teacher support
03 Lack of parent/community support
04 Projected enrollment too small
05 Inadequate instructional program or instructional emphasis
06 Inadequate organizational capacity
07 Inadequate financial management or financial accountability system
08 Inadequate accountability system for student learning/outcomes
09 Opposition of teacher union
10 School board not supportive of charter school concept
11 Other (please specify) __________________________________________


C4. Are there written district policies regarding any of the following areas? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

0 No written district policies regarding charter schools Ô GO to question C7

1 Granting of charter

2 Renewal of charter

3 Resolution of disputes with charter schools

4 Imposing sanctions if charter school is not meeting goals

5 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

FOR DISTRICTS WITH ONLY ONE CHARTER SCHOOL, PLEASE CHECK HERE AND GO to question C7

C5. FOR DISTRICTS WITH MORE THAN ONE CHARTER SCHOOL:

Do any of these policies vary by charter school or are they the same for all charter schools? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Vary by charter school

2 Same for all charter schools--GO to question C7

C6. Which policy/policies vary by charter school? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Granting of charter

2 Renewal of charter

3 Resolution of disputes with charter schools

4 Imposing sanctions if charter school is not meeting goals

5 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

C7. Which of the following describes your district's position or policy regarding the legal independence of charter schools? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 We require all charter schools to become legally independent

2 We allow, but do not require, charter schools to become legally independent

3 We prohibit charter schools from becoming legally independent

4 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

D. School Accountability and student Assessment



D1. Which of the following types of data do you require from non-charter schools in your district? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)



YES


NO
a. Student achievement test scores 1 0
b. Teacher-assigned grades 1 0
c. Student scores from authentic assessment tests 1 0
d. Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance 1 0
e. Finance and accounting data 1 0
f. Parent satisfaction data 1 0
g. Other data (please specify)______________________ 1 0


D2. Has the district ever requested specific actions or imposed sanctions on non-charterschools in response to these data? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question D4

8 Don't know--GO to question D4

D3. Please describe these actions: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

D4. Which of the following types of data do you require from the charter school(s) in your district? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)

YES NO
a. Student achievement test scores 1 0
b. Teacher-assigned grades 1 0
c. Student scores from authentic assessment tests 1 0
d. Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance 1 0
e. Finance and accounting data 1 0
f. Parent satisfaction data 1 0
g. Other data (please specify) ________________________ 1 0


D5. Has the district ever requested specific actions or imposed sanctions on the charterschool(s) in response to these data? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question D7

8 Don't know--GO to question D7

D6. Please describe these actions:

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

D7. How does the district assess whether or not the charter school(s) is achieving the goals of its charter? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 We hire an external consultant or evaluator to conduct a review

2 We convene a group representing the community to conduct a review

3 We use internal district staff to conduct a review

4 Other (please specify) _______________________________________________

5 We have not yet assessed whether or not the school(s) is achieving its goals

D8. Do none, some, most, or all of the non-charter schools in your district submit a school accountability report card (SARC)? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 None

2 Some

3 Most

4 All

D9. Do none, some, most, or all of the charter schools in your district submit a school accountability report card (SARC)? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 None

2 Some

3 Most

4 All

If ANY charter schools submit a SARC, please attach a copy/copies when returning this survey.

D10. Are the SARCs submitted by non-charter and charter schools the same or different in content? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Same--GO to question D12

2 Different

D11. Please describe these differences.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

D12. Did your district conduct assessments of student achievement using standardized achievement tests during the 1995-96 school year? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question D14

D13. Please review testing conducted during the 1995-96 school year. If your district administered the test(s) at the following grade level(s) indicated below, please enter the district's mean normal curve equivalent (NCE) scores for the reading and math portions of each test. If you are unable to report NCE scores, please provide scores in a form that is available, such as percentiles. If you did not administer this test(s), please check the appropriate box below.

NOTE: IF THIS MATRIX IS BLANK, GO TO QUESTION D14.

1995-96 Mean NCE N/A

Did not administer

Name of test and grade level Reading Math


a.
b.
c.
d.


Check here if NCE scores are not available. If scores are available in an alternative form, please indicate the type of score reported and report the scores above.
Type of score reported: ___________________________

D14. Did your district conduct assessments of student achievement using standardized achievement tests during the 1996-97 school year? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question D16

D15. In 1996-97, did your district require any charter school(s) in your district to administer some or all of the same standardized tests used by non-charter schools in the district? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes - We required this of all charter schools in the district

2 Yes - We required this of some charter schools in the district

3 No - We did not require this of charter schools in the district

D16. In 1996-97, did you compare student achievement/performance between the charter and non-charter schools in your district? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question E1

D17. Which of the following indicators did you use to compare student achievement/ performance? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Achievement test scores

