April 2024 Authorizing Newsletter

Texas Education Agency sent this bulletin at 04/03/2024 03:15 PM CDT

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Department of Authorizing and Policy

April 2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EVENTS & DEADLINES

April 2024
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FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK

We are excited to announce that the proposed revision of 19 TAC Chapter 100 rules was posted in the Texas Register on March 15th! The proposed rules can be found at Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 100, Charters, Subchapter AA, Commissioner's Rules Concerning Open-Enrollment Charter Schools.

The public comment period is open until April 15th . A form for submitting public comments is available on the proposed commissioner of education rules web page.

Thanks to so many of you for providing helpful feedback that was invaluable during the revision process, and we encourage you to use the public comment form to provide any additional feedback during the public comment period.

The rule effective date is June 25, 2024, and we will be providing additional guidance to operators once the rules go into effect.

As always, you can email, call, or text me with any questions or concerns.

                                                                                                                      - Marian
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UPDATES FROM THE AUTHORIZING DIVISION

2024-2025 Charter School Program (Subchapter C and D) Grant

TEA has posted the Request for Application for the 2024-2025 Charter School Program (Subchapter C and D) competitive grant. Eligible applicants include:

  • Open-enrollment charter school campuses designated by the commissioner of education, for the 2023–2024, 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 school year, as a high-quality campus pursuant to the 19 TAC, Chapter 100, Subchapter AA §§100.1033(b)(9) and 100.1033(b)(13) and emergency rule §100.1020 under Texas Education Code (TEC) §12.1141.
  • A campus charter school authorized by the local board of trustees pursuant to TEC, Chapter 12, Subchapter C, on or before April 15, 2024, as a new charter school, or as a charter school that is designed to replicate a new charter school campus, based on the educational model of an existing high-quality charter school, and that submits all required documentation as stated in this RFA.

Open-enrollment charter schools submitting an expansion amendment request and corresponding application for high-quality campus designation for the 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 school year by May 6, 2024, are considered eligible to apply for the grant. The commissioner must approve the expansion amendment request and designate the campus as a high-quality campus prior to the charter receiving grant funding, if awarded. It is important to note that any charter school that does not open prior to Wednesday, September 3, 2025, after having been awarded grant funds, may be required to forfeit any remaining grant funds, and may be required to reimburse any expended amounts to TEA.

The grant application and all required attachments must be submitted by May 6, 2024, to be considered for scoring and award. The grant period will be July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. Applicants that meet the cut score can expect awards of up to $900,000. It is anticipated that approximately 14 grants will be awarded. Please review the RFA on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page for complete eligibility requirements, program elements, and grant timeline.

To help answer any question regarding the CSP grant, we have established office hours as follows:

April 11, 2024
Optional CSP Office Hours, 3:30 p.m. Central Time
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0udOyprz0iH9Ln_ZC9cPMORrSTS5NFFOdK

April 16, 2024
Optional CSP Office Hours, 1:00 p.m. Central Time
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIldOCgpjMjE9Ap3_OHwaNEmUt8dH8osdEv

AskTED Updates 

Thanks to everyone who has recently used our All-In-One Form to provide updates to AskTED. During the month of August alone our charter portfolio coordinators processed 1,786 individual AskTED requests through this new process!  

Did you know that the All-In-One form can also be used to do the following: 

  • Request a campus number for a new campus 
  • Verify information about a new campus or site 
  • Update governance information, including superintendent and governance board member changes 
  • Update other charter information that does not require an amendment 

Because the information in AskTED is used by the agency as the source of contact information for staff that are in various roles, it’s vital that this information is up to date.  In addition, it’s important for you to check to see that the information is correct (name spelled correctly, correct email address) so staff contacts don’t miss important communications from the agency. 

When you send an AskTED update using the All-In-One form, you should expect that the information will be updated in AskTED by the end of the next business day.  After that time, please check to verify that the information is updated correctly. If you notice that the information is not correct, please reach out directly to your school’s portfolio coordinator. 

Please note that some AskTED roles are required by statute for every Texas LEA, including: 

  • Cybersecurity Coordinator  
  • Foster Care Liaison  
  • Homeless Liaison  
  • Transition & Employment Designee 

In addition, there can only be one individual assigned to each campus principal role (assistant principals are not captured in AskTED), and there can only be one individual assigned to the superintendent role as well as the testing coordinator role at the LEA level.  Most other roles, including PEIMS coordinator, may have more than one individual assigned.

Amendment and Renewal Update

In order to continue to make thoughtful amendment and renewal decisions, TEA has filed an emergency rule to allow the agency to consider scale scores for determining academically acceptable performance when ratings are not available. 

