Charter School Website Compliance Checklist

Updated August 2024 1

Charter School Website Requirements Checklist

This checklist is provided as a resource tool to promote continuous improvement in ensuring charter schools’

websites are aligned with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes 2023, Chapter 124E as amended by the Laws

of Minnesota 2024, as well as other applicable laws. Requirements in bold are required of all charter schools.

Statutory references are provided after each requirement. (Full statutory language for each requirement can be

found in Appendix A.) Neither a charter school, nor a school’s authorizer, is required to submit this checklist to

the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

Board and Oversight

______The school’s board election policies and procedures Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 5 (2023) as amended by

the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section 11

______The school’s board election dates and voting procedures at least 30 calendar days before the election

Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 5 (2023) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section

______Candidates’ names, biographies, and candidate statements at least ten calendar days before the

school’s board election Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 5 (2023) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter

109, article 6, section 11

______Directory information for the board of directors Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 8(b) (2023) as amended by

the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section 11

______If applicable, directory information for members and committees having board-delegated authority

Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 8(b) (2023) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6,

section 11

______Meetings minutes of the board of directors Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 8(b) (2023) as amended by the

Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section 11

______If applicable, meeting minutes of members and committees having board-delegated authority Minn.

Stat. 124E.07, subd. 8(b) (2023) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section 11

______The school’s authorizer and their contact information Minn. Stat. 124E.07, subd. 8(b) (2023) as

amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 6, section 11

Updated August 2024 2

Admissions and Lottery

______The school’s lottery policy and process Minn. Stat. 124E.11(b) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s policy for admission of kindergarteners and/or first grade students at an

earlier age than the age(s) required by statute Minn. Stat. 124E.11(d) (2023)

Annual Reports

______The school’s annual report approved by the board of directors (Note: This can be combined with the

school’s comprehensive achievement and civic readiness (formerly world’s best workforce) report. See below.)

Minn. Stat. 124E.16, subd. 2(a) (2023)

______The school’s comprehensive achievement and civic readiness (formerly world’s best workforce) report

(Note: If not posted to the website, the report must be published in the local newspaper with the largest

circulation or by mail.) Minn. Stat. 120B.11, subd. 5 (2023) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter

109, article 2, section 7 per Minn. Stat. 124E.03, subd. 2(i) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s full-service community school annual report Minn. Stat. 124D.231, subd.

2(d)(2) (2023)

Academic Information

______A comprehensive calendar of standardized tests to be administered in the charter school during the

school year (Note: The calendar must be published at least one week prior to any eligible assessments being

administered but no later than October 1.) Minn. Stat. 120B.306, subd. 1(c) (2023)

______The school’s local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level every year

beginning in kindergarten and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special education

services in achieving their individualized reading goals Minn. Stat. 120B.12, subd. 4(a) (2023) as amended by

the Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 4, section 10 per Minn. Stat. 124E.03, subd. 2(b) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s full-service community school review report describing efforts to integrate

community school programming at each covered school site and the effect of the transition to a full-service

community school on participating children and adult Minn. Stat. 124D.231, subd. 3(a) (2023)

______The school’s student journalist policy Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 2, section 21

Management Organizations

______If applicable, the final proposed management contract or agreement between a charter school and a

charter management organization (CMO) or educational management organization (EMO). (Note: The contract

or agreement must be posted for at least 20 business days for a public review and comment period before the

charter school board can adopt the contract or agreement.) Minn. Stat. 124E.16, subd. 3(a)(1) (2023)

Updated August 2024 3

______If applicable, any changes made to the posted contract or agreement described above during the public

review and comment period. (Note: The changes to the posted agreement must be posted for at least 20

business days for a public review and comment period before the charter school board can adopt the contract

or agreement.) Minn. Stat. 124E.16, subd. 3(a)(1) (2023)

______If applicable, any proposed amendment to an adopted management contract or agreement. (Note: The

amendment must be posted for at least 20 business days for a public review and comment period before the

charter school board can adopt the amendment.) Minn. Stat. 124E.16, subd. 3(a)(1) (2023)

______If applicable, a statement of assurance that no member of the school board, staff, or any agent of the

school has been promised or received any form of compensation or gifts from the CMO or EMO and that no

board member, employee, or agent of the CMO or EMO or any of the organization affiliates or providers serve

on the charter school board. (Note: This statement of assurance must be reposted annually.) Minn. Stat.

