State’s First “High-Performing Entity” Charter Delays Opening

The state’s first — and thus far only — charter approved as a “high-performing entity” (HPE) charter has asked the education commissioner to delay its scheduled opening from SY 2026-27 to SY 2027-28.

The request was made by Mater Academy San Antonio, which is backed by the Florida-based Mater Academy charter chain.

Last April, the State Board of Education (SBOE) voted 11-3 to not veto Mater San Antonio as education commissioner’s sole “Generation 30” HPE recommendation under a then new fast tracked process.

That process skips several steps in the traditional process that results in the SBOE voting on vetoing the commissioner’s new charter picks at the board’s June meetings.

The commissioner typically grants requests by recently approved charters to delay their scheduled openings.