Spectrum Academy Charter School #3

Spectrum Academy Charter School

Project Plan Continued

Group Project

Robin Engel

Zen Benefiel

University of Phoenix

MGT 573

January 16, 2003

Professor: R. D. Bates

Spectrum Academy Charter School

This paper will list the tasks in the Work Breakdown Schedule for the project. It will also include the estimates of activity as optimistic, most likely and pessimistic times as well as the weighted activity time. There are four phases of the project and each phase will be shown in a project network diagram. In closing, the critical path will be identified. This paper supplements the group presentation.

For this purpose, the activity times were posted in an Excel format with the weighted activity time generated by formula. This breakdown is only to the third level of activities and is incomplete in the fine details of the plan. It will, however, give a basic overview of the continuing development of the project plan. The list follows:

Charter School Strategic Plan Timeline	Optimistic (A)	Most Likely (B)	Pessimistic (C)	(A+4B+C) 6
1 Exploration (Total time for Area 1)		103
1.1 Investigate State Laws & Policies
1.1.1 Access State and School Information	1	2	5	2
1.1.2 Review reports analyzing charter legislation	2	5	10	5
1.1.3 Discuss legislative initiatives and issues	2	5	10	5
1.2 Review Charter Agency Policies
1.2.1 Research and identify governing bodies	1	2	5	2
1.2.2 Determine applicable agencies	1	2	5	2
1.2.3 Gather necessary documentation	3	7	15	8
1.2.4 Get to know member of charter granting agency	2	5	10	5
1.3 Assemble Core Founding Group & Experts
1.3.1 Curriculum and Instruction	10	30	60	32
1.3.2 Community Relations & Marketing	10	30	60	32
1.3.3 Finance and Fundraising	10	30	60	32
1.3.4 Governance and Management	10	30	60	32
1.3.5 Legal Issues and Educational Law	10	30	60	32
1.3.6 Real Estate	10	30	60	32
1.3.7 Student Assessment	10	30	60	32
1.3.8 Writing charter school documents	15	20	30	21
1.4 Design Comprehensive School Plan
1.4.1 Write Mission and Vision	1	2	5	2
1.4.2 Write overview of instructional program	3	7	15	8
1.4.3 Describe school governance and administration structure	1	2	5	2
1.4.4 Develop Staffing Plan	1	2	5	2
1.4.5 Construct statement of facilities & needs	2	5	10	5
1.4.6 Rough budget	2	5	10	5
2 Application (Total time for Area 2)		251
2.1 Drafting Charter
2.1.1 Apply research	1	2	5	2
Determine adaptable programs	1	2	5	2
Develop potential partners	1	2	5	2
Explore available tools/resources	1	2	5	2
2.1.2 Develop rough draft	10	15	20	15
Write clear mission statement	1	2	5	2
Write statement of why the school is needed	1	2	5	2
Write description of educational program	2	5	10	5
Determine learning objectives for students	2	5	10	5
Determine methods for student assessment	2	5	10	5
Develop financial plan - 3-5 year budget	5	10	20	11
Construct organizational model	1	2	5	2
Create personnel policies	5	10	15	10
Describe student enrollment process	1	2	5	2
Develop discipline policies	1	2	5	2
Determine facilities information	3	7	15	8
Determine insurance needs/fulfillments	2	5	10	5
Demonstrate compliance fulfillment	1	2	5	2
Describe monitoring, evaluation, and renewal	5	10	20	11
2.1.3 Sample other charters
Analyze focus areas	5	10	15	10
Determine scope and sequence	2	5	10	5
Review implementation models	3	5	10	6
2.1.4 Edit and finalize
Get legal review	5	15	30	16
Get academic review	5	15	30	16
Get administrative review	5	15	30	16
Get partnership review	5	15	30	16
2.1.5 Get letters of support
Solicit Professional contacts	5	10	15	10
Solicit Personal contacts	5	10	15	10
Solicit Partnership referrals	5	10	15	10
2.2 Charter Approval
2.2.1 Circulate application for review	10	15	30	17
2.2.2 Submit to school board for review	1	30	60	30
2.2.3 Enlist community support	60	90	120	90
