Reporting Requirements for the Annual Report and 2023-24 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR)

Reporting Requirements for the Annual Report and 2023-24 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR)

December 13, 2024 | Financial Management

Who wants to think about spring yet? Slow your sleigh ride, right? HOWEVER, on 12/12/24 a 90-day timer started ticking on your annual TAPR reporting. Consider looking back to board records for the report from last spring and penciling it in for 2025! Early spring will be full of informing the public about performance systems such as TAPR and State/Federal report cards, but today’s tip will focus on the TAPR requirements.

All LEAs must hold a public hearing to discuss the TAPR annual report within 90 days of the reports being released by TEA. The main portion of the annual report is the State-issued TAPR report (PDF version). This public hearing is usually part of a regularly-scheduled board meeting.

Does this requirement apply to charter schools?

Yes! All Academic Accountability requirements apply to charter schools. Student performance on the TAPR reports is shown disaggregated by student groups, including ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The reports also provide extensive information on school and district staff, programs, and student demographics.

CSS can provide a template for the annual report to our partner schools in addition to interpreting TAPR for school improvement!

What must be included in the Annual Report?

The PDF TAPR comprises the main part of the district’s annual report, and it must be published in the same format as provided by TEA. In addition, a district’s annual report must also include:

  1. PEIMS Financial Standard Reports (2022-23 Financial Actual Reports)
  2. District Accreditation Status* (Use 2022-23 accreditation status.)
  3. Campus Performance Objectives (from each Campus Improvement Plan or Charter Instructional Plan) and progress toward meeting those objectives
  4. Special Education Determination Status (on cover page of PDF TAPR)
  5. Report on Violent or Criminal Incidents (See the TAPR Guidelines)
  6. Student Performance in Post-secondary Institutions**
  7. Progress toward meeting the Board HB3 goals.

*NOTE! As of December 2024, the PDF TAPR does not include, A–F ratings or Distinction Designations due to ongoing legal challenge.

**THECB anticipates releasing an updated report mid-Jan 2025.

Districts may also include supplemental information, such as:

  • A narrative describing their schools;
  • Additional data, charts, and diagrams; or
  • An explanation of the data prepared by TEA
  • A copy of the TAPR Glossary of Terms in English and Spanish

In addition to publishing the complete PDF TAPR in its annual report, a district can develop and release a summarized report showing performance on key indicators. This summary must clearly indicate where and how to obtain a copy of the full report. A detailed handout regarding annual reporting requirements can be found here in the 2023-24 TAPR Guidelines.

What if I find inaccurate data in my report?

By the time the TAPR is published, the window of time to correct inaccurate data submitted by a district has already closed.

  • Corrections to PEIMS data used in the TAPR must be made according to the procedures described in the PEIMS Data Standards.
  • Corrections to STAAR results, college admissions test data, Advanced Placement tests, or International Baccalaureate tests must be handled through the appropriate testing contractor.

A district may include in its annual report an explanation of any discrepancies between the TAPR and locally computed data.

What are the Reporting Requirements?

1. Each district’s board of trustees must hold a public hearing to discuss the district’s annual report within 90 calendar days from 12/12/24. Winter Break is excluded and does not count toward the 90 days, but weekends do count outside of the holiday period (90 calendar days)!

    • The hearing may be combined with a regularly scheduled meeting of the local board of trustees.
    • Districts must notify property owners, parents, and others standing in a parental relationship to students of the hearing. This notification can be in the form of a press release and must be made available to local print and electronic media (i.e., newspaper, radio, and television).
    • The notification must clearly state the date, time, and place of the hearing and explain the nature of the hearing.

2. Within two weeks following the public meeting, each district must widely publish its annual report, including posting it on the district website and other public places.

3. Districts must use the PDF TAPR report when publishing or  presenting the annual report.

    • To accommodate those without internet access, a copy of the annual report should be made available in public places such as school  offices, local businesses, or public libraries.
    • Districts may also distribute copies through email, standard mail, or by sending the reports home with students.
    • Each district is responsible for finding the most efficient method of making the annual reports widely available to the public.

4. Texas Education Code §39.362 requires each district to post the most recent TAPR on its website by the 10th instructional day of the school year. This responsibility is separate from widely releasing the annual report to the public. While statute does not require a district to update its website with the latest TAPR after the 10th instructional day, TEA strongly encourages districts to update their websites with the 2023-24 TAPR.

Where do I find my charter district TAPR documents?

You can access them here at the TEA 2023-24 TAPR Reports website.  Please be sure not to go into the larger TPRS system. The wider TPRS system is too large to use for public reporting, but it is an excellent resource to dive deeper into campus or district academic performance.

Summary

  • Advertise the meeting date you plan to hold your Annual Report public hearing.
  • Hold the public hearing within 90 calendar days from 12/12/24 – Winter Break excluded — May be in conjunction with a regularly scheduled Board Meeting.
  • Within 2 weeks of your hearing, publish the Annual Report to your school’s website and make it available for those who don’t have internet access.

Need help?

Please contact Charter School Success:

Dr. Sheila K. Sherman – ssherman@charterschoolsuccess.com

Have questions?

Ask questions, get answers, and discuss this topic on the Charter School Community Roundtable now.