FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
SCHOOL BOARD CHARTERING AUTHORITY

The Orleans Parish School Board is an authorized chartering authority as provided for
in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3982. The School Board has been granted authority to
approve or deny charter school proposals for Type 1, 3, and 3B charters, and pursuant
to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3983 may enter into any charter the School Board finds to be
valid, complete, financially well-structured, and educationally sound in meeting the
requirements of Louisiana Charter School Law.
The School Board is committed to ensuring academic excellence, fiscal responsibility,
and operational accountability among its authorized charter schools, while honoring and
respecting the autonomy of such schools consistent with the purposes established in
Louisiana Charter School law, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3971 et seq.
The Orleans Parish School Board has adopted the following criteria as mandatory
elements of all charter Operating Agreements executed by the School Board. Should
the provisions of this policy contradict or conflict with language in any other School
Board policy, the requirements of this policy shall prevail.
1.

Academic Excellence - All charter schools shall maintain academic excellence.
Should any charter school be designated Academically Unacceptable (assigned
a letter grade of F) under the standards established in the state accountability
system, the School Board shall immediately convene to reconsider the charter,
following the procedures outlined in policy HC, Charter School Monitoring,
Intervention, and Closure.
This provision shall be applied to charter schools designated as alternative
education schools by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education (BESE), pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:100.5, only in accordance
with the terms of the charter school’s Operating Agreement.

2.

Autonomy - Each charter school shall have complete autonomy over all areas of
school operation as set forth in each school’s Operating Agreement, as long as
such operations are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and
municipal laws and regulations. Areas of school autonomy shall include, but not
be limited to, the following:
A.

School programming, instruction, curriculum, materials and texts;

B.

Yearly school calendars and daily schedules;

C.

Hiring, firing, performance management and evaluation, employment
terms and conditions, teacher/administrator certification, salaries and
benefits, and optional participation in Teachers Retirement System of
Louisiana and collective bargaining;

Orleans Parish School Board

1 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
D.

3.

Budgeting, purchasing, procurement, and contracts, including the
management of transportation at the school site or operator level.

Governing Boards - The governing board of each Orleans Parish School Boardauthorized charter school shall comply with the following:
A.

All applicable requirements set forth by the Louisiana Nonprofit
Corporations Law and the Louisiana Secretary of State, including the
provision that the nonprofit shall remain in good standing at all times
during the term of its charter.

B.

All laws and requirements applicable to public bodies made applicable to
charter schools, including but not limited to Louisiana Open Meetings Law,
Louisiana Public Records Law, Louisiana Local Government Budgets Act,
and the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics.

C.

Each governing board shall operate in accordance with its duly-adopted
bylaws, which shall include a conflict of interest policy that is consistent
with applicable law including, but not limited to, the Louisiana Code of
Governmental Ethics.

D.

Each governing board shall consist of no fewer than seven (7) members.
Governing board members shall represent a diverse set of professional
skills and practical work experience in areas such as education,
public/non-profit and/or for-profit administration or operations, community
development, finance, and law. Each charter school shall be required to
fully comply with the requirement of this subparagraph upon the next
renewal of the school’s charter contract.

E.

At least sixty percent (60%) of the members of each governing board shall
reside (legal domicile) in Orleans Parish, including at least one parent or
legal guardian of one or more students currently enrolled at any school
operated by that governing board in Orleans Parish. The parent or legal
guardian requirement may also be satisfied by a recent graduate (within
the past 5 years) or the parent/guardian of a recent graduate (within the
past 3 years) of a school in Orleans Parish operated by that governing
board. Each charter school shall be required to fully comply with the
requirement of this subparagraph upon the next renewal of the school’s
charter contract, and prior to that time shall fill board member vacancies
and make new board member appointments with Orleans Parish
residents, if the board’s membership is comprised of less than sixty
percent (60%) residents of Orleans Parish.

F.

Each governing board shall conduct a criminal history review in
accordance with BESE Bulletin 126 §2905 for each new board member
and each individual the Charter Board intends to hire who might

Orleans Parish School Board

2 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
reasonably be expected to be placed in a position of supervisory or
disciplinary authority over school children. The criminal history review
results of board members shall be submitted to the Orleans Parish School
Board within ninety (90) days of the member’s appointment.
1)

4.

