LASO Cycle 1

Program Description

Two Strong Foundations grant supports will be offered: (1) Implementation Supports, for LEAs ready to implement high quality curriculum in school year 2023-24, and (2) Planning Supports for LEAs ready to commit to a planning year in school year 2023-24. 

This opportunity describes Option 2: Strong Foundations Planning grant provides support to LEAs to develop a strong instructional framework in math or literacy, provides optional adoption supports in selecting new HQIM if LEAs choose to make a materials switch; and trainings to support creating systems to effectively manage instruction at the district level.

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• Instructional Framework Creation | Create a vision and instructional framework for the content area (Math or Literacy) that the LEA selects
• Collective Learning | Completion of all required trainings on the research-based instructional strategies covering math or RLA, assessment, and implementation best practices by LEA’s selected committee
• Participation of senior leadership | Participation of at least 1 senior district leader at monthly communities of practice
• Creation of District Committee | Districts must create a committee including teachers, coaches, school leaders, and district leaders to participate in collective learning on the research-based instructional strategies and contribute to the creation of an instructional framework

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~15 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~400K
• Estimated number of awards | 50-250 LEAs (will vary based on size of LEA

Program Description

The Technology Lending Grant program awards grant funds to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide students the equipment necessary to access and use digital instructional materials at school and at home.   

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• Current Equipment and Tech Plan | Applicants must provide the availability of existing equipment to students in the LEA and other funding available for the purchase of student technology devices. TEA may request the LEA's technology plan.
• ​​​​Performance Data | The LEA may, upon TEA request, provide any performance data necessary to assess the success of the program.
• TEA Available Materials | The LEA must ensure that devices will be prioritized for classrooms and students using TEA available materials (Texas Open Educational Resources). 
• Training | The LEA must provide the teacher, associated instructional coach, and students with training in the proper use of the device within 90 days of installation of the device in the classroom.

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~11 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~225K
• Estimated number of awards | 50-100 LEAs

Program Description

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• Planning Deliverables | The LEA will submit items such as a master schedule, assessment calendar, stakeholder engagement plan, professional learning calendars, etc.
• Project Management | The LEA will designate and provide a district-level project manager who will be available to dedicate approximately 50% of his or her time to designing and implementing the Blended Learning plan.  
• Training | The LEA will complete all required trainings to build competency in the online curriculum.
• Communities of Practice | The LEA will participate in required communities of practice and any additional grant program meetings. 

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~9 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~500K
• Estimated number of awards | 25-50 LEAs

Program Description

High-quality, evidence-based summer learning programs help to prevent summer slide, i.e., learning loss created by the lack of student engagement in rigorous content between academic school years. Prekindergarten through 5th grade campuses are eligible for this grant and will undertake a year-long planning process to design a research-based summer program that enables districts to strengthen implementation of Additional Days School Year (ADSY) funding.

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• Planning Deliverables | The LEA will complete and submit items such as a comprehensive strategic plan over the course of their planning year.
• Project Management | The LEA will designate and provide a district-level project manager who will spearhead a steering committee to complete the Strategic Plan.  
• Communities of Practice | The LEA will participate in required communities of practice and any additional grant program meetings. 
• High Quality Instructional Materials | The LEA agrees to utilize high quality instructional materials for math and reading language arts instruction as defined in the program requirements.
• Summer Program Parameters | The LEA agrees to design a research-based summer program of at least 25 6-hour days, with three hours devoted to math and reading instruction.

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available |~ 1-3 Million
• Estimated range of award | This is in-kind technical assistance only with no direct funding for LEAs from TEA
• Estimated number of awards | 25-50 LEAs

Program Description

The P-TECH grant offers campuses an opportunity to plan to build a Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) within their district.  P-TECH Academies offer opportunities for students to earn a high school diploma while simultaneously earning industry certifications, and/or an associate degree on or before the sixth anniversary of a student's first day of high school and at no cost to the student.

The P-TECH grant requires a campus to maintain a partnership with an institution of higher education (IHE) that will serve to provide dual credit opportunities to the P-TECH academy and with a business/industry partner to provide work-based support.

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• Community College Partnership | The LEA partners with the identified community college to implement the PTECH model
• P-TECH Blueprint | The P-TECH campus will implement the design elements included within the 6 benchmarks of the P-TECH Blueprint and strive to fulfill the state standard for student success as measured by the outcomes-based measures.
• Recruitment Plan | P-TECH campuses must establish recruitment and enrollment processes and requirements that are open to all students
• CTE study | P-TECH campuses must provide for a TEA CTE program of study that enables a participating student in grade levels 9–12 to combine high school courses and postsecondary courses.
• Postsecondary Training | P-TECH campuses must enter into an articulation agreement with accredited institution of higher education to postsecondary educational and training opportunities
• Industry experience | P-TECH campuses must enter into a MOU with regional industry or business partners in Texas to provide access to students for appropriate work-based education at every grade level  

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~1 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~100K
• Estimated number of awards | 10 LEAs 

Program Description

The ECHS grant offers campuses an opportunity to plan to build an Early College High School within their district.  Early College High Schools (ECHS) offer opportunities for campuses to provide targeted supports for historically underserved students through rigorous instruction and accelerated postsecondary courses to provide academic and wrap around strategies that help students succeed in college level coursework at no cost to the students.

The ECHS grant requires a campus to maintain a partnership with an institution of higher education (IHE) that will serve to provide dual credit opportunities to the ECHS.

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• ECHS model planning and implementation | LEAs will engage in 29 months of ECHS model planning and implementation design elements and requirements aligned to the 2020-21 ECHS Blueprint
• Crosswalks | Together, the LEA and IHE develop course equivalency crosswalks which lead to Level 1 and Level 2 certificates, associate degrees, or completion of the Texas Core Curriculum to provide stackable credentials as students advance on the academic pipeline.

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~1 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~100K
• Estimated number of awards | 10 LEAs 

Program Description

The SAF grant provides technical assistance, resources, and grant funds to support school actions for individual campuses. School districts also receive support in adopting a broader continuous improvement strategy to improve schools and provide parents and families with the schools and programs they want and need.

Key Program Commitments to Consider

Note: Intended to provide key program commitments, not an exhaustive list of program assurances or requirements.

• School Action Selection | The LEA will select one of the eligible school actions and related models (restart, create a new school, redesign, or reassign).
• Commitment to a Whole School Action | The LEA will complete a whole school model action, which may require changes to current school approach to staffing, scheduling, curriculum, instruction, culture, and other aspects of the school model (depending on model selection).
• Impactful School Leader Release Time | The LEA must craft methods to ensure campus leaders are guaranteed  release time to design, plan, implement, and shepherd the work of school actions for their school and community.
• Project Management | Districts will identify a qualified Project Manager. The applicant may use grant funds or other funds for this position.
• HQIM | LEAs will commit to selecting, adopting, and implementing with fidelity high-quality instructional materials to be integrated into the design and implementation of the chosen action.
• Eligibility | Districts may apply for a school action at a Title I-serving Comprehensive OR Targeted campus. Districts may also opt to create a new school that will be Title I and prioritize students zoned for comprehensive/targeted campuses. Campuses with a School Action Fund grant in 2019 or later are not eligible. 

Funding Estimates

• Estimated total funding available | ~7 million
• Estimated range of award | LEAs can receive up to ~500K
• Estimated number of awards | 30 campuses