photostrip
August 30, 2013  
Have a safe Labor Day weekend!   



Texas Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams, helps cut the ribbon at the opening of  International Leadership of Texas, a new charter school in Garland. TCSA staff Denise Pierce and Amanda List were also in attendance at the event last week. 
TEA logo
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON CSCOPE 
As a part of the CSCOPE Social Studies lesson plans review by the State Board of Education's Ad Hoc Review Committee, a public hearing will be held on Friday, Sept. 13, beginning at 1 p.m. in Room 1-111 of the William Travis Building, 1701 North Congress in Austin, Texas. Testimony from the public will be heard by the Ad Hoc Review Committee and any State Board of Education members who choose to attend. Read the Communications from TEA.

star telegram 
CSCOPE debate could shape 2014 GOP primary
By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press; Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013 
TYLER, Texas - Looks like CSCOPE is ready for its close up. Many Texans still haven't heard of the collection of controversial online lesson plans. But a raucous crowd of more than 600 filled nearly every available seat Saturday night at a University of Texas at Tyler event center, spending nearly two hours watching a debate on an issue that has now become so emotionally charged it could shape the 2014 Republican primary race for lieutenant governor. Read the article.


Ratliff, Patrick Exchange Words Over CSCOPE Lessons 
by Morgan Smith; August 24, 2013
On Saturday evening, SBOE member Thomas Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, the chairman of the Senate's education committee, sparred over the controversial lesson plans before a vocal audience that filled the University of Texas at Tyler's student activity center. Grassroots activists have relentlessly pushed to eliminate the lessons, which are used by 70 percent of Texas school districts, because of a perceived liberal, anti-American agenda. Read the article.

2013-2014 TCSA Training Series Launches in Houston this September 

Governance & Operations Series*:
Capitalizing on Values and Ethics of Leadership to
Impact District Culture

September 25, 2013 (6 Commissioner Hours)  
Capitalizing on Values and Ethics of Leadership to Impact District Culture will equip charter school leaders and board members to capitalize on the principles of integrity, fairness and ethical standards to establish a high performing school district culture. *This series is in lieu of the Finance Bootcamp and Business Week trainings offered by TCSA in previous years.
register now  
Business Office & Finance Series*:
Foundations in Charter School Finance & Compliance

September 26, 2013 (6 Commissioner Hours) 
Foundations in Charter School Finance & Compliance will equip charter school business and fianance staff to understand the intricacies of charter school finance, as well as all the required compliance elements associated with it. *This series is in lieu of the Finance Bootcamp and Business Week trainings offered by TCSA in previous years.
register now
Business Office & Finance Series sponsored by: 


Academics & Instruction Series:
Foundations of Curriculum & Assessment

September 27, 2013 (6 Commissioner Hours)  
Foundations of Curriculum & Assessment will equip charter school officers, administrators, and teachers to understand the critical components of a charter school's curriculum and assessment model to drive student success.
register now  

TCSA On-Demand TrainingOn-demand TCSA e-Learning Video Series 
Charter School Board Members and Administrators now have the flexibility to log in and complete annual training requirements at anytime from the comfort of their home or office. The E-Learning Series is designed to provide TEA required training to charter school administrators and board members in a simple, effective on-line platform. Individuals can access training 24/7 at their convenience. Certificates will be available for download at the completion of the training. 

AVAILABLE NOW - Earn up to 13.75 hours online!
All courses cost $75 and are 60 minutes unless otherwise noted.  
  • 2012 PBMAS Update
  • Understanding the Creation of the New State Accountability System (75 minutes)
  • 2012 Federal Accountability Update
  • Introduction to Charter School Open Meetings
  • The Business of Human Resources
  • Charter FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas)
  • The ABCs of the Charter: Understanding Charter School Audits and Reviews
  • Avoiding the Pitfalls of At-Will Employment (75 minutes)
  • Don't Fight the Law - Essential Board Policies (75 minutes)
  • Introduction to Charter School Law   

TCSA Quality Framework FREE Recorded Webinar
New Staff Orientation & the Quality Framework

It's almost September and students are back.  Do you wish you could easily orient new staff members to the mission, vision and goals of your school in a team-building activity?