A governing board shall notify OPSB (within 24 hours of becoming
aware) of the arrest of any members of the governing board,
employees, contractors, subcontractors, or any person directly or
indirectly employed by the governing board for a crime listed in La.
Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1(C) or any crime related to the
misappropriation of funds or theft.

G.

Each governing board member shall file a financial statement, in
accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §42:1124.3, within ninety (90) days of
confirmation by the board, unless the confirmation is made less than
ninety (90) days prior to the annual statutory filing deadline, in which case
the statutory filing deadline shall apply.

H.

No more than one member of the immediate family, as defined in the
Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §42:1102,
may serve on a governing board in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§42:2.2.

I.

No elected official, as defined by the Louisiana Code of Governmental
Ethics, and no individual formerly classified as an elected official for a
period of one year following the termination of his or her service, may
serve on a governing board.

J.

No governing board member may be employed by the school, in any
manner, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991. No governing
board member may be employed by the Orleans Parish School Board, in
any administrative capacity.

K.

No governing board member shall receive any compensation, other than
optional reimbursement of actual expenses incurred while fulfilling duties
as a member of the board, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:3991, nor shall they solicit or accept personal gifts from any person or
entity doing business, or seeking to do business, with the governing board
or charter school, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann §42:1115.

L.

Governing boards shall notify OPSB within thirty (30) days of any change
to its board of directors, its signing authority, its corporate legal status, or
any change in its standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.

Governing Board Finances - Each governing board of one or more Orleans
Parish School Board-authorized charter schools shall be required to:

Orleans Parish School Board

3 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD

5.

A.

Hire or procure the services of one or more qualified and competent
business professionals to produce all financial and accounting information
required by its Operating Agreement, School Board policy, state law or
regulations. Such individual shall be required to meet one of the
qualifications set forth in Chapter 13 of Louisiana Board of Elementary and
Secondary Education (BESE) Bulletin 1929, Louisiana Accounting and
Uniform Governmental Handbook (LAUGH).

B.

Submit to the Orleans Parish School Board an annual financial audit, in
accordance with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §24:513 et seq., and
according to the timelines established by the Orleans Parish School Board
administration.

C.

Should gross mismanagement of public funds or financial malfeasance on
the part of the charter school or its governing board be documented in the
annual audit, the School Board may immediately convene to reconsider
the charter, following the procedures established in School Board policy
HC, Charter School Monitoring, Intervention, and Closure.

D.

Governing board members shall disclose to the Louisiana Board of Ethics
and OPSB any situation in which they or their immediate family might
benefit from a proposed action of the governing board or the charter
school, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann §42:1114.

Admissions and Student Population - As stated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3972,
“it is the intention of the Legislature that the best interests of at-risk pupils be the
overriding consideration in implementing” state charter school law. Accordingly,
while the School Board recognizes that Type 1, 3 and 3B charter schools are
subject to different laws and state regulations, it is the intent of the School Board
to create and implement policy that is consistent across charter types in order to
serve the needs of Orleans Parish’s at-risk student population, while recognizing
the unique elements of each school’s history and culture, and encouraging
differentiation in school programming:
A.

At-Risk Students: Type 1 charter schools shall comply with the minimum
at-risk student population percentages provided for in La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:3991. Type 3 and 4 charter schools shall comply with the minimum atrisk student population percentages as provided for in La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:3991, unless otherwise agreed to as part of the charter schools’
operating agreement. Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1(E)(5),
charter schools that are in good standing in regard to compliance with the
parish-wide common enrollment system and student expulsion process
policies may be exempted from the minimum enrollment percentages
required by La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991.

Orleans Parish School Board

4 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD

The required percentage of at-risk pupils shall be calculated in accordance
with state law and BESE policy, including the provisions of La. Rev. Stat.
Ann. §17:3991.1 with respect to the dependent children of permanent
employees of a corporate partner. The performance of each charter
school with respect to these provisions shall be reviewed annually, and
documentation of efforts shall be provided to the School Board upon
request, per the terms of the charter school’s Operating Agreement.
Charter schools shall maintain compliance with federal and state law and
regulations with respect to any student with an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP), and the provisions of the school’s operating agreement
pursuant to services for such students.
All charter schools authorized by OPSB, including Type 3B’s, shall report
their at-risk data to OPSB. This reporting requirement does not relieve
charter schools of any existing obligations to report at-risk data directly to
federal or state agencies. Any school not meeting the minimum
requirement for two (2) consecutive years may be subject to Intervention,
as set forth in the charter school’s Operating Agreement and in
accordance with the provisions of policy HC, Charter School Monitoring,
Intervention, and Closure. No adverse action under this subsection,
including Intervention, shall be applied to any charter school unless the
school is first determined either to be in material noncompliance with the
terms of its Operating Agreement, or fails to earn a rating of “Meets
Standard” pursuant to the Orleans Parish School Board Organizational
Performance Framework, as set forth in policy HB, Charter School
Evaluation.
B.

