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Museum School applicants detail enrollment targets, contingency reserves and grant pipeline to TEA
Summary
Applicants told TEA they plan to open with ~202 students (K–4) and grow to 450 by year five; the budget includes a contingency reserve (about $107,000 in year 1) and multiple grant/loan applications, and applicants described phased cost controls if enrollment falls below projections.
Applicants for the Museum School of East Dallas told TEA on May 14 they plan to serve 202 students in kindergarten through fourth grade in year one and to expand to a single K–8 campus with a maximum enrollment of 450 by year five.
“Enrollment variability poses a significant risk to new charter schools,” said a member of the applicant team; Lauren Coleman and the proposed finance lead described a conservative budget with a contingency reserve that the team said increases from 2% in year 0 to 5% in year 1, which they said equates to roughly $107,000 in year one as an initial cushion.
TEA financial reviewers pressed the applicants on a hypothetical “what if” scenario in which the school opened with about 100 students. The applicants said the budget would require phased cost controls and prioritized measures aimed at preserving instruction and staff: use of contingency reserves, renegotiation of facility agreements to as‑used terms, postponing nonessential travel and contracted services, and pursuing emergency grants and philanthropic support.
Applicants reported an $80,000 board pledge and listed multiple grant and loan applications in process, all contingent on charter approval: Charter School Growth Fund ($250,000 across three years), Hoglund Foundation ($30,000), Camelback Ventures ($40,000), New Schools Venture Fund ($215,000), Z Combinator ($10,000), and Building Hope (loan, pending). They said many grant prospects require charter approval to release funds.
On recruitment, applicants said they have already exceeded interest levels in pilot camps and estimated about 50% of year‑one seats currently have intent‑to‑enroll indicators. The board described a multi‑quarter enrollment plan (intent drives to enrolled, platform set‑up, in‑person canvassing and lotteries if oversubscribed) and said monthly data reporting to the board would determine corrective actions.
Applicants said they would not default to cutting instructional staff quickly; instead, they would increase class sizes within legal limits and reduce nonessential expenditures first. The TEA reviewers recorded these contingency strategies and asked for further documentation in post‑interview follow up.
