ESSA Newsletter

As spring brings a season of growth and renewal, it’s the perfect time to refresh and refocus on your Federal Programs work. In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing important updates on ESSA amendments, guidance for the Real Property Survey, and other key reminders to keep you on track.

We’re grateful for the work you do to support students and programs across your districts—and we’re here to help every step of the way.

- Tami Knight, Monica Diaz, and Mercedez Rassi

www.esc15.net/titlei

On 3-6-26, TEA released the Real Property Survey via a Govdelivery email: 2026 Real Property Survey. In accordance with Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200.330 Reporting on Real Property, the TEA is required to collect data on the status of real property purchased with federal funds. Previously this survey was collected every four years but will now be collected annually due to an update in 2 CFR 200.330.

All LEAs shall complete this survey regardless of whether they purchased real property with federal funds.

Local educational agencies (LEAs) must provide information on active real property purchased with federal grant funds, as well as real property originally purchased with federal grant funds that has been disposed of since the last survey submission (2023).

Guidance on completing the survey has changed since 2023! Here are some tips to aid you when completing the survey:

• HVAC Upgrades, remodeling, and large property purchases should be included as purchases of Real Property with federal funds. You may have done these items with ESSER funds!
• Even if an item should've been disclosed in 2023, but wasn't - it is better to include it now then to exclude it! TEA has records of construction requests that were made during ESSER III, so they will compare to the submission of these real property surveys to ensure accuracy.
• You must include disposition information if you have disposed of these items since their purchase
• DO NOT include vehicle purchases in the survey
• When in doubt, include it in the survey. It will be better to disclose it now and be incorrect than to wait!!

ALL school systems must complete and submit the survey by 5.p.m Central Standard Time (CST) on April, 20, 2026.

Final amounts and carryover for ESSA and RLIS grants became available February 27 (Click here for the GovDelivery). Here are some things to keep in mind for these funds:

• School systems must amend their grant applications to include final amounts and carryover. Deadline to amend your application is June 2, 2026!
• Excess Carryover - if your LEA has exceeded the 15% carryover limit for Title I-A, you must complete and submit a waiver request before your funds will be released. Watch for an email with a Qualtrics survey, delivered via email to the superintendent listed in AskTED.
• If you are an ESSA Support Contracting district, Tami or Mercedez will reach out to your district to initiate these amendments once funds become available. Please look out for those emails!
• You must adjust your local budget to included final amounts and carryover. Check your local policies and procedures to see whether you should do this upon submission of your amendment or once you receive a NOGA.
• Best practices for managing these grants include: carrying over zero dollars, drawing down funds regularly (we recommend monthly), and ensuring that grant funds are used to benefit the current grant year students.

USDE recently released their master eligibility list for FY26 for SRSA and RLIS. You can view eligible Region 15 districts here: Region 15 FY26 SRSA and RLIS Eligibility List.

LEAs are only allowed to apply for either SRSA or RLIS. If an LEA chooses to apply for SRSA, it will apply directly through USDE via an emailed application. It is VERY important that the LEA checks the list above to ensure USDE has the LEAs correct contact information, as these contacts will be included in corresponded regarding the SRSA application. If you are not included in your LEAs contacts and should be, please contact reap@ed.gov.

Here are some highlights about applying for SRSA or RLIS:

• Districts that are dual eligible may only apply for one: SRSA or RLIS grant

• SRSA grant application are completed directly through USDE and are sent via email.

• The FY2026 SRSA Application will be available to eligible LEAs from April 13 through May 18, 2026.

• If you plan to apply for RLIS, there is nothing to do at this time. That application will open in the Fall.

EA has completed the final Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) local educational agency (LEA) maintenance of effort (MOE) determinations for school year 2024–2025. Follow these steps to find your determination in the GFFC Reports and Data Collections secure application:

1. Log on to TEAL.
2. Select “GFFC Reports and Data Collections.”
3. Select “ESSA LEA MOE Report” from the Report Title drop-down menu.
4. Select “2024–2025” from the School Year drop-down menu.

