March 17, 2010
Interactive Online System Simplifies State Review of Charter School Applications
Dover, DE - A new interactive online system is making it easier for the Delaware Department of Education to process applications from prospective charter schools and for existing schools to update essential information.
DOE launched the Charter Online Management System (CAMS) for the current school year. Four charter schools used CAMS to submit renewal information; nine prospective charter school operators completed applications on the new system. Delaware currently has 18 operating charter schools, with three more scheduled to open in the fall of 2010.
Daniel Cruce, deputy secretary of education and DOE chief of staff.
The interactive program - known as a content management system - was developed for DOE by Diamond Technologies, Inc., information technology experts with extensive experience providing solutions for government agencies, the private sector and nonprofits.
CAMS not only reduces processing time but also eliminates the expense involved in producing multiple copies of application forms (and subsequent revisions) and shipping them to Dover for review by DOE experts.
"The new online system makes us more efficient. It improves the quality of our reviews and our decision-making," said Daniel Cruce, deputy secretary of education and DOE chief of staff.
The new system got its first big test in January, the deadline for prospective operators of charter schools to submit their plans. In the past, prospective operators would prepare documents that were often more than 200 pages long filled with information about the proposed school's enrollment, curriculum, staffing, management and budget. Ten copies of the proposal had to be placed in binders and sent to DOE. At DOE, reviewers would be assigned to evaluate different portions of the application, ask questions and participate in numerous evaluation meetings.
With CAMS, applicants log on to a dedicated DOE web page and fill out portions of the 14-part application at their own pace. Large pieces of information, like financial statements, can be uploaded as attachments to the application. The file is updated and saved at the end of each session, but DOE staff members cannot access the file until the applicant confirms that the entire document is ready for review. When the review process begins, DOE staff members log on to CAMS and analyze the portions of the document assigned to them. They can use drop-down menus following each response to list questions for the applicant. Applicants can reply to questions by opening additional drop-down menus inside the document.
The new reduced processing time was reduced because several reviewers could work on the same files simultaneously and applicants receive online notifications when reviewers have questions for them to answer, Cruce said. In addition, the online system dramatically reduces the need for paper copies, he said.
"Our work on CAMS has resulted in a system that simplifies the entire charter school reporting and evaluation process," said Chuck Burns, Diamond Technologies partner. "Schools are finding it easier to give DOE the information they need and DOE can conduct its evaluations more efficiently."
About Diamond Technologies:
Diamond Technologies, based in New Castle, Del., believes in "taking the uncertainty out of IT" by offering comprehensive Information Technology solutions to business, government and nonprofit organizations. Its clients include numerous Delaware state agencies, New Castle County government, the City of Wilmington, the National Constitution Center, Wawa convenience stores, Auto Port Inc. and Animas Corp. It has earned recognition for its rapid growth through selection to the Inc. 500 and the Philadelphia 100.