Frequently Asked Questions
- All
- *Overview*
- Application Requirements
- Assistance for Applicants
- Financial Resources
- Governance & Accountability
- School Autonomy
- Senate Bill 1882 Partnerships
- Staffing
- Student Enrollment
An in-district charter school is a San Antonio ISD school that has been granted a “charter” by the SAISD Board of Trustees. State law allows school boards to grant in-district charters to educators who are interested in creating new, high-quality schools or redesigning neighborhood schools. In-district charter schools are subject to many of the same laws as regular district schools, such as laws on state accountability, special education, and student safety. However, the Board of Trustees has the ability to grant increased autonomy to in-district charter schools in return for greater accountability for student achievement. The theory of action behind in-district charter schools is that by empowering educators with the autonomy to design and run high-quality schools, San Antonio ISD will increase the number of best-fit school options that students can access, regardless of their academic abilities or geographic constraints. To learn more about in-district charter schools in the state of Texas, visit this Texas Education Agency website.
Create staff and community ownership. Participating in a strategic school design process through the Annual Call encourages school leaders to deeply engage with their campus staff, parents, and community. This type of engagement will create greater collaboration with your school community and lead to more long-term support for your campus.
Drive school autonomy. All approved in-district charters receive exemptions from specific district policies and procedures that will drive greater decision-making authority to the campus. This autonomy will allow you to tailor your school to the unique needs of your students, staff, and families.
Attract and retain students. San Antonio families have a wide array of school options, both inside and outside San Antonio ISD. Creating an in-district charter school gives your campus the opportunity to differentiate itself from other schools, better meet your families’ needs, and engage families who haven’t chosen your school in the past.
Seek increased campus funding. New in-district charter schools may apply for competitive federal start-up grants. In the past, schools have been awarded approximately $800,000 over two years to support planning and start-up expenses related to the schools’ redesign. There may also be other grants to support in-district charter schools; the district does not guarantee additional funding, but there are significant opportunities.
Improve student outcomes. Ultimately the most important reason to create an in-district charter school is to allow a campus to design a school that meets the needs of its students in the service of driving better student outcomes.
In-district charter schools are not meant to be solely a method for seeking additional resources to fund one or more new programs at a school. To be approved for an in-district charter, applicant teams need to propose a comprehensive and strategic redesign of their school under a school-wide academic model around which teaching and learning for all students happens.
New in-district charter applicants may be eligible for federal Charter School Program (CSP) grants, which are one-time grants to support school planning and start-up expenses like professional development and technology. (This is not a permanent infusion of school funding.) If a school has received a CSP grant in the past, it will not be eligible for another grant. This is a competitive grant, so the award is not guaranteed. Awards are typically in the range of $800,000 per school over two years.
Schools are also encouraged to fundraise on their own. It is possible, but not guaranteed, that the creation of a new school model through the in-district charter application process will open up additional opportunities to pursue grants and philanthropy.
All in-district charter schools are expected to be financially sustainable over the long term. Enrollment size for schools will vary depending on the needs of the campus, but each school will grow to be large enough to ensure financial sustainability on per-pupil allotments. As described above, schools may be eligible to apply for one-time start-up grants for planning and start-up needs to support their redesign. Through the in-district charter application and review process, schools will be expected to create implementation plans that ensure sustainability of programmatic costs.
For new in-district charter schools, school leadership will hire and select their own staff. For existing neighborhood schools that convert into a charter school, the school will maintain the existing staff at the campus. Schools must secure 2/3 support of the classroom teachers to be eligible for a charter, so no charter will be approved without significant staff support. However, if any campus employee is uncomfortable with the new approach and would like to transfer elsewhere, the district will allow the employee the opportunity to apply for other positions in the district.
All in-district charter schools will be accountable to the district’s unified enrollment policy and administrative procedures. Schools that currently have attendance zones will maintain those attendance zones, while also being able to offer seats to students living outside the boundaries.
Other schools without attendance boundaries will be open to students living within and outside of San Antonio ISD while ensuring equitable access to historically disadvantaged students. Please see Administrative Procedure F51 in Resources and www.saisdchoice.com for more information on student enrollment.
