March is National Nutrition Month and March 8-12 is School Breakfast Week!

We want to extend a special “thank you” and appreciation to each and every one of you for the work that you do every day to ensure children are getting healthy meals.

District of Innovation Plan

A DOI-designated district may choose to renew the plan (for up to an additional 5 years) at any point during the initial term of the plan. Note that the amendment of a plan differs from renewal of a plan, so for a district to renew the plan at its meeting tomorrow it must have completed all of the required steps.

Pursuant to 19 TAC §102.1313(a)(3) Renewal: During renewal, all sections of the plan and exemptions shall be reviewed and the district must follow all components outlined in §102.1307 of this title (relating to Adoption of Local Innovation Plan).

In other words, in order to renew the plan, the district must repeat all the same steps it took to initially adopt the plan (with the exception of the initial resolution and public hearing to determine if the district would like to be designated a DOI). Note: should the plan expire prior to being renewed, the adoption process, in its entirety, must begin again.

Please note that a district may only have one innovation plan at any given time (19 TAC §102.1311). As such, a renewed plan takes effect only after the term of the district’s current innovation plan expires. In the instance that the district intends for the term of a renewed plan to begin prior to the expiration of its current plan, the renewed plan supersedes the district’s current plan at that time and the current plan is considered void.

Here is a flowchart of the adoption process created by TASB that may be useful.

Weather Waivers

Please submit Missed School Day Waiver requests via TEAL, with supporting documentation.

Please email Waivers@tea.texas.org with questions or call the Superintendent Hotline for urgent support.

2020-2021 Assignment of Accreditation Statuses

The accreditation rules must undergo additional amendments in the forthcoming school year due to changes related to future accountability ratings. Accreditation statuses (or the lack thereof) are generally issued/communicated every February.

Teacher Incentive Allotment Training Zoom sessions

April 7, 2021 – 1:00 to 4:00 Application Review and Data Collection Session 037856

March Monthly Reminders are located at the end of the newsletter.

Laura Strube

325-481-4065

laura.strube@esc15.net

For business and finance needs, contact

Henri Gearing
830-683-7615
henri.gearing@esc15.net

School Improvement ESF Focused Grants Webinar

March 12 @ 10:00 am

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84722796209

Link to FAQ: https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/monitoring-and-interventions/school-improvement/lea-grants

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THL Pre-K Spring Pilot

If your district is interested in the April pilot of the Pre-K materials from TEA’s Texas Home Learning there will be a Zoom session providing an overview of the pilot and allowing you an opportunity to ask questions. Carey Peacock will host the session on March 9 at 10:00. She will host another session on March 16 and will send that link at a later date. The sessions will cover the same material, we are trying to provide everyone two options to attend. The link for the March 9 session is below:

Carey Peacock is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://esc15.zoom.us/j/3254814046?pwd=N241TmJUWHZRQzVjWlNrbWsxYzliZz09

Meeting ID: 325 481 4046

Password: THL3.0

For Further Information, click HERE.

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DMAC Expo Recorded Sessions Available

Click HERE for Details

NOTE: If you've been on the fence about the RtI and LPAC components of DMAC, there are sessions that will give you great insight into their value.

...and great news from DMAC!!

Full online testing with content and questions will soon be available. It is being beta tested right now and will be turned on for your districts in the coming weeks.

Gear up your students to be successful on their STAAR Reading 2021 assessment!

Grades 3-5 STAAR Reading Field Test Questions

Find session details HERE.

TEKSCon is Coming!

July 27-29, 2021

Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

San Antonio, TX

Find more information HERE.

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FaBOOKalous Fridays

Live Author Visits Every Friday at 10:30 am

You, teachers, and students are invited to...

join us each Friday morning for the opportunity to experience authors from around the globe as they graciously lead a session for the students, teachers, and sometimes parents, in Region 15. While sharing their stories, they have been able to weave inspiring and instructional words leading all to pursue the art of reading and writing to deeper levels.

The ZOOM opens at 10:15 for classes and virtual students to begin joining for the 10:30 session, and we would LOVE to 'see' you there!

Find more information and schedules HERE.

Questions from the Chat Box: Lit and Lunch with Vivian Kirkfield--From Here to There

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For your curriculum and instruction needs, please contact

David Bedford

325-481-4023

david.bedford@esc15.net

For your data service needs, please contact

Melissa Anthony

Data Service Coordinator

325-481-4093

melissa.anthony@esc15.net

The following workshops are now scheduled for the spring.

March

24th-25th—Staffing and Master Schedule (Register here)

April

7th—TIA Cohort D: Application Review and Data Collection (Register here)

19th-21st—T-TESS (Register here)

For Administrative Services assistance, please contact

Robin Graves

325-481-4026

robin.graves@esc15.net

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Robin Graves

325-481-4026

robin.graves@esc15.net

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If you have Special Education-specific questions, please contact:

Jam Page

Special Education Director

jam.page@esc15.net

325-481-4054

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Accountability and Assessment

TELPAS window

Administration and Leadership

Develop recommendations for teacher contracts

*SBDM Committees develop campus performance objectives

Review Graduation Program FMH (TASB - LEGAL & LOCAL) on Student Expression/Prayer (TASB - FNA LEGAL & LOCAL)

Principal surveys to evaluate educator preparation program opens to HR staff

Update Ask TED

Charter Specific

Charter Amendments close April 1st

Request for an Indirect Cost Rate for Charter Schools for 2020-2021 survey due to TEA in March

Update Ask TED with TEA Charter Division

Federal and State Programs

Review/implement district/campus improvement plans in accordance with district planning process (TEC§11.251)

Finance

Review student attendance figures as compared to prior year and budget projections

Continue budget process including proposed staff compensation package

SHARS Cost Control Report due April 1st

Food and Nutrition

Child Nutrition USDA Commodity Food Survey closes, March 5

Child Nutrition Financial Report due March 15 (according to Square Meals)

Child Nutrition Community Eligibility Program Data Submission Deadline, March 19th

Migrant

Distribute Migrant Survey to all students

School Board

*Order of Trustee election and post required notice for May election

Prepare report Trustee training hours prior to May elections with postings as required (TEC§11.159) – April Board meeting

*Adopt district goals

*Adopt school calendar

*Ratify Textbook Committee recommendations (19 TAC 66.104(a); TEC§31.101)

Discuss preliminary budget/budget workshops

*Approve waivers as needed

Special Education

Perform self-analysis of FY20 MOE (Maintenance of Effort) compliance, using final expenditure data from TSDS PEIMS 2020-2021 Mid-Year reports; gather documentation for exceptions/adjustment, if applicable

FY20 MOE (Maintenance of Effort) Preliminary Compliance Review released by TEA; Respond to TEA with documentation of exceptions/adjustment for decline in fiscal effort, if applicable

2020-2021 Excess Cost Final Calculation based on final, audited 2019-2020 expenditures should be completed (kept locally)

2020-2021 High Cost Fund Eligibility Application (Optional fund source) opens

Application opens March 1st to submit Early Childhood Outcome data through SPP 7 TEAL application

Monitor special education expenditures from the general fund to ensure on track for MOE (Maintenance of Effort) compliance

Texas Student Data System/PEIMS

PEIMS Summer submission ready for users to promote data on March 1st

PEIMS Mid-Year data available to customers on March 4th

TDSD SPPI-14 data available to customers on March 4th

PEIMS Ex-Yr submission ready for users to promote data on March 23rd

TSDS Class Roster Winter due on March 25th

*Requires Board action/approval