124E.16, subd. 3(a)(2) (2023)

______If applicable, the evaluation of the services provided by the CMO or EMO conducted as part of the

independent review and evaluation prior to the end date of the contract or agreement. (Note: The evaluation

must be published at least 30 days before the end date of the contract or agreement.) Minn. Stat. 124E.16,

subd. 3(a)(3) (2023)

Safety and Health

______The school’s policy to prevent and prohibit student bullying (Note: The policy must be available to all

parents and other school community members in an electronic format in the languages appearing on the charter

school’s website, consistent with the school’s policies and practices. If not posted on the school’s website, the

policy must be made available in another electronic format consistent with the school’s policies and practices.)

Minn. Stat. 121A.031, subd. 3 (2023) per Minn. Stat. 124E.03, subd. 4(c) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s restrictive procedures plan for children with disabilities (Note: If not posted to

the website, paper copies must be available upon request.) Minn. Stat. 125A.0942, subd. 1 (2023) per Minn.

Stat. 124E.03, subd. 3 (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s wellness policy Minn. Stat. 121A.215 (2023) per Minn. Stat. 124E.03, subd. 2(a)

(2023)

______A link to information on how to obtain an application and application assistance for Minnesota health

care programs (i.e., this link must be included on the charter school’s website) Minn. Stat. 256.962, subd. 6

(2023)

______Information on accessing mental health services, including any free or sliding fee providers in the

community Minn. Stat. 121A.55(d) (2023)

______Lead testing and remediation information Minn. Stat. 121A.335, subd. 5(a) (2023)

Updated August 2024 4

Miscellaneous

______If applicable, the collaborative agreement and all accountability measures between the charter school

and other entities (i.e., districts, authorizers or charter schools) Minn. Stat. 124E.08(c) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s policy for purchasing group health insurance coverage Minn. Stat. 124E.12,

subd. 5(b) (2023)

______If applicable, the following information on the school’s affiliated nonprofit building corporation (ABC):

• The ABC’s name

• The ABC’s mailing address

• The ABC’s bylaws

• Minutes of board meetings of the ABC

• Names of the current board of directors of the ABC Minn. Stat. 124E.13, subd. 3(b)(3) (2023)

______If applicable, the school’s school meals policy Minn. Stat. 124D.111, subd. 1 (2023)

Appendix A: Charter School Website Requirements by Statutory Reference

Board and Oversight

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.07, subdivision 5 as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024,

chapter 109, article 6, section 11: (b) The board of directors must establish and publish election policies and

procedures on the school's website. (c) The board of directors must notify eligible voters of the school board

election dates and voting procedures at least 30 calendar days before the election and post this information on

the school's website. (d) The board of directors must notify eligible voters of the candidates' names, biographies,

and candidate statements at least ten calendar days before the election and post this information on the

school's website.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.07, subdivision 8(b) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024,

chapter 109, article 6, section 11: A charter school shall publish and maintain on the school's official website: (1)

the meeting minutes of the board of directors and of members and committees having board-delegated

authority, within 30 days following the earlier of the date of board approval or the next regularly scheduled

meeting, and for at least 365 days from the date of publication; (2) directory information for the board of

directors and for the members of committees having board-delegated authority; and (3) identifying and contact

information for the school's authorizer.

Admissions and Lottery

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.11, paragraph (b): A charter school, including its preschool or

prekindergarten program established under section 124E.06, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), must enroll an eligible

pupil who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program,

class, grade level, or building. In this case, pupils must be accepted by lot. The charter school must develop and

publish, including on its website, a lottery policy and process that it must use when accepting pupils by lot.

Updated August 2024 5

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.11, paragraph (d): A person may not be admitted to a charter

school: (1) as a kindergarten pupil, unless the pupil is at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar

year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; or (2) as a first grade student,

unless the pupil is at least six years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for

which the pupil seeks admission commences or has completed kindergarten; except that a charter school may

establish and publish on its website a policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier age, consistent with

the enrollment process in paragraphs (b) and (c).

