Strong Foundations FAQs

High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) allow students to engage more deeply and meaningfully with the Texas standards and supports teachers in ensuring all students have access to high-quality and rigorous grade-level content. Student outcomes improve when they have greater access to:

• Grade-appropriate assignments
• Strong instruction
• Deep engagement; and
• Teachers with high expectations

HQIM establish a strong foundation upon which each resource can be cultivated and provided to students. 

Approved core HQIM include K–5 RLA and/or K–5 Math.

CRIMSI includes:

• Pre-implementation planning supports in Spring 2023 to prepare for high-fidelity implementation.
• Onboarding and ongoing high-quality professional learning (HQPL) provided directly by TEA to leaders, coaches, and teachers through asynchronous modules and live virtual communities of practice in Summer 2023 and the 2023–24 School Year. 
• Live virtual communities of practice for senior district leaders (e.g., Superintendents, Chief Academic Officers, Chief School Officers).
• Progress monitoring supports for initiative leads
• Print materials for teachers and students for the full year, including manipulatives and trade books, in addition to digital access to the core materials.
• $1,500 stipends for teachers and coaches completing all requirements.

CRIMSI Local Implementation Training of the Trainers (ToT) includes:

• Pre-implementation planning supports in Spring 2023 to prepare for high-fidelity implementation.
• Onboarding and ongoing High-Quality Professional Learning (HQPL) provided directly by TEA to leaders and coaches through asynchronous modules and live virtual communities of practice in Summer 2023 and the 2023–24 school year.
• ToT materials to support leaders and coaches in delivering onboarding and ongoing HQPL locally to teachers. 
• Live virtual communities of practice for senior district leaders (e.g., Superintendents, Chief Academic Officers, Chief School Officers).
• Progress monitoring supports for initiative leads.
• Digital access to the core materials.
• $1,500 stipends for coaches completing all requirements. 

Print materials, including manipulatives and tradebooks, are not provided and must be secured by LEAs for all teachers and students.

ESC Strong Foundations Implementation Supports includes:

• Pre-implementation planning supports in Spring 2023 to prepare for high-fidelity implementation.
• Onboarding and ongoing high-quality professional learning (HQPL) provided directly by Education Service Centers (ESCs) to leaders, coaches, and teachers through asynchronous modules and live virtual and/or in-person job-embedded supports in Summer 2023 and the 2023–24 school year.
• Live virtual communities of practice for senior district leaders (e.g., Superintendents, Chief Academic Officers, Chief School Officers)
• Progress monitoring supports for initiative leads
• Digital access to the core materials

Print materials, including manipulatives and tradebooks, are not provided and must be secured by LEAs for all teachers and students.

The key difference between CRIMSI and CRIMSI Local Implementation are how supports are provided to teachers. 

• CRIMSI professional learning for teachers is provided directly by TEA through asynchronous modules and live virtual communities of practice.
• CRIMSI Local Implementation is a "training of trainers” model in which professional learning for teachers is provided locally by LEA leaders and coaches with support from TEA. LEAs have access to the same asynchronous modules for teachers as CRIMSI, but have flexibility on when teachers complete modules. Teachers also participate in the same communities of practice as CRIMSI, but are facilitated in-person locally by leaders and coaches. TEA directly provides professional learning to leaders and coaches to support local implementation. 

Additionally, CRIMSI includes print materials for teachers and students and $1,500 stipends for teachers. CRIMSI Local Implementation does not provide print materials or stipends for teachers, but does provide $1,500 stipends for coaches

LEAs must commit to the following assurances: 

• Approval by the superintendent and Chief Academic Officer (or equivalent leader) to participate in the pilot (and school board if required by local policy) 
• Appointment of an initiative lead as the primary point of contact and submission of at least one additional point of contact 
• Participation of at least one school leader per participating campus (recommend principal). 
• Participation of at least one coach per HQIM (coaches may include instructional coaches, administrators, leaders, or other individuals directly supporting teachers) 
• Submission of participant registration information by deadlines 
• Following the year-long scope and sequence for each HQIM 
• Meeting the minimum number of instructional minutes for each HQIM 
• Using the curriculum-embedded assessments for each HQIM 
• Ensuring participants are able to attend all required professional learning 
• Ensuring teachers have sufficient planning time and use the required protocols 
• Ensuring digital access and rostering (if applicable) 
• Ensuring print access 
• Ensuring participating initiative leads, school leaders, coaches, and teachers complete role-specific assurances 
• Attendance by senior district leaders at monthly communities of practice
• Submitting all required data