2 Teacher-assigned grades

3 Authentic assessments, e.g., performance-based tests, portfolios

4 Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance

5 Parent reports

6 Teacher reports

7 Other data (please specify) ______________________________________

E. IMPACTS AND CONCERNS

E1. Are there ways in which the charter school(s) in your district has influenced the district or other schools in your district (e.g., district policies, curriculum and instruction, accountability, and purchasing)? If so, please specify. ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

E2. Do you have concerns in any particular area(s) about the charter school(s) in your district (e.g., finances, accountability, collective bargaining, facilities, capital needs, instructional program, legal issues)? If so, please explain your concerns.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

PLEASE GO TO THE ATTACHED CHARTER SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT(S).
FILL OUT ONE SUPPLEMENT FOR EACH CHARTER SCHOOL IN YOUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU.


Return the district survey and school supplement(s) in the enclosed envelope to:

California Charter School Project
SRI International
333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125
Menlo Park, CA 94025





F. Charter School Supplement

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL SURVEY REFERS TO THE FOLLOWING CHARTER SCHOOL:

__________________________________________________________

F1. Which of the following groups were asked to provide input into the decision to grant this charter petition? (CIRCLE all that apply)

01 District administrators

02 School administrators (e.g., principals)

03 School board

04 Teachers

05 Bargaining units for certificated staff

06 Bargaining units for classified staff

07 Parents

08 Community members

09 Students

10 Other (please specify) _______________________________________

F2. Of the following list, what were the 3 most important factors considered in granting this school's charter? (CIRCLE 3)

01 Teacher contract and personnel issues

02 Curriculum and instruction

03 Assessment/student outcomes

04 Student admissions

05 Governance

06 Liability

07 Amount of funds received

08 Support of teachers

09 Support of bargaining units

10 Support of parents

11 Another issue area (please specify) __________________________

F3. How would you describe the contractual agreement of teachers in this charter school?

Charter school teachers are . . . (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Covered entirely by the district's contractual agreement with teachers in non-charter schools --GO to question F5
2 Covered partially by the district's contractual agreement with teachers in non-charter schools (i.e., there are side agreements for some issues or some provisions have been removed)
3 Covered entirely by a separate contractual agreement with their charter school
4 Not covered by a contractual agreement --GO to question F5
8 Don't know --GO to question F5


F4. Please specify how the charter school teachers' contractual agreement is different from the regular district agreement.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

F5. In 1996-97, how much control did this charter school have over the following decisions and policies--full control, partial control, or no control? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)

Full control Partial control No control Don't know
a. Purchasing of supplies and equipment 1 2 3 8
b. Student disciplinary policies 1 2 3 8
c. Student assessment policies 1 2 3 8
d. Student admission policies 1 2 3 8
e. Staff salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
f. Budgetary expenses other than salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
g. Daily schedule 1 2 3 8
h. School calendar 1 2 3 8
i. Establishing curriculum 1 2 3 8
j. Staff hiring, discipline, and dismissal 1 2 3 8


F6. Did your district retain any of the total revenues generated by the charter school in 1996-97? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question F11

8 Don't know--GO to question F11

F7. What percentage of total revenues was retained by the district in 1996-97? (enter percentage)

___________ %

F8. Did your district provide the charter school with services or goods in exchange for these funds? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question F11

F9. What services did the district provide for this charter school in exchange for retained funds? (CIRCLE all that apply)

1 Payroll
2 Bookkeeping
3 Budget preparation
4 Meeting state regulations, e.g., filling out forms
5 Supplies and equipment
6 Reduced or free rent for district facilities
7 Other goods and services (please specify) __________________________


F10. Was the charter school required to purchase all, some, or none of these services from the district? The charter school was. . . (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Required to purchase all of these services from the district

2 Required to purchase some of these services from the district

3 Not required to purchase any of these services from the district

F11. How did this charter school secure liability coverage in 1996-97? Which of the following statements best describes the liability arrangement?

1 Charter school was covered under district's liability insurance

2 Charter school purchased own liability insurance

3 Charter school did not have liability insurance

4 Other (please specify) ____________________________________________

8 Don't know

F12. Has this charter gone through a renewal process(es)?

1 Yes

0 No--SKIP TO END

F13. Did you renew the charter?

1 Yes

0 No

F14. What factors were considered by the district during the charter renewal process?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Thank you very much for helping us with this survey. The information you have provided will contribute greatly to our understanding of districts with charter schools in California. At the end of this year, we will report our overall findings to the Legislative Analyst's Office, who will in turn make recommendations to the legislature about the state's charter school law. Again, thank you for your time and cooperation.

