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Charter Schools
5 min read

6. Who can apply to start a charter school?

6. Who can apply to start a charter school?
Written by
Susan Perkins Weston
Published on
May 11, 2022

Kentucky law specifies that “teachers, parents, school administrators, community residents, public organizations, nonprofit organizations, or a combination thereof” will be able to apply. Applications for charter schools controlled wholly or partly by religious denominations will be rejected.Each charter application will include by-laws and initial members of the school’s board of directors, which must include two parents of students at the school and must not include employees of the school or employees of educational service providers that will serve the school. The board will be sworn in after the application is approved.Once a charter application is approved, the charter school will official be a “body corporate and politic” run by its board of directors. Legally, a Kentucky public charter school will be “a public body corporate and politic,” which will make it a kind of government agency, rather than a private corporation subject to for-profit or non-profit regulations. Kentucky has other entities that are set up as “public bodies corporate and politic, including the Kentucky lottery corporation, water commissions, and urban renewal and community development agencies. Formally speaking, the charter school cannot be owned by any other group or company.For-profit corporations cannot apply to form Kentucky charter schools: they are not on the list of allowed applicants. For-profit corporations also cannot own charter schools, because each charter school must be a “body corporate and politic.”However, for-profit corporations can be “education service providers,” and a charter school board can sign a contract with that sort of provider. If a charter school plans to contract with an education service provider, the planned terms of the contract will be included in the charter application. Kentucky law defines an education service provider as “an education management organization, school design provider, or any other partner entity with which a public charter school contracts for educational design, implementation, or comprehensive management." This provision means that for-profits can play a major role in how a charter school is started, though only with some type of agreement with others.The contract will determine what the provider does for the charter school and its board. That means that the charter might buy or rent its facilities, furniture, equipment, technology, books, and supplies. Many of those things can be used over more than one school year, so there is a valid question about who gets to keep those items if the school closes or chooses to work with different providers. Yes, a skilled and experienced provider can push a less-well prepared charter school board toward a contract that gives big advantages to the outside company. At the same time, it’s worth noticing that a charter school starts from scratch. It does not have a financial reserve or bond proceeds it could use to buy any of those big-ticket items, so rental contracts may be the only way the school can begin.

Legal sources: KRS 160.1593 governs applications to run a charter school. KRS 160.1593 governs charter applications, including how education service providers are to be identified in applications. KRS 160.1590 establishes charters’ “body corporate and politic” status and defines education service providers.

To look at look at other “bodies corporate politic,” good starting places may be KRS 65.355 for land bank authorities, KRS 74.450 for water commissions, KRS 99.350 for urban renewal and community development agencies, KRS 154A.020 for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation, KRS 262.010 for soil and water conservation districts and KRS 342.803 Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance Authority.

Series Links:

Charter schools: taking on the questions (Introduction)

1. What is a charter school?

‍2. What student results are charter schools expected to deliver?

‍3. Which school laws do charter schools have to follow?

‍4. How can students be admitted to charter schools?

‍5. Who can authorize charter schools?

‍6. Who can apply to start a charter school?

‍7. How can charter schools be closed if they do not deliver?

‍8. What funding can charter schools receive?

Adding new questions about charter schools (Conclusion)

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Parents as First Teachers, Education Partners for Life
5 min read

Parents as First Teachers, Education Partners for Life

Get acquainted with any learning community, and you will likely find that the early childhood educators are...
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Family-Friendly Early Care and Education Programs:‍

‍Parents as First Teachers, Education Partners for Life

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Get acquainted with any learning community, and you will likely find that the early childhood educators are authentically engaging families as respected partners in raising healthy, well-rounded young learners.  That’s because early care and education providers recognize that families are the experts when it comes to understanding what makes early learners shine – what their strengths, interests and potential are.  Family Friendly Certification for early childhood education programs validates and celebrates the strong family engagement practices that are already rooted in early childhood settings. The certification process is also an opportunity to deepen those trust relationships between educators and families, and to sow seeds for parent engagement and leadership that will last through students’ school years.

In 2024, twelve Early Care and Education (ECE) programs achieved Family Friendly Certification and were honored at a reception at the Kentucky State Capitol on Monday, Nov. 18, during Governor Andy Beshear’s proclamation of Nov. 18-22 as Family Engagement in Education Week in Kentucky.

