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On Wednesday, March 13, Uplift Education made the trip from Dallas to Austin to participate in Rep. Anchia's Constituent House District 103 Day at the Capitol on Wednesday. PHOTO: Representative Rafael Anchia with Martha Fernandez (far right) and Uplift students.
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Dallas Triple A Academy celebrates after defeating Mumford in the UIL 1A division 1 state championship game at the Frank Irwin Center in Austin on Saturday, March9, 2013. Photo by Cooper Neill/Dallas Morning News. |
 Triple A Academy earns spot in Class A Division I boys basketball final behind Jeremiah Jefferson's 37-point effort
by Corbett Smith| March 7, 2013
In the first meeting of charter schools at the state tournament, Jefferson scored 37 points in the Class A Division I semifinal, leading Triple A to a 90-50 win over El Paso Harmony. Read the article.  UIL boys: Triple A Academy 80, Mumford 54 By Danny Davis | March 9, 2013 Triple A Academy battled back from an early deficit and then cruised to a 80-54 win over Mumford in the Class A, Division I championship game on Saturday morning. Read the article. High school boys basketball: Harmony wins, earns spot in state tourney By Felix Chávez | March 2, 2013El Paso Times For the first time in school history, the El Paso Harmony Tigers are headed to the Class 1A state boys basketball tournament in Austin. Read the article.
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News from the Texas Capitol
House Bill 10 passed this week, was signed by Governor Perry and immediately became law. In addition to other measures in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal 2013, HB 10 fully funded enrollment under current school finance formulas through August 31, 2013. House Bill 10
Texas House sends Perry emergency bill to pay Medicaid IOU
By ROBERT T. GARRETT|March 12, 2013
... The bill also fixes aspects of the public schools budget, though it doesn't undo any of the $5.3 billion in cuts made last time. As originally introduced, Pitts' emergency bill would transfer $313 million of "Robin Hood" or recapture money from wealthy school districts to poor ones. It also would adjust a miscalculation lawmakers made last time. They overestimated - by $317 million - the savings they would wring from a planned delay of this August's monthly state school-aid payment to school districts. Read the article.
Texas House panel votes to scale back high school testing
By TERRENCE STUTZ |March 12, 2013
A key House panel backed legislation Tuesday to cut high school end-of-course tests by two-thirds. And the head of the Senate Education Committee said some of those exams could be scrapped as early as this spring if the Legislature acts quickly.
Read the article.
Dan Patrick says 100,000 are on waiting list to attend Texas charter schools
 ... Culbertson referred us to the Texas Charter Schools Association, whose spokeswoman Tracy Young emailed us waiting-list counts and some background on Texas charter schools in general.
Young said that in August 2012, the association asked its members to report their waiting-list numbers, which totaled more than 101,000 students. Of about 175 charter licensees operating in Texas at the time, she said, 137 were members of the association; 67 of those responded to the survey. Read the PolitiFact.
 SAVE THE DATE: May 8, 2013
Rally for Public Charter Schools Texas State Capitol, Austin
The policies that impact charter schools will be deliberated on during this legislative session. Hearing directly from charter school leaders, parents and teachers is one of the best ways for state legislators to understand how vital charter schools are to providing a great public education for Texas students. Join us as we stand together in support of Texas public charter schools! To confirm your participation, contact Jennifer Limas-Mota, TCSA Director of Grassroots Advocacy.
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 Business Week, Dallas (FREE) May 22-24, 2013
This intensive three day charter finance workshop is developed and delivered by seasoned charter finance leaders. This year's version of Business Week is designed to accelerate the learning of novice charter business officers and employees with a mix of foundational charter finance knowledge and interactive real world guided examples. REGISTER
theNetwork Webinar:
Applying for a Charter School in Texas (FREE)
March 22, 2013
Ideal for persons seeking general information about the Texas Charter School movement and for persons preparing a Generation 19 application to the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE). REGISTER
  TCSA 3rd Annual Spring Charter School Statewide Finance Bootcamp, Austin ($325 Member; $425 Non-Member) April 10-12, 2013 What will Charter School Finance look like after 2013?Commissioner Hours Credit: Totaling 14 possible hours
Join us in Austin, TX for three days of insights and breaking updates around the most critical developments in finance matters impacting charter schools.REGISTER
 TCSA Statewide Charter School Legal Summit, Dallas ($250 Member; $350 Non-Member) May 20-21, 2013
Commissioner Hours Credit: Totaling 9 possible hours
This 2 day training hits on the hot topics that have a huge impact on your charter schools operational compliance. REGISTER
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Need help completing and reviewing your charter renewal application before the April 5, 2013 deadline?
TCSA offers renewal application support - from answering basic questions, reviewing your completed application, to providing comprehensive development services. Because the reporting deadline is approaching, review and development assistance is provided in the order each request is received. Call 512.584.8272 or email to make your appointment today. Read more.FREE Application Review
Basic questions and application reviews are offered for FREE through the Texas Charter School Technical Assistance Network (the Network). The deadline for submission of your documents to TCSA for review is 5pm on Friday, March 29, 2013. Read more. Network Webinar: Preparing Your Charter Renewal Is your charter contract expiration date approaching?
Join us for these FREE webinars to receive reliable insights to developing and submitting your renewal application to TEA.Mar. 28, 2013 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM (Thursday) Part 2 REGISTERMar. 29, 2013 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM (Friday) Part 3 REGISTER  Charter Renewal Application Development Service
The charter renewal application development service is offered by TCSA for $6,000 - this comprehensive service would involve our team processing the development of your application response upon delivery of all needed data/documents from your school and removing the angst of that from your hands. The deadline for submission of your documents to TCSA for development is 5pm on Friday, March 22, 2013. Read more.
