‘Toxas Education Agney Commissioner Mike Morath ‘ORDER LIFTING SUSPENSION OF CHARTER OPERATIONS AND FUNDING March 16, 2017 Dr. Tonja Nelson, Superintendent ‘San Antonio School for Inquiry and Creativity 4616 San Pedro Ste 104 ‘San Antonio, TX 78212 Dear Dr. Nelson, In Texas Education Agency (TEA or agency) correspondence dated March 8, 2017, the agency Issued an order suspending the authority of San Antonio School or Inquiy and Creativity (GASIC) to operate an open-enroiment charter school and to recsive Foundation School Program (FSP) funding under the authonty of Tex. Educ. Code § 12.1182. The order was issued as a result of the failure of SASIC to comply withthe criminal history requirements of Tex. Educ. Code Ch. 22 ‘Subch. C as well as ongoing food safety issues wich ineaten the lea, safely ard were of its students, Inaccordance with Tex. Educ. Code § 12.1182(¢, | conducted a Final Hearing en March 10, 2017 to consider whether this suspension should continue, Per Tex. Educ. Code § 12.1162(¢), the Suspension issued isto remain in effect unl a determination is made that: (1) despite inital evidence, the conditions atthe school do nat present @ canger of material harm to the heath, safety, or welfare of students, or (2) the conditions a the schoo! that presented a danger of material harm to:he health, safety, ‘or welfare of students have been corrected TEA staff has worked with SASIC staff to ensure that the conditions atthe schoo! that presented ‘a danger of material harm to the health, safety, or welfare of students would be corrected. AS of today’s dato, | have received evidence of SASIC’s actions to come into compliance with the Statutory requirements related to criminal history per Tex. Educ. Code Ch. 22, Subeh. C. In ‘correspondence of March 13, 2017, SASIC has also offered to accept the placement of a state- ‘appointed monitor to ensure safe practices regarcing food services. Appointment of State-Appointed Monitor ‘Accordingly, | have lied the suspensions of funding and operations for the charter schoo! effective today, subject to the concitions that follow. Based on admissions of SASIC administrators that SASIC has violated Tex. Educ. Code Ch. 22, Subch C, TEA ie placing @monitor per Tex. Educ. Code §29.102(a)(6) because such intervention is necessary to address the material deficiencies in the charter school. | am appointing Michael Moretta to SASIC. AS a ‘TEA monitor, Michael Moretta's role wilinclude, but i not limited to, the following + Ensuring that any SASIC contractor who has contact with students or any employee that has not completed the TEA required criminal history record review is not allowed to return {0 campus until such time that this review is satisfactorily completed; ‘+ Ensuring that SASIC submits monthiy compliance forms or affidavits related to criminal history record reviews to TEA's Fingerprinting: ‘Ensuring that SASIC staff responsible for the hing of SASIC employees are required to attend (and confirm to TEA completion of fingerprinting training classes. All training ‘should be completed no later than Apri 1, 2017 + Ensuring that SASIC follows safe practices regarding its food services. If, at any point thatthe appointed monitor determines that safe food service practices are not being followed, SASIC's operations and funding will be suspended, ‘+ Reporting to TEA any concem related to criminal history requirements, If, at any point that TEA determines that SASIC is out of compliance with criminal history requirements, SASIC's operations and funding will be suspended; + at any point, the monitor identifies any other condition that presents a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of SASIC students, SASIC’S operations and funding will be suspended. Please note that the appointment of Michael Moretta does not relieve SASIC and its gover board of the responsibly to, at allies, operate the charter school in compliance with applicable statutes and rules. The agency reserves the right to implement all avaiable Interventions and sanctions under TEC, Chapiers 38, and Tite 19, TAC, Chapters 97, to address, the current or any future deficiencies identified for SASIC. The cost ofthe monitor's services vil tbe paid by the charter schoo! in accordance win TEG §39.170. The mentors tee shall be $75 Per hour plus necessary ravel expenses not to exceed the state per diem rate, Fallure to make timely payments to the monitor may result in appropriate amounts being deducted from the charter schoo!'s Foundation Schoo! Program (FSP) funds ‘Additionally, TEA’s Special Investigations Unit issued SASIC a notice of Special Accreditation Investigation on Mareh 8, 2017. The special accreditation investigation of SASIC. remains ‘ongoing. Should you have any questions regarsing this correspondence, please contact Ronald Rowell, Director of Governance and Investigations. My order iting suspension is limited to my determination that the operation of the school does nt eurtently pose a threat to the health, safely, or welfare ofits students. The regulatory matters raised, including the falure to comply with fingerprinting statutes and the apparent unsafe food conditions, may be the subject of future administrative sanctions and interventions Lidl. Mike Morath Commissioner of Education Texas Education Agency Pate2ofce ‘AJ Crabil, Deputy Commissioner of Governance, TEA Kara Belew, Deputy Commissioner of Finance Martin Winchester, Deputy Commissioner of Educator Support, TEA \Von Byer, Ganeral Counsel, TEA Christopher Jones, Deputy Senior Counsel, TEA Ashley Jemigan, Staff Atorey, TEA Chris Cowan, Director of Enforcement, TEA Ron Rowel, Director of Governance and Investigations, TEA Brenda Meyers, Director of Special Investigations, TEA Leo Lopez, Director of School Finance, TEA Heather Mauze, Diector of Charter School Administration, TEA Michael Morea, Monitor Nicole Notariann, Director of School Operations, Texas Department of Agriculture Page of 3