Annual Reports

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.16, subdivision 2(a): A charter school must publish an annual

report approved by the board of directors. The annual report must at least include information on school

enrollment, student attrition, governance and management, staffing, finances, management agreements with a

CMO or EMO, academic performance, innovative practices and implementation, and future plans. A charter

school may combine this report with the reporting required under section 120B.11 governing the world's best

workforce [now known as comprehensive achievement and civic readiness (see below)]. A charter school must

post the annual report on the school's official website. A charter school also must distribute the annual report

by publication, mail, or electronic means to its authorizer, school employees, and parents and legal guardians of

students enrolled in the charter school. The reports are public data under chapter 13.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.11, subdivision 5 as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024,

chapter 109, article 2, section 7: Consistent with requirements for school performance reports under section

120B.36, subdivision 1, the school board shall publish a report [regarding comprehensive achievement and civic

readiness (formerly known as world’s best workforce)] in the local newspaper with the largest circulation in the

district, by mail, or by electronic means on the district website. The school board shall hold an annual public

meeting to review, and revise where appropriate, student achievement goals, local assessment outcomes, plans,

strategies, and practices for improving curriculum and instruction and cultural competency, and efforts to

equitably distribute diverse, effective, experienced, and in-field teachers, and to review district success in

realizing the previously adopted student achievement goals and related benchmarks and the improvement plans

leading to comprehensive achievement and civic readiness. The school board must transmit an electronic

summary of its report to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner determines.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124D.231, subdivision 2(d)(2): A full-service community school

leadership team must meet at least quarterly and have ongoing responsibility for monitoring the development

and implementation of full-service community school operations and programming at the school site and shall

issue recommendations to schools on a regular basis and summarized in an annual report. These reports shall

also be made available to the public at the school site and on school and district websites.

Updated August 2024 6

Academic Information

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.306, subdivision 1(c): A district or charter school must publish on

its website a comprehensive calendar of standardized tests to be administered in the district or charter school

during that school year. The calendar must provide the rationale for administering each assessment and indicate

whether the assessment is a local option or required by state or federal law. The calendar must be published at

least one week prior to any eligible assessments being administered but no later than October 1.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.12, subdivision 4(a) as amended by the Laws of Minnesota 2024,

chapter 109, article 4, section 10: (a) Consistent with this section, a school district must adopt a local literacy

plan to have every child reading at or above grade level every year beginning in kindergarten and to support

multilingual learners and students receiving special education services in achieving their individualized reading

goals. A district must update and submit the plan to the commissioner by June 15 each year. The plan must be

consistent with the Read Act, and include the following: (1) a process to assess students' foundational reading

skills, oral language, and level of reading proficiency and the screeners used, by school site and grade level,

under section 120B.123; (2) a process to notify and involve parents; (3) a description of how schools in the

district will determine the targeted reading instruction that is evidence-based and includes an intervention

strategy for a student and the process for intensifying or modifying the reading strategy in order to obtain

measurable reading progress; (4) evidence-based intervention methods for students who are not reading at or

above grade level and progress monitoring to provide information on the effectiveness of the intervention; (5)

identification of staff development needs, including a plan to meet those needs; (6) the curricula used by school

site and grade level and, if applicable, the district plan and timeline for adopting approved curricula and

materials starting in the 2025-2026 school year; (7) a statement of whether the district has adopted a

[multitiered system of support (MTSS)] framework; (8) student data using the measures of foundational literacy

skills and mastery identified by the Department of Education for the following students: (i) students in

kindergarten through grade 3; (ii) students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia; and (iii) students in

grades 4 to 12 who are identified as not reading at grade level; (9) the number of teachers and other staff that

have completed training approved by the department; (10) the number of teachers and other staff proposed for

training in structured literacy; and (11) how the district used funding provided under the Read Act to implement

the requirements of the Read Act. (b) The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district website

and submit it to the commissioner of education using the template developed by the commissioner of education

beginning June 15, 2024.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124D.231, subdivision 3(a): A full-service community school site must

submit to the commissioner, and make available at the school site and online, a report describing efforts to

integrate community school programming at each covered school site and the effect of the transition to a full-

service community school on participating children and adults. This report shall include, but is not limited to, the

following: (1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the school site in development or implementing the

community school plan; (2) problems encountered in the design and execution of the community school plan,

including identification of any federal, state, or local statute or regulation impeding program implementation;

