SELF GOVERNANCE

Effective governance is critical for any high-quality school.

What's Different About a Charter School?

Charter schools are unique in that decisions are made at the single school level - vs. at the district level - regarding key matters including academic performance measures, curriculum, personnel and budget allocations. In practical terms, this means that a Charter school is free to pursue a math curriculum that's different from the standard, district-approved math curriculum or to prioritize its budget dollars in ways that may differ from the rest of the school district.

Governance at Stargate

Stargate, like other Charter schools, is independently managed by a Governance board with the autonomy to pursue the school's educational objectives. Essentially, the role of a Stargate Board member is two-fold: (1) to exercise final authority in matters affecting the charter school; and, (2) to ultimately be held accountable to the Charter Authorizer (Adams 12 School District) for the school’s academic performance, financial health and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Choosing Board Members

Stargate Board members are elected to their positions, typically for three-year terms. Eligible voters include parents/guardians of enrolled Stargate students and full-time school staff. For more information, visit the Elections page. It is the responsibility of all community members to participate in elections.

Stargate's Leadership Team

The role of a Board Member at Stargate is different from that of the school's Executive Directors. As the governing entity, the Board is charged with developing school policies and setting goals and expectations. The Executive Directors serve as the school’s managers and are in charge of implementing the Board’s policies and carrying out the school’s academic and operational programs on a day-to-day basis. The Board assesses “what” needs to get done, while the Executive Directors are entrusted with “how” to do it.