Meeting the needs of special education students can be expensive for schools. Fortunately, the federal grant known as IDEA B is available to public schools to help fund IEP-related services for students. The Special Education Consolidated (Federal) Grant application is available now in eGrants and is due no later than 5:00 p.m. September 3, 2025 … 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
District Improvement Planning (DIP/LEA Plan) for Charter Districts
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
ESSA Grant Application 2025-26
Summer break isn’t much of a break in the world of federal grants. Applications must be submitted for the next round of funding to get ready for the next school year! The ESSA Consolidated Grant Application, that is the formula grant (non-competitive) for the major title funds (Title I, II, III, and IV), is a … 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
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
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
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