Charter School Board Training

The New York City Charter School Center partnered with the SUNY Charter School Institute, the NYSED Charter School Office and the NYC DOE Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships to host a three-part series of events for charter school board members.

Charter School Legal Issues: “Friends Of” Organizations

A “Friends of XYZ Charter School” organization is a separate, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that is created to raise funds, awareness and otherwise support a charter school or the charter school movement.  This white paper from the Lawyers Alliance for New York is a guide for any charter school who is thinking of establishing one.

Governance: Bylaws and Conflict of Interest Policies for Charter Schools

All charter schools must have a set of bylaws and conflict of interest policies that comply with New York law. When was the last time your school reviewed these documents? Do they comply with the New York Nonprofit Revitalization Act, General Municipal Law, and Opening Meetings Law? Corey Callahan, the Charter Center’s Director of Legal […]

FAQs: Open Meetings Law

Did you know that New York City charter schools are subject to the requirements of New York State’s Open Meetings Law (OML)? The OML is based on a presumption of access that provides the public with the right to know in advance about meetings of public bodies and then to observe the meetings and deliberations. […]

Board Assessment Tool

This assessment matrix aids in the assessment of a Charter School Board’s effectiveness.  Leadership Roles, Board Composition, Meetings and Committees are graded in three levels: Strong, Satisfactory and Weak.

Board Positions

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of board members is an important step in effective governance. These resources will help clarify what the board chair and other board members’ roles are, and the characteristics to look for in candidates for particular positions. The Board Chairperson is one of the most important roles in any charter school. Top […]

Charter Renewal

Updated description: Charter schools in New York trade greater autonomy over how to operate schools in exchange for greater accountability for academic outcomes. Each charter school has a charter or contract that is signed by its board of trustees and the authorizer of the school. As part of the contract, the Accountability Plan for each […]

Facilities: For Charters Co-Located in DOE Buildings

The Co-Location Handbook” explores the practice of shared space in NYC Public Schools, aligned with the Education Department’s mission. Educators collaborate with stakeholders to improve academics and readiness. Since 2015, NYC DOE has promoted positive co-location relationships. The book outlines strategies like effective communication, collaboration, equity, and accountability. It guides Building Council Leaders in enhancing […]