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OrleansParishSchoolBoard
2015CharterSchoolRFA
IndependentEvaluationReport
Type1CharterApplicationfor:
AMIkidsNewOrleans
Submittedby:
AMIkidsBayouRegion,Inc.
Introduction
TheOrleansParishSchoolBoard(OPSB)2015CharterSchoolRequestforApplicationprocess
soughtproposalsfromhighlyqualifiedapplicantstoopennewschoolstoprovidehigh‐quality
educationalsettingstothestudentsandfamiliesofOrleansParish.Charterapplicantsareevaluated
againstthefollowingcriteria,asdescribedintheOPSBCharterSchoolPerformanceFramework:
AcademicPerformance–Istheproposedacademicprogramlikelytobesuccessful?
FinancialPerformance–Istheproposedschoollikelytobefinanciallyviable?
OrganizationalPerformance–Istheorganizationlikelytobeeffectiveandwellrun?
EvidenceofCapacity–Doestheapplicantteamdemonstratethenecessarycombinationofskills,
competencies,andexperiencestoexecutetheplansetforthintheproposal?
Intotal,ahighqualityapplicationwilldemonstrateevidencethattheteamhasthecapacityneeded
inallkeyareasinordertoopenandoperateacharterschoolthatimprovesacademicoutcomesfor
students.
Ratings
Foreachmeasureanapplicationreceivesoneoffourratings:
MeetsStandard‐Theresponsereflectsathoroughunderstandingofkeyissues.
ApproachesStandard‐Theresponsemeetsthecriteriainmanyrespects,butlacksdetailand/or
requiresadditionalinformationinoneormoreareas.
DoesNotMeetStandard‐Theresponsemeetsthecriteriainsomerespectsbuthassubstantialgaps
inanumberofareas.
FallsFarBelowStandard‐Theresponseiswhollyundevelopedorsignificantlyincompleteand
raisessubstantialconcernsabouttheviabilityoftheplanortheapplicant’sabilitytocarryitout.
IndependentEvaluationReportforAMIkidsBayouRegion,Inc.
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ProposalOverview
Mission
AMIkidsNewOrleansisdedicatedtoprovidingourcommunities’kidswiththeopportunityto
transformintoresponsibleyoungadults.Ourmissionistoprotectpublicsafetyandpositively
impactasmanyyouthaspossiblethroughtheeffortsofadiverseandinnovativestaff.Weseekto
operateanalternativeschoolservinggrades6‐12inwhichstudentsmakesubstantialandsustained
academicgains,graduatehighschoolandachievepost‐secondarygraduationandgainful
employmentasproductiveandresponsiblecitizens.
EnrollmentProjections
AcademicYear
Planned#
ofStudents
Year12016‐17
180
Year22017‐18
300
Year32018‐19
360
Year42019‐20
420
Year52020‐21
420
AtCapacity(2019‐20) 420
Maximum#
ofStudents
216
360
432
504
504
504
GradeLevelsServed
6,7,9
6‐10
6‐11
6‐12
6‐12
6‐12
TeamMemberInformation
FullName
Dr. Phildra J. Swagger Tommy J. Dyer Jr. Jeri Bonnette Brining Shirley Mae Tony Alicia Blum Rebecca Corrigan, EdM CurrentJobTitleand
Employer
National Director of Educational Services, AMIkids Inc. Executive Director, AMIkids Baton Rouge Director of Education, AMIkids Acadiana Program Liaison, Educational Services Director of Vocational Training & Job Placement PositionwithProposed
School
ESP lead ESP support ESP support ESP support ESP support ESP support BoardMemberInformation
DookyChaseJr.(Chair)
HeidiNuss
TravisRobertson
IndependentEvaluationTeamMembers:GabrielaFighetti,GlennTurtel,AmyRuckKagan
IndependentEvaluationReportforAMIkidsBayouRegion,Inc.