Prohibited Admissions Criteria: All charter schools shall be prohibited
from establishing academic admissions requirements, including
restrictions on admissions on the basis of the results of any test or on the
achievement of a certain academic record (GPA, writing sample, or
required coursework), except as provided for in Section 10, Schools with
Academic Admissions Requirements, of this policy. All charter schools
shall be prohibited from establishing admissions requirements based on
student conduct, behavior, or prior disciplinary record, except as provided
for alternative schools in Section 11, Alternative Education Schools, of this
policy.

C.

Admissions Provisions: The School Board recognizes two (2) categories
of admissions provisions in charter Operating Agreements:
1)

Mission-Specific Admissions Requirements, pursuant to La. Rev.
Stat. Ann. §17:3991, which provides that enrollment in a charter
school may be made contingent on the satisfaction of nonacademic admissions requirements or preferences that are

Orleans Parish School Board

5 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
“consistent with the school’s role, scope, and mission….Such
admissions requirements shall be specific and shall include a
system for admission decision which precludes exclusion of pupils
based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin,
intelligence level as ascertained by an intelligence quotient
examination, or identification as a student with an exceptionality.”
Charter schools with mission-specific admissions requirements
shall be subject to the following provisions:

2)

a.

Eligibility: Type 1 and Type 3 charter schools may establish
mission-specific admissions requirements, subject to
approval of the School Board within the provisions of an
approved charter application or by material amendment to
an existing Operating Agreement.

b.

No renewal Operating Agreement for any charter school first
chartered prior to July 1st, 2015 may incorporate any new
admissions requirements pursuant to this subsection, unless
such modifications are separately approved by the School
Board through the material amendment process provided for
in the charter school’s existing Operating Agreement.

c.

All such admissions requirements or preferences shall be
administered in accordance with School Board policies, and
with procedures of the common enrollment system
established for this purpose, for all charter schools otherwise
required to participate in such system pursuant to Section 6,
Enrollment, Part A, of this policy.

d.

No mission-specific admissions requirement may be
included in any Operating Agreement unless a SchoolSpecific Goal has been adopted for incorporation in all
annual reviews and formal evaluations of the school, as set
forth in the Orleans Parish School Board Academic
Performance Framework and policy HB, Charter School
Evaluation.

e.

Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991, Type 3B charter
schools shall remain open-enrollment and are prohibited
from establishing admissions requirements under this
subsection.

Focus Programs, which are programs that deliver a rigorous,
developmentally appropriate educational model that substantially
differentiates daily schedules, curriculum design, instructional

Orleans Parish School Board

6 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
approach, and/or standards from what is available to other students
in the school. Focus programs that are recognized in the common
enrollment system shall be subject to the following provisions:

6.

a.

Eligibility: Any charter school, including a Type 3B charter
school, may offer one or more focus programs subject to the
approval of the Superintendent, with enrollment in such
programs based solely on student interest.

b.

No more than one-third (33%) of the total number of seats at
the charter school, or at any single grade level within the
charter school, may be designated for focus program
enrollment without School Board approval.

c.

No audition, test, performance task, or any condition of
enrollment may be required for enrollment in a focus
program, other than a confirmation of intent by the student’s
parent or guardian at the time of registration.

d.

A School-Specific Goal for each focus program shall be
adopted for incorporation in all annual reviews and formal
evaluations of the charter school, as set forth in the Orleans
Parish School Board Academic Performance Framework
and policy HB, Charter School Evaluation.

Enrollment
A.

Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1(E)(4), each new, extended, or
renewed charter school Operating Agreement shall include provisions
requiring participation in the common enrollment system adopted by the
School Board, and operated in a transparent and publically accountable
manner in accordance with the provisions of Orleans Parish School Board
policy and the terms of Orleans Parish School Board charter school
Operating Agreements. Compliance with this provision shall be measured
as a component of each school’s annual evaluation.

B.

