TEXAS CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY

TCSA Unites and Energizes Public Charter School Leaders

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Charter School Association (TCSA) marks its one-year anniversary this week. TCSA is the leading membership organization of effective Texas charter schools of all types and missions. Already, the TCSA membership includes 344 campuses and over 60,000 public charter students from every part of the state. TCSA Executive Director David Dunn said, “Charter schools have joined together as one strong voice through the TCSA. It seems like yesterday when a handful of charter leaders gathered around a table in Austin to discuss the launch of TCSA. While there is still work to do, we’ve accomplished a great deal in one year.”

Significant achievements include:

• Securing the return of more than $45 million in ASATR funds (Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction) to charter schools.
• Raising approximately $2 million in grant funds to support the association’s mission.
• Enacting the Charter School Credit Enhancement Program so charters can receive low interest rates on bonds.
• Rallying more than 700 parents at the Capitol in support of the unified TCSA advocacy agenda during the 81st Legislature.
• Nearing completion on a Quality Framework system that will evaluate and improve the academic and operational outcomes of our member schools.
• Testifying before a U.S. Congressional Committee in support of the Obama Administration’s effort to double charter school funding.

TCSA was launched in October 2008 to deliver cost-effective services to its membership, to advocate on behalf of its members, and to define effectiveness standards for charter schools. For more information about TCSA please visit our webpage at www.txcharterschools.org