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Program Evaluation: Texas Charter Schools

In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature passed state laws to authorize the creation of the first open-enrollment charter schools in Texas. Evaluation reports pertaining to Texas charter schools are available in PDF format from the links below. TEA's Charter School Page provides more information about Charter Schools.

Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program — Grants to State Entities

The United States Department of Education awarded a grant to Texas under the Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP) – Grants to State Entities. With this grant, Texas offers competitive subgrants to provide financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools and support the growth of high-quality charter schools in Texas, especially those focused on improving academic outcomes for educationally disadvantaged students. These subgrants assist eligible applicants in opening and preparing for the operation of newly-authorized charter schools (start-up grants) and replicated high-quality schools (replication grants). As a condition of funding, state education agencies must evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Texas Quality CSP grant using objective criteria and quantitative and qualitative data.

In addition to the administration of grants for new charter schools, as part of the larger CSP grant, TEA is expected to serve as a leader in the state to identify and disseminate information and research about best or promising practices of successful, high-quality charter schools to other local education agencies (LEA) to help increase the number of high-quality charter schools and contribute to improved student academic achievement at low-performing LEAs.

Texas Charter Schools Best Practices Guide, 2024

Texas Charter School Program Grants, 2021–2025

Evaluation reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

Charter School Program High-Quality Replication Grant

The Texas Charter Schools Program seeks to support the growth of high-quality charter schools in Texas, especially those focused on improving academic outcomes for educationally disadvantaged students. The purpose of the Charter School Program High-Quality Replication grant program to assist eligible applicants in opening and preparing for the operation of replicated high-quality schools. As a condition of funding, state education agencies must evaluate new charter schools using objective criteria and quantitative and qualitative data. Reports and executive summaries are available from the links below:

Annual Charters

Annual evaluation reports and executive summaries, required by Texas Education Code (TEC) §12.118, are available from the links below:

Charter School Start-Up Grants

Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has provided funding to new charter schools through grants designed to provide support for the planning and implementation of effective new charter programs. Each funding period of three years includes 1) up to 18 months that may be used for charter school planning and program design and 2) up to two years that may be used for initial implementation of the educational program.  As a condition of funding, state education agencies must evaluate new charter schools using objective criteria and quantitative and qualitative data. Reports and executive summaries are available from the links below: 

Texas Public Charter School Start-Up Grant, 2016–2021

Texas Public Charter School Start-Up Grant, 2010–2015

New Texas Charter Schools, 2007-2010

      Charter Authorizer Accountability Report

      This study, added by Senate Bill 2 (83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session), is required by TEC § 12.1013(a)-(d). This study requires the commissioner of education to prepare an annual report “concerning the performance of open-enrollment charter schools by authorizer compared to campus charters and matched traditional campuses.” These reports include the aggregated performance of each school-type as well as the disaggregated performance of each school. The reports and their associated appendices are available from the links below.  

       

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      Contact Information

      ProgramEval@tea.texas.gov