From the Support Team

Summit 2020: Thank you very much to all Superintendents, board members, CIOs, EA firms, and district staff who attended and presented at our annual Summit! Over 200 of the state's education leaders attended motivating and thoughtful presentations and workshops. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the inspiring remarks by Commissioner Mike Morath and Dr. Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, as well as the insights provided during the Covid response community conversation. All session materials can be found in The Participant Guidebook.

We want to hear from you! Please complete the survey you should have received via email to provide us feedback on Summit. We look forward to integrating your feedback as we plan for our June 2021 Summit.

Lubbock ISD Call for Quality Schools: LISD launched their Call for Quality Schools to identify a partner to open a new school in Fall 2021. LISD is specifically seeking a partner to operate a Recovery School Model for students suffering from substance abuse disorder; this is an exciting and unique opportunity to fill a long-standing need for the Lubbock community. Letters of Intent are due Dec. 11th; please email Dr. Lisa Ramirez. Applications are due Jan. 15. Please email Dr. Ramirez or Maya Lagana at EdFirst with questions.

Staffing Remote & On-Campus Instruction: Are your teachers supporting students who are remote and on-campus in the same class period at the same time? There are alternatives: Split Scheduling, Split Staffing, and Virtual Academy. The TEA's Resilient Schools Strategy team are offering a webinar series on how to stand up these models; recordings are posted to the Strong Start Page. They are also providing additional sessions for anyone who missed the first webinars. Registration links are in the Dates & Deadlines section, below. Email Megha Kansra for more information.

We are Hiring! The Division of System Support and Innovation has two open positions: an SGS Program Specialist and a School Action Fund Manager. If you know anyone who would be a good fit, please forward these opportunities.

Updates & Opportunities

Texas Partnerships: Proposed or potential operating partners of districts that intend to submit a Texas Partnerships Benefits Application Package must each attend a mandatory training webinar. TEA will not accept a Texas Partnerships Benefits application from a district unless a board member or full-time employee their proposed or potential operating partner has attended one webinar for proposed or potential operating partners and one webinar on performance contracts. Registration links are in the Dates & Deadlines section, below.

Grants & Resources

The following grant opportunities may help districts provide the schools that students and families want and need. For more details on state grants, see the TEA Grant Opportunities Page.

The 2021-22 Nita Lowey Cycle 11 Grant ranges from $50,000 to $1.7m and supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours to help children meet state and local student standards in core subjects. A list of eligible campuses and resource documents is available online. Applications are due Thursday, Jan. 7.

Network News

Victoria ISD's Supt. Shepherd published an op-ed on the Honda/Yamaha motorcycle wars.

San Antonio ISD's YWLA and Travis ECHS topped the list of of schools in Children at Risk's regional rankings.

Lubbock ISD Superintendent Kathy Rollo offered an update on LISD's efforts to get keep students on track.

Eight of Midland ISD's campuses will be joining Opportunity Culture in the 2021-22 school year.

Garland ISD launched a 'Super Subs' initiative to help offset GISD's teacher shortage.

Crowley ISD board members delivered a bonus to their educators.

Garland ISD is hiring an Executive Innovation Officer.

Aldine ISD is hiring a School Action Fund Program Manager.

Longview ISD is hiring a Coordinator of Policy & New Schools. See LISD's webpage for information.