Budgets are tight, and State funding for next year is up in the air right now, so remaining grant funds might be one of your few options for funding professional development this summer. If you are considering funding travel for PD out of federal grant funds, please read today’s article to refresh or familiarize yourself … Read More
Title I Paraprofessional Requirements
As you get ready to hire and plan for next year, CSS has important information to share regarding the qualifications of paraprofessionals on a Title I schoolwide campus. Whether you currently have Title I paraprofessionals or you are looking to add new ones, ALL instructional paraprofessionals on a schoolwide campus must meet highly-qualified requirements prior … Read More
End of Year Federal Activities for Charter Districts
Preparation is the name of the game! Finish off your federal grant compliance strong to set yourself up for success next year. CSS’ handy checklist below contains “all things federal grants” that you need to finish up the year! You will find all pertinent TEA deadlines that you can add to your calendar today! So … Read More
Campus Improvement Plan or Charter Instructional Plan (CIP)
Would you travel to a destination without a plan or a road map? Probably not. And just like a road map, your Campus Improvement Plan or Charter Instructional Plan (CIP) provides your team with a pathway to define your goals, create evidence-based strategies to target the goals, and determine how they will be monitored and … Read More
ESSA Required Meetings for 2025-26
Spring is in the air, and the arrival of April makes it imperative that planning for 2025-26 begins. Previously, CSS posted a tip about beginning the Annual Comprehensive Needs Assessment, and today’s article is closely related to this topic. Before staff is gone for summer, several meetings need to take place to meet compliance and … Read More
Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) Registration
Accountability systems can be unbalanced for schools with high at-risk populations, so Texas allows for alternative accountability evaluations for schools that meet certain criteria. The registration window will open soon in TEAL to apply to be a Dropout Recovery School which will qualify you for alternate accountability measures. This is especially important for charters to … Read More
AskTED Data Updates
Busy school administrators need to stay informed, but how do you make sure that you get important information coming out of TEA? One of the main ways is by updating AskTED, the online Texas Education Directory (TED). AskTED is the primary source used by TEA and other agencies to direct communications to the school’s administration and … Read More
Collaborative Comprehensive Needs Assessment for 2025-26 (CCNA)
We know it’s not even spring break yet, but it’s not too early to begin planning for next year! The time is now to set up meeting dates for your annual Comprehensive Needs Assessment that leads to your 2025-26 District and Campus Improvement Plans! Make a plan for gathering data since campuses must first look … Read More
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