FINANCE DIVISION UPDATES:
Charter Schools Facility Funding Brief
A new Charter Schools Facility Funding brief is now available on the State Funding’s School Finance Topics-One Page Descriptions and Charter School Finance webpages. The briefing document provides open-enrollment charter school superintendents, and administrators with summary information on the Charter School Facilities Funding allotment enacted by the 85th Legislature under Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.106(d). While the allotment is not new, this briefing document provides useful background and eligibility information, particularly for new charter school personnel.
SCHOOL SAFETY UPDATES:
School Safety Allotment
The 86th Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 11, which created an annual school safety allotment to help fund equipment, programs, and training related to school safety and security. The 87th Legislature enacted House Bill (HB) 1525, which included a provision requiring TEA to publish an annual report regarding the programs, personnel, resources, and other purposes for which the funds were used by LEAs.
FY 2022 school safety allotment data will be collected by mandatory survey beginning on Thursday, January 5, 2023, and concluding Wednesday, February 8, 2023. To successfully complete the survey, LEAs should review the survey preview and gather and collect information related to all expenditures from their school safety allotment for the 2022 fiscal year. LEAs should complete the FY 2022 School Safety Allotment Survey by 11:59 p.m. CST, Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
For additional information, please see Texas Education Code, Section 48.115.
School Safety Standards Formula Grant
On October 27, 2022, Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick, Speaker Phelan, House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committee Chairs announced $400 million in funding to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to assist school districts in replacing or upgrading doors, windows, fencing, communications, and other safety measures.
The purpose of the 2023-2024 School Safety Standards Formula Grant is to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in meeting the Chapter 61, Sub-chapter CC, 61.1031 of Commissioner's Rules and to include other security related costs like metal detectors, cameras, and monitoring tools such as those allowed under the school safety allotment, the Senate Bill 500 school safety and security grant, and the silent panic alert technology grant.
The 2023-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant application is now available in eGrants. Allocations for eligible applications of the 2023-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant are available and can be viewed on the Entitlements page.
Visit the TEA Grant Opportunities page for detailed information about this grant program. Search for 2023-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant application. Additional information on how to apply for a grant is available on the Applying for a Grant page.
The Applicant Designation and Certification (ADC) form must be submitted before the grant application is available in eGrants. The purpose of the Applicant Designation and Certification Form (ADC) is to manage your shared services arrangements in the application and to indicate how you will apply for funds for each fund source in the application. To access the ADC, log into TEAL and select eGrants as the application. Once in eGrants, click on Grants on the menu bar.
Eligible applicants must apply through the eGrants system by 5:00 p.m. Central Time, February 17, 2023.
Please see the below contacts for questions regarding various components of 2023-2025 School Safety Standards Grant program:
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Grant Contact
- For questions regarding the grant program, eligibility, application, or any other grant-related questions please contact Nick Davis (nick.davis@tea.texas.gov).
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Safety Standards and Program Contact
- For questions regarding the School Safety Standards rule and uses of funds please contact Dr. Brooks Straub (SafeSchools@tea.texas.gov).
For additional information on the ADC or grant application, contact your assigned negotiator listed on the Grant Administration Division Contacts page.
School Safety Standards Implementation Costs Survey
On December 8, 2022, TEA released a School Safety Standards Cost Estimates Collection Survey to ensure that TEA has a complete understanding of the financial impact of the implementation of the rule. All school systems that need to upgrade facilities to meet the School Safety Standards are highly encouraged to complete the survey.
- School systems should include work already completed from June 1, 2022, to the present to implement the rule.
- School systems should complete all survey fields as accurately as possible and should include in each section actual money spent or contract bid amounts received, where applicable.
School systems are reminded to complete the survey no later than February 10, 2023.
A PDF preview of the survey is available prior to completing the Qualtrics survey.
PERFORMANCE REPORTING UPDATES:
A–F Accountability
In order to align letter grades and scores used in the A–F academic accountability system to the common conception of letter grades, raw domain and component scores are adjusted or “scaled.” Cut scores related to the 2023 A–F accountability system refresh are available, as well as scaling resources and 2023 scaled score lookup tables for domain and domain component scores are listed on the following link.
Additionally, the Preliminary 2023 A–F System Framework has continued to progress based on stakeholder feedback and detailed modeling since the updated version was released in November 2022. More recent updates are outlined in January Updates to Preliminary A–F Refresh Framework and are available on 2023 Accountability Development Materials website.
The 2023 Accountability Manual will be published in proposed form in spring 2023 for additional feedback prior to becoming rule in summer 2023.