Return the district survey and school supplement(s) in the enclosed envelope to:

California Charter School Project

SRI International

333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125

Menlo Park, CA 94025

REMEMBER:
Please enclose a copy of each charter school's SARC with the completed survey



CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL STUDY:


COUNTY SURVEY

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT:

Julie Marsh (650) 859-5001
(email: jmarsh@unix.sri.com)

Please use the enclosed envelope to return the completed survey to:

California Charter School Project
SRI International
333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125
Menlo Park, CA 94025

CALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOL STUDY: COUNTY SURVEY

Dear Superintendent:

This questionnaire is an important part of a statewide study on California's charter schools being conducted by SRI International for the Legislative Analyst's Office. The results of this study will be used by the California legislature in its upcoming 1998 review of California's charter school legislation. Therefore, it is very important that your county contribute to this process, so that legislators will have access to the most up-to-date and complete information possible. Here are several important points that will help you complete the questionnaire.

The questionnaire consists of a main body and a supplement for each charter school sponsored by your county. The main body consists of the following sections:

The supplement(s) is Section E and contains questions that pertain to specific charter school(s) sponsored by your county.

The majority of questions in the questionnaire have been designed to make responses user friendly. However, some additional effort may be required to obtain some quantitative information and copies of charter school SARCs to be returned with the questionnaire.

  • Please write your answers directly on the questionnaire, by circling the appropriate number or code or by writing in the space provided.
  • Except when noted, all questions refer to the 1996-97 school year.
  • Please complete the questionnaire and return it in the enclosed envelope by September 5.

Thank you for your help in this important project.

A. BACKGROUND ON COUNTY INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF

A1. How many paid instructional staff (including charter staff, if they are considered to be employees of the county) did your county employ in the 1996-97 school year, including both part-time and full-time instructional staff? (enter number)

_________ total instructional staff

Clarification: "Instructional staff" includes only paid staff employed by your county. It includes aides, regular teachers, instructional coordinators, and supervisors, such as curriculum specialists, and teachers who supervise home school activities. It does not include administrators unless these individuals have part-time instructional responsibilities. If they do, please count them as part-time "instructional staff."


A2. Please enter the numbers of full-time and part-time paid instructional staff, and the numbers of full-time and part-time paid instructional staff who held the certificates listed below.

Full-time staff Part-time staff
How many of the county's instructional staff were full-time and part-time? ______ ______
How many of the county's full-time and part-time instructional staff had full state certification for the subjects they taught in 1996-97?
______

______
How many of the county's full-time and part-time instructional staff had CLAD or BCLAD certification or were certified to teach LEP students by equivalent certifications, such as the BCC, in 1996-97?

______


______
How many of the county's full-time and part-time instructional staff had special education credentials in 1996-97?
______

______


A3. What was the average annual starting salary for new full-time instructional staff employed by your county office of education in 1996-97? (ENTER DOLLAR AMOUNT)

$_________ annual full-time starting salary

Clarification: "Starting salary" refers to Step 1 of your county's salary schedule. By "new," we mean new to the teaching profession.


A4. Were some, all, or none of your county's non-charter instructional staff members of collective bargaining units or unions? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 All were members of bargaining units

2 Some were members of bargaining units

3 None were members of bargaining units

B. CHARTER SCHOOL POLICIES

B1. How many petitions for charter schools have been submitted to your county office of education since 1992? Please count schools/charter developers that submitted more than one petition for a particular school only once. (FILL IN NUMBER)

_______ petitions

B2. Of this number of petitions submitted, how many were ultimately approved, denied, withdrawn, and are still pending? (PLEASE FILL IN NUMBERS)

______ approved

______ denied

______ withdrawn

______ pending

______ other (please specify) ___________________________________________

______ TOTAL PETITIONS SUBMITTED


NOTE: The total number in this column should equal the number reported in B1.

B3. Please indicate why your county has denied approval for charter school petitions. (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

01 Not applicable; county has not denied charter petitions
02 Lack of teacher support
03 Lack of parent/community support
04 Projected enrollment too small
05 Inadequate instructional program or instructional emphasis
06 Inadequate organizational capacity
07 Inadequate financial management or financial accountability system
08 Inadequate accountability system for student learning/outcomes
09 Opposition of teacher union
10 Local school board not supportive of charter school concept
11 Other (please specify) __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________


B4. Does your county office of education have written policies regarding any of the following areas? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

0 No written county policies regarding charter schools Ô GO to question B7

1 Granting of charter

2 Renewal of charter

3 Resolution of disputes with charter schools

4 Imposing sanctions if charter school is not meeting goals

5 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

FOR COUNTIES WITH ONLY ONE CHARTER SCHOOL, PLEASE CHECK HERE AND GO to question B7

B5. FOR COUNTIES WITH MORE THAN ONE CHARTER SCHOOL:

Do any of these policies vary by charter school or are they the same for all charter schools? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Vary by charter school

2 Same for all charter schools--GO to question B7

B6. Which policy/policies vary by charter school? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Granting of charter

