Accreditation is another word for credible. Most LEAs don’t think about their accreditation status unless it’s in jeopardy, but it is extremely important. Without proper accreditation from the State, a charter district can no longer be recognized by the State and forced to close. With the current accountability system, an LEA can have their accreditation … Read More
Special Program Intent Code (PIC) Allotments
Program Intent Codes (PIC codes) are a critical part of budgeting, and it is good to be “PIC-y” and “PIC” the right one! Reporting expenses by PIC shows the State that you are spending funds intended for certain programs on the correct student groups. This in turn should improve services and student achievement of those … Read More
Full-Day Prekindergarten Waiver
Do your schools currently offer half-day prekindergarten (PK)? Are you aware that full-day PK for eligible four-year-olds was required starting in 2019-20? If your Charter District currently offers a half-day program, an exemption (waiver) must be submitted by March 2, 2020. Several steps must be completed prior to applying for this waiver, and CSS has … Read More
Download this free Commonly Used Acronym Cheat Sheet
Any person involved in charter school operations knows that the world of acronyms brings a strong game to the table! Even for those of us with of years of experience in the school world, keeping up with these acronyms can have a dizzying affect. For those of us who are new in our charter school … Read More
Certification Requirements for Charter School Teachers
In many ways, ISDs and Charter schools share common requirements and compliance items. However, in just as many ways, requirements between the two entity types differ. The realm of teacher certifications brings one of these differences to the forefront. Are teachers at open-enrollment charter schools required to hold a certification? The short answer is, it … Read More
Service Records
Do you feel overwhelmed with all the “must-knows” and “must-dos” of service records? Don’t be! We’ll review frequently asked questions and provide helpful tools that will guide you to success. What is a service record? A service record is the official document used to record years of service claimed for salary increment purposes. Service records … Read More
Special Program Student Coding
Did you know that some of the special programs you offer in your district have a weighted ADA funding for the students enrolled in that program? This means more money for the services you are providing your students! With that weighted funding comes the potential for additional TEA scrutiny. Each special program that your district … Read More
Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) Changes
The Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) is published yearly by TEA and contains the official attendance accounting guidelines that must be followed by all school districts and open-enrollment charters in the state of Texas. The 2019-20 SAAH has recently been published and has many significant changes from the prior year’s handbook. With all of the … Read More
Census Block- New Fall PEIMS Data Element
Under HB3, Section 1.028, the Compensatory Education Allotment was modified to establish weighted funding based on the census block in which an economically disadvantaged student resides. Previously, the Compensatory Education Allotment was a single multiplier for each student that was considered Economically Disadvantaged. With these changes the Compensatory Education Allotment will now be a tiered … Read More