Education, Dept. of

General Agency, Board or Commission Rules

Chapter 32: Charter Schools

Effective Date: 07/08/2022 to 04/14/2025

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 206.0002.32.07082022

CHAPTER 32

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Section 1. Authority. These rules are promulgated by the Wyoming Department of Education under the authority of Wyoming Statute 21-3-307(d).

Section 2. Definitions.

1. (a) “Accreditation requirements” means the criteria defined in Chapter 6 rules applicable to all public schools in Wyoming.
2. (b) “Artifacts” means data, print documents, videos, photographs, digital files, self-ratings, survey results, focus group results, research, strategies, plans, reports, or models.
3. (c) “Assurance” means a statement of attestation that the charter school will comply with a specific legal requirement or regulation.
4. (d) "Authorizer" means a school district board or the state loan and investment board.

Section 3. Written Application.

1. (a) The written application shall meet these requirements:
2. (i) Twelve (12) point, Calibri font.
3. (ii) Letter size paper with one (1) inch margins.
4. (iii) Consistently formatted and easily readable, with pictures, graphics, tables, charts, etc. used appropriately throughout the document.
5. (iv) Includes all supporting documents and artifacts.
6. (v) Includes a table of contents and sequential page numbers.
7. (vi) Submitted electronically in .pdf format.
8. (b) Complete applications shall include the following components and all applicable subparts:

(i) Component 1 - Management and Planning (A) Purpose, Mission, and Model (B) Applicant, Governing Board, and Administration (C) Recruitment and Enrollment (D) Academic Plan (E) Community Support (F) Stakeholder Communications (ii) Component 2 - Resources and Operations (A) Buildings and Facilities (B) Financial Resources (C) Human Resources (D) Calendar and Schedule (E) Transportation and Nutrition (F) Data, Records, and Insurance (iii) Component 3 - Educational Program (A) School Leadership (B) Learning Environment (C) Curriculum (D) Instruction (E) Learning Supports (F) Student Discipline

(G) Graduation (Applicable only to high schools)

(H) Full-Time Virtual Charter Schools (If applicable)

(c) The applicant shall include the following information in the written application according to its instructions as the Department prescribes: The requirements articulated in W.S. 21-3-307(a)(i) through (xxv), W.S. 21-3-308(c), accreditation requirements, and assurances.

(d) The Department shall make available on its website the checklist to be used to determine the completeness of the written application.

(e) Authorizers may deny an incomplete application.

Section 4. In-Person Interview.

(a) The authorizer shall interview all applicants who submitted complete written applications.

(b) The authorizer shall determine the interview questions and process.

Section 5. Public Hearing. The authorizer shall determine the public hearing process.

Section 6. Application Timeline.

(a) All applications, regardless of the authorizer, shall be submitted to the Department. Applicants to the State Loan and Investment Board shall additionally provide a copy of the application to the school district within which the charter school will be located.

(b) For charter school applications submitted in 2022, the applications may be submitted between July 15 and August 15 or thirty (30) days after these rules become effective, whichever is later.

(c) Each applicant shall use the most current application form, which is dated that calendar year.

(d) Effective 2023 and each subsequent year, charter school applicants shall submit applications to the Department between June 1 and July 1.

(e) The Department shall forward the application to the intended authorizer.

(f) If the State Loan and Investment Board is the intended authorizer, the Department shall review the application for completeness.

(g) Authorizers shall notify applicants within thirty (30) days of submission whether the application is complete or incomplete.

(h) If the application is incomplete, the applicant shall have 15 days from the date of notification to resubmit a completed application. If the resubmitted application is still incomplete, the authorizer may deny the application.

(i) The Department shall review written applications submitted to the State Loan and Investment Board and submit a written report to the State Loan and investment Board within 30 days after the application is deemed complete. The report shall state whether the application shows that the applicant's operations will conform to the Department's Chapter 6 accreditation requirements.

Section 7. Application Submission.

(a) The same written application shall be used for all types of charter schools, including in-person schools and online-only schools.

(b) Applications shall be submitted through an electronic form on the Department website that provides a time and date stamp.

(c) The applicant shall electronically sign through its authorized representative attesting that the information provided is accurate.

(d) Applications shall be reviewed in the order in which they are received.

Section 8. Application Approval or Denial.

(a) The decision to approve or deny the application shall be determined solely by a majority vote of the members of the authorizing board in a public meeting.

(b) The approval or denial decision shall be based on the written application, the interview, and the public hearing.

(c) An authorizer is not required to approve any charter school applications, and may require an applicant to modify or supplement an application as a condition of approval. The authorizer shall incorporate the revised application into the charter contract.

(d) If an application has been denied, the applicant may not reapply for twelve (12) months.

(e) Charter school applicants may apply to only one (1) authorizer at a time.

Section 9. Waivers.

(a) If an authorizer approves a charter school application that contains a State Board of Education waiver of statutory requirements or State Board rules allowed under W.S. 21-3-304(g), the applicant shall submit a waiver request to the State Board of Education no later than ten (10) days after the application is approved.

(b) The State Board shall consider the waiver request at its next available regular meeting, but may postpone consideration until the following meeting if the next meeting is within fifteen (15) days after it receives the waiver request.

Section 10. Renewal Application.

(a) The renewal application prescribed by the Department shall include:

(i) Charter school progress report as articulated in W.S. 21-3-309(b)(i).

(ii) Charter school financial statement as articulated in W.S. 21-3-309(b)(ii).

(b) Renewal applicants may include the following as part of their renewal application:

(i) Additional evidence not contained in the report required by subsection (a) of this section that supports renewal.

(ii) A description of improvements planned or undertaken.

(iii) Plans for the next charter term.

Section 11. Disputes over the completeness of an application.

(a) Should the authorizer and the applicant disagree over the completeness of an application and either party refuses to mediate:

(i) Each party shall submit to the State Board of Education, through the Department, a letter no longer than five (5) pages establishing why they believe the application is either complete or not complete; and

(ii) The charter school applicant shall submit to the State Board of Education the portion of the application under dispute.

(b) The parties shall submit the materials required in subsection (a) of this section no later than two (2) weeks after either party notifies the state board of education and the other party in writing that mediation has been refused.

(c) The State Board shall consider each party’s position at its next available regular meeting, but may postpone until the following meeting if the next meeting is within fifteen (15) days after it receives the required materials.