Strong Foundations Newsletter - AP/ESC

Texas Education Agency sent this bulletin at 08/06/2025 08:30 AM CDT

View as a webpage

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
Strong Foundations Logo

Learning Acceleration Support Opportunities (LASO) Program

August 2025

Strong Foundations Newsletter
student getting high-fives on first day of school receiving linegreen-blue gradient bar

Greetings!

We hope you're enjoying the summer season and finding time to relax and recharge. The Strong Foundations Team has been busy supporting school systems to ensure they are on track for Cycle 3 and laying the groundwork for what we hope will be the strongest school year yet. We truly appreciate your continued partnership and the important work you do every day. 

As the start of the school year approaches, we’re eager to collaborate with you to ensure a strong and successful beginning of 2025–2026! 

Best,  

Strong Foundations Team 

Milestones

Strong Foundations Planning Milestones

  • Overdue: Executed Contracts for SFP Part A awardees (February Awards). 
  • Part A (Feb) Awardees Roadmap Planning Tool is due this month! Milestone date 8/15.  
  • Part C (June) Awardees have an adjusted timeline – Roadmap Planning Tool milestone date is 1/16/26. See AP Playbook for timeline of all deliverables (p. 8). 

Strong Foundations Implementation Milestones

  • September 1: By the start of September, you should have had your initial meeting with all SFI districts. After your initial meeting, please provide the School System Self-Assessment Qualtrics Form link to the initiative lead for submission of the overall school system self-assessment at the launch of implementation. The Initiative Lead submission deadline is September 1, 2025.
  • September 30: Ensure all of your districts have an initial roster submitted. 

Reminders & Next Steps

Strong Foundations Joint Reminders & Next Steps 

  • The HQIM Innovator Program has been put on pause for the 2025-2026 school year to allow for a transition to Bluebonnet Learning. In the interim, if you need contacts at school systems who may be able to host a group to view HQIM in action, please email strongfoundations@tea.texas.gov and we will work to get you connected!  

Strong Foundations Planning Reminders:

  • Cycle 3 AP Monthly Meetings (required) – Sign up for this cycle’s AP Monthly Meetings; the next one is August 29 at 9:00 a.m. This is a time for us to collaborate, share ideas, problem solve, delve deeper into SFP deliverables, explore the Knoster Change Management model, and strengthen our work with school systems. They are required for all SF Managers and AP District Leads. Register with this link. 
  • (Optional) LEA CoP August 14 - Encourage your LEA to join us for the first LEA CoP on August 14 at 11:00 a.m. This is a dedicated time for them to connect and collaborate to help us build a dynamic networking environment during the grant cycle. Here is the link to register. 
  • Need SFP Certifications? Instructional Framework sessions – 8/18 and 8/19. Instructional Management sessions – 8/20. These are for NEW to SFP APs only. Sign up on the Registration Portal. 
  • New to SFP Approved Provider Onboarding – Are you a new AP in the SFP grant? Come to a 90-minute-deep dive into the AP Playbook to help you better support your School Systems. This informal session leaves plenty of time for questions and conversations. Register here.

Strong Foundations Implementation Reminders:

  • NEW: We have additional dates for the School Improvement PLC Training and the School Improvement PLC Best Practices Training. Register for both on the AP Registration Portal.
    • School Improvement PLC Training: This is a short training to orient Product Advisors to best practices of PLC facilitation focus on initial implementation. (Required for PAs supporting SI campuses in SFI Cycle 3).
      • New date added: September 29, [9am – 12pm] 
    • SI PLC Best Practices Training: A 3-day training series for non-ESC APs to dive deeper into the best practices of PLC facilitation covered in the SI PLC training (Optional). 
      • New date added: October 7, [9:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.] 
  • NEW: We have added dates for additional communities of practice (CoPs) for our Implementation Advisors and Product Advisors. These are optional opportunities for folks to receive updates from TEA and connect with folks in other organizations about the work of Strong Foundations. These 1-hour communities of practice will not be recorded. Meetings for PAs will be from 9:00 – 10:00a.m. and meetings for IAs will be from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Register for these meetings on the interactive calendar. 
    • August 22, 2025 
    • September 19, 2025 
    • November 24, 2025 
    • February 20, 2026  
  • NEW: Playbook Updates: We have added some updated resources to the IA and PA playbooks! If you saved or made a copy of the previous version, please be sure to go back to the original link from TEA to see updates. Updates include links to the following: 
    • Learning walk submission form 
    • Product-specific observation submission form
    • Sharefile for access to assessments 
    • The Bluebonnet Learning Portal  
  • NEW: Flexible support exit ticket requirement: leaders, coaches, and teachers are required to submit an exit ticket every time they complete a flexible support. The link is the same for leaders, coaches, and teachers (Flexible support exit ticket link).   

Resources