LASO Cycle 4 Grant and Allotment Portfolio

Leadership & Instructional Foundations for Texas (LIFT)

(LIFT merges programs formerly known as Strong Foundations SF, Texas Instructional Leadership TIL, and Texas Lesson Study TXLS) 

The LIFT grant provides a three-year program to strengthen instructional systems across districts and campuses, building instructional capacity around Bluebonnet, in the following key areas:

• Curriculum Adoption Support: Needs assessment of current instructional materials to guide Bluebonnet curriculum adoption (Planning Phase).
• Training & Skill-Building: Professional development to build staff understanding of the curriculum, strengthen skills, and set up schoolwide systems (Planning Phase).
• Observation and Feedback Cycle Development: Support to launch and refine observation and feedback systems that improve instructional quality (Planning and Implementation Phase).
• Implementation Training: Ongoing training to ensure effective use of Bluebonnet curriculum (Implementation Phase).
• Instructional Leadership Coaching: Coaching and feedback for leaders to strengthen instructional leadership and schoolwide routines (Implementation Phase).

Resources

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information: Ashley Prevost, Amanda Galvin;
Lift@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $200M
Initiative Duration- 3 years   
Estimated Total Value of Award*- $940K-$4.13M    
Estimated Number of Awards- 350-475  

School Improvement Curriculum and Instruction Support Grant (SI CISG) 

The School Improvement Curriculum and Instruction Support Grant (SI CISG) supports Title 1 school improvement and CSI, TSI, ATSI Designated campuses on strengthening curriculum and instruction by implementing non-Bluebonnet, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), in the following key areas:

• SBOE HQIM Support: Technical assistance for adopting a State Board of Education (SBOE)-approved high-quality instructional material (HQIM) in eligible grade levels.

• Curriculum & Instruction Support: Technical assistance to strengthen curriculum and instruction in grade levels where an SBOE-approved HQIM list does not exist.

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information: Ashley Prevost, Amanda Galvin;
Lift@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $10M
Initiative Duration- 1 year
Estimated Total Value of Award*-  Up to $200K
Estimated Number of Awards- Up to 50 

Blended Learning Grant (BLG)

PREP Program Allotment

Three Programs​

1. PREP Residency Preservice Program
2. PREP Grow Your Own (GYO) Program
3. PREP Mentor Program

The Preparing and Retaining Educators through Partnership (PREP) Program Allotment aims to strengthen the quality of teacher recruitment, preparation, and mentorship leading to increased educator effectiveness and retention.

The PREP Residency Preservice Program empowers school systems to play a central role in cultivating a pipeline of well-prepared, highly qualified teachers, in the following key areas:

• Paid Classroom Experience: Provides funding for teacher residents to work in classrooms with experienced teachers while earning teaching certificates

• Practice-based Prep: Extensive practice under the supervision of an effective host teacher

The PREP Grow Your Own (GYO) Program enables school systems through partnering with qualified institutions of higher education and educator preparation programs to establish innovative staffing pipelines that prepare and retain educators, in the following key areas:

• Employee Degree & Certification Support: Supports school system employees in completing a bachelor’s degree and teacher preparation program while employed

• Student Career & Teacher Prep: Supports high school students in completing CTE courses that prepare them for teaching careers

The (PREP) Mentorship Program aims to increase beginning teacher effectiveness and retention, by providing strong mentorship, in the following key areas:

• Mentor Stipends: Funds to compensate mentor teachers

• Mentorship Training: Funding for district mentorship staff to complete the Texas Mentorship Training

• Mentoring Release Time: Funding to provide release time for mentor teachers and beginning teachers to participate in mentoring activities

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information:
PREP Residencies: Dr. Cherylynn Jody Moody, Melissa Yoder; TEAteacherresidency@tea.texas.gov
PREP Grow Your Own: Ruth Ye, Dr. Cherylynn Jody Moody; GYO@tea.texas.gov 
PREP Mentorship: Ricki Harrell, Kyla Jaramillo;  mentorship@tea.texas.gov 