There are no entry requirements to attend an in-district charter school. For example, that means no minimum academic criteria, student auditions, or mandatory parent meetings. All students will be eligible to apply, regardless of academic ability. Existing neighborhood schools will maintain their attendance zones, and students residing within those boundaries will be guaranteed admission.
All San Antonio ISD in-district charter schools will be authorized and held accountable by the SAISD Board of Trustees. In addition, applicant teams are required to propose a campus governing board. The structure of this board is largely up to the applicant team, as long as the plan aligns with best practices for effective governance and the board is comprised of vested stakeholders in the community. A campus governing board will provide strategic advice, offer input from the community, support the school through fundraising efforts, and hold the principal accountable to the in-district charter application and performance contract. The Office of Innovation will hold a workshop on board governance to assist applicants with this critical function.
Not necessarily. Certain autonomies that do not impact board policy may be granted by a Principal’s supervisor and in collaboration with district departments, such as the ability to choose your own professional development. If an autonomy impacts board policy, approval of the Superintendent and the full board is required.
The advantage of seeking autonomy through the in-district charter application process is that board policy EL(LOCAL) grants operational and decision-making autonomies to approved in-district charter applicants, at minimum, in the areas of curriculum and instruction; staff selection; ratios/class sizes; professional development; administrative procedures, such as E3 (lesson plans); DL(LEGAL) (workload); DK(LOCAL) (assignments and schedules); and EB(LOCAL) (school year). Also, including autonomies in an in-district charter ensures that those rights, which are board approved, will continue beyond any potential changes in district leadership or strategy, provided that the school remains in good standing and meets its performance goals.
All in-district charter schools must meet state and federal accountability requirements in the same manner as all schools in the district. Additionally, all charter applicants will sign a performance contract set forth by the San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees that will contain, at a minimum, metrics on student achievement, core academic model milestones, and financial and operational audit requirements.
Yes. All in-district charter schools must meet state and federal accountability requirements in the same manner as neighborhood schools. Additionally, all in-district charter schools will be subject to a performance contract, as described in board policy EL(LOCAL).
Yes. Schools will follow district policy on student enrollment and school choice, including but not limited to FDB(LOCAL) and F51. Schools are subject to local, state, and federal accountability requirements. All schools will also participate in MAP testing and be evaluated using the district’s school performance framework.
Existing campuses must obtain signed petition documents from 2/3 of the campus teachers and 2/3 of the parents/guardians, using the forms found in Resources. The process by which campuses gather these petitions is up to the school’s discretion, provided that the process is fair and transparent, the required forms are used, and all forms are submitted with the final application by the required deadline. Electronic forms will not be accepted. All submitted petitions will be verified by San Antonio ISD’s Internal Audit Department to confirm an accurate petition count. The Office of Innovation will conduct a workshop on recommended best practices for gathering petitions.
Yes. According to EL(LOCAL), converting a neighborhood school into a charter school or revising an existing charter requires the support of 2/3 of the classroom teachers and 2/3 of the parents/guardians of students at the campus. If a family has more than one student at a campus, that family signs only one petition.
If the charter is a new school, all applicants are required to demonstrate that they have engaged with parents and community members in the consideration of the charter application, and there must be a clear plan to continue engaging parents and the community after the charter is approved.
The Annual Call timeline is published here.
From the start of the open call to board approval of the in-district charter application, the process can take anywhere from 4 to 8 months. In-district charters may be approved for the upcoming school year or for the following school year.
A performance contract is a legally binding agreement, separate from the in-district charter application, that is signed by the Board of Trustees and the applicant team. State law and Board policy require every in-district charter school to have a performance contract. The contract will contain, at a minimum, metrics on student achievement, core academic model milestones, and financial and operational audit requirements. The Board of Trustees will authorize performance contracts with a 3- or 5-year performance review and renewal cycle.
Yes. The Board of Trustees may place a charter on probation or revoke a charter in accordance with the charter contract if the campus (1) violates the law; (2) fails to meet student achievement metrics established in its performance contract; (3) is rated Improvement Required, fails to meet state accountability standards, or is at the bottom 5% of district campuses in student achievement at the end of 2 years; or (4) fails to meet generally accepted accounting standards for fiscal management. See Board Policy EL(LOCAL) for more details.
