AUSTIN – Five Generation Twenty-Two charter school applicants today successfully completed the final step of the state’s charter application process allowing them to begin operation in Texas for the 2018-2019 school year once any contingencies are met. The five are:

• Bridgeway Preparatory Academy (Dallas)
• Etoile Academy Charter School (Houston)
• Legacy School of Sports Sciences (Houston)
• Valor Public Schools (Austin)
• Yellowstone College Preparatory (Houston)

Under Senate Bill 2 passed in 2013 by the 83rd Texas Legislature, the Commissioner of Education is given the authority to grant new open-enrollment charters in Texas and must notify the State Board of Education of those that are approved. 

A majority of the state board members present and voting may veto any new charter approved by the Commissioner within 90 days of the Commissioner’s decision. The next scheduled State Board of Education meeting is June 20 - 23, 2017. 

Nine Generation Twenty-Two applicants took part in the public applicant interviews on May 9-11, 2017, in Austin. Those that were seeking to operate an open-enrollment charter in Texas – but not granted approval by the Commissioner – include: 

• L.E.A.D. International Academy (Fort Worth/Arlington)
• North Bound Education Public School (Dallas/Fort Worth)
• Oasis Academy of North Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth)
• South Texas Trade Academy (Rio Grande Valley)

If contracts are signed with these five entities, the state will have five new open-enrollment charter schools. 

To learn more about open-enrollment charter schools in Texas and the application process, visit the Texas Education Agency website at http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/Charter_Schools. 

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