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System of Great Schools Newsletter
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From the Support Team
Implementation Roadmaps: We will send roadmap ratings to CIOs and EAs by Friday, Sept. 4, and we look forward to our EA and district check-ins in the next two weeks. The quarterly call with EAs is scheduled for Sept. 10 at 1:00 pm.
CIO Workshops: We are excited about Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) Workshop #1, which will be hosted virtually on Sept. 15 & 17. Workshops in the 2020-21 school year will build off of last year's CIO Bootcamp and are aligned with other TEA-sponsored supports (e.g. TALA). CIO Workshops will provide differentiated support to meet the unique needs of new and advanced SGS Network districts.
Applications to join the SGS Network: We have completed phone interviews and applicants are preparing for readiness assessments, in which the SGS team will meet with district leaders, parents, and students to determine whether each applicant has a likelihood for success in the SGS Network. We will invite select districts to join the Network on Oct. 9.
The TEA's Strong Start resources have been updated to include the following tools, models, and training to support a strong 2020-21 start: |
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The Early Childhood resources include two examples from Lubbock and San Antonio of what education will look like this school year.
TEA launched Project Restore and a trauma-informed training video series designed to address the extraordinary and unprecedented mental health needs caused by Coronavirus. This series will help educators create an environment that jump starts teaching and learning and drives student achievement.
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Updates & Opportunities |
1882 Partnerships Webinars: Districts that intend to submit a Texas Partnerships Benefits Application Package and their proposed or potential operating partners must each attend a mandatory training webinar. The TEA will not accept a Texas Partnerships Benefit application from a district unless the district has attended:
- one training webinar for districts; and
- one training webinar on performance contracts.
Required attendees from the district are the superintendent or a cabinet member. You can register here for District Training option #1, which will occur on Friday, Oct. 2 at 10:00 am. Or you can register here for District Training option #2, which will occur on Friday, Oct. 9 at 10:00 am. Webinars on performance contracts and for operating partners will be held spring 2021. See the July 16 TAA for more information.
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Grants & Resources |
Blended Learning Grant Program: As announced in the Aug. 20th TAA, the TEA is seeking LEAs to award up to 30 Blended Learning Planning Grants of up to $125,000 for Math Innovation Zones and non-math blended learning pilots. Interested districts and charters can locate the application on the TEA Grant Opportunities page and must submit a Letter of Interest by Friday, September 18, 2020.
The Texas Partnerships (SB 1882) webpage has been updated with the most recent list of Texas Partnership campuses, which is also available as a PDF here. Please note that the timeline for districts considering a SY 2021 - 22 Partnership is also posted.
Authorizing Training: NACSA's final two modules in the online authorizing courses are now available! Module 8 provides support on Community Engagement while Module 9 helps attendees understand Due Diligence. An updated 1-pager is available here, the syllabus is here, and you can enroll here.
2020 NACSA Leadership Conference: This year’s NACSA Leadership Conference will run from Oct. 12th to 30th, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. You can register here.
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Network News
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CRPE interviewed 3 Texas partnership districts to examine how they apply tight and loose autonomy in response to Covid-19.
Ft. Worth ISD math teacher Thomas Mayfield partnered with the LAN to make a music video encouraging and inspiring students as they get ready to start virtual learning on Sept. 8.
San Antonio ISD will publish a School Performance Framework this fall and is continuing with their annual Call for Quality Schools.
Lubbock ISD kicked-off its TIA launch with a reception honoring high-performing teachers. Longview and Galveston ISDs have also received provisional TIA approval. See TIAtexas.org for participating districts.
Six SGS districts are examining school finance improvements and Student-Based Budgeting (SBB). Learn more about SBB.
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Dates & Deadlines |
September 4: Roadmap ratings sent to SGS Network districts.
September 7: SAF Implementation & Continuation FITs are due
September 11: Optional Texas Partnership webinar 2 (register)
September 15 & 17: CIO Workshop 1.
September 18: Optional Texas Partnership webinar 3 (register)
September 18: Blended Learning Grant LOI due.
September 25: Optional Texas Partnership webinar 4 (register)
October 2: Required 1882 webinar for districts: option 1 (register)
October 6 & 8: TALA Convening 2
October 9: Required 1882 webinar for districts: option 2 (register)
October 9: Acceptance letters to SGS applicants sent
October 12 - 30: NACSA 2020 Leadership Conference
October 30: Mandatory LOI for 1882 partnerships deadline. (view form)
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Coronavirus Updates |
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath is providing updates to Texas Superintendents each Thursday. Summary debriefs are linked at the bottom of the TEA's Coronavirus webpage. Highlights from the Thursday, September 3rd call is provided below:
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Test-confirmed Case Reporting Requirements: As explained in an August 27 TAA and the most recent Sept. 2nd Public Health FAQ (page 5), schools must submit a report to the Texas Department of State Health Services via their online form when they learn that any teacher, staff member, student, or visitor at a school is test-confirmed to have COVID-19. The report must be submitted each Monday for the prior seven days. See the Case Reporting FAQ for more information.
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CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF): The CARES Act included a fund that state leaders have directed to LEAs for school expenses incurred as of close of business May 20, 2020. LEAs must follow the application process outlined on the Texas Division of Emergency Management's website. As of the end of August, 185 LEAs had created an account to begin the process. Due to the length of the process, LEAs should begin the process immediately to complete the process before the application window closes on Wednesday, September 30.
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Phase-in return to campus: As districts across the state phase-in their return to on-campus instruction, please note the following in the Attendance & Enrollment FAQ (page 7): "In the event a board extends the initial four-week transition, at least some on campus instruction must be provided each day during the extended transition period.” This is a requirement of receiving the remote instruction waiver in the school finance system. If LEAs cannot fulfill this, some aspect of the waiver will be restricted.
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Migrant students: The Federal Funding & Grants FAQ (page 33) has been updated to explain that migrant students can be continuously enrolled in an LEA and continue to receive remote instruction during the pandemic despite being located outside the LEA.
Please visit the TEA's Coronavirus webpage for timely and comprehensive information.
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