The VOA Selection Criteria:

• Small schools- Research shows that students are more successful in small school environments. Students receive more attention and are able to form strong relationships with their teachers in small schools. Their size allows teachers to work closely with parents and students to develop individualized learning plans that address the learning style of the student, resulting in a a more beneficial learning experience for all involved.
• A focus on marginalized students- Volunteers of America is committed to working with children and families in need. Currently, many students are not served well by the traditional public school system. Some of these students fit the traditional “at-risk” profile, but many others have been pushed to the margins for reasons such as unique learning styles, lack of social skills and nonconformity. Volunteers of America wishes to assist in the creation of schools that will help all students succeed.
• A focus on service learning- Service learning is an educational strategy where students gain and apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to address genuine community needs. It is a powerful and authentic method of learning that gives students opportunities to reflect on their place in the world. As our name suggests, Volunteers of America believes that all persons are assets for their community, and seek to extend to all youth the opportunity to contribute as a volunteer and community-creator.
• Schools that fill a void in the community- Volunteers of America is committed to assisting in the development of educational opportunities that do not currently exist in the community. In addition to being innovative, schools seeking Volunteers of America sponsorship should have curriculum design that is research-based, supported by best practices and aligned with the Minnesota Graduation Standards.
• A focus on racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity- As our society and our schools have become increasingly segregated, Volunteers of America strongly believes in the importance of diverse learning environments. In areas with more homogeneous populations this can be achieved through partnerships with urban schools and organizations.

What VOA offers to the charter schools it sponsors:

• Non-profit management and governance expertise-Volunteers of America has over 105 years experience in non-profit management and governance. We offer free technical assistance to our schools in board development and financial management in the form of workshops and consultation.
• An active and supportive partner in the creation and success of your school- Volunteers of America staff have experience in the development, operation and regulation of charter schools. Our agency believes that a strong relationship between charter school and sponsor greatly increases the school’s chances for success. VOA is a supportive partner of the schools it sponsors with regular communication, site visits, attendance at selected board meetings and on-going technical assistance.
• Opportunities for partnerships with other VOA programs- Volunteers of America operates over 20 social service programs throughout the state of Minnesota, ranging from foster care to senior services. These programs provide exciting opportunities for partnership with your school.
• Opportunities to learn and share with other schools in VOA charter network- Volunteers of America intends to sponsor a number of charter schools throughout Minnesota. Volunteers of America-sponsored schools, while sharing some core hallmarks, will be very diverse in mission and operation. VOA will host bi-annual meetings for its charter schools that will offer helpful workshops and ample time and forums for sharing and learning from one another. In addition, we will establish an online forum to allow schools to share with each other as they grow.

What VOA expects from sponsored schools:

• Fulfillment of all aspects of charter contract, most importantly meeting the academic and nonacademic goals.
• Participation in the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools Accountability Project or a similar continuous improvement process.
• All state mandated reporting and audits are finished and submitted on time.
• Quarterly Reports to Volunteers of America.
• Submission of monthly financial reports
• Submission of all minutes from meetings of the Board of Directors
• Participation in VOA charter network activities

VOA Application process

1. Charter school developers must submit the appropriate materials to the VOA Charter School Office two months prior to the Department of Education deadlines (June 1 for the August 1 deadline, etc.). This submission must include 9 copies of a business plan aligned to the VOA Business Plan Template, and 2 copies of a complete charter school proposal aligned to the Department of Education format. http://education.state.mn.us/content/064402.doc
   
   
2. Charter school applications are reviewed by our charter advisory board through the filter of the VOA charter school hallmarks. The charter advisory board is comprised of representatives from other charter school sponsors, charter school directors, charter school support organizations and VOA staff. The participation of these charter school experts results in the selection of top-quality charter schools whose mission and purpose are in alignment with VOA.
   
   
3. If a proposed school meets these criteria and receives strong positive feedback from the advisory board, the founding group is invited for an interview with the advisory board and the CEO of the organization. The interview will focus on school alignment with VOA vision/mission, the educational and financial viability of the proposal and the founding group's capacity to implement an idea into a reality. Groups with members whose expertise covers a broad range of skills will be favored.
   
   
4. Founding groups of schools that are chosen to move forward are required to undergo criminal background checks at their own expense. All information submitted is private and will not be viewed by anyone other than VOA Charter School staff. Founding groups are then invited to a second interview with the CEO of VOA and VOA Charter School staff.
   
   
5. A recommendation is made to the VOA Board of Directors to approve sponsorship of the school. VOA Charter School staff will work with founding groups to ensure the charter school proposal meets MN Department of Education criteria.

VOA Charter School Sponsorship Guide:

• For a full description of our program please download the VOA Charter School Sponsorship Guide.