Texas Education Agency filed 19 TAC 100.1020 on an emergency basis on Monday, February 5th. The rule goes into effect immediately and remains in effect for 120 days. The details of the rule are included below. 

The purpose of this rule is to allow TEA to review and verify 2023 scale scores internally before granting or denying 2024 amendments or making 2024 renewal determinations. 

If a school has questions regarding expedited expansion or high-quality designation amendments, please reach out to your portfolio coordinator in the Division of Authorizing. 

Emergency Rule Text

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) adopts on an emergency basis new §100.1020, concerning determination of academic accountability. The new section implements the requirements of Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.1141, Renewal of Charter; Denial of Renewal; Expiration, which requires the commissioner to adopt a procedure for renewal, denial of renewal, or expiration of a charter for an open-enrollment charter school at the end of the term of the charter; and TEC, §12.114, Revision, which requires the commissioner to provide to the charter holder written notice of approval or disapproval of an expansion amendment not later than the 60th day after the date that a charter holder submits a completed request for approval for an expansion amendment. 

The new section is adopted on an emergency basis to take effect immediately. As a result of a court order enjoining the commissioner of education from issuing A-F academic accountability ratings for the 2022-2023 school year, TEA, pursuant to Texas Government Code, §2001.034, is adopting this emergency rule on fewer than 30 days' notice in order to comply with requirements of state law found in TEC, Chapter 12, and its associated rules. 

STATUTORY AUTHORITY. The new section is adopted under Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.114, which requires the commissioner to provide to the charter holder written notice of approval or disapproval of an expansion amendment not later than the 60th day after the date that a charter holder submits a completed request for approval for an expansion amendment; and §12.1141, which requires the commissioner to adopt a procedure for renewal, denial of renewal, or expiration of a charter for an open-enrollment charter school at the end of the term of the charter. 

CROSS REFERENCE TO STATUTE. The new section implements Texas Education Code, §12.114 and 12.1141. 

100.1020. Determination of Academic Accountability.

If academic ratings are not issued for any reason, scaled scores may be used to determine "academically acceptable" and "academically unacceptable" performance.

New Campus Activations

Are you scheduled to open a new campus in August 2024?  On Monday, April 15, your portfolio coordinator will send an email reminder with the All In One form link included to charters with campuses opening in August 2024 who have not yet requested a campus number for that campus. The campus number can be requested using the All In One form.  The deadline to submit the form requesting the number(s) is May 1, 2024.

On July 1 we will send the All In One form link to charters with campuses opening to submit the Certificate of Occupancy for that campus if they haven’t already completed it. Charters will also complete the verification of campus information (opening date, address, grade levels served) if they haven’t already.

We Are Hiring - Director of Policy and Operations

The Department of Authorizing and Policy is hiring a Director of Policy and Operations. This position plays a critical leadership role in the department serving as the leader for all department policy matters related to the legislature, rule-making, and the State Board of Education. The director also provides support and leads efforts that maximize processes and builds a strong and inclusive team culture to help the Department of Authorizing and Policy achieve agency and department-level goals. This includes monitoring performance against objectives, providing regular feedback to division and department leadership, planning for and facilitating collaborative meeting structures, and ensuring strong communication structures and routines with staff. Work involves managing the department’s budgets, supervising department-wide Public Information Act response functions, supervising rule coordination, publishing required annual reports, as well as coordination and analysis of legislative and SBOE items. 

The Director of Authorizing Operations will work closely with the Deputy Associate Commissioner of Authorizing and Policy on priority projects and initiatives to strategically align resources, as well as provide leadership and coordination to improve systems and processes to enhance department operations. The Director of Policy and Operations will work under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement, reporting directly to the Deputy Associate Commissioner.

Interested in this important role?  You can learn more and apply for the position at this link.

Personal Note from Bruce Marchand

My last day as charter portfolio manager with the agency will be April 12, 2024. After 43 years in Texas public education, I’m finding I need time to take care of some family responsibilities that come with this phase of life. 

It has been an immense privilege to cultivate long-lasting relationships with so many of you through my work as a charter superintendent and in my roles at TPCSA and TEA. While I will miss our day-to-day interactions, I am encouraged by the fact that our portfolio is buoyed up by an amazing cadre of talented operators and supported by organizations such as TPCSA, our service centers, and our talented legal firms.

