Public Charter School Design and Development Program
Offering Resources for School Leaders from Conception to Replication
FOCUS offers an array of services to schools in the four phases of charter development: Startup: Pre-Approval, Startup: Post-Approval, Achieving Mastery, and Replication/Expansion. Through this work, we are growing a vibrant charter sector in DC comprising a wide variety of public charter school options, from Chinese language immersion to single-gender college-prep schools and everything in between. To find a DC public charter school visit our school quality dashboard. (DCPS schools are also included.)
Startup: Pre-Approval FOCUS offers a menu of services to help groups through the charter application process. We have experience working with local residents interested in starting a school, as well as leaders of established charter schools, charter management organizations, and charter networks wanting to expand in DC.
Startup: Post-Approval FOCUS helps groups that have received charter approval navigate the difficult and often lonely and overwhelming startup year so that they have a successful on-time opening.
Achieving Mastery FOCUS offers a wide range of trainings and performance management consulting to established DC charter schools, partnering with local and national charter support organizations and connecting charter school leaders with support services.
Replication/expansion FOCUS offers services to school leaders or CMOs interested in replicating a successful model. We provide a comprehensive feasibility study with an environmental scan to assess the educational landscape in DC through the lens of the specific school interested in replication/expansion.