District-Wide Classroom Review Grant

The 2026–2028 District-Wide Classroom Review Grant, administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), is a state-funded initiative established to support the implementation of district-wide classroom reviews aligned with strategic planning and performance system improvements. Authorized by the General Appropriations Act, Article III, Rider 41(c)(2), from the 89th Texas Legislature, this grant supports the integration of several key diagnostic initiatives: the Effective District Frameworks (EDF), Effective Schools Frameworks (ESF), and House Bill 1605 (HB-1605) Local Classroom Reviews. The aim is to ensure that instructional materials used at district and campus levels align with state standards in rigor and content. Through this grant, TEA seeks to provide school systems with a structured process to evaluate their classroom instructional materials. This evaluation determines whether submitted materials match district-adopted resources and whether they meet the expectations of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the appropriate grade levels. The project includes logistical and operational support for training, diagnostics, vendor coordination, invoicing, and ongoing implementation fidelity checks to ensure consistency and quality across all participating districts. Eligible applicants for this grant are limited to Region 13 Education Service Center (ESC). Shared services arrangements (SSAs) are not permitted. The program is funded exclusively through state appropriations, totaling $10,050,499, with no federal contributions and no cost-sharing or matching requirements. The grant is managed on a reimbursement basis once a Notice of Grant Award (NOGA) is issued, and expenditures are submitted through the Expenditure Reporting (ER) system. Pre-award costs are allowed for expenses incurred from January 1, 2026, through the stamp-in date of the application. Funded activities must directly support the grant’s objectives and include eligible uses such as payroll, professional services, supplies, capital outlay, travel (both in-state and limited out-of-state), and hosting or attending conferences directly related to district-wide classroom reviews. Specific approval is required for costs under certain budget categories (e.g., 6400 series), and all unallowable expenses, such as student travel, executive board member travel, and field trips, are strictly excluded from reimbursement. Applicants must comply with extensive programmatic requirements set by TEA, including maintaining diagnostic platforms, providing training logistics, developing registration systems, tracking financial records and invoicing, overseeing stakeholder engagement, and supporting performance management. Grantees are required to collaborate on project planning using Smartsheet, maintain feedback loops via TEA platforms such as Qualtrics, and support the implementation of fidelity measures, including quality assurance reviews and certified reviewer tracking. Performance measures are detailed and encompass project management milestones, training outcomes, financial accuracy, stakeholder communication, and logistics success rates. Specific benchmarks such as 90% on-time report delivery, 90% training satisfaction, and 100% compliance with financial directives are expected. TEA will assess success through data dashboards, stakeholder feedback analysis, and quarterly progress routines. The grant period covers two full fiscal years, and recurring evaluations suggest the potential for program continuity beyond 2028. Overall, this grant plays a vital role in enhancing the alignment and quality of instructional materials and reviews across Texas districts, with a particular focus on systemic improvement, strategic planning, and data-driven decision-making.

Emphasize fidelity tracking, TEA feedback loops, and timely vendor invoicing with net 30 terms.