2 Renewal of charter

3 Resolution of disputes with charter schools

4 Imposing sanctions if charter school is not meeting goals

5 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

B7. Which of the following describes your county's position or policy regarding the legal independence of charter schools? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 We require all charter schools to become legally independent

2 We allow, but do not require, charter schools to become legally independent

3 We prohibit charter schools from becoming legally independent

4 Other (please specify) __________________________________________

C. School Accountability and student Assessment

C1. Which of the following types of data do you require from the charter school(s) in your county? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)



YES


NO
a. Student achievement test scores 1 0
b. Teacher-assigned grades 1 0
c. Student scores from authentic assessment tests 1 0
d. Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance 1 0
e. Finance and accounting data 1 0
f. Parent satisfaction data 1 0
g. Other data (please specify) ________________________ 1 0


C2. Has the county ever requested specific actions or imposed sanctions on the charter school(s) in response to these data? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question C4

8 Don't know--GO to question C4

C3. Please describe these actions: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

C4. How does the county assess whether or not the charter school(s) is achieving the goals of its charter? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 We hire an external consultant or evaluator to conduct a review

2 We convene a group representing the community to conduct a review

3 We use internal county staff to conduct a review

4 Other (please specify) _______________________________________________

5 We have not yet assessed whether or not the school(s) is achieving its goals

C5. Do none, some, most, or all of the charter schools sponsored by your county submit a school accountability report card (SARC)? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 None

2 Some

3 Most

4 All

If ANY charter schools submit a SARC, please attach a copy/copies when returning this survey.

C6. In 1996-97, did you compare student achievement/performance between the charter and non-charter schools in your county? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question D1

C7. Which of the following indicators did you use to compare student achievement/ performance? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Achievement test scores

2 Teacher-assigned grades

3 Authentic assessments, e.g., performance-based tests, portfolios

4 Student behavioral indicators, e.g., attendance

5 Parent reports

6 Teacher reports

7 Other data (please specify) ______________________________________

D. IMPACTS AND CONCERNS

D1. Are there ways in which the charter school(s) in your county has influenced the county or other programs operated by the county (e.g., county policies, curriculum and instruction, accountability, and purchasing)? If so, please specify. ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

D2. Do you have concerns in any particular area(s) about the charter school(s) your county sponsors (e.g., finances, accountability, collective bargaining, facilities, capital needs, instructional program, legal issues)? If so, please explain your concerns.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

PLEASE GO TO THE ATTACHED CHARTER SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT(S).

FILL OUT ONE SUPPLEMENT FOR EACH CHARTER SCHOOL.

SPONSORED BY YOUR COUNTY. THANK YOU.

Return the survey and school supplement(s) in the enclosed envelope to:

California Charter School Project

SRI International

333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125

Menlo Park, CA 94025

E. Charter School Supplement

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL SURVEY REFERS TO THE FOLLOWING CHARTER SCHOOL:

_________________________________________________________

E1. Which of the following groups were asked to provide input into the decision to grant this charter petition? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

00 County administrators

01 District administrators

02 School administrators (e.g., principals)

03 School board

04 Teachers

05 Bargaining units for certificated staff

06 Bargaining units for classified staff

07 Parents

08 Community members

09 Students

10 Other (please specify) _______________________________________

E2. Of the following list, what were the 3 most important factors considered in granting this school's charter? (CIRCLE 3)

01 Teacher contract and personnel issues

02 Curriculum and instruction

03 Assessment/student outcomes

04 Student admissions

05 Governance

06 Liability

07 Amount of funds received

08 Support of teachers

09 Support of bargaining units

10 Support of parents

11 Another issue area (please specify) __________________________

E3. How would you describe the contractual agreement of teachers in this charter school?

Charter school teachers are . . . (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Covered entirely by the county's contractual agreement with teachers in non-charter schools --GO to question E5
2 Covered partially by the county's contractual agreement with teachers in non-charter schools (i.e., there are side agreements for some issues or some provisions have been removed)
3 Covered entirely by a separate contractual agreement with their charter school
4 Not covered by a contractual agreement --GO to question E5
5 Other (please specify) _______________________ --GO to question E5
8 Don't know --GO to question E5


E4. Please specify how the charter school teachers' contractual agreement is different from the regular county agreement.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

E5. In 1996-97, how much control did this charter school have over the following decisions and policies--full control, partial control, or no control? (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH ITEM)

Full control Partial control No control Don't know
a. Purchasing of supplies and equipment 1 2 3 8
b. Student disciplinary policies 1 2 3 8
c. Student assessment policies 1 2 3 8
d. Student admission policies 1 2 3 8
e. Staff salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
f. Budgetary expenses other than salaries and benefits 1 2 3 8
g. Daily schedule 1 2 3 8
h. School calendar 1 2 3 8
i. Establishing curriculum 1 2 3 8
j. Staff hiring, discipline, and dismissal 1 2 3 8


