School Development

Overview

YM&C is proud to offer the state’s most experienced attorneys in the area of charter development. Our clients are new petitioners, renewing schools, and growth-minded CMOs. We work with our clients at all stages of the development and renewal process, including charter drafting, charter review, evaluation of relevant authorizer board policies, attendance at authorizer public hearings and decision meetings, and appeals if necessary. We provide targeted, individualized, and timely advice based upon our substantial statewide perspective, blended with our tailored local knowledge; our expertise in charter development is unparalleled.

Services

Our school development team works within your timelines to provide services in the following areas:

• Charter drafting
• Charter review – legal and substantive
• Evaluation of authorizer charter school board policies and administrative regulations for unique requirements
• Strategizing a charter submission game plan
• Evaluation of growth opportunities for existing charter schools seeking replication
• Quarterbacking at authorizer board meetings
• Tailored, in-person advocacy during public hearings and school board decision meetings
• Responding to findings for denial
• Assembling appeal packages to a county office of education or the State Board of Education
• Tailored advice and advocacy during appeal public hearings and decision meetings
• First hand knowledge of school district, county, and SBE Board members, charter division staff, and unique expectations
• Interpreting and advising on conditional approvals or renewals
• Negotiating Memoranda of Understanding
• Assistance with grant proposals
• Addressing Facilities Grant requirements in the charter petition
• Advising on signature requirements for charter petitions
• Advising on legal requirements for the academic threshold requirements for charter renewal
• Advising on compliance with public transparency laws