Frequently Asked Questions

You have the questions, and we have the answers.

Charter Schools vs. Traditional Public Schools

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are free, public schools that are open to all children and do not discriminate on any basis. They are independently managed and operate with freedom from many of the regulations that govern district schools. Charter schools operate under a “charter”, or contract, between state education officials and a Board of Trustees. They are held accountable to state and federal standards through the academic goals and metrics stated in the charter.

How are charter schools funded?

Charter schools receive the majority of their funding from state and federal entities. Like district public schools, they are funded according to enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding from the district and the state according to the number of students attending.

What is the difference between a charter school and a traditional public school?

Charter schools are public schools, but the main difference is that charter schools have regulatory freedom and autonomy. In exchange for this freedom for curriculum and budget management, staffing, and more, charter schools are held accountable by state and federal accountability programs and have their charters reviewed and renewed (or revoked) by the authorizing agency every few years.

Grading at RISE

How does RISE grade?

At RISE, we use Standards-Based Grading. This means that scholars are being graded on their mastery of grade-level standards. A scholar may score very high on one standard within a particular content and lower on another standard within the same content. This allows our instructional staff to address specific knowledge and skills that scholars may be strong at or need further support with.

On my K-3 scholar’s progress report/report card, I see the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. What do those numbers mean?

These numbers correlate with your scholar’s mastery of the specific standard being assessed. The breakdown is below.

4: 90%-100%
3: 80%-89%
2: 70%-79%
1: 0%-69%

On my 4-8 scholar’s progress report/report card, I see letter grades. What do those letter grades mean?

These letter grades correlate with your scholar’s mastery of the specific standard being assessed. The breakdown is below.

A: 90%-100%
B: 80%-89%
C: 70%-79%
D-F: 0%-69%

Are assignments weighted?

No. All attempts at mastering a standard are weighted equally regardless of assignment type (test, quiz, homework, classwork, etc.).

Does each grade in PowerSchool Parent Portal contribute to my scholar’s overall grade?

If you see “Excluded” listed for any assignment, this means the teacher scored the work for feedback purposes but did not choose to have this score calculated in your scholar’s final grade. Clicking on the “Standards Grades” tab in the PowerSchool Parent Portal will allow you to see your scholar’s current grade live at any time.

How do I see my scholar’s grade in the PowerSchool app?

On the Dashboard, click one of your scholar’s classes. Choose the correct quarter at the top. Click “Standards” in the middle of the screen. Scroll down and look for the name of the class (ELA, Math, Social Studies, etc.). That is your scholar’s current overall grade in that course.

How do I see my scholar’s grade in the PowerSchool portal on a web browser?

After logging in, on the left sidebar, click on “Grades and Attendance” and then “Standards”. This will show your scholar’s scores on individual standards, as well as their current overall grade for a course.

Who do I contact if I think my scholar’s grade is incorrect?

Please reach out to your scholar’s teacher via TalkingPoints to get additional information about a specific grade.

My scholar seems to be struggling. What is my next step?

Teachers monitor scholar data throughout the year. Based on how a scholar is performing, the teacher will provide more/less intensive support throughout the school day. If the scholar is receiving more intensive support from the teacher but is still not growing at the rate of his or her peers, that scholar may qualify for additional interventions. If you are concerned about your scholar’s progress, please reach out to his or her homeroom teacher to learn more about what can be done to help the scholar grow.

Getting Involved

I would like to volunteer for events at the school. Who should I contact?

If the school is hosting a special event, you will be notified via TalkingPoints or the Eagle’s Nest. In that notification, it will identify who is leading the event and what help the school needs. Please reach out to that point of contact to indicate your interest in volunteering.

I would like to visit or volunteer in my scholar’s class. What steps should I take?

To visit or volunteer in your scholar’s class, please reach out directly to the teacher to schedule a time. All visitors and volunteers to classrooms must be approved by the teacher.

Are there special requirements to be able to volunteer at the school?

Please see this link for the full process to visit and volunteer at the school. All visitors and volunteers must enter through the front doors and pass a sex offender check performed at the front office.

Can I attend School Board meetings?

Of course! All board meetings are open to the public. You can find information about meeting dates and times on our website.

What’s the best way to contact my scholar’s teacher?

All families are automatically connected to their scholars’ teachers in TalkingPoints. After downloading the app on your phone, you will have access to message any teacher that your scholar has throughout the day. You can also find the emails for staff members on our website.

What happens if I don’t receive a response from my scholar’s teacher?

Please allow 48 business hours for a staff member to respond to any questions or concerns. The main priorities for teachers throughout the day are to ensure that scholars are safe and focused on learning. After 48 business hours, if you have not received a response, feel free to reach out again to the teacher or reach out to the Instructional Coach for that grade level.

How do I submit a formal complaint?

Please see this link for our grievance process.

Scholar Enrollment