As we discussed in operator councils last week, in addition to the Portfolio Manager role, the Department of Authorizing and Policy will be looking to hire a Director of Charter Authorizing, so if you are interested or know someone interested in either of these positions, please let Marian know. In the meantime, our Director of Resources and Supports, Natalie Elliott, will be overseeing the portfolio team, so please feel free to copy Natalie on any communications you have with your portfolio coordinators.
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CHARTER SCHOOL TOOLBOX
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   Charter Renewal Information

    Charter School Admission Application Forms

   Charter School Amendments and Waivers

   Charter School Governance Information

NEWS FROM AROUND THE AGENCY

News from the State Board of Education

Nominations Open for 2024 Student Heroes Award  

AUSTIN, Texas – February 19, 2024 – The State Board of Education (SBOE) today announced the opening of the nomination window for the 2024 Student Heroes Award.  

Approved by the SBOE in 2015, the Student Heroes Award highlights Texas public school students participating in impactful volunteer service in their communities. Since the award’s inception, nearly 120 Texas public school students with a heart for service have been named Student Heroes. Fifteen students - one per State Board district - receive the award each year, with contributions ranging from initiating inclusive programs for seniors and students with disabilities to facilitating fundraisers for kids receiving medical treatment.   

The SBOE encourages students, teachers, administrators, and community members to nominate any Texas public school students who exemplify the core value of selfless service. To be eligible for nomination, service projects performed by nominees must be voluntary and not associated with any curriculum requirement, school service project, or pre-existing community program. Winners will receive a plaque and a medal from their district’s SBOE member during an awards presentation held at their school. 

Nominations will close on May 4th. More information is available in the nomination guidelines.   

Online Nomination Form 

For questions or additional support, email heroes@tea.texas.gov or call the SBOE Support office at (512) 463-9007. 

News from the Highly Mobile and At-Risk Student Programs Unit

Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (TEHCY)

The links for the spring TEHCY program professional development opportunities are now available! More information about these offerings is included in the HMAR Training section below. Brand new for this Spring for the first time, TEA will offer a Funding & Sustainability training that will help LEAs and ESCs plan strategically for sustainability and consider funding and data needs to support program continuity. We look forward to serving you this spring!

FAFSA

Additionally, it’s important to know that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been updated and released as of January 2024. You can find the full updates on the Federal Student Aid USDE website. As a reminder, the McKinney-Vento Act requires school counselors to assist all students experiencing homelessness with college preparation and readiness. Additionally, LEA (Local Educational Agency) McKinney-Vento Liaisons must inform unaccompanied homeless youth about their independent student status on the FAFSA and assist with verification of that status. Texas Education Agency (TEA) has a Sample FAFSA Verification Form for LEA McKinney-Vento Liaisons located on the TEHCY webpage. 

Unaccompanied homeless youth will no longer need to verify their FAFSA independent status on a yearly basis. Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA form, applicants will have their answer to the homeless question carried over to subsequent award years.

For more information visit School House Connection recorded webinar The 2024-2025 FAFSA: Helping Homeless and Foster Youth

Heads up! TEHCY ARP I and ARP II Grantees:

We made changes to ARP I and ARP II Program Guidelines through Errata's that were released December 13, 2023. These changes align with the September 12, 2023 USDE guidance that expanded allowable use of funds and activities possible under these grants.

Check out TEA Grant Opportunities and links below for more information:

2021-2024 ARP Homeless I-TEHCY Supplemental Grant - Errata #1

2021-2024 ARP Homeless II Federal Grant - Errata #1

Foster Care and Student Success

Students placed in the care of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) can happen at any time in the school year. It is imperative that LEAs and foster care stakeholders are clear on statutory requirements regarding the identification and accurate PEIMS coding of students in foster care. Below are some frequently asked questions and import reminders to support proper identification of students, during school transitions:

  1. If students leave foster care within the school year, do they remain coded for the remainder of the year in PEIMS?
  2. A. Yes, when a student receives the Foster Care PEIMS Indicator Code, the student remains coded the full school year and summer months even if the student leaves foster care within the school year.
  3. If a student remains in foster care, does the foster care indicator carry over from year-to-year?
  4. No. The Foster Care Indicator code does not carry over from year to year. A student’s time in DFPS Managing Conservatorship is temporary. The student must be re-identified in PEIMS at the beginning of each school year.

More information on this topic can be found in the Foster Care and Student Success Guide, Chapter 7, page 81. Additionally, here is a related pdf and video training.

In addition to these frequently asked questions, we also wanted to provide some additionally important foster care reminders:

  • Maintain confidentiality of students’ information.
  • Take time to build relationships and establish trust with students in foster care.
  • Be mindful of the impact that family-based school programs and activities have on students.
  • Be aware of the reasons why a student in foster care may miss school.
  • Provide students with choices and include them in decision-making.
  • Promote information related to foster care and activities, supports, resources, and scholarships available in school counseling centers, public places, district website, and student portals.

