Famous astronaut Buzz Aldrin once said, “Shoot for the moon; you might get there!” Space travel takes planning, and so does having really great schools! Having a well-designed DIP/LEA PLAN (aka LEA Plan per TEA) can help your organization have focus and reach its goals, but in some cases, it is also required by law. … Read More
Gun Free Schools Report
Thankfully, gun incidents are rare; nonetheless, all charter districts that receive any federal funds must submit the Gun Free Report (PR6000) by June 30, 2025. This is the one case where you should not do it early. The reason being that an incident could happen after you submit it. The good news is, if you … Read More
Completing the Semi-Annual Certification for Federally Funded Staff
It may seem just like you just did time and effort in January, but it is almost time to do it again! With the end of the second semester imminent, CSS is here once again to remind you to do your time and effort for all federally-funded and State Comp Ed staff. The purpose of … Read More
Travel Pay from Federal Grant Funds
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