The ASBCS February Board Meeting was held on Monday, March 11, 2024. Thank you to all those that attended!

To see all Board actions taken at the March 2024 meeting, please view the link below.

Recognizing Arizona Autism Charter Schools, Inc.

We are pleased to share that Arizona Autism Charter Schools, Inc. has been selected as one of the National ESEA Distinguished Schools! Congratulations to the Charter Holder for all of their hard work and dedication!

Call for Charter School Success Stories

CALLING ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS!

We want to showcase YOUR school’s success stories! Anything from school experiences to student success stores to your innovative programs, we would love to share them! 

Please email us at charterschoolboard@asbcs.az.gov with your stories, pictures, etc! Also feel free to reach out with any questions.

Call for ASBCS Student Advisory Council

The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS) is seeking individuals to serve on our Student Advisory Council (SAC). SAC is about fostering connections with the student community to inspire unique solutions. You will be empowered to provide feedback and share innovative ideas with the ASBCS.

Please see the flyer above for more information regarding requirements for serving on the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools Student Advisory Council.

Please reach out to Alyssa McDonald at alyssa.mcdonald@asbcs.az.gov or (480) 432-4104 with any questions.

Arizona Auditor General: Virtual Meeting- Reserve Balance Reporting in the FY 2024 AFR and FY2025 Budget Forms

A message from the Arizona Auditor General:

As you are aware, the fiscal year (FY) 2023 charter school Annual Financial Report (AFR) package included a new Reserve Balance tab to report information on the amount and planned use of charters’ reserve balances to increase transparency and provide decision-makers, other stakeholders, and the public more complete financial information. The form also included an optional section to report information on existing charter reserve balance policies that will be required in FY 2024.

While we are aware of Senate Bill 1654, which proposes statutory changes to the AFR format, we are continuing to move forward with the stakeholder feedback process we described in our October 10, 2023, email, as your feedback is critical to the FY 2024 and FY 2025 forms. We will be holding virtual meetings to discuss the importance of reserve balance policies, answer questions about how to complete the form, and obtain feedback on the current forms format that we will consider for the FY 2024 AFR. We will also discuss the upcoming FY 2025 budget forms’ reserve balance tab that will provide clarity on charters’ planned spending and reserve balances during the budgeting process. We encourage you or any personnel from your school who are currently involved in completing the AFR and/or budget forms to attend one of these meetings to provide feedback on considerations that are important to your charter school.

We have scheduled 2 virtual meetings at the following times:

Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device—(Click here to join the meeting)

Or call in (audio only)—Dial +1 480-420-6360, Phone Conference ID: 644 517 128#

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device—(Click here to join the meeting)

Or call in (audio only)—Dial +1 480-420-6360, Phone Conference ID: 453 279 354#

If you have any questions, please contact Tijana Djordjic, Accountability Services Senior, or Megan Smith, Accountability Services Manager, at asd@azauditor.gov or (602) 977-2796.

District Accountability Coordinator Information and Training

A message from the Arizona Department of Education:

To improve communication related to Accountability tasks and training, we have begun establishing a District Accountability Coordinator for each LEA. This individual will be the primary contact regarding deadlines and submissions regarding Accountability. As we implement training videos and updates to our resources, we will notify District Accountability Coordinators. We will also be reaching out with a follow-up email as we establish a point of contact for the year.

If you have not yet completed the District Accountability Coordinator form, please do so here. 

If you have already completed the District Accountability Coordinator form, please disregard this email. 

Best Regards,

Alternative Application Deadline Reminder

A message from the Arizona Department of Education:

Arizona Educators, this is a reminder to inform Alternative Schools of the impending closure of the Alternative School Application on March 31st, 2024. 

Please use the links included to find the Alternative and Application pages. This is for Alternative Schools to submit for inclusion in the 2025 Alternative School List. 

If you are not a school seeking identification as an Alternative School, please disregard. If you have questions, please reach out to Achieve@azed.gov

On-Track To Graduate Initial Deadline

A message from the Arizona Department of Education:

This is a reminder to ensure you have submitted your Self-Reporting information for the Initial On-Track to Graduate through ADE Connect if you are an Alternative School. The ADE Connect application, A-F Self-Reporting Data, will close as of March 15th, 2024. 

Additional information and resources are located here. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out at Achieve@azed.gov. 

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 8, 2024 at 10:00am.