About SCSB - Utah Charter Access Point

About The Utah State Charter School Board

The Utah State Charter School Board (SCSB) is a state agency responsible for the authorization and oversight of public charter schools. As the largest authorizer in Utah, SCSB operates under the core values of choice, innovation, academic excellence, autonomy and accountability.

MEET THE BOARD

MEET THE STAFF

WHAT DO CHARTER AUTHORIZERS DO?

Set application processes.
Promote the establishment of charter schools.
Approve or deny charter school applications.
Provide oversight and organizational viability of charters.
Ensure compliance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations.
Recommend legislation, rules, and funding pertaining to charter schools.

PRIORITIES OF THE UTAH STATE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD

Building a strong and capable organization and charter school community.
Increasing innovation and choice in public schools.
Monitoring fidelity to charter agreement performance measures, financial health, and governance.
Collaborating effectively with the Utah State Board of Education, charter associations, and the legislature.
Forming productive partnerships with authorized schools.
Developing customized performance measures embedded in bilateral charter school agreements for each authorized charter school.
Ensuring that the Executive Director has the necessary resources to achieve the Utah State Charter School Board's strategic goals.

Art work completed by a student of Utah Arts Academy.

Art work completed by Esther Haworth - Lion

Art work completed by a Utah Charter student - Flowers

Art work completed by Emma Briggs - Impala 69 Car

MISSION

Advancing quality choice, innovation, and student success through rigorous authorizing and supportive oversight.

VISION

Every student has access to an excellent education that meets their unique learning needs.

STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE GOALS OF THE UTAH STATE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD

To be fully achieved in one year

Execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Utah State Board of Education.

Build relationships with other charter authorizers to support good authorizing within Utah's charter movement.

To be fully achieved in three years

Partner with authorized charter schools to support their achievement of unique charter agreement performance measures, financial stability, and good governance.

Increase capacity among SCSB members and staff for supporting the priorities of the SCSB.

Provide substantive value as a bilateral partner to schools authorized by the SCSB while supporting a competitive authorizing environment.

To be fully achieved in five years

Increase diversity of viable applications for new charter schools.

Establish an innovative, friendly, and flexible environment for charter school operation related to state law, USBE rule, and equitable funding.

Widely share innovative practices developed within Utah's charter sschols with other charter schools and districts.

To be fully achieved in more than five years

Be designated among the top ten states for charter schools by the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools.

Promote the success of charter schools through strategies related to flexible, adaptable, and accommodating authorizing, along with VSIP, mergers, and articulation and other creative agreements.

THE SCSB VALUES...

Click on a value to learn more.

EXCELLENCE

We continue to be the best charter authorizer in the state and a model to authorizers across the country. We do not settle for average and celebrate high achievements. We learn and grow from mistakes and adjust when necessary. What we do, we do well.

TRUST

We are accountable to the people of Utah to authorize and oversee good schools. Great trust is placed in us to hold schools accountable. At times this means making hard decisions, which cannot be passed to any other entity. To quote President Truman, “The buck stops here.”

IMPACT

The work of an authorizer is far more than bureaucratic regulation. We oversee compliance and performance in order to provide guardrails for authorized schools and pathways to success.

AUTHENTICITY

We stay true to our mission and vision regardless of pressures to act otherwise. We are transparent and honest to our stakeholders. We do what we say we are going to do and be what we commit to be.

COMPASSION

We show kindness and respect while holding schools accountable. Compassion does not change the actions we take but the way we take those actions.

Briggs, Emma. Impalla 69 2023. American Leadership Academy, Utah.

Haworth, Esther. African Animals. 2023. American Preparatory Academy - Draper 1 Campus, Utah.

Quevedo, Augusto Perera. Flowers. 2023, brush markers. North Star Academy, Utah.

Unknown artist. Woman profile. 2023. Utah Arts Academy, Utah.

Target: ≤ %

Transfer Rate = Number of transfered students / Total students

Definition: The percentage of students who leave the school during the year to go to another private or public school in the state, to go to home school, or who dropped out. Excluded are non-residents, students whose school of record is another school, students who attended the school for less than 10 days, and students in kindergarten.

Data Source: Enrollment and exit data reported to UTREx.

Target: ≥ %

Retention Rate = Students enrolled at end of previous year and still enrolled on October 1st / Students enrolled at end of previous year

Definition: Percentage of students enrolled at year-end who returned to a school within the LEA by October 1st of the following school year.

Data Source: Enrollment and exit data reported to UTREx.

Target: ≥ % of prior year October 1st enrollment count

Enrollment Trends = Current year October 1st count / Prior year October 1st count

Definition: A trajectory of October 1st enrollment and Average Daily Membership (ADM) derived from enrollment data reported to UTREx.

