9:00-10:30 AM

Under Construction: Strengthening ESSA Compliance Through Monitoring Trends
Description: ESSA program requirements are the framework—but how sturdy is our structure? In this session, we’ll walk through the latest trends identified through the program monitoring validation process conducted by the Federal Program Compliance Division. Discover which compliance areas are rock‑solid across the state and which ones may need reinforcement. Attendees will learn practical takeaways to fortify regional processes and keep their ESSA projects built to code.

Presenter: Jaime Huerta

Location: Angus

Internal Controls and Risk Assessment: You Can't Build One Without the Other
Description: Internal controls and risk assessment are the structural beams that keep an organization standing. In this session, we’ll walk you through the “blueprints” of the non‑compliance process while helping you reinforce and fortify your internal control framework. You’ll leave with practical tools, proven building techniques, and a sturdier plan for constructing strong controls, assessing risk, keeping your organization compliant, resilient, and ready for inspection.

Presenter(s): Cal Lopez, Susan Hicks

Location: Hereford

Updates from Financial Compliance
Description: This session covers key updates in financial compliance, including new legislation affecting district operations and accountability. We’ll review best practices for accurate reporting, audit readiness, and stronger fiscal oversight across schools and charters. The session also includes an update on the new Facility Usage Report, outlining annual requirements for reporting square footage, student capacity, and campus utilization to support transparency and compliance.

Presenter(s): Financial Compliance Team

Location: Holstein

Solid Frameworks: Highlights and Key Updates from the Negotiation and Competitive Grants Units
Description: This session will provide key updates and guidance for navigating the application process.

Presenters: Tasha Clifton-Roland, Carmen Patrick, and Nelli Niño

Location: Longhorn

From Blueprint to Build-out: Monitoring Protocols for Full Fiscal Reviews
Description: Full fiscal reviews require more than a surface‑level inspection—they demand a clear blueprint, disciplined sequencing, and a field‑ready understanding of every structural element in the monitoring process. In this session, we’ll take participants from the drafting table to job‑site execution, walking through FFM’s comprehensive monitoring protocols designed for full fiscal reviews.

Presenter(s): Federal Fiscal Monitoring Team

Location: Highlands

Redesigning Perkins SSAs: A Scalable, District-Driven Model
Description: Region 6 ESC will share how a large, geographically diverse Perkins Shared Service Arrangement was redesigned into targeted Mini-SSAs to better meet the needs of small and rural districts while maintaining full Perkins V and EDGAR compliance. This session highlights the regional benefits of the Mini-SSA pilot, including improved alignment to CLNA priorities, stronger labor market alignment, increased district engagement, and more strategic use of Perkins funds. Participants will explore the Mini-SSA structure, regional decision-making processes, and lessons learned from implementation, as well as receive updates on how additional regions are participating in and adapting the pilot model during the current grant year.

Presenter(s): Kenneth Barnes, Region 6 ESC CTE Specialist; Jaret Sechelski, Region 6 ESC CTE Specialist

Location: Bluebonnet

Building Stability for Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Legal and Foundational Overview of McKinney‑Vento
Description: Every day, students experiencing homelessness navigate challenges that can disrupt their education. The McKinney‑Vento Act exists to remove those barriers—but many educators are unsure where to start. This session provides a clear, accessible overview of the law’s key requirements and the foundational concepts every campus and district should understand. Participants will gain practical insights, explore common scenarios, and walk away with a solid grounding in how McKinney‑Vento works in real school settings.

Presenter: John Dobbins

Location: Verbana

Constructing Compliance: A Builder’s Guide to Title II, Part A Monitoring
Description: Step onto the jobsite of educational excellence, where compliance isn’t just a requirement—it’s the foundation we build on. In this session, Gerardo Ramirez serves as the project foreman, guiding participants through the structural framework of the draft Title II, Part A Monitoring Protocol. Together, we’ll inspect the blueprint, reinforce key compliance beams, and ensure every component of the self-check process is solid, level, and up to code. From laying the groundwork to tightening the final bolts, this presentation equips you with the tools, materials, and construction know-how needed to build a strong, compliant Title II, Part A program that stands the test of time.

Presenter: Gerardo Ramirez

Location: Sunflower

11:00-12:30 PM 

Constructing a Blueprint for Title II and Title III Validation Reviews
Description: This session frames Title II/III validation as a well‑run construction site—establishing clear procedures as the foundation, using ongoing monitoring as routine inspections, and applying review processes as the final walkthrough to ensure everything is built to code and ready to withstand scrutiny.

