Charter school policy, 2011-2012

              Charter School Policy Page 1
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Office of Student Support
Title I, IIA, VI and X
Kerri White, Assistant State Superintendent
Ramona Coats, Executive Director
Special Education Services
Anita Eccard, Associate State Director
Pam Kimery, Finance Project Coordinator
Child Nutrition Programs
Joanie Hildenbrand, Executive Director
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Charter School Policy
FY2011-2012
The United States Department of Education‟s No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, created stringent accountability requirements through the Title I program when addressing Charter Schools. The manner in which each state implements those requirements is unique to Charter Schools, and varies according to each state‟s Charter School Law.
In particular, the accountability factors imposed upon Charter Schools through NCLB’s Title I program were historically challenging, not only for the Charter Schools, but for those entities responsible for ensuring that Charter Schools comply with not only the law, but also the components included within each Charter. (Charter is actually defined in this writing as the contract containing the obligations and responsibilities of each charter school.)
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is no stranger to the challenges that local educational agencies have experienced for ensuring that all Charter Schools have met all required and stringent compliance standards contained in the No Child Left Behind Act. The Title I, IIA, VI and X, Child Nutrition, and Special Education offices at OSDE have provided professionally sound technical assistance to both Charter Schools and their responsible „oversight‟ agencies, such as; local educational agencies or agencies of higher learning. This technical assistance addressed matters pertaining to state and federal requirements. OSDE has ensured that Charter Schools understand that where federal funds are concerned, all matters pertaining to reaching and maintaining compliance standards for the use of these funds will be thoroughly monitored.
For the FY2010-2011 school year, the OSDE implemented new requirements as established through recent legislation regarding Charter Schools. A new Senate Bill was enacted by the people of the State of Oklahoma and signed by the governor on May 4, 2010. This new legislation was to be enacted as of August 27, 2010. The bill included amendments as found on page number 2.