FILE:  HG

Cf:  DCBD, HA, HB, HE

 

DISTRICT OPTIMIZATION

 

 

This policy shall be in effect until June 30, 2026, at which time it shall expire.

 

The Orleans Parish School Board seeks to ensure that as conditions in our system change, the system adapts to ensure that schools are best positioned to serve students well.

 

This policy seeks to create a framework to support school transitions that will optimize the School District, while supporting improved academic outcomes and ensuring a diverse set of school options to meet the needs of all learners.  The Superintendent shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of administrative procedures for the implementation of this policy.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions shall apply.

 

Optimization – actions to effect the best use of facilities, seats and/or programming.

 

Optimization Consolidation – A school transition recommended by the Superintendent for the purpose of optimization and approved by the School Board that results in fewer schools by closing one or more schools and/or combining two or more schools.

 

SCHOOL TRANSITIONS

 

The Superintendent shall determine on a case-by-case basis whether a school transition contributes to district optimization and therefore qualifies for one or more provisions of this policy.  Examples of school transitions that meet one or more of the district optimization criteria include, but are not limited to:

 

  1. Facility sharing;

  2. School relocations;

  3. Optimization Consolidation of one or more schools; or

  4. School closures.

 

School transitions shall meet one of the following criteria to be considered as district optimization:

 

  1. Reducing the number of excess seats across the system;

  2. Increasing the utilization of quality school facilities;

  3. Increasing the number of students attending school in quality facilities; or

  4. Significantly increasing resources available to students through innovative collaboration or partnership across schools.

 

The Superintendent shall provide regular updates to the School Board on district optimization efforts, related school transitions, and systemwide data related to district optimization.

 

COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT

 

The School District will support school transitions that contribute to district optimization by working with impacted charter schools to engage with and communicate important information about the school transition to parents, students, impacted community, and the public at large.  This will include, but not be limited to: coordinated public announcements; meetings and convenings with school stakeholders and community groups; and targeted communication with students and families.

 

In order to best support schools seeking to transition through optimization and provide adequate time for parents to make necessary adjustments due to the school transition, a charter operator shall notify the School District no later than December 1st of the year prior to the school year in which the transition will occur.  Failure to notify the School District of school transitions by December 1st may result in the School District declaring such transitions ineligible for some or all of the incentives contemplated by this policy.

 

ENROLLMENT

 

In the case of a school transition that involves a school closure, Optimization Consolidation, or transformation in accordance with School Board policy HA, School Board Chartering Authority, the School District shall engage with impacted schools to determine the appropriate student enrollment and application procedures for impacted students, which may include one or more of the following:

 

  1. Providing an enrollment guarantee for students to one specific school, in accordance with School Board policy HE, Enrollment;

  2. Facilitating a process whereby students may receive a guarantee of enrollment to more than one school;

  3. Providing “closing school priority”, as defined in School Board policy HE, Enrollment, for students at schools that will cease operations at the end of the current school year; or

  4. Providing “feeder pattern priority”, as defined in School Board policy HE, Enrollment, for students at schools involved in a closure, consolidation, or transformation.

 

The School District shall prioritize supporting impacted students and parents in making enrollment decisions through a variety of targeted communication efforts within five (5) business days after the official transition decision is made.  The School District shall also support impacted families by facilitating family meetings regarding the transition.

 

FINANCIAL CLOSEOUT AND FUNDING

 

  1. In certain school transitions which involve the financial closeout of one or more school(s), the impacted charter operator may be exempt from the requirements of School Board policy DCBD, School Transformation Fund, in order to retain or transfer remaining fund balances to support the consolidated school(s) and/or the charter operator’s remaining schools.

  2. In order to formalize the retention or transfer of remaining fund balances after closeout and specify important details, the impacted charter operators shall enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) with OPSB.  Details may include, but not be limited to:

 

  1. Timing of the fund balance transfer and remaining liabilities in accordance with the financial closeout process;

  2. Plans to utilize remaining federal, state and other grants so the consolidation supports student needs and allocations are fully spent;

  3. Transfer of assets wholly owned or financed by the charter operators involved in consolidation.

 

CHARTER APPROVAL AND ACCOUNTABILITY

 

  1. Appropriate procedural steps to support school transitions that contribute to district optimization may include, but shall not be limited to:

 

  1. Approval of material amendments of charter operating agreements;

  2. The development of specific goals to be considered during the school’s charter renewal; and

  3. Assignment of charter operating agreement to an operator authorized by the School District.

 

  1. Prior to consideration for an assignment, the operator must be authorized by the School District.

  2. Considerations in approving the assignment of a charter operating agreement may include, but are not limited to:

 

  1. A review of proposed charter board members’ experience and expertise;

  2. A review of proposed charter board’s compliance with School Board policies governing charter boards;

  3. A capacity interview of the proposed charter board; and

  4. A review of proposed charter board’s charter authorization history as an applicant and/or operator.

 

  1. Optimization Consolidations may receive additional renewal considerations provided to Consolidations in School Board policy HB, Oversight and Evaluation of Charter Schools.

 

FACILITY ASSIGNMENTS

 

It is the intention of the School District to conduct open siting processes to make facility assignments whenever possible and practical.  However, when school transformation siting decisions specified in School Board policy HA, School Board Chartering Authority, contribute to district optimization by meeting one or more of the district optimization criteria specified in this policy, the Superintendent may make such transformation sitings without conducting an open siting process.  In such cases, the Superintendent will provide a report at a School Board meeting explaining the rationale for the transformation and siting decision.

 

Adopted:  March 23, 2023

 

 

Ref:    Board minutes, 3-23-23

 

Orleans Parish School Board