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
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