Administrative Services To Charter Schools-Final 2010-2011
Administrative Services To Charter Schools-Final 2010-2011
Administrative Services To Charter Schools-Final 2010-2011
The 2010 Legislative Session passed new charter school language that affected the
administrative fee allocated to local school districts that sponsor charter schools in the State of
Florida. This legislative change results in a decrease of funding to the school district in the
amount of almost $1.4 million based on the 2009-2010 enrollment numbers by dramatically
decreasing the threshold for calculating the administrative fee.
Each charter school will now only pay 5% on the first 250 students in the charter school. For
example, in a school with 809 students, the school would only pay an administrative fee for the
first 250 students. When averaged out over all 809 students, the resulting drop in administrative
fee would average out to $106.00 per student or a 1.5% administrative fee paid to the district.
For a charter school system, such as Lake Wales’ charter schools, that meet the specific
requirements for a charter school system in the law, the system would only pay 5% on the first
500 students in the entire system of charter schools. This decrease at the Lake Wales Charter
Schools drops the per pupil administrative fee from $343.85 per student to $41.19 or a 00.6%
administrative fee. Unfortunately, this cut in funding does not include any commensurate cuts to
the required services the school board must provide to charter schools.
This legislative change comes in a year where the district is already experiencing deep budget
cuts and is in addition to the impact of increased enrollment at existing charter schools, which
further creates a decrease in revenue to the district with no decrease in expenditures. A number
of changes have occurred as a result of the charter administrative budget cuts decrease. The
district has already cut a charter school specialist position in the Office of Magnet, Choice and
Charter Schools, other departments have not filled open positions, the district has instituted a
hiring freeze, and additional loss of positions is anticipated.
On June 22, 2010 at the School Board work session meeting, the Senior Director of Magnet,
Choice and Charter Schools with the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services presented
the attached document to school board members for their review and discussion. During the
preceding weeks, upon learning of this legislative change to the administrative fee, school
district staff have met to discuss options to address the loss of funds to the district while
providing the required services under the administrative fee and other state and federal
mandates. Meetings were held at the state level, superintendent’s cabinet, and with department
leaders.
These difficult decisions were made with the understanding that services had to be managed for
all schools including charter and district public schools. Making these decisions even more
difficult is the acknowledgement that this legislation is not equitable in the least to charter
schools. Those schools with populations of less than 250 students are still required to pay a 5%
administrative fee while other schools are paying less than a 1% administrative fee. On June 21,
2010, the superintendent and department leaders decided the only manageable solution for the
district to balance the loss in administrative fee revenue with the provision of required services
is to provide to charter schools only those administrative services required in Florida Statutes
1002.33 (20) and any other pertinent federal and state mandates.
(a) A sponsor shall provide certain administrative and educational services to charter
schools. These services shall include contract management services, full-time
equivalent and data reporting services, exceptional student education administration
services; services related to eligibility and reporting duties required to ensure that school
lunch services under the federal lunch program, consistent with the needs of the charter
school; test administration services, including payment of the costs of state-required and
district-required student assessments; processing of teacher certificate data services;
and information services, including access to student information systems that are used
by public schools in the district in which the charter school is located. Student
performance data for each student in a charter school, including, but not limited to FCAT
scores, standardized test scores, previous public school student report cards, and
student performance measured, shall be provided to a charter school in the same
manner provided to other public schools in the district. A total administrative fee for the
provision of such services shall be calculated based upon 5 percent of the available
funds defined in paragraph (17) (b) for all students. However, a sponsor may only
withhold a 5-percent administrative fee for enrollment for up to and including 250
students. For charter schools with a population of 250 or more students, the difference
between the total administrative fee calculation and the amount of the administrative fee
withheld may only be used for capital outlay purposes specified in s. 1013.62 (2).
(b) If goods and services are made available to the charter school through the contract with
the school district, they shall be provided to the charter school at a rate no greater than
the district’s actual cost. To maximize the use of state funds, school districts shall allow
charter schools to participate in the sponsor’s bulk purchasing program if applicable.
(c) Transportation of charter school students shall be provided by the charter school
consistent with the requirements of subpart I.e. of chapter 1006. The governing body of
the charter school may provide transportation through an agreement or contract with the
district school board, a private provider, or parents. The charter school and the sponsor
shall cooperate in making arrangements that ensure that transportation is not a barrier to
equal access for all students residing within a reasonable distance of the charter school
as determined in its charter.
