Policy Services for Charter Schools

Having comprehensive policies in place to guide school operations is critical to the successful operation of charter schools. The expertise, time and financial resources required to independently develop and maintain correct and adequate policies can be overwhelming. Currently, charter schools are subject to nearly 100 state and federal laws. As laws change and new opinions are issued by the courts and legal officers, it is incumbent upon charter schools to ensure that their policies are in compliance.

The Arizona School Boards Association provides Arizona public and charter schools with compliance-directed policies in accord with state and federal law, court rulings, attorney general opinions, and agency rules. For 20 years, legal experts and educators from ASBA have developed and maintained compliance-directed policies for traditional public school districts throughout Arizona. Today, ASBA provides Policy Services to 97 percent of the districts in the state. Since 2002 ASBA Policy Services has offered its expertise to Arizona public charter schools as well.

General Charter School Operations Handbook

ASBA offers charter schools a general, compliance-directed policy handbook for the governing body and staff at an affordable price.

Special Education and Other Critical Policy Updates

ASBA offers charter schools critical policy updates, including the Special Education Checklist approved by the Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services (ADEESS), which affirms IDEA policy compliance. The materials are an included component for Policy Services subscribers, and available on a fee basis to non-subscribing schools.

ASBA Membership and Subscription Service for Charter Schools

A charter school may join ASBA as an associate member and, as such, become eligible to receive ongoing Policy Services for a reasonable annual fee. The ASBA subscription service for charter schools includes:

• A general, compliance-directed operations handbook for the governing body and staff.
• Critical policy updates, including the Special Education Checklist approved by the
• Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services (ADE-ESS), at no additional charge.
• Annual modification to the handbook based on legislative changes and local preferences.
• Consultation with ASBA Policy Services professionals during business hours.
• Advisories from ASBA Policy Services in response to legislative action and whenever other modifications are needed to achieve compliance.
• Web access to a searchable, electronic version of the handbook.
• Access to informational databases that support the handbook, including those detailing federal and state laws and regulations.

Let ASBA Policy Services help you to diminish the compliance burden.

Contact us today.