NSNO Incubation Grant Application

In August of 2005, New Orleans was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Now, in 2007, New Orleans is the epicenter of urban education reform. New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO) is calling on America's most talented educational entrepreneurs to work with New Orleans communities to develop charter schools in New Orleans. Together, we will revitalize this city one school at a time. NSNO will provide $10,000 a month to founding leaders, as well as significant technical and networking assistance. Applications for the 2009 school year will be accepted until December 1st, 2007. Accepted Applicants will begin the program in July 2008 in order to open a school in 2009.

NSNO Incubation Grant Application (PDF, 55KB)

New Orleans Parents' Guide to Public Schools

The New School Start-Up Grant will provide newly approved charter schools with financial and technical resources to facilitate a successful school opening. The goal of the grant is to ensure that new charter schools begin the academic year with well-planned academic programs and competent operational infrastructure intact.

New Orleans Parents' Guide to Public Schools (PDF,9MB)

Charter School Operations Guidebook

The Charter School Guidebook is intended to provide charter school leaders and administrators with essential operations information. NSNO has attempted to capture all local, state, and federal regulations that affect charter schools while also highlighting operational best practices in areas such as budgeting, human resources, and special populations.

Charter School Operations Guidebook (PDF, 697KB)

Charter School Legal Guidebook

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the major areas of law that are relevant to charter schools. It may be used as an internal guide for school leaders as they draft school policies and procedures. This handbook may also be used as a companion guide to an NSNO-led legal review. These legal reviews are led by an NSNO staff member and overseen by lawyers from Jones Walker, Adams and Reese, Akin Gump, and Citigroup. To learn more about free legal reviews for public charter schools in New Orleans, email Neerav Kingsland at neerav@nsno.org.

Charter School Legal Guidebook (PDF, 356KB)

Charter Board Service Information

This document answers frequently asked questions regarding service on a charter school board. It also provides you with questions to ask school leaders in the process of becoming matched with a charter school. To learn more about NSNO's process of matching volunteers with charter school boards, please email Nancy Burvant at nancy@nsno.org.

Charter Board Service Information (PDF, 166KB)

Charter Board Member Qualifications

Every public charter school is governed by an independent local board of directors and it is the board of directors that ultimately holds the school's "charter". Charter School Board members assist in creating and governing schools that enable New Orleans children to achieve the highest academic standards. Board members must share a commitment to the school's mission and the vision. They must be dedicated, passionate, and entrepreneurial individuals willing to volunteer their expertise, connections, and time to governing a public school. This resource is a more in-depth look at the qualifications and responsibilities of all school board members. To learn more about becoming a board member of a public charter school, email Nancy Burvant at nancy@nsno.org.

Charter Board Member Qualifications

Charter Board Member Application

We greatly appreciate your interest in serving New Orleans children – serving on a charter school board is a tremendous way for concerned New Orleanians to help revitalize the city – and we're thrilled that you're willing to give your time to this effort. To become a member of New School for New Orleans’ bank of potential charter school board members, please fill out this application and email it to Nancy Burvant at nancy@nsno.org.

Charter Board Member Application (DOC, 196KB)

Trainings for Existing Charter Boards

New Schools for New Orleans believes that effective school boards are essential to both the operational and academic success of a public charter school. Because strong boards will lead to excellent public schools, New Schools for New Orleans offers free governance trainings for all public charter schools in New Orleans. Below is a list of 2007 trainings and the documents used during these trainings. To sign up for a future charter board training, please see our events calendar or email Nancy Burvant at nancy@nsno.org.

Board Overview Training (PDF, 512KB)
This training provides members of public charter school boards with a general overview of the roles and responsibilities of board members. The goals of this training are to provide attendees with an understanding of: the top 10 characteristics of highly effective boards, the roles and responsibilities of a board and of a school leader, the key elements of effective board structures and bylaws, who makes an effective board member, how to improve board meetings, and the elements of a board level action plan.

Board Matchmaking Training (PDF,160KB)
The Board Matchmaking Training provides information about how to interview and select new members for your charter school board.

Charter School Fundraising Training (PDF, 2.6MB)
The Charter School Fundraising Training teaches board members to create a fundraising program from scratch.

Finding, Recruiting, and Retaining Excellent Board Members (PDF, 178KB)
This training not only prepares board members to recruit, select, and retain a highly effective team, but also how to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your board meetings.

New Charter Bootcamp Training (PDF, 141KB)
The New Charter Bootcamp Training walks through the steps of transitioning from a founding board of a charter school to an effective governing board of trustees.

Partnering with, Supporting and Evaluating your School Leader (PDF, 391KB)
The Partnering with, Supporting and Evaluating your School Leader training teaches a board effective methods for developing a strong relationship with the school leader, creating a school leader evaluation, and making the distinction between governance and management.

The Boards Role in Academic Excellence (PDF, 202KB)
This training teaches boards how to set annual goals that support academic success in their school and uses case studies to show how governance can effectively help a school rise to academic excellence.