(d) In addition, a sponsor may withhold only up to a 5-percent administrative fee for
enrollment for up to and including 250 students within a system of charter schools which
meets all of the following:
The difference between the total administrative fee calculation and the amount of the
administrative fee withheld pursuant to subparagraph 3, Florida State Statutes, may be
used for instructional and administrative purposes as well as for capital outlay purposes
specified in s. 1013.62 (2).
This means that the statute allows the sponsor (i.e., the District) to retain up to 5% of
revenues to charter schools, except where noted, in order to pay for administrative costs
of facilitating the charter school’s operations.
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Existing Contracted Services that may be continued at the sole discretion of the
Sponsor under separate contract:
The school district will contract with each charter school to make edit corrections to the
school’s FTE files if the charter school has submitted required information incorrectly.
Each survey will be billed at the actual average staff cost if corrections are needed.
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Climate survey
Longitudinal and comparative data
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Generate reports
Progress monitoring
AP testing
Delivery and pickup of assessments
Data reporting and analyzed results
SAT 10
Tech support for on-line assessments
Benchmark assessments (progress monitoring)
Access to districts IDEAS
Non-title one SIP training
3rd grade achievement level 1 SAT 10 summer/May assessment
Portfolio C (High level 1)
District end of course
Non-mandatory training
Definition: Those services related to eligibility and reporting duties required to ensure
that school lunch services under the federal lunch program, consistent with the needs of
the charter school, are provided by the school district at the request of the charter
school, that any funds due to the charter under the federal lunch program be paid to the
charter school as soon as the charter school begins serving food under the federal
lunch program as other public school services by the sponsor.
Existing Contracted Services that may be continued at the sole discretion of the
Sponsor under separate contract:
The District will continue to contract the provision of food services to those charter
schools that are currently under contract with the Food Service Program. Each charter
school must cover all the costs of the food service program. Schools that are currently
provided food service will continue to be eligible to participate in the PCSB program
unless otherwise notified on or before October 15, 2010.
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
(only for those schools who do not have a food services contract with the district)
Parent notifications
Account meal support
Access to bulk purchasing deliveries
Assistance in the design and development of cafeteria and kitchens for new charters.
Training for cafeteria personnel and managers.
Provide lunches from district schools as delivery for charter schools.
Provide surplus equipment from warehouse
Employment of food service employees at charters (for actual cost)
Provide technical assistance to charter schools as they develop lunch programs.
Commodity distribution and processing services
Nutritional analysis and allergen information for meals
Provide uniforms to Food Service Employees
Process employment applications
Conduct orientation for new substitutes
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Existing Contracted Services that may be continued at the sole discretion of the
Sponsor under separate contract:
For those schools currently receiving WAN services for a cost, the Sponsor may
continue this contracted service at the rate of $7,000.00 per school for connection and
tech support. Payment must be received within 30 days, including monthly services.
For those schools currently receiving VPN services, the Sponsor may continue this
contract and provide the School five (5) VPN lines.
For those schools who wish to contract services to use the Sponsor’s Pinnacle access
that interfaces student information with the Sponsor’s student information system,
Genesis, services may be provided at the following contracted fee schedule. Enrollment
will be calculated during FTE periods. In order to access this service, payment must be
made within 30 days of invoice.
o Schools with 251 or more students enrolled - $1,750.00 per school per year
o Schools with 250 or fewer students enrolled - $1,000.00 per school per year
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
To assure that transportation is not a barrier to student enrollment; the district will
continue to provide transportation for those students the district is currently transporting
on behalf of charter schools until January 1, 2011.
To assure that transportation is not a barrier to student enrollment; the district will
continue to provide bus inspections, maintenance, fuel, and training until August 1, 2010.
Provide planning and consultation for selection of transportation options and route
development for yellow bus service option
Provide training of FEFP data collection, and services for reporting and processing data
for state funding
Make site visits to conduct annual bus audits to insure drivers have required
documentation on the bus along with all checklist items, and to observe loading and
unloading procedures
Monitor for state mandated requirements in preparation for periodic DOE visits. Items
include: school bus evacuation drills, school bus loading zones, school bus operator
licensure and qualifications, school bus inspection records, special needs compliance,
and required policies and procedures such as reduced idling, operator cell phone use,
safe driver plan, and safe rider instruction
Provide monitoring of fleet vehicles to insure compliance with state and district
requirements
Provide oversight in the selection of bus stops in compliance with state mandated sexual
predator legislation
Organize periodic meetings with all Charter school representatives to share information,
provide guidance, and discuss common issues
Florida Statutes 1012.465 and 1012.32 requires school districts to fingerprint and
background check charter school personnel. Statute allows the School District to charge
for the provision of this service. The cost for this service will be $88.52 per fingerprint
and background check. This does not include the annual retention fee of $6.00 per year
after the first year and the $24.00 fifth year fee for resubmittal (retention and resubmittal
fees subject to change).
