School Design and Development

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.

Services for Existing Schools 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.