The Texas Education Agency has identified six open-enrollment charter schools that meet the legislative criteria for mandatory revocation of their charter under Senate Bill 2. Revocation for all six would be effective June 30, 2014.
Passed during the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature, Senate Bill 2 requires mandatory revocation of a charter by the Commissioner of Education if a charter holder has failed to meet academic or financial accountability performance ratings for the three preceding school years. Failure can include three years in one specific area (academic or financial), or any combination of the two.
The six charter schools recommended for revocation of their charter under SB 2 include:
- American Youthworks (Austin)
- Azleway Charter School (Tyler)
- Honors Academy (Farmers Branch)
- Jamie’s House Charter School (Houston)
- Koinonia Community Learning Academy (Houston)
- Richard Milburn Academy (Suburban Houston Campus)
For the purposes of revocation, the initial three school years where academic performance ratings were considered included 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2012-2013. The school years where financial performance ratings were considered included 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
In addition to initiating revocation hearings, a conservator is being appointed to all six charter schools. The appointed conservator will be responsible for:
- Overseeing the financial management and governance of the charter school to ensure the school complies with state and federal law;
- Attending board meetings (including executive session) and directing the board as necessary to address the findings in a final report; and
- Overseeing all close-out activities of the charter school.
All six schools received notice from the Commissioner this week. Each charter school can request an informal review regarding the decision to revoke. To initiate that process, the Texas Education Agency must receive written notice from the school by Jan. 15, 2014. If the decision to revoke is upheld in an informal review, the issue would then be sent to the State Office of Administrative Hearings for a final hearing. In that instance, the decision of the administrative judge would be final and could not be appealed.