15 Polk County School Board Current as of
7/19/10
Existing Contracted Services that may be continued at the sole discretion of the
Sponsor under separate contract:
Schools may contract with the school district for drug and alcohol testing at the rate of
$36.00 per test.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Architectural
services, including Construction documents, Plans review, F.I.S.H., D.O.E./database
maintenance, and Consultative Services.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Construction
Services/In-House Construction, including Building permits, In-House construction
services, Consultative services, and costs associated with stop work issuance.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Environmental
Services
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Maintenance
Services, including school maintenance and repairs and Service manager’s consulting.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Bi-annual Safe
Schools/Fire Inspections.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Irrigation, trees, and
grounds services.
Conversion Charter Schools may contract with the school district for Facilities lists
required by schools.
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Monitoring Federal and State Grants where the District is the LEA (Title I, Title II, IDEA)
Calculation of federal and state grants are prorated for charters either dollars or goods
and services (i.e. Title I, IDEA, Title II)
ESOL Compliance monitoring
ESOL training
Public records requests for those records housed at the district
Financial emergency plan/corrective action monitoring
Allow charter schools to order from the warehouse
Budget advertising
Monitor compliance of conversion charter capital outlay expenditures to ensure School
contributes 100% of the 5% admin fee cut to capital outlay projects
Provide information sessions for the Florida Educational Finance Program (FEFP)
Audit FTE records
Provide training to collect FEFP information
Process charter school FEFP information
Coordinate and disburse Florida A+ School Recognition monies
Coordinate and disburse Florida Teacher Lead monies.
Coordinate and disburse K-12 Reading monies
Review and approve capital outlay plans
Provide the school with information for Voluntary Student Accident Policy applications
Monitor student application and enrollment processes to assure that Exceptional
Education Students have equal access to charter schools
Provide Child Find services
Provide access to PD 360 comprehensive training software
Access to professional development through Title IIA dollars in the same manner as
provided to all public schools
Submit facilities reports to the Department of Education
Submit FISH Calculations to the Department of Education
Perform safety inspections from the Polk County School Board staff in the Facilities
department for Conversion Charter Schools only, to include health and fire inspections
and maintenance services utilizing PECO dollars
There are certain student recognition activities or competitions that are funded from
sources other than local education dollars; therefore, charter school students may
participate in the following activities at no charge. It will be the responsibility of the
charter school to provide transportation and supervision for the students who are
participating in these activities. Activities without a charge include: History Fair, JROTC,
Science Fair, Math Counts, About Face, Superintendent’s Scholar Awards, Hall of Fame
and Volunteer Awards.
Existing Contracted Services that may be continued at the sole discretion of the
Sponsor under separate contract:
Schools may contract with the School District for CPI training. At a minimum, this
contracted service cost will be based on the trainers’ hourly rate of pay for training time
and prep time, mileage at the district’s reimbursement rate, and the cost of
books/materials.
The following activities may include charter school student participation for the actual
cost of participation (this does not include transportation, food or supervision).
o Art Exhibits at the museum at the rate of $32.00 per participating student
o All County Band at the rate of $ 25.78 per participating student
o All County Chorus at the rate of $20.38 per participating student
o All County Orchestra at the rate of $29.78 per participating student
o Elementary Music Showcase at the rate of $28.73 per participating student
o Guitar All-County at the rate of $39.48 per participating student
o Jazz Band All-County at the rate of $67.77 per participating student
Services PCSB will no longer provide (including, but not limited to):
Provision of portables (other than the portables on school campus at the point of
conversion)
Training for volunteer services
Delivery from the warehouse to School
Print Shop Services
Grant submittal assistance
Textbook and B stock warehouse delivery services
Crisis Intervention Training and services
Training and curricular materials on topics such as substance abuse and violence
prevention, character education, child abuse reporting, bullying prevention, clinical
educator/ induction for new student services personnel
Individual and small group counseling
Consultation (e.g. behavioral, academic, 504, student attendance)
Attendance/truancy consultation, training, and services
Student Services internship/practicum placements
Bright Future, ePEP, Choices monitoring and advisement