Tuscaloosa City Schools Issues First RFP For Charter Schools

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) on Tuesday announced its first-ever request for charter school proposals, which comes after its recent approval as a charter school authorizer by the Alabama State Department of Education.

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This comes after Patch reported in September that voters shot down a proposed property tax increase to provide additional funding to TCS.

TCS is inviting interested parties to submit a formal written notice of intent to apply by Nov. 8, with the deadline for completed hard copy applications set for late November.

The city school system says both digital and hard copies of applications will be accepted through the RFP process.

Additional information about the request for proposals (RFP) can be found on the TCS website under the "About Us" section.

TCS says the RFP is seeking high-quality charter school proposals that will operate within the district while adhering to the legal requirements outlined in the Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act.

The legislation recently signed into law allows for the establishment of public charter schools in Alabama, which will operate under a charter approved by a local school board.

A look at dates for the application process:

• Nov. 8: Application portal opens at 8 a.m. local time, with the deadline for submitting a written notice of intent set for 4:30 p.m.
• Nov. 22: Deadline for mandatory hard copy application submission by 4:30 p.m.
• Dec. 2: Application portal closes at 4:30 p.m.
• Dec. 10: A public forum will be held to allow community members to discuss and provide input on the proposed charter schools.
• Jan. 31, 2025: TCS will announce decisions on charter school applications.
• Feb. 4, 2025: Pre-opening process for approved charters begins.
• March 7, 2025: Approval or denials reported to the Alabama State Department of Education.

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