The Office of Innovation is excited to support schools through this process. Please contact us at InnovateSAISD@saisd.net or 210.554.2662.
In 2017, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1882, which grants additional funding to school districts that agree to work collaboratively with nonprofit partners. These new partnerships offer districts the opportunity to expand options and provide resources for neighborhood schools, bring in targeted expertise for innovation and support, and empower educators with greater autonomy. San Antonio ISD has a long history of working collaboratively with nonprofit organizations like Communities in Schools, City Year, Boys and Girls Club, and Say Sí. These new SB 1882 partnerships allow schools to engage mission-aligned nonprofits at a deeper level for the benefit of students and staff.
When considering a school partnership, the district will seek mission-aligned nonprofit organizations with a strong track record of collaboration and driving student outcomes, particularly with historically disadvantaged communities. All partners must align with San Antonio ISD’s mission and core values and provide expertise that meets the unique needs of specific schools. For example, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school might consider partnering with an organization that specializes in supporting IB schools. A school wanting to elevate its fine arts program might partner with a local arts organization that could offer professional artistic expertise for students and teachers.
Existing schools interested in pursuing a partnership must first complete the district’s rigorous in-district charter application process, called the Annual Call for Quality Schools. The Annual Call process takes one school year to complete. All partners will be extensively vetted by the school leadership team and district staff prior to being evaluated and approved by the San Antonio ISD Board. A partnership agreement between the nonprofit organization and SAISD Board must then be submitted to TEA for review and approval, along with other application documents. For more information on the process for a district to apply for SB 1882 benefits, please visit the Texas Education Agency’s website at www.txpartnerships.org.
Partnership schools that are approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will receive increased state funding, currently estimated at San Antonio ISD to be $800 per student on an annual basis, adjusted for average daily attendance (ADA). For example, a school with 500 students and ADA of 96% may be eligible for $384,000 in additional funds annually (500 x 800 x .96 = $384,000). The majority of those funds will be directed to the schools. The district will retain a small amount of SB 1882 funds to pay for school support services, and an additional amount will be paid to the partner to build and sustain the nonprofit organization’s capacity to support the partnership schools. The amount of SB 1882 funding will always be subject to the district’s financial allotments from the state and federal government.
Additionally, the school will receive support from a mission-aligned nonprofit organization with expertise in whatever the school needs to be successful, whether it be academic coaching, professional development, new student learning opportunities, and/or strategic thought partnering. Finally, schools will be able to leverage the charter application process to seek autonomy over time, talent, and resources, in exchange for greater accountability for performance.
Each nonprofit organization will hire a small number of staff to support and coach the school’s leadership, provide professional development opportunities for school staff, and ensure the nonprofit meets all of the district’s expectations, such as producing an annual financial audit. The partner will also maintain a governing board comprised of community stakeholders and professionals with the experience and passion necessary to support the school in achieving its goals. The governing board will collaborate with the campus in selecting the curriculum, school calendar, and student assessments. If a change in leadership is ever needed at the school, the nonprofit partner will work closely with the district and the school’s community to select the school’s Principal.
At any partnership school, the San Antonio ISD Board retains ultimate authority and oversight over the school, which will always remain an SAISD campus. The district will hold the partner accountable for strong academic and financial performance through a board-approved performance contract and regular monitoring of the school’s charter by district staff and the SAISD Board.
Partner organizations must be nonprofits, institutions of higher education, or government entities. They must have a strong track record of success, align with San Antonio ISD’s mission and core values, and provide specific expertise that meets the unique needs of the partnership schools. In conjunction with the District’s Annual Call for Quality Schools, all partners will be extensively vetted by the school leadership team and district staff prior to being evaluated and approved by the SAISD Board.