No new, extended, or renewal charter school Operating Agreement
executed on or after January 1, 2016 may include a neighborhood, zip
code, or geographic zone enrollment preference or priority that does not
conform to the standard community preferences determined by the School
Board in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991.
Any school first authorized prior to July 1 st, 2015 and whose Operating
Agreement incorporated a ZIP code-based neighborhood preference may
retain such preference for up to two-thirds (67%) of seats (overall and in

Orleans Parish School Board

7 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
each grade level), effective either at renewal or upon entry into the
common enrollment system.
C.

Any charter school first chartered prior to July 1st, 2012 and which
maintains EITHER a letter grade of A, OR a School Performance Score
(SPS) in the top 10% of all schools in the state serving the same grade
levels, may be permitted to retain a waitlist upon entry into the common
enrollment system. The provisions of this section shall expire once all
charter schools have entered such system, pursuant to Section 6,
Enrollment, Part A, of this policy.

D.

As set forth in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1(E)(7), OPSB may annually
establish enrollment projections and targets for every school under the
school board’s jurisdiction and require enrollment of additional or fewer
students throughout the school year as necessary.

E.

School Operator Enrollment Limit: Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:10.7.1, the Superintendent may limit the percentage of system
enrollment that any single operator of schools or charter governing
authority may serve, in order to ensure that a diverse system of schools
led by multiple high quality operators exists at all times. For the purposes
of this provision, “system enrollment” shall be defined to include all
Orleans students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12 in public
schools under the jurisdiction of OPSB.
1)

The
School
Board
may,
upon
the
Superintendent’s
recommendation and by a two-thirds vote of the membership,
authorize any operator to serve more than fifteen percent (15%) of
system enrollment.

2)

Suspension of Enrollment Limit – In order to ensure that adequate
seats are available to serve all students seeking public school seats
in Orleans Parish, the Superintendent may authorize a one-year
suspension of the percentage limit under this policy for one or more
operators when it is determined that emergency or exigent
conditions exist which necessitate the creation of additional
capacity in the system
a.

Prior to any such determination, the Superintendent shall
collaborate with school operators in the establishment of
enrollment projections, as provided for in this Policy.

b.

The Superintendent shall then present a report regarding the
determination to the School Board at its next regular
meeting. Such report shall address the circumstances that
required the suspension, the anticipated length of the

Orleans Parish School Board

8 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
suspension, and the school district’s plan to address the
circumstances which necessitated the suspension.
c.

7.

Any suspension of the percentage limit under this subsection
of the policy extending beyond one school year shall require
a two-thirds vote of the membership of the School Board.

Early Childhood
A.

Each charter school that operates an early childhood program, either
directly or via partnership, that accepts public funds for serving students
prior to entering kindergarten shall participate fully in all requirements of
the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Act (La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:407.21 et seq.), including full participation in the Community
Network’s Coordinated Enrollment Process for Orleans Parish, beginning
with the process to enroll students for the 2016-17 school year.

B.

Each charter school authorized by the School Board to serve PreKindergarten students shall be required to adhere to the following policies:
1)

All publicly-funded Pre-Kindergarten students at the charter school
shall be permitted to enroll in Kindergarten at the charter school as
continuing students, including any students designated as “at-risk”
pursuant to state law that attended Pre-Kindergarten tuition-free
due to a charter school’s use of Minimum Foundation Program
(MFP) or other funds.

2)

For charter schools offering a tuition-based Pre-Kindergarten
program option, at least fifty percent (50%) of the school’s total
Kindergarten enrollment shall be reserved for continuing students
as identified in subsection (B)(1) of this Paragraph, students
admitted who are economically disadvantaged, or are enrolled by
lottery, or a combination of both.

8.

Discipline - Each charter school shall adopt and implement explicit discipline
policies consistent with applicable state statutes and the school’s Operating
Agreement. Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1, each charter school
authorized by the School Board shall be required to participate in any common
expulsion process adopted by the School Board as a condition of the school’s
charter agreement. Compliance with this provision shall be measured as a
component of each school’s annual evaluation.

9.

Transportation - Each new, extended, or renewed charter school Operating
Agreement executed on or after January 1, 2016 shall include provisions
requiring each charter operator to provide free transportation services for all
students enrolled in the charter school who reside within Orleans Parish and
more than one mile from the charter school’s location, which shall include, at a

Orleans Parish School Board

9 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
minimum:

10.

