How to Star t a Sc hool Char te r An Ove rvie w o f L e g a l Re q uire me nts fo r the Applic a tio n Pro c e ss May 3, 2018 L a tsha Da vis & Mc K e nna Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
2 Ab o ut Our F irm Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
3 L atsha Davis & Mc Ke nna, P.C. We pro vide a b ro a d spe c trum o f le g a l se rvic e s to sc ho o ls, b usine sse s a nd individua ls thro ug ho ut Pe nnsylva nia , Ne w Je rse y, Ma ryla nd a nd Ohio . Our pra c tic a l b usine ss-o rie nte d a ppro a c h a nd re puta tio n fo r de live ring the hig he st q ua lity le g a l se rvic e s ha s g a rne re d us b o th re g io na l a nd na tio na l re c o g nitio n. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
4 Our Cha rte r Sc hool Clie nts L a rg e st c ha rte r sc ho o l pra c tic e in the Co mmo nwe a lth, re pre se nting a ppro xima te ly 50 c ha rte r sc ho o ls. Of tho se 50 c ha rte r sc ho o ls, we he lpe d a ppro xima te ly ha lf o f the m to o b ta in the ir initia l c ha rte r. Our c ha rte r sc ho o l c lie nts va ry fro m sc ho o ls in the b e g inning sta g e s o f o rg a niza tio n, prio r to o b ta ining a c ha rte r, to sc ho o ls se e king re ne wa ls o f the ir initia l c ha rte rs. We re so lve le g a l c o mple xitie s so tha t o ur c lie nts c a n fo c us o n wha t ma tte rs mo st: suppo rting the ir stude nts’ pursuit o f e duc a tio na l g ro wth. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
5 Our F ir m Wor ks with Suc c e ssful Char te r Sc hools Ac r oss the Commonwe alth T idio ute Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
6 Vision E duc a tio na l le a de rs e sta b lish c ha rte r sc ho o ls b e c a use the y ha ve a visio n. T he y se e tha t the re is a b e tte r wa y to te a c h, a nd the y de dic a te the ir c a re e rs to ma king the ir ide a s b e c o me a re a lity. At L a tsha Da vis & Mc K e nna , P.C., we suppo rt the ir visio ns. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
7 E duc a tiona l Issue s We Ha ndle Da ily Cha rte r sc ho o l fina nc ing E mplo yme nt o f te a c he rs a nd o the r pro fe ssio na ls Co mme rc ia l re a l e sta te ma tte rs/ pro pe rty purc ha se s E q uipme nt a nd c o mme rc ia l le a se s F a c ilitie s a nd ma inte na nc e Co mplia nc e with spe c ia l F undra ising e duc a tio n Pro fe ssio na l sta ff po lic ie s re q uire me nts/ pro g ra m a nd po lic y e nfo rc e me nt imple me nta tio n Stude nt disc ipline Dra fting a nd re vie w o f T ra nspo rta tio n ve ndo r c o ntra c ts Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
8 Wha t is a Cha rte r Sc hool? Cha rte r sc ho o ls a re pub lic sc ho o ls tha t o pe ra te with fre e do m fro m ma ny o f the lo c a l a nd sta te re g ula tio ns tha t a pply to tra ditio na l pub lic sc ho o ls. Allo w pa re nts, c o mmunity le a de rs, e duc a tio na l e ntre pre ne urs, a nd o the rs the fle xib ility to inno va te a nd pro vide stude nts with inc re a se d e duc a tio na l o ptio ns within the pub lic sc ho o l syste m. Spo nso re d b y lo c a l, sta te , o r o the r o rg a niza tio ns tha t mo nito r the ir q ua lity while ho lding the m a c c o unta b le fo r a c a de mic re sults a nd re spo nsib le fisc a l pra c tic e s. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