For more information, see the Foster Care and Student Success Guide, Chapter 11, page 115.

Pregnancy Related Services (New Resource!)

Pregnancy Related Services has recently released an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Within this FAQ, the discussed topics are program information, attendance requirements, Special Education and McKinney-Vento. We hope to clear up some of the complexities that can occur when interpreting federal and state laws along with the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook concerning this student group.

If you have any program information questions about PRS, please email pregnancyrelatedservices@tea.texas.gov. If you have any financial compliance questions, please contact christina.page@tea.texas.gov.

Military Interstate Compact

Texas is home to nearly 200,000 military-connected students across all regions of the state. Did you know there is a Military Interstate Compact that requires all Texas schools to support military children when they transfer schools? Specifically, the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Military Compact) exists to strengthen transitions and close educational gaps as military families and their children move to a new school district in a member state.

The Military Compact applies to the dependents of active-duty servicemembers, National Guard and Reserve, on active-duty orders, and uniformed members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). Additionally, the children of veterans who are medically discharged or retired and servicemembers who die while on active duty are eligible under the Compact for a period of one year following the service member's discharge or death.  Texas has been a member of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) since 2009. The Compact is codified in state law in Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 162.

As of 2014, all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, have joined the Military Compact. The Military Compact rules have the force and effect of state statute. For this reason, it is vitally important that LEA and ESC staff, parents, installation personnel, and other school stakeholders become familiar with the aspects of the Military Compact. The MIC3 rules are available on the MIC3 website

MIC3 Compact 101 Asynchronous Virtual Training Available *New Resource*

The national MIC3 training office has announced the creation of a new asynchronous Compact 101 virtual training that covers a variety of topics including:

  • Educational records and enrollment
  • Course and program placement and attendance
  • Eligibility (student enrollment and extracurricular participation)
  • Graduation and more

The national MIC3 training office has announced the creation of a new asynchronous Compact 101 virtual training that covers a variety of topics including:

  • Educational records and enrollment
  • Course and program placement and attendance
  • Eligibility (student enrollment and extracurricular participation)
  • Graduation and more

Registration is easy and the course can be taken on demand anytime or anywhere for FREE! For more information or to register for the asynchronous Compact 101 training, please visit the MIC3 Training Portal. Please note that documented training of the Compact 101 course by LEA staff members satisfies one of the five Purple Star Campus Designation criteria requirements.

Upcoming Training and Events

  • Highly Mobile and At-Risk Student Programs Unit Webinars:
    • May 2, 2024 | 1:00pm-2:30pm | Register
  • Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Presentations:
    • McKinney Vento 201 | April 11, 2024 | 11:00am-1:00pm | Register
    • TEHCY/ARP Homeless I & II Grant Coffee Chat | April 18, 2024 | 1:00pm-2:30pm
    • TEHCY Office Hours | April 25, 2024 | 12:00pm-1:00pm
  • Foster Care Presentations:
    • Association for Compensatory Educators of Texas (ACET), April 2-5, 2024, San Antonio, TX | Information
    • Foster Care Office Hour | April 24, 2024 | 10:00am-11:00am
  • Military Connected Students Webinars and Presentations:
    • Purple Star Campus Designation Application Training #2 | April 11, 2024 | 1:00pm-2:30pm | Register 

Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program - HomelessEducation@tea.texas.gov

Foster Care and Student Success - FosterCareLiaison@tea.texas.gov

Pregnancy Related Services - PregnancyRelatedServices@tea.texas.gov

Military Connected Students - MilitaryConnectedStudents@tea.texas.gov

Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness - PreventingHumanTrafficking@tea.texas.gov

This Week in Performance Reporting

Upcoming: Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) Registration Window 

The Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) registration will open on Monday, March 25, 2024, and close on Friday, April 5, 2024, in the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) portal. In order for a campus to be identified for AEA registration in 2024, it must

  • meet either the current-year or prior-year TSDS PEIMS 75 percent at-risk criterion;
  • have at least 90 percent of students enrolled in grades 6–12, as verified through 2022–23 PEIMS fall enrollment data;
  • be identified as offering alternative instruction in AskTED; and
  • provide education services targeted to dropout prevention and recovery of students with enrollment consisting of at least 60 percent of the students 16 years of age or older as of September 1, 2023.

Campuses meeting these requirements will be automatically preregistered as Dropout Recovery Schools (DRS). No action is needed to maintain AEA registration for these campuses unless a district opts to withdraw via a rescission form. Campuses that meet all criteria except the age requirement must apply for discretionary DRS designation during the registration period to qualify for AEA. Additional information about AEA Registration can be found within Chapter 7—Other Accountability System Processes of the Preliminary 2024 Accountability Manual.

