Bilingual/ESL Allotment (PIC 25) and Written Policy and Procedures

What happens when a new student enrolls in your charter and indicates a language other than English on the home language survey? Do you have your next steps or procedures in writing? Having Bilingual/ESL written policies and procedures are required as part of your annual financial report. Your compliance will be collected by your auditor … Read More

SHARS Survey Due Nov 1, 2024 for IDEA-B Recipients

Don’t fret because today’s task should be quick and painless since most charter districts don’t participate in SHARS (Student Health and Related Services, a Medicaid program). If you received IDEA-B funding in 2023-24, then your LEA is required to complete the SHARS survey by Nov 1, 2024. SHARS is a program by which districts can receive … Read More

ESSA Title I School-Parent Compact

Educating children is a shared responsibility between the school and the home. When schools and parents work together, we see greater student success. One of the ways to help our students achieve academic success is through effective communication with parents. In a Title I school, the heart of communication begins with a written agreement between … Read More

School Improvement Ratings, Funding, and LASO Grant Cycle 3

We are in year two of the A-F accountability ratings being held up in court challenges; however, federal ratings continue. The federal list of schools in need of improvement was released on August 26, 2024. New this year, funding for schools identified for improvement will become part of the LASO Cycle 3 grant (more to … Read More

ARP ESSER III Reallocation: Respond by 9/16 to accept funds!

TEA has sent a survey through Smartsheets to charter districts who received ARP ESSER III grant funds. They are reallocating more funding, but in order to receive it, you need to respond to the survey by 9/16/24!  In Smartsheets you will indicate yes that you accept the funds and put which class object code (6100, … Read More

Student and Campus Activity Funds​ 

Activity Funds  Activity Funds are used to account for campus and student funds at your charter. These funds are held in trust by the charter district and used to promote the general welfare of the school, as well as the educational development and morale of all students.​   Some examples of Activity Funds include school fundraisers, … Read More

Title I Parent & Family Engagement Policy

Education is a partnership between the school and the home; however, building effective partnerships can be a challenge. Schools must consciously reach out and plan for ways to engage families. For Title I schools, it can be a bigger challenge with parents facing barriers related to poverty. For these reasons, having a comprehensive plan and … Read More

Navigating Employee Passing: Key HR Considerations and Steps

When an employee passes away, it’s crucial for school administration to navigate the situation with both compassion and professionalism. Often, the responsibility for coordination of these activities falls heavily on school HR professionals. This involves offering sincere condolences to the grieving family, colleagues, and students, managing administrative tasks such as updating records and processing final … Read More

Using the Master Schedule to Maximize Funding

Whenever you think about maximizing ADA funding for a school district, you most likely think about proper coding of student attendance, student eligibility codes, and ensuring your students attend school for as many school days as possible. Do you ever think about the impact that your Master Schedule had on your ADA funding? Some of … Read More

Obtaining Permission to Charge PK Tuition

Does your charter charge tuition to parents with students in PK who are ineligible under free eligibility guidelines? If so, you must annually submit a letter to TEA to obtain permission from the commissioner to justify your tuition rate. Ideally, the rate should be approved before you charge parents. Click here to access the form … Read More