Yes. In order to be eligible for this type of partnership, the school must be a San Antonio ISD in-district charter school, which is a district school that is authorized by the SAISD board with enhanced autonomy in exchange for increased accountability. The theory of action behind in-district charter schools is that by empowering educators with the autonomy to design and run high-quality schools, SAISD will increase the number of best-fit school options that students can access, regardless of their academic abilities or where they live. Educators interested in opening an in-district charter school must participate in a rigorous application process, which includes extensive support from the district’s Office of Innovation and an application evaluation process involving both internal and external experts.
A neighborhood school seeking to becoming an in-district charter school must obtain the support of a majority of the school’s teachers and parents through a petition process. For a new start-up school or a historically struggling school subject to a state-mandated sanction, applicants are required to demonstrate that they have engaged with parents and community members in the consideration of the in-district charter application. For all in-district charter schools, there must be a clear plan to continue engaging parents and the community after the charter is approved.
San Antonio ISD board policy EL(LOCAL) defines how the district authorizes in-district charter schools and holds them accountable. A detailed FAQ on SAISD in-district charter schools can be found on the Innovate SAISD website.
Senate Bill 1882 partnerships ultimately exist to improve student outcomes and empower educators, so partnership agreements are written to ensure strong accountability and give the district the flexibility to end the partnership if it’s not benefiting students and staff. The San Antonio ISD board will review the performance of all in-district charter schools and SB 1882 partnerships every 3 to 5 years, as required by Board Policy EL(LOCAL). If a performance evaluation during a review cycle shows that the in-district charter school and its nonprofit partner are not meeting the district’s academic and operational expectations, the district may end the partnership or revoke the in-district charter or place it on probation. If the schools are meeting their 3- to 5-year performance goals, and the partner is fully complying with the partnership agreement and applicable law, then the length of the partnership can be up to 10 years. During the term of the partnership, a nonprofit partner will be subject to a minimum of 2 and as many as 3 separate performance review cycles, along with the annual audit requirement.
The district can end the partnership or revoke the in-district charter at any time if any of the following occurs: (i) the schools fail to meet their 3- or 5-year performance metrics; (ii) the school or partner violates applicable state or federal law; (iii) the schools fail to meet generally accepted accounting standards; or (iv) after 2 years, the schools are rated as “Improvement Required” or are in the bottom 5% in comparison to all district campuses based on academic performance.
Yes. In accordance with state law and the partnership agreement, partners are required to conduct an external and comprehensive financial audit of their nonprofit operations every year. The partner must provide an unqualified (“clean”) audit report to the district and TEA. If the audit raises any concerns or deficiencies that are not corrected by the partner, the district can terminate the partnership. Audits are important to ensure that the nonprofit is a healthy organization that can provide all of the support services that the schools need to be successful. This audit requirement establishes an even higher bar for quality and accountability than is generally required for existing nonprofit organizations that are not part of an SB 1882 partnership at San Antonio ISD.
A key goal of these partnerships will be to share best practices so that the schools and the district learn from each other in the pursuit of improved educational outcomes and closing the achievement gap. All in-district charter schools will serve as learning labs for the entire school district. Furthermore, the district and nonprofit partner will share academic and operational data on a regular basis and work collaboratively in a spirit of continuous improvement. Learning labs like these are critical for San Antonio ISD to pilot and scale innovative best practices that help all students.
The nonprofit partner does not have the legal authority to change a school’s charter. If an in-district charter school was created through teacher and parent petition support, any revisions to the charter must be approved by school staff, parents, and the San Antonio ISD board. With a district-initiated start-up school or a school subject to state-mandated sanctions, any charter revision must be approved by the SAISD Board of Trustees in collaboration with school staff and parents.
The role of the partner is to support the school staff and community in fulfilling their charter, and as long as the school is meeting its performance goals, the school’s charter will remain in place. That remains true even if the district terminates the partnership agreement due to a partner not meeting its obligations under the partnership agreement. The SAISD board will end the partnership or revoke the in-district charter if any of the following occurs: (i) the schools fail to meet their 3- or 5-year performance metrics; (ii) the school or nonprofit partner violates applicable state or federal law; (iii) the school or nonprofit partner fails to meet generally accepted accounting standards; or (iv) after 2 years, the schools are rated as “Improvement Required” or are in the bottom 5% in comparison to all district campuses based on academic performance.
