Welcome to our New Charter Application page. We are delighted that you are interested in starting a school to improve public education and provide additional choices to students in the State of Arizona.
Applicants planning to participate in the Board’s 2025 application cycle should read the information on this page carefully to ensure that they are prepared and able to participate fully in the application process.
Ready To Get Started?
Applicants that are planning to participate in the application process are encouraged to read, review, and begin completing the tasks outlined the Pre-Submission Checklist.
A Letter of Intent is required to be submitted by March 3, 2025 in order to participate in the Board’s application process. This document can be found in the Forms and Templates section (link below). Once the Letter of Intent is submitted, the remaining steps in the process are outlined below.
Support
After a letter of intent is received, Board staff will reach out to each applicant that completes this required submission to set up an introductory meeting. This meeting will be held with the intent of learning more about the applicant team, the proposed model, and to allow the applicant to ask any initial questions that are specific to its unique application.
Letter of Intent Meetings will be held March 10-12, 2025.
Throughout the cycle, Board staff will also provide additional opportunities for support, including, but not limited to:
- Applicant Workshops
- Charter 101 for Applicants: February 18, 2025 (11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.)
- Educational Plan: February 24, 2025 (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
- Operational and Business Plans: February 26, 2025 (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
- Q & A Sessions
- Individual Rubric Meetings
- Pre-interview Meetings
Complete this Google Form to indicate your planned attendance at the training sessions and receive the link to the virtual session.
Timeframes
|
Step |
Date |
| Letter of Intent Due | March 3, 2025 |
| Application Due | April 23, 2025 |
| Soft deadline Date | March 18, 2025 |
| Applicant Capacity Interview | September 2025 |
| ASBCS Consideration | November Board Meeting |
Instructions, Forms, and Templates
On February 4, 2025, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools approved the application and instructions for the 2025 cycle for schools opening in the 2026-2027 school year and beyond. The approved application instructions, forms, and templates (with the exception of the Budget Templates) were posted to this page on February 10, 2025 and can be found below.
Applicants interested in submitting an application should be familiar with charter school legislation.
Contact Information
For questions about the New Charter Application, please contact Rachel Hannah at [email protected].
New Charter Contract
The Board grants new charter contracts to qualifying applicants through its new charter application and replication application processes. These contracts are for 15 years.
Appeals
The Board's decision regarding an application is an appealable agency action pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-1092, and an applicant may file an administrative appeal of the Board's denial of an application in accordance with Arizona Revised Statutes §§ 41-1092 through 41-1092.12. If an application is denied, communication from the board will include additional information about the requirements for filing an appeal.