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Charter School students come together with parents, teachers and supporters to the steps of the Texas state Capitol in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, during a rally to support a bill that will expand charter schools in Texas. View More Pics. |
Charter School Parents, Supporters Rally for Public Charter Schools at the Capitol
More than 700 parents and charter leaders call for passage of charter legislation
Today, TCSA welcomed more than 700 parents, students, teachers and charter leaders from across Texas to rally on the south steps of the State Capitol to show their strong support for public charter schools and charter legislation this session. Read Press Release.
 Top senator vows his charter school plan will pass By Will Weissert; May 8, 2013
 The top proponent for school choice in the Texas Legislature vowed Wednesday that his much-watched effort to expand charter schools in Texas will become law - even though it could still face a tough road in the House. Speaking to a midday charter school rally at the state Capitol featuring hundreds of activists, parents and teachers - some of whom brought their classes from Dallas, San Antonio and Austin - Sen. Dan Patrick cried, "I feel really good!, For the first time in almost 15 years, this Legislature is going to pass a bill addressing charter schools," Patrick said. "Raising the cap, allowing for more flexibility, innovation and an opportunity for those 100,000 parents who are on a wait list." Read the Article.
With Bill Pending, School Choice Supporters Rally
 By Morgan Smith; May 8, 2013 School choice supporters from across the state gathered at a rally on the Capitol's south lawn Wednesday to demand passage of legislation allowing more Texas charter schools. The crowd, which the Texas Charter Schools Association estimated numbered about 700 parents, educators and students, heard from elected officials including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Senate Education Chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston, before heading inside to meet with lawmakers. "This isn't about bureaucrats; this is about the children," Dewhurst said. "If you give parents a choice, you give children a chance." Read the Article.
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TEA Releases RFQ for Charter Application Reviewers
Texas Education Agency (TEA) is seeking qualified applicants to serve as independent reviewers of the Subchapter D open-enrolment charter applications. The intent of this RFQ is to establish a pool of pre-qualified reviewers. Pursuant to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC)§100.1(d-e), Subchapter D open-enrollment charter applications shall be reviewed and scored by an external application review panel selected by the commissioner of education from a pool of qualified candidates identified through a request for qualification (RFQ) process. The panel shall review and score applications in accordance with the procedures and criteria established in the application form. Read the RFQ.
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Summer Conferences:
Leadership Charter: New Mexico Leadership InstituteAlbuquerque, New Mexico; June 17-21 REGISTERNACS National ConferenceLas Vegas, Nevada; June 22-24 REGISTER YES Prep Inaugural ConferenceHouston, Texas; June 26-28 REGISTERNational Charter Schools ConferenceWashington, DC; June 30-July REGISTERNational Institute for Direct InstructionSan Antonio, Texas; August 4-8 REGISTER Texas Charter School Coaches ConferenceAustin, Texas; August 19-20 REGISTER
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 Porras Heads to Washington State
After nearly five years of working with the Texas Charter Schools Association since the 2008 launch, Telca Karen Porras will be leaving her position as TCSA Quality Initiatives Senior Advisor, effective Friday, May 24, 2013.Telca will be leaving Texas to work in Washington State, as a public charter ballot initiative was approved by voters this past November that will allow the creation of public charter schools for the first time in the state's history. TCSA Executive Director David Dunn said, "We will truly miss Telca's wit, dedication to the cause, and her hard work on behalf of charter schools in Texas. She has been a part of the history and success of creating quality charter schools in Texas, and we know that she will have much to share with Washington State - even as we find it very hard to share her." Telca said, "I have been lucky enough to work in the Texas charter school movement for over 15 years. I have learned so much during that time and being a part of the development and implementation of the Quality Framework here at TCSA has been some of the most rewarding work I have ever done. It is truly an exciting time for Washington, and I look forward to the development and growth of the public charter school sector there, but I will dearly miss my Texas charter colleagues and friends."
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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 See the Agenda.
 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
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 Texas education system must change for our future By Ramiro Mojarro; May 8, 2013
For too long, Texas schoolchildren have been handcuffed by a concept of education that is outdated and underfunded. It has been outperformed by more progressive and choice-driven models throughout the United States.It is not a coincidence that more than one-fourth of Texas high school students fail to graduate on time. For African-American and Hispanic students, the dropout rate is more than one-third.The goal of these reforms is to create a public education system that fosters learning while exceeding national and state standards through rigorous academics, evidence-based practices, and real world experiences. Read the Article.
Texas charter school waitlist numbers remain fluid
By Will Weissert; May 9, 2013 As lawmakers debate expanding Texas charter schools to accommodate students wanting to leave unsatisfactory traditional classrooms, new details show charter school waitlist numbers can fluctuate during the year due in large part to varied reporting standards and duplications. Charter school operators say their waitlists continue to grow and could eventually exceed last summer's totals. Meanwhile, the high-profile proposal to expand charters would do little to meet short-term demand. As currently written, the expansion would only allow 10 new charters next school year - and the state already is issuing an average of nine new charters annually. Read the Article.
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COLLINS WRITING PROGRAM INTRODUCTORY INSTITUTE; Improving Student Performance Through Writing and Thinking Across the Curriculum (Grades 4-8) The institute provides participants with practical strategies and techniques to help their students gain writing fluency, become comfortable thinking on paper, and develop the essential writing skills they need for future academic success in any subject area. Most importantly, this workshop gives teachers the help they need to efficiently and fairly evaluate writing so that students become more skillful as a result of the process. REGISTER
CALL FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM PEER REVIEWERS
T he Charter Schools Program (CSP) at the U.S. Department of Education is seeking peer reviewers (field readers) to read and evaluate discretionary grant applications submitted under the program's discretionary grant competitions.Serving as a peer reviewer is an excellent opportunity to contribute to our nation's education reform efforts by ensuring the effective allocation of federal grant funds to the most promising grant project. Read More.
Attention Generation 17 & 18 Charter Schools: Next Generation Learning Grants Breakthrough Schools Launch Grants 20 launch grants will be awarded to support new, whole-school learning models that will open in the fall of 2013 or in the fall of 2014. Our ultimate goal is to build a robust pipeline of new breakthrough schools that serve secondary school students (within grades 6-12). Such schools must employ the seven design principles for personalized learning described in our RFP, and must be committed to achieving breakthrough results for all students. Breakthrough Schools Planning Grants
30 Breakthrough School Planning grants will be awarded to schools (districts, charter management organizations, aspiring charter entrepreneurs, non-profit and for-profit school developers, state education agencies and other institutions, agencies, or entities) that are planning on opening a new, whole-school learning model in the fall of 2014 or the fall of 2015. The goal of the planning grant program is to support school developers earlier in the development process and to encourage non-traditional institutions to consider opening new, breakthrough schools. Read More.
Education Department Launches 2013 Investing in Innovation Competition The U.S. Department of Education announced the start of the $150 million 2013 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition. The announcement incorporates several improvements the Department has made to the grant competition in its efforts to support school districts and nonprofit organizations in partnership with schools to pursue innovative ideas that increase student success. Read More.
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TCSA Webinar: The Quality Framework - Your School's FREE Reflection, Planning, and Data Tool
Now is the perfect time for charter leaders like you to start planning for how to:
1. Assess and analyze the current school year, and
2. Finalize plans for next year.
The Self-Assessment, Reports, Data Pack and Resources in the Quality Framework portal can help you and your leadership team accomplish both.
Learn how in this month's FREE TCSA Quality Framework Webinar: How to Use the Quality Framework for Reflection and Planning View for this month's FREE webinar to learn:
- About each of the components of the Quality Framework.
- Where to find and how to use the reports, data, and resources in the portal.
- How you and your leadership team can be ready to complete a new Self-Assessment at the end of the school year or this summer.
Click FREE TCSA Quality Framework Webinar: How to Use the Quality Framework for Reflection and Planning to view 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 charter or campus comprehensive needs assessments and uses data for reporting or planning purposes. Questions? Email the Quality Initiatives team
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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Harmony School of Nature & Athletics Dallas, Texas Job ID: 283792 Application Deadline: Posted until Filled Posted: May 9, 2013 Starting Date: Immediately
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Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting and Requirements Read the letter. Student Success Initiative Certification Read the Letter. | |
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