HomeMy WebLinkAboutRevised Legal Review of Renewal Applciation Charter School: Westlake Academy Charter School
Charter Holder: Town of Westlake
.AREAS
REVIEWED"
CORRECTIONS REQUIRED
COMMENTS TS 2/6/07
Corrections 3/21/07
Admissions
Policy
• The school should not have a year-
"A"
• The revised application period (June 1
• Will be replaced with: Application
round application period ( on p. 13).
• The lottery process must be summarized
to Jan. 31) is atypical. Typically,
application periods for the next
period will begin on December 1St
in response to "B" on p. 13 instead of
school
year are held in the spring and the
and end on January 31St.
• Lottery will be held, as stated, in
referring to another page. The "Lottery
lottery is held shortly thereafter. Please
February.
Procedure" attachment is not
explain the reason for the proposed
• There was a misunderstanding on our
necessary.
• Some of the categories listed in
"C"
application period,
1 am concerned about the application
part in filling out the form and we will
correct it: returning students, siblings,
response to on p 13 are not
permissible; Charter Schools may only
period and the lottery date. See above
comment.
sons/daughters/grandchildren of
give priority to returning students,the °'
• The revised response to "C" reflects that
founders, shall be exempt from the
lottery.
'siblings of returning students;and a
no categories will be except from the
• We understood that we could not
small percentage of the children of the
lottery; however, the revised admissions
seek an amendment until the charter
school's:original founders.
• The lottery date in "D" on p. 13 will likely
policy reflects that both returning
students and their siblings are exempt.
was renewed.Thus our practice
during this year was to not accept
need to be revised when the
In addition, your original charter reflects
applications from people outside the
application period is revised,
that siblings of enrolled students will be
ISDs identified in the original charter.
• The school should not require applicants
given priority in admission.
We realize that there was a change in
to disclose their gender at the
admissions stage ("F" on p. 14).
• See above comments concerning
dates.
personnel in regards to who was
• The current charter does not
handling our renewal process, but
adequately describe the school's
• Corrected.
had we had this clarified before the
February 1St deadline, we would have
transfer boundary. Furthermore, the
submitted an amendment to include
school is currently only permitted to
• The response reflects that the charter
Lewisville ISD, Grapevine-Colleyville
serve students from Argyle, Carroll,
holder will seek an amendment to
ISD, Birdville ISD and North Richmond
Denton, Keller, and Northwest ISDs. If
the school wants to accept transfer
establish a transfer boundary and will
not admit students from outside of its
Hills ISD. To further clarify the primary
boundary for the Academy, small
students from other districts, the school
designated geographic boundary until
portions of Carroll, Keller and
must file an amendment request
approval is granted. Please provide
Northwest ISDs lie within the
identifying the additional districts.
information concerning the amendment
geographical boundaries of the Town
request. The charter holder states that
of Westlake. Argyle and Denton had
the Charter School Tracking System
been identified as surrounding districts
incorrectly interprets its geographic
from which Westlake Academy would
boundaries. In addition to stating-that
acce t a lications, once all
The admissions policy in Attachment 5is
extremely confusing and needs tube
simplified. Furthermore, the policy
contains elements that are not
permissible such as:
• denying admission toany
student regardless ofresidence
• changing the admission rules
absent o charter amendment
• Conductingpne'odnniSSiOD
interviews
• giving priority foemployees'
children
See attached sample policy.
The "Student App|kcafion^ in
Attachment b requires information that
should not be required atfhe
admissions stage (e.g.. gender, place Cf
birth, primary language, and whether
the applicant was previously netoined).
The school needs to have onadmissions
application that is separate from the
enrollment packet. The admissions
application should only require basic
information such aa name, address,
date ofbirth, parent contact
information, etc.
�
f he geographic boundary for the school
will be the boundaries of the Town of
Westlake, the original charter also
reflects that the |S[}o within such area
are Argyle, Carroll, Denton, Keller, and
Northwest. |f other iSDo are also within
the boundaries of the Town nfWestlake,
please identify those districts.
The revised policy io much improved;
however, | have concerns about the
following:
• the application period
• the lottery date
• the discrepancy regarding
whether returning students and
siblings are exempt from the
lottery
• why the application period is
June 1 -Jon. 31 and the lottery is
held in Feb.when returning
students have until K4OrCh to
return the "Notice of Intent tO
Return" form. Why would the
lottery be held when you haven't
determined hVvv many available
spaces exist?
• The language concerning the
exclusion of students who have
been expelled or awaiting
expulsion "from any educational
inntitution^ is too broad. You may
deny admission fO students with
documented histories OY8criminal
offense, juvenile court adjudication,
or discipline problems under TEC
Chapter 37, Subchapter A.
The revised admissions application was
not attached along with the rest ofthe
fax, Please id
students within the geographical
boundaries [f the Town ofWestlake
were admitted,Thus Argyle, Denton
and parts of Carroll, Keller and
Northwest have always been within
our transfer boundaries.
°
Application period: December 1It-
January 31s'
" Lottery date: mid-February
"
Returning students will have tofile
"Notice of Intent fo Return" by
January 51It.
"
Exclusion of students who have been
expelled or awaiting expulsion will be
revised to read: with documented
histories o/ocriminal offense,juvenile
court adjudication, or discipline
problems under TEC Chapter 37,
SubohopherA.
Copy attached.