Indirect Cost Rate Request for 2025-26

Everyone likes money, and we have an excellent money tip for you today! If you receive grants, indirect cost rates can be a good deal for you, but you must act by March 28, 2025! Indirect costs are the costs grantees can add to their grant draw downs to recover their organization-wide administrative costs of … Read More

Title III Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Requirements

Involving parents can be challenging, especially when language and cultural barriers are involved. Whether you are in a shared service arrangement (SSA) or receive Title III funds directly, you are required to provide parental engagement activities specifically targeted towards your Emergent Bilingual learners’ families. Today’s article will assist charters with understanding what qualifies as parent, … Read More

Mid-Year Review of Federal Grant Funds

Check-ups are important! They keep us on track. The middle of the school year is a good time to check up on your federal grant funds by conducting a mid-year review. The purpose of the mid-year review is to give you an opportunity to see if you are still on track to expend your federal … Read More

Federal Report Card Requirements

The grades are out! How did you do? Each year the federal report cards are released to the public. In Texas there are two types of report cards – state and federal. The state report cards are on hold due to the litigation involving the A-F accountability ratings. However, the wheels of the federal government … Read More

Basics of State Compensatory Education Funds

At-risk students are in the greatest danger of not completing high school. Effective planning to meet their needs, even in early childhood, can help prevent students from dropping out. Each charter district with qualified students receives a State allotment of State Compensatory Education (CompEd or SCE) funds to provide direct services to At-risk students. Of … Read More

Completing the Semi-Annual Certification for Federally Funded Staff

When does your first semester end? Most likely that date falls in January, and CSS is here to remind you to do your time and effort for all federally-funded and State Comp Ed* staff. The purpose of time and effort documentation is for the employee and supervisor to attest that the work performed during the … Read More

Random Validations Begin – Title I, II, and IV

Is your name on the list? No, not Santa’s list! TEA selected LEAs for random validations for Title I, II, and IV, and the list was posted on November 13, 2024. You can rest easy that if you are selected for validation, you do have time and assistance to prepare. If you weren’t selected this … Read More

ESSER Year 5 Annual Reporting Phase I Due January 15, 2025

ESSER reporting lives on even after the money does not! We are entering year 5 of reporting which will involve data from 9/1/23 to 8/31/24. This year, the reporting will be done in two phases with Phase I being due January 15, 2025. ESSER annual reporting is very complex; therefore, today’s article will point you … Read More

Title IV Special Data Collection Due Dec 1, 2024

Do Comparability, Title IV, and ESSER reporting have you feeling spooked? With all the federal reporting going on these next several months, ghosts and goblins might not be the only scary things in your world! Don’t worry! CSS is here with all the information to make reporting less tricky. Today’s article is about the Title … Read More

ESSA Basic Program Requirements: Fiscal and Program 

Federal funds don’t just provide money to your schools. They create programs. By focusing on solid programs, you can add to your school’s repertoire and improve your ability to serve students. But programs funded by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) are regulated by many rules that can seem confusing at times. As a savvy … Read More