Coming Soon: 2024 College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Tracker 

The CCMR Tracker is a tracking tool within the TEAL Accountability application. This tool provides districts with a preview of CCMR status for students who were in grades 9–12 during SY 2022-23, which will account for 2024 Accountability. The CCMR Tracker will be released in two stages through TEA Login (TEAL) Accountability.  Stage 1 will be released on March 29, 2024, and will utilize the following data:

  • CCMR indicators submitted via PEIMS through SY 2022-23
  • OnRamps and TSIA results through SY 2022-23, and
  • SAT, ACT, AP, IB, and level I/II certificate results through SY 2021-22

Stage 2 will be released in July 2024, and will utilize the following data:

  • SAT, ACT, AP, IB, and level I/II certificates updated through SY 2022-23, and
  • Sunsetting industry-based certifications (IBC) rates applied.

Explanatory documents and details will be available within TEAL to district users in late March upon the release of Stage 1 of this accountability tool.

PEIMS and Accountability FAQ

What is the deadline to update student information in TIDE?

The finalized “accepted” PEIMS Fall 2023 data will be used on March 11, 2024, to update missing student information in TIDE for students who are already registered in TIDE.  Please note that districts can also use TIDE to update some student information, such as student demographic and program enrollment, after March 11, 2024. Please see the District and Campus Coordinator Resources (DCCR) 2023-2024 Calendar of Events for details and deadlines for each TIDE administration event.

The “Final Date to Enter Student Information for Accountability Reporting” is listed in the Administration Events section of the DCCR Calendar of Events link above. Each TIDE administration event has a separate deadline for updates to student information. Changes made after the deadline will not be updated in accountability reports.

Spring 2024 STAAR Administration

District testing personnel may begin creating test sessions on Monday, March 18, 2024, for the spring State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) administration. District personnel will receive the initial shipment of secure test materials for the spring STAAR administration between March 25 and March 29. Additional test materials needed may be ordered during the windows listed below:

  • April 1 to April 15 for reading language arts (RLA),
  • April 1 to April 22 for science and social studies, and
  • April 1 to April 29 for mathematics.

Additional return labels must be ordered by May 13. Refer to the Prepare for Paper Administrations page of the District and Campus Coordinator Resources for more information regarding STAAR initial and additional orders.

On Thursday, February 15, 2024, the notification To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) was announced reflecting the release of the Preliminary 2024 Accountability Manual. The Preliminary 2024 Accountability Manual, Chapters 1-12 are available on the 2024 Accountability Manual webpage. The proposed rule to adopt the manual is now on the Texas Register as of February 23, 2024. The 30-day window for public comments will close March 25th. In addition, a public hearing was held on March 5th, 2024. Additional information can be found on the Proposed Commissioner of Education Rules website.

The public feedback received during the public comment period will be reviewed and analyzed. TEA will respond to the public comments and present the feedback received to stakeholder committees to ensure that relevant concerns and suggestions are considered before submitting the final manual to rulemaking for adoption. The stakeholder meeting will be April 2nd and we are planning on filing for the adoption of the manual on April 24th. 

In collaboration with the Instructional Materials and Implementation Division please note the following information:

Instructional Materials Review and Adoption (IMRA) 

TEA is seeking educators and subject-matter experts across Texas to serve as instructional materials reviewers for the new IMRA review process. 

Selected reviewers will earn extra income while making a statewide impact. Reviewers will work in small teams to conduct quality reviews and collaborate with other educators to produce ratings and reports for assigned reading language arts, phonics, and mathematics products. If you or your colleagues want to participate in the IMRA review process, please apply today! To learn more about the IMRA process, visit our website.

Emergent Bilingual Support Division Webinars

2023-2024 Emergent Bilingual Support Division Zoom Meetings

Education Service Centers, School District staff, and Open-Enrollment Charter School staff are invited to attend!

Please contact your local ESC panelist with questions before the EB Support Division Webinars.