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ExecutiveSummaryofRecommendation
AMIKidshasextensiveexperiencenationally, andisdeeplycommittedtoservingat‐riskyouth.That
beingsaid,theapplicantteamdidnotcoherentlytranslatehowtheAMIKidsprogramcanbecomea
fullschoolofover300students.Thislackofacleareducationalprogramwascombinedwithan
inabilitytodescribewhatinstructionaldecisionswouldbemadeonthelocalboardlevelversusthe
nationalAMImanagementlevel.Theinterviewteamwasunabletodiscussorarticulate
educationaloutcomes,priortrackrecordinformationordetaileducationalgoalsfortheproposed
school.AMIKidshasbroughtonastronglocalpartnerforthefinancialcomponentsofthe
application,whichisevidencedbythecoherenceofthissectionoftheapplication.AMIKidsshould
considerasimilarapproachtostrengthentheeducationalandoperationalaspectsoftheir
application.
SummaryofRatings
EducationPlan
FinancialPlan
DoesNotMeetStandard Meets Standard OrganizationalPlan EvidenceofCapacity
ApproachesStandard Approaches Standard FinalRecommendation
DENY
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EducationPlan
AstrongEducationalProgramDesigniscoherentoverallandalignedinternallywiththeschool’s
missionandvision,OperationsPlan,andFinancialPlan.
Meets Standard Approaches Standard
Does Not Meet Standard Falls Far Below Standard AMIKids’EducationPlandoesnotmeetthestandardforapprovalbecauseitwasnotcohesive,
clearlydeveloped,orreadytoimplement.AlthoughAMIcurrentlyoperates47programsandthe
proposedboardchairhasextensiveexperienceinNewOrleans,evaluatorsfoundthatdesireand
passionoutweighedastructuredprogram.TheAMIKidsteamreliedontheirotherprograms,rather
thandescribinganappropriatecurriculum,demonstratingaplanforastudents’day,beingableto
articulateanunderstandingofspecialeducation(laws,studentneeds,programdesign,etc.),or
definingthebalanceofdirectinstructionwithonlinetoolsandcurricula.Thislackofaclear
educationalprogramwascombinedwithaninabilitytodescribewhatinstructionaldecisionswould
bemadeonthelocalschoolorboardlevelversusthenationalAMImanagementlevel.TheAMIKids
foundingteamwasunabletodiscussorarticulateeducationaloutcomes,priortrackrecord
informationordetaileducationalgoalsfortheproposedschool. OrganizationalPlan
AstrongOrganizationalPlaniscoherentoverallandalignedinternallywiththeschool’smissionand
vision,EducationProgram,andFinancialPlan.
Meets Standard Approaches Standard
Does Not Meet Standard Falls Far Below Standard Theproposedschool’sboardchairhasextensiveexperienceinNewOrleans,butotherwisethere
wasnolocalcapacityontheinterviewteam.Itwasnotclearwhattheapplicantteam’stimelineor
approachtoincreasinglocalcapacitywithschool‐basedexperienceis.AlthoughAMIKidshas
robustprofessionaldevelopmentofferings,itwasnotimmediatelyclearhowthoseopportunities
wouldbeadaptedorsupplementedtomeetthespecificneedsofAMIKidsNewOrleans’staff.
Traditionallyoperatingasaprogram,AMIKidsisusedtoreceivingstudentsthathavebeen
assignedfromthedistrict.AlthoughitistruethattheotheralternativeschoolsinNewOrleansdo
nothavethecapacitytoserveallofthestudentsthatmeettheiradmissionscriteria(over‐aged/
under‐credited),theteamdoesnotseemtohaveaclearplanforstudentrecruitmentandretention,
bothorwhicharechallenginggiventhetargetpopulation. IndependentEvaluationReportforAMIkidsBayouRegion,Inc.
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FinancialPlan
AstrongFinancialPlaniscoherentoverallandalignedinternallywiththeschool’smissionandvision,
EducationalProgram,andOrganizationPlan.
Meets Standard Approaches Standard
Does Not Meet Standard Falls Far Below Standard Thebudgetappearstoincludemostitems,hasreasonablerevenueandexpenseprojections(given
informationprovidedbyOPSB)andhasadetailedbudgetnarrative.AMIKids,Inc.’sstartuploan
commitmentandverbalcommitmenttolowerordeferfeesiftherearefinancialissuesmakesthe
schoolmoreprotectedfromfinancialshocks.AMIKids,Inc.hasareasonablystrongbalancesheetto
providesuchsupport.Thefacilityisstillamajorquestionmark,butthisiscommonforcharter
applicantsatthisstageandthefacilityassumptionsarewithinreason.
