COVID-19: Addressing Staffing, Attendance & Other Challenges

Copyright © 2020 Charter School Capital, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
COVID-19:
Addressing
Staffing,
Attendance &
Other Challenges

Our
Presenters
Stuart Ellis
CEO / Founder
Charter School Capital
Tricia Blum
V.P. of Business Services
Mike Goodyear
Implementation Success
Apex Learning

3
AGENDA
• Maintaining and Building Financial Stability
• Understanding Remote Learning Best
Practices
• Building Staff, Board, and Authorizer
Support
• Other Key Considerations and Resources:
– Procedural Best Practices
– Knowing and Complying with Your State
and Local Laws and Charter Contract

Maintaining and Building Financial
Stability

5
YESTERDAY'S HEADLINE – TOMORROW'S CHALLENGE
• COVID-19 is driving up costs that
otherwise would not have been
incurred
• Schools aren’t prepared for the
coming strain on public finances and
many financial leaders from the Great
Recession have moved on
• Local sources of money (e.g., sales
taxes) will suffer as economic
downturn takes hold, taking a bite out
of that revenue stream

6
LAST TIME THERE WAS A RECESSION
• In the near-term, most State, Local, and Federal Governments have committed to keep funding schools
through FY20 at expected levels:
– Contact us or other local advisors for changes in local laws
– Some specific funding areas remain unresolved
– Make sure you’re documenting in the near term to ensure that future revenues are intact
• What about next fiscal year?
– Tax revenues will be lower, adding pressure to state budgets
– In the last recession, there were relatively small cuts in per student funding, but some states
experienced significant deferrals, and most schools experienced significant declines in charitable
giving
– Begin thinking about ways to offset impacts of potential reductions in per student funding and
potential delays
• Focus on what you can control

7
MAINTAINING YOUR FINANCIAL STABILITY
7
Build Cash and Access
Financing
-Seek to build cash reserves
-Make sure you have access to financing
Manage Vendors and
Payments
-Don’t lose your trusted vendors
-Find out which vendors are flexible - people are understanding of your situation
-Manage outgoing payments and avoid over/pre-paying if unnecessary
Understand State and
Local Requirements
-Find out what the states are paying for, and what they're not
-Make sure you understand what you are permitted / required to do
Track Activities -Track and document everything you're doing as best you can (this should help
ensure future revenue / reimbursements)
Maintain Revenue
Stability
•-Focus on enrollment stability
•-Make a checklist of all other revenue streams and seek to maintain them
1
2

8
MAINTAINING ENROLLMENT IS VITAL
$100k
($50k)
$5,000k $4,500k
($3,500k) ($3,150k)
($1,500k) ($1,500k)
FY20 FY21 FY20 FY21 FY20 FY21
$0k
($150k)
Revenue
Variable
Costs
Fixed
Costs
Revenues and Expenses Net Surplus Year End Cash Balance
• School with 500 students and ~$5mm in revenue; operating at breakeven
• $100k cash balance beginning in FY20
• 10% decrease in student enrollment from FY20 to FY21
• Reduced curriculum costs and teaching salaries by 10%, in line with enrollment decline
Enrollment Decline Example
1 Maintain Revenue Stability
Total Net Surplus
W/O Expense
Reduction ($500k)
Total Year End Cash
W/O Expense
Reduction ($400k)

9
$100k
($50k)
$849k
CONSIDER FINANCING TO PROTECT CASH POSITION
• School with 500 students and ~$5mm in revenue; operating at breakeven
• $100k cash balance beginning in FY20
• 10% decrease in student enrollment from FY20 to FY21
• Reduced curriculum costs and teaching salaries by 10%, in line with enrollment decline
Enrollment Decline Example: With Illustrative High (20% APR) Financing
$5,000k $4,500k $4,500k
($3,500k) ($3,150k) ($3,150k)
($1,500k) ($1,500k) ($1,500k)
($207k)
FY20
Revenues and Expenses
FY21
Net Surplus Year End Cash Balance
$0k
($150k)
($357k)
Revenue
Variable
Costs
Fixed
Costs
FY21
(w/ Fin)
FY20 FY21 FY21
(w/ Fin)
FY20 FY21 FY21
(w/ Fin)
Even at 20% annualized financing
rate, the school would have a
better ending cash position and
survives without any cost
reduction throughout FY21
Financing
Charge
2 Building Cash and Accessing Financing
Total Net Surplus
W/O Expense
Reduction
($707k)
($500k)
Total Year End Cash
W/O Expense
Reduction
($400k)
$142k

