We love our acronyms in the federal world, and when dealing with Title I, you will often hear the term SNS mentioned. SNS stands for “Supplement Not Supplant,” and prior to the start of school there is a test. It’s called the “Supplemental Funds Test,” and is for LEAs that receive Title I, Part A … Read More
Special Education Consolidated (Federal) Grant Application
Summertime means it’s time to prepare and submit your charter’s 2023-2024 Special Education Consolidated (Federal) Grant application. These funds (also known as IDEA-B) provide supplemental resources to help LEAs ensure that eligible students (ages 3-21) with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute. At CSS, we are working … Read More
Defining Your PTO and Leave Policies
Charters have a lot of options and opportunity to exercise creativity when it comes to defining PTO and local leave policies for their organization. A thoughtful and robust leave policy can be a critical part of the charter’s enticing total rewards and benefits package, which can impact recruitment, retention, and morale as it speaks to … Read More
Beginning of Year Activities for Federal Programs
Summer is breezing by, and it’s time to get organized for the pending school year. There are many things you must remember to do, so CSS has created a federal checklist to help keep you organized. Start checking them off today to start your year off calm, cool, and collected! The CSS Federal Programs Team … Read More
Title I, Part A Overview
Title I is the largest program under ESSA, and understanding how it works can be a challenge, especially if you are new. Do you want to hear about Title I in a nutshell? Having a Title I program can provide many benefits for your school, so it pays to be “in the know” about how … Read More
Inventory & Supply Management
For most schools, Inventory is the last thing that you consider keeping track of throughout the year until audit time comes around. Per the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Financial Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG), every school in the state of Texas is required to maintain an Inventory & Supply system using an acceptable software. Auditors … Read More
ESSA Consolidated Grant Application
While others are off enjoying summer vacation, federal staff are busy planning and writing grants to receive funds for the upcoming school year. At CSS, we have been working with our clients to help them understand the changes in the grant application. The ESSA Consolidated Grant Application is the TEA-required application for LEAs and charters … Read More
Real Property Survey Due July 21, 2023
Surprises can be nice, but not when they come in the form of an unexpected report! TEA Grant Compliance announced a new survey requirement that is due July 21, 2023. The last time this survey was done was Oct 2019! It’s been a while, so you will have to do some digging to complete this … Read More
Summer PEIMS
It is incredibly important that your Student Information System (SIS) Calendar accurately reflects what occurred in your district each day! In order to receive full ADA funding each of your campus calendars must include at least 75,600 operational minutes, including all applicable waivers. Operational minutes include all daily minutes from the start of student instruction … Read More
Basic Grants Management
Grants can be a great way to add funds to your school budget, but dealing with grants is not simple. The payoff of receiving grants can be worth it if you are cognizant of the regulations and rules of the grant. Before you venture too far into the grant waters, take the time to understand … Read More