Charter School Review Committee

Purpose

To review charter school applications and make recommendations to the Common Council for the granting of charter school status. The committee is also responsible for the continuing oversight and ongoing review of charter schools, including the renewal of five year charter school contracts.

Intent

The intended impact of the CSRC is to add value to the effort to improve the quality of existing schools and increase the number of new, high-quality schools chartered by the city.

Who We Are

The Charter School Review Committee was established to implement state legislation authorizing the operation of charter schools and serves as the review and monitoring arm of the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee. The CSRC’s mission is to ensure that the Common Council of Milwaukee is a quality authorizer of charter schools.

The CSRC decision-making starts with a rigorous application process. After a school is approved by the Common Council, a contract is executed by the city attorney.

Once the school is open, the CSRC monitors academic, operational, and financial performance and reports to the Common Council annually. An important feature of the annual report is the CSRC’s scorecard for elementary and high schools.

In the event a school is struggling to perform, the CSRC could move to recommend that the school be put on probation. If the school continues to have low performance, the CSRC can recommend closure.

Composition

Seven members: three members appointed by the Mayor; three members appointed by the Common Council President; and the City Comptroller or the Comptroller’s designee. The six appointed members are subject to confirmation by the Common Council and serve at the pleasure of their appointing authorities. Terms for the six appointed members are three years. The members shall elect a chair and vice chair.

A member who is not an elected official continues to serve after the completion of his or her term until reappointed or until a successor has been appointed.

Due to the nature of the business conducted by this body, members are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests with the Board of Ethics.