1. Fulton Charter System
Overview

2. Conversion to Fulton Charter System
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
• 1,000+ teachers, administrators, & parents
attended 7 Community Forums.
• 80+ students participated in Focus Groups.
• Convened Principal, Teacher, Parent, Community,
& Student Superintendent’s Councils
• System-wide LSAC & Cluster meetings
Fall 2010
Winter 2010 Spring 2011
RESEARCH & PLANNING:
• District staff analyzed feedback
from Fall engagement phase
• Report submitted to Board
Fulton was approved
as the state’s largest
Charter System on
July 1, 2012
Fall 2011
Spring –
Summer 2012
BOARD ACTION: voted to
Board
• Board voted to pursuesubmit
pursue and & submit
Charter System Application to
Charter System
GaDOE
Application
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3. Why Implement a Charter System?
• Breakthrough results require innovative strategies
• At MBES we expect the charter system to improve
our:
–
–
–
–
Students exceeding expectations on the CRCT
Performance on national achievement measures
Opportunities for students to engage in STEM Education
Opportunities for increased technology use among all
students
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4. Fulton Charter System Basics
What it IS…
What it IS NOT…
•
One unified system where Superintendent
is accountable for student achievement
•
A collection of individual charter schools
with dissimilar accountabilities
•
Existing attendance boundaries policy
•
New attendance lotteries or special
enrollment requirements
•
A systemwide, consistent curriculum with
potential flexibility based on community
interest
•
A set of “theme” oriented schools with
very different curricula or standards
•
Existing funding formula per school with
potential flexibilities within each school
•
Different funding formulas for individual
schools
•
All employees hired and managed by the
system with a system salary schedule.
•
Employees hired by the charter school
with salaries set by the school.
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5. Charter System Governance Framework
School Governance
Councils
Roles and Responsibilities
System Resources and
Support
Roles and Responsibilities
Long-term Strategy
• School & Community Stakeholders Local School Flexibility
School Community Engagement
• Central Administration
System Governance
Team
• Fulton County Board of Education
• Superintendent of Schools
System-wide Planning
Data Systems
Instructional Support
Equitable Resources and Infrastructure
Federal Program Management
Roles and Responsibilities
System Policy
Required District Best Practices
Curriculum
Hiring
Ultimate Accountability for Results
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6. School Governance
Councils

7. SGC Responsibilities
 Approve the school strategic plan
 Approve the annual budget recommendations
 Request flexibility from District for innovation
 Participate in hiring of the Principal, when vacant
 Provide annual feedback on Principal performance
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8. Members of the SGC
1 – Principal (non-voting)
3 – Parents/Guardians (elected)
2 – Teachers (elected)
2 – School Employees (appointed)
2 – Community Members (nominated)
+ 2 – Students (HS only; non-voting)
10 Member Council (ES, MS)
12 Member Council (HS)
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9. SGC Member Commitments
• Attend the SGC meetings (at least 75% - resignation may be
requested for lack of attendance)
• Serve on a SGC committee (attend 75% of committee
meetings)
• Interact with school community
• Participate in mandatory trainings and SGC assessment
processes

10. SGC Elections Management
• Central administration will coordinate and administer
SGC elections
 Guidelines for Candidacy and Voting Aug./Sept.
 Community Information Sessions
Sept./Oct.
 Candidate Declaration
Sept./Oct.
• Elections for all Cohort 2 schools will occur at the
same time
1 week in mid-to-late November

11. SGC Elections - Voting
All votes will be cast electronically through an
online election system within the FCS portal and
tallied by an external vendor. Elections results
are submitted to principals within 10 days of
the close of the voting window.
• All votes are anonymous
• Parent/Guardian voters use Home Access Codes
to vote
• 1 vote per parent for each school for which
they have a child
• School employees use employee login to vote

12. SGC Cohort 2 Start-Up Timeline
July-September
2013
October-December
2013
January-February
2014
March - June
2014
Planning Year
Cohort 2 principal
orientation
Cohort 2
Community
Information
Sessions
School Governance
Council elections
for parents and
teachers
School Governance
Council school
employee and
community
member
appointments
Training
of School
Governance
Council members
2014-2015
School Year
Year 1
Certified School
Governance
Councils in place
Approve school
Strategic Plan
Initiate strategic
planning process
Approve school
budget
recommendations
Submit requests
for “universal”
flexibility options
Submit requests
for “earned”
flexibility options
Feedback on
principal
performance
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13. Immediate Next Steps
• Candidate guidelines and information sessions for
potential SGC members available in September
• Candidates indicate interest in September/October
• Election dates set for mid-late November
– Get Home Access Codes now!!
• Training for principals in innovative practices
throughout the school year
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14. More Information
Questions
For more information visit the
Charter System
Implementation page on the
FCS website at:
www.fultonschools.org/Charter
System.
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