CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER JIM NELSON On behalf of 50,000 students in the Texas charter school movement, we wish Commissioner Jim Nelson the best of luck in his new position with Voyager Expanded Learning. TEA press release attached.

STUDENT TRANSFER REPORT The student transfer report from each charter, originally due August 1, 2001, is to be updated and forwarded to the Agency on a continuous basis during the 2001-2002 school year. Each charter must report all incoming and outgoing student transfers on a regular basis so that TEA can maintain an accurate database of students in each charter. Failure to provide the update will result in the withholding of ADA funds for those students not reported to the Agency. Charters that have not sent a recent update will receive a letter dated January 15, 2002. Please carefully review and follow the directions in the letter. Contact Pamela Williams at 512-463-9519 for additional information. Website address is www.tea.state.tx.us, Accountability and Accreditation; then Equal Education Opportunity (EEO) Unit. Email address is EEO@tea.state.tx.us.

TEXTBOOK ADMINISTRATION Effective February 15, 2002, 5:00 p.m., the Textbook Administration at TEA will close down for regular textbook requisitions for school year 2001-2002. Contact their office at 512-463-9601 for assistance.

Texas Education Agency
PRESS RELEASE

Jan. 22, 2002

Commissioner of Education announces resignation

AUSTIN - Texas Commissioner of Education Jim Nelson announced today that he is resigning as head of the Texas Education Agency to take a senior executive position with the higher education division of Voyager Expanded Learning in Dallas.

His resignation is effective March 31.

Nelson has served in the top public education post since August 1999. He was first appointed to the job by then Gov. George W. Bush and was subsequently reappointed by Gov. Rick Perry. This followed more than three years as chair of the State Board for Educator Certification, a position he was also appointed to by Bush.

"It has been a great honor to serve as commissioner of education. It has been a privilege to work with President George W. Bush and Gov. Rick Perry to help shape education policies at the national, state and local level. However, an opportunity has come my way that is too good to turn down. It is the right decision for me," Nelson said.

Nelson will work with Voyager to enhance teacher quality and quantity through collaborative training and certification programs with states, associations, districts, service centers and universities.

"While I am very excited about this new opportunity, I'm going to miss the Texas Education Agency staff. They are dedicated professionals who have helped make the Texas system the envy of many of our sister states. I will miss them very much. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the educators of Texas. They have met every challenge, raised student expectations and obtained results. I know they will meet our new challenges as well," Nelson said.

During his tenure as commissioner, Nelson oversaw:

• the development of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS);
  
  
• the expansion and increased rigor of the Texas accountability system;
  
  
• an expanded push for a seamless state education system from prekindergarten through college;
  
  
• the continued development of the Texas Reading Initiative, which has become a national model;
  
  
• the early development of the Texas Math Initiative; and
  
  
• the implementation of numerous education grant programs that provided expanded opportunities to Texas schools.

Along with his job as commissioner, Nelson also serves as chair of the Education Leaders Council, an education reform group based in Washington, D.C. ELC provided positive support to the president and congress which helped lead to the enactment recently of the No Child Left Behind Act.