TEA Waiver Request for Tier II Funding
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is requesting a waiver that would allow the use of Title I, 1003(a) grant funding to Tier II middle and/or high schools currently identified as priority schools.  This waiver is requested for the remainder of school year 2014-15 and school year 2015-16.

Texas is making the request to allow LEAs with schools that were funded with the School Improvement Grant 1003(g) (SIG) as Tier II middle and/or high schools to be served with Title I, 1003(a) funds at the conclusion of their SIG 1003(g) grant period. For the purposes of this waiver, eligible schools are those now identified as Priority schools that were previously identified via the USED Final Regulation of December 3, 2009, and determined by the State as (b)(i) A Tier II school is a secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I, Part A funds. In the absence of this waiver, a LEA with schools currently being served with SIG 1003(g) funds would no longer be able to support their Priority schools’ reform initiatives under Texas’ approved ESEA Flexibility Plan.

Texas hereby assures that, if it is granted the requested waiver, Texas will implement the waiver only with respect to those LEAs that have Tier II, SIG high schools or middle schools who request this waiver in writing, and provide an assurance that they will meet all statutory and regulatory requirements related to Texas’ ESEA Flexibility Plan and Title I, 1003(a) grant requirements.  TEA will evaluate each request, including proposed budgets and plans for sustaining implementation.  Each LEA granted this flexibility will be provided ongoing technical assistance, support and active monitoring of the 1003(a) program through the 2015-16 school year.

Additionally, approval of the requested waiver will allow eligible LEAs to access Title I, 1003(a) funding to provide financial support to continue the interventions and school reform initiatives initiated with SIG 1003(g) funds to increase the quality of instruction for students and improve academic achievement so that Priority schools can reduce their percentage of non-proficient students for each of their subgroups.

Texas has identified 48 schools for which this waiver may apply.

TEA is providing USED’s required notice of this waiver request by posting this letter to LEAs on the TEA website and disseminating it through the TEA “To the Administrator Addressed” electronic mail listserv.  TEA will also provide public notice and information regarding this waiver request through a posting in the Texas Register.  Texas will accept comments from LEA superintendents until close of business on Monday, December 22, 2014.

TEA will aggregate the comments received from LEAs in response to this notice and submit them as part of the state’s application for the waiver to USED. TEA will take comments into consideration when finalizing the state’s waiver request to USED. Questions regarding this waiver request should be directed to Leticia Govea at leticia.govea@tea.state.tx.us or (512) 463-1427.
 
SEDL Joins Forces with American Institutes for Research
SEDL will join the American Institutes for Research (AIR) effective January 1, 2015. The combined organizations will have new and enhanced capabilities around, for example, disability research as well as an increased capacity to conduct large-scale randomized control trials and provide technical assistance to diverse populations across a broader geographic area.

SEDL was founded in 1966 as the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory under a U.S. Office of Education grant aimed at helping states and school districts use data and research to improve student academic outcomes. When SEDL was established as a regional educational laboratory, its work focused primarily on states in the Southwest. SEDL now works with states and regions across the country and has long had projects with a national scope.  As its work expanded geographically, its name was changed to SEDL. Based in the Mueller Development in Austin, SEDL has offices in three states.

The Texas Comprehensive Center (TXCC) at SEDL (http://txcc.sedl.org/) is one of fifteen regional comprehensive centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The centers provide training and technical assistance to state education agencies including TEA to increase the capacity to assist school districts and campuses with the implementation and administration of programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). TXCC works closely with TEA, supporting efforts to implement, develop, and sustain initiatives statewide as well as lead and support their school districts and schools in improving student outcomes. The TXCC partners with RMC Research (http://www.rmcresearchcorporation.com/).

AIR was founded in 1946 to conduct and apply the best behavioral and social science research and evaluation towards improving peoples’ lives, with a special emphasis on the disadvantaged. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AIR has 16 domestic offices and seven international offices.
 
USDE Denies Texas Application for Pre-K Grant
The US Department of Education (USDE) has denied Texas’ request for a federal grant of up to $120 million to expand pre-k access for students. The USDE announced that it would award grants to only 18 of the 36 states that applied.

Texas’ application included a provision that would have allowed public money to be sent to private education providers.

States receiving grants include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.