EvidenceofCapacity
EvidenceofCapacityindicatestheabilityofschoolfounderstoexecuteontheschool’smissionand
vision,EducationalProgram,OrganizationPlan,andFinancialPlan.
Meets the Standard Approaches Standard
Does Not Meet Standard Falls Far Below Standard ItisclearthatAMIKidsiscommittedtoservingat‐riskyouthandhas adeeppassionforimproving
theirlifeoutcomes.Thatbeingsaid,itisalsoclearfromboththeapplicationandtheinterviewthat
AMIKidsdoesnothaveexperienceinoperatingfullcharterschools,whichmayhinderthe
effectivenessoftheproposedschool.Inaddition,thelocalgoverningboard’sabilitytomanagethe
localorganizationisaquestionmark,especiallygiventhatthecontracttermsdonotappeartobe
finalized. IndependentEvaluationReportforAMIkidsBayouRegion,Inc.
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AMIKIDS BAYOU REGION, INC.
c/o AMIKIDS INC.
5915 BENJAMIN CENTER DRIVE
TAMPA, FL 33634-5269
TEL (813) 887-3300
May 8, 2015
Ms. Kathleen Padian
Deputy Superintendent
Orleans Parish School Board
3520 General DeGaulle Drive
New Orleans, LA 70114
Dear Deputy Superintendent Padian:
Thank you for sending us the Independent Evaluation Report for our Type 1 Charter Application
to the Orleans Parish School Board. We are disappointed by the report and regret that we did not
do a better job of articulating our educational plan, organizational plan, and evidence of capacity.
As we explained in our interview, the applicant board and management organization believe that
we are extraordinarily capable and qualified to operate a charter school serving the Parish’s most
challenging middle school and high school students. The proposed management organization for
AMIkids New Orleans is a 40 year old experienced and highly successful operator of alternative
schools, and it has extensive experience delivering robust educational programs with appropriate
curriculum, assessment systems, effective special education services, and blended instruction
platforms. We thought we articulated that the instructional decisions would be made by the school
leader with the support of the management organization, and the board would be responsible for
evaluation of the results of the school leader and management organization.
Since our recent conference call, our Board has agreed to hire a Principal’s Coach to not only guide
the recruitment and hiring process for the school leader but to serve as a mentor consultant to the
selected principal for a period of 18 months. An overview of this role is attached for your
consideration.
We also believe the application adequately described our educational outcomes – including
average GLE growth greater than one year in our day and residential programs, and the portfolio
attachment showed that our Baton Rouge school produced above average GLE gains in math (2.6),
reading (3.0), and writing (2.9) in the last reported year.
Our goals were clearly stated in the application narrative on pages 57-60, which include EOC
outcomes that are consistent with existing good practice for Orleans Parish alternative schools and
90 points under the OPSB-approved Alternative Charter School Extension and Renewal
Framework (which includes >75% passing on EOC exams, > 75% full completion of credit
accumulation, and > 85% student stability rate). We also targeted 90% alumni participation in the
workforce, the military, or post-secondary education during the first five years after graduation.
The feedback on our organizational plan does not adequately capture how we plan to meet the
enormous need for effective alternative schools in Orleans Parish – as evidenced by the strategic
priority established by OPSB in the application process. We are explicitly applying for a charter
school to enroll students by choice – preventing them from falling off the track in the first place
and being assigned to AMIkids after court intervention. We believe our enrollment plan of
recruiting through the OneApp process, combined with accepting referrals from other OPSB
schools or the court system, meets a clearly established need in New Orleans.
The recruitment plan detailed on pages 62-67 of our application is both detailed and
comprehensive. As described, the plan discusses in detail how each population would be recruited,
and retention would be encouraged with the culture in the building. However, AMIkids is very
understanding and realistic that this population tends to be transitory.
We discussed in our interview that we plan to supplement our board, and we have identified three
additional candidates that have commenced the background screening process. They are: April B.
Griffin and Oscar A. Barbarin, Ph.D, and Arleen Kennedy. Their resumes are attached.
Thank you again for the opportunity to apply for an alternative charter school to OPSB. We remain
resolute that we are a highly qualified applicant to operate the school we proposed successfully,
and hope the staff will recommend us for approval.
Sincerely yours,
Edgar Chase
Edgar “Dooky” Chase
Board Chair