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NEW! Watch the March 2013 FREE TCSA Quality Framework Webinar: Quality Framework Self-Assessment and Reports Overview
Watch this free webinar recorded on March 6 and learn how to: view data from your charter's last Quality Framework submission--even if you last submitted a spreadsheet or paper copy; start a new Self-Assessment for the current year; find each type of report in the Quality Framework portal; and, see how easy it us to use the graphs, charts, and tables available to you now. Who should view this webinar? Superintendents, executive directors, principals, compliance officers, grant officers--anyone on the charter school staff who leads, implements, or participates in the charter or campus improvement process, or uses data for reporting or planning purposes. Questions? Email the Quality Initiatives Team.
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  Doing a Texas Two-Step Around Education Reform Watering down new high-school graduation standards will shortchange students, employers and the country. by CHARLES COOK AND TERRENCE MOORE; March 8, 2013 ... Responsive Education Solutions the largest charter-school system in Texas, in collaboration with Hillsdale College, is providing students the opportunity to receive a rigorous classical education tuition-free. Read the article. The Case For, and Against, Closing North Forest ISD by Laura Isensee; March 15, 2013 It's very rare and certainly not popular to shut down an entire school district. It's happened only four times in nearly twenty years in Texas ... Sanborn says if the state were tougher on failing schools they would try to get better faster. And Texas has more than 70 districts that are failing and need to improve, just like North Forest. Listen. 
Charter schools make pitch to run North Forest ISD Friday, March 8, 2013
The charter groups - KIPP, YES Prep and Harmony - are asking Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams to approve their plan, instead of having the Houston Independent School District take over North Forest ISD, KIPP co-founder Mike Feinberg confirmed Friday. The idea is still in the developmental stage, but the North Forest school board unanimously signed off on the concept Thursday night, said board president Charles Taylor Sr. Read the blog. 
STAAR tests to be released early By Kate Alexander; March 12, 2013
The aim is to quell some of the concerns among parents and educators who have been pushing for more information about the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, which were taken for the first time last spring. Critics question whether the high-stakes tests are valid yardsticks of student learning. Read the article. 
Prime Prep boys basketball selected to play in National High School Invitational along with Findlay Prep, Montverde Academy by CORBETT SMITH; March 13, 2013
Prime Prep Academy will have a shot to finish its first year of existence as the nation's No. 1-ranked team. It is one of eight boys teams which will compete at the National High School Invitational, April 4-6 in Bethesda, Md. Read the article.
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  June 26 - 28, 2013; Houston, Texas
YES Prep is excited to launch our inaugural conference on curriculum, assessment, and instruction this summer. Over the past few years, YES Prep has developed a curricular structure around teacher leadership and collaboration and we've created an extensive library of high-quality curricular resources that all of our teachers implement. YES Prep wants to share all this with you and your organization! We encourage you to bring a team of curricular leaders and teachers in Math and English from your organization to benefit the most from the resources and sessions offered in this conference. Read More.
NASC National Conference
The NASC National Conference returns in 2013 with a high-energy line-up of top-notch presenters and workshops designed to reenergize, refocus, and refresh. Join us in Las Vegas to meet and network with student council leaders and advisers from across the U.S. and around the world, learn from entertaining and informative speakers, and discuss new ideas and innovations in service learning. Read More.
Leadership Charter: New Mexico School Leadership Institute June 17-21, 2013; Albuquerque, New Mexico Leadership Charter is an intensive professional development institute for experienced charter school leaders to learn with and from each other by exploring topics critical for student success today. Join us to explore: Improving Student Outcomes, Quality Instruction, Mission-Driven Leadership, and Charter School Advocacy. Registration is limited! Maximum of 25 participants.
Registration closes May 10. Read More.
 
The Google Science Fair
is an online science competition open to students ages 13-18 from around the globe. We're looking for ideas that will change the world. Enter Here.
 Doodle 4 Google Art Contest
An annual program that invites K-12 students in the United States to use their artistic talents to think big and redesign our homepage logo for millions to see. This year, it's asked for students to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, "My Best Day Ever..." One talented student artist will see their artwork appear on the Google homepage, receive a $30,000 college scholarship, and a $50,000 technology grant for their school along with some other cool prizes!
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CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER KIPP San Antonio San Antonio, Texas Application Deadline: Posted until filled
Starting Date: Immediately
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Changes to the Office of School Finance
Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting and Requirements
Read the letter.
The 2013-2014 NCLB Data Request Form for Federal Funding (SC5010) has been made available in eGrants as of March 1, 2013. The submission deadline is April 30, 2013. For instructions.
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The 2012 Student Assessment Data Validation Manual
Now available.
The 2012 Student Assessment Data Validation district reports are scheduled to be posted to the secure TEASE Accountability application on Friday, February 22, 2013.
Technical Assistance:
Performance-Based Monitoring (PBM) contacts are available at each education service center (ESC) to provide technical assistance to school districts. Latest updates to the ESC PBM contacts can be found here, using the Search RESCs function.
For questions about interventions, including ISAM inquiries, please contact: Program Monitoring and Interventions by calling 512.463.5226 or via email.
For questions about the manual or the indicators described in the manual, please contact: Performance-Based Monitoring by calling 512.936.6426 or via email.
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Change to Automobile Mileage Reimbursement Rate
Applicable to State and Federal Grants from the Texas Education Agency
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has changed the automobile mileage reimbursement rate. On January 1, 2013, the rate increased from 55.5 to 56.5 cents per mile. Travel and lodging reimbursement rates have not changed. The standard rates, effective until August 31, 2013, are up to $77 per night for lodging and up to $46 per day for meals, unless a higher rate for the travel destination is specified. Read more.
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