NEWS
Grow Your Own Teachers grant program opens
AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Mike Morath today announced that applications for the 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program are now being accepted.
Local educational agencies including school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, as well as education service centers, educator preparation programs and institutions of higher education are eligible for the grant program, which aims to elevate the teaching profession in Texas by developing high-quality education and training courses at the high school level.
“With an emphasis on small and rural school districts, the Grow Your Own: Teachers grant program addresses challenges Texas currently faces in terms of recruiting and retaining teacher candidates in hard-to-staff areas,” said Commissioner Morath. “Through this initiative, districts can create grant-funded teacher pipelines to increase the pool and diversity of Texas’ future classroom leaders.”
The 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers grant can be used by districts to encourage high school students to consider teaching as a career and paraprofessionals, teacher aides, and/or long-term substitutes to pursue certification. The grants can also be used by educator preparation programs to support student teachers during their year-long clinical teaching or teacher candidates during their intensive pre-service training.
The 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2, grant represents the second opportunity for school districts, charters, education service centers and institutions of higher education to be part of this initiative. The first 25 grantees were announced in spring 2018 and include: Amarillo ISD; Angleton ISD; Burkeville ISD; Chapel Hill ISD (Smith County); Cumby ISD; Everman ISD; Fort Stockton ISD; Grand Prairie ISD; Lamar CISD; Lometa ISD; Midland ISD; Moody ISD; O’Donnell ISD; Pearsall ISD; Region 2 Education Service Center (Corpus Christi); Region 5 Education Service Center (Beaumont); Region 6 Education Service Center (Huntsville); Snook ISD; Socorro ISD; Springtown ISD; Stafford MSD; Stephen F. Austin State University; Texas Tech University; Texas Woman’s University; and Timpson ISD.
In addition to the 2019–2021 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program, TEA is also accepting applications for the 2019–2020 Principal Preparation, Cycle 2 grant program. Principal Preparation grants can be used by LEAs to cover preparation/certification costs and implement a full-time, year-long residency for their aspiring principals.
Applications for the 2019-2020 Grow Your Own: Teachers, Cycle 2 grant program and the 2019–2020 Principal Preparation, Cycle 2 grant program can be submitted through Nov. 13, 2018. Applications must be received by TEA by 5 p.m. (Central Time) on that day to be considered for funding. Grant application information can be found on TEA Grant Opportunities page on the TEA website.
Both the Grow Your Own: Teachers and Principal Preparation grant initiatives support TEA’s Strategic Priority to recruit, support, and retain teachers and principals. To learn more about the agency’s strategic priorities, visit https://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Welcome_and_Overview/TEA_Strategic_Plan/.
Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.
The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.
Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.
The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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