In this FREE Network webinar, learn how to use the Quality Framework Self-Assessment to....
  • Introduce new staff members to the mission and vision of your school.
  • Orient staff members to areas of strengths and needed improvement.
  • Set goals for the upcoming school year.
  • Engage new staff as team members. 
charter news
West Texas Kids Collect Jeans for the Needy
By Elaine Aradillas; August 29, 2013
Less than 300 students attend La Fe Preparatory School, a West Texas school nestled against the Mexico border, which serves grades K-7 --- yet they were determined to collect the most jeans as part of a nationwide campaign sponsored by the nonprofit group DoSomething.org and retail store A�ropostale. They beat 9,000 schools and collected 42,384 pairs doing whatever it took. Read the article.

USNews
What the Public Wants From Its Schools
By Nina Rees; August 26, 2013
Last week, the Associated Press, Education Next (EdNext) and PDK/Gallup each released polls on Americans' views on a range of education issues. The surveys covered a lot of ground, but a few unifying themes emerged. First, the public supports charter schools. These independently-managed but publicly-funded schools garnered a whopping 70 percent support in the PDK poll, up from less than 40 percent over a decade ago. Read the article.

nytimes
At Charter Schools, Short Careers by Choice
By MOTOKO RICH; August 26, 2013
"We have this highly motivated, highly driven work force who are now wondering, 'O.K., I've got this, what's the next thing?' " said Jennifer Hines, senior vice president of people and programs at YES Prep. "There is a certain comfort level that we have with people who are perhaps going to come into YES Prep and not stay forever."... "Strong schools can withstand the turnover of their teachers," said Wendy Kopp, the founder of Teach for America. "The strongest schools develop their teachers tremendously so they become great in the classroom even in their first and second years." Read the article.


'Parent trigger' laws worth trying: Our view
The Editorial Board; August 12, 2013
California's parent trigger law, signed in 2010, has given it a better shot. Six other states - Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio (for a pilot program in the Columbus School District) and Texas - have passed similar laws, and about 20 others have considered them. Read the article.

In Other Charter News:
Fall Conferences:
Texas A&M Bilingual Education Conference 
Kingsville, Texas; October 25  REGISTER


The National Early College Conference
Durham, North Carolina; October 29-30,2013

The National Early College Conference is a two day event co-hosted by
Jobs for the Future and North Carolina New Schools. The conference will convene over 500 early college leaders, school administrators and higher education partners to explore the policies and practices required to consistently graduate fragile learners and first generation college goers fully prepared for success beyond high school. REGISTER  
 
EnergyElectricity Prices have dropped!  Now is the time to enroll in the TCSA Electricity Program to Save your charter school $$.
  • No need to conduct an RFP - TCSA has already done one for you
  • Contract has charter specific legal protections
  • Full Swing (No worries about your usage)
  • The Price is Fixed - No Additional Energy Charges

Contact Brian Levy, Director of School Support Services for more information. 


2013 Texas Charter Schools Conference:

Blazing the Trail to Quality and Innovation 
The annual Texas Charter Schools Conference is the only statewide gathering of the entire Texas charter school community. More than 1,300 charter school advocates including teachers, administrators, board members, policy makers, and vendors will gather for training, networking, and sharing best practices for charter effectiveness and compliance. View the UPDATED Conference at a Glance schedule.
 
2013 Workshop Information
Wednesday, December 11, 2013; 9:00am-1:00pm 
Attend one of the 3 workshops on Wednesday to earn: 
4 Commissioner Credit Hours 
OR 4.5 hours of Continuing Professional Educator Credit (CPE)

Superintendent Best Practices Workshop 
Presentations by TCSA Member Charter Superintendents

Principal Workshop 
Presentation by Ervin Knezek, Ed.D. 
Founder, CEO, and Teacher of lead4ward  
Texas born lifelong educator, Ervin Knezek, Ed. D, is Founder, Chief Education Officer, and Teacher at lead4ward. Ervin works with educators at all levels in designing and implementing learning systems to meet ever-increasing standards for students. Read more.