E6. Did your county retain any of the total revenues generated by the charter school in 1996-97? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question E11

8 Don't know--GO to question E11

E7. What percentage of total revenues was retained by the county in 1996-97? (ENTER PERCENTAGE)

___________ %

E8. Did your county provide the charter school with services or goods in exchange for these funds? (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Yes

0 No--GO to question E11

E9. What services did the county provide for this charter school in exchange for retained funds? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)

1 Payroll
2 Bookkeeping
3 Budget preparation
4 Meeting state regulations, e.g., filling out forms
5 Supplies and equipment
6 Reduced or free rent for facilities
7 Other goods and services (please specify) __________________________


E10. Was the charter school required to purchase all, some, or none of these services from the county? The charter school was. . . (CIRCLE ONE)

1 Required to purchase all of these services from the county

2 Required to purchase some of these services from the county

3 Not required to purchase any of these services from the county

E11. How did this charter school secure liability coverage in 1996-97? Which of the following statements best describes the liability arrangement?

1 Charter school was covered under county's liability insurance

2 Charter school purchased own liability insurance

3 Charter school did not have liability insurance

4 Other (please specify) ____________________________________________

8 Don't know

E12. Has this charter gone through a renewal process(es)?

1 Yes

0 No--SKIP TO END

E13. Did you renew the charter?

1 Yes

0 No

E14. What factors were considered by the county during the charter renewal process?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Thank you very much for helping us with this survey. The information you have provided will contribute greatly to our understanding of districts with charter schools in California. At the end of this year, we will report our overall findings to the Legislative Analyst's Office, who will in turn make recommendations to the legislature about the state's charter school law. Again, thank you for your time and cooperation.

Return the survey and school supplement(s) in the enclosed envelope to:

California Charter School Project

SRI International

333 Ravenswood Avenue, BS-125

Menlo Park, CA 94025

REMEMBER:
Please enclose a copy of each charter school's SARC with the completed survey.



Appendix C

INTERVIEW STUDY PROTOCOLS

Sponsoring District Interview Protocol

I. District context

How would you describe the current reform orientation of this district? (Probes: standards-based reform, school-based management, integration of curriculum)

Are there opportunities for school choice for the families and students in this district? (Probes: open-enrollment, options for enrollment in alternative schools)

What professional development opportunities are offered to teachers and other personnel in the district? Are charter school employees encouraged/allowed to participate in these offerings? (probes: individually-determined professional development versus centralized offerings --or a combination)

During the 1996-97 school year, what percentage of the students in your district were eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program?

Approximately what percentage of students in your district receive Title 1 services?

II. Charter-granting process

What was the motivation for creating this charter school?

- If there are other charter schools in your district, how do their motivations and philosophies differ from this one?

What individual or group circulated and submitted the petition?

What other groups supported the petition? Did any groups oppose it? (probes: examples of support or resistance from parents, teachers, bargaining units, school board, other members of the community)

Did your district require any revisions to the original charter as a condition of approving it or enter into any "side agreements"/amendments since its approval? What areas did the revised provisions and/or side agreements cover? What was the rationale for these required revisions?

If the charter has been renewed since its original approval, what factors were considered by the district during the charter renewal process?

III. Charter school and district finance

How do you calculate the funds that are received by the charter school(s) in your district?

- Is it funded (much) like any other school in the district (expenditure/allocation-based approach), or is it given an allocation based on ADA and a negotiated amount of categorical funding (revenue-based approach)?

- What percentage of the funds leveraged by the charter school is retained by the district? Does the district charge a "blanket rate" for indirect costs? If so, what is it? What services are provided in exchange for the retained funds? (probe: facilities/overhead; business office support; supplies and materials)

If this is a basic aid district, does the charter school receive a share of funds that are in excess of the revenue limit?

Does your district have a written agreement (e.g., contract, MOU) with the charter school that covers financial matters? (If so, get a copy)

- what topics are covered by this agreement? (Possibilities include: basis for calculating school's revenue, entitlement data recording and reporting (when, who, how), tons of reports, cash flow and funds transfer, fiscal oversight, audit, district-provided goods and services (terms and cost), categorical programs compliance and support)

Are there revenue sources for the charter school which non-charter schools do not or cannot receive? Are there revenue sources for non-charter schools which the charter school does not or cannot receive?

Does the district put any restrictions on the allocations to the charter school? Specifically, is the school allowed to use any year-end balance (i.e., surplus) in the following school year?

What fiscal oversight does the district have over the charter school? (probes: fiscal reporting to district by charter school, fiscal authority/chain of command for charter school's budget)

Did the district incur any costs during the start-up phase of the charter school? What other sources of funds were exploited for start-up costs?

