CHARTERSCHOOLACCOUNTABILITYCOMMITTEE

DELAWAREDEPARTMENTOFEDUCATION

DelawareDesignLabHighSchool

FORMALREVIEW
FINALREPORT

CSACFinalMeeting:June3,2015
CSACFinalReportPublished:June5,2015

CSACFINALRECOMMENDATION:PROBATIONWITHCONDITIONS

ThefollowingwereinattendanceattheFinalMeetingoftheCSAConJune3,2015:

VotingCommitteeMembersoftheCharterSchoolAccountabilityCommittee
David Blowman, Chairperson of the Charter School Accountability Committee and
DeputySecretaryofEducation,DDOE
KarenFieldRogers,AssociateSecretaryforAdultEducationandSchoolSupports,DDOE
AprilMcCrae,EducationAssociate,ScienceAssessmentandSTEM,DDOE
BarbaraMazza,EducationAssociate,ExceptionalChildrenResources,DDOE
CharlesTaylor,CommunityMemberandRetiredHeadofSchool
TashaCannon,DeputyOfficerTalentRecruitment,SelectionandStrategy,Teacherand
LeaderEffectivenessUnit(TLEU),DDOE

StafftotheCommittee(Nonvoting)
CatherineHickey,DeputyAttorneyGeneral,DOJ
JenniferNagourney,ExecutiveDirector,CharterSchoolOffice,DDOE
BrookHughes,EducationAssociate,FinancialReformandResourceManagement,DDOE
JohnCarwell,EducationAssociate,CharterSchoolOffice,DDOE
MichelleWhalen,EducationAssociate,CharterSchoolOffice,DDOE

RepresentativesofDesignLabHighSchool
CristinaAlvarez,Ed.D.,ChiefExecutiveOfficer,DelawareDesignLabHighSchool
Dr.MartinRayala,Ph.D.,ChiefAcademicOfficer,DelawareDesignLabHighSchool
RiccardoStoeckicht,ChiefOperatingOfficer,InnovativeSchools

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Discussion
Mr.BlowmanstatedthatthepurposeofthemeetingwasfortheCSACtocontinueitsreviewof
therelevantstatutorycriteriatodeterminewhetherthecharterholderisviolatingthetermsof
itscharterand,ifso,whetherremedialmeasuresarewarranted.
Mr. Blowman noted that the grounds for the formal review are outlined in a letter to the
DelawareDesignLabHighSchool(DesignLab)Board,datedApril232015,whichincludethe
followingpotentialviolationsofthelawandcharter:

FinancialViability;
LeadershipCapacity;and
AbilitytoImplementtheApprovedCharterwithFidelity.

Mr.BlowmannotedthatDesignLabhadsubmittedasetofdocumentstotheDepartmentof
EducationinadvanceoftheInitialMeetingoftheCSAC,whichhadbeenaddedtotherecord.
These documents included a revised budget and organizational chart based on the May 1
enrollmentcount.
Mr.BlowmannotedthatanInitialMeetingoftheCSACwasheldonMay13,2015andanInitial
Report was issued on May 18, 2015. During the meeting, the CSAC requested the following
documents:

Budgetnarrative;
Budgetrevenuesheets;
UpdatedcashflowprojectionbasedonSeptember30enrollmentat202students;
Detailsabouttheeducationplanasitrelatesto(1)specialeducationstaffing,and(2)
servicestothegeneralschoolpopulation;
Narrativedescribingtheprofessionaldevelopmentprogram;
Narrativedescribingtheschoolleaderhiringprocess&qualifications;and
Narrativedescribingtherecruitmentprocessforthedualcertifiedspecialeducation
teacher.

TheCSACconfirmedthateachoftherequesteddocumentshadbeenreceivedintheirentirety,
alongwithDesignLabsresponsetotheInitialReport.
FinancialViability
Mr.Blowmannotedthat,asofJune3,DesignLabsenrollmentstandsat240students,whichis
exactly80%ofitsapprovedenrollment.

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Date

#EnrolledStudents

ApprovedTotal

%ofApprovedTotal

April1

137

300

46%

May1

202

300

67%

RevisedBudget
SubmittedMay5

240

300

80%

May13

205

300

68%

June3

240

300

80%

Mr.Blowmannotedthattheconcernaboutfinancialviabilitywasnotsolelydependentonthe
80%enrollmentthreshold,butalsostaffing,theneedtomeettheneedsoftheschoolsspecial
education population, and the need to provide a robust array of content for a high school
population.

Ms.FieldRogersaskedforclarificationregardingthenumberofcomplexstudents,notingthat
nine complex students were reported. Dr. Alvarez stated that the information that Ms. Field
Rogerswasreferringtowasincorrect,asthoseninestudentsareintensivestudents.

