Third-Party Lottery Management Platform

Scope of Services & Benefits:

Turnkey Management: Software manages the entire lottery system, waitlist tracking, parent communications, and staff training.

Dedicated Support: Includes a dedicated phone line for parent inquiries regarding waitlist status and lottery rules.

Impartiality: Creates a clear boundary separating school staff from lottery ranking decisions, mitigating perceived conflict or bias.

Trigger & Operational Workflow:

System activation occurs only after reaching the 1,750-student enrollment cap.

Lotteries will be held publicly (including options for virtual observation) when student spots open.

Fee & Contract Structure:

Base Software Fee: ~$3,000 fixed setup cost.

Variable Processing Fee: Up to ~$11,900 based on total application volume.

Total Projected Cost: Approximately $13,000 if full lottery execution is triggered.

New Positions Created: Introduced job descriptions for two Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) roles focused on HR Special Assignment and MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports).

Core Function: Dedicated to student intervention, tiered re-engagement, and daily tracking of struggling or disengaged students.

Operational Shift: Moves the school from reactive administrative oversight to proactive, daily tracking, data monitoring, and teacher support.

Accountability & Process: Establishes a structured framework to move students through progressive support tiers. Ensures thorough documentation so that if a student remains unsuccessful under maximum support, proper procedures are followed to transition them back to a traditional school setting.

Identified Operational Gap: Recognized the need for systematic analysis, disaggregation, and application of state-mandated and internal student testing data.

Data-Driven Focus: Essential for the school's non-classroom model, where student progress and instructional decisions rely directly on data rather than traditional classroom observation.

Role Responsibilities: The dedicated support position will oversee testing operations, disaggregate and present performance metrics to staff and families, and train teachers on using data to guide instructional decisions.

Agreement Renewal: Renewal of the yearly transportation agreement with Julian to utilize their buses for field trips and student activities.

Cost: Fixed rate of $650 per day as needed.

Usage & Rationale: Maintained as a contingency measure. While actual usage is minimal—since homeschool families typically arrange their own transportation—keeping the contract active ensures transportation availability when required.

Policy Alignment: Updated staff professional boundary policies to cover digital communications (e.g., Zoom, messaging platforms) in compliance with new state legislation and safety standards.

Mandatory School Channels: Prohibits staff from using personal phone numbers or personal email addresses for student interaction. All digital communications must occur exclusively through official BEST Academy systems and approved platforms.

Scheduling & Tracking: Prohibits unscheduled, impromptu 1-on-1 virtual meetings. All virtual sessions must be formally calendared and traceable.

Grade-Level Communication Requirements:

TK–5th Grade: Parents/guardians must be CC'd on all meeting invitations, and an adult in charge must be present during online meetings.

6th–8th Grade: Communication must take place on school platforms where parents have full account access and visibility.

9th–12th Grade (High School): Direct communication allowed, but strictly restricted to internal, official school platforms.