CHSL600 Introduction to Charter School Leadership (3 cr.)

This course represents a primer on charter schools, including their history, systems, management, evolution, and fundamental purposes. It also explores leadership theory and examines the context in which successful charter schools operate and thrive the legal framework of charter school education at the national, state and local levels. Course activities assist the student in developing and building decision-making, communication, and collaboration skills essential for the contemporary charter school administrator. Key responsibilities and distinctions of charter schools including program development, authorization, and operations are analyzed through the lens of leadership.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Describe the origins of charter schools, the evolution of charter school laws (MS 124E), and the historical progression of charter schools in the United States.
2. Explain how charter schools may be impacted by historical, local, state, national, and international events and issues.
3. Compare and contrast charter schools and traditional public schools.
4. Describe who starts, leads, and enrolls in a charter school.
5. Analyze the need to develop shared understanding of and commitment to mission, vision, and core values within the charter school community.
6. Evaluate the five essential purposes of a charter school as defined in MS124E.01.
7. Apply an awareness of the administrative, legal, funding, budgeting and marketing issues unique to charter school operations.
8. Evaluate models of leadership theories and their application to appropriate situations.
9. Reflect on the role of ethics in charter school leadership.