A Microsoft Word version of this letter is available for download and PRINTING.

September 2, 2009

Re: 2009–10 Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP)

To the Administrator Addressed:

The OFSDP is a program that your district may offer to provide flexible hours and days of attendance for students in any grade who meet one of the following criteria:

• the student has dropped out of school or is at risk of dropping out,
• the student participates in an approved early college high school plan,
• the student attends a campus implementing an innovative redesign under a plan approved by the commissioner of education, or
• the student will be denied credit for one or more classes in which the student has been enrolled as a result of attendance requirements under the Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.092

The goals of the program are to improve graduation rates for students who are in danger of dropping out of school or are behind in core subject courses.

To participate in the OFSDP, your district must submit an annual application notifying the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that it plans to participate. The application requires the following information: implementation plan description, staff plans, schedules, and student attendance accounting security procedures and documentation. The TEA will notify each applicant of its approval status to operate an OFSDP.

The rules, application, and attendance guidelines for the OFSDP, as well as sample attendance registers, can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/school.finance/ofsdp.

If you have questions about the program, please contact Kim Rife by telephone at
(512) 463-4809 or by email at kim.rife@tea.state.tx.us.

Sincerely,

Helen Daniels
Director, State Funding

HD/kr