10
FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE VOLATILE RIGHT NOW
1.53% 1.56%
1.41%
0.57%
0.04%
0.01%
2.13%
1.74%
1.56%
1.43%
3.41%
2.05%
1/2/20
1/9/20
1/16/20
1/23/20
1/30/20
2/6/20
2/13/20
2/20/20
2/27/20
3/5/20
3/12/20
3/19/20
3/26/20
1 Month Treasury(1) 30 Year Muni Yield(2)
Short-Term Treasury vs. Muni Bond Yields
Select Dates 2020
What does this mean for Charters?
• Base rates have dropped, but credit
spreads have widened, driving
borrowing costs higher
• New financing may be limited as
banks / investors seek to reduce risk
• Bond issuances may be delayed
• Focus on securing financing in
the short term
1 Source: Treasury.gov; 1 Month Treasury Spot Yields
2 Source: Bloomberg.com; BVAL Muni Benchmark 30Y Index
2 Building Cash and Accessing Financing

11
FINANCIAL
STABILITY
RECAP
• Educating students is your mission and
enrollment drives the financial viability of
your school
• Prepare for a drop or delay in funding levels
next fiscal year due to changes government
per student funding and potential declines
in charitable giving
• Find balance between cost management
and borrowing in order to build cash
• Find ways to keep kids and parents
engaged as they both need support in this
challenging time – remote learning can be
very effective
11

Remote Learning Best Practices

13
GETTING
STARTED
Follow these steps to help make the
transition to digital learning as smooth as
possible:
1. Create Policies and Procedures
2. Create Student and Staff Accounts
3. Orient staff to eLearning policies and procedures,
digital curriculum, and LMS functionality
4. Set Up Classrooms and Enroll Students
5. Choose Curriculum and Create Assignments
6. Communicate Virtual Learning Plans and Orient
Students
7. Provide Support to Students Working Virtually
8. Use Reports to Monitor Participation and
Progress

14
I SERVE SOME STUDENTS WITH ONLINE LEARNING –
HOW DO I EXPAND WITHOUT DISRUPTION?
• Determine the virtual learning needs of your students, considering the type of content
and evaluative results
• Survey (Internet Access, Computer/Device, Printer, Adaptability)
• Prepare students, high impact practices
• Peer to peer interaction
• Consider programs that include instructional content, feedback, assessment and
reporting
• Emergency Remote Instruction Checklist
14

15
I HAVE NO REMOTE/ONLINE LEARNING AT ALL –
HOW DO I IMPLEMENT IT IN ZERO TO 60 MPH?
• Ask yourself – what is the best
instructional strategy for getting
content to students?
• Do I have to reinvent the wheel?
• https://www.apexlearning.com/scho
ol-closure-support
15
• Stage 1: Identify program goals and
determine the scope of curriculum
needed.
• Stage 2: Establish infrastructure
and gather resources.
• Stage 3: Communicate program
guidelines.
• Stage 4: Provide best practices and
regular support for staff, students
and educators.

16
I HAVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE NO TECHNOLOGY ACCESS –
ARE THERE RESOURCES I CAN FIND?
In general, there is an over-abundance of free resources on the Internet. Search wisely!
• Keys to Success: What does successful online learning at home include?
–Transition to new devices
–Practice new software programs
–Teach computer organization skills
–Teach digital manners
–Go over media literacy
• http://www.1millionproject.org/student-resources
• In Apex Learning, there are many assignments that students can complete without being
online.
16

17
HOW DO APEX CLIENTS HANDLE ATTENDANCE
REPORTING AND SPED SERVICES (AS BEST-IN-CLASS)?
• Apex Learning has an extensive reporting system within the LMS. This tracks
attendance and various aspects of performance.
• Using our attendance reporting and custom report services, we can provide all the
information needed for our partnerships with charter organizations.
• We have pathways (versions) of courses that provide for differentiation. There are also
customizations that can be applied to SPED. We have text to speech and many other
scaffolds and supports that assist SPED services.
17