Presenter(s): Luis Garza, Gracie Gonzales, and Erin Hartmann

Location: Angus

Toolbelt Required: Building the 2026–2027 GCA Risk Assessment Indicators
Description: Grab your toolbelt—because the 2026–2027 GCA Proposed Risk Assessment Indicators are under construction, and you’re part of the crew. This session takes you onto the “job site” where we’ll walk through the proposed new indicators, inspect the framework, and identify which areas need reinforcing before the final inspection. You’ll will help us shore up any weak spots, make sure the new indicators level out, and to ensure our updated indicators as provide a blueprint for a sturdier, more compliant organization. Expect practical tools, hands‑on guidance, and a little sawdust as we build a stronger risk‑ready foundation together.

Presenter(s): Cal Lopez, Laura Wake

Location: Hereford

MOE Compliance That Passes Inspection: Ensuring State and Local Expenditures Are Up to Code
Description: The session will lay out the blueprint for each requirement, show how school systems can build and document compliance, highlight areas where they have flexibility in their construction plans, explain what happens when key structural standards aren’t met, and point to the technical support tools available on the TEA website to help school systems keep their projects sturdy and up to code.

Presenter: James Connolly

Location: Longhorn

Special Population Programmatic Review for Bilingual Education, McKinney-Vento & Foster Care
Description: The TEA Special Populations Policy and Compliance Division is strengthening their state-level oversight of three ESSA programs. Come explore what will be monitored SY2026-27 to ensure school systems are implementing program services with fidelity for special population students who are served through bilingual education, McKinney-Vento and Foster Care programs.

Presenter: Mara Betancourt Coker

Location: Holstein

Concrete Steps: Protocols for the Procurement Process
Description: A durable procurement process—like a well‑constructed foundation—depends on following the right steps in the right order. This session walks participants through the “concrete pour” of federal procurement: planning purchases, applying the correct thresholds, ensuring full and open competition, documenting decisions, and validating compliance.

Presenter(s): Federal Fiscal Monitoring Team

Location: Highlands

Perkins Best Practices – CTE Programming
Description: Discover practical strategies to help LEAs meet Perkins V requirements through a streamlined, data‑driven continuous improvement approach. This session highlights how to use CLNA insights, performance data, and required uses of funds to strengthen program quality, improve student access, and support sustainable CTE success. Attendees will gain clear, actionable practices for turning Perkins V compliance into meaningful, ongoing improvement for students and educators.

Presenter: Marcette Kilgore, M.Ed., Career and Technical Education Deputy Director, College, Career and Military Preparation Division

Location: Bluebonnet

Foundations of Foster Care Education: Key Concepts Every Texas Educator Should Know
Description: Students in foster care often experience changes in placement, school transitions, and shifts in support that can impact their day‑to‑day learning. This session offers a straightforward overview of how the foster care system interacts with school processes in Texas. Participants will learn key terms, essential education requirements, and the role of the Foster Care Liaison, along with typical scenarios educators encounter during enrollment, records transfer, and transitions. The goal is to provide a solid, practical foundation that helps educators navigate responsibilities and support students with clarity.

Presenter: John Dobbins

Location: Verbana

Compliance Under Construction: Building a Rock-Solid ESSA Title IV, Part A Monitoring & Self Check
Description: This session helps School Systems construct a durable Title IV, Part A, compliance framework—from slab to finish out. We’ll frame the statutory pillars (well-rounded education, safe & healthy students, effective use of technology) and the funding “load bearing” requirements into a field-tested monitoring & self-check punch list aligned to TEA’s Title IV, Part A, Program Monitoring Validations (PMV) and the Special Data Collection (SDC) for Public Reporting. Participants leave with a ready-to-use walkthrough tool, red flag indicators, and examples that convert guidance into day-to-day evidence schools can document for reviews. Expect quick case builds, a mini “permit review” exercise, and a closing inspection that certifies your next steps are code compliant—before auditors ever knock. Bring your questions; leave with a blueprint.

Presenter: LaNetra Guess

Location: Sunflower

1:30-3:00 PM

Strengthening the Framework: Understanding Supplement, Not Supplant
Description: Just like a well-designed structure relies on the right materials in the right places, effective program funding depends on correctly applying supplement, not supplant rules. This session provides a clear, accessible overview of what it means to supplement rather than replace existing resources.

