As you may have heard, four new schools will begin operations in August, 2019 as Generation 23 charters as a result of action taken on June 15^th by the Texas State Board of Education.  These schools began a rigorous authorization process in September 2017 and successfully completed both an external application review as well as extensive interviews by Texas Education Agency staff and members of the State Board of Education before being recommended for a charter by Commissioner Mike Morath in May, 2018.  At maximum enrollment, these schools will make the goal of public school choice possible for over 4,200 Texas students.

Two of the schools are slated to open in the Houston/Harris County area including Bloom Academy, headed by CEO Courtney Sales, opening as a K-1^st school with a projected enrollment of 180 and a maximum K-5^th enrollment of 1,080.  Reve Preparatory, led by CEO Traci Thibodeaux, will open as a K-1^st school with a projected enrollment of 180 and a maximum K-8^th grade enrollment of 1,620.  Promesa Academy, led by CEO Ambika Dani, is set to open in San Antonio, starting as a K-1^st school with a projected enrollment of 176 and a maximum K-5^th enrollment of 1,056. Finally, the Elementary School for Education Innovation, led by CEO Dr. Miranda Condra, will open in Lubbock as a K-2^nd school with a projected enrollment of 270 and a maximum K-5^th enrollment of 540.  After fulfilling any contingencies set forth by TEA, the new charters will receive an initial contract for five years of operation, subject to maintaining successful academic and financial accountability.  

Of the four schools selected, three contracted with TCSA and received either extensive application development and review services prior to submission or preparation for TEA interviews after completing the external review process. All of the schools will have the opportunity to participate in a series of year zero “launch” trainings, offered at no cost to the schools by TCSA through a Walton Family Foundation grant in order to prepare the schools for their August 2019 opening.

As a reminder, TCSA provides a number of services for teams that are considering starting a charter school.  We strongly encourage prospective applicants to attend a TCSA Charter Start training to learn more about the application process and everything that is involved in starting a school.  So far this summer, 17 application teams have participated in regional Charter Start trainings in Dallas and Houston. The next Charter Start training is scheduled for Wednesday, July 25^th in Austin.