Regions 1-10

Region 1: Cuahutemoc Paz

Region 2: Valarie Buhidar

Region 3: Laura Longoria

Region 4: Susie Abanobi

Region 5: Jennifer Smith

Region 6: Sandy Garcia

Region 7: Carmen Delgado

Region 8: Ana Aguilar

Region 9: Javier DeLeon

Region 10: Emma Selig

Regions 11-20

Region 11: Melanie Yocum

Region 12: Faith Foster

Region 13: Daniel Schaetz

Region 14: Andrea Smith

Region 15: Mary Castanuela

Region 16: Christy Velasquez

Region 17: Linda Musquiz

Region 18: Maria Mata

Region 19: Rita Monsivais

Region 20: Maggie De Los Santos

Topic: EB Division Webinar
Date: Friday, April 5, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Resources: 4/5/24 Registration

Topic: EB Division Webinar
Date: Friday, May 17, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Resources: 5/17/24 Registration

Topic: EB Division Webinar
Date: Friday, June 7, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Resources: 6/7/24 Registration

Please send any questions to Englishlearnersupport@tea.texas.gov

News from the Special Populations Team

The Texas SPED Support website is your one-stop shop for special education guidance documents, videos, tools/templates, and professional development curated specifically to meet your needs. Register for an account so that you can bookmark resources to easily find at any moment and follow topics, such as Evaluation or Behavior, that are important to you. Check out Texas SPED Support today!

  • Do you have questions about the requirements for child find or IEP development? Go to the topic “State Guidance” and find answers in TEA’s Technical Assistance guides on Child Find and Evaluation and Individualized Education Program Development.
  • Do you want to make team meetings more meaningful? Try taking an online course, such as Literacy for All, together. There are a ton of other great options in the Learning Library to meet all your needs.
  • Do you need a quick refresher on implementing a specific strategy in your classroom? Or maybe you want to share a new strategy each week at staff meetings? Search for “Strategies in Action” and find videos with real classroom examples. You can also go to the Resources tab and choose “Video” as the Type and you’ll find a ton of other great videos ranging from 1 minute to 1 hour.
  • Do you need a tool or a template and don’t have time to make your own? Go to the Resources tab and choose “Tool/Template” as the Type. You’ll find things like the TIER Progress Monitoring Tool, UDL Lesson Plan Form Template, Administrator Interview Resource, and more!
  • Do you need help with a very specific situation and can’t find the answer in any of the Texas SPED Support resources? Go to the Contacts tab and find an expert in your region to reach out to.

News from the Department of Grant Compliance and Administration

Competitive Grant Opportunity Published on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page

TEA is announcing the availability of grant funds for the 2024-2026 Texas Strategic Staffing Grant for Sustainable, Paid Teacher Residency Program grant program. Request for Application (RFA) #701-24-119 is authorized by the GAA, Article III, Rider 39, 88th Texas Legislature. The RFA is available on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page.

Eligibility

Independent school districts and charters are eligible for funding. All applicants must also produce a letter verifying partnership with a Texas vetted teacher residency program to be considered eligible for this grant award. 

Grant Period

  • June 1, 2024 through April 30, 2026.
  • This is expected to be a one-time grant for the grant period listed above.

Funding

  • A total of approximately $1,920,000 is available for this grant program.
  • It is anticipated that approximately 24 grants will be awarded
  • Grant awards are expected to range from $70,000 to $80,000.

Description

The Texas Strategic Staffing for Sustainable, Paid Teacher Residency Programs Grant is a two-year grant to districts and charters, designed to provide direct technical assistance and other supports to districts/charters and educator preparation program (EPP) partnerships to design and implement paid, year-long High-Quality, Sustainable Teacher Residencies across SY 2023-2024 and SY 2024-2025. Strategic Staffing supports will be provided by Education Service Centers through the Texas Strategic Staffing (TSS) technical assistance service. Districts/charters and EPPs will make informed decisions to develop paid teacher residencies that leverage reallocation and reinvestment of local funds to support teacher residents’ wages while they engage in other instructional responsibilities such as: substitute teaching, paraprofessional roles, tutoring, and more.  

In addition to in-kind technical assistance service from an Education Service Center (ESC) technical assistance provider, each district/charter will receive funding to compensate and co-fund the salary for the district/charter employee who will project manage and lead the work in the district/charter across the two years of the grant in SY 2024-2025 and SY 2025-2026.

Application Deadline

Applications must be received by the Texas Education Agency by 11:59 p.m. (Central Time), April 2, 2024, to be considered for funding.

Safety and Facilities Enhancement Grant (SAFE Cycle 2) Opens March 28, 2024

Purpose

The SAFE Cycle 2 funding is designed to help LEAs meet the required safety standards. If an LEA has already met the required safety standards, the funding may be used for other statutory school safety requirements and allowable expenses.

Eligibility

Public school districts and charter schools with a reported enrollment of at least one student from the October 2023 PEIMS fall snapshot submission will be eligible for funding and charter schools that opened prior to January 1, 2024 (the date of grant availability).

