House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program

Date March 5, 2020
Subject: Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program
Category: Opportunity for Grants and Programmatic Support 
Next Steps:  Share with District Leadership: Superintendent or Curriculum and Instruction

 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has opened the application for the Additional Days School Year (ADSY) Planning and Execution Program.  This application is available on the TEA Grant Opportunities page. 

In this program, districts and open-enrollment charter schools will participate in a robust planning year and three-year execution process to implement either a voluntary summer learning program or a fully redesigned academic year. TEA will award grants of up to $400,000 for districts or charter schools implementing a full year redesign and is actively seeking funding from third parties to support those implementing a voluntary summer learning program. 

What is ADSY?
The passage of House Bill 3 by the 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, added half-day formula funding for school systems with additional instructional days for elementary schools beginning in the 2020-2021 school year. Funding for ADSY is available for all schools providing more than 180 days and up to 210 days, in grades prekindergarten–5th. More information on ADSY can be found in the HB 3 in 30 Webinar

What is the ADSY Planning and Execution Program?
To support robust planning, program design, and change management involved with adding instructional days, TEA is launching the ADSY Planning and Execution Program. TEA is seeking school districts and open-enrollment charter schools interested in implementing ADSY starting in the summer for 2021 for the following school year. TEA will be identifying two separate cohorts of districts and charter schools for the program. Both cohorts will receive support from TEA to ensure high-quality planning and execution phases of ADSY. The two cohorts are:

  • Voluntary Summer Learning Cohort
    TEA will accept and programmatically support approximately 25 districts and charters schools implementing a summer learning program. TEA has identified third party funders interested in supporting TEA-approved districts and charter schools. More information will be detailed upon acceptance into the cohort.
     
  • Full Year Redesign Cohort
    TEA will award up to 15 Additional Days School Year Planning Initiation Grants of approximately $200,000 per grant to implement a full-year redesign. Grantees will additionally be eligible for ADSY Planning Continuation Grants of approximately $200,000 per grant in the winter of 2020-2021 based on an evaluation of their ADSY Strategic Plan by TEA.

Both cohorts will receive the following benefits:

  • Access to ADSY planning documents and supporting resources (e.g., sample project plans, sample budget guidance, and sample stakeholder communications)
  • Access to the cohort learning community of districts and charter schools undergoing similar change
  • Invitation to the ADSY Kickoff Summit and regional workshops to build the network and understand program requirements and supports
  • Negotiated rates to vetted technical assistance vendors

What are the next steps?
Interested districts and charter schools should take the following next steps:

  • Now: Search for “2020-2021 Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program” on the TEA Grant Opportunities page and review the application starting with the overview document
  • March 9, 2020 at Noon CT: Attend the ADSY Planning and Execution Program Webinar (Webinar attendance is optional and the webinar recording may be accessed using the same link)
  • March 13, 2020 (Optional): Send Notice of Intent to Apply to ADSY@tea.texas.gov
  • March 16, 2020: Deadline to submit questions to ADSY@tea.texas.gov; all questions will be answered in an FAQ document to be published on the TEA Grant Opportunities page by March 20, 2020
  • April 1, 2020 by 5pm CT: Deadline to submit application and attachments to loiapplications@tea.texas.gov

Contact:
Any questions regarding the Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program may be submitted to ADSY@tea.texas.gov by March 16, 2020. All questions and responses will be published through an FAQ document on the TEA Grant Opportunities page.