Self-Governance

Effective governance is critical for any high-quality school.

What's Different About a Charter School?

Charter schools are unique in that decisions are made at the single school level - vs. at the district level - regarding key matters including academic performance measures, curriculum, personnel and budget allocations. In practical terms, this means that a Charter school is free to pursue a math curriculum that's different from the standard, district-approved math curriculum or to prioritize its budget dollars in ways that may differ from the rest of the school district.

Governance at Stargate

Stargate, like other Charter schools, is independently managed by a Governance board with the autonomy to pursue the school's educational objectives. Essentially, the role of a Stargate Board member is two-fold: (1) to exercise final authority in matters affecting the charter school; and, (2) to ultimately be held accountable to the Charter Authorizer (Adams 12 School District) for the school’s academic performance, financial health and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. To help you better understand these roles and duties, visit the Stargate School Governance Handbook “Charter School 101” document.

Choosing Board Members

Stargate Board members are elected to their positions, typically for three-year terms. Eligible voters include parents of enrolled Stargate students and school staff. For more information, visit the Elections page. It is the responsibility of all community members to participate in elections.

Stargate's Leadership Team

The role of a Board Member at Stargate is different from that of the school's administrators. As the governing entity, the Board is charged with developing school policies and setting goals and expectations. The school administrators, including the Executive Director of Academics and the Chief Financial Officer serve as the school’s managers and are in charge of implementing the Board’s policies and carrying out the school’s academic and operational programs on a day-to-day basis. The Board assesses “what” needs to get done, while the school administrators are entrusted with “how” to do it.

Responsibility	Stargate Governance Board	Stargate School Administrators
Financial Management	Approves annual budget Reviews periodic financial reports Ensures proper internal controls are in place	Prepares annual budget with input from Board/finance committee Oversees preparation of periodic financial reports Implements proper financial controls
Academic Excellence	Ensures academic benchmarks: examines whether "the what" are being met or are on target to be met Offers oversight of academic program through the Unified Improvement Plan	Delivers academic program aligned with Charter contract’s specifications Determines how the instructional program is delivered
Compliances and Human Resources	Establishes personnel policies that adhere to state, federal & local requirements Approves salary scale & benefits packages offered by school	Determines qualifications & hires staff Conducts performance evaluations of staff Responsible for management of school personnel