Hire and Support Program Staff
In order to achieve the school choice plan's systemic and strategic goals, the operations staff must work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and set in motion the structures, procedures, and processes that make it possible for choice programs to operate successfully.
Program Practices
| Each practice below comes from an individual school choice program. |
Chart Your Organizational Structure
The Hillsborough Choice Organizational Chart maps out the roles and responsibilities of program employees, outlining the organization’s configuration and clearly delineating the reporting and staffing structure.
Create a Charter Schools Office
Miami-Dade County Public Schools established a Charter School Operations Office to oversee the 73 charter schools that are authorized by its school board.
Develop a Statewide School Choice Resource/Research Center
Florida School Choice Resource Center website features materials developed by staff, information on parent resource centers around the state, calendars of events, school choice reports and resource links, online training opportunities, and a link to the most recent online choice newsletter.
Distribute Choice Research and Information to Stakeholders Through Journals, Newsletters, and Websites
The Florida School Choice Resource Center distributes school choice information and research through an academic journal, a quarterly e-newsletter, and an extensive school choice website.
Hire a Team of Outreach Specialists to Inform and Advise Parents
According to the chairman of the Brighter Choice Foundation, Parent Outreach Coordinators are the most effective way for the Foundation to attract parents to enroll in the newly created charter schools and SES.
Identify Characteristics Needed in New Staff and Develop Hiring Process That Filters Applications
When hiring principals in the Houston Independent School District, a Principal Profile is created that identifies specific characteristics for the position and the qualifications it requires.
Offer Statewide Workshops and Online Training and Degree Programs on School Choice Topics
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) provides the Florida School Choice Resource Center (FSCRC), housed within the Fischler School of Education and Human Services, with substantial expertise and resources. In addition, NSU has an extensive distance-learning program, allowing FSCRC to host online school choice-related professional development and degreed programs.
Organize a Statewide School Choice Consortium
Florida Public School Choice Consortium, as designed by Florida School Choice Resource Center staff in 2004, coordinates communication among 22 school choice districts participating in the Florida Department of Education mentorship program.
Recognize and Support School Choice Champions
Dr. Carlo Rodriguez, a champion of public school choice and President-Elect of the Florida Public School Choice Consortium, proposed the Champion of School Choice Awards, recognizing individuals and districts promoting and maintaining school choice in Florida.
Support a Magnet Schools Department
Although the Houston Independent School District has a relatively large magnet program, it is successfully run by a small but well-organized staff of three.
Create a School Choice and Parental Options Unit
To better administer its vast array of choice options, Miami-Dade County Public Schools established a Specialized Programs-Schools of Choice office located in the central office.
Sample Materials
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Charter School Operations Office
Miami-Dade County Public Schools created a Charter Schools Operations Office to coordinate the many charter schools authorized by their district.
Dr. Carlo Rodriguez Champion of School Choice Award
This website provides information on the Dr. Carlo Rodriguez Champion of School Choice Award, including its history, previous recipients, application deadline and an application to download and nominate a champion of school choice.
Florida Public School Choice Consortium (FPSCC) Website
The Florida Public School Choice Consortium (FPSCC) is a membership organization made up of choice advocates throughout the state of Florida. The website features information on FPSCC events, promising choice practices from around the state, and links to choice-related resources, including a variety of newsletters.
Florida School Choice Resource Center Website
The Florida School Choice Resource Center website houses a range of materials and resources to help educators across the state and country implement and improve their school choice programs. Included on the site are choice-related events, research, online training opportunities, and links to additional resources.
Florida School Choice Resource Center ’s Choice Online Newsletter
This online newsletter posted on the Florida School Choice Resource Center website and distributed to over 1,000 contacts includes a range of information on school choice subjects such as research, events, and updates and announcements to the school choice community.
Journal of School Choice
Haworth Press and the University of Texas at San Antonio publish the Journal of School Choice, a periodic compilation of current school choice research and articles on a range of topics in the field.
Organization Chart for the Florida School Choice Resource Center
This chart maps the organization of Florida School Choice Resource Center staff.
Specialized Programs-Schools of Choice Website
Complete information on Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ choice options is available on this website.
Magnet Program Manager
This Houston Independent School District job description lists the manager's responsibilities including assistance in specific areas of administration for magnet, extended day, and enrichment programs for school campuses.
Magnet Program Specialist
This Houston Independent School District job description for a Magnet Program Specialist outlines the duties of the role in assisting the Program Manager with responsibilities related to enrichment programs.
District Curriculum Supervisors
This job description outlines the role of a Curriculum Supervisor in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Magnet Educational Choice Association Manual
This Magnet Educational Choice Association (MECA) manual is a written resource for Miami-Dade County Public Schools personnel at magnet programs/schools and other choice programs. The manual explains how to manage MECA accounts and includes guidelines for depositing and disbursing funds.
Brochures on Choice Options
School choice brochures are used to market the Albany charter schools that are supported by the Brighter Choice Foundation. This brochure gives an overview of the school, including academic focus, information on how to apply, and a notice of interest form for parents to fill out.
Regional Meeting Agenda
This regional half-day meeting agenda provides an idea of the types of topics covered in the Florida Public School Choice Consortium regional meetings.
Master of Science in Charter School Education/Leadership
Nova Southeastern University offers choice-related degrees through its extensive distance-learning program.
School Choice Equity and Diversity Syllabus
This syllabus outlines course requirements for the School Choice Equity and Diversity course offered through Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services.
Annual Florida Public School Choice Consortium (FPSCC) Conference
This agenda for the Third Annual Public School Choice Conference outlines the topics addressed in the meeting.
Choice Organizational Chart
This organizational chart maps out the reporting structure for the roles that maintain choice programs in Hillsborough County Public Schools.
Engaging Families and Communities Syllabus
This syllabus outlines course requirements for the Engaging Families and Communities course offered through Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services.
Project Management Specialist of Outreach and Development Support Job Description
Foxborough Regional Charter School has hired a transportation coordinator to develop and oversee the new transportation plan under way.
Media
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Three Things to Consider
- Many districts offer staff the opportunity to transfer into choice programs that correspond to their interests
- If you are implementing a choice program that includes many types of programs you may want to consider creating an umbrella office or department to make sure there is consistency and coordination between programs
- You should consider how to utilize Title I and other special program staff when implementing your choice program
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–Jackie Turner, Director of the Student Placement Center in the Minneapolis Public Schools
