9/09/2024
Kitty
[FYI request #28074 email]
Tēnā koe Kitty
OIA: 1334374 – Charter school applications and funding information
Thank you for your email of 16 August 2024 to the Charter Schools Agency (the CSA) requesting
the following information:
1. I am requesting a current list of charter school applications, including those from new
providers and existing state schools seeking conversion.
2. Please also provide information about:
a) the number of funded spaces available
b) the maximum amount of funding which is available per space
c) what is entailed in the first, second, and any further phases of the assessment which
charter school applicants go through, such as the criteria used to make a determination
about the suitability of a charter school application vs an unsuitable application.
Your request has been numbered for the purposes of responding and considered under the Of icial
Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Confidentiality for applicants is imperative to the independence and credibility of the charter school
selection process at this early stage. While 78 applications were received, only a limited number
wil progress to Stage Two of the selection process.
I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(a) of the Act, since, by virtue of
section 9(2)(ba)(i ) of the Act, there is good reason to withhold the information to protect
information which is subject to an obligation of confidence, where the making available of the
information would be likely otherwise to damage the public interest.
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the
information withheld. I do not consider that the public interest considerations favouring the release
of this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this time.
Once the selection process is complete and decisions have been made at the end of Stage Two,
the CSA wil consider proactively releasing this information. We expect that this will be in October
this year. I consider that the public interest wil be met by the proactive release of information in
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wel ington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
due course. In addition, applicants that are successful in progressing to Stage Two of the selection
process wil be required to consult their community.
In response to
part 2a of your request, funding provided by Budget 2024 wil allow 15 new charter
schools and the conversion of 35 state schools to charter schools in 2025 and 2026, depending on
demand and suitability.
Funding wil be provided based on per-student formulae. A copy of the charter schools funding
model is available on the CSA website at:
https:/ www.charterschools.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/
20240812-CSA-funding-factsheet.pdf.
The CSA is conducting a two-stage application process to select sponsors. Stage One will
establish the suitability of potential sponsors and the viability of their intentions, and Stage Two will
entail a detailed evaluation of plans to establish and operate a school where children are safe,
attending and achieving. Information about the first and second phases of the application process,
along with the assessment criteria for applicants, is available on the CSA website at:
https:/ www.charterschools.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Charter-Schools-Kura-Hourua-Sponsor-
Application-Release-110724.pdf.
I am therefore refusing
parts 2b and 2c of your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the
information is publicly available.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Jane Lee
Chief Executive
Charter Schools Agency
OIA: 1334374
