TCLAS Grant – Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Support
Wading through the abundance of government funding that has become available in response to the COVID pandemic can feel like swimming in an ocean. Every time you turn around, a new wave is coming. Staying afloat is a challenge, but CSS is here to assist you with today’s lifesaving article that provides the basics about the TCLAS grant. TCLAS is a “one stop shopping” grant for 15 TEA initiatives and supports that are available to districts to help accelerate learning over the next several years in the wake of COVID-19.
The grant application will initially be submitted by August 20 using a Qualtrics Survey, and later finished in eGrants in September. To be clear, none of the initiatives will be ready by the start of the 2021-22 school year, so this is a plan for the long term.
The CSS Federal and Finance teams will assist our clients with planning and preparation of the TCLAS grant to ensure understanding of program requirements.
What initiatives are included?
Unlike the usual grants where the LEA is given a set funding amount up front to plan with, TCLAS amounts will vary because not everyone will choose to participate in the same initiatives. Participants may choose which of the initiatives they want, and they will be funded since this grant is non-competitive. The list of initiatives is as follows:
- Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program (ADSY PEP)
- Blended Learning Grant Program (BLGP)
- COVID Recovery Instructional Materials Support Initiative (CRIMSI)
- Grow Your Own (GYO)
- Math Innovation Zones (MIZ)
- Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
- Resilient School Support Program (RSSP)
- School Action Fund (SAF)
- Strong Foundations Grant from House Bill 4545
- Support and Subsidies for Tutoring Programs
- Teacher Residency and Staffing Models
In order to determine which initiatives are for you, please go to the TCLAS Webpage where you can find information about each initiative and videos produced by TEA that explain each program. Please be aware that some of the initiatives require significant commitments to the Agency, use of their approved vendors, and/or their curriculum materials; however, some of the initiatives are more flexible and provide direct assistance to the LEA. The best course of action is to watch the TCLAS Overview, and then dive deeper into the initiatives that are appropriate for your grade levels, interests, or needs.
Other TCLAS Resources
- TAA Memo about TCLAS from July 15, 2021
- TCLAS Guidance Document
- TEA staff will be holding office hours every Wednesday at 4:00 from July 28 to Aug 18 via Zoom so that you can ask questions. The Zoom link is on the TCLAS Webpage.
Remember, the grant is due 8/20/21. Many of the initiatives will not start until the spring of 2022, or even the 2022-23 school year, but you still have to apply now! There is no current plan to re-open the grant next year, and the funding will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Questions? Please contact:
- Sharon Benka, Federal Director sbenka@charterschoolsuccess.com
- Dr. Sheila K. Sherman, Federal Manager ssherman@charterschoolsuccess.com
- Jean Cornelius, Federal Manager jcornelius@charterschoolsuccess.com
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