18
LOOK FOR EXTENSIVE REPORTING CAPABILITIES

19
BEST-IN-CLASS INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL ALLOWS YOU TO:
• Create an anticipatory set
• Provide direct instruction and guided practice
• Ground instruction in relevant, real-world scenarios and application to deepen
conceptual understanding
• Continuously monitor progress and formative feedback
• Has supports and scaffolds to make learning accessible to all students
• Summative assessments contain a variety of question types, like those used on high-
stakes exams

Building Staff, Board, and
Authorizer Support

21
SECURE STAFFING
21
Provide support for teachers and staff while you can
Encourage staff to protect their
personal health
Meet people where they are Connect formally and informally
Make a list of ways to maintain viable pipeline in case teachers are stricken
List substitutes on an accessible list
Create notice protocol if you don't have one
Does your staff have what they need to deliver your programs?
Implement your infectious disease outbreak plan
Teachers & staff are going to have different needs
and different immediate priorities

22
HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR BOARD IN A TIME OF CRISIS
• Determine how you will conduct your board's business
– Be as strategic as possible
o Do we have important board business or deadlines between now and year end?
o Do we need to adjust these? Reprioritize them? (Budgets, renewals, hiring, etc.)
o Don't make rash decisions that you will regret later. It might feel counterintuitive to take a step back when the
instinct is to act quickly; but being cautious now is vital.
– What - if any - difference do our state’s open meeting laws allow or require us to do?
o Are we allowed to meet virtually? Conduct meetings over email then publish on website?
– Check state and Authorizer updates
– If none, send email so it's in writing to Authorizer requesting guidance
• How should the board be kept informed of school business when not usually involved?
– Who is responsible for keeping board informed?
– How is information communicated?
– Ensure emergency operations needs are addressed
• Prepare now with emergency succession & contingency plans
– What happens if our CEO gets sick? CFO? Other leadership?
– What happens if our board chair gets sick?

23
HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR AUTHORIZER IN A CRISIS
• Federal guidance, State guidance, & Governor's Executive Orders provide some
framework
• Ideally Authorizers provide additional framework and support
– Is your Authorizer providing FRL meals for your school as well as other schools?
– Is your Authorizer providing remote learning tools/online platforms for your use?
• Authorizers are perfectly positioned to act as conduits of important information for their
charter schools
• Clear, effective, documented communication is crucial in uncertain times
– Determine how best to share information from Authorizer, formally and informally
– Make sure you email any guidance questions, so you create a written record
– SPED, FRL, houseless students, funding matters, attendance reporting

Other Key Considerations and
Resources

25
FINALLY, ASK YOURSELVES:
25
• How will they know we're actively educating our
students?
Are we in constant communication
with our authorizer?
• How can I report our activities?How are our SPED students being
served?
• How can I report our activities?How are we serving houseless
students?
• How can I report our activities?How are we handling FRL student
needs?
• How can I prepare to address them in the summer?
Fall?
Think about auditing, testing, and
academic performance

26
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR STATE'S DECISIONS, EXPECTATIONS

27
ONLINE
RESOURCES
National Alliance COVID-19 resources:
http://bit.ly/NAPCSResources
Apex Learning Virtual School (HS):
https://www.apexlearningvs.com/
FuelEducation (K12):
https://www.fueleducation.com/
MobyMax (K-8): https://www.mobymax.com/
Edgenuity (K-12): https://www.edgenuity.com/
Google for Education (K-12):
https://edu.google.com/latest-news/covid-19-
support-resources/
CDE Link to free online internet plans (for 60 days):
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/availableinternetp
lans.asp

28
THANK YOU
• Continue doing the right thing
• Look for ways to proactively create
stability
• Track everything you do
• Know you’re doing your best

Contact Us Stuart Ellis
CEO / Founder
sellis@charterschoolcapital.org
Tricia Blum
V.P. of Business Services
tblum@charterschoolcapital.org
Mike Goodyear
Implementation Success
Apex Learning
mike.goodyear@apexlearning.com

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