No. Only the San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees has the authority to revoke a school’s charter or close a school, as described above regarding “Can a nonprofit partner organization revoke the school’s charter…?” A revocation of a school’s charter or the termination of a partnership will not lead to the closure of a school. Any type of school in SAISD that experiences multiple years of Improvement Required status, whether or not it is an in-district charter school or a school with an SB 1882 partnership, will always be subject to state-level sanctions, which may include school reconstitution or closure. See Texas House Bill 1842, which defines state-mandated sanctions for all district schools, including in-district charter schools.
If a school becomes an in-district charter school with an SB 1882 partnership, all neighborhood students will remain at their school, and all students living within the school’s attendance boundary will be guaranteed admission. Students at all San Antonio ISD schools, including in-district charter schools, do not have to apply to attend their neighborhood school. In-district charter schools may also become open to students residing outside of the attendance zone. The in-district charter process is intended to offer more quality school options for all students; it is not meant to add entry requirements or reduce available seats for neighborhood students at schools with an established attendance zone. It is also illegal for in-district charter schools to discriminate against students based on their social, behavioral, or academic background.
All SB 1882 partnership schools will follow the district’s unified enrollment policy and administrative procedures. Schools that currently have attendance zones will maintain those attendance zones and students living in the attendance zone will be guaranteed admission. In-district charters with attendance boundaries are also able to offer seats to students living outside of their boundary. In-district charter schools without attendance boundaries will be open to students living within and outside of San Antonio ISD while ensuring equitable access for historically disadvantaged students. Please see SAISD Administrative Procedure F51 and the Office of Access and Enrollment Services website for more information on student enrollment.
For student discipline, all schools will adopt the district’s student discipline policies and administrative procedures, including the San Antonio ISD Student Code of Conduct. The school staff, in collaboration with the nonprofit partner, will have the freedom to develop the school culture (including events and activities) and select their own behavior management programs and strategies, as long as they are in alignment with the district’s Code of Conduct. For all SAISD schools, including in-district charter schools, suspensions and expulsions must be done in accordance with SAISD’s Student Code of Conduct.
Students attending a school with an SB 1882 partnership will continue to qualify for the same services that a student would receive at any other San Antonio ISD school, so the district, nonprofit partner, and school staff will closely collaborate to ensure that the unique needs of each student are met. The campus staff and nonprofit partner will fully comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); the Americans with Disabilities Act; Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The district will also provide related services for special education, Section 504, dyslexia, dysgraphia, hearing, vision, orientation and mobility, assistive technology, adaptive equipment, speech, psychology, orientation and mobility, reading, adaptive physical education, and occupational and physical therapy.
District and school staff at all SB 1882 partnership schools will continue to support English language learners (ELLs), including those who have been identified as immigrant, migrant and refugee students, in the same manner as all other district schools. ELLs may be served through Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual Late Exit, or English as a Second Language (ESL) program models.
No. As required by state law and stated in the partnership agreement, these partnerships will not affect the status of San Antonio ISD employees’ contracts or change any of the due process protections given by those contracts. All staff employed by the district and working at the schools will remain district employees and will keep all of their existing contract rights, including protections related to employee terminations.
The school’s Principal and campus-based leadership team, in collaboration with the nonprofit partner, will make decisions related to campus staff evaluation, work hours, assignment, job description, and duties at the school, all in accordance with the school’s charter. Employment decisions like termination or non-renewal must be done in accordance with district policy and procedure and all applicable laws. The district will be responsible for determining all salaries, compensation, and benefits of district employees working at the schools.
The partner organization will directly employ at least one staff person to oversee support for the school (e.g., professional development, school improvement strategies, mentoring, school leadership coaching, etc.) and to assist the partner organization’s governing board. If a change in leadership is ever needed at the school, the district will work closely with the nonprofit partner and the school’s community to select the school’s Principal.
