CMU’s commitment to the charter school movement and CMU partner schools is demonstrated through initiatives and programs developed to increase access to opportunities and continued learning experiences for both students and educators. The Center has worked with CMU to create the following opportunities for students, teachers and administrators.

Charter School Educator Award – This award provides 50 percent tuition assistance for teachers and administrators in CMU partner schools who desire to pursue a graduate degree with CMU’s highly rated advanced teacher education and educational leadership programs. Additional information and application instructions for the award are available on the Center’s Charter School Educator Award webpage.

Scholarships – A scholarship program was established to help students in CMU partner schools pursue their educational goals through attending CMU. Through this commitment by CMU, students are eligible for two different scholarships.

Admissions – The Center works with CMU Admissions and schools to help connect students with opportunities and experiences that provide access to learning opportunities and the campus experience. CMU partner schools visit campus through financial support provided by CMU, participate in on-campus events like CMU and You Day, have access to various camps and partner with University organizations.

The Center understands that schools are successful when they can focus on what is most important, the education of students. The Center has the experience, knowledge and expertise to assist schools from day one. Beyond the application process, content area experts provide assistance in navigating through the Michigan school landscape.

The Center provides support during the pre-operational stages of a school and continues to work throughout the first year and beyond to ensure that the school is on the right track. The Center’s ongoing relationship of oversight and support of the school is tailored to meet the necessary needs of the school. New school support and ongoing authorizing includes site visits, board and administrator training, data reporting and tailored assistance in areas of academic, finance and compliance. The Center provides online resources related to new school development, as well as an in-depth look at the application process.

The Center’s content area experts are committed to ensuring that schools remain focused on educating students while helping them navigate through the requirements of operating as a charter public school. They are respected and called upon throughout the state by departments, agencies and other authorizers to share their knowledge.

CMU has dedicated its resources to providing expertise in all essential areas including: academic, finance, state and federal accountability, facility regulations and requirements, staff certification, special education, board governance, educational program and curriculum development, public policy, data analysis, compliance requirements and state regulations.

Understanding the importance of professional development, the Center provides many opportunities for board members and school leadership. To view a complete list of upcoming professional development opportunities, visit the Center’s events page.

Board Development Series – Assists board members of CMU partner schools in understanding their roles and responsibilities, provides networking opportunities and keeps them focused on the school and providing quality educational options for students.

Board President Roundtables – Allows board presidents an opportunity to engage in open discussion and share governance best practices and ideas with other colleagues and the Center.

New Board Member Orientation – Ensures that newly appointed board members of CMU partner schools understand their commitment, become familiar with their school and the expectations of them as board members.

Academic Professional Learning Opportunities – Provides leadership teams from CMU partner schools with best practice sharing, understanding the power of data and networking with other schools.

Administrators are key to a school’s success. The Center provides tools and resources to help administrators focus on supporting their school.

• Master Calendar of Reporting Requirements
• Educational Service Provider Policies
• Site and Facilities
• Assessments
• Charter Contract Development
• Fiscal
• Media Toolkit

Each year, the Center produces reports to provide a greater understanding of each school’s holistic performance for a complete academic year. They provide in-depth data to schools about the performance towards the expectations in their charter contract. The Center has received recognition from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers for our leadership in developing this data reporting. To view the performance reports for each CMU partner school, visit the Our Schools page and select a school from the list.

Charter public school board members are the backbone of a charter public school. Informed board members ensure that schools are on the right track – financially, academically and operationally. The Center works closely with board members and provides a variety of resources to ensure they are well-informed and making student-focused decisions that drive performance.

• Board Calendar
• Board Gear
• Board Essentials
• Resolutions and Templates
• Professional Development and Training Opportunities

Reauthorization is a critically important process. CMU’s Reauthorization Checklist streamlines the process and provides schools with clear expectations and timelines. Support is provided throughout the term of the contract as indicated in CMU’s Reauthorization Timeline. Recognizing that closure is not always the best option for students in a struggling school, the Center has been a pioneer in the reconstitution of schools. This process limits disruptions to the educational process and puts schools on a path for greater success. The Center has been at the forefront of developing standards for authorizers considering reconstitution as an accountability strategy.

Compliance is important but can take the focus away from what is most important – educating students. The Center provides schools with access to Epicenter, an online compliance submission and monitoring system. Coupled with the Center’s Master Calendar of Reporting Requirements, compliance and reporting is streamlined and allows schools to spend more time with students.