(3) the operation of the school leadership team and its contribution to successful execution of the community

school plan; (4) recommendations for improving delivery of community school programming to students and

families; (5) the number and percentage of students receiving community school programming who had not

previously been served; (6) the number and percentage of nonstudent community members receiving

Updated August 2024 7

community school programming who had not previously been served; (7) improvement in retention among

students who receive community school programming; (8) improvement in academic achievement among

students who receive community school programming; (9) changes in student's readiness to enter school, active

involvement in learning and in their community, physical, social and emotional health, and student's relationship

with the school and community environment; (10) an accounting of anticipated local budget savings, if any,

resulting from the implementation of the program; (11) improvements to the frequency or depth of families'

involvement with their children's education; (12) assessment of community stakeholder satisfaction; (13)

assessment of institutional partner satisfaction; (14) the ability, or anticipated ability, of the school site and

partners to continue to provide services in the absence of future funding under this section; (15) increases in

access to services for students and their families; and (16) the degree of increased collaboration among

participating agencies and private partners.

______Laws of Minnesota 2024, chapter 109, article 2, section 21: School districts and charter schools must

adopt and post on the district or charter school website a student journalist policy consistent with this section.

Management Organizations

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.16, subdivision 3(a): A charter school that enters into a

management agreement with a CMO or EMO must: (1) publish on the charter school website for at least 20

business days the proposed final agreement for public review and comment before the school board may adopt

the contract or agreement. Any changes made to the posted agreement during the public review period or any

proposed amendments to the agreement once adopted must be posted for 20 business days before the board

may adopt the amendments to the contract; (2) annually publish on the charter school website a statement of

assurance that no member of the school board, staff, or any agent of the school has been promised or received

any form of compensation or gifts from the CMO or EMO and that no board member, employee, or agent of the

CMO or EMO or any of the organization affiliates or providers serve on the charter school board; and (3) conduct

an independent review and evaluation of the services provided by the CMO or EMO and publish the evaluation

on the school's website at least 30 business days before the end of the current contract.

Safety and Health

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 121A.031, subdivision 3: (a) Districts and schools, in consultation with

students, parents, and community organizations, to the extent practicable, shall adopt, implement, and, on a

cycle consistent with other district policies, review, and revise where appropriate, a written policy to prevent

and prohibit student bullying consistent with this section. The policy must conform with sections 121A.41 to

121A.56. A district or school must adopt and implement a local policy under subdivisions 3 to 5 or comply with

the provisions of the state model policy in subdivision 6. (b) Each local district and school policy must establish

research-based, developmentally appropriate best practices that include preventive and remedial measures and

effective discipline for deterring policy violations; apply throughout the school or district; and foster active

student, parent, and community participation. The policy shall: (1) define the roles and responsibilities of

students, school personnel, and volunteers under the policy; (2) specifically list the characteristics contained in

subdivision 2, paragraph (g); (3) emphasize remedial responses; (4) be conspicuously posted in the

administrative offices of the school and school district in summary form; (5) be given to each school employee

and independent contractor, if a contractor regularly interacts with students, at the time of employment with

Updated August 2024 8

the district or school; (6) be included in the student handbook on school policies; and (7) be available to all

parents and other school community members in an electronic format in the languages appearing on the district

or school website, consistent with the district policies and practices.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 125A.0942, subdivision 1: (a) Schools that intend to use restrictive

procedures shall maintain and make publicly accessible in an electronic format on a school or district website or

make a paper copy available upon request describing a restrictive procedures plan for children with disabilities

that at least: (1) lists the restrictive procedures the school intends to use; (2) describes how the school will

implement a range of positive behavior strategies and provide links to mental health services; (3) describes how

the school will provide training on de-escalation techniques, consistent with section 122A.187, subdivision 4; (4)

describes how the school will monitor and review the use of restrictive procedures, including: (i) conducting

post-use debriefings, consistent with subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (5); and (ii) convening an oversight

committee to undertake a quarterly review of the use of restrictive procedures based on patterns or problems

indicated by similarities in the time of day, day of the week, duration of the use of a procedure, the individuals

involved, or other factors associated with the use of restrictive procedures; the number of times a restrictive

procedure is used schoolwide and for individual children; the number and types of injuries, if any, resulting from

