Q:  What is RES?  

A:  Responsive Ed Schools are the largest charter school (district) in Texas.  RES was founded in 1998 and have many schools throughout Texas, Arkansas and developing in Indiana.  Our goal is to have a network of small, high-quality schools that were responsive to local community needs and designed with the individual student in mind.

 

Q:  Does RES offer different types of charter schools?

A:  Our charter schools are located in rural, urban and suburban communities throughout the state.  We have different brands of schools.

 

Q:  What exactly is a charter school?

A:  Charter Schools are FREE public schools that have the flexibility to adapt to the educational needs of individual students.  In the state of Texas, Charter Schools operate under and receive academic and financial accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  Both charter and traditional public school students in Texas take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests.


Charter schools are tuition-free public schools and enrollment is open to all students. They are independently operated schools that run with more flexibility than traditional public schools in exchange for increased accountability.


The “charter” that establishes each school is a contract detailing the school’s mission, program, performance goals, and methods of assessment. Every public charter school has an authorizer which, subject to state law, may be a district school board, university, Mayor’s office, or non-profit organization.  Authorizers are responsible for holding charter schools accountable for compliance with their operating agreements or “charters.”

 

Like all public schools, charter schools are:

  • Tuition-free and part of the free public school system
  • Held to state and federal academic standards
  • Open to all students, including those with disabilities
  • Funded primarily through a combination of federal, state, and local tax dollars
  • Not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group

 

Q:  What is the purpose of charter schools?

A:  1)  Improve student learning, 2) Increase the choice of learning opportunities within the public school system, 3) Create professional opportunities that will attract new teachers to the public school system, 4) Establish a new form of accountability for public schools, and 5) Encourage different and innovative learning methods.  Charter schools offer FREE, quality, non-traditional, public education options.  

 

Q:  How are Charter Schools funded?

A:  Charter School receive state funds based on the average daily attendance of students (similar to ADA funding of traditional public schools).  Public charter schools cannot receive local tax revenue nor state facilities funding.

 

Q:  How can we get one of your charter schools to our town or city?

A:  Our charter allows us to operate multiple campuses throughout the state to address current and future parent demand for the program. The decision to add grades and/or sites is governed by the availability of facilities, parent interest, and funding. We will continue to grow and accommodate student demand to the best of our abilities. On behalf of the parents and students who have had the opportunity to experience this program, we are grateful to the teachers, administrators, and staff who make the program possible.