The role of the nonprofit governing board is to support the school with whatever the school needs to be successful, whether it be academic coaching, professional development, or new student learning opportunities, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization’s staff and in accordance with the school’s charter. The board will be comprised of community stakeholders and professionals with specific expertise that is aligned to the programs and strategies described in the charter. For example, the governing board for a nonprofit partner that is supporting an early childhood school model will have experts in early childhood development. Additionally, the nonprofit partner and school leadership team may decide to bring expertise to the governing board from other industries, such as law, engineering, communications, etc. The nonprofit governing board will largely act as advisors and strategic thought partners for the nonprofit staff and school leadership team.
The nonprofit governing board and staff will collaborate with the campus leadership team in assessing and refining the curriculum, school calendar, and professional development opportunities. If a change in leadership is ever needed at the school, the nonprofit partner’s governing board and staff will work closely with the district and the school’s community to select the school’s Principal. Like any San Antonio ISD in-district charter school, SB 1882 partnership schools are held to a rigorous performance contract and fully accountable to the SAISD board. The board retains ultimate authority and oversight over the school, which will always remain an SAISD campus.
The mission, vision, and core values of the school are defined in the school’s charter. As discussed above, an in-district charter school is a district public school that is authorized by the San Antonio ISD board with enhanced autonomy in exchange for increased accountability. Educators interested in opening an in-district charter school must participate in a rigorous application process, and neighborhood schools must obtain the support of a majority of the school’s teachers and parents through a petition process to become an in-district charter school. The role of the nonprofit partner is to support the school staff in achieving the mission, vision, and core values that are outlined in the school’s charter application. The charter also empowers the school to determine its academic programming, extra-curricular activities and curriculum (subject to state standards), length and design of the school day, calendar, professional development, and other school-based programming. Ultimately the SAISD board will hold the school-based leadership team and nonprofit partner’s governing board accountable for implementing and refining the school’s charter.
All schools with a Senate Bill 1882 partnership must participate in the Annual Call for Quality Schools and receive approval from the San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees to become an in-district charter school. The SAISD board will grant autonomies to in-district charter schools and their nonprofit partners in the areas of time, talent, and resources, in accordance with SAISD board policy EL(LOCAL). Through the Annual Call, schools are encouraged to request a wide range of autonomies that have been shown to improve operational efficiency and academic outcomes at the campus level. Focus areas may include professional development, curriculum, school calendar, scheduling, staffing, and resource allocation. A detailed list of potential autonomies available to approved in-district charter applicants can be found here.
The district is responsible for providing the same services that it provides to other district schools, including but not limited to:
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- Ongoing collaboration opportunities with the district’s instructional support departments, including Teaching and Learning, Special Education, and Research and Evaluation;
- Ensuring that the school complies with all applicable laws, such as Section 504, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and FERPA;
- Providing related services for special education, Section 504, dyslexia, dysgraphia, hearing, vision, orientation and mobility, assistive technology, adaptive equipment, speech, psychology, orientation and mobility, reading, adaptive physical education, and occupational and physical therapy;
- All child nutrition program services (breakfast, lunch, etc.);
- Facility maintenance and repair services;
- Technology infrastructure and repair;
- Grant reporting and payment processing;
- Assisting with the recruiting, hiring, and processing of campus employees;
- Overseeing employee grievances and due process;
- Providing schools with substitute teachers; and
- Maintaining all students in the district’s student information system and performing all mandatory reporting to TEA.
Each partner organization has its own unique background and expertise that is aligned to the needs of the school and the school’s charter, so the type of support provided will depend on the partner organization and the school. For example, a nonprofit partner may offer marketing and community engagement support to a school that is working to increase its student enrollment and improve parent outreach. A partner might assist a high school in securing adult mentors and job shadowing opportunities for its students. On an ongoing basis, all nonprofit partners and governing boards are expected to review and refine the core tenets of a school’s charter (mission, vision, academic model), in close collaboration with the school leadership team, to ensure that the charter is being implemented successfully. Student achievement and fulfilling the school’s charter must be a constant focus for each partner organization’s staff and governing board, while ultimately remaining accountable to the San Antonio ISD board.
Partnership schools that are approved by TEA will receive increased state funding, currently estimated at San Antonio iSD to be $800 per student on an annual basis, adjusted for average daily attendance (ADA). For example, a school with 500 students and ADA of 96% may be eligible for $384,000 in additional funds annually (500 x 800 x .96 = $384,000). The majority of those funds will be directed to the campus.