How does the charter school deal with capital expenses? (probe: charter school participation in non-district grant programs, district subsidy through facilities or cash transfers)

Who is responsible for filing financial reports required by the state (e.g., J-200, J-380, J-50, interim financial reports)?

How would you describe your relationship with the charter school regarding financial matters? (e.g., (un)satisfactory, collegial, tense) What, if anything, would you change about your financial relationship with the charter school? How would staff at the charter school answer this question? (probe: more district control, more charter school control, current versus desired distribution of fiscal responsibilities)

IV. Accountability

How do you hold the charter school accountable?

- Do you require any reports from the school? If so, what do these contain?

- What student achievement data are reported to the district by the charter school? Did the charter school participate in the district assessment program?

- How do you know if the charter school is meeting its objectives?

Are the ways in which the charter school is held accountable different from how other schools in the district are held accountable?

Do you compare student achievement in the charter school(s) in your district with student achievement in non-charter schools? If so, how? If so, how is the charter school performing relative to other schools? (Get copies of any available data.)

If possible, we would like to look at the charter school's performance relative to another school in your district that serves that same grade levels ( ) and students with a similar poverty level ( % free/reduced lunch). Could you identify such a school?

V. Charter school policies and practices

Does the district have written charter school policies? (Obtain a copy of these policies.)How and by whom were these policies developed?

What do you do about issues that are not addressed in these policies? (Probes: dispute resolution; charter approval, renewal, and revocation)

Are there any issues that are currently being negotiated, discussed, or disputed? If so, what are they? (Probe for details)

Are teachers at the charter school covered by the same contractual agreement as teachers in the noncharter schools in your district? If not, describe the difference between contractual arrangements in your school district's charter and non-charter schools.

(For the next two questions, use question F5 from the district survey as a guide. May want to reproduce responses if available.)

Describe the district's involvement in the charter school's educational program. (Probes: control over curriculum; provision of support services, such as personnel, materials, technical assistance; student assessment policies)

Describe the district's involvement in other charter school policies. (Probes: daily schedule requirements; school calendar; disciplinary policies; staff hiring, discipline, hiring; budgetary expenses; student admission policies) nb: some of these may have been answered in earlier responses

VI. Reflections

Do you have any concerns in particular area(s) about the charter school in your district? If so, please explain what they are. (Probes: finances, accountability, collective bargaining, facilities, capital needs, instructional program, legal issues)

In your opinion, what have been the benefits associated with being a charter school for the charter school in your district?

In your opinion, what have been the challenges associated with being a charter school for the charter school in your district?

Documents to collect at the district:

District policies on charter schools (may be divided into "Board Policies" and "Administrative Regulations;" we only want the ones that are specific to charter schools.)

Financial MOU or agreement

Financial reports submitted by the charter school to the district, if any.

Student achievement/performance reports submitted by the charter school to the district.


Charter School Director Interview Protocol

I. Director's Background

What was your last position before becoming a charter school director? What are your prior experiences as a school administrator?

Do you have your administrative credential or another type of training?

Were you involved in the founding of the charter school?

What were your reasons for joining/creating the charter school?

II. Charter-granting process/School History

(If not answered above) What was the motivation for creating this charter school?

Who was involved in the charter development process (Probes: parents, unions, other community members, organizations)?

Did you encounter community support, resistance, or indifference? Describe.

Has this changed over time?

Have you encountered teacher's union support or resistance?

What is this school's reputation in the community?

Who signed your school's original charter petition, was it 50% of teachers in a school or 10% of teachers in the district?

- How many of the teachers who signed the charter school petition now teach at your school?

Did you include policies in your proposal for resolving disputes between your school and your district or county sponsor? If yes, what policies?

Did your sponsoring district require any revisions to the original charter as a condition of approving it or enter into any "side agreements"/amendments since its approval? What areas did the revised provisions and/or side agreements cover? What was the rationale for these required revisions?

If the charter has been renewed since its original approval, what factors were considered by the district during the charter renewal process?

III. Educational Program

What is your school's philosophy?

Does the school have an academic focus or specialty and/or does it focus on a target population?

Does your school use academic standards? If yes, can we have a copy?

What kind of organizational strategies (e.g., block scheduling, year-round, cross-age) and/or instructional strategies (e.g., experiential learning) does your school use?

Do you have a unique schedule or you do operate during the traditional hours of operation?

What is your school's average class size?

Does your school have stated school performance goals?

- What are they?

- Are they written into the school charter?

- How do you measure them?

In addition to the ways already mentioned, how does your school assess student progress? (Probe on extent of use of alternative assessments--school-wide?)

