CHARTER APPLICATIONS

APPLY TO OPEN A CHARTER SCHOOL

This page provides information on requirements to submit a public charter school proposal to the North Carolina State Board of Education.

NOTE: This application is not to enroll your child into an individual charter school. If you are seeking enrollment at a charter school, please refer to the schools webpage for a list of contact information for all charter schools in North Carolina.

Applying to open and operate a public charter school is a multiple step process.

 

TRAINING

Additional 2013 charter school application training sessions have been scheduled. These sessions will ONLY be for applicants that have submitted the required Letter of Intent. Each training session will be at the Department of Public Instruction, 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC, 27601.

The Office of Charter Schools will offer training on these topics as follows:

  • Online Submission: January 7, 2013, Room 504 & webinar, 9:00 – 1:00
  • Application Content: January 11, 2013, Room 150, 9:00 – 12:00
  • Online Submission: January 18, 2013, Webinar only, 9:00 – 12:00

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

For schools to open in Fall 2014

  1. Letter of Intent
    The Letter of Intent (LOI) is due to the Office of Charter Schools, 6303 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6303 no later than 12:00 noon on January 4, 2013. Letters of Intent received after the deadline will not be accepted by the Office of Charter Schools. Applicants who fail to submit this required Letter of Intent by the deadline will not be permitted to submit a March application. Applicants, instead, must wait until the next application round opens.
    • Letter of Intent
      (doc, 46kb)
      The LOI shall contain the following information:
      • Lead Contact Name
      • Proposed County and Local Education Agency (LEA)
      • Proposed School Name


  2. Online Application System (Brick and Mortar Applicants Only)
    Applicants using the online system must submit to the Office of Charter Schools the following application package:
    • One (1) electronically signed and submitted online application by 12:00 Noon on March 1, 2013. 
      • The online system will immediately shut down after the noon March 1, 2013 deadline has passed.
    • One (1) single-sided, signed and notarized original hard copy.
      • NOTE: Online system applicants do not need to submit an additional electronic version of their application (i.e. labeled flash drive).
    • Online Application System

  3. Public Charter School Application
    Applicants must submit to the Office of Charter Schools no later than 12:00 noon on March 1, 2013 a complete application package: one (1) single-sided, signed and notarized original hard copy, one (1) PDF electronic version of the narrative and one (1) PDF electronic version of the appendices (i.e. labeled flash drive) NOTE: Submitted electronic devices must be labeled with the name of the proposed charter school.
    • Charter Application
      (doc, 862kb)  UPDATED 11/29/12

  4. Virtual Charter School Applicants - ONLY
    Applicants seeking to establish a virtual charter school must submit to the Office of Charter Schools no later than 12:00 noon on March 1, 2013 a complete virtual charter school application package: one (1) single-sided, signed and notarized original hard copy, one (1) PDF electronic version of the narrative and one (1) PDF electronic version of the appendices (i.e. labeled flash drive). NOTE: Submitted electronic devices must be labeled with the name of the proposed charter school.
    • Virtual Charter School Application
      (doc, 555kb)  

 

CHARTER APPLICATION RESOURCES

  • Resource Manual (For charter school applications due March 1, 2013)
    (pdf, 651kb)
  • Initial Screening
    (pdf, 78kb)
  • Evaluation Rubric
    (pdf, 245kb)
  • Presentation (From the November 2012 training sessions)
    (pdf, 1.36mb)

 

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Application copies can be delivered in one of three ways.

  1. Hand delivered before February 28, 2013 5:00 P.M.
    NCDPI building: Office of Charter Schools (2nd Floor North Side)
    301 North Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC

  2. Hand Delivered on March 1, 2013 12:00 Noon
    NCDPI building: Room 150
    301 North Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC

  3. Mail Service by March 1, 2013 12:00 Noon
    Office of Charter Schools
    6303 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh NC 27699-6303

All mail service packages MUST be received by NCDPI Mail Service address no later than 12:00 noon on March 1, 2013.

CHARTER APPLICATION TIMELINE PROCESS

For schools to open in Fall 2014

January 4, 2013 Letter of Intent (LOI) – required for filing an application. A LOI must be supplied to the State by the 12:00 noon deadline even if an applicant seeks preliminary approval by an LEA.
March 1, 2013 Application due by the 12:00 noon deadline. If an applicant decides to seek preliminary approval from an LEA, the preliminary approval should be granted by the LEA in such a timeframe thereby allowing the application to be submitted to the State ahead of this established deadline.
March 8, 2013 A copy of the application due to the Local Education Agency in which the proposed charter school will reside. Applicant must provide evidence to the Office of Charter Schools (i.e. signed letter).
January - May Advisory Council review and interview.
June 2013 Recommendations to the State Board.
July 2013 State Board of Education preliminary approval.

Timeline for schools opening 2014-2016
(pdf, 425kb)  UPDATED 2/7/13

 

If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact the Office of Charter Schools via email at officeofcharterschools@dpi.nc.gov.