School Accountability

How OPSB Holds Schools Accountable

One of the district’s core responsibilities, as a charter school authorizer, is to hold charter schools accountable to a set of performance expectations that help ensure every student is provided with a high-quality education. The district believes that to deliver on its responsibilities it must work diligently to achieve the following:

Hold Schools to Rigorous Standards
Clearly articulate rigorous, fair, and transparent standards for charter schools that promote excellence, equity, and incentivize and reward strong performance and continued progress towards outcomes that best serve students.
Implement Effective Oversight Systems
Establish systems to monitor school performance that can be implemented with fidelity and do not place undue burdens on schools, intervene when necessary, and make data-driven renewal and extension decisions.
Be Transparent with Schools
Share, with school leaders and charter board members, how well schools perform against OPSB standards in a clear and timely fashion.
Share Information with the Public
Provide families and the public with easily accessible information to inform school choice decisions and increase their understanding of each school’s performance.

As the nation’s first-ever unified district serving as regulator for a citywide system of public charter schools, we work to ensure that every day, every student at every school receives a high-quality education. To achieve this, we created the Charter School Accountability Framework.

Charter School Accountability Framework

OPSB Charter School Accountability Framework (CSAF)

Charter Boards FAQ

What are charter schools?

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools of choice that are independently run by a nonprofit community board and authorized by an elected board, either a local school board or the state board of elementary and secondary education.

What is a charter board?

Charter schools are governed by a nonprofit community board that has the final authority and responsibility for the academic, financial, and organizational performance of the school and the fulfillment of its charter operating agreement.

Who serves on a charter board?

Charter boards benefit from having members with varied expertise in education, human resources, personnel management, finance, law, marketing, facilities, strategic planning, risk management or fundraising, as well as individuals with connections to the community, local businesses, and political leaders. Orleans Parish School Board requires that charter boards have the following:
- At least 7 members;
- At least sixty (60%) of the members of the charter boards shall reside in Orleans Parish
- At least one parent or legal guardian of one or more students currently enrolled at any school operated by that charter board. The parent or legal guardian requirement may also be satisfied by a recent graduate (within the past 5 years) or the parent/guardian of a recent graduate (within the past 3 years) of a school in Orleans Parish operated by the charter board.

How can I serve on a charter board?

Volunteering to serve on a charter board is an important way to give back to your community. Reach out to the charter board directly to learn more about their processes and opportunities to serve.

How can I find out when my school is having a charter board meeting?

Find information about charter board and committee meetings on the school’s website or posted on the school’s building at least 24 hours in advance. Many schools also have a list of the scheduled board meetings for the school year available.

Can a charter board or committee meet without letting the public know?

No, charter boards and committees must follow Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law. Whenever a majority (quorum) of a board or committee are together, they must follow the public notice requirements discussed above. All board votes must occur publicly.

How do I know what the charter board meeting is going to be about?

Before the meeting begins, you should be able to see a copy of the agenda which includes which items will be discussed and which will be voted upon. This agenda should be posted to the website and at the school at least 24 hours in advance. You should also be able to see a copy at the meeting.

How do I share my thoughts with the charter board?

Any voting item on the meeting’s agenda is required to have a public comment period. At that time, parents and other members of the public can address the board on that issue. There may be procedures in place to talk, such as time limits, using comment cards, or sign-in sheets, but those rules should be made clear before the meeting takes place.

Charter Operating Agreements

The charter operating agreement is a contract between the Orleans Parish School Board and a Louisiana Non-Profit Corporation on behalf of a charter school to operate a public charter school.

Charter Operating Agreements

Charter Agreements

Notices of Non-Compliance, Level 2:

The district has compliance expectations for charter schools outlined in the Charter Operating Agreement, and the Charter School Accountability Framework (CSAF). At any given point in the school year, a school may receive a Notice of Non-Compliance for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, non-compliance of law, policy, and/or contractual obligation. The Office of Equity and Accountability informs schools of non-compliance through tiered notifications, which increase in severity, based upon the level of concern and required remedy. In each official Notice of Non-Compliance, the School/CMO Leader and Charter Board Chair are informed. Additionally, Notices of Non-Compliance, Level 2 are shared at the OPSB monthly Accountability Committee meetings, and posted on the district website. The notifications will be removed once the issue has been determined resolved.