July 9th SGS Newsletter

Texas Education Agency sent this bulletin at 07/09/2020 02:48 PM CDT

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System of Great Schools Newsletter

July 9, 2020

From the Support Team

Returning SGS Districts: The updated Roadmap and Rubric were sent to CIOs and Executive Advisors (EA) on June 30 to facilitate kickoff meetings in which district leaders and EA firms will define a clear vision for SGS implementation for the next four years. Please complete the Roadmap by August 14.

New SGS Districts: The application for districts interested in joining the SGS Network was published July 1 and is due Friday, August 14. Download the Word application or see the July 1 webinar recording to learn more. Please feel free to share this information with interested district leaders or contact Christopher.Dewitt@tea.texas.gov with questions.

Updates & Opportunities

CIO Bootcamp #4 Dates: We are excited to gather virtually for our fourth CIO workshop at the end of this month! The dates and times are now finalized: Monday, July 27, from 1 - 4 p.m. and on Tuesday, July 28, from 1 - 4 p.m. Calendar invites will be sent this week; the agenda and pre-work will be sent next week.

Grants & Resources

Executive Advisor (EA) Firm Handbook: The SGS EA Firm Handbook has been published to give greater clarity and support to EAs regarding their role in advising district leaders on how to implement the SGS Theory of Action.

School Action Fund: On June 23, our team hosted a webinar, which is available online, introducing School Actions and the application process. Applications are due Tuesday, July 14. Please see the Program Guidelines for the Planning Grant and Implementation Grant for details.

Authorizing Training: To implement SGS sub-lever 2.1, district leaders build their capacity to implement high-quality authorizing practices. One way to do this is to complete NACSA's online authorizing courses. To learn more, please click here. To enroll, fill out this form and NACSA staff will reply to provide you support.

Good News

Beaumont ISD will discuss draft re-opening plans in a July 16 meeting.

Ft. Worth ISD parents are registering for in-person or remote instruction. In addition, the board appointed David Saenz as Chief of Innovation!

Lubbock ISD will offer parents in-person and remote instruction.

Midland ISD's approved budget includes substantial efforts to retain effective teachers, and turnover is down 40%.

San Antonio ISD's board approved their budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Victoria ISD's board voted to establish their HB 3 CCM-R, math, and reading proficiency goals. In addition, VISD hired an ED of Talent Acquisition, Support, and Retention.

Dates to Note

July 14: School Action Fund Cycle 4 application is due.

July 27-28: CIO Bootcamp #4 will meet from 1 - 4 p.m.

August 14: Application to join SGS Network is due.

COVID-19 Updates

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath is providing weekly updates to Texas Superintendents. Summaries of updates since the last SGS newsletter on June 25 are below.

Tuesday, July 7th:

• Public Health Guidance: An FAQ on school operations was published. Critical topics included: in-person attendance, a back-to-campus phase-in, preventative mitigation, notification requirements in the event of an outbreak, and social distancing recommendations.

• Attendance & Enrollment: The FAQ has been updated to align with the public health guidance. Importantly, the FAQ clarifies that campus instruction must be offered each day for each parent who wants it in order to generate funding for remote instruction.

Tuesday, June 30th:

• Remote Instruction: The FAQ has been updated to clarify that remote instruction may be funded for students who are absent for any reason.

• PEIMS Reporting: The TEA published a preliminary report on the share of students who were contactable and engaged in the final months of the 2019-20 school year. For more info, see the PEIMS Reporting FAQ.

• TexasHomeLearning: Digital Speech Therapy resources have been updated. College Bridge, which prepares recent high school graduates for college, has also been updated.

• Pandemic EBT: The application window for P-EBT benefits has been extended through July 31. In addition, the USDA has provided five waivers regarding food delivery and nutrition for the 20-21 school year to provide flexibility for meal pick-up and delivery.

Please visit the TEA's Coronavirus webpage for comprehensive information.