Accountability
America is in a state of moral decline where many consider lying, cheating, unkindness, laziness, and self-deception to be acceptable. Children sometimes come from environments that allow them to be irresponsible by making immoral choices while protecting them from receiving consequences. At Bright Ideas it is essential that children learn quickly to be responsible for their words and actions so that they can take control of their lives and have input into their own learning. Responsibility is required, not a choice. Our Accountability Code clearly delineates the level of morally responsible behavior that is required in our school's community, and the consequences that are applied when that behavior is not forthcoming.

Nearly every child that comes into Bright Ideas is a child addicted to power, used to getting his way by controlling others. This natural desire that a child has to control his own environment sometimes has been perverted into the child controlling the adults with his behavior. At Bright Ideas we use his natural desire to control to teach him to control himself. We teach children to be inner-directed, yet we avoid the chaos of irresponsible choice-making by giving them the power to make decisions about their own lives. Within limits, children are given choices in how to behave and how to learn.

The Accountability Code below lists our goals of responsibility, the freedoms that living up to those responsibilities allows, and specific violations of the Code. Bright Ideas reserves the right to amend the Code as needed.

Download the entire Accountability Code for Bright Ideas School (Adobe Acrobat file).

Download the School Policy for Bright Ideas School (Adobe Acrobat file).

Download the Student Handbook for Bright Ideas School 2007-2008 (Adobe Acrobat file).

Concurrent enrollment at Midwestern State University or VRJC
Students are encouraged to accelerate through grade levels until a challenging level is met. Most students have accelerated to their challenge level before they reach high school. Another option for high school acceleration is concurrent enrollment with Midwestern State University or Vernon Regional Junior College. Concurrent enrollment means that high school and college credit is given for courses taken at MSU. Students must have sufficiently high scores on the ACT or SAT, good attendance, be self-directed, and pass the TASP to be allowed to enroll concurrently. Students must also maintain at least a B average at MSU or VRJC and Bright Ideas. All high school students take advantage of this option, and graduate from Bright with a minimum of 22 high school credits and a variable number of college hours.

Concurrently enrolled students will meet regularly in group sessions with an advisor at BICS. The goal of these sessions will be to assist students in making a successful transition from high school into college. Specifically, we will help them understand what to expect in the college environment, equip them with the necessary organizational, study, and time management skills, and help them to identify when they may be in trouble and how to go about getting the necessary help. A student's continued concurrent enrollment will be contingent upon progress toward meeting requirements of high school credits, academic core, or declared major.

Being concurrently enrolled allows students to start college early while still getting support from Bright Ideas' programs. This encourages Bright Ideas and MSU to work together to make sure that students are prepared for success. The support system and early success in college increases the likelihood that students will graduate with a degree. To further support a seamless entry into college, students concurrently enrolled at MSU or VRJC have half their tuition paid BICS until graduation from high school. MSU also gives the students a small scholarship and the state pays for most of the book fees.

Passing and graduation standards
Students must pass the TAAS and their courses to pass to the next grade level. Students who fail either are allowed to retest on TAAS and to take Credit by Exams for courses failed. Summer school is also available to make up work not done, or to redo failed work, so that no learning is missed.

To graduate from Bright Ideas Charter, students must have the required credits for a Texas diploma, pass the TAAS EXIT, and pass the TASP, which is the state's college entrance exam, or state-approved equivalent.