A.

whatever transportation is necessary to implement any Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) for a child with an identified exceptionality, without
regard to how far the child resides from the charter school;

B.

free transportation by a vehicle approved for student transportation in
accordance with BESE Bulletin 119, Louisiana School Transportation
Specifications and Procedures, for students enrolled in grade 6 or below
who reside more than one mile from the charter school; and,

C.

free transportation, free public transportation payments and/or
reimbursements for all other students who reside more than one mile from
the school.

Schools With Academic Admissions Requirements
As set forth in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991, “a school which was first chartered
prior to July 1, 2012, and which incorporated achievement of a certain academic
record as part of its admissions requirements may continue to utilize such
admission requirements.” Further, “such admissions requirements shall not work
to exclude pupils based on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin,
intelligence level as ascertained by an intelligence quotient examination, or
identification as a student with an exceptionality as defined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:1942.”
The School Board recognizes the unique role and mission of charter schools with
academic admissions requirements as an option for all Orleans Parish students
and families. Accordingly, the School Board shall provide for the following policy
accommodations for such schools:
A.

Schools shall be subject to these provisions if first chartered prior to July
1, 2012 and the terms of the charter school’s Operating Agreement
identifies it as a selective admissions school, pursuant to La. Rev. Stat.
Ann. §17:3991.

B.

Charter schools subject to this provision shall adhere to the following
provisions, which shall be incorporated in any renewal Operating
Agreement:
(1)

Academic Excellence: Notwithstanding the standards set forth in
the Orleans Parish School Board Academic Performance
Framework, charter schools with academic admissions
requirements shall be required to achieve EITHER a letter grade of
A under the state accountability system, OR a ranking in the top
10% of schools in the state serving the same grade levels, in order

Orleans Parish School Board

10 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
to be deemed to have met the standard for Measure 1 (State
Accountability).
(2)

Access:
a.

All admissions processes for charter schools with academic
admissions requirements shall be conducted through the
common enrollment system adopted by the School Board,
effective at the next renewal of the school’s Operating
Agreement. This requirement shall be implemented in a
transparent and publically accountable manner that is in
strict accordance with state and federal law, with all eligibility
standards that are established for each such charter school
in its respective Operating Agreement, and with the
provisions of subsection (C) (1) of Section 10, Schools With
Academic Admissions Requirements, of this policy.

b.

Each charter school with academic admissions requirements
shall maintain citywide access for all students meeting the
eligibility standards and preference criteria set forth in the
charter school’s Operating Agreement; no neighborhood or
other geographic priorities shall be permitted.
For charter schools with existing neighborhood boundaries,
the provisions of this subsection shall be effective not later
than the enrollment process for the 2017-18 school year.
Any charter school subject to the provisions of this
subsection which may have its academic admissions
requirements revoked by the School Board subsequent to its
implementation shall be permitted to retain its prior
neighborhood attendance zone upon such revocation.

(3)

At-Risk Students: Charter schools with academic admissions
requirements shall comply with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§17:3991, which requires that the percentage of at-risk pupils in the
charter school shall be equal to not less than the percentage of atrisk pupils enrolled in the school in the year prior to the charter
school’s conversion, unless otherwise negotiated with the Orleans
Parish School Board as a provision of the school’s Operating
Agreement. The required percentage of at-risk pupils shall be
calculated in accordance with state law and BESE policy, including
the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3991.1 with respect to the
dependent children of permanent employees of a corporate partner.
The performance of each charter school with respect to the
provisions of this subsection shall be reviewed annually, and

Orleans Parish School Board

11 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
documentation of efforts shall be provided to the School Board
upon request, per the terms of the charter school’s Operating
Agreement. Schools shall maintain compliance with federal and
state law and regulations with respect to students with an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and the provisions of the
school’s Operating Agreement pursuant to services for such
students.
(4)

C.

Accountability: Any charter school with academic admissions
requirements failing to meet any requirements set forth under this
Section for two (2) consecutive years may be subject to
Intervention, as set forth in the charter school’s Operating
Agreement and in accordance with the provisions of policy HC,
Charter School Monitoring, Intervention, and Closure.
(a)

No adverse action under any portion of this Section,
including Intervention, shall be applied to any charter school
unless the charter school is first determined either to be in
material noncompliance with the terms of its Operating
Agreement, or fails to earn a rating of “Meets Standard”
pursuant to the Orleans Parish School Board Charter School
Performance Framework, as set forth in policy HB, Charter
School Evaluation, and as modified within this Section.