Presenter: Vivian Smyrl

Location: Angus

Laying the Legal Foundation: Statutes and Regulations as Blueprints for Federal Grant Entitlements
Description: This session aims to expand attendees’ understanding of how TEA builds out federal grant entitlements (allocations), including Title I, Part A, Title II, Part A, and IDEA‑B. We’ll walk through how statutes and regulations set the project’s “scope of work,” how US Census Bureau and PEIMS data function as the core building materials, what safety checks are in place to ensure every calculation is structurally sound, and the scaffolding and support resources available on the TEA website to help ESCs and school systems keep their worksite running smoothly and avoid costly construction mishaps.

Presenter: James Connolly

Location: Hereford

Setting the Tiles for High-Risk Reviews
Description: This session walks attendees through the High‑Risk process—short‑term and long‑term—by laying out the procedures as the framework, explaining monitoring as routine site inspections, and clarifying the review process as the final check to ensure issues are stabilized and brought back into compliance.

Presenter(s): Luis Garza, Gracie Gonzales, and Erin Hartmann

Location: Longhorn

Title III, Part A Funding Allowances
Description: The TEA Special Population Policy & Compliance Division continues to support school systems with technical assistance in how to appropriately expend Title III funds. Don't miss this opportunity to hear how to maximize your dollars while prioritizing your comprehensive needs assessment.

Presenter: Rickey Santellana

Location: Holstein

Clocking In on the Jobsite: Time & Effort That Passes Inspection
Description: Just like construction crews rely on accurate daily logs to keep projects on track, federal Time & Effort rules require precise, reliable documentation of how staff spend their work hours. In this session, we’ll break down the essentials of compliant Time & Effort reporting through a jobsite lens—showing how semi‑annual certifications, PARs, and other records ensure federal funds are used correctly. Participants will learn common errors that lead to findings and come away with strategies to keep their workforce “clocked in” and inspection-ready year-round.

Presenter(s): Federal Fiscal Monitoring Team

Location: Highlands

Perkins Best Practices – CTE Programming (Repeat)
Description: Discover practical strategies to help LEAs meet Perkins V requirements through a streamlined, data‑driven continuous improvement approach. This session highlights how to use CLNA insights, performance data, and required uses of funds to strengthen program quality, improve student access, and support sustainable CTE success. Attendees will gain clear, actionable practices for turning Perkins V compliance into meaningful, ongoing improvement for students and educators.

Presenter: Marcette Kilgore, M.Ed., Career and Technical Education Deputy Director, College, Career and Military Preparation Division

Location: Bluebonnet

The Nuts & Bolts of FFM’s Title I, Part A Monitoring Protocols
Description: In this session, we’ll break down the essential “nuts and bolts” of FFM’s Title I, Part A monitoring expectations, showing how each component of the protocol supports effective fiscal oversight, documentation quality, and program implementation. Attendees will leave with practical guidance, clearer insight into what reviewers look for, and actionable steps to reinforce their Title I, Part A toolkit.

Presenter(s): Federal Fiscal Monitoring Team

Location: Verbana

Building Stronger Foundations Using Funding Transferability and REAP Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) With Confidence
Description: Time to Sharpen Your Saw Using Funding Transferability and REAP Tools- This session will demonstrate the different uses of Funding Transferability and REAP to confidently create a sound funding process that leads to effective use of funds.

Presenter(s): Didi García, Idalia Ibañez, and Nez Paniagua-Jiménez

Location: Sunflower

3:30 – 5:00 PM

Laying the Groundwork for Effective Grant Management and Expenditure Reporting
Description: This session will provide general best practices to assist in managing your TEA grants effectively and an overview of the Expenditure Reporting (ER) system.

Presenters: Meredith Edgley, Lydia Pelayo, and Jennifer Flores

Location: Angus

Blueprint for Compliance: Navigating Title I, Part A Monitoring & Self Check Essentials
Description: Just like a successful build depends on a solid inspection process, effective Title I, Part A implementation requires a clear understanding of monitoring expectations and compliance checkpoints. This session walks participants through the draft Title I, Part A Monitoring Protocol with a practical, step-by-step look at key self-check items. Attendees will learn how to identify required documentation, strengthen internal processes, and proactively address common compliance gaps.

Presenter: Vivian Smyrl

Location: Hereford

Laying the Foundation: ESC Tips for Navigating FPC Smartsheet WorkApps
Description: This session will highlight practical navigation tips for working in FPC Smartsheet WorkApps during submission windows. Topics include locating ESC‑facing pages and tiles, using Dynamic Views to keep track of school system submissions and provide effective technical assistance, understanding available forms, using dashboards to view and track evaluations, and reviewing the process for requesting and managing access.