Use of Funds

Funds must first be used to meet all state school safety requirements, to include Commissioner’s Rule on School Safety Requirements (TAC §61.1031). After those requirements are met, schools can use the funds on any other locally identified school safety requirements that are aligned with the allowable costs.

The RFA is available on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page.

News from the Curriculum Standards Team

TEA Seizure Management and Treatment Form is Now Available

Senate Bill (SB) 1506, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, amended Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.032 requiring TEA to post on the agency’s website a form to be used to submit a seizure management and treatment plan that includes specific information and the signatures of the student’s parent or guardian and the physician responsible for the seizure treatment.

This change in law only applies to a seizure management and treatment plan submitted to a school district or open-enrollment charter school on or after January 1, 2024.

Please note that the required form originally posted has been revised in collaboration with the Epilepsy Foundation based on feedback received from numerous stakeholders from around the state. We greatly appreciate everyone’s input and feedback in streamlining the required form.   

The final version of the required form to be used for submitting this information can be found under the Announcements section of the Healthy and Safe School Environment of the Coordinated School Health Model webpage.

A Spanish version of the form will be available in the coming weeks, and a notification will be sent when the form is posted.

For questions related to the form, please contact healthandsafety@tea.texas.gov.

2023-2024 Physical Fitness Assessment—Deadline June 14, 2024

The Texas Education Code, Sections 38.101 and 38.103, requires that each school district and charter school annually assess the fitness level of all public school students in grades 3–12 enrolled in physical education course or any physical education substitute course or activity. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools are required to submit the results of the physical fitness assessment to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) each school year. For the 2023-2024 school year, districts and charter schools may submit their data through one of three options, FitnessGram®, the Physical Fitness Assessment Initiative (PFAI) application, or other vendor collection tool.

For additional information about the three options, please see the August 17, 2023, To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) Letter pertaining to the annual physical fitness assessment.

Please note that for any of the options selected, the deadline to submit fitness assessment results for the 2023-2024 school year is on or before 5:00 pm (CDT) on June 14, 2024.

For FitnessGram Users FitnessGram users may start submitting data in the FitnessGram tool now through June 14, 2024.

For information about FitnessGram, please visit https://help.fitnessgram.net/texas/ for instructions and registration information. The last day to register for a FitnessGram site license for 2023–2024 is on or before 5:00 pm (CDT) on June 7, 2024.

For technical assistance questions, please call 1-866-211-2718 or email support@fitnessgram.net. You may also visit https://help.fitnessgram.net/texas/.

For PFAI Users For districts that have chosen to use the physical fitness assessment initiative application (PFAI) or other vendor collection tool (that is not FitnessGram), the PFAI system opened for data submission January 2024.  

To submit data, districts are required to have a TEA Login (TEAL) account with access to the PFAI application. Please plan at least two weeks to obtain a TEAL account prior to submitting fitness data. Information and resources, which include a PFAI Quick Start Guide, PFAI File Information and Upload Help Template, PFAI Data Template Spreadsheet, and PFAI Data Submission FAQs, have been posted to the Physical Fitness Assessment Initiative web page to assist districts with a successful data submission. 

Questions related to the PFAI application may be directed to TEA by telephone at (512) 463-9581 or by email at pfaiprogramsupport@tea.texas.gov.

Off-Campus Physical Activity Program Approval Requests for 2024-2025

Off-campus physical activity approval requests for activities that may satisfy the state physical education graduation requirement must be submitted by the last school day in January of the current academic year. For the 2023-2024 school year, the approval deadline, January 31, 2024, has passed.

Off-campus physical activity approval requests for the 2024-2025 school year will be accepted beginning May 1, 2024, and must be submitted by the approval deadline January 31, 2025.

Middle School Physical Education Timely Topic: Required Instruction

There are no substitutions, exemptions, or waivers for physical education in middle school. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the state curriculum standards that identify what every student must know and be able to do by the end of each grade level and course in the required curriculum.

The 19 TAC §74.3(a)(1) establishes physical education is part of the required curriculum in middle school. School districts and charter schools are required to teach the grade level specific TEKS for physical education all three years at each grade level (6th, 7th, and 8th) and ensure that students are proficient in those TEKS. The TEKS for middle school physical education can be found by visiting 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 116, Subchapter B.

Texas School Mental Health Webinar Series

The Texas Education Agency’s Texas School Mental Health Program is hosting their 2024 Mental and Behavioral Health Webinar Series the second Thursday of each month from January to June from 11:00am – 12:30pm (CDT) via Zoom webinar. Topics for the webinar series include:

  • school mental health
  • substance abuse prevention
  • school discipline
  • early mental health interventions
  • approaches to whole child student support
  • and building community partnerships to increase capacity

To register for each webinar, please visit the series event page.

