What is the Point-of-View tool?

This decision-making tool can be utilized as a critical first step to sourcing and assessing partnership opportunities. The tool creates a framework for charter school operators to assess partnership viability in the following areas:

• Market Analysis: What are the demographics of the local district(s), including student enrollment trends and the demand/need for high-quality options?

• Governance: Do the authorizer and/or state government requirements align with the charter school / charter management organization’s governance requirements (e.g. Board structure and preferred management structure)?

• Authorizer Structure: What are the authorizing options, are there multi-school and multi-charter approvals, what are the authorizer management and accountability requirements?

• Financial Sustainability: What is public funding, and what opportunities are there for philanthropy? What financial model is required to operate the school(s)?

• Policy and Regulatory: What are the state’s instructional and operational requirements, and are there any charter exemptions?

• Human Capital: What is the market for high-quality teachers and school leaders, or development of local talent? What are the licensing policies and requirements for enrollment contracts?

• Facilities and Infrastructure: What is the affordability and feasibility of school construction, local zoning and entitlements processes, and/or availability of facilities?

• Local Champions and Landscape: What is the market strength for charters, availability of community partners, interest of local leaders to commit, and the political climate/landscape?

The tool will help charter schools understand when a partnership opportunity is viable and gauge the feasibility of long-term success.

Please see the Point-of-View Tool for more details on how to do this work.