2013 Selection Process
Michigan Future Schools announces that it will host a competition for at least one new high school opening in the fall of 2013. The RFP is available here. There is a mandatory bidders conference on December 21 at 10:00 at the Skillman Foundation, 100 Talon Center Drive, Detroit. Written proposals are due February 1, 2012. The process will be similar to last year’s:
Eligible Applicants
Michigan Future Schools will accept proposals from school founders seeking support to open a new school open to students from the City of Detroit. Applicants may represent traditional public school districts, charter schools or private schools, and the proposed school must be located in the City of Detroit or south of Twelve Mile Road and east of Telegraph Road. We will only work with new high schools.
The selection of grantees will follow a three step process:
February 1, 2012 – Stage One – Written Proposals
The written proposal will serve as a pre application. They are designed to quickly determine whether schools have (1) a vision aligned with the initiative, (2) a high likelihood of achieving the desired student outcomes and (3) a high likelihood of being ready to open in the fall of 2013.
Mid March 2012 – Stage Two – Finalists Interviews
Based on our assessment of the written proposal, MFI will invite a small number of potential school founders to participate in an interview to determine their interest, qualifications, commitment, and suitability to start and operate a quality high school.
Mid April 2012– Stage Three – Negotiation of Implementation Plan and Grant Amount/Terms
After the interviews MFI will identify its finalists to partner with to open new high schools in the fall of 2013. Making it to stage three does not guarantee that a school will be funded.
After the interviews, MFI will identify finalists. The Michigan Future Schools staff will work with potential founders and their staff to develop a detailed implementation plan and budget for opening in 2013. This stage will require finalists to secure any necessary approvals from their own governing boards and/or bargaining units. We will then assess the likelihood that the proposed school can meet the initiatives requirements and student outcomes, and make recommendations for funding 2013 schools to the Michigan Future Governing Council for approval. The size of the grant will be negotiated on a case by case basis with the average grant approximately $800,000 over four years (including the year prior to opening through the third year of operation).