North Oakland Community Charter School (NOCCS)Board of Directors Orientation

September 19, 2011

Charter School 101

Charter Schools Are…• Independent public schools • Tuition-free and open to all students

The “Charter” and Accountability to the Authorizer (OUSD)• In exchange for operational freedom and flexibility, charter schools are

subject to higher levels of accountability than traditional public schools.• The "charter" is a contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals,

students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success• In California, charters are granted for five years. • At the end of the term, the entity granting the charter ("authorizer") may

renew the school's contract. Charter schools are accountable to their authorizer, and to the students and families they serve, to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract.

Sources: California Charter Schools Association http://www.calcharters.org/understanding/what-are-charter-schools.htmlNational Alliance for Public Charter Schools http://dashboard.publiccharters.org/dashboard/home

Key Facts• 5,277 charters nationally• 913 charters in CA• 32 in Oakland (22.9% OUSD enrollment

Basic Responsibilities of a Charter School Board

• A charter school’s board of trustees is the entity that holds the charter and is held accountable by the authorizer (Oakland Unified School District) for the operation of the school

• Trustees are responsible for ensuring that…- The school’s academic program is successful, as measured by both

internal and external assessments- The school’s program and operation are faithful to the terms of its

charter, including compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements- The school is a viable organization, which includes that it is

financially solvent and has competent professional staff• A high-functioning board is a critical element of a charter school’s

ability to carry out its mission and vision with fidelity, and be a healthy, thriving organization that is built to last

Specific Responsibilities of Charter School Board Members

• Determine the mission of the school and keep it clearly in focus- Periodically review the mission statement- Understand and support the mission statement- Defines and refines the organization’s mission, vision and direction

• Select the school leader- Reach consensus on the school leader’s job description- Undertake a careful search process to find the most qualified individual

(when a leadership transition happens)- Oversee and approve contract negotiation and renewal

• Support and review the performance of the school leader- Provide frequent and constructive feedback- Assist when board members overstep or misunderstand their roles- Compliment for exceptional accomplishments- Provide an annual written performance review with a process agreed

upon with the school leader well in advance

Source: The High Bar www.reachthehighbar.com

Specific Responsibilities of Charter School Board Members(cont.)

• Ensure Effective Organizational Planning- Approve an annual organizational plan that includes concrete,

measurable goals consistent with the charter and accountability plan• Ensure Adequate Resources

- Approve fundraising targets and goals- Assist in carrying out the development plan- Make an annual gift at a level that is meaningful

• Manage Resources Effectively- Approve the annual budget- Monitor budget implementation through periodic financial reports- Approve accounting and personnel policies- Provide for an independent annual audit by a qualified CPA- Ensure the full board has the proper training to be effective stewards of

public funding- Ensure adequate insurance is in place to cover students, staff, visitors,

the board and the assets of the schoolSource: The High Bar www.reachthehighbar.com

Specific Responsibilities of Charter School Board Members (cont.)

• Monitor and strengthen programs and services- Ensure programs and services are consistent with the charter- Approve measurable organizational outcomes- Approve annual, attainable board and management level goals- Monitor progress in achieving the outcomes and goals- Assess the quality of programs and services

• Enhance the school’s public standing- Serve as ambassadors, advocates and community representatives of

the school- Provide for a written annual report and public presentation that details

the school’s mission, programs, financial condition, and progress made towards charter promises

Source: The High Bar www.reachthehighbar.com

Specific Responsibilities of Charter School Board Members(cont.)

• Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability- Establish policies to guide the school’s board members and staff- Develop and maintain adequate personnel policies and procedures- Adhere to the provisions of the school’s bylaws and articles of

incorporation- Adhere to local, state and federal laws and regulations that apply- Ensure compliance with all federal, state and local government

regulations• Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance

- Define board membership needs in terms of skill, experience and diversity

- Cultivate, check the credentials of, and recruit prospective nominees- Provide for new board member orientation- Conduct an annual evaluation of the full board and individual trustees

Source: The High Bar www.reachthehighbar.com

What Is NOT Within the Board’s Purview?