Growing Together Preschool in Lexington always works to improve communication with families.  This certification process aligned with the overarching program goals and was a good fit for the work that was already being done to meaningfully engage families.  Listening to family feedback from their annual surveys, the staff discussed how they could help families know more about what their child is doing and learning during their time at the preschool. Dr. Elizabeth McLaren provided parent training on developmental milestones. Because play-based learning is one of the bedrocks of early childhood education, the preschool team also planned a fall festival with learning stations that modeled for families how to initiate and sustain play-based learning with their children. Families shared that they were appreciative of the opportunities and were planning to replicate the activities at home.  

Executive Director Denise Menhouse shared that both the lengthier initial certification in 2023, and the recertification in 2024 were worth the time and energy because the process brought awareness to improving practices in the program, enhanced levels of communication with families, and greater trust.  

“The staff and families are more knowledgeable and able to help others understand why family engagement is so important to the success of our work,” Menhouse said.  

Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission Head Start serves 333 children ages 3-5 and 80 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years in Boone, Campbell, Kenton and Pendleton counties.  It now holds the distinction of attaining Family Friendly Certification for six Head Start programs in Northern Kentucky – Boone County Center, Alexandria Center, Elsmere Center, Eastside Child Development Center, Newport Center and Falmouth Center.  Head Start program standards require a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of both the young learners and their families.  

According to Marie McDine, Family and Community Partnership Coordinator, the Family Friendly Certification process highlighted the great educational, family service and parent engagement work in all of their centers.  

“The process strengthens the partnerships with our families by promoting open communication, trust and a shared commitment to supporting each child’s development, “ McDine said. “The families feel supported, heard and engaged in their child’s positive growth and development.”  

Once a month, Friday Family Field Trips are held at NKCAC Head Start programs. “Our families have raved about it!” McDine shared.  A parent declared, “I think this year has been the best year of family involvement. The field trips and activities have been great!” Recent Friday Family Field Trips included Neltner’s Farm, bowling, Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo and Children’s Museum.

For other early childhood programs considering this certification process, McDine advises that they start collecting data and evidence immediately and reach out for support from the Prichard Committee and certified programs like hers.  McDine believes that the Family Friendly Certification process showcases their centers’ hard work and commitment to family engagement and to their relationships with families, and makes their Head Start program stand out!

Floyd County Schools Early Childhood Program pursued Family Friendly Certification to strengthen their commitment to family engagement in their blended Head Start/preschool program and to recognize their staff’s dedication to families and students.  Inspired by insights from the Early Childhood Institute and the two Family Friendly Certified schools in their school district, Chief Early Childhood Officer Kim Grubb began with a self-assessment, then expanded it to a small team of two staff and a parent from their policy committee. After gathering the initial data from these self-assessments, a diverse team across seven schools was assembled to complete modules, gather data and utilize the digital playbook for ideas to enhance current family engagement practices.

The Family-Friendly Certification process demonstrates how much the Floyd County Early Childhood Program values the parents’ role in their child’s education. The process has fostered open communication between staff and families, allowing them to work together to overcome barriers, improve attendance, and increase parent involvement/engagement. Over the past three months, this commitment has helped the Early Childhood program to achieve the highest volunteer and/or parent meeting attendance in the Big Sandy Head Start Region. As a result, the program now provides a more supportive environment that helps children and families from the start.

“For those applying for Family-Friendly Certification, remember—you’re likely already doing much of the work, especially if you’re in Head Start or preschool!” Grubb says. “The key is to document your efforts. Setting up Google folders where staff can add examples and documentation of family engagement activities was incredibly helpful for us. This approach streamlined our process, kept everything organized, and made it easy to showcase our ongoing support for families, as well as any areas where we were going above and beyond.”

The Family-Friendly Certification has helped the program build stronger connections with families. It encouraged staff to use different ways to communicate and reach out more often. Grubb states, “For many families, this is their first experience leaving their little ones with us, and the certification reassures them that we are committed to a welcoming, family-centered environment. This recognition has built trust, making families feel more comfortable and involved in their child’s learning. As a result, we’ve seen increased attendance, better enrollment rate, more volunteers, and higher parent meeting participation.”