Schools will be empowered to spend these additional funds on identified campus needs that are aligned to their academic model, such as hiring staff to support the International Baccalaureate program or expanding student learning opportunities (projects, field trips, job shadowing, etc.).
The district will retain a small amount of SB 1882 funds to pay for school support services, and an additional amount will be paid to the partner to build and sustain the nonprofit organization’s capacity to support the partnership schools. Nonprofit partners will complete a comprehensive and external financial audit every year to ensure these funds are spent in accordance with the partnership agreement and applicable laws. The amount of SB 1882 funding will always be subject to the district’s financial allotments from the state and federal government.
The district will continue to own all school buildings and property. SB 1882 partnerships have no impact on the district’s ownership of buildings and property. School facilities will be maintained and managed like all other district campuses. All partner organization staff who have passed the district’s criminal background check will be granted access to the schools as necessary to support the schools and comply with the partnership agreement.
- For general information on SB 1882 partnerships, as well as individual partner websites and partnership agreements, please visit the Innovate SAISD website.
- For information on state laws and the required application process for these partnerships, please visit TEA’s website at www.txpartnerships.org.
- State law on in-district charter schools and SB 1882 partnerships is described in SAISD Board Policy EL(LEGAL), which can be found here.
- The district’s process and requirements for in-district charter schools, performance contracts, and the renewal/probation/termination process is described in Policy EL(LOCAL), which can be found here.
- Student enrollment and registration rules are described in Policy FDB(LOCAL), which can be found here, and Administrative Procedure F51, which can be found here.
- For more information on specific aspects of SAISD’s SB 1882 partnerships, please see the following sections in the relevant partnership agreement:
| Partnership Focus Areas | Partnership Agreement Section |
|---|---|
| Overview of partnership and legal structure | Page 1 recitals and Section 1 |
| Partner adherence to school’s charter | Section 1 |
| Student enrollment | Section 2 |
| School operations and academic programming | Section 3 |
| Special education, gifted and talented, English language learners | Section 3 |
| Student discipline, suspension and expulsions | Section 3 |
| Support services and legal compliance | Sections 3 and 5 |
| Employment matters (hiring, terminations, evaluation, etc.) | Section 4 |
| Partner governing boards | Section 7 |
| Finances | Sections 8 and 9 |
| Performance contracts and audit | Section 10 and Exhibit A |
| School facilities | Section 11 |
| District services for partner schools | Section 12 |
| Collaboration and sharing best practices | Section 13 |
| Intellectual property (trademark, copyright, patent) | Section 15 |
| Length of agreement and termination | Section 16 |
| School-specific mission, goals, academic model, etc. | See individual school’s charter |
- The entire FAQ for Senate Bill 1882 partnerships is available here.
Here is a description of each of the existing SB 1882 partnerships at San Antonio ISD. For links to each partner’s website and the SAISD board-approved partnership agreements, please see https://innovatesaisd.org/sb_1882_partnerships/.
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Partner: Alamo Colleges District
Network Schools: Fox Tech High School, St. Philip’s College Early College High Schools, Travis Early College High School
The mission of Alamo Colleges District is to empower our diverse communities for success. The vision for the ACD partnership is to establish the three high schools as “learning labs” to deepen and strengthen SAISD’s partnership with ACD. The partnership will seek to expand dual credit and internship opportunities and student support services. ACD also plans to develop additional programmatic pathways offered within schools, including the creation of a grow-your-own teacher preparation program across all three high schools. Partnership funds will support a network associate principal and senior coordinator of operations for the three schools.
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Partner: CAST Network
Network Schools: CAST Tech High School, CAST Med High School (opening Fall 2019), Advanced Learning Academy
CAST Network’s mission is to maximize opportunities for its graduates and thereby reinvent schooling as an applied, project-based setting connected to high-wage jobs in peak local demand. At CAST Network schools, teachers work with technology and business partners such as H-E-B, Rackspace, USAA, and AT&T to prepare students for in-demand careers. The partnership allows for more hands-on projects, digital learning, teacher training, mentoring, and job opportunities for students upon graduation.
