Action on Authorized Generation 16 Charter – The Pro-Vision Academy
April 20, 2012
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item allows the State Board of Education (SBOE) to rescind its authorization of a charter school to be called The Pro-Vision Academy. The SBOE authorized this charter with the condition that the sponsoring entity Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc. provides evidence of undisrupted nonprofit status from the IRS. The item was brought forward at the January 27, 2012 meeting, and the board allowed Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc. until March 16, 2012 to provide Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff with IRS documentation. The documentation was not provided.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: On September 16, 2011, the SBOE authorized a charter to be operated by Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc., contingent upon certain conditions being met as noted in the minutes of the September 16, 2011 meeting as follows (emphasis added):
It was moved by Mr. Ratliff, seconded by Mr. Allen, and carried to approve an open-enrollment charter to the sponsoring entity for The Pro-Vision Academy, to begin serving students in the 2012-2013 school year, provided contingencies are cleared, and contingent on the applicant’s ability to provide written evidence from the Internal Revenue Service to TEA staff that at the time of application on February 24, 2011, the sponsoring entity was a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in good standing and remaining in good standing through this date, September 16, 2011.
On January 27, 2012, the SBOE allowed Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc. to provide evidence of undisrupted nonprofit status from the IRS to TEA staff no later than March 16, 2012.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc., has failed to provide evidence of undisrupted nonprofit status from the IRS. Many organizations wishing to establish charter schools do not submit applications or submit applications without proof of nonprofit status and are removed from consideration for award during each open-enrollment charter application cycle.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: This action will uphold the requirement that charters must only be awarded to eligible entities.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED:
Rescind the SBOE’s contingent authorization for a charter to be operated by the Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Lizzette Reynolds, Deputy Commissioner
Policy and Programs
Laura Taylor, Associate Commissioner
Accreditation and School Improvement
Mary Perry, Director
Charter School Administration