What is the Role of a Sponsor?

Minnesota law, like that of other states, includes a requirement that, for chartered schools to open, they must be granted a charter by an entity referred to as the "sponsor" or "authorizer." The concept of a "charter" and the subsequent "contract for results" are central to the chartering idea. Sponsoring is the granting of a charter to an organization/operator that enables the operator to open and implement a chartered school. The sponsor has key roles throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the schools it sponsors. These roles are:

Provide information regarding the intent and conditions of the organization to serve as a sponsor of chartered schools;

Determine whether a proposal requesting it to serve as a sponsor meets state, federal and sponsor criteria for a charter school;

Following a determination that the proposal meets all requirements, along with the operator, the sponsor requests the commissioner to approve its intent to grant the charter;

Enter into a contract with the operator following commissioner approval;

Provide assistance and service to the school as agreed to in the contract or service agreement;

Provide ongoing oversight of the school to ensure compliance with the contract and service agreement as provided for in state law; and

Determine whether or not to renew the charter based on the results achieved by the school.

From: Sponsoring Chartered Schools: A Resource Guide for Minnesota Chartering Agencies. Education/Evolving, 2004.

Minnesota Department of Education

Foundation Sponsors
Fraser Foundation
James Ford Bell Foundation

College/University Sponsors
Alexandria Technical College
Alfred Adler Graduate School
Augsburg College
Bethel College
Capella University
Century College
College of St. Scholastica
College of St. Catherine
Concordia University
Crown College
Dunwoody College of Technology
Hamline University
North Central University
Rochester Community & Technical College
University of St. Thomas

Nonprofit Sponsors
Audubon Center of the Northwoods
Friends of Ascension
Germanic American Institute
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Lao Family Community
Northwoods Children's Services
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Pillsbury United Communities
Project for Pride in Living
Upper Midwest American Indian Center
Volunteers of America
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center
YMCA Metropolitan Minneapolis

MDE New Sponsor Training

mandatory training sessions for new sponsors offered by the MN Department of Education

What is the Role of a Sponsor?

List of Sponsors

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