2017-2018 Optional Flexible Year Program (OFYP)

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April 11, 2017

To the Administrator Addressed:

Re: 2017–2018 Optional Flexible Year Program (OFYP)

Your school district or charter school may modify its instructional calendar for up to 4,200 minutes to provide a flexible year program to meet the educational needs of its students, including providing intensive instructional services. A flexible year program is for students who did not, or are likely not to, perform successfully on an assessment instrument administered under the Texas Education Code (TEC), §39.023, or who would not otherwise be promoted to the next grade level.

To apply to participate in the OFYP, your district or charter school must submit a number of items to the Texas Education Agency. These items are: 1) a completed 2017–2018 application form, 2) a modified 2017–2018 instructional calendar, and 3) a letter describing the proposed modifications to the instructional calendar that includes a description of the OFYP that will be provided under the TEC, §29.0821. The letter must indicate the date on which the board of trustees approved the modified instructional calendar.

Please take note of the 2017–2018 Student Assessment Testing Calendar and reporting dates when considering the placement of OFYP minutes. OFYP instructional minutes must be scheduled before the last approved state student assessment testing window of the school year.

To participate in the OFYP, your district or charter school must provide no fewer than 75,600 minutes of instruction to students who meet the eligibility criteria stated in the TEC, §29.0821. Approval to modify the number of instructional minutes is limited to one year. If you have questions about the program, please contact Ashley Behnke by email at Ashley.Behnke@tea.texas.gov or by phone at (512) 463-4834.

The rules, application, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the OFYP can be found at http://tea.texas.gov/Finance_and_Grants/State_Funding/Additional_Finance_Resources/Optional__Flexible_Year_Program/.

Sincerely,

 

Al McKenzie
Director, State Funding
AM/ab