UPDATE: The PPRP program dates have been extended. Please see the updates on the Prior Purchase Reimbursement Program (PPRP) here on the CRF Reimbursement programs webpage. The PPRP application will reopen this month, with any new applications or amendments due by 1/31/21. The new deadline for receiving devices is 2/28/21. This may mean that your … Read More
Program Checkup – Title II, Part A
This is the second in a series of program checkups. Click here for the first article on Title I, Part A. New Year’s is a time to get healthy, so why not take a look at the health of your LEA’s federal programs? CSS continues its series of program checkups regarding federal program requirements with … Read More
HB 3 Required School Board Plans and Goals
Has your Texas Charter School Board adopted the two required plans under House Bill 3 – Early Childhood Literacy/Math Plan (EC-LM) and College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Plan? The original timeline was for both plans to be adopted and in place by the end of the 2019-20 school year, but the deadline has been … Read More
Program Checkup: Title I, Part A Schoolwide Program Elements
This is the first in a series of program checkups to ensure compliance. Random validations were conducted early this year. If you were not one of the 80 LEAs selected statewide in October (4 per region), consider it an early Christmas gift! However, audits and compliance reporting are still in your future, so CSS will … Read More
Audit Update: Submitting Your Annual Financial Report
It’s Audit Time! In Today’s Tip, we’ll be discussing the steps you need to take to submit/upload your Annual Audit — also referred to as the Annual Financial Report (AFR). At CSS, we help review and assist in the completion and submission of the audit for our Charter School Success clients. On-time audits are required to Pass FIRST, … Read More
Special Education Fiscal Compliance Survey due November 6
The Special Education Fiscal Compliance Survey is due November 6, and must be completed by all Charters who receive IDEA B funds whether you receive SHARS funding or not. In the past, this report was only for SHARS participants; however, this year, the State is collecting data regarding 2019-20 expenditures in program intent code PIC … Read More
Budget Timelines and Amendments
What is the role and purpose of the school budget? The charter school budget—and accompanying process—provides charters and their leaders with an opportunity to justify the collection and expenditure of public funds. In its most simple definition, a school budget describes a charter’s plan for the upcoming year as related to anticipated revenues and expenditures. … Read More
Updated State Aid Template available from TEA
The Charter School 2020-2021 State Aid Template is NOW AVAILABLE on the Texas Education Agency website! Over the last several months, Charter School Success has been working with our client charters to help develop their 2020-2021 budget, using the 2019-2020 State Aid Template information and calculations. Now that the 2020-2021 Estimate of State Aid Template … Read More
Budget Amendments
When do you need a Budget Amendment? During the fiscal year of a charter school, the school’s board may need to amend the school charter approved budget to reflect changes in operations, the educational programs, demographics, or enrollment since the beginning of school. Budget amendments are an essential part of the budgetary process and are … Read More
The Budget Process
One important purpose of budgeting is to provide the best possible educational opportunities for every student in an educational institution. Budgets should also reflect the administration’s ability to manage the financial affairs of the school. A budget is an outline of educational programs and services with costs affixed to specific purposes to effectively direct the … Read More