SIXTH ANNUAL TEXAS CHARTER SCHOOL CONFERENCE will be held on Monday and Tuesday, April 29 & 30, 2002 at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston. We are pleased to announce that Commissioner Jim Nelson will once again be a keynote speaker. The Resource Center has secured contributions to reduce your conference cost, therefore, your registration fees are listed below. The registration fee includes five meals: breakfast and lunch on both days, and the evening dinner on Monday, April 29, on board the Paddlewheeler Boat. (The Resource Center spends more than $200 per person to host this conference.)

• $100 Texas charter school staff, teachers & board members
• $150 TEA & Region Service Center personnel
• $200 All other attendees
• $400 Vendors (Fee includes one registration and one vendor table. Fees for each additional person at the booth will be $200.)

For hotel reservations call the Moody Gardens Hotel at 888-388-8484. Let the hotel know you are with the Charter School Conference to qualify for the $125 rate, which can accommodate up to four people in one room for $125.

REVISED SCHOOL CALENDAR Charters may submit a revised calendar to the Charter School Division if they would like to amend their school calendar. Several charters have amended their calendars to allow for staff development days on April 29-30, to allow for many of their staff to attend the Charter School Conference at Moody Gardens Hotel.

AUDIT REPORT DEADLINE All charters are required by law to submit their official Audit Reports for the 2000-2001 school year to TEA by December 29, 2001. These audits must be completed by a licensed CPA and approved by the local charter school board prior to submission to TEA. For information call Ramon Medina at 512-463-9131.

TAAS CALENDAR ATTACHED For additional information call Audra Britton at 512-463-9536. To see the calendar, available in .pdf format click here. If you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader click here

PRE-KINDERGARTEN EXPANSION GRANT Charter schools that are recipients of the Pre-Kindergarten Expansion Grant must submit a Pre-Kindergarten Membership Report or a Pre-Kindergarten Adjustment Form with each District Summary (Superintendent's) Student Attendance Report. The Division of State Funding will no longer adjust the ADA reported on the Student Attendance Report. These reports are needed in order to make the adjustment. The templates for this report are available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/school.finance/charter. Call Nora Rainey at 512-463-9238 for information.