Ask for and/or confirm achievement data

(for conversion schools only) Has your school's program changed in any way since it became a charter school? If so, describe how. Is your school's program significantly different from other schools' in the district? If so, in what ways? (Probe for innovation)

Is this school different from what was proposed in the petition? If so, how?

Is your school involved in other state and/or national reform efforts (e.g., SB 1274, Coalition of Essential Schools, etc.)

Do you think that any particular features of your school have had a substantial impact on student learning? If yes, what are they and how do you know?

IV. Staff issues

What kind of policies or procedures does your school have for staff hiring and firing, staff grievances, or other personnel matters?

How many teachers have left your school since it opened/became a charter school? Since last year? What percentage does this represent? What were some of the reasons for teachers leaving?

What types of professional development opportunities do you have for teachers? (May use last year's offerings if they are representative)

- Who decides topics?

- Who participates?

- How are they provided (e.g., through the district)

What staff evaluation or review process does your school have?

- What measures do you take for teachers who have poor performance? For teachers who are doing an exemplary job?

- How are salaries determined? Connection to evaluation process (i.e., merit pay)?

Are teacher/administrator relationships different in this school than in other schools in this district? If so, how?

- Are teacher roles and responsibilities in this school different? If so, how?

- Do any differences have an impact on the education students receive (probe for specific examples)?

V. Students

If your school serves students with special needs (i.e., special education, LEP, low achieving, gifted), how does it do so? (Probes: with district staff/technical assistance, contracting services independently, school staff)

- How does your school identify low-achieving students? What does it do to serve these students? Are any of the things your school does made possible because the school is a charter school/related to the school being a charter school?

Have students left your charter school? If so, how many and for what reasons?

How well are students performing at this school?

- In what areas are you pleased with the level of progress/performance?

- Where do you see a need for continued improvement (include special populations as well as skill areas)?

What do you think are the main reasons students and parents choose your charter school?

How many students are your waiting list (if there is one)? How are students chosen from the list?

VI. School Governance and Autonomy

How is your school governed? (Probe: governing bodies, membership, how selected)

Does your school involve parents and community members in school governance? If so, how?

How would you characterize the impact/significance that the flexibility and autonomy that you have because you are a charter school has on your school?
Probes: your ability to...

- deliver your instructional program

- involve parents in their children's education

- perform administrative functions

- involve teachers in planning and governance

- purchase goods and services

- other?

How important is your autonomy from district management, the Education Code, and collective bargaining, respectively, on your ability to do the above things?

Would you like more or less flexibility and autonomy in any area?

Do any federal or state regulations interfere with operation of your school?

What is the legal status of your school? Is it a non-profit organization? Is it legally independent? What are the implications of this status?

Are there ways that the California charter legislation could be improved to better serve school's needs? If so, what are the revisions that would be necessary?

VII. Fiscal practices/Finance

(see attached Finance-Related Questions)

VIII. Accountability

How is your school held accountable?

- Do you provide your district with an annual report? If so, what does this contain?

- In your opinion, are the requirements reasonable?

Are the ways in which your school is held accountable different from how other schools in the district are held accountable?

How do you and the district know if your school is meeting its objectives? How do you demonstrate your school's accomplishments?

IX. External Relationships/Community and Parent Involvement

What kind of relationship does your school have with non-charter schools in the district?

Do you communicate with other charter schools? Describe.

How involved are parents and in what ways? What services do you offer to parents? (Probes: drop-in center, lounge, outreach)

Who are the parents that we are interviewing today? Are they representative of the school's popoulation? (Probes: SES indicators, how long kids in the school)

How visible is your school in the community?

Does your school have support from and/or partnerships with the business community? If so, describe.

Has your school encountered political resistance of any kind?

Overall, how would you characterize your school's relationship with the district?

Do you communicate with charter people at the state level at all? If yes, about what?

X. Reflections

What have been the primary benefits of being a charter school?

What have been the primary challenges of being a charter school?

Have there been any unexpected outcomes as a result of being a charter school?

nb: ask director to identify candidate for comparison school--same grade level and similar poverty level. Also ask for or confirm achievement data.



Charter School Teacher Interview Protocol

I. Background

What grade levels and subjects do you currently teach?

What teaching experience did you have prior to joining the charter school? What was your last position prior to joining this school?

How long have you been at this school?

For what reason(s) did you join this charter school? We you involved in starting the charter? If so, what was the union's involvement in this process?

II. Educational Program/Assessment

What is your school's philosophy?

How is your school's educational program different from that of other schools in which you've taught (or "your knowledge of other schools" for new teachers)?

To what extent does your school use particular organizational strategies (e.g., block scheduling) or instructional strategies (e.g., experiential learning) to improve student learning?

Are teachers involved in curriculum development? How many are involved? In what ways?

Does your school have stated, grade-to-grade standards for students?

- What is an example of these standards?

