Charters and ISDs: Two Peas in a Pod or Apples and Oranges?

Did you know that public charter schools have existed in Texas for more than 25 years? It is a bit surprising that some common myths and misconceptions about charters persist despite their overall positive impact.  It is important that charter leaders be aware of those misconceptions and have the tools on hand to set the … Read More

Federal End of Year Activities for Charter Districts

Welcome to our handy end of year checklist! It contains all things federal that you need to finish up the activities for year! The purpose of this document is to keep you informed of all the documents that are required this time of year and the deadlines that they are due to TEA. This will … Read More

PIC Allotments from a Program Perspective

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

Assets, Liabilities and Revenue Coding

Do you know the difference between an asset and revenue? Would you like to know where to code a monthly rent payment? What about the large donation you received at the end of the year, do you know where to code that? By far, the largest variety of codes in your Chart of Accounts will … Read More

AskTED – What It Is and Why It Is Important for Your Charter?

Not getting important communication can leave you out of the loop and in a bind.  One way to ensure you receive accurate and important information from the State is to make sure your AskTED directory information is current and correct. AskTED is the online Texas Education Directory (TED), which is updated daily. AskTED is the primary … Read More

IDEA-B Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Compliance

TEA has calculated IDEA-B LEA maintenance of effort (MOE) compliance reviews for school year 2020-2021. What is IDEA-B Maintenance of Effort (MOE)? MOE is a federal requirement that affects how an LEA (i.e. Charters) budgets and spends their state and local funds on special education students. Charter School Success helps our charter school clients in both the … Read More

EDGAR: Staffing, Time & Effort

One of the best benefits of federal grant dollars is the ability to add extra staffing; however, there is much to consider about compliance and documentation for federally-funded staff. The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) must be followed when hiring and documenting the time of federally-funded staff. This article and our accompanying EDGAR Staff … Read More

Annual Wage Reporting and Compliance – W-2 and W-3

Today’s tip is a friendly reminder about annual wage reporting and compliance, which includes both providing form W2 to each employee who worked for your charter in the calendar year 2022 and filing employee wage information with the Social Security Office (SSA) using form W3. As you close out the calendar year and start to … Read More

Required Internet Postings for Texas Charters

Charter schools that have websites are required by state law to post certain information on their site. If a charter fails to post the information, it can result in the charter’s mandatory revocation or restructuring of the charter holder’s governing board. Additionally, as recipients of federal funds, charters are also required by federal law and … Read More

ESSA Basic Program Requirements: Fiscal and Program

Federal funds don’t just provide money to your schools. They create programs. By focusing on solid programs, you can add to your school’s repertoire and improve your ability to serve students. But programs funded by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) are regulated by many rules that can seem confusing at times. As a savvy … Read More