GOVERNANCE REPORTING DEADLINE

GOVERNANCE REPORTING FORM DEADLINE The Charter School Annual Governance Reporting Form must be completed and turned into the Division of Charter Schools no later than Saturday, November 1, 2003. The form can be found at www.tea.state.tx.us/charter/forms/forms.htm. Please contact the Division of Charter Schools at 512-463-9575 with questions.

BOARD TRAINING VIDEOS AVAILABLE The North Hills Charter School and the Charter School Resource Center are pleased to inform you that six hours of Board Training videotapes are available and may be purchased for your charter school. These videos are packaged in a set of six tapes, entitled: Charter School Law I, Charter School Law II (Special Education), Accountability I and II, Health and Safety, and Public Records. See attached order form that must accompany your check. On June 27, 2003, a letter was sent from TEA to charter school administrators, requiring that half of the mandatory board and officer training hours be completed by December 6, 2003. This interim deadline has been removed. All hours of training must be completed by June 6, 2004. The six hours of videotape training and any other board training received at either our conference in Austin or at our summer board training workshops in Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi or San Antonio may also count as Administrator Training that is required by the Commissioner's Rules.

STATE LAW (TEC §39.053) requires each district's and charter school's board of trustees to publish an annual report that includes the AEIS report, campus performance objectives, a report of violent or criminal incidents, and information received from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board concerning student performance for the first year of college following graduation. The board of trustees for each district and charter school shall hold a hearing for public discussion of the report and the report should be released to the public. Please visit www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/ed/ed0003900.html#ed017.39.053. The annual Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report has been released on the TEA's webpage (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/press/aeis03.html). Charter schools have been provided with an electronic copy of their reports.

CHARTER SCHOOLS ORIENTATION The Charter Schools Division at TEA is hosting a two-day charter school orientation on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 28 & 29, 2003, in room 1-104 of the William B. Travis Building at 1701 N. Congress Avenue in Austin. The program will consist of presentations by many agency divisions. New charter school administrators are strongly encouraged to attend this program, whether the school is just opening or has been in operation. Staff members from existing charter schools are also welcome, as are ESC staff and any other interested parties. There is no charge for the orientation. Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering online at www.tea.state.tx.us/charter/registration/orientation.htm or by calling (512) 463-9575. Parking is available on the roof in Garage R on Brazos between 17th and 18th streets. Due to increased security, you will need to provide your license plate number to staff immediately upon arrival. Cars parked on other floors of Garage R or in other state garages may be ticketed and/or towed. Parking is also available in two University of Texas parking garages just off MLK Boulevard for approximately $7.00 per day. If you have any questions please contact Kirsten Moody at kchristo@tea.state.tx.us or at (512) 463-9575. See attached draft agenda.

SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILD COUNT Charter schools opening for the first time in 2003-2004 were mailed a packet containing detailed information for submitting special education child counts. The child count will be used to determine eligibility for 2003-2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B (IDEA-B) allocations. These funds are available to newly opened charter schools that provide special education services to eligible students with disabilities based on current full and individual evaluations and individualized education programs (IEPs). The child count should be reported in the Newly Opened Charter School Child Count screens on the automated 2003-2004 Web Standard Application System (WEB SAS) for Special Education Programs. The reporting system will be available on the web from October 1, 2003 through October 22, 2003 and any child count information must be reported through the WEB SAS system during this period of availability. Only newly opened charter schools for 2003-2004 will have access to the child count screens. For assistance in completing the child count, contact your education service center special education contact. For information contact Debbie Conaway at (512) 463-9362.

Resource Center for Charter Schools
40 N.E. Loop 410, Suite 408 San Antonio, Texas 78216
210-348-7890 Fax 210-348-7899

TO: Texas Charter Schools FROM: Patsy O'Neill and Rosemary Perlmeter DATE: October 3, 2003

The North Hills Charter School and the Charter School Resource Center are pleased to inform you that six hours of Board Training videotapes are available and may be purchased for your charter school. These videos are packaged in a set of six tapes, entitled: Charter School Law I, Charter School Law II (Special Education), Accountability I and II, Health and Safety, and Public Records. The six hours of videotape training and any other board training received at either our conference in Austin or at our summer board training workshops in Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi or San Antonio may also count as Administrator Training that is required by the Commissioner's Rules.

A certified provider must be present during all board training in order for board members and/or administrators to register and receive credit. The application to become a certified provider can be found at www.tea.state.tx.us/charter/faqs/bdtraining.htm.

Each set of six tapes costs $110. The Charter School Resource Center offers this as a service to Texas educators. This reasonable fee covers the costs incurred in the development and reproduction of the tapes only. Partial orders are not available. Please make checks payable to the Charter School Resource Center. Payment must be received before tapes can be mailed.

Please mail _____ set(s) of tapes to:

Name _______________________________________________________

Charter School ________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________

City ________________________________ State ________ Zip________

Phone Number _____________________ Email _____________________

Please mail this document along with your check to:
Resource Center for Charter Schools
40 NE Loop 410, Suite 408
San Antonio, Texas 78216

For information call or email Sally Friedli at the Resource Center: 210-348-7890 or oneillp@texas.net.