(b)

The provisions of this Section may be temporarily
suspended, either in full or in part, by the Superintendent
and referred to the Orleans Parish School Board for
reconsideration, if it is determined that substantial changes
have been made to either the state accountability system, as
set forth in BESE Bulletin 111, Louisiana School, District,
and State Accountability System, or to the policies of the
common enrollment system adopted by the School Board,
with respect to such charter schools.

Charter schools subject to this provision and in good standing shall be
granted the following accommodations in recognition of their unique role
and mission:
(1)

Admissions and Enrollment: Notwithstanding any provisions of
Orleans Parish School Board policy or procedures of the common
enrollment system to the contrary, charter schools with academic
admissions requirements shall be permitted to retain and
administer waitlists in collaboration with the common enrollment
system, and shall be exempted from any mid-year enrollment or
backfilling requirements that may otherwise be applicable. The
conducting of any required lottery processes and the creation of

Orleans Parish School Board

12 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
any waitlists generated pursuant to such lotteries, shall be the
responsibility of the common enrollment system, and shall be
implemented in a transparent and publically accountable manner in
accordance with district policies and school procedures established
for this purpose.
The administration of any processes required to determine eligibility
for admission to such charter schools, including verification of
domicile and any testing or assessments permitted by such charter
schools’ Operating Agreements, shall be administered by the
school in accordance with district policies and school procedures
established for this purpose in its Operating Agreement. All costs
for any additional processes pursuant to this subsection that extend
beyond the standard procedures of the common enrollment system
shall be borne solely by the school.
(2)

11.

Transportation:
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9,
Transportation, of this policy, charter schools with academic
admissions requirements shall be required to provide free and
adequate transportation to any requesting student enrolled in the
charter school if the student resides more than one mile from such
charter school. The transportation so provided may include
payment and/or reimbursement of the cost of access to public
transportation.
Each charter school shall provide whatever
transportation is necessary to implement any individualized
education program for a student with exceptionality, without regard
to how far the child resides from the charter school.

Alternative Education Schools
The School Board wishes to incentivize charter schools to provide educational
environments suitable for all Orleans Parish students, including students with
significant behavioral or disciplinary issues, and other students who may best be
served outside of the traditional school context. Moreover, the School Board
recognizes that charter schools whose mission primarily focuses on the
provision of services to students in alternative educational settings face unique
evaluative circumstance. Accordingly, the School Board shall provide for the
following policy accommodations for alternative school operators:
A.

Charter schools shall be eligible for this consideration based on the
following conditions:
(1)

Identification in the charter school’s Operating Agreement as an
alternative education school; and,

Orleans Parish School Board

13 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
(2)

12.

Approval by BESE of the charter school’s designation as an
alternative education school, pursuant to BESE Bulletin 111,
Louisiana School, District and State Accountability System, §3501
et seq.

B.

Charter schools eligible for this consideration shall be exempted from
ratings on the Orleans Parish School Board Academic Performance
Framework, and shall instead be evaluated based on the measures and
standards established in the BESE Performance Framework for
Alternative Schools. Such charter schools shall remain subject to the
Orleans Parish School Board Financial and Organizational Frameworks.

C.

Charter schools eligible for this consideration shall be exempted from the
provisions of this policy pertaining to reconsideration review for charter
schools identified as Academically Unacceptable (letter grade of F).
Reconsideration review criteria for such charter schools shall be governed
by the terms of the charter school’s Operating Agreement with the School
Board.

D.

Charter schools eligible for this consideration shall be exempted from the
provisions of policy HC, Charter School Monitoring, Intervention, and
Closure, pertaining to Intervention for Sustained Academic Decline.
Intervention for such charter schools shall be determined by the standards
set forth in the BESE Performance Framework for Alternative Schools,
and shall be governed by the terms of the charter school’s Operating
Agreement with the School Board.

School Transformation, Whole-School Takeover/Turnaround, and Significantly
Reconfigured Schools
The School Board wishes to incentivize high-quality charter school operators to
serve additional students, and recognizes the unique evaluative challenges
presented by these circumstances. Additionally, the School Board recognizes
that schools subject to significant changes in student population due to wholeschool takeover or reconfiguration may require additional accommodations.
Accordingly, the School Board shall provide for the following accommodations for
turnaround/transformation charter school operators:
A.

