ESSA/ESSER Newsletter

March into federal program success with our monthly newsletter! Stay updated, access valuable resources, and let us support your journey through March and beyond.

- Tami Knight, Mercedez Rassi, and Monica Diaz

TEA sent a bulletin on 2/29 to announce that carryover and reallocation funds are now available for ESSA and RLIS grants. Thank you for holding off on making your ESSA amendments to budget your final amounts. We can now get started with amendments!

If you're part of our ESSA Support Contract, Tami or Mercedez will reach out to you soon to amend your ESSA and RLIS (if applicable) application. Be thinking about how you will spend those funds, especially if your carryover will be a significant amount. If you're not part of our contract, be aware that you will need to amend your 23-24 ESSA Consolidated Grant Application (or RLIS application, if applicable) to include your final amounts and carryover/reallocation in order for the funds to become available for draw down.

The amendment deadline for 23-24 ESSA/RLIS funds is 6/3/24, so we aren't in a super hurry, but the sooner you amend, the sooner you can have access to the funds.

TEA issued a bulletin on 2/21 informing districts that their Title I-A Comparability Notification letters were available. We took a peek and are happy to report that all Region 15 districts were compliant. You can access your LEA's letter through GFFC Reports (via TEAL). Look for "Notification Letter - Comparability from the report title drop down menu. Next, select 2023-2024 from the school year drop down menu.

Final Reminder:

The deadline is almost here! Your 22-23 Federal Report Card has been available since December. Each LEA that receives Title I-A funding must disseminate the state, LEA and campus-level report cards to 1) all LEA campuses, 2) parents of all enrolled students, and 3) the general public via widely available public means such as posting on the Internet, distribution to the media, or distribution through public agencies.

At a minimum, the LEA must—

• Post direct links to the State, LEA, and campus report cards on its web site;
• Notify parents of all students about the availability of the report cards and the options for obtaining them;
• Provide appropriate translation (either oral or written) upon request;
• Make hard copies available to parents upon request; and
• Make hard copies available for viewing in public locations.

As per recent guidance from the US Department of Education, each LEA shall have the federal report cards posted on its website for a minimum of 3 years.

More guidance and sample notification letters are located on TEA's website. LEAs are not required to use this letter but they must make the federal report card information readily accessible to the public, and LEAs must notify parents of the availability of the federal report card information no later than Monday, March 4, 2024.

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

ESSA:

• Title I-A FAQ (06/23)
• Title II-A FAQ (06/23)
• Title IV-A FAQ (06/23)
• ESSA Private Nonprofit Equitable Services (07/23)

ESSER:

• ESSER FAQ
• ESSER Side-by-Side Comparison

Each year we work hard to provide you with resources that help make your job easier. The following resources have been updated for the new year. Check them out!

Have you had a chance to respond to our quick survey regarding your professional development needs? Our aim is to provide training that fits your learning styles, and addresses topics that YOU want to learn about. The survey below (or here) will take 3-5 minutes to complete (click the arrow in the lower right corner). Thanks in advance!

We have tentatively scheduled our 2023-24 Professional Development offerings! Keep in mind, our PD dates are always subject to change because of required trainings that we may be asked to attend.

Join us for our Federal Programs Coffee Chats! These are very informal Zoom meetings where participants log in, hear a few updates, and ask questions. All are invited! We hope to see you there! The flyer is below or linked here. Our next coffee chat will be MONDAY, March 4 @ 9:00 at this link.

As we are planning for next year, we'd like to know if the monthly coffee chats are a service you'd like to see us continue. Please respond to the poll below and let us know where you stand. :)

The Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative is excited to announce a FREE, online professional development opportunity to enhance family engagement programs. Presenting is Superintendent of Schulenburg ISD, Julie Motomuro, who previously worked as the Federal Program Coordinator for the Region 5 Education Service Center in Beaumont.

On March 26th from 9:00 - 11:00 am CST, learn about Shorty’s Snack and Learn, a TEKS-based program that gives students and families an opportunity to enjoy a snack while participating in fun, learning activities. This Schulenburg ISD event is held at a local park, located within the heart of the community, near the residences of many of their economically disadvantaged families making it easily accessible. Shorty’s Snack & Learn brings the learning experience directly to students, providing a comfortable environment tailored to their needs. Register to discover how educators in Schulenburg ISD leverage this program to foster relationships, build capacity, and contribute to student success.

Click on the flyer to register or click here.

The PFE Summit has undergone a thoughtful rebranding to better align with its enhanced purpose. The transition from the PFE Summit to the Title I Academy marks a strategic evolution in the event's focus and format. The shift reflects a move away from a traditional summit-style gathering towards a dynamic workshop environment.

The Title I Academy is designed to foster active learning and collaboration, emphasizing practical applications that can be immediately integrated into participants' professional spheres. This transformation underscores the event's commitment to facilitating meaningful experiences where theoretical knowledge seamlessly translates into actionable takeaways, bridging the gap between theory and practice for attendees. The Title I Academy represents a forward-thinking approach, ensuring that participants leave not only with enhanced understanding of ways to improve parent and family engagement in schools, but also with tangible skills and strategies that can be applied in real-world contexts. Register now for this school-changing event

Each year, the Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative accepts applications from districts and/or schools who are implementing practices that yield high parent and family engagement. These practices are rated on: the goal of the practice, evidence of increased student outcomes, and if all stakeholders are involved in the data collection, planning collaboration, and the evaluation processes.

Once the application window closes, all entries are reviewed by a committee, rated using a rubric, and then 3-4 of the top rated are selected to receive an award at the Annual PFE Statewide Conference held each year in October. In addition to receiving the award, selected schools/districts are invited to present their practice at the conference, as well as recognized on the PFE Statewide Initiative’s website and in our newsletter.

Click here to apply!

You are invited to submit an application to present at the 2024 PFE conference. The submission deadline is April 6, 2024 at 5:00PM.

If interested in presenting at this conference, please visit the PFE Statewide Initiative website HERE for more information. Be sure to review the "Application to Present Guidelines" document linked on the website before applying.

The 2024 Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Conference, themed Make Your Mark, will convene…

· October 16-18

· Marriott Westchase

· Houston, TX

· Conference website: https://www.r16.us/pfi conference

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