7EA Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath

1701 North Congress Avenue bull Austin Texas 78701-1494 bull 512 463-9734 bull 512 463-9838 FAX bull teatexasgov

Date May 31 2017 TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED

Subject 2016 Charter School Performance Framework The purpose of this letter is to provide charter schools with information regarding the 2016 Charter School Performance Framework (CSPF)

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is required by Texas Education Code (TEC) sect121181(a) to develop and by rule adopt performance frameworks that establish standards by which to measure the performance of an open-enrollment charter school The CSPF

bull provides a snapshot of each charter schools performance aligned to academic financial and operational standards set forth in the TEC

bull allows charter schools to self-assess overall health and viability of their school throughout the charter term and

bull informs decisions and helps identify charter schools that are candidates for replication expansion intervention renewal nonrenewal or closure

As required in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) sect1001010 a CSPF manual is available as a resource that describes the indicators ratings targetsstandards data sources and other helpful information

The CSPF report provides individual district-level data that allows stakeholders to see areas of strengths and weaknesses and whether a charter school is meeting expectations or falling below them

The 2016 Charter School Performance Framework differs significantly from 2015 due to these changes -

bull Academic Framework Graduation Rate target for charter schools evaluated under standard accountability procedures is increased to 60 to align with the State Accountability Rating System

bull Financial Framework Timely Submission of AFR (Indicator 2a) is restructured Administrative Cost Ratio moves from Operational to Financial Framework (Indicator 3m to 2b) Aggregate Variance changes to Total Variance (Indicator 2f) and Material Noncompliance (Indicator 2g) is evaluated in 2016

bull Operational Framework Compliance with Certificate of Occupancy Requirements (Indicator 3k) includes a Not Applicable rating label for certain university charter schools

A charter schools CSPF report can be accessed on the Charter School Tracking System (CSTS) accessed through the TEA Login (TEAL) application The CSPF manual is available on the TEA web site

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2016 CSPF Information letter

bull If the charter school leadership does not currently have access to CSTS through TEAL it is recommended that charter schools submit an on-line request for access to the CSTS application by following the instructions on the TEA website at httptea texasqovindex4aspxid=25769818165

bull Charter schools that need additional information about TEAL access should contact their Education Service Center (ESC) Charter School contact andor may review the information available from the help for request process link on the TEAL login page httpstealprodteastatetxus

bull Once TEAL access has been established the CSTS application can be accessed at httpstealprodteastatetxus This application is available at any time the user logs on

Until June 15 2017 only charter superintendents will be able to access the CSPF report for their own school Follow the steps below to view the 2016 CSPF report on CSTS

1 Log in to CSTS with your CHARTER APPROVER login 2 From the menu items at the top of the screen select REPORTS 3 From the document list select CSPF 2016PDF

Follow the steps below to view the 2016 CSPF manual on the TEA web site 1 Direct your internet browser to the Charter School Performance Framework page on

TEAs web site httpteatexasgovcspf 2 Scroll down to the CSPF Manual subheading and click on the link there

Starting June 15 2017 all charter school CSPF reports will be accessible by the public from the TEA web site In addition please feel free to share the CSPF manual and reports with your teachers parents community ESC staff and other appropriate audiences

Please note that the Charter School Performance Framework neither negates any ratings [including but not limited to state accountability Charter Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Accreditation or Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS)] that a charter school or charter campus receives nor removes the requirements associated with any sanctions or interventions required as a result of their ratings

If you have questions pertaining to the 2016 Charter School Performance Framework please contact the Division of Charter School Administration by phone at (512) 463-9575 or by email at charterschoolsteatexasgov

Sincerely

Heather Mauze Director

Division of Charter School Administration

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