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 will begin in January. If you are interested in applying, additional materials and information will be posted to this page in the fall of 2020. Please find the Spring 2020 Charter Application below as a reference, however, please note that the LDOE updates the application annually, and thus this application will 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 2021 RFA Cycle
For information on the Spring 2021 RFA Cycle, please review this presentation. Louisiana Department of Education’s Charter Applicant Toolbox
School Development Overview - 2021
The Spring 2021 Charter RFA process will begin on January 8th, 2021. The window for submission of the Letters of Intent and Eligibility Determination documentation will be from January 8th to February 12th. 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 2021 Charter Request for Applications process all Eligibility Determination information and Letter of Intent must be submitted by February 12th at 12:00pm CST and all of the outlined requirements shall be met.
Eligibility Determination
Letter of Intent
Edlusion Application Portal
For assistance with the Edlusion Portal, please see this user guide.
Additional Resources
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.
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 will begin in January. If you are interested in applying, additional materials and information will be posted to this page in the fall of 2020. Please find the Spring 2020 Charter Application below as a reference, however, please note that the LDOE updates the application annually, and thus this application will 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 2021 RFA Cycle
For information on the Spring 2021 RFA Cycle, please review this presentation. More information will be released by early January. Please contact kbarker@nolapublicschools.com with any questions.
School Development Overview - 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.
To learn more about how charter schools are approved and NOLA Public Schools' role in expanding high-quality seats, please see the following presentation: School Development Overview
Sample Letter of Intent
Spring 2020 Charter RFA Full Application
Spring 2020 RFA Evaluation Rubric and Evaluation Information
For assistance with the Edlusion Portal, please see this user guide.
Additional Resources
Louisiana Department of Education’s Charter Applicant Toolbox
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
District Primary Contact
For any questions regarding opening a charter school in New Orleans, and/or the application process, please contact Kristine Barker, kbarker@nolapublicschools.com.