The “Status” column of the determination indicates whether you are compliant or noncompliant.

Keep in mind, school systems only have to pass ONE of the FOUR MOE tests to be compliant. All districts in Region 15 were compliant, but Tami or Mercedez may have reached out to your district if you failed one or more of the tests so that you could review for next year.

In order to help schools implement compliant programs, TEA has published frequently asked questions for various program areas.

ESSA:

• Title I-A FAQ (08/25)
• Title I-D FAQ (11/22)
• Title II-A FAQ (09/25)
• Title IV-A FAQ (09/25)
• ESSA Private Nonprofit Equitable Services (09/25)

This planner was developed in a partnership between TEA and the Title I Statewide Initiative. It provides a monthly guide for ESSA programs.

Did you know TEA recently updated the ESSA Consolidated Compliance Reports Program Compliance Self-Check Guide (Version 8.1)? To help you navigate these changes, we’ve revised our District and Campus Compliance Checklists to align with the updated requirements for the 2025–2026 grant year and beyond.

All updates in our checklists are easy to spot and marked with NEW in bold red text. We encourage Federal Programs staff to take a look, as these items will be reported in July 2026 with the submission of the 2025–2026 ESSA Consolidated Compliance Reports.

*Reminder: these are not new requirements; they are simply new items on the compliance report.

As always, we’re here to help—reach out anytime with questions or for support!

Our 2025-2026 ESSA Workshops have also been tentatively scheduled. Please note that these dates are subject to change! We often receive notice of trainings we are required to attend after we create our PD schedule. We do our best to communicate changes promptly and we appreciate your understanding!

This year, we're trying something new! We're incentivizing you to engage and attend. Grab your 2026-27 ESSA Passport and attend sessions to win prizes. You can view the schedule here: 2026-2027 Region 15 ESSA Workshop Schedule.

We had to reschedule our Spring ESSA update due to a conflict with a TEA-ESC obligation. Please update your calendars. We apologize for any inconvenience.

TEA's Department of Grant Compliance and Administration (GCA), in partnership with the ACET LEA CNA Committee, is launching Statewide Office Hours for 2026. These bi-weekly sessions are designed to provide timely updates, practical guidance, and an opportunity for open discussion with districts across the state.

Office Hours will be held on Thursdays from 2:00–3:00 p.m. and began February 12, 2026. The next session will take place April 1.

Each session will include:

• Department Updates & Hot Topics (20–25 minutes)

• Division-Specific Focus + Open Q&A (35–40 minutes)

Agendas will be shared the Monday prior to each session via GovDelivery.

District staff are encouraged to register and participate in these valuable conversations to stay informed and connected. Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LJOrFAg9TXOJ_EuA6pScpQ

*once you register, you'll receive a calendar invitation for all scheduled events*

Mark your calendar for May 27 (9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) for a statewide virtual training on the 2026–27 ESSA Consolidated Application. This session will walk through key components of the application and include sample data entry to help you feel confident and prepared. Registration information will be shared in mid-March. Stay tuned for details!

The Federal Program Compliance Division is announcing a series of statewide virtual training opportunities for school systems. The trainings will take place in April, May, and June 2026. To register and view the dates, times, training topics, and training descriptions, visit the Statewide Training Series webpage. There is no cost for the training. A link to access the training recordings and handouts will be posted to the Statewide Training Series webpage after each training. Captions will be provided.

Training Dates and Topics

• April 23, 2026: Title IV, Part A, Compliance Under Construction: Building a Rock-Solid Monitoring and Self-Check Process
• April 30, 2026: Blueprint for Compliance: Navigating Title I, Part A Monitoring & Self Check Essentials
• May 11, 2026: Title I, Part C Compliance Under Construction: Building Monitoring Protocols and Effective Self-Assessment
• May 19, 2026: Blueprints to ESSA Private Nonprofit (PNP) Compliance: Building PNP Equitable Services That Pass Inspection
• May 27, 2026: 2026-2027 ESSA Consolidated Application Statewide Virtual Training
• June 3, 2026: Structural Oversight and Monitoring Framework for Title I, Part D, Subpart 2
• June 9, 2026: Constructing Compliance: A Builder’s Guide to Title II, Part A Monitoring
• June 11, 2026: Title I, Part A Within-LEA Allocations and SC5000 Statewide Virtual Training

Save the date for GCA Con, November 10–12, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. This conference brings together grants, compliance, and family engagement professionals for focused learning and collaboration.