Amendment to the State’s ESSA State Plan
As described in the January 2, 2023 To The Administrator Addressed, TEA intends to submit an amendment to the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan to adjust the methodology and targets within the Closing the Gaps domain in alignment with the refresh. A detailed summary of the proposed Closing the Gaps changes and a full draft of the ESSA amendment with changes highlighted is available here.
Assessment Scoring and Reporting
STAAR Interim Assessments Update
Scoring rubrics are now available in the Central Reporting System (CRS) for all Window 1 and 2 STAAR Interim items. Window 3 is scheduled for January 10 through April 14, 2023, for mathematics and reading language arts assessments. Window 2 for science and social studies assessments will remain open through April 14, 2023. Testing personnel can now create test sessions for Window 3 interim assessments.
For more information on how to create test sessions, refer to the Test Delivery System (TDS) User Guide.
New Family Portal
As a reminder, Cambium Assessment, Inc. (CAI) will begin hosting the Family Portal for the Texas Assessment Program beginning on January 2, 2023. The Family Portal is a tool for families to access their child’s test results for STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate. Confidential student access codes will not be changing with the new portal.
Districts may provide parents with access to the Family Portal via their district Student Information System (SIS). If your district uses a SIS, refer to the new Family Portal card on the Testing Personnel page of the Texas Assessment website to enable SSO integration with the Family Portal. If your district uses a SIS vendor, contact the SIS vendor to ensure that the link has been updated and is properly routed to the new Family Portal.
TIDE users can view confidential student access codes for the Family Portal from the View/Edit/Export Students page. Additionally, TIDE users with specific permissions may generate a report for their campus or district through the Generate Access Code List option in the Family Portal Access panel under the After Testing section in TIDE. Results for the December 2022 STAAR administration are scheduled to be available in the new Family Portal on January 24.
New Learning Management System
As a reminder, a new Learning Management System (LMS) for the Texas Assessment Program is scheduled to launch on Monday, January 2, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. (CT). The new LMS is accessed using a single sign-on authentication through Texas Information Distribution Engine (TIDE). When you log in to the LMS on January 2, you will be automatically directed to the new site. Highlights of the new LMS are listed below.
- A personalized learner homepage provides users with all their information in one place.
- A new manager homepage provides an intuitive interface that allows users to quickly find what they are looking for.
- Reporting pages provide consolidated views of progress and easy-to-read detailed reports.
For questions or assistance regarding the information in this communication, contact Texas Testing Support at 833-601-8821, TexasTestingSupport@cambiumassessment.com, or TexasAssessment.gov via live chat.
SPECIAL POPULATIONS DIVISION UPDATES:
Innovative Services to Students with Autism Grant Award
The purpose of this grant opportunity is to increase capacity across Texas schools to implement innovative programs that effectively serve students with autism ages 3-21. This grant will be available to Texas school districts and open-enrollment charters, with priority given to collaborations across local education agencies (LEAs). Note that this is a new competition, so if your LEA was not awarded grant funds last year, we encourage you to apply again. The application window is February 1 - March 3, 2023. Visit the Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant Award Program webpage for additional information and to complete the short Intent to Apply form.
Dyslexia Grant Award Program
Don't miss out on the opportunity to apply for the new 2023-2024 Dyslexia Grant Award Program to increase your LEA's capacity to appropriately serve students with dyslexia. LEAs can apply for grant funding to provide:
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high-quality training to classroom teachers and administrators in meeting the needs of students with dyslexia and/or
- training to intervention staff resulting in appropriate credentialing related to dyslexia.
All LEAs who are not current recipients of the 2022-2024 two-year Dyslexia Grant Award Program are eligible to apply for this one-year grant opportunity. The application window is January 25 - February 24, 2023. Visit the Dyslexia Grant Award Program webpage for more information.
GOVERNANCE DIVISION UPDATES:
2022-2023 Assignment of Accreditation Statuses
The assignment of district and charter school accreditation statuses is authorized by Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 39, Public School System Accountability, and 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 97, Planning and Accountability, Subchapter EE, Accreditation Status, Standards, and Sanctions. The rules define the accreditation statuses of Accredited, Accredited-Warned, Accredited-Probation, and Not Accredited-Revoked and describe how accreditation statuses are determined and assigned. These rules may be viewed at the Texas Administrative Code link available at https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/ch097ee.pdf, and additional information regarding the assignment of accreditation statuses to districts and charter schools can be found on the Accreditation Status homepage of the Texas Education Agency (TEA or agency) website at http://tea.texas.gov/accredstatus/.
The purpose of this letter is to notify districts and charter schools that, under the authority of TEC §39.051 and §39.052 and 19 TAC §97.1055, TEA will assign accreditation statuses for the 2022-2023 year. Accreditation statuses will be posted publicly to the TEA website on February 9, 2023, on the Accreditation Status homepage at http://tea.texas.gov/accredstatus/. When accessing the website, users will be able to sort accreditation results by clicking on a grid column heading to sort ascending or descending. Additionally, the results may be filtered using the search feature or by selecting pre-defined values from the column pick lists. Background information regarding the assignment of accreditation statuses will also be posted.
