Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- As Stephen F. Austin State University prepares to begin construction of a $28 million academic facility for the James I. Perkins College of Education, the college plans to create a "one-of-a-kind" early childhood education center by opening a new university charter school.

The Perkins College of Education will submit a letter of intent in early December to the Texas Education Agency to open a university charter school in fall 2008.

The new university charter school would be integrally linked with the Perkins College of Education Department of Elementary Education and the Early Childhood Laboratory, a research laboratory within the college that prepares SFA students to work with young children and their families.

SFA's new university charter school would become the only such school in Texas directly linked with a research laboratory, according to Dr. John Jacobson, dean of the Perkins College of Education. Currently, the University of Texas at Austin is the only other Texas university that operates a university charter school.

"This is an opportunity to build on the great success we have achieved with the exemplary-rated NISD/SFA Charter School," Jacobson said. "The synergy of the university charter school, Early Childhood Lab and Department of Elementary Education under a single roof will enable the Perkins College to perform cutting-edge research in early childhood education and offer East Texas an education environment that will be one of a kind."

The current NISD/SFA Charter School operations agreement between the Nacogdoches Independent School District and the university is scheduled to expire in July 2008. The new university charter school would replace the NISD/SFA Charter School. The university charter school would be state funded and operate as a public school.

"With the pending expiration of the NISD/SFA Charter School agreement and construction beginning on the new academic facility, now is a perfect time to create this new academic center of excellence that will serve Texas and further distinguish the Perkins College of Education," Jacobson said.

Parents of current NISD/SFA Charter School students would have the option to automatically enroll their children in the new university charter school, and new students would be accepted on an open-enrollment basis beginning with the fall 2008 semester. Information about applications will be available in the spring.

"The NISD has a wonderful, long-term relationship with the university and the College of Education," said NISD Superintendent Dr. Rodney Hutto. "I see great value for Nacogdoches and East Texas in SFA seeking a university charter school."

"The NISD will look forward to the valuable insights regarding innovative teaching strategies that SFA will be able to share with the district as a result of the research that will be conducted in the research center and university charter school," Hutto said.

In January, SFA is scheduled to break ground on the $28 million Early Childhood Research and Development Center that will house the university charter school, the Early Childhood Laboratory and the Department of Elementary Education. The facility is set to open in August 2009. Classes for the new university charter school would be held in the current facilities until the new center opens.

"The new facility will enable the Perkins College to double its current charter school enrollment of kindergarten through 5th grade students to approximately 260 students who will be able to take advantage of the exemplary-rated program," Jacobson said.

Jacobson predicted that having the university charter school would lead to more education dollars flowing into East Texas. A new university charter school would make SFA eligible to apply for a one-time start-up grant from the Texas Education Agency of up to $400,000, and the state would fund the university charter school operations based on average daily attendance at the school. Additionally, the university charter school would be eligible for funding from new state and federal government sources, as well as grants from foundations.

"The university charter school and research lab will have the potential to increase the Perkins College of Education enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in gaining firsthand knowledge of how to make a difference in the lives of their future students and their families," Jacobson said.

Jacobson said SFA will file an application with the state in early January to open a university charter school. A subcommittee of the State Board of Education will meet with SFA officials in mid-January to discuss the application, which is scheduled to be considered by the full body of the State Board of Education Jan. 17-18.

"Approval of the application is expected by early spring," Jacobson said.