The San Antonio Charter Schools app is the tool that Inga Cotton and her friends wish they could have used when they were searching for the right schools for their children. Inga is the founder and executive director of San Antonio Charter Moms, a nonprofit that shares fair information about all kinds of schools and helps families navigate school choice. From speaking with parents in person and gathering feedback online, Inga and her team have a good sense of what information parents need to help them make decisions about education options. They have simplified that information into a free, easy-t0-use, bilingual mobile app to help families find open enrollment charter schools and SAISD Choice Schools in the greater San Antonio area.
If you are the parent or caregiver of children who are entering grades preK-3 to 12, then the San Antonio Charter Schools app can help you locate and review high-quality schools that could be an option for your child. The app currently includes 82 schools, and is continuously updated as new schools announce their locations. The schools included in the app are open to students living anywhere in the metropolitan area. You don’t have to live in a particular school district to apply, although some schools give preference to students living nearby. These are all public schools of choice that don’t charge tuition and do accept special education students.
The purpose of the San Antonio Charter Schools app is to put information in the hands of parents and caregivers so they can find the schools that are the best fit for their children. The schools include open enrollment public charter schools, in-district charter schools, and district-charter partnership schools. The app includes both schools that are currently open, as well as a few schools that are approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to open soon. Users can filter schools by grade level, location, and school quality. They can also opt in to receive notifications about particular schools, including reminders about open enrollment deadlines, lottery dates, and opportunities to learn more about the schools.
Using the San Antonio Charter Schools App
There is a lot of information packed into the San Antonio Charter Schools app, but it is intuitive and easy to access. The design of the app puts the most important information first.
- Which schools are located close to me? When people first open the app, their first reaction usually is, “Wow! I didn’t know there were so many charter schools in San Antonio.” The first thing you see is a map of San Antonio scattered with blue pins, each one representing a charter school. The app automatically centers on your current location. If you want to search for schools near a different location, click on the magnifying glass, select “Home Address,” type in the new address, apply the filter, and then look at the new options on the map. If you want to look at the schools closest to you, then use the “School Distance” filter. The filters also help you narrow down to just the schools that serve your child’s grade level—Kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, etc.
- What are the schools like? Click on a blue pin, and you will see a school profile, including a summary that describes the school model. Compared to when many of us were growing up, there are so many more choices now! The app includes schools that focus on STEM, project-based learning, classical education, dual language, liberal arts, college preparatory, fine arts, early college, career and technical education, sports management, and more. Dive deeper by visiting each school’s website—there is a link in the school profile—to look for school tours and open houses.
- Will my child get a good quality education there? Whether a student succeeds in school has a lot to do with finding the right fit, but it’s also important to look at objective data about quality. The San Antonio Charter Schools app relies on TEA data, which in turn is based on the results of standardized testing—not a complete picture of a school, but a good starting point. The TEA awards high-performing schools with distinctions in subjects like mathematics, science, and English, and for good results in categories like “academic growth” and “closing the gaps.” Each school profile includes a link to that school’s latest report card from txschools.gov and a summary of key stats, including overall performance, student achievement, school progress, closing the gaps, and the school district’s letter grade rating. Users can filter schools based on district letter grades, school ratings, and distinctions.
- How do I apply for my child to enroll? Compared to enrolling your child at a neighborhood school, applying to schools of choice is more complicated. The San Antonio Charter Schools app makes it simpler by including an application link in every school profile. (On an iPhone, the “Apply” link is below the summary; on an Android phone, the “Apply Now” button is at the bottom of the school profile.) The app also shows the start and end dates for open enrollment and, when available, lottery dates. By turning on notifications, you can opt in to get reminders on your phone about these dates. Also, the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook is a good place to ask for help—moms (and dads, grandparents, etc.) help each other answer questions about all types of schools, including homeschooling.
Spreading the Word About the San Antonio Charter Schools App
Since the San Antonio Charter Schools app launched in April, it has been downloaded hundreds of times. You, too, can access information about high quality schools of choice near you, find schools that are a good fit for your children, and even start the process of enrolling your children in those schools. This is a movement to get families thinking differently about education. Families have choices, and the app gives you better access to them—in English and Spanish. Here are some things you can do today:
- Download the free app on iTunes or Google Play.
- Play with the app, give it a rating, and write a review on the app store.
- Take a screenshot and post it on your personal social media channels, with a caption asking your friends to download the app, too. Ask them to search for “San Antonio Charter Schools” on the app store, or include the shortened link “sachartermoms.com/app” in your post.
- Share news about the app—find links in the San Antonio Charter Moms Newsroom.
- Submit feedback about the app—inside the app, use the button on the “about” tab to send an email.
- Invite Inga Cotton to speak to your group about how to do a school search—she will demonstrate how to use the app and talk about other tools and strategies.
The San Antonio Charter Schools app makes it easier for you to find schools that are a good fit for your children.