Prior to the 2022-2023 public posting of statuses, districts and charter schools will be able to view their individual accreditation status by accessing the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application through the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) application at https://tealprod.tea.state.tx.us. Accreditation statuses will be posted to ISAM on February 2, 2023, and the assigned status will be displayed in an information panel on the Event Summary screen.
Districts and charter schools that are assigned a status of Accredited are not required to take any specific action. However, districts and charter schools that are assigned a status of Accredited-Warned, Accredited-Probation, or Not Accredited-Revoked must take specific actions to notify the parents of students enrolled in the district or charter school and property owners in the district. The requirements for public notification are specified in 19 TAC §97.1055(f), and a template that reflects the TEA-required format and language for the public notice is posted to the TEA website at http://tea.texas.gov/accredstatus/. Districts and charter schools with an accreditation status below Accredited may be subject to additional accreditation sanctions as referenced in 19 TAC Chapter 97, Planning and Accountability, Subchapter EE. Districts and charter schools that are assigned a status of Accredited-Warned, Accredited-Probation, or Not Accredited-Revoked will receive individual correspondence from the agency detailing required next steps and opportunities for review of the status assignment.
We appreciate the ongoing support of districts and charter schools as the agency continues to implement accreditation requirements. If, after reviewing the TEA website, you have questions regarding the assignment of accreditation statuses to school districts or charter schools, please contact your regional education service center or the Division of Accreditation at (512) 463-5899 or via e-mail at accred@tea.texas.gov.
2023–24 Lone Star Governance Exemplar Cohort
The data is clear: good governance relates to higher student performance. The LSG Exemplar Cohort is a one-year program designed to unleash the strategic impact of your board-superintendent team. By the end of your yearlong LSG experience, your governance team will have mastered connecting the dots from mindset to vision, goals, and progress monitoring, leading to improved student outcomes.
More information on the Lone Star Governance Exemplar Cohorts is available on the LSG Exemplar Cohort page.
The opportunity to submit your letter of interest for the Lone Star Governance (LSG) Exemplar Cohort for the 2023–24 school year is fast approaching. Look for an announcement coming soon.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Extension of Year Three USDE ESSER Annual Performance Reporting
Extension of Year Three USDE ESSER Annual Performance Reporting
Following USDE information on Year Three ESSER Annual Performance Reporting, TEA is granting an extension for LEAs to submit their data for Year Three reporting to February 24, 2023 at 11:59PM CST. The USDE ESSER Reporting WorkApp will be closed for data submission at that time. TEA will then conduct a data quality analysis, and reach out to LEAs as necessary.
Continuation of ESSER Reporting Office Hours
TEA staff will continue to host office hours starting February 6th, and will host these every Monday and Friday:
USDE ESSER Reporting Workapp and Help Form
LEAs and ESCs can access the USDE ESSER Reporting Workapp by using this link. Please submit your questions utilizing the Help Form on the ESSER Reporting WorkApp.
Nominate a Student Volunteer for the 2023 Student Heroes Award
The State Board of Education (SBOE) is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Student Heroes Award. The Student Heroes Award program recognizes Texas public school students in prekindergarten through high school who voluntarily work to assist or benefit their fellow Texas students. Student volunteers possess enormous passion and talents that are displayed in numerous ways. Actions of past recipients include organizing a project that distributed 350 care bags to the homeless and unsheltered, advocating for safe teen driving by successfully promoting an app, establishing a foundation to provide support to cancer patients and their families while receiving treatment, collecting supplies for disaster relief in hard-hit areas, and launching an organization dedicated to spreading awareness about mental health. Up to 15 students – one per State Board of Education district – may receive the award each year. Anyone may nominate a Texas public school student for the award. Award requirements include the following:
- The service, assistance, and/or good deed must be voluntary and not part of any curriculum, graduation requirement, class, or community project.
- The service, assistance, and/or good deed must benefit other students in Texas, either individually or collectively.
- The benefit may be to students of one campus, district, or community.
Nominations will be accepted through March 31, 2023, at 5 p.m. (CST). Recipients of the Student Heroes awards will be announced in June. A plaque and medal will be awarded to each Student Hero by his or her State Board of Education member. Nomination forms and program guidelines are available at https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news- and-multimedia/awards/student-heroes-award. The online nomination form can be accessed directly at https://form.jotform.com/TXEd/student-hero- nomination-form. For more information, please email heroes@tea.texas.gov or call (512) 463-9007.
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