Grant Writing

$26 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS FOR TEXAS CHARTERS The Resource Center will host a grant writing workshop for instructions on preparing proposals for the Federal Repair and Renovation Grant funds (RFA#701-01-027) that will be available on a competitive basis for Texas charter schools and ISD's. The workshop will be on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at La Escuela Charter School, 2300 West Commerce, San Antonio. Grant writing training will be conducted by Michele Sabino, Grant Officer of Houston Endowment and Christi Martin, Executive Director of the Association of Charter Educators. Representatives from TEA will also provide helpful hints for preparing schedules and meeting other requirements related to standard federal grant application forms. Training will be conducted by Susan Barnes, Senior Director of the TEA Charter Schools Division and Esther Murguia, Education Specialist. RSVP to the Resource Center by Friday, August 24 at 210-348-7890. No cost for the workshop or lunch. For more information and to print a copy of the RFA check the Texas Register website at www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg.

AMENDMENTS TO START-UP GRANT FOR $15,000 Notice has been sent to eligible start-up grant applicants that an additional $15,000 is available for those grantees who have received a Notice of Grant Award (NOGA) from TEA for the FY 2000-2001 Public Charter Schools Grant. To receive approval for the funding increase, grantees must submit a grant amendment to the Document Control Center, not to the Charter Schools Division. Amendments received by the Charter Schools Division will be sent to the Document Control Center, but funding will be delayed. Please mail amendments by 5:00 p.m, August 15, 2001 to Document Control Center, TEA, William B. Travis Building, Room 6-108, 1701 N. Congress Ave., Austin, 78701. Call Esther Murguia at 512-463-9575 if you have any programmatic questions related to preparing this amendment.

2001-2002 SCHOOL CALENDARS are due into the Division of State Funding today, Friday, August 3, 2001. If you have not yet submitted your calendar, fax it immediately to 512-463-9233.

HEALTH INSURANCE HB 3343 requires that all charter schools must decide by September 1, 2001 whether or not they will participate in the new Texas Health Insurance program for the 2002-2003 school year. For information check online at www.tea.state.tx.us/school.finance/topics/index.html.

THE 2002 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY Information is now available on the TEA website. The deadline for registering to receive an Alternative Education Accountability campus rating for 2002 is Friday, September 14, 2001.

CHARTER SCHOOL DIRECTOR SURVEY Charters open in or before August 2000 should have received a Charter School Director Survey from the the School of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Arlington. Please complete the survey as soon as possible and return to the address provided by Friday, August 24th. For questions, call Theresa Daniel at 817-272-3071.