• Implementation of programs or policies• Managing or evaluating teachers or staff (other than Director)• Directly addressing parents’ concerns about academic or

operational issues (e.g. classroom discipline, curriculum and instruction, dismissal procedures, progress reports, physical plant)- If approached by a parent about an academic or operational issue,

board members should direct the parent to the appropriate staff member

- Board members should not assert or disclose an opinion about a given complaint to the parent in question

• Speaking on behalf of the board- The board speaks with one voice- Only time a board member possesses authority is when he or she is

sitting in a board meeting, as part of the whole board, or when he or she has been duly appointed to act on behalf of the board

Common Pitfalls and Best Practices

• Managing vs. Governing• Prioritizing personal agenda

over what is best for the school• Lack of clear goals and

accountability systems• Neglecting the board’s

responsibility to create and to govern through board policies

• Failing to develop its own capacity

• A clearly delineated, written governance structure

• A strategic plan to guide the board in meeting long-term and short-term goals

• Ongoing board training based on identified needs

• Involve future board members on subcommittees or projects

• Advance preparation and knowledge of issues to be discussed at meetings

• Focus on solutions, not problems

Common Pitfalls Best Practices

Board Member Expectations

• Active and Consistent Involvement at Board Meetings– Engage as active and informed participants at board meetings. This

involves reviewing board materials in advance, and actively listening and engaging in board discussions

• Active participation on 1-2 committees. This includes:– Attending and playing an active role in committee meetings– Fulfilling committee action items– Developing and presenting committee proposals at board meetings– Preparing board packet information in advance of board meetings

• Leadership– Chairing a committee or taking leadership on a key initiative over the

course of a 3-year board term

Board Member Expectations (cont.)

• Fundraising: Playing an active role in fundraising, including:– Making a personal annual contribution commensurate with household

income – Helping raise funds by working on a fundraising event or other activity– Using personal and professional networks to identify and cultivate

potential donors

• Time Commitment: Board members should expect to commit a minimum of 10 hours per month on the following: This includes:– Attending monthly board meetings (2 hours)– Attending a committee meeting (2 hours)– Preparing for board and committee meetings (2 hours)– Completing tasks outside of committee meetings (4 hours)

Board Meetings: What to Expect

• Board member expectations – Arrive on time and come prepared (thorough read board packet)

• Board packet – (ideally) circulated at least 48-72 hours in advance. Board members are expected to review in advance, and be informed about agenda items

• Public comment – 2 min each, board listens but does not respond in the meeting. Board Chair/Director should determine appropriate follow-up

• Board member comments and presentations – Be efficient and aware of “air time” and relevance of remarks – need to self-monitor and share responsibility for keeping meetings on time and on track

• Role of non-board members - can observe but not participate• Quorum – A quorum is required for a vote. A quorum is

considered a majority of voting trustees currently in office

• Budget development (Feb-April/May)• Director Evaluation (Feb-June)• Board Recruitment (Jan-May)• Board Elections (May-June)• Strategic Plan (August - December)• Capital Campaign (Jan 2012-Dec 2014)

The Board Cycle: Key Milestones

Committee Structure

NOCCS Board

Finance

Develop-ment

Personnel

Nominating

Executive

Strategic Planning

Capital Campaign

Ad Hoc Committees

Current Committee Composition

Executive Finance Development Personnel NominatingCarolyn Jay

(Treasurer)Ken (Chair) Carolyn Li-Mei

Erica Carolyn Ken

Jay Li-Mei Mara

Rachel Rachel

Beth (Staff)

Peter

Ad Hoc CommitteesStrategic Planning Capital CampaignLi-Mei Ken

Overview of CommitteesCommittee Key Functions

Executive •Agenda Development•Board Oversight•Board Development

Finance •Monitor school’s financial health•Ensure proper fiscal controls (e.g. policies/procedures)

Development •Develop annual and multi-year fundraising plan•Develop systems to carry out and track fundraising efforts• Arrange for or conduct board training on development

issues

Personnel •Evaluate and support director• Oversee development of and compliance with personnel

policies and procedures

Nominating • Recruit, screen and nominate board candidates

Strategic Planning • Facilitate strategic planning process

Capital Campaign •Facilitate successful implementation of capital campaign

• Bylaws allow for a maximum of 16 board members• Current board membership is 13• The Board is comprised of school-elected and board-elected

trustees• 2 staff members – the school director and a teacher rep – are voting

members of the board• The Board must include at least 5 parent-elected trustees • The bylaws are silent on the number of board elected trustees• Board Term is 3 years and can be renewed upon mutual consent

Board Member Composition

What exactly is the Brown Act?• The Ralph M. Brown Act guarantees the public’s right to attend and

participate in meetings of local legislative bodies

Do charter schools have to follow the Brown Act?• Most attorneys recommend that charter school boards “cover their

bases” and follow at least the spirit, if not the precise requirements, of the Brown Act.