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New Report Shows Impact of Family Engagement in Kentucky Schools
5 min read

New Report Shows Impact of Family Engagement in Kentucky Schools

When schools implement intentional strategies to create a culture of family engagement, families’ knowledge...
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Nov. 20, 2024

Contact: Lisa McKinney, Communications Director, The Prichard Committee

(cell) 859-475-7202

lisa@prichardcommittee.org

New Report Shows Impact of Family Engagement in Kentucky Schools  

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LEXINGTON, Ky -- When schools implement intentional strategies to create a culture of family engagement, families’ knowledge of the education system improves and teachers’ job satisfaction improves. Further, with support and encouragement, families feel prepared to partner with schools and help them develop authentic family engagement activities. These are among the key findings in a recent report released by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and conducted by the Center for Policy, Research, and Evaluation at the NYU Metro Center.

“These initial findings validate the strength of the family engagement work happening in schools across Kentucky,” said Brigitte Blom, President & CEO of the Prichard Committee. “When schools and families partner, student outcomes improve; it’s that simple. We’re excited by the research findings that show small, intentional steps to engage families can have big, positive impacts.”

The Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools Research and Evaluation Findings 2020-2023 provides an overview of findings from the 5-year startup of the Prichard Committee’s Collaborative for Families and Schools, which benefitted from funding for Statewide Family Engagement Centers through a US Department of Education grant. The work resulted in the development of the Family Friendly Schools Certification process and built upon the proven 26-year legacy of the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership. In addition, the Prichard Committee worked deeply with four regional partners: Learning Grove, Partners for Rural Impact, The National Center for Families Learning, and Daviess County Public Schools. The work is anchored in the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, which is the widely accepted research-based framework for building effective partnerships.

"Rather than focusing on scaling up a specific family engagement program, the Kentucky Collaborative supported schools and communities statewide to combine evidence-based practices with local wisdom, leadership, and relationships. This approach was not only more effective, but also more sustainable," said Dr. Joanna Geller, NYU’s director of policy, research, and evaluation and the study’s principal investigator.

Findings include:

For teachers, the most improved family engagement actions included:  

  • Increase in school outreach to families
  • Teachers sending communications about what children learn in class  
  • Schools encouraging parents to reach out to other parents
  • Staff applying knowledge of parents’ various cultural backgrounds when collaborating with them
  • Schools becoming more linguistically responsive  

Families reported an increase in the following actions:

  • Ever attending family events (+25%) and volunteering (+22%)  
  • Believing teachers regularly communicate about how to help their children learn and encourage parent feedback (each +12% change in strongly agreeing)
  • Perceiving stronger climate for family leadership in all areas (+10-11% change in strongly agreeing)
  • Knowing special programs available at the school to help their child (+10% change in strongly agreeing)

In addition, educators who participated in training were almost twice as likely to report a great deal of confidence with family engagement, and participating in training appears to have increased their satisfaction with their job.

“When districts prioritize family partnerships and schools create authentic spaces for connection, the ripple effect is powerful,” said Brooke Gill, vice president and director of the Prichard Committee’s Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools. “These findings should be used across the state to encourage more schools to create time and space for families and educators to build authentic connections.”  

The report also found some important differences in how families are supported broadly. Namely, families of color and with less affluence reported less outreach to them by schools and a less welcoming environment for families. As Kentucky schools continue to support effective family engagement, reflecting on and implementing strategies that engage all families through a strengths-based lens will be important.  

“While this initial report shows important leading indicators that family engagement efforts have a positive effect, in the years ahead, we are eager to show the direct impact effective family engagement can have on outcomes for all students as we work to expand Family Friendly Schools Certification and Fellows of the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership,” said Blom.

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New Survey Reveals Kentucky Families’ Perceptions of Education Opportunities
5 min read

New Survey Reveals Kentucky Families’ Perceptions of Education Opportunities

Parents report strong satisfaction with mental health services while identifying need for expanded learning...
Read more

Nov. 19, 2024

Contact: Lisa McKinney, Communications Director, The Prichard Committee

(cell) 859-475-7202

lisa@prichardcommittee.org

New Survey Reveals Kentucky Families’ Perceptions of Education Opportunities

Parents report strong satisfaction with mental health services while identifying need for expanded learning opportunities and deeper family engagement

LEXINGTON, Ky -- The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence released findings from a new study examining how Kentucky parents view educational opportunities in their communities. "The State of Educational Opportunity in Kentucky" captures the experiences of more than 400 parents and guardians of school-aged children in the commonwealth, providing valuable insights into how families identify both the strengths of our public education system, as well as areas for improvement.

