Services for Texas Open Enrollment Charter Schools
For more than 50 years, TASB has provided advocacy, visionary leadership, and high-quality services to Texas school districts. While our basic mission hasn't changed, our membership has. Today, TASB's members include not only Texas school districts but cities, counties, education service centers, junior colleges, businesses, cooperatives, associations, individuals, and charter schools, among others.
If you manage an open enrollment charter school and are in need of assistance, we invite you to join TASB. Let us help you set sail on a course to educational success!
Q. Can open enrollment charter schools join TASB?
A. Yes. Open enrollment charter schools are encouraged to join TASB as Affiliate Members.
Q. What does it cost to join TASB as an Affiliate Member?
A. Charter schools may join TASB as an Organizational Affiliate Member for an annual cost of $100. Organizational Affiliates receive our monthly magazine, Texas Lone Star, The Legislative Report newsletter, and one discounted registration to TASB's Joint Annual Convention, one of the premier training opportunities for education managers in the state. You'll also get discounted rates on our publications, videos, and other training events.
Q. If we join TASB as an Affiliate Member, are ALL of TASB's services available to us as a charter school?
A. Because the State of Texas doesn't classify open enrollment charter schools as "political subdivisions" like school districts, some of the services TASB offers local governments cannot be provided to charter schools. The law simply won't allow it. Two of the most prominent of these services are our Financial Services (Lone Star Investment Pool) and Risk Management Services. In other areas, such as legal assistance and policy writing and review, TASB doesn't have the in-house staff or expertise to provide the specialized assistance needed to serve open enrollment charter schools. If the law were to change, TASB would certainly revisit these issues.
Q. What services can TASB provide to charter schools?
A. A lot! As an Affiliate Member of TASB you have access to a whole library of TASB services (additional fees or memberships may be required) including the following:
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TASB's Policy Service library subscription, which includes Internet access to the TASB Policy Reference Manual, as well as other policy-related publications
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All of TASB's major training events, including the
TASB/TASA Annual Convention 
, Summer Leadership Institute, Winter and Summer Governance Seminars, and regional workshops
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TASB publications and videos, including our extensive library of legal, personnel, legislative, and training handbooks
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Pre- and Post-Legislative Seminars to find out what will happen and what did happen to public education in the most recent legislative session
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Fall and Spring Legal Seminars and Legal Symposiums
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Legal Bulletin newsletter, videos, and publications
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Parent Involvement Network program, training, and materials
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Human Resource Services program membership, newsletter, workshops, and Salary Survey reports
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SMART Medicaid Reimbursement Program
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Environmental Services
Q. How do we sign up?
A. Simply download the Organizational Affiliate Membership Form (pdf), complete it, and return it to TASB with your check for the membership fee. That's all there is to it!
Q. Do you know of any other resources available to charter schools?
A. Yes. The best place to start is with the Texas Education Agency's Division of Charter Schools . You also may want to visit the Charter School Resource Center , a private, nonprofit organization dedicating to supporting the formation and successful operation of state and district charter schools across Texas.
Q. What if I have more questions?
A. Email (
), associate executive director for Board Services, or call her at 800-580-8272.
