New Orleans Public Schools have led a dramatic increase in the number of students meeting academic proficiency standards and the performance gap between students in Orleans Parish and Louisiana as a whole has dramatically decreased over the last 14 plus years.
Despite these gains, additional progress is needed. Every student in New Orleans deserves equal access to high quality schools where their interests will come first, where they and their families will have choice, and where educators will have the tools and support they need to be successful. The NOLA Public Schools Request For Applications began in December 2021, and a detailed timeline is provided below. If you are interested in applying after the deadline for applications has passed, you may use the materials and information from previous charter cycles below as a reference, however, please note that the LDOE updates the application annually, and thus this application may change prior to applications being received by NOLA-PS.
District Authorizing Priorities
The Orleans Parish School Board regularly adopts a set of district authorizing priorities to guide its charter authorization process. These priorities outline what the district seeks in operators to expand high-quality options for families. Setting clear District Authorizing Priorities informs recruitment strategies for new operators and expansion of existing operators; provides transparency in the charter application process of the district’s objectives; and informs the Superintendent’s decision to approve new schools.
Spring 2022 RFA Cycle
For information on the Spring 2022 RFA Cycle, please review the information below. The window for submission of the Letter of Intent and Eligibility Determination documentation is from December 10, 2021 to January 14, 2022. Any organization or individual may become eligible to submit an application by meeting specific eligibility requirements as outlined in the Eligibility Determination document and submitting a Letter of Intent. In order to be eligible to submit a full application in the NOLA Public Schools' Spring 2022 Charter Request for Applications process all Eligibility Determination and Letter of Intent are due in the Edlusion Application Portal by January 14, 2022 at 12PM CST. Application materials are available below for organizations' reference. If you have any questions please contact Anne-Lise McCarver at amccarver@nolapublicschools.com.
Informational Sessions
December 15, 2021 at 1:00PM via Zoom
January 5, 2022 at 9:00AM via Zoom
Eligibility Determination
Letter of Intent
Edlusion Application Portal
Overview Template-All applicant groups must complete this document and submit along with the rest of the group's application materials.
New Operator Application PDF
Experienced Operator Application PDF
Virtual School Operator Application PDF
The district's evaluation rubric and standards will be released after the Louisiana Department of Education releases its standards.
For assistance with the Edlusion Portal, please see this user guide. For a link to a training video on the Edlusion Application Portal, please e-mail Anne-Lise McCarver at amccarver@nolapublicschools.com.
Additional Resources:
Louisiana Department of Education's Charter Applicant Toolbox
Spring 2021 RFA Cycle
For information on the Spring 2021 RFA Cycle, please review this presentation. Letter of Intent
School Development Overview - 2021
Eligibility Determination
Edlusion Application Portal
Spring 2021 Charter Application
Spring 2021 RFA Evaluation Standards
Louisiana Department of Education Evaluation Standards
Spring 2021 Submitted Applications
Initial Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Initial Memo
Factual Correction Memo from Independent Evaluator
Final Recommendation from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation
Algiers Charter School Application (ACSA-4) (Withdrew application June 9, 2021)
Factual Correction Memo from Independent Evaluator
Final Recommendation from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation
Algiers Charter School Application (ACSA-NOLA-3) (Withdrew application June 9, 2021)
Factual Correction Memo from Independent Evaluator
Final Recommendation from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation
Algiers Charter School Application (ACSA-NOLA-4) (Withdrew application June 9, 2021)
Initial Memo from Independent Evaluator
Factual Correction Memo from Independent Evaluator
Final Recommendation from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation
The Seed Sowing Group (Withdrew application April 26, 2021)
Spring 2020 RFA Cycle
Charter Applicant Eligibility Form Supplemental Materials:
Applicants who have approved Letters of Intent and Eligibility Documentation have been provided a link to the application on the EdLusion Portal.
Sample Letter of Intent
Spring 2020 Charter RFA Full Application
Spring 2020 RFA Evaluation Rubric and Evaluation Information
Spring 2020 Submitted Applications
Application (Without Attachments)
Attachments (Zipped)
Initial Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Initial Memo
Factual Clarification Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Factual Clarification Memo
Final Recommendation Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation Memo
Generation Success
Application (Without Attachments)
Attachments (Zipped)
Initial Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Initial Memo
Factual Clarification Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Factual Clarification Memo
Final Recommendation Memo from Independent Evaluator
Applicant Response to Final Recommendation Memo
Past RFA Cycles
Additional Cycles can be found in our archive website: previous.opsb.us – for additional information please consider filing a public records request.
Start a Charter School
The deadline to submit an application for the Spring 2021 cycle has passed. Information on the next application cycle will be posted to this page once available.
District Primary Contact
For any questions regarding opening a charter school in New Orleans, and/or the application process, please contact Anne-Lise McCarver at amccarver@nolapublicschools.com.
