Information For Lawmakers

Information For Lawmakers

Information For Lawmakers

Information For Lawmakers

Public charter schools are tuition-free public schools open to all students.

Public charter schools are tuition-free public schools open to all students.

420,000+ Texas students attend public charter schools for high-quality educational opportunities and post-secondary success.

But 76,000 students remain on public charter school waiting lists.

Your District Profile

Your District Profile includes an updated list of public charter schools in your district — as well as key data about enrollment, demographics, and funding.

Your District Profile

Your District Profile includes an updated list of public charter schools in your district — as well as key data about enrollment, demographics, and funding.

End Municipal Discrimination

HB 1707 (Klick)
HB 4977 (Klick)
SB 472 (Hughes)

Public charter schools are targeted with discriminatory fees, zoning, and permitting schemes that divert state funding from the classroom.

Proposal:

Enforce the SAME municipal rules for ALL public schools.
Learn More About
HB 1707, HB 4977, & SB 472

Equalize Charter Facilities Funding

HB 1572 (Dutton)
SB 1722 (Paxton)

Qualifying public charter schools share a fixed $60M charter facility  appropriation rather than receiving a per-student facilities allotment.

Proposal:

Provide a per-student facilities allotment, as is available to all other public schools.
Learn More

Raise the Bar for SBOE to Veto TEA’s School Recommendations

HB 2103 (Goldman)
HB 2890 (Cunningham)
SB 1782 (Middleton)

TEA maintains the most rigorous vetting process nationally, yet the SBOE vetoes the vast majority (80% in 2022) of new schools recommended by the Commissioner of Education.

Proposal:

Raise the SBOE veto threshold to overrule TEA recommendations from a simple majority to a super-majority, as is already required to override SBEC rules (TEC §21.042).
Learn More About
HB 2103, HB 2890, & SB 1782

Allow Earlier Notification for Public Charter School Expansion 

HB 2102 (Goldman)
SB 1099 (Paxton)

Public charter schools must apply for approval and notify districts within 18 months of a new school opening. Districts deserve more advance notice and public charter schools deserve more time to plan. 

Proposal:

Allow expansion requests and notification up to 36 months before opening a new campus, instead of the current 18 months.

Legislative Priorities

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We believe in fairness for all public schools, strong accountability, and expanding access to a great public education. These simple legislative proposals will make a difference for students:

Equalize Charter Facilities Funding

Qualifying public charter schools share a fixed $60M charter facility  appropriation rather than receiving a per-student facilities allotment.

Proposal:

Provide a per-student facilities allotment, as is available to all other public schools.
Learn More

Progress on Key Bills

Public Charter Schools 101

Texas Public Charter School FAQs
What are public charter schools?
Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are open to all students. The State of Texas grants charter schools the flexibility and freedom to meet students’ individual needs— and in exchange, holds them to higher standards of academic and financial accountability than traditional school districts.
What kinds of educational opportunities do public charter schools create?
Children and families have diverse needs. Public charter schools create educational opportunities that best meet those needs in our communities. Examples include: 
Rigorous preparation for college
Including expanded access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses
Specialized instruction for students with disabilities
Such as children on the autism spectrum or those with dyslexia
Multi-lingual experiences
Where students learn additional languages before they graduate
Partnerships with employers
Give students hands-on experience before they graduate and empower them to earn industry certifications
Classical education
Helping students understand truth, goodness, and beauty through the classics of Western literature
Who do public charter schools educate? 
Public charter schools in Texas enroll about 375,000 students from all kinds of backgrounds. 

But they educate a higher percentage of high-needs and traditionally-underserved students than traditional districts.

What Our Advocates Are Saying

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    - Tara Speegle
  • “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation.”
    - Tara Speegle
  • “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation.”
    - Tara Speegle
512-584-8272 | 3005 S Lamar Blvd, Suite D-447, Austin, TX, 78704
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