2.2.4 Attend charter school committees	30	60	90	60
2.2.5 Analyze feedback on charter	10	15	30	17
2.2.6 Submit Charter Application	1	2	5	2
2.2.7 Get Approval	30	60	120	65
3 Pre-Operations (Total time for Area 3)		212
3.1 Detailed Plan of Operations and Timeline
3.1.1 Create Organizational Chart	1	2	5	2
3.1.2 Create Responsibility Chart	1	2	5	2
3.1.3 Develop Timeline - precedence	1	2	5	2
3.1.4 Create Communications Plan	1	2	5	2
3.1.5 Create Reporting Structure	1	2	5	2
3.1.6 Create Marketing Plan	1	2	5	2
3.1.7 Create Work Breakdown Structures	1	2	5	2
3.2 Develop Formal Operating Agreements				0
3.2.1 Contact Sponsoring District Staff	2	5	10	5
3.2.2 Contact Service Providers	5	10	15	10
3.2.3 Develop Partnerships	90	180	365	196
3.2.4 Enlist Grant writers	30	60	120	65
3.3.1 Write Articles of Incorporation	1	2	5	2
3.3.2 File Articles of Incorporation	1	2	5	2
3.3.3 File non-profit status	90	180	360	195
3.3.4 Select and recruit governing board	30	90	180	95
3.3.5 Install governing board	1	2	5	2
3.3.6 Draft by-laws, policies	2	5	10	5
3.3.7 Establish administrative structure	1	2	5	2
3.4 Recruit/Admit Students
3.4.1 Create/implement marketing plan	5	10	20	11
3.4.2 Place advertisements	5	10	20	11
3.4.3 Attend networking functions	30	60	120	65
3.4.4 Perform intake interviews w/ questionnaires	30	60	120	65
3.4.5 Perform screening w/ parent-student	30	60	120	65
3.4.6 Gather student documentation	5	10	20	11
3.4.7 File official enrollment	2	7	15	8
3.5 Recruit/Hire Staff				0
3.5.1 Place advertisements	1	5	10	5
3.5.2 Attend networking functions	30	60	120	65
3.5.3 Fill out pre-employment questionnaire	10	15	30	17
3.5.4 Analyze potential fit	2	7	15	8
3.5.5 Conduct individual interview w/ core group	5	10	20	11
3.5.6 Conduct screening interview w/ staff	5	10	20	11
3.5.7 Discuss benefits package	1	2	5	2
3.5.8 Fill out hiring paperwork	5	10	20	11
3.6 Formalize Instructional Program
3.6.1 Select/purchase instructional materials	30	60	120	65
3.6.2 Choose methods of assessment	10	15	30	17
3.6.3 Establish school calendar	10	15	30	17
3.6.4 Plan professional development	10	15	30	17
3.7 Secure Facility and Support Services	30	45	90	50
4 Operations (Total time for Area 4)		70
4.1 Formally Open Doors	30	60	90	2
4.2 Identify and Address Glitches & Constraints	5	10	20	11
4.3 Transition Governance Structure	2	5	10	5
4.4 Establish Formal Relationships	2	5	10	5
4.5 Refine Curriculum and Instruction	5	10	20	11
4.6 Collect/Interpret Student Performance Data	5	10	20	11

Network Diagrams

The network diagrams offer another visual aide in the development of manageable tasks to ensure the project’s success. The project contains four phases, Exploration, Application, Pre-Operations, and Operations. The project tasks arranged into a network diagram appear below:

Critical Path

The critical path was found to be contained in the Application phase, with Pre-Operations phase containing the second critical path. The critical path in the Application phase was determined by the potential time for the charter approval, from drafting to actual State approval. Its time was determined to be 251 days. The second critical path was determined to be in Establish Formal Organization in the Pre-Operations phase. Its time was determined to be 212 days. The path includes Write and Submit Grants, Receive Funding, Hire Staff, and Formalize Instructional Program.

Conclusion

This paper demonstrated the Work Breakdown Schedule as determined by the team members. As usual, numbers are subject to change as the project develops. Using the Z chart, the project has approximately a 70% chance of finishing on time. We would like to think that the 30% difference will be shortened times on deliverables as conservative estimates were used in the development of the timeline.