Presenter: Victoria Rivera

Location: Longhorn

Limited Inspections: Monitoring Protocols for Flash Reviews
Description: Flash Reviews are the “quick‑turn” jobsite inspections of the monitoring world—targeted, fast‑moving, and designed to verify compliance without the full scope of a comprehensive fiscal review. This session breaks down FFM’s streamlined monitoring protocols for flash reviews, highlighting how reviewers determine the focus area, what documentation is required, and how evidence is assessed to ensure standards are up-to-code.

Presenter(s): Federal Fiscal Monitoring Team

Location: Holstein

Title I, Part C Compliance Under Construction: Building Monitoring Protocols and Effective Self-Assessment
Description: This session guides federal program staff in interpreting program compliance “blueprints” by building strong program monitoring protocols and conducting internal “self-assessments” using the Title I, Part C Monitoring Protocol, and how to effectively report on the Title I, Part C Self-Check. Attendees will review examples of solid documentation and learn how to reinforce gaps to stay monitoring-ready year-round.

Presenter(s): Didi García, Idalia Ibañez, and Nez Paniagua-Jiménez

Location: Highlands

Hard Hats On for Perkins Protocols
Description: In this session, we’ll walk participants through the Perkins program and fiscal monitoring protocols using a construction‑site lens, highlighting the “load‑bearing” requirements that FFM inspects for Perkins grants. Attendees will leave equipped with a clear blueprint for navigating Perkins protocols and ensuring their programs stand on a solid foundation—hard hats definitely required.

Location: Bluebonnet

Blueprints to Compliance: Building Private Nonprofit (PNP) Equitable Services That Pass Inspection
Description: Great buildings start with great blueprints, and so do compliant School Systems’ Private Nonprofit (PNP) equitable services. In this session, we’ll walk through the “structural plans” behind TEA’s Program Monitoring Validations (PMV) protocol, and the self-check items School Systems can use to stress test their work before audit day. Using a construction lens, foundation, framing, and the final walk-through, we’ll map ESSA Section 1117 and 8501 requirements, “timely and meaningful” consultation, equitable services calculations, inventory control, affirmations of consultation, and documentation that proves equitable services. Attendees leave with blueprints they can apply immediately so their PNP equitable services program is code-ready for TEA review and aligned with U.S. Department of Education guidance and TEA resources.

Presenter: LaNetra Guess

Location: Sunflower

Bruman General Session

Presenter: Steven Spillian, Partner at BruMan Group, LLC

Location: Hereford, Longhorn, Holstein

2:00 – 5:00 PM

Hard Hats and Toolbox Required: Building an Internal Control Framework That Powers Your Internal Risk Assessment

Description: Every solid risk assessment starts with a sturdy internal control framework—and this session puts you right on the job site. We’ll roll out the blueprints, break open the toolkits, and guide you through constructing and testing a framework that truly supports and strengthens your internal risk assessment process. Together, we’ll inspect your current foundation, tighten loose bolts, identify weak spots, and reinforce key structures to ensure your system can withstand compliance “weather” of all kinds. Expect practical tools, hands‑on guidance, and plenty of construction‑themed fun as you assemble a stronger, more resilient approach to internal controls and risk assessment. This is an interactive 3‑hour session. Please bring a copy of your current financial, state, and federal policies and procedures.

Presenter: Cal Lopez

Location: Hereford, Longhorn, Holstein

Constructing Success: Managing Your Federal Grants Effectively

Description: This interactive session will provide an in-depth look at the best practices for effective grant management. We’ll explore the foundation of federal grant requirements, examine each phase of the grant life cycle, and map out the application process. You’ll learn the requirements for expenditure reporting, strong documentation and recordkeeping, and how to close-out your grants successfully. The session also will highlight the tools, training, and support resources available from TEA to help you keep every project structurally sound and built to last.

Presenter: Christina Villarreal

Location: Angus

You Be the Inspector: A Jobsite Guide to 2026 Federal Fiscal Monitoring

Description: Like a final walkthrough before project closeout, federal fiscal monitoring requires the right evidence, organized the right way. This session breaks down TEA’s 2026 fiscal monitoring process—including updated protocols, criteria, key review areas, required documentation, and common findings. Participants will practice “inspection-ready” approaches through sample testing activities and leave with practical strategies to strengthen fiscal controls, prepare for monitoring, and respond confidently to identified issues.

Presenter: Matt Lashlee

Location: Highlands

Closing Session

Federal Education Grant Challenges and Hot Topics

Presenters: Cory Green and Nick Davis

Location: Hereford, Longhorn, Holstein