ESSA Newsletter

February is here, and we’re kicking off 2026 with a short and sweet edition of our grant management updates. As we await final ESSA and RLIS allocations and carryover amounts, this newsletter is intentionally brief—focused on what you need to know right now. No frills, just steady guidance and support as we navigate the next steps together.

- Tami Knight, Mercedez Rassi, and Monica Diaz

www.esc15.net/titlei

We anticipate final amounts and carryover for ESSA and RLIS grants to be available by the end of February. Here are some things to keep in mind when these funds become available:

• School systems must amend their grant applications to include final amounts and carryover. Deadline to amend your application is June 2, 2026!
• 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.

We will send notification as soon as final amounts and carryover becomes available!

It's time to disseminate your Federal Report cards!

At a minimum, the LEA must—

• Post direct links to the State, LEA and campus report cards on its website;
• 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 guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, the expectation is that each LEA shall have the federal report cards posted on its website for a minimum of 3 years.

Sample parent notification letters in English and Spanish that LEAs may customize are available on the TEA Federal Report Card Web Page. TEA strongly encourages LEAs to translate the sample letter into a language and format that all parents can understand.

LEAs are not required to use the sample parent notification letters, 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 Wednesday, March 11th.

Note: the links posted to your website must be the actual PDF for each report (in other words, do not simply link the TEA webpage and expect parents to search for your report).

For the 2025-26 ESSA Consolidated Compliance Report, TEA has included new and updated program compliance self-check sections. To assist school systems in understanding these changes and in completing the Compliance Report, TEA has created the 2025-26 Program Compliance Self-Check Guide.

Some of the more important changes include:

• Added language to all the "Parents' Right to Know" compliance items that all documents should be provided in "an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand."
• Added added compliance item related to using funds under Title I, Part A to provide a language instruction educational program as determined under Title III. Most districts will answer N/A to this question!

While you're planning for the 26-27 school year, you might want to take a look at the 25-26 Program Compliance Report to see how your program measured up and where you might be able to improve. Visit TEA's ESSA Consolidated Compliance Reports Resources page for more information.

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!

District Title I Checklist ~~~ Campus Title I Checklist

ACET is offering two virtual academies to help district staff navigate federal and state compliance requirements.

The Spring Academy on February 24 will focus on Time and Effort: Requirements, Documentation & Compliance. TEA leadership will provide practical guidance on documenting staff schedules, certifications, and payroll charges to ensure accuracy, avoid audit findings, and align local processes with state expectations.

Both sessions are 100% virtual and can be attended individually or together for a more comprehensive training experience.

For details and registration, visit the ACET website.

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!

Title I schoolwide programs run best when principals know what’s expected — and feel equipped to handle it! In this session, federal program directors will receive a ready-to-use training toolkit designed to help principals understand the “why” and “how” behind schoolwide program requirements. From documentation do’s and don’ts to simple systems for staying organized, this session offers practical tools and resources you can use right away to make compliance a little less complicated — and a lot more doable.

Click here to register for access to this on-demand course!

Are you tired of hosting family nights where the same few faces show up? Do your traditional events feel more like a compliance checklist than a chance for genuine connection? This session will move beyond the traditional model of “filling seats” and “checking boxes.” We’ll explore how to transform family involvement from a one-time invitation into a true partnership. By focusing on building authentic relationships, we can shift the mindset of our school communities. You will leave with actionable strategies to create environments where parents feel valued as partners, not just one-time guests.

Our latest newsletter is packed with high-leverage strategies to transform your home-school connections from day one. We’re moving past the "bad news" phone call and building a foundation of trust that actually supports student success.

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.

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.

February 10 is Safer Internet Day, learn how AI is changing your child’s online world and what parents can do to keep kids safe, grounded, and wise.

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