"The overwhelming show of support for public education at the ballot box with the recent defeat of Amendment II presents a critical opportunity for Kentuckians to engage deeply in a conversation about ways to continue to improve our state's education outcomes," said Brigitte Blom, president & CEO of the Prichard Committee. "This survey is an important first step toward identifying what we are doing well and finding solutions for areas that need improvement."

Parents report higher satisfaction than most states in two key areas:

  • Parents give Kentucky schools high marks for mental health support. Kentucky has the highest percentage of families in the nation who are very satisfied with how their school supports their child's mental health needs at 45%, compared to the national average of 37%.
  • Kentucky families express strong confidence in college and career preparation, with parents across all income brackets reporting higher confidence in workforce preparedness than the national average. However, there is an 11- to 13-percentage point difference between families with low- and mid-high-incomes, suggesting lower-income families feel less confident about their child's preparation for success.

Parents report several areas where they face challenges accessing educational opportunities:

  • Families report limited access to summer learning programs. Only 31% of Kentucky parents surveyed say their children participate in these programs, compared to the national average of 41%. More concerning, parents' responses reveal a 14-point gap between income groups: while 38% of students from mid-high-income families participate in summer programs, only 24% of students who come from low-income families do.
  • Few parents report their children receive tutoring services. Only 14% of parents say their children receive tutoring, below the national average of 19%. Again, we see a significant income-based disparity in reported access, with a 12-point gap between students who come from low-income and mid-high-income families.
  • Parents describe low levels of engagement with their schools. While parents report being aware of their school's academic performance, they indicate much less familiarity with school operations and governance. Only 20% of respondents say they have attended meetings held by parent organizations at their schools, 5 percentage points below the national average. Only 16% of parents say they are familiar with how school budget decisions are made, placing Kentucky near the bottom quarter of states nationally on these measures.

"Research consistently shows that extended learning opportunities, such as tutoring and summer programs, and strong family engagement are two critical components for student success," said Todd Baldwin, vice president and director of the Center for Best Practice and Innovation at the Prichard Committee. "Over the coming year, we'll be working to identify and elevate promising practices from Kentucky communities that are finding innovative ways to expand learning opportunities and strengthen family partnerships. We know these solutions exist in our communities - our goal is to help share these examples so other school-communities can learn from and build upon their success."

The Kentucky survey was part of "The State of Educational Opportunity in America: A survey of 20,000 Parents," produced by 50CAN and Edge Research, one of the largest studies of parent perceptions of education in the United States in the past decade. The Kentucky sample of 404 parents and guardians represents diverse backgrounds across geographic regions, income levels, and school types.

"A great school is one that sits at the center of an engaged and supportive community," said Blom. "When the school and community collaborate to leverage assets in support of expanded educational opportunity, students benefit, families express increased satisfaction, and educators can focus on high-quality instruction."

For more information about the survey or access to the full Kentucky report, visit the Prichard Committee website. For more information about the national survey, and to access the full data set, visit 50can.org.


About the Prichard Committee

We believe in the power and promise of public education – early childhood through college - to ensure Kentuckians’ economic and social well-being. We are a citizen-led, bipartisan, solutions-focused nonprofit, established in 1983 with a singular mission of realizing a path to a larger life for Kentuckians with education at the core.  

About 50CAN

50CAN: The 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now is a locally led, nationally supported nonprofit education advocacy organization committed to a high-quality education for all kids, regardless of their address.

About Edge Research

A woman-owned marketing research company and trusted partner, Edge Research tells data-driven stories that make our clients’ programs, products, and brands successful, because we believe in conducting purposeful and impactful work. Our goal is to blend wisdom, experience, creativity, and innovation to drive change. One of Edge’s key verticals is education, which ranges from early childhood development to K-12 and postsecondary education, to lifelong learning.

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