Instructional Materials Review and Adoption (IMRA)

TEA is seeking educators and subject-matter experts across Texas to serve as instructional materials reviewers for the new IMRA review process.  

Selected reviewers will earn extra income while making a statewide impact. Reviewers will work in small teams to conduct quality reviews and collaborate with other educators to produce ratings and reports for assigned reading language arts, phonics, and mathematics products.   

If you or your colleagues want to participate in the IMRA review process, please apply today! To learn more about the IMRA process, visit our website.  

Apply for Assessment Educator Committees

Each year the Texas Education Agency (TEA) invites Texas educators to provide feedback on the development of state assessments (STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, and TELPAS) through educator committees across all assessed grades and content areas. Developing high-quality, aligned questions relies on the expertise and experience of Texas educators. Participants collaborate with other educators from across the state to review, edit, and approve each potential question for state assessments. TEA is specifically looking for educators from your region! 

The commitment is generally two to three days in Austin with all travel, accommodations, and substitute coverage paid for by TEA. All participants will earn Continuing Professional Education credits. If you are interested or know other educators who would like to participate in a committee, fill out the application form here: https://www.texasassessment.gov/educator-committees.html.

Past To the Administrator Addressed Correspondence

The following new Texas Education Agency Correspondence has been posted at the TEA website:

March 21, 2024

Release of School Year 2022–2023 (Fiscal Year 2023) Preliminary Compliance Reviews for IDEA-B LEA MOE

Federal Fiscal Compliance and Reporting Division

March 21, 2024

Purple Star Campus Designation SY 2024-25 Application

Highly Mobile and At-Risk Student Programs

March 21, 2024

School Health Survey

Curriculum Standards and Student Support

March 21, 2024

2021-2024 Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS) Grant Updates: Timeline, Movement of Grant Funds, and Liquidation Extension for ESSER III- funded Grants

District Planning and Supports

March 21, 2024

Refreshed CTE Programs of Study and Updated Cycles for Future Programs of Study and Aligned Industry-Based Certifications

College, Career, and Military Preparation

March 07, 2024

Proclamation 2024 Final Reports, Texas Resource Review Science Reports, and IMRA Reviewer Information Sessions

District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports

March 07, 2024

2023–2024 School Year Data Submission for State Performance Plan Indicator (SPPI) 7 and SPPI 13 in the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) SPP Application

Special Populations Strategic Supports and Reporting

March 07, 2024

Principal Survey to Evaluate Texas Educator Preparation Programs and Evaluation of EPPs by Teachers

Educator Data, Research, & Strategy
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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National Charter News

Diverse Charter Schools Coalition (DCSC) Research Study Opportunity

DCSC is partnering with Columbia’s Consortium for Policy Research in Education, to steward a shared understanding across the education sector of high-quality, diverse charter schools. In partnership with Columbia, DCSC will study the long-term academic and life outcomes for students attending diverse charter schools.

To date, very few academic studies examine diverse charter schools, and these studies examine short-term outcomes. Policymakers, school leaders, and families deserve evidence on the power and promise of diverse schools and, in particular, on long-term outcomes for students. We are looking for members to join the study this year.

To date, the following members have joined:

  • Blackstone Valley Prep
  • Learning Community Charter School
  • Tulsa School of Arts & Sciences
  • Valor Collegiate Academies

To join the study, member schools must:

  • Identify as a diverse charter school
  • Have access to historical enrollment/waitlist data
  • Have students who have graduated from high school

To join the study or learn more, email Ashley at DCSC by April 15, 2024.
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CHARTER SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

Harmony Public Schools wins 51 awards at TSPRA Star Awards

The Harmony Public Schools Department of Communications & Marketing was honored with 51 awards for excellence in school communications and marketing by the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) at the organization's annual awards, held Feb. 28 in Sugar Land, Texas.

Each year, TSPRA recognizes communicators in school districts, education foundations, education associations and organizations for their work in print and electronic media categories.

In 2021, Harmony became the first Texas public charter school in TSPRA history to earn a Star Award. Harmony's 51 awards were the third-most of any school system or organization of any kind in Texas.

Among the awards earned by Harmony were 24 gold awards, 20 silver, four bronze, two "best of" awards and was named a finalist for a Crystal Commendation.

"Harmony has a wonderful and unique story to share," Harmony Chief Communications & Marketing Officer John Boyd said. "Our team is honored to be recognized by our TSPRA colleagues across Texas for the work we do in spreading positive school culture throughout our system."

 

Do you have exciting news to share?

Send your Charter School Spotlight, news, and events to charterschools@tea.texas.gov