9 Wha t is a Re g iona l Cha rte r? "Re g io na l c ha rte r sc ho o l" me a ns a n inde pe nde nt pub lic sc ho o l e sta b lishe d a nd o pe ra te d unde r a c ha rte r fro m mo re tha n o ne lo c a l b o a rd o f sc ho o l dire c to rs a nd in whic h stude nts a tte nd. Co nve rsio n o f a n e xisting pub lic sc ho o l to a re g io na l c ha rte r sc ho o l is a c c o mplishe d in a c c o rda nc e with Se c tio ns 17-1701-A-17-1751-A o f the PA Sc ho o l Co de (Cha rte r Sc ho o l L a w). Appro va l o f a n a pplic a tio n fo r a c ha rte r re q uire s a ma jo rity vo te o f a ll dire c to rs o f e a c h o f the sc ho o l distric ts invo lve d. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
10 Ac t 22 – Pe nnsylva nia ’s Cha rte r Sc hool L a w At le a st 75% pro fe ssio na l sta ff must b e c e rtifie d; 100% SPE D Sta te a nd fe de ra l c rimina l histo ry a nd c hild a b use c le a ra nc e s F unding – no tuitio n, funding b y distric t o f re side nc e o f stude nts in 12 e q ua l mo nthly pa yme nts b y the 5 th o f e a c h mo nth within o pe ra ting sc ho o l ye a r. T ra nspo rta tio n pro vide d b y distric t o f re side nc e . Annua l Re po rting (Aug ust 1 – lo c a l b o a rd & sta te ) Pre va iling Wa g e Ac t & Pub lic Bidding 10 Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
11 T he Role of the Char te r Sc hool Boar d The board shall have the Pursuant to Act 22, the Board of Trustees of a charter school authority to employ, discharge shall have the authority to and contract with necessary decide matters related to the professionals and operation of the school, nonprofessional employees including, but not limited to subject to the school’s charter budgeting, curriculum and and the provisions of the Charter operating procedures, subject to School Law. the school’s charter. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
12 Public Offic ial and E mploye e E thic s Ac t T he E thic s Ac t a pplie s to “pub lic o ffic ia ls” a nd “pub lic e mplo ye e s.” T ruste e s a re de fine d a s “pub lic o ffic ia ls” unde r the Cha rte r Sc ho o l L a w. Pub lic e mplo ye e s a re de fine d b y the E thic s Ac t in pa rt a s a ny individua l e mplo ye d b y a po litic a l sub divisio n who is re spo nsib le fo r ta king o r re c o mme nding o ffic ia l a c tio n o f a no nministe ria l na ture with re g a rd to : (1) c o ntra c ting o r pro c ure me nt; (2) a dministe ring o r mo nito ring g ra nts o r sub sidie s; (3) a ny o the r a c tivity whe re the o ffic ia l a c tio n ha s a n e c o no mic impa c t o f g re a te r tha n a de minimis na ture o n the inte re sts o f a ny pe rso n. T he te rm spe c ific a lly e xc lude s te a c he rs. 12 Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
13 Char te r Sc hools: L e gislative Inte nt Applic a tio n Crite ria : T he de mo nstra te d, susta ina b le suppo rt fo r the c ha rte r sc ho o l pla n b y te a c he rs, pa re nts, o the r c o mmunity me mb e rs a nd stude nts, inc luding c o mme nts re c e ive d a t the pub lic he a ring he ld unde r sub se c tio n (d). T he c a pa b ility o f the c ha rte r sc ho o l a pplic a nt, in te rms o f suppo rt a nd pla nning , to pro vide c o mpre he nsive le a rning e xpe rie nc e s to stude nts pursua nt to the a do pte d c ha rte r. T he e xte nt to whic h the a pplic a tio n c o nside rs the info rma tio n re q ue ste d in se c tio n 1719-A a nd c o nfo rms to the le g isla tive inte nt o utline d in se c tio n 1702-A. T he e xte nt to whic h the c ha rte r sc ho o l ma y se rve a s a mo de l fo r o the r pub lic sc ho o ls. Latsha Davis & McKenna P.C. –Kevin McKenna, Esq.– kmckenna@ldylaw.com The statements and representations made in this presentation do not constitute legal advice. ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE
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