1. ESSER Supplemental Grant Reductions

 

Due to the mechanism in which the ESSER Supplemental grant was formed, there will be one final adjustment to these NOGAs. Most districts will see a reduction in the funding, not an increase.

 

Final allocations are not posted, but should be in the next couple of weeks. TEA staff will be reaching out to districts with significant reductions and will also be sending out a statewide notice to LEAs regarding the final allocations.

 

If you have ESSER Supplemental funding, please be on the lookout for this change in the coming weeks.

 

2. 2021-2022 IDEA B and IDEA B Pre K ARP

If you still cannot drawdown funds for your IDEA B and IDEA B Pre K ARP, here is a reminder of the process that is needed.

 

Grantees with IDEA-B Formula-ARP or IDEA-B Preschool-ARP carryover must amend their Applicant Designation and Certification (ADC) form in eGrants to make the carryover funds available prior to starting an amendment. When amending the ADC, grantees must select the same designation as they selected for the "regular" IDEA-B Formula and/or Preschool funds in their 2022–2023 Special Education Consolidated Grant Application (Federal) or select "Not Apply at All.”

 

Once an amendment has been initiated, final amounts and any 2021–2022 carryover will appear on the BS6001 – Program Budget Summary and Support schedule in eGrants. Grantees will complete the program budget schedules as appropriate, then certify and submit the amendment. The deadline to submit amendments is 5:00 p.m. Central Time, June 2, 2023.

 

3. Other ESSER Funds

Upcoming End of Grant Periods

09/30/2023 - End of grant period for CRRSA ESSER II

09/30/2023 - End of grant period for IDEA-B ARP

09/30/2023 - End of grant period for IDEA-B Pre K ARP

09/30/2024 - End of grant period for ARP ESSER III

 

ARP ESSER III NOGAs

September 30, 2024, is the end of the performance period for ESSER III and revised NOGAs are being sent out to districts with updated end dates around April 19, 2023. After September 30, 2023, ESSER III will no longer require MOE reporting and LEAs RIPICS plan will no longer need to be updated (but the RIPICS plan will still need to remain on the school’s official website). See GR-Q85 on when plan updates can be discontinued.

 

For additional questions, contact the ESSER Expenditure Reporting Team in Grants Administration ESSERexpenditures@tea.texas.gov.

 

4. GASB 96

As a reminder, GASB 96 for SBITAs were incorporated into the FASRG effective September 2022. For those that are paid with grant funding, TEA will be revising budget schedules for SBITAs in active, applicable grant applications awarded on or after September 13, 2022 (revised BS6501 – Debt Services – eGrants and Debt Services 6500 form for pdf applications.)

 

A universal Errata should be issued on or around April 4, 2023, with instructions on how to submit an amendment to the grants that you need to adjust.

 

5. TRS Employment After Retirement Suspension Ends

In March 2020, TRS received approval from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to temporarily suspend certain statutes and rules that allowed TRS retirees working for any hospital, medical school, or health care facility affiliated with an institution of higher education covered by TRS (including but not limited to the employers listed below) to not forfeit their retirement annuity if they exceed half-time employment during the disaster declaration, nor were surcharges due for these retirees.

 

Effective March 31, 2023, Gov. Gregg Abbott has terminated this suspension. Resuming with the April 2023 Employment After Retirement report, surcharges will be due for any TRS retirees, with a retirement date after September 1, 2005, that exceed half-time employment during the calendar month. In addition, if the retiree has a retirement date after January 1, 2021, they may forfeit their annuity if they exceed half-time employment.

 

6. TRS Penalty Fee Grace Period

After careful consideration of feedback from you and districts around the State regarding the challenges they continue to face related to TRS reporting, TRS has issued a final extension to the one-month grace period through the August 2024 report period. In preparation of the grace period being eliminated with the September 2024 report period, TRS recommends REs create an action plan now to begin working toward completing reports as close to the TEXNET and report due dates as possible.