As you may know, if a Texas charter school maintains a website, Texas law requires certain information be posted on the website.  To assist you in compliance with the current laws, I have summarized the requirements for two categories of website postings: required and allowed postings.  Please thoroughly check your website for compliance with the required postings and consider adding the allowed postings to your school website if you have not already done so. 

Required Postings (Only if a website is maintained)

Administrative

1.     Post all Board meeting notices.

Notice of School Board Meeting (Government Code, § 551.056(a)-(b))

2.     Post the Board meeting agenda concurrent with the posting of the meeting notice. (Does not apply UNLESS the charter school's primary geographic area includes all or part of a municipality with a population of 48,000 or more.)

Agenda for School Board Meeting (Government Code, § 551.056(c))

3.     Post completed Conflict Disclosure Statements and Questionnaires.

Conflict Disclosure Statements and Questionnaires (Local Government Code, § 176.009(a), as amended by HB 1491 (80th Legislature))

4.     Post names of the members of the governing body on the home page of the school’s website.

Names of Members of Governing Body Listed on Website (Education Code § 12.1211, as amended by SB 2 (83rd Legislature))

5.     Post a prominently displayed link – no more than one click away from home page of the school’s website – to an online message board or similar Internet application owned or controlled by the school through which a communication or exchange of information between Board members about public business or school policy.

Written Electronic Communications Accessible (Government Code §551.006, as amended by SB 1297 (83rd Legislature))

Finance

6.     Post a copy of the budget adopted by the board of trustees [directors] upon final approval of the budget and prominently display an electronic link to the adopted budget.  The budget must remain on the website until the third anniversary of the date the budget was adopted. 

Posting of Adopted Budget (Education Code § 39.084)

7.     Post a copy of the school’s financial statement prepared under Local Government Code § 140.005.

Publication of Annual Financial Statement (Local Government Code § 140.006, as amended by SB 2 (83rd Legislature))

8.     Post the salary of the school’s superintendent or, as applicable, of the administrator serving as educational leader and chief executive officer.

Posting of Chief Executive Officer Salary (Education Code § 12.136, as amended by SB 2 (83rd Legislature))

Academic

9.     Post, at least 72 hours prior to a hearing, the Targeted Improvement Plan the board of trustees [directors] will consider as required by a Campus Intervention Team. 

Targeted Improvement Plan (Education Code § 39.106(e-1)(2); 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 97.1063)

10.  Post notice of an Accredited-Warned or Accredited-Probation status and provide a link to information about the accreditation status, the implications of such status, and the steps taken to address the areas of deficiency identified by the commissioner.  The notice shall use the format and language determined by the commissioner.  The required format and notification language is located at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/accredstatus/ (scroll to the “Authority and Background” section, locate “TEA required Notification Language,” and choose either “Charter School District Accredited-Warned” or “Charter School District Accredited-Probation”).  The notice must appear no later than 30 calendar days after the status is assigned and must remain until the school is assigned an Accredited status. 

Accreditation Status (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 97.1055(f)(3)(A))

Health

11.  Post a statement of physical activity policies for elementary, middle, and junior high schools with a statement of: (1) the number of times during the previous year the school health advisory council met; (2) whether the school adopted and enforces policies to ensure schools comply with vending machine and food service guidelines to restrict student access to vending machines; and (3) whether the school adopted and enforces policies and procedures which penalize the use of tobacco products by students and others on school grounds or at school-sponsored or school-related activities.  Additionally, post a statement which provides parents with notice that they may require in writing their child’s physical fitness assessment results at the conclusion of the school year. 

Physical Activity Policies (Education Code § 28.004(k) and § 38.0141)

12.  Post prominently, in English and Spanish, the required or recommended immunizations or vaccines for public school students, all known health clinics within school boundaries that offer the influenza vaccine, and a link to the Department of State Health Services website on which a person may obtain information concerning the procedures by which someone may claim an exemption from the immunization requirements. 

Immunization Awareness (Education Code § 38.1019(a))

General Topics

13.  Post the “Transition and Employment Guide” for special education programs and their parents developed by the Texas Education Agency.

Transition and Employment Guide (Education Code § 29.0112(a), as amended by HB 617 (83rd Legislature))

Allowed Postings

Administrative

1.     Schools may post the superintendent’s contract as opposed to submitting it to the school’s annual financial management report. 

Superintendent’s Contract (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 109.1005(b)(2)(A))

If you require further assistance on the above, please do not hesitate to ask.