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Launch Of System Of Great Schools Network Cohort 2

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February 9, 2018

TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:

SUBJECT:  Launch of System of Great Schools Network (SGS) Cohort 2

I am excited to announce the launch of Cohort 2 of the Texas Education Agency’s System of Great Schools Network (SGS). The goal of The Network is to increase the number of students in high-quality seats year after year.

Over the past year, the SGS team successfully built and launched Cohort 1 of the SGS Network to support a select group of eight school districts – El Paso, Fort Worth, Galveston, Manor, Midland, San Antonio, Spring Branch, and South San Antonio – interested in shifting their theory of action towards being more responsive to the individual needs of schools and families within the community. The eight districts that joined the Network will continue to be provided with system-level supports as we now seek to add a new cohort of up to six additional districts. Districts across the state will be able to look towards the innovation of those in the Network as models for change.

We have learned many important lessons throughout the first year of implementing the SGS
Network. Thanks to regular critical feedback from Network member districts, executive advisors, and multiple internal and external partners, we have begun to plan several changes to how SGS Network programming will be implemented moving forward. In particular, we will provide support to SGS Network leaders to focus more explicitly on implementing the following four levers:

  1. Manage School Performance
  2. Expand Great Options
  3. Improve Access to Options; and
  4. Foster School Autonomy

We will continue providing SGS Network districts with comprehensive, integrated support from the agency. This includes being better positioned to access grant opportunities, technical assistance, and agency services in a host of areas. Our goal, as always, is to support districts across the state that refuse to falter in their desire to provide education environments that maximize outcomes for all students.

Please visit the System of Great Schools page on our website to access the program description and application for Cohort 2.

For additional information or assistance, please contact Mike Herschenfeld at mike.herschenfeld@tea.texas.gov.

Sincerely,

 

Mike Morath
Commissioner

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