Application Process
In accordance with IC 20-24-3-4, Education One has developed an Application Process Protocol for all schools seeking authorization. The application process has seven major components, however, applicants must meet certain criteria in order to qualify for advancement into the next phase of the process: The process includes: (1) Letter of Intent; (2) Initial Proposal; (3) Application Invitation; (4) Application Review; (5) Proposed School Board Meeting; (6) Public Hearing; and (7) Acceptance or Denial of Application. Education One follows an open application cycle. However, recommended timelines for submission of documents have been outlined to support quality school start up.
Recommended Timeline for Submission: Fifteen to Eighteen Months Prior to Start of School
Interested candidates must submit a Letter of Intent to the Executive Director of Education One describing their desire to establish a school in conjunction with Education One. This Letter of Intent must also describe basic tenets of the proposed school structure, such as location, opening date, age range of students, and curriculum and management structures.
Recommended Timeline for Submission: Fifteen to Eighteen Months Prior to Start of School
Following the submission of a Letter of Intent, an applicant will submit an Initial Proposal, describing the structure of the proposed school. The Initial Proposal must include a Vision and Mission statement for the school, a justification of the school’s expected effectiveness at enhancing the educational achievement of its students, and an in-depth description of the curriculum and management structures of the school. Specifically, the school’s educational model must be stated, its curricular framework must be established in which specific educational objectives for each subject taught at the school are stated, and assessment procedures should be explained. Additional pages may be submitted with information regarding the applicant’s ideas of innovation in education, if applicable.
Review/Feedback of Initial Proposal by Executive Director (Q & A):
Members of the Education One staff will review all Initial Proposals, utilizing a rubric to score each section. Additional questions may be asked as needed. As a courtesy to the applicant, the Executive Director will provide verbal feedback to the applicant based on the review of the Initial Proposal. Selected applications will then be invited to submit an Application. Application submission is by invitation only.
Recommended Timeline for Submission: 12-15 Months Prior to Start of School
Following an invitation to apply, applicants submit a full application to Education One. All completed applications are reviewed using a rubric by the Application Review Team consisting of Education One staff members, Education One’s Finance/Facilities Consultant, and independent consultants with expertise in the proposed school’s educational model. Legal counsel will also review applications, when necessary, at the request of Education One’s Executive Director.
Application Specification and Submission Instructions
- The application must be typed and single-spaced utilizing the template provided by Education One. Utilize the provided text boxes to answer questions. If a particular question does not apply, respond with a “Not Applicable.” Questions without text boxes indicate that the response will be incorporated into an Application Attachment.
- The application narrative should not exceed 75 pages. For replication schools, the narrative should not exceed 100 pages. Attachments do not count toward the overall page limit.
- For Application Attachments that require a specified template, ensure all pages of the document are completed.
After an initial review of the application, the applicant will receive written feedback from the Application Review Team. The applicant will have time to review the feedback and make any changes to the application deemed necessary. Revised applications will be resubmitted for review to the Application Review Team. The same rubric will be utilized to rescore the application as needed. Applicants must meet certain criteria in order to qualify for advancement into the next phase of the process.
Participation in Capacity Interview:
Applicants who qualify will meet with the Application Review Team for an Application Capacity Interview. The interview may include members of the Applicant Team, including but not limited to the proposed school’s Governing Board, school leadership team, and proposed staff members. The interview will gauge the applicant’s capacity to execute the components outlined in the submitted application, in regards to academics, organization, and finances. The Application Review Team will debrief after the interview. If further questions exist, or additional clarification is needed, an applicant may be invited to a second interview with the Application Review Team.
Recommended Timeline: 9-12 Months Prior to Start of School
For applicants who qualify, a member of the Application Review team will attend a board meeting for the proposed school, in order to monitor and measure the board’s capacity to govern.
Recommended Timeline: 9-12 Months Prior to Start of School
Prior to recommending approval of an application, a public hearing will be scheduled.
During the Public Hearing, applicants will present their proposal to the community
in a public forum. Opportunities for members of the public to speak in opposition
or in favor of the proposed school will be given. If members of the public are not
able to attend the Public Hearing, but would like to submit comments regarding the
proposed school, they may do so via an online public form provided by Education One.
Recommended Timeline: At Least 9 Months Prior to Start of School
The Executive Director will make a recommendation to the Education One Board regarding the acceptance or rejection of an application. The Education One Board of Directors will meet and vote to accept or reject the application, based on the recommendation. Applicants will be notified of the Board’s decision within 24 hours of the vote.