Estimated Funding $146M    All eligible districts may receive the allotment 

1. Residency Program: $24K-1.6M
2. Grow Your Own: $8K-480K
3. Mentor Program: $3K-120K

Additional Days School Year (ADSY) Grants Planning & Execution Program (ADSY PEP) Grants 

Two Cohorts: Full Year Redesign cohort and Summer Learning cohort

The Additional Days School Year Planning and Execution Program Grant supports school systems in designing and rolling out high-quality ADSY programs. Schools can either restructure the traditional academic calendar with the ADSY Full Year model or develop an enriching summer program through the ADSY Summer Learning model. Participating school systems receive comprehensive support in the following key areas:

• ADSY Program Design Support: Guidance to plan high-quality, evidence-based ADSY programs aligned to district priorities

• Professional Development: Targeted PD for staff to implement extended learning effectively.

• Technical Assistance: Ongoing support from TEA-approved providers to refine programs, monitor outcomes, and make data-informed adjustments.

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information: 
Ruchamah Belizor, ADSY Full Year.  Erica Stewart, Summer Learning; adsy@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $7.7M
Initiative Duration- 2-3 years
Estimated Total Value of Award* - Summer- Up to $200K; and Full Year- Up to $600K 
Estimated Number of Awards- 30-36  

School Action Fund (SAF) 

The School Action Fund Program supports Title 1, CSI, TSI, ATSI campuses to implement strategies to improve student outcomes and school performance, in the following key areas:

• Technical Assistance & Support: Provides expert guidance, resources, and grant funds to plan and implement the following school actions:

  • Restart Action: Supports to restart a campus with a new leader, mostly new teachers, and a new academic program.

  • Create New School Action: Supports to launch a new school with a new leader, staff, and academic program.

  • Reassign Action: Supports deep community engagement, transition planning, and reassigning students to A/B-rated campuses when a school is closed.

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information: 
School Action Fund; schoolactionfund@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $30M 
Initiative Duration- 2-3 years
Estimated Total Value of Award*- Create New: Up to $1.3M;
Reassign: Up to $750K; Restart: Up to 1.1M   
Estimated Number of Awards- 27-30 

Early College High School (ECHS) 

The Early College High School program supports school systems to implement models that enable underserved students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree concurrently, while impacting CCMR outcomes, in the following key areas:

• Assistance: Expert coaching and guidance to design and implement a high-fidelity ECHS program.

• Staff Training: Professional development on dual credit instruction, college readiness, and rigorous curriculum delivery.

• College Partnership Support: Support to create formal agreements with colleges and universities that produce targeted postsecondary degrees and credentials which connect to local economic needs.

• Student Recruitment: Resources and guidance to recruit and support at-risk and economically disadvantaged students through open enrollment.

• Student Support Services: Career, academic, behavioral, and mental health supports preparing students for success in a rigorous 2-year or 4-year college environment.

• Program Evaluation: Assistance with data collection, program review, and improvement planning to ensure quality and compliance.

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information: 
Darin Ford; ccrsm@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $800K
Initiative Duration- 2 years
Estimated Total Value of Award*- Up to $100K     
Estimated Number of Awards- Up to 8 

Virtual Hybrid Program Accelerator (VHPA)

The Virtual and Hybrid Program Accelerator (VHPA) supports the development and refinement of high-quality virtual and hybrid programs, in the following key areas:

• Technical Assistance: Customized coaching to design, launch, and improve high-quality virtual or hybrid programs.

• Program Design: Guidance on creating strong student learning experiences, staffing models, and operational systems.

• Academic Strategy: Support for developing rigorous curriculum and personalized learning for virtual/hybrid settings.

• Teacher Development: Training on effective virtual instruction and technology integration.

Program Guidelines
Webinar Deck (coming soon)
Webinar Recording (coming soon)
Contact information:
Ann Rajan; ann.rajan@tea.texas.gov

Estimated Total Allocation Available- $5M
Initiative Duration- 2 years
Estimated Total Value of Award*- Up to $230K   
Estimated Number of Awards- 10-14