Connections To University
CMU’s commitment to the charter school movement and CMU-authorized schools is also 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 the University to create the following opportunities for students, teachers and administrators.
Camp Central for College Candidates – Seventh-grade students from CMU-authorized charter schools have the opportunity to attend a week-long summer program with a focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math. In addition to classroom and lab learning, students experience campus living and explore opportunities available for future careers. Additional information on the camp is available on the Center’s Camp Central for College Candidates webpage.
Charter School Educator Award – This award provides 50 percent tuition assistance for teachers and administrators in CMU-authorized charter 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-authorized schools pursue their educational goals through attending CMU. Through this commitment by the University, students are eligible for two different scholarships. The University has also demonstrated its commitment to the students in Detroit by partnering with schools and organizations such as educational service providers (education management organizations) to ensure students have the financial ability to earn a college degree.
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-authorized schools visit campus through financial support provided by the University, participate in CMU and You Day, have access to camps and partner with University organizations such as Men About Change and the leadership program.
New School Support
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 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.
Targeted School Support
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 as experts in the content area and charter schools.
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.
Professional Development Opportunities
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-authorized schools in understanding their roles and responsibilities, networking opportunities and keeps them focused on the school and providing quality educational options for students.
New Board Member Orientation – Ensures that newly appointed board members of CMU-authorized schools understand their commitment, become familiar with their school and the expectations of them as a board member.
Administrator Development Series – Provides leadership teams from CMU-authorized schools with best practice sharing, understanding the power of data and networking with other schools.
Tools for Administrators
Administrators are key to a schools success. The Center provides tools and resources to help administrators focus on supporting their school.
Organizational Strategy Development
The Center utilizes a strategic planning process that starts with our mission and expands out to the unit level in the form of plans and a plan assessment matrix. This process is outlined through the resources below including information documents and templates to work through the planning process for your organization.
Empowering Data-Driven Decisionmaking
Each year, the Center produces a series of reports to provide a greater understanding of each school’s holistic performance for a complete academic year. The reports provide in depth data about the academic, financial and operational performance towards the performance expectations in their charter contract. The Center has received recognition from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers for our leadership in developing these comprehensive reports. To view the Performance Suite of Reports for each CMU-authorized school, visit the
Our Schools page and select a school from the list.
Board Resources
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.
Reauthorization Process
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.
Simplifying Compliance
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.
CMU AUTHORIZING MODEL
The Center takes pride in building partnerships with schools that drive innovative educational programs, while connecting schools to leading-edge resources such as computer adaptive testing, the Performance Suite of Reports and automated compliance and accountability systems. Coupled together, these tools help target student needs, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and influence future decisions. The Center is organized into four primary divisions. These divisions work to ensure that the operational schools are serving the best interests of students and providing access to the quality education they deserve.
School Performance
A primary focus on school performance. The Academic Performance and Accountability, Board Appointments and Development and Field Operations teams work directly with schools to ensure they are progressing toward meeting CMU’s common educational goal of preparing students academically for success in college, work and life.
School Operations
Focuses on the operations of the schools. The Center’s Fiscal Performance and Accountability and Charter Accountability teams work to ensure the schools are in compliance with the terms and conditions of the charter contract.
New School Development and Administration
Responsible for the review and recommendation of charter applications and the start-up process for CMU-authorized schools. This unit is also responsible for key functions that strengthen the Center’s organizational capacity to fulfill CMU’s duties as an authorizer.
Strategic Partnerships
Responsible for leveraging the Center’s experience and expertise at the state and national levels while providing public policy support to the CMU-authorized schools, the Center and the charter movement. It leverages the Center’s expertise in authorizing schools to advance its best practices in charter school oversight; the collection, analysis and use of educational data; and the establishment of models for effectively launching, overseeing and evaluating new initiatives that further the Center’s mission.