The Brown Act

Source: The Charter Schools Development Center

• Regular Meetings – Must post an agenda containing a brief (approximately 20 words), general

description of each matter to be considered at least 72 hours prior to the meeting– Items not on the posted agenda may be considered under special circumstances– Minutes should be taken and are open to the public– Public is allowed to address board, but board may set time limits

• Special Meetings – 24-hour notice must be provided to board members– Agenda must be posted 24 hours in advance. Only items on the posted agenda

may be discussed.– Minutes should be taken and are open to the public

• Emergency meetings (in the case of work stoppage or crippling disaster)– One hour notice must be given by phone to the local media– Only listed agenda items may be considered– Minutes should be taken and must be posted in public within 10 days

The Brown Act Basics

The board may conduct a closed session when considering :

• Specified personnel matters– Appointment, employment, evaluation of performance, discipline, or dismissal of

an employee– To hear complaints or charges against an employee. The employee must be

notified of the closed session at least 24 hours in advance and has the right to request that the hearing be conducted in public.

– To consider price and terms of payment regarding the purchase, sale, exchange, or lease of real property

• Pending litigation– Board may meet in closed session to receive advice from its legal counsel when

open discussion would negatively affect the school’s and the district’s position in litigation

• Labor negotiations– To consider labor negotiations (salaries, compensation, etc.) with represented

and unrepresented employees• Real estate negotiations

The Brown Act: Closed Sessions

Board Calendar

Meeting Date Start Time Meeting DescriptionSeptember 19 4pm Board Orientation and September Board Meeting

October 15 9am-2pm Strategic Planning Retreat #2

October 19 6pm October Board Meeting

November 16 6pm November Board Meeting

December 14 6pm December Board Meeting

January 18 6pm January Board Meeting

February 22 6pm February Board Meeting

March 14 7:30pm March Board Meeting (same night as lottery – short meeting)

Late March (Date TBD)

TBD Budget Retreat

April 18 6pm April Board Meeting

May 16 6pm May Board Meeting

June 20 6pm June Board Meeting

APPENDIX: NOCCS Background:

School History and Overview

Academic Performance

2005 - 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 - 2008 2008 - 2009 2009 - 2010 (e)780

800

820

840

860

880

900

920

API Ranking• 9th highest achieving

Oakland elementary school

(out of 71 charter & district schools)

• 4th highest achieving Oakland middle school

(out of 24 charter and district schools)

History

2005 - 2006 2006 - 2007 2007 - 2008 2008 - 2009 2009 - 2010 (e)780

800

820

840

860

880

900

920

API Ranking• 9th highest achieving

Oakland elementary school

(out of 71 charter & district schools)

• 4th highest achieving Oakland middle school

(out of 24 charter and district schools)

Educational Philosophy

• A NOCCS education seeks to develop in students the ability to think critically, express creatively, and to act thoughtfully in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

• The NOCCS curriculum, with an emphasis on Teaching for Understanding, is designed to enable students to meet and/or exceed grade level standards through the exploration of in-depth, powerful, disciplinary-based skills, ideas, and strategies.

• Our pedagogy incorporates a number of best practices for effectively and equitably building mastery of skills and content as well as critical thinking and reasoning.

• The arts, environment, service-learning, peacemaking, and technology are integrated into our instructional units and strategies

Steady and Controlled Growth

00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-130

50

100

150

200

250Number of Students

Full K-8th Grade

Purchased and built-out facility

Added 2nd 4-5 class

Added 6th Grade

3 Classrooms K-1; 2-3; 4-5

Added 2nd classroomsfor K-1 and 2-3

Moved to 2nd Rental Site

Opened in 1st rental site

Added7th Grade

A Diverse Student Body

2000 - 2001

2001 - 2002

2002 - 2003

2003 - 2004

2004 - 2005

2005 - 2006

2006 - 2007

2007 - 2008

2008 - 2009

2009 - 2010

2010 - 2011

0

50

100

150

200

250

NOCCS Student Enrollment and Demographics 2000 - 2011

Student Demand

'07-'08 '08-'09 '09-'10 '10-'110

50

100

150

200

250

300

# Slots Available # Students on Waiting List # Applicants

Charter School Resources• Charter Schools Development Center http://www.chartercenter.org/• California Charter Schools Association http://www.calcharters.org/• OUSD Office of Charter Schools http://www.ousdcharters.net/• National Alliance for Public Charter Schools http://www.publiccharters.org/

Governance Resources• The High Bar https://www.reachthehighbar.com/• New Schools for New Orleans http://

newschoolsforneworleans.org/resources.php#board_411• Colorado Department of Education Board Resource Library http://

www.cde.state.co.us/cdechart/guidebook/gov/index.htm

Education Reform Resources• Center for Education Reform http://www.edreform.com/• Education Sector http://www.educationsector.org/• Education Week http://www.edweek.org

Charter School, Ed Reform and Governance Resources