Definitions:
Charter schools shall be eligible for such accommodations based on the
following conditions:
(1)

Opening as a turnaround charter school, as established in BESE
Bulletin 111, Louisiana School, District and State Accountability
System, §1105;

Orleans Parish School Board

14 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD

(2)

Conducting a full takeover (either merger or addition) of a program
under an existing site code, that would otherwise meet the
definition of turnaround charter school as established in BESE
Bulletin 111, Louisiana School, District and State Accountability
System, §1105;

(3)

Opening as a reconfigured charter school, as defined in BESE
Bulletin 111, Louisiana School, District and State Accountability
System, §3303; or,
Opening in the initial growth phase for a newly-authorized charter
school, as outlined in the charter school’s approved application
materials or Operating Agreement.

(4)

13.

B.

Transitional evaluations for such charter schools shall be conducted in
accordance with the provisions of any School Board-approved
amendment to the school’s Operating Agreement; at a minimum, such
charter schools shall be eligible to opt-out from ratings on the Orleans
Parish School Board Academic Performance Framework for a period of
two (2) years. Data for such schools shall be included in the School
Board’s Annual Report, without rating.

C.

Notwithstanding the standards set forth in the Orleans Parish School
Board Academic Performance Framework, charter schools eligible for this
consideration under the definitions set forth above, and earning a letter
grade of either C or T under the state accountability system, shall be
deemed to have met the standard for Measure 1 (State Accountability).
The considerations of this provision shall be extended for a period not to
exceed five (5) years or the duration of the charter school’s current charter
agreement, whichever is shorter.

D.

Charter schools eligible for this consideration are exempted from the
reconsideration review provisions of Section 1, Academic Excellence, of
this policy, and from the provisions of policy HC, Charter School
Monitoring, Intervention, and Closure, pertaining to Intervention for
Sustained Academic Decline, for a period not to exceed three (3) years of
the duration of the charter school’s current charter agreement, whichever
is shorter. Intervention for such charter schools shall be governed by the
terms of any School Board-adopted amendment to the charter school’s
Operating Agreement.

Emergency Powers
Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1(F)(3), the Superintendent shall have
the authority to require one or more charter schools under OPSB’s jurisdiction to
temporarily close, hold or dismiss students, or evacuate the school facilities in

Orleans Parish School Board

15 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD
the event that a credible threat of terror, or an official state of emergency is
declared for the area in which any school under OPSB’s jurisdiction is located.
14.

Test Monitoring
The Orleans Parish School Board holds proper test security and administration to
be of the utmost importance and deems any violation of test security to be
serious. All charter schools shall adhere to state test security policies as detailed
in BESE Bulletin 118, the Test Administration Manuals for each test, and
administrative procedures approved by the Superintendent.
A.
Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:10.7.1(G)(3), beginning July 1, 2017,
each charter school under the local school board’s jurisdiction shall, at its
own expense, annually provide for one day of independent test monitoring
from a third-party entity approved by the Superintendent, during a state
assessment testing window determined by OPSB, for one or more tests
that contribute to a school’s Assessment Index calculated by the Louisiana
Department of Education.
B.

Revised:
Revised:
Revised:
Revised:

The Superintendent may, without advance notice and at OPSB’s expense,
assign test monitors to a charter school for any assessment required by
federal law, state law or BESE regulation, or School Board policies and
procedures. Such test monitors must be granted access to the facility,
classrooms, and testing materials in accordance with written procedures
developed by OPSB that comply with state test security and student
privacy law and regulations.
June 14, 2016
November 15, 2016
May 18, 2017
June 15, 2017

Orleans Parish School Board

16 of 17

 FILE: HA
Cf: HAA, HAB, HD

Ref:

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§15:587.1, 17:10.7.1, 17:3971, 17:3972, 17:3973, 17:3974,
17:3983, 17:3983.1, 17:3991, 17:3991.1, 17:3992, 17:3996, 42:1114, 42:1115;
BESE Bulletin 111, Louisiana School, District, and State Accountability System;
Bulletin 118, Statewide Assessment Standards and Practices; Bulletin 119,
Louisiana School Transportation Specifications and Procedures; Bulletin 126,
Charter Schools; Bulletin 1929, Louisiana Accounting and Uniform Governmental
Handbook (LAUGH); Board minutes, 6-14-16, 11-15-16, 5-18-17, 6-15-17.

Orleans Parish School Board

17 of 17