Jason Sitomer

Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding drives school budgets, and most schools aren't capturing all …Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding drives school budgets, and most schools aren't capturing all of it. Not because they're doing anything wrong, but because the strategies that maximize attendance-based revenue take good systems and knowledge of tools that don't always get enough attention. This session is built around schools that got creative, legally, and what they learned. The presenters will look at how a well-run Independent Study program can serve students and protect funding at the same time, how Attendance Recovery fits in, and what it actually takes to run both in a way that holds up when auditors come knocking. They will cover common misconceptions, the ELOP connection, and state reporting implications, so participants leave knowing what's possible, what's required, and how to build programs that work.

Engaged and informed charter school boards routinely ask the same high-stakes questions: What happen…Engaged and informed charter school boards routinely ask the same high-stakes questions: What happens if enrollment drops another 5%? What's the plan if state funding changes yet again? How long can we sustain this? The schools that answer those questions with confidence aren't just reporting accurately, they're leading strategically. This session is designed for school leaders and board members who want to get ahead of the conversation rather than scrambling to catch up with it. The presenters will dig into the five questions every board should be asking in a declining enrollment environment, walk through a practitioner-tested framework for protecting and expanding financial margin, and explore what it actually looks like to build a multi-year sustainability plan when ADA is trending in the wrong direction. Hear directly from a charter finance leader and two charter network leaders who have navigated these pressures in real time and leave with a clearer picture of what board-ready financial leadership looks like and the tools to help schools get there.

Most charter school boards don't see financial trouble coming until it's already a problem. It’s n…Most charter school boards don't see financial trouble coming until it's already a problem. It’s not because they aren't paying attention; it’s because they're not sure which numbers matter or what to do when something looks off. This session builds a simple cheat sheet of financial indicators every board member should know, what healthy looks like, and how to spot warning signs. Participants will leave with something they can actually use at their next board meeting.