The Love of Compliance Leads to Safe and Successful Schools

Choice Schools and MIChoice loves compliance.

Yes, you read that right. We love compliance. Why? We value “ownership of excellence, service, and results.”

Establishing a high standard of compliance for our schools shows our stakeholders, who are parents, school board members, charter school authorizers, and the State of Michigan, that Choice Academies believe in excellence and creating a safe, successful environment for our school community. From my perspective, exceeding compliance expectations clears the way for what is most important and the purpose of what we do: Educating students.

Our schools receive a higher intensity of review because they are overseen by the Federal Government, the State of Michigan, County government, the Charter Authorizer, the School’s Board, and our management company. Traditional public schools only have to be compliant with the Federal, State, and County governments and their School Board. Our schools must comply with over 120 individual compliance items with their authorizers, 150 compliance items set by Choice, and all of the other laws and regulations set by the State. We’re serious about “getting it right” on behalf of our students!

We, as charter schools, must meet and observe a wide variety of guidelines and regulations set by both government agencies, and our charter authorizers, in order to receive the financial resources needed to operate and maintain our Charter to stay in existence. We have a lot at stake and have a higher risk than traditional schools because the Charter authorizer has the authority to close schools for not meeting their academic and compliance expectations.

All Michigan charter schools have the same state and federally mandated reporting requirements as traditional public schools. The Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) currently manages six data collection and reporting systems used by school districts to submit data to the state. The Federal government uses one, the CRDC (Civil Rights Data Collection). However, all of us also have mandated Charter Authorizer and ISD reporting requirements, which vary depending on their Charter Authorizer and ISD.

If you are seeking a company that cares enough to be excited about being compliant with regulations that help to establish safe schools for the community, and is comfortable being held accountable for high expectations and excellence to several entities, look no further.