the use of restrictive procedures; whether restrictive procedures are used in nonemergency situations; the need

for additional staff training; and proposed actions to minimize the use of restrictive procedures; any

disproportionate use of restrictive procedures based on race, gender, or disability status; the role of the school

resource officer or police in emergencies and the use of restrictive procedures; and documentation to

determine if the standards for using restrictive procedures as described in sections 125A.0941 and 125A.0942

are met; and (5) includes a written description and documentation of the training staff completed under

subdivision 5.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 121A.215: When available, a school district must post its current local

school wellness policy on its website. [Additional information and resources about local school wellness policies

can be found on MDE’s Wellness webpage and the United States Department of Agriculture – Food and

Nutrition Service Local School Wellness Policies webpage.]

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 256.962, subdivision 6: (a) At the beginning of each school year, a

school district or charter school shall provide information to each student on the availability of health care

coverage through the Minnesota health care programs and how to obtain an application for the Minnesota

health care programs. (b) A school district or charter school shall also ensure that applications and information

on application assistance are available at early childhood education sites and public schools located within the

district's jurisdiction. (c) If a school district or charter school maintains a district website, the school district or

charter school shall provide on its website a link to information on how to obtain an application and application

assistance. [The following is the link to information on how to obtain an application and application assistance:

Applying for Medical Assistance (MA) or MinnesotaCare / Minnesota Department of Human Services (mn.gov).

Additional information and resources about Minnesota health care programs can be found on the Minnesota

Department of Human Services health care programs webpage.]

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 121A.55, paragraph (d): For expulsion and exclusion dismissals and

pupil withdrawal agreements as defined in section 121A.41, subdivision 13 […] a school district must provide to

the pupil's parent or guardian information on accessing mental health services, including any free or sliding fee

providers in the community. The information must also be posted on the district or charter school website.

Updated August 2024 9

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 121A.335, subdivision 5(a): A school district or charter school must

send parents an annual notice that includes the district's or charter school's annual testing and remediation

plan, information about how to find test results, and a description of remediation efforts on the district website.

The district or charter school must update the lead testing and remediation information on its website at least

annually. In addition to the annual notice, the district or charter school must include in an official school

handbook or official school policy guide information on how parents may find the test results and a description

of remediation efforts on the district or charter school website and how often this information is updated.

Miscellaneous

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.08, paragraph (c): Districts, authorizers, or charter schools

entering into a collaborative agreement are equally and collectively subject to the same state and federal

accountability measures for student achievement, school performance outcomes, and school improvement

strategies. The collaborative agreement and all accountability measures must be posted on the district, charter

school, and authorizer websites.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.12, subdivision 5(b): A charter school board or a cooperative of

teachers that provides group health insurance coverage must establish and publish on its website the policy for

purchasing group health insurance coverage. A charter school board policy must include a sealed proposal

process, which requires all proposals to be opened at the same time. Upon opening the proposals according to

the school or cooperative policy, the proposals become public data under chapter 13.

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124E.13, subdivision 3(b): An affiliated nonprofit building corporation

under this subdivision must […] post on the school website the name, mailing address, bylaws, minutes of board

meetings, and names of the current board of directors of the affiliated nonprofit building corporation[.]

______Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 124D.111, subdivision 1: (a) Each Minnesota participant in the

national school lunch program must adopt and post to its website, or the website of the organization where the

meal is served, a school meals policy. (b) The policy must be in writing and clearly communicate student meal

charges when payment cannot be collected at the point of service. The policy must be reasonable and well-

defined and maintain the dignity of students by prohibiting lunch shaming or otherwise ostracizing the student.

debt. (d) The policy must ensure that once a participant has placed a meal on a tray or otherwise served the

meal to a student, the meal may not be subsequently withdrawn from the student by the cashier or other school

official, whether or not the student has an outstanding meals balance. (e) The policy must ensure that a student

who has been determined eligible for free and reduced-price lunch must always be served a reimbursable meal

even if the student has an outstanding debt. (f) If a school contracts with a third party for its meal services, it

must provide the vendor with its school meals policy. Any contract between the school and a third-party

provider entered into or modified after July 1, 2021, must ensure that the third-party provider adheres to the

participant's school meals policy.