To what extent is your school's assessment system linked to the curriculum?

Are there barriers to implementing your school's assessment system?

III. Staff Issues

What kind of roles do teachers have in your school (including leadership roles)?

Are there different roles for certificated or noncertificated teaching staff?

How is time organized for teachers? (Probes: planning time, periods taught/day)

How would you describe the role that you, as a teacher, play in your students' success? How would you characterize the attitudes/opinions of other teachers at this school? In your experience, are these attitudes different from other (noncharter) schools that you have worked in?

How does the teacher salary and benefit structure (e.g. starting salary, pay increases, health insurance) compare to other schools in your district?

What kind of process did you go through when you were hired?

What kind of staff evaluation/review process does your school have?

- What measures are taken for teachers who have poor performance? For teachers who are doing an exemplary job?

- Are salaries impacted by the evaluation process?

- How does this school's process compare to other schools you have worked in?

- How do teachers at this school feel about this process (Probe for staff morale)

Is there a lot of staff turnover or is your teaching staff stable?

- If there is turnover, why do teachers usually leave?

What kind of professional development opportunities do you have?

- Who participates?

- Who determines?

- How many days?

IV. Students and Student Performance

How does your school serve students with special needs (i.e., special education, LEP, low achieving, gifted)? (Probes: interventions, teaching strategies) How are these students identified? How are these methods impacted by the fact that this is a charter school?

How do you assess student performance? How do you assess students beyond the school requirements? How are these methods impacted by the fact that this is a charter school?

Do you think the charter school has had an impact on the performance of the students you serve? If so, describe the impact.

- In what areas are you pleased with the level of progress/performance?

- Where do you sees a need for continued improvement (include special populations as well as skill areas)?

V. Parent and Community Involvement

How would you characterize the level of parent involvement at this school? How does it compare to other schools in which you have taught?

Have parents been involved in any of your classes? How many? How often? In what ways?

VI. Other

What have been the primary benefits of being a charter school for you as a teacher? For the students? Does the amount of autonomy your school has impact your teaching?

What have been the primary challenges of being a charter school?

Have there been any unexpected outcomes as a result of being a charter school?

How satisfied are you with your school's philosophy, the educational program, the school staff, and the governance structure?

What kind of relationship does your school have with other charter schools?

What kind of relationship does your school have with non-charter schools?

Do you know of ways in which the state legislation could be changed to better serve your school's needs?


Finance-Related Questions

(attach to Director protocol)

I. Funding Sources and Levels

How is your charter school funded?

- Is it funded (much) like any other school in the district (expenditure/allocation-based approach), or is it given an allocation based on ADA and a negotiated amount of categorical funding (revenue-based approach)?

- What percentage of the funds leveraged by the charter school is retained by the district? Does the district charge a blanket rate for indirect costs? If so, what is it? What services are provided in exchange for the retained funds? (probe: facilities/overhead; business office support; supplies and materials)

- If your school is sponsored by a basic aid district, does your school receive a share of funds that are in excess of the revenue limit?

Has being a charter school influenced/changed the way your school allocates funds? Receives or purchases services?

- How much of a hands-on/hands-off approach to budgeting does your school take?

- Do you closely examine the appropriateness of district spending patterns and policies for your charter school?

- (expenditure-based schools only) Does your school "cash out" of specific services (i.e., receive a pro-rata share of funds in place of specific services)?

- (expenditure-based schools only) Does your school allocate any funds differently than the district calls for (e.g., using staffing allocations for other things)? Is there district resistance to this practice?

Do you believe that funds at this school are more effectively spent because it is a charter school? Compared to noncharters in this district?

How is your school affected by having its funds flow through the district instead of coming directly from the state? (Probes: problems, benefits, desire to change policy)

Does your district have a written agreement (e.g., contract, MOU) with the charter school that covers financial matters? (If so, get a copy)

- what topics are covered by this agreement? (Possibilities include: basis for calculating school's revenue, entitlement data recording and reporting (when, who, how), tons of reports, cash flow and funds transfer, fiscal oversight, audit, district-provided goods and services (terms and cost), categorical programs compliance and support)

Does the district put any restrictions on the allocations to your school? Specifically, is your school allowed to use any year-end balance (i.e., surplus) in the following school year?

(For all schools) What services and goods does your school receive from the district? What is the rationale for receiving them from the district as opposed to other sources? (Probes: special education and other special populations, payroll, banking, accounting)

Categorical funding:

What arrangements has your school made for special education?

- Does your school receive a pro rata share of special education funding (federal, state, and local)?

- Does the district or SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Areas) provide some or all services? (DIS, RSP, SDC, State Special Schools, Nonpublic Schools)(57)?

How are services funded for special education students from outside of the sponsoring district or SELPA boundaries?

What other categorical funding does the school receive?


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