Ms.FieldRogersinquiredaboutastudentcomingfromtheCapeHenlopenSchoolDistrictarea.
Dr.Alvarezclarifiedthatthestudentsmotherworksneartheschoolandwouldbeproviding
private transportation for that student. She also noted that there is a student coming from
Spain.

AbilitytoImplementtheApprovedCharterwithFidelity

Mr.Blowmanrequestedmoreinformationregardingtheschoolsproposedchangesinspecial
education staffing. Dr. Alvarez responded that DesignLab has a preference for dualcertified
teachers. Additionally, because DesignLab understands the need to be fully compliant with
respecttospecialeducationpaperwork,ithasaddedaSpecialEducationCoordinatorposition
tobepaidforbyfederalfunds.TheSpecialEducationCoordinatorwillbeacasemanagerfor
the special education files and take the lead for professional development of teachers. The
schoolintendstohaveaspecialeducationteacherinYear1.Ms.Mazzawarnedtheschoolto
becautiouswithitsdualcertifiedteachers,aspassingthePraxisdoesnotnecessarilymeanthat
ateacherisqualifiedtoworkwithspecialeducationstudentsasapracticalmatter.

Dr. Alvarez added that DesignLab is having an educator recruitment fair Saturday, June 6, at
the school. The school also has a robust social media presence and has posted positions on
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JoinDelawareSchools.org. DesignLab is hopeful that it will have a nice pool of candidates to

choosefrom.

Ms.Mazzaemphasizedtheimportanceofusingmultipleservicedeliverymodelsandensuring
thattherigorinallofthosesettingsiswhereitneedstobeintermsoftheCommonCoreState
Standards.

LeadershipCapacity

Mr.BlowmanrequestedanupdateonDesignLabsSchoolLeaderselectionprocess.Dr.Alvarez
responded that DesignLab had gone through almost the entire hiring process with one
candidate.However,theBoardindicatedthatitwishedforthepooltobewidened.Theschool
thenreopenedthesearch,repostedtheposition,andnowhasseveralpotentialcandidates.Dr.
AlvarezstatedthatDesignLabexpectstohavehireditsSchoolLeaderintwoweeks.

Mr.Blowmanaskedwhetherthereisacontingencyplaninplaceintheeventtheschooldoes
not find a School Leader. Dr. Alvarez responded that she would serveas the School Leader if
that is the case. Additionally, DesignLab has multiple professional associates who are retired
and could step in to assist as needed. Mr. Stoeckicht added that there may be potential
candidates in Academia Antonia Alonsos candidate pool, as Innovative Schools is assisting in
thatsearcheffort.

Mr. Taylor asked whether the Board intends to participate in the Delaware Alliance for
Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) training and Dr. Alvarez responded that the school does
intendtoparticipate.

Mr.BlowmanaskedwhethertheschoolhasitsCertificateofOccupancy.Dr.Alvarezresponded
that it was just picked up today. She indicated that she would provide a copy to the
Department.

Conclusion:

Mr. Blowman stated that there are ongoing concerns to be monitored, particularly as they
relate to enrollment. While the schools enrollment currently stands at 80%, it will need to
remainat80%orbettertoensurefinancialviability.Henotedthattheschoolclearlyviolated
thetermsofitscharterasitrelatestotheApril180%enrollmentthreshold.

TheCSACvotedtorecommendthatDesignLabbeplacedonprobationthroughDecember31,
2015,subjecttothefollowingconditions:

1. Submitmonthlyupdatesonrecruitmentandenrollmentefforts;
2. SubmitanupdateddetailedbudgetbasedontheSeptember30,2015enrollmentand
unitcountbyOctober31,2015;
3. SubmitupdatesontheSchoolLeaderselectionprocessastheybecomeavailable;

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4. Board members must participate in training offered by the Delaware Alliance for
NonprofitAdvancementbyOctober1,2015;and
5. Submit the detail budget and expenditures of December 31, 2015 compared to the
detailbudget.
Ms.MazzaabstainedfromthevotebecauseshedidnotattendtheInitialMeeting.
NextSteps:

A second and final public hearing will be held on June 9, 2015, beginning at 5:00
p.m,inthe2ndFloorAuditoriumoftheCarvelStateOfficeBuildinglocatedat820N.
FrenchSt.inWilmington.

Thepubliccommentperiodisopen,andwillcloseonJune12,2015.

The Secretary will announce his decision at the June 18, 2015 State Board of
Education meeting, beginning at 1:00 p.m., in the 2nd Floor Cabinet Room of the
TownsendBuildinglocatedat401FederalStreetinDover.

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