Public Charter School Policy Manuals

Bringing Your Charter School Consistency, Collaboration, and Clarity

Are you a new charter school who does not have a policy manual in place? Are you an existing charter school who has not honed or created an effective policy manual?

The Public Charter School Alliance, in partnership with The National Charter Schools Institute and Education Advisers, has developed policy templates for critical policies and needed in every charter school policy manual.

The policy templates have been designed to aid charter school leaders in the operation and management of their schools and to guide governing boards in their duties and responsibilities. They have been carefully crafted following best practices and have been reviewed and vetted by legal experts (schools should have their own legal experts review policies prior to adoption). The manuals offer a solid foundation of policies to include:

Why Do We Need Policies?

• Policies establish a standard and recommended way of acting in challenging situations.
• Policies clarify roles and implementations of the schools legal and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Policies serve as a guide when the board carries out its governance duties while staff conducts the organization's daily operations.
• Policies function as a protective mechanism for the organization and for the individuals when a decision is questioned; those responsible can explain how they reached their conclusion by pointing to an approved policy that was followed.

POLICY MANUAL INFORMATION

BOARD POLICY TEMPLATES - TABLE OF CONTENTS

A subscription to the Alliance Model Charter School Policy Manual includes:

For further questions, contact Margaret Dullanty.