SUBJECT: 2016-2017 Texas 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC), Cycle 9, Year 1, Strategic Partnership Opportunity The Texas Education Agency has posted the Texas 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant for Cycle 9 application for the 2016-2017 school year. The Texas 21st CCLC’s purpose is to create community learning centers aimed at providing academic enrichment opportunities for high need, high poverty, and/or low performing schools to meet state standards in the core content areas. The Institute for Public School Initiatives (IPSI) at the College of Education in The University of Texas at Austin serves the common goal of helping all students, early childhood through high school, achieve their academic potential through two primary types of initiatives: those that directly support students and those that equip and empower educators and leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in today’s classroom. Through partnerships with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), education service centers (ESCs), school districts, public charter schools, and other institutions of higher education, we serve many of the educational and professional development (PD) needs for the state of Texas. With the overall goal of creating community learning centers aimed at providing academic enrichment opportunities for high need, high poverty, or low performing schools to meet state standards in the core content areas, IPSI will partner with districts to (1) deliver in-service PD opportunities aimed at aligning afterschool programs or activities with daily classroom instruction, (2) support lesson planning and use of data to guide instruction, (3) observe and provide feedback on instructional delivery to fulfill project goals. Additionally, IPSI will provide support and guidance on designing or refining existing systems aimed at fostering, increasing, and strengthening parent, family, community, and school partnerships. Our team brings decades of experience supporting schools and districts across Texas; developing the instructional and leadership skill sets of educators and leaders; developing and aligning instructional practices or systems; designing technological solutions and tools; and building strategic partnerships with agencies, foundations, business leaders, and associations. We pride ourselves on being a leader in developing and delivering research-based PD, spanning the early childhood through high school continuum, to assist educators and leaders in preparing diverse student populations to be college and career ready. If your district plans to apply and would like to form a strategic partnership with IPSI, contact IPSI at support@ipsi.utexas.edu for further details. Eligible applicants must apply through