This year, GCA Con will be held in lieu of the annual Parent and Family Engagement Conference and the Title I Compliance Academy, combining both focus areas into one comprehensive event. Approximately 50% of breakout sessions will center on Parent and Family Engagement (PFE)—with continued support for PFE Liaisons—while the remaining sessions will focus on ESSA program compliance to strengthen implementation across districts.

Registration information will be released in late March to assist with budget planning—be on the lookout for details!

Note: GCA = Grant Compliance and Administration

Thank you to everyone who joined us for last month’s ACET Virtual Academy—it was a great success! In addition to the Spring Conference, be sure to mark your calendars for two more virtual learning opportunities this year.

• Summer Virtual Academy - June 25 (9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.): ACET will host a Summer Virtual Academy featuring 8 high-impact sessions, 4 specialized tracks, and a TEA-led general session—designed to provide practical learning you can immediately put into action.
• Fall Federal Program Director Academies - Sept. 22 and Oct. 6 @ 9-3: In place of a fall in-person conference, ACET will offer two virtual Federal Program Director Academies on September 22 and October 6 (9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. each day). Join TEA and leading FPD experts for two focused days designed to strengthen compliance, sharpen your skills, and equip you with ready-to-use strategies to maximize every federal dollar and lead with confidence.

With Spring approaching, LEAs and Title I, Part A campuses should reflect on the Parent and Family Engagement (PFE) activities that took place in the Fall, to ensure compliance with Title I, Part A PFE requirements noted in Sections 1112 and 1116 of the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA). Please review the following reminders and take appropriate action to ensure they are carried out:

Please ensure that your teams are aware of these requirements and take necessary steps to ensure that the requirements are implemented with fidelity to build partnerships with families and for the goal of having a positive impact on student educational outcomes.

For Further Information

If you have any questions or need further assistance related to trainings and/or technical assistance available, please reach out to the PFE Contact at your regional Education Service Center (ESC Contact information can be found on the TEA Title I, Part A website - Contact Information Section).

To access resources for implementing Title I, Part A PFE requirements, please visit the Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative website.

If you have any questions related to compliance monitoring activities related to the implementation of the Title I, Part A PFE requirements, please contact the Federal Program Compliance Division at ESSAsupport@TEA.Texas.gov.

This FREE parent learning series is on April 28th from 6:30pm-7:00pm and will be in English and in Spanish. The session will discuss summer screen time getting out of control in the summer for kids, this practical session helps families build healthier tech habits and avoid daily battles!

The Anita Villarreal Innovation in Engagement Award honors Texas schools that are redefining parent and family engagement. Beyond the prestige of the accolade, winning programs serve as a blueprint for schools across the state—proving that when we share our successes, every student benefits. Join the movement to strengthen our educational communities through innovation. Apply today at www.pfetexas.net/theanitas.

Inside this edition:

• The 24-Hour Challenge: Our script for the perfect positive first call.

• The "Home Input" Survey: 3 simple questions to harness family expertise.

• High School Hacks: How to scale positive contact for 150+ students without burning out.

• Leadership Corner: How admins can resource and validate engagement efforts.

Introducing the Engaging Texas Families Podcast, a new podcast from the Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative!

Each episode, we’ll help you connect, grow, and empower your family with practical tips and insightful conversations. We’ll explore the tools, strategies, and resources you need to be an engaged and confident partner in your child’s success.

Is there anything we can do to help you with your ESSA programs? Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you. Our contact information is below.

Email: federalprograms@esc15.net
Website: www.esc15.net/titlei
Location: 612 South Irene Street, San Angelo, TX, USA
Phone: 325-658-6571
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Region15ESC
Twitter: @Region15ESC