Converting schools
If you're a state or a state-integrated school thinking about converting to a charter school, this page explains the process and what you need to consider.
You’ll find the steps to apply, key requirements, and what happens if your application is approved.
Note: Unless otherwise referenced, ‘we’ and ‘us’ in the below, refers to the Charter School Agency.
Jump to:
- Key consideration before applying - School board responsibilities
- What your application needs to show
- Application process
- How we assess your application
- How decisions are made
- Terms and conditions
- Glossary
- Operating a charter school
Key considerations before applying - School board responsibilities
School boards need to:
- Understand their legal responsibilities as employers
- Seek staff feedback on the proposal to become a charter school
- Work with the sponsor, who must provide proposed pay and conditions that are no less favourable overall
- Prepare for the board’s closure while the sponsor takes over
- Manage practical matters such as property maintenance and lease transfers
For state-integrated schools:
- Work closely with the proprietor, especially if they will not be the new sponsor.
What your application needs to show
The Authorisation Board assesses applications under the Education and Training Act 2020.
The Board must be satisfied that:
- The sponsor and governing members are fit and proper
- The application clearly shows:
- the school’s proposed focus
- the sponsor’s capability
- the quality of teaching and learning
- how they will meet the performance measures
The Board will also consider:
- the level of support from the school community, including staff, students, and whānau.
- feedback on the proposed sponsor and the plan to convert to a charter school.
Application process
Step 1: EOI
Start by completing the Expression of Interest (EOI) form
The EOI helps us understand your proposal and check you’re ready to move to a full application.
When you've completed this form, email it to applications@charterschools.govt.nz.
Once we’ve reviewed your EOI, we’ll be in touch to discuss next steps, including putting you in touch with experts who can provide specialised advice.
Step 2: Engage with your community
After you’ve submitted the EOI form, you can start work on your application.
One of the first things you’ll need to consider are the views of your community, your staff and students.
You may want to organise community events, or parent information sessions, to gauge the views of the community.
Statutory declaration form for sponsors (form A)
Statutory declaration form for governing members (form B)
Note: If your application progresses the Authorisation Board will also run its own consultation process to understand and verify the level of support from school community, staff, and students. We will work with you to plan the engagements.
Step 3: Complete your application
Alongside your community engagement you will need to do further work to consider the implications of transition, including assessing the school property and assets. You’ll also need to work closely with the existing school board.
Your application needs to provide detailed information about your proposal, including:
- your sponsor’s capability
- how the school will operate
- how you’ll meet legal and performance requirements.
Step 4: Lodge your application
Email your completed application to applications@charterschools.govt.nz
We’ll email you with any queries, or to provide any additional information or updates. If you have any questions, send them to the same email address.
How we assess your application
When assessing your application, we use the following ratings:
- Viable – this means the application meets the threshold across all criteria. It is likely to be recommended.
- Not viable – this means one or more criteria do not meet the threshold. The application is unlikely to be recommended without further information.
- Threshold not met - this means we can’t assess it properly. The application includes incomplete, unclear, or irrelevant information. It is unlikely to be recommended.
We use these ratings to give advice to the Authorisation Board.
All criteria are equally important. There are no weightings.
How decisions are made
The Authorisation Board will seek advice from the Secretary for Education (Chief Executive of the Ministry of Education) and the Chief Review Officer (Chief Executive of the Education Review Office or ERO), including information about the school’s current performance and the governing members of the proposed sponsor.
The Authorisation Board considers our advice but makes its own decisions and a viable application may not be approved for a variety of reasons.
The Authorisation Board will approve sponsors it believes are best placed to build a strong, sustainable network of schools that supports the wider education system.
Terms and conditions
Glossary
Our glossary has simple explanations of some of the words and phrases you’ll come across during the application process.
Operating a charter school
Find out more about operating a charter school
Questions? Email info@charterschools.govt.nz