Data Source: Enrollment data reported to UTREx.

Definition: A comparison of a school’s end of year ADM to that school year’s October 1 counts. A significantly lower ADM compared to October 1 enrollment may negatively affect funding and could signal problems for a school to retain enrollment levels.

Data Source: Enrollment data reported to UTREx.

Unrestricted Days Cash on Hand = (Cash + Cash Equivalent - Total Funds in Restricted Programs) x 365 / (Total Operating Expenses - Annual Depreciation Expense)

Target:

UDCOH ≥ 60 days

OR UDCOH is between 30 and 60 days with a positive increase from previous year

New LEAs: This will not be used in the Financial Framework Report for LEAs in their first two years of operations.

Does the school have the cash to pay bills?

Definition: How long, in days, the school could meet their operating expenses without receiving new income.

Data Source:
Cash and Cash Equivalents: statement of net position
Cash Equivalent: statement of net position
Total Operating Expenses: statement of activities
Annual Depreciation: notes to financial statements

Total Funds in Restricted Programs are restricted funds that are entered in to reflect the decrease in cash.

Facility Ratio = (Operation and Maintenance of Facilities + Lease Payment + Debt Service) / Total Revenue

Debt Service = Annual Principal + Interest

Target: ≤ 20%

Definition: Total operation and maintenance of facility.

Data Source:
Statement of Revenue, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balance – Governmental Funds.
Notes Section of the Audited Financials.

Salaries and Benefits Ratio = (Total Salaries + Total Benefits) / Total Revenue

Target: ≤ 60%

Definition: The total salaries and benefits to the total revenue.

Data Source:
Summary - All Funds

Debt Service Coverage Ratio = (Change in Net Position + Depreciation + Interest Expense) / (Annual Principal + Interest + Lease Payment)

Target: ≥ 1.1

Is an LEA able to cover its debt obligations?

Definition: The ratio indicates a school's ability to cover its debt obligations in a current year.

Data Source:
AFS of public financial reporting download in October, Government wide

Debt to Asset = Total Liabilities / Total Assets

Target: ≤ 0.9

To what extent does an LEA rely on borrowed funds to finance its operations?

Definition: The amount of liabilities a school owes versus the assets they own.

Data Source: AFS or public financial reporting download in October, Government wide

Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities

Target: Current ratio ≥ 1

Does the school have enough assets to meet its financial obligations over the next year?

Definition: Measures the school's ability to pay its obligations over the next 12 months. It shows how quickly short-term assets can be converted into cash to pay short-term liabilities.

Data Source: Statement of net position

Cash Flow = Current year cash balance - last year cash balance

Target: Cash Flow > $0

Does the LEA have a positive cash flow year over year?

Definition: The LEA's cash generated over a period of time indicating long-term financial stability.

Data Source: AFS or public financial reporting download in October, General Fund

Total Margin = Change in Net Position/Total Revenue

Change in Net Position = Total Revenue - Total Expenses

3 year aggregated = Sum of 3 years' Change in Net Position/Sum of 3 years' Total Revenue

2 year aggregated = Sum of 2 years' Change in Net Position/Sum of 2 years' Total Revenue

Target:

most recent Total Margin > 0% and 3 year aggregated is positive

OR 3 year aggregated > -1.5% and the previous year is positive and most recent year is positive

Is the LEA living within its means?

Definition: Measures an LEA's deficit or surplus out of total revenues (Includes change in temporary restricted net assets)

Data Source: AFS or public financial reporting download in October.

Deficit/Surplus (i.e. Change In Net Position) = Revenue - Expenses

Target: Surplus/Revenue > $0

Is the school living within its available resources?

Definition: Measures an LEA's deficit or surplus out of total revenues (Does not include temporary restricted net assets)

Data Source: Statement of Activities.

Enrollment Variance = Current year enrollment/budgeted enrollment

Target: Enrollment variance >= 95%

Is the enrollment sufficient to cover expenses?

Definition: Measures an LEA's student enrollment to their budgeted (projected) enrollment.

Data Source: UCAP, OCT 1 student enrollment, projections

Target: The LEA has not defaulted on loan covenant(s) or is not delinquent with debt service payments

Has the LEA defaulted on loan covenant(s) or is it delinquent with debt service payments?

Definition: Checks the LEA's responisibility towards loan covenants and debt service payments.

Data Source: AFS unless schools self reported

Material Audit Findings: PASSED

Is the LEAs audit satisfactory?

Definition: Auditor finds the financial statements to be accurate and complete, without material weakness, significant deficiency, or other matters.

Data Source: AFS