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Partner: Democracy Prep Public Schools
School: Democracy Prep at Stewart Elementary School
Democracy Prep Public Schools’ mission is to educate responsible citizen-scholars for success in the college of their choice and a life of active citizenship. At Stewart Elementary, school staff provide rigorous, college-preparatory academics within a structured and supportive school culture that focuses on student scholars becoming well-rounded citizens and knowledgeable voters.
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Partner: HighScope
Schools: Carroll Early Childhood Education Center, Tynan Early Childhood Education Center
The mission of HighScope is to ensure every child receives a high-quality, equitable early education. Founded in 1970, HighScope is a nationally-recognized expert in early childhood research and curriculum design across the birth through age eight continuum. Carroll and Tynan will benefit from HighScope’s highly regarded curriculum and support from early childhood development research and professional development.
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Partner: Public Montessori in Action
Schools: Rodriguez Montessori Elementary School, Steele Montessori Academy
Public Montessori in Action will lead the unique and innovative work at Rodriguez Montessori Elementary and Steele Montessori Academy, serving 500 students and growing. The vision of this partnership is to bring to fruition Montessori schools’ ability to serve all children and families. PMA seeks to leverage the revolutionary pedagogy that is Montessori education to ensure equity, inclusion, rigor, and transformation at the partnership schools.
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Partner: Sí Se Puede Schools
Schools: Ogden Elementary School, Storm Elementary School
Sí Se Puede Schools is a non-profit school management organization that partners with school districts to support and ultimately transform the district schools. San Antonio ISD is their first partnership, which began in 2017. Sí Se Puede Schools works closely with community partners with the goal of learning from others and continuously improving their approach.
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Partner: School Innovation Collaborative
Schools: Bowden Elementary School, Gates Elementary School, Lamar Elementary School
School Innovation Collaborative’s mission is to develop, empower and support great school leaders to design and lead partner networks resulting in more great Texas schools. SIC’s flagship school leaders are partnering with Rice University to co-create a Partner Design Lab – which will serve as a learning community where leaders will develop and share best practices for managing multiple schools.
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Partner: Texans Can Academies
School: Texans Can at Highlands High School
The mission of Texans Can Academies is to provide the highest quality education for all students, especially those who have struggled in a traditional high school setting, in order to ensure their economic independence. Texans Can provides students the opportunity to pursue their dreams while removing barriers that keep them from attaining their education. From day care services to clothes, eyeglasses, or other basic human needs, school staff provide flexible solutions and dedicated support for students.
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Partner: Texas Council for International Studies
Schools: Briscoe Elementary School, Burbank High School, Fenwick Elementary School, Harris Middle School, Huppertz Elementary School, Jefferson High School, Woodlawn Academy, Woodlawn Hills Elementary
The mission of Texas Council for International Studies is to partner with Texas school districts to achieve the highest quality implementation of the International Baccalaureate program. TCIS is supported by Texas IB Schools, the most respected provider of International Baccalaureate professional development in Texas. The schools in this network are either established IB World Schools or candidate schools working to earn the IB designation.
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Partner: University of Texas at San Antonio
Schools: Bonham Academy, Irving Dual Language Academy, Twain Dual Language Academy
The UTSA College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) and SAISD are partnering to lead three Dual Language Community Lab Schools. COEHD directors, faculty, graduate students, clinical students and clinical teachers as well as teachers, students, parents and administrators in the three schools will serve as a model for practice and research into the value and best models for dual language instruction. Drawing on the shared expertise of practitioners in the schools and researchers and teacher preparation faculty, the lab school will serve as a site for innovation and a model for dual language programs across the nation.
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Partner: Young Women’s Preparatory Network
Schools: Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Young Women’s Leadership Academy Primary at Page
Young Women’s Preparatory Network’s mission is to support single-gender, college-preparatory, public education in Texas and beyond, giving young women the academic and leadership skills to achieve success in college and in life. YWPN has been the supporting partner for Young Women’s Leadership Academy since the school’s founding in 2007. SAISD expanded the YWLA model to elementary students at YWLA Primary, starting in 2019.