Mangrove Strategies was hired by Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School in Baltimore, Maryland to assist with their application for renewal to Baltimore City Public Schools.
Over the course of eight weeks we met with the team at Lillie May to get to know the school inside and out. We interviewed staff members, reviewed thousands of pages of artifacts, and developed a narrative for the renewal application.
Our approach was simple: lean into what makes Lillie May unique, acknowledge the school’s challenges, and articulate a compelling vision for the future that addresses those challenges.
Our final product was a 365 page application that made the case for Lillie May’s renewal. After completing the application for renewal, we went to work putting into action the school's vision for the future.
One component of this vision was to address the enrollment decline the school experienced during the contract term and develop a path to reach the school’s full capacity of 350 students.
Mangrove Strategies conducted an assessment of the schools current enrollment and marketing practices and developed a ten step plan for increasing enrollment.
The school took immediate action to put the plan into place and has since seen a surge in applications. The school is now positioned to gain enrollment for the first time in three years at the start of SY23-24.
We are excited to share that on February 23, 2023 the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners voted to grant Lillie May a three-year renewal.
While this decision is a reflection of the hard work and accomplishments of the students, families, staff, and leadership of Lillie May, Mangrove Strategies is proud to have played a small part in helping tell their story and make the case for their renewal.
Mangrove Strategies has now supported charter renewal applications in Maryland and Louisiana and new charter school applications in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
While we are often hired to support the renewal application in the months leading up to the deadline, the renewal process really begins on the first day of a school’s new contract.
In Baltimore City Public Schools, the School Effectiveness Review (SER) process begins the year before schools are up for renewal and is an important component of the renewal process.
We have experience supporting schools through both the SER and the renewal process. If you are up for renewal next year or are preparing to enter the SER process, please do not hesitate to reach out. We’d love to help!