2013 Texas Charter Schools Conference:
Blazing the Trail to Quality and Innovation

The annual Charter School Conference is the only statewide gathering of the entire Texas charter school community. More than 1,300 charter school advocates including teachers, administrators, board members, policy makers, and vendors will gather for training, networking, and sharing best practices for charter effectiveness and compliance. 

Save the Dates! December 11-13, 2013

The Texas Charter School Conference will be held in Fort Worth on December 11-13, 2013. In lieu of one day of student instruction, send your staff to the Texas Charter Schools Conference for professional development. This is permitted by section 25.081 of the Texas Education Code so long as your calendar is approved by your charter school board and the charter school notifies TEA's Waiver Unit.

Texas school districts are required to provide at least 180 days of instruction (Section 25.081, Texas Education Code). However, some districts have a waiver from the Commissioner of Education allowing them to substitute a few of those days for teacher professional development days.

News from the Division of Grants Administration:
Clarifying Guidance on Use of Federal Funds

On May 15, 2013, the US Department of Education (USDE) issued clarifying guidance on how federal grant funds may be used to pay for conferences and meetings. The guidance, in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQ), also includes information on food and travel costs. TEA published a "To the Administrator Addressed" letter concerning the clarifying guidance on June 13, 2013.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has updated the TEA Guidelines Related to Specific Costs to reflect USDE's clarifying guidance. Refer to the Allowable Cost Guidance section of the Grant Management Resources page for a link to the USDE guidance and to the updated TEA Guidelines Related to Specific Costs. With any questions related to the clarifying guidance, email the Division of Grants Administration.