Business Officer Workshop 
Facilitated by Art Serna (TCSA) and Karen Mowbray, CEO of Charter School Success, with presentations by TCSA Member Charter Leaders.
Karen Mowbray has faced and conquered many of the difficulties of running and growing a successful charter school. In 2005, she was hired as a turnaround consultant for a charter school in Galveston Texas. The school was on the brink of financial ruin, owing over $250,000 to the state and IRS and had a fund balance of ($263,000). Acting as their Business and Operations Officer, she focused on the business operations (finance, facilities, marketing, student services and personnel) and worked on continuous improvement in each area. Read more.

Friday, December 13, 2013
Teacher Workshop  8:30am-12:30pm 
Presentation by Dr. Bobb Darnell, President of Achievement Strategies, Inc.  
Dr. Darnell is an internationally known speaker who has delivered keynote presentations and conducted workshops for educators at all grade levels and for corporations. Bobb's high-energy workshops are filled with "edutainment" and practical ideas that have resulted from blending research and tested practice. Read more. 
Attend on Friday to earn: 4.5 hours of Continuing Professional Educator Credit Hours (CPE)

Board Workshop  8:00am-3:30pm
 
Presentations by Terry Bruner (Terry Bruner Law Office), Marci Cornell-Feist (The High Bar), Linda Villareal, Ed.D. (Ret. Executive Director, Education Service Center Region 2), TCSA Advocacy Staff, and TCSA Member Charter Leaders 
Attend on Friday to earn: 6 Commissioner Credit Hours 
 

CharterEducatorOpps
Ways to Get Involved in SXSWedu 2014 Now!
March 3-6, 2014 in Austin, Texas  REGISTER
It may seem a long way away, but March will be here in no time. Start thinking about how you want to engage and participate with the unique community of energetic and innovative leaders, from all backgrounds of the learning landscape, at the SXSWedu Conference & Festival. There's a number of exciting opportunities to contribute your knowledge and insights to the 2014 SXSWedu event.   
 
TEA logo
SBOE seeks input on new graduation plans
AUSTIN - The State Board of Education is seeking input from educators and community members as it begins to restructure graduation requirements to address recent changes in state law. The board will hold a public hearing Sept. 17 in room 1-104 of the Travis State Office Building in Austin to receive input from educators and others about the changing graduation requirements. Those who wish to submit comments about the graduation changes prior to the beginning of the official rulemaking process may send their comments to [email protected] through Sept. 10.
Read the press release.

Enter for a chance to win an NFL team celebration and a $10,000 NFL PLAY 60 health and wellness grant 
34 winning schools will be named NFL PLAY 60 Super Schools. And it's easy to enter. Just submit 3 essays telling us how your school is celebrating its NFL team pride, about your current PE environment and how your school is teaching the importance of health and wellness.

Enter the Soar with Reading Sweepstakes for a Chance to Win a $5000 College Scholarship 
Hey parents, tell us what magical places your child wants to visit with Jack, Annie & JetBlue this summer and be entered for a chance to win one of four $5,000 college scholarships, round-trip flights on JetBlue, or a Magic Tree House prize pack. For every entry, JetBlue will donate one book to Mary Pope Osborne's Classroom Adventures Program. Help us reach our goal of getting $500,000 worth of books into the hands of kids that need them!


Fall Special Exhibit - Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited

Educator Preview Night - Monday, September 16, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.  

Holocaust Curriculum Trunk Program

The Museum provides, at no cost, curriculum trunks for elementary, middle, and high school classes. Free shipping is provided for schools outside a 35-mile radius of Dallas. See flyer for more information on the individual trunks. 

  

Department of EducationU.S. Department of Education Posts Final Application for the 2013 Race to the Top-District Competition  
The purpose of this approximately $120 million program is to build upon the lessons learned from previous state- and district-level competitions and support bold, locally directed improvements in teaching and learning that will directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness. Webinars will be offered over the coming weeks to provide technical assistance and interested districts are requested to submit their intent to apply by August 23.  Applications are due October 3.  Awards will be announced no later than December 31, 2013.
View the final application.

 Young Masters Program Grant 

Eligibility: Texas 8th to 11th grade students who are legal US and Texas residents

Intent: To advance the creative economy of Texas by investing in the future of the arts. This program awards grants to talented young artists to further their studies in their chosen field. This grant is not a college scholarship. The most talented young artists will receive the title of Young Master and will be awarded grants of up to $2,500 per year to further their studies in their chosen arts disciplines.  Applications will be from the student, his or her parent/guardian, and his or her arts instructor. This program is available every other year.

Next deadline: November 15, 2013 postmark deadline Apply for the grant. 

 

NEF CyberLearning Offers Texas Public and Charter Schools $2 Million Matching Grant Towards Energy Efficiency Projects Using QZAB Funds
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) QZAB funds are available to school districts and charter schools who are looking for funds for rehabilitating or repairing their facilities. These funds can also assist in the purchase of equipment, instructional materials and providing teacher/administrative personnel professional development. The Texas Education Agency has $98 million allocated for the statewide QZAB program; the National Education Foundation (NEF), announced a nationwide initiative to award matching grants of up to $2,000,000 each to any Texas school with at least 35% of students on free or reduced cost lunch applying for QZAB.  Learn more.   

  

Asbestos Management Program 
This summer, the Texas Department of State Health Services is launching "Simple Asbestos Management" (SAM), a website designed as an easy way for school administrators to learn about their responsibilities related to asbestos management.

Webinar: Lessons Learned: Best Practices for ERPs, Lockdowns, and Active Shooters
Thursday, September 5, 2013; 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM  
We narrowly avoided another horrific tragedy when a school administrator in Atlanta was able to talk down a would be school shooter. As the new school year begins it is imperative that we review our current plans and procedures for preventing and responding to violence on our campus. During our upcoming webinar we will review the following topics and lessons learned from recent incidents. REGISTER

job post of the week
Charter Schools Support Specialist IV (PEIMS) APPLY
EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION XI

WEBSITE NOW LIVE! TEA, ESC Region XI, and TCSA's collaborative efforts to support charters in all stages of development can now conveniently
be accessed online. To see how we can help you and your school:

TEA logo

calendar

 

Graduation Requirements for 2013-2014 Seniors Read the letter.   

 

NEW Grants Available! 

Texas Credit Enhancement Program (TCEP) Grant Application

Read the letter.    

 

New Campus Charter Schools Established by Independent School Districts Under Texas Education Code, Chapter 12, Subchapter C - Eligibility to Apply for 2014-2015 Public Charter School Program Start-Up Grant Funding

Read the letter. 

 

Instructional Materials Allotment - High Enrollment Growth Application

Read the letter.  

  

2013-2014 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook is now available  

Download the document.

 

The Texas Education Agency is hosting a webinar to review the 2013-2014 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) on Wednesday, August 28, at 2:00 p.m. We will post a recording of the webinar on the SAAH web page for your convenience.

 

Waiver granted to NCLB Title I, Part A 15%
carryover limitation

Read the letter.     

 

Implementation of Title I School Improvement
Program (SIP) interventions for the 2013-2014 school year

Read the letter.  

 

2013 State Accountability Ratings for Districts, Charters and Campuses View the Accountability Reports   

  

List of LEAs Approved to Use Substitute System of Time and Effort LEAs interested in implementing the substitute system of federal time-and-effort reporting for the 2013-2014 school year must submit the required LEA management certification form to TEA by September 6, 2013. Read the letter.    

 

New Posting on the TEA Performance-Based Monitoring Web Site  

The Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System 2013 Manual is now available. Download the manual.

 

Publication Date for 2013-2014 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook
The anticipated publication date for the 2013-2014 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) is Friday, August 9, 2013. View the list of changes.

 

Legislative Briefing Book Details New Laws    

The Texas Education Agency has produced a briefing book that describes the impact of new education laws.  Download the briefing book.  

 

theNetwork Legislative Summary

The Legislative Summary contains general summaries of the bills passed during the 83rd Regular Session of the Texas Legislature that impact charter schools.   

Download the Legislative Summary. 

 

2013-2014 Charter School State Funding Worksheet  

  

TEA announces initial assessment requirements under HB5

Read the letter. 

 

Overview of process related to A-133 single audits

Read the letter.