In July 2019, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (Board) approved several measures designed to make the charter schools it sponsors more transparent to the public. The Board also approved an implementation plan that will require all of the charter schools it sponsors to adopt these new charter school transparency requirements for the fiscal year 2020. The new charter school transparency requirements are as follows:
New Charter School Transparency Requirements
Disclosure of Education Service Providers
Beginning September 1, 2019, Board’s rules require each charter holder to disclose certain information regarding any agreement or contract with an education service provider for the current year. If there is none, the charter holder must confirm that the charter holder is not a party to any such arrangement. To assist charter holders in complying with the rule’s requirements, the Board has developed a form that permits the charter holder to easily submit the required information to the Board.
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Reporting
Under the new rules, charter holders must report to the Board within 10 business days if there is a tax lien or default notice. The rationale is that notices of default or tax liens are indicators of financial distress. Notices and occurrences that take place between July 1, 2019, and August 1, 2019, must be reported to the Board by the charter holder no later than August 15, 2019.
Link to Performance Dashboard
The new rules require charter schools to post a conspicuous and permanent link on its website to the school’s academic performance dashboard as well as the charter holder’s financial and operational performance dashboards on the Board’s website.
Each school that operated in the fiscal year 2019 must conspicuously post the link on its website by August 1, 2019. New schools opening in the fiscal year 2020 must conspicuously post the link by September 1, 2019.
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Ellis Carter is a nonprofit lawyer with Caritas Law Group, P.C. licensed to practice in Washington and Arizona. Ellis advises nonprofit and socially responsible businesses on corporate, tax, and fundraising regulations nationwide. Ellis also advises donors with regard to major gifts. To schedule a consultation with Ellis, call 602-456-0071 or email us through our contact form.