Texas anon here - dig on Horizon Montessori Charter Schools

Horizon Montessori Charter School was created in 1998 and is based in Weslaco, TX. The school has active campuses in Harlengen, Weslaco & McAllen, TX (Rio Grande Valley) and appears to be expanding to the Houston suburb of Pearland.

https://www.hmps.net/

https://www.hmps.net/apps/search/?q=Pearland%2C+TX&x=0&y=0

The South Texas Educational Technologies, Inc (STET) is the associated company with same creation date and Principal Officer as Horizon Montessori schools Superintendant/CEO. All aplications and administration appear to be routed through STET.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alim-ansari-5871a234/

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/74-2859107

For the 2015 (most recent on Guidestar) 990 form Part VII (Compensation of Officers, Trustees, Key Employees…) only Mr. Ansari is listed with compensation of $436,980.

Same form, Part VIII (Statement od Revenue)

State (Texas) Revenue was 9,384,993 and Federal revenue was $1,854,547.

Same form, Schedule O: Supplemental Information to Form 990:

"Governing Body & Management: The Charter Holder is the organization that has the Charter from the State of Texas It Has Stockholders whereas the Public School itself has board members.

There are no public elections for the school board members. The Charter Holder picks the members of the Board and the current Board Members vote on their nomination."

https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2016/742/859/2016-742859107-0e041e8b-9.pdf

The only Horizon Montessori /South Texas Educational Technologies Inc Charter information I could find was a draft of a renewal from 2004. It consisted of 179 pages and included names and biographies of Charter applicants. The charter renewal was approved by Texas Education Agency Commisioner on May 13, 2004 (page 178). The document "includes" 12 pages withheld on criminal history checks to concel personal information. http://castro.tea.state.tx.us/charter_apps/content/downloads/Renewals/108802_1.pdf

COMMENT: Based on the available information, in 2015 it appears Mr. Ansari was the sole "stockolder"/Charter holder /CEO-STET/Superintendent of Horizon Montessori schools and was in a position to select board members (unpaid) and determine his own compensation.

Perhaps there have been process changes/rules for Charter schools in Texas, however if not there is a clear and urgent need for better record keeping and oversight IMO.