1. No category

April 24, 2015
RE: Revocation and Closure of Bay Area Charter School
Bay Area Charter School Parents,
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is providing you this letter to prepare you for the closure of
Bay Area Charter School and the three campuses (elementary school, middle school, and high
school) operating under the charter as public, accredited schools. On December 8, 2014, the
Commissioner of Education communicated to Bay Area Charter School, Inc., your school’s
charter holder, the statutory criteria that require the state to revoke the charter granted to Ed White
School of Educational Enhancement, the school’s original charter holder, by the State Board of
Education (SBOE) on May 15, 1998.
The TEA has a responsibility to students and state taxpayers to ensure that each charter school
that is authorized is fulfilling its performance and financial obligations. Bay Area Charter School
has not met its academic accountability requirements for the past three years in which the state
has issued accountability ratings. Bay Area Charter School has had academically unacceptable
ratings in years 2014, 2013, and 2011. These ratings caused the charter to meet the criteria of
default closure as cited in the Texas Education Code §12.115(c). The charter campuses will be
effectively closed on July 31st. Any students needing to retake the state assessment will still report
to their current campus for testing.
To assist students and families in navigating a smooth transition to a new, public school, staff at
TEA are available to share information with you regarding educational and enrollment
opportunities for your child at area schools.
As public entities charter schools are the custodians of student permanent records. In the instance
of a closure of a charter school, the state secures student academic records. After the school is
closed, Education Service Center 4 will temporarily house your student’s records. When enrolling
your child in a new school, you will need to provide the school with a copy of their permanent
academic records. Your child cannot be barred from enrollment for a failure to produce records;
however, you will need to provide those records to your new school within 30 days. Attached for
your convenience (Attachment A), is a form to use when requesting a copy of your student’s
permanent record.
Additionally, TEA staff have put together the attached document (Attachment B) of area charters
to help you in your decision-making process. For more detailed information about each school,
you can navigate to the map of charter schools located on the TEA webpage (Attachment C).
Also available for review is the Frequently Asked Questions document (Attachment D). Please
contact the Division of Charter School Administration at 512-463-9575 for assistance and
direction to available resources.
Sincerely,
Heather Mauzé, Director
Division of Charter School Administration
Attachment
Bay Area Charter School (101809)
Student Records Request
By this communication, I am requesting a copy of the student records for the following named student.
Fill in ALL boxes
Name of Requestor (Full Name)
Date of Request (MM/DD/YYYY)
Student’s Full Name (at time of enrollment)
Check Relationship of Requestor to Student Named Above (Per FERPA requirements, records will NOT be released
unless the form is signed by the parent/guardian of the student OR the adult student.)
Adult Student named above
(for students 18 years or older)
OR
Legal Guardian of minor students named above
(for students under 18)
Student’s Social Security Number
Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)
Requestor’s Phone Number
Fax Number
Mailing Address of Location Where Records Should be Sent
_____________________________________________________
Signature of Legal Guardian of Minor Student
_____________________________________________________
Printed Name
Requests should be completed, signed and submitted via US Postal mail or fax to the Education Service Center listed
below:
Education Service Center Region 4
Attention: Robby McGowen
7415 West Tidwell Road
Houston, TX 77095
Telephone: 713-744-8178
Fax: 713-744-6514
ATTACHMENT A
Open-Enrollment Charter Campuses
within 20 Miles of
Ed White Memorial High School
218 E. Main Street, League City 77573
HARRIS COUNTY YOUTH VILLAGE
210 J W MILLS
SEABROOK 77586
(713) 222-4729
Enrollment: 78
Grades Served: 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
10 11 12 AE
Distance: 6.1 miles
PREMIER LEARNING ACADEMY
5130 CASEY
LA MARQUE 77568
(409) 935-8369
Enrollment: 418
Grades Served: KG 01 02 03 04 05 06
07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 9.8 miles
YES PREP - SOUTHEAST
353 CRENSHAW RD
HOUSTON 77034
(713) 967-9400
Enrollment: 951
Grades Served: 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 11.3 miles
HOUSTON CAN ACADEMY - HOBBY
9020 GULF FWY
HOUSTON 77017
(832) 379-4226
Enrollment: 370
Grades Served: 09 10 11 12
Distance: 14.2 miles
RAUL YZAGUIRRE SCHOOL FOR
SUCCESS
2950 BROADWAY
HOUSTON 77017
(713) 640-3700
Enrollment: 285
Grades Served: 09 10 11 12
Distance: 17.2 miles
HOUSTON GATEWAY ACADEMY
3400 EVERGREEN DR
HOUSTON 77087
(713) 649-2706
Enrollment: 515
Grades Served: PK KG 01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 17.5 miles
C O R E ACADEMY
12707 CULLEN BLVD
HOUSTON 77047
(713) 457-2848
Enrollment: 74
Grades Served: PK KG 01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 17.7 miles
YES PREP - EAST END
8329 LAWNDALE ST
HOUSTON 77012
(713) 967-7800
Enrollment: 871
Grades Served: 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 18.0 miles
HOUSTON GATEWAY ACADEMY INC
ELITE COLLEGE PREP
7310 BOWIE
HOUSTON 77012
(713) 644-8292
Enrollment: 398
Grades Served: PK KG 01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 18.5 miles
HOUSTON GATEWAY ACADEMY CORAL CAMPUS
1020 CORAL
HOUSTON 77012
(713) 923-5060
Enrollment: 708
Grades Served: PK KG 01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Distance: 18.5 miles
KIPP SUNNYSIDE H S
11000 SCOTT ST
HOUSTON 77047
(832) 230-0562
Enrollment: 427
Grades Served: 09 10 11 12
Distance: 18.7 miles
PRO-VISION H S
4590 WILMINGTON
HOUSTON 77051
(713) 748-0030
Enrollment: 114
Grades Served: 09 10 11 12
Distance: 18.9 miles
GEORGE I SANCHEZ H S
6001 GULF FWY BLDG B3
HOUSTON 77023
(713) 926-1112
Enrollment: 655
Grades Served: EE PK 06 07 08 09 10
11 12
Distance: 19.4 miles
ATTACHMENT B
Page 1 of 1
Finding and Using the Map of Texas Charter Schools
Visit the TEA home page at tea.texas.gov, click on Texas Schools:
On the menu that drops down, click on Resources for Parents and Students under the Charter Schools section:
ATTACHMENT C
Page 1 of 4
On the Resources for Parents and Students page, scroll down and click on the map of Texas charter schools link
under the Finding a Charter School section. This will open the Map of Texas Charter Schools page.
ATTACHMENT C
Page 2 of 4
The map shows all open-enrollment charter campuses in Texas. In order to narrow the results, click on the box(es) next
to the appropriate grade levels. To limit the results even further, enter an address in the box and change the dropdown
to the number of miles away from the address. For instance, you may enter your home address and limit the results to
only show the charter campuses within 10 miles of your home.
#1 - Check the grade you need
#2 - Change the “Any”
to the number of miles
away you need
ATTACHMENT C
#3 - Enter your address and
then click “Apply.”
Page 3 of 4
The map will now show just the charter campuses within the specified range that serve the grades checked. The
list at the bottom of the page shows these same schools.
Zoom in and
out
View the charter’s website
and see more details.
Click on Details to get more information about the school:
If you have any questions, please call 512-463-9575 or email [email protected].
ATTACHMENT C
Page 4 of 4
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CLOSURES AND OTHER INTERRUPTIONS IN SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Q: Do parents and/or guardians have responsibilities to ensure an education for their children?
A: Yes, parents and guardians have responsibilities to ensure that children under their care have access
to educational services through: traditional school districts, charter schools, private schools, or homeschool options.
Q: If a charter school my child is attending closes, what options are available for my child?
A: Parents may seek educational options for their children at:
 other charter schools approved for the geographical boundary the student lives in,
 the traditional school district in which the student resides,
 private schools, or
 home-school options.
Q: May another charter school deny enrollment to my student?
A: Charter schools are required to offer services to students in their approved geographic boundaries if
there is space available for the student, and the student is age/grade appropriate to attend the
charter school. Parents will need to provide a birth certificate and proof of residency to enroll their
child. Shot records will need to be provided within the first 30 days of enrollment. A charter may not
prohibit a student from attending school pending receipt of transcripts or records from the school
district or open-enrollment charter the student previously attended.
Q: May a traditional school district deny my student?
A: Traditional school districts are required to accept any students who reside in their geographic
boundaries. Parents will need to provide a birth certificate and proof of residency to enroll their
child. Shot records will need to be provided within the first 30 days of enrollment. A school district
may not prohibit a student from attending school pending receipt of transcripts or records from the
school district or open-enrollment charter the student previously attended. The following site
provides additional information about enrolling your child in a traditional school district:
http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/General_Information/Enroll_Your_Child/Enrolling_Your_Child_in
_School/.
Q: If my child is transferring from one school to another what steps do I take to ensure a smooth
transition?
A: Return any instructional materials that belong to the school. Ensure you have the belongings of your
students. You may request a copy of your student records and immunization records from the
school; however, the new charter or school district will send a request to the sending school for the
official records.
Q: What are attendance requirements for students?
A: The Texas Education Code (TEC) outlines the compulsory attendance laws for our state. Any child
who is enrolled in a traditional district or charter school must comply with §25.085 which requires
children who are least six years of age to attend a public school until the student’s 18th birthday.
ATTACHMENT D
1|Page
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CLOSURES AND OTHER INTERRUPTIONS IN SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Q: Where can I find additional information about other educational opportunities for my student?
A: The charter school website http://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/Charter_Schools/ has a resource
section for parents and students. An interactive map is available at
http://castro.tea.state.tx.us/charter_apps/production/map.html for parents to type in their address
in the text box in order to find charter schools in their area or to determine the traditional district of
residence.
Q. How are parents to know if it is a good charter school?
A: Resources are available to help parents make informed decisions about their school choice options.
The following links may be useful in your search for the best educational opportunity for your
children:
 Accountability ratings at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/;
 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports and Texas Academic Performance Reports
(TAPR) at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/;
 Charter Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) results
at http://tea.texas.gov/index4.aspx?id=6491;
 Accreditation statuses at
http://tea.texas.gov/index2.aspx?id=2147494532&menu_id=2147483702; and
 Financial audits at http://tuna.tea.state.tx.us/audit/PDFviewer.asp.
Q: Does my child lose their spot at the charter school if the charter re-opens during the school year?
A: No, for charters affected by an interruption in operations, students enrolled prior to the interruption
will have their position held for a reasonable period of time.
Q: How does the public know if a charter affected by an interruption in operations re-opens?
A: Charters should notify parents of the resuming operations. After a reasonable period of time
charters may fill any vacancies pursuant to their existing admission policy.
Q: What resources are available locally?
A: The Texas Education Agency coordinates educational services with the state’s twenty regional
educational service centers (ESCs). A map to discover the ESC in your area may be found at the
following site: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/regional_services/esc/.
Q: Is there a FAQ that offers answers to general educational questions?
A: The Office of General Inquiry has a wide range of topics concerning traditional education. The site
can be accessed at http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Contact_Us/General_Inquiry/General_Inquiry__FAQ_Index/.
ATTACHMENT D
2|Page