The Application Process

The submission deadline for the Charter School Incubator Spring 2013 cohort has passed, and we thank all of you who have applied. For those of you interested in applying for our next cohort, we encourage you to begin preparing your application materials now. The Statement of Intent deadline for the Charter School Incubator will be announced soon, so be sure to check back frequently.

Click here to begin a new application or to log back in to an application you have already started.

Two Types of Applicants

Current vs. New Charter School Operators
When setting up an online account for you and your team, you will have to identify whether you are a current or a new charter school operator. Use the definitions below to determine into which category you fit. Application questions will differ depending on this initial answer.

Current Charter School Operators currently run one or more charter schools and are applying to The Mind Trust's Charter School Incubator as a way to expand that existing network of charter schools.

New Charter School Operators are proposing a new, independent network of charter schools in Indianapolis. Applicants in this category may have opened or operated charter schools in the past but are proposing a new network through the Charter School Incubator.

Application Overview

Step 1: Statement of Intent

1. Primary Contact Information
   • Demographic Information
   • Professional History
   • Academic History
   • Initiatives Launched - If you have played a leading role in launching any significant organizations, schools, initiatives, programs, or projects (including during school), you will be asked to include that information on your Statement of Intent
2. Additional Applicants Team Member(s)
   • Demographic Information
   • Professional History
   • Academic History
   • Initiatives Launched
3.  Essay Questions
   • Describe your prosed school/network in brief (50 words or less)
   • Describe your proposed school/network's mission and educational design (limit 2000 words).
   • Describe the organizational structure (chart) for the proposed management team, including names of each team member where applicable.
   • Provide an overview of your growth plans, including the number of schools you expect to open in Indianapolis and the proposed opening date, for each of the next 5 years.
   • What student populations do you propose to serve with your school/network? 
4. New Operators Only
   • What is the educational theory supporting your proposed school model? What elements, if any, of your school model are innovative, and what makes you believe these innovations will drive breakthrough student performance outcomes?
5. Current Operators Only
   • Provide a description of existing charter schools in the network including their location, authorizer, grades and number of students served, and student performance information for each of the past 3 years (for existing networks of more than 5 schools, performance highlights will suffice).

Step 2: Full Application

1. Letters of Recommendation - candidates invited to submit a Full Application are asked to have two letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf for each member of the leadership team, including at least one per member that speaks to why the member is well prepared to play his or her proposed role.
   • Hard copies should be mailed to: The Mind Trust, Attn: Incubator Recommendations, 1630 N Meridian St, Suite 330, Indianapolis, IN 46202
   • Electronic copies should be emailed to incubator@themindtrust.org 
   • Faxed letters should be sent to: Attn: Incubator Recommendations at (317) 822-8149
   • Please note: All letters of recommendation must be received by The Mind Trust within one week of the applicant's submission of the Full Application.
2. Description of applicants' histories of community involvement
3. Description of applicants' awards, honors and/or published work
4. Essay Questions
   • Describe the background and qualifications of each member of the leadership team including each team member's proposed role in an Indianapolis charter school network. Also include which team members will be based in Indianapolis and when that will take place. Explain team member's qualifications particularly as it relates to school leadership and governance; curriculum, instruction and assessment; financial, business and operations management; community engagement; and facilities management. Include in your description evidence of any member's ties to or knowledge of Indianapolis.
   • Provide an overview of the governing board(s) and overall governance structure; including any identified board members and their responsibilities and decision-making authority.
   • Explain your school/network's mission, your proposed school design and how the design will help accomplish your mission. Be sure to include your instructional approach as well as the look/feel/setup of individual classrooms including staffing structure and student-teacher ratio.
   • Provide a clear and detailed timeline leading to the first school expansion, from receipt of The Mind Trust Incubator's grant to the new school's first day of operation. Provide an overview of your Indianapolis growth plans, including the number of schools, size, grades served and proposed locations to be opened in Indianapolis and the proposed opening date, for each of the next 5-7 years.
   • What outcomes do you seek to accomplish with this school/network? What are the target completion dates for each goal? How will you measure success? Pay particular attention to anticipated standards or measures of students achievement.
   • Outline the student population you intend to serve. Also explain how you will serve students from special populations including students eligible for special education services and English Language Learners.
   • Attach two anticipated budgets including pre-operational costs and anticipated philanthropic needs: (1) for the first 5 years of operation for a single school and (2) for the entire network for the first five years of operation. Include all assumptions included in the budget in the narrative section below including philanthropic needs and how your school will achieve sustainability on public dollars within 3-4 years of opening.
   • Outline your anticipated facilities needs over the next 5 years? What are your plans to meet them? If you have identified a charter school facility, indicate the location and provide a brief description. If you have not identified a facility, indicate the process that will be used to find them.
5. New Operators Only
   • Describe the school's academic program and how it aligns with Indiana state standards.
   • Describe how the proposed educational model is connected to a logical and compelling theory of change with high-likelihood of success for your anticipated student population. Summarize and cite any relevant research that supports your proposed educational model.
   • Describe the method by which you will ensure every enrolled student has access to an excellent teacher (including recruiting and screening strategies, as well as evaluation, staffing and leadership development).
   • Describe your plans for community involvement including: student recruitment and retention, parental involvement, summer and extra-curricular activities for students, and transportation.
   • Please list and explain any partnerships or contractual relationships that will be central to the school's operations or mission.
   • Provide any additional information you deem relevant to your application (org charts, data, etc.)
6. Existing Operators Only
   • Summarize student performance from schools in operation, including proficiency and available growth data, by school, grade, subject and student subgroups for at least the most recent 3 consecutive years. Provide comparison data from schools serving similar student populations or located in the same districts as the charter schools during the same timeframe. List public sources from which this data is available (summarize in narrative below but include data in attachment).
   • Describe the method by which you will ensure that every school is led by an excellent principal and each student has access to an excellent teacher over the next 5 years (this should include descriptions of recruiting and screening strategies, as well as evaluation, staffing and leadership development).
   • Describe your plans for community involvement including: student recruitment and retention, parental involvement, summer and extra-curricular activities for students, and transportation.
   • Provide the most recent year's audit or financial reports for the network or existing school(s).
   • Provide any additional information you deem relevant to your application (org charts, data, etc.)

The Mind Trust will review all Statements of Intent. Select applicants will be contacted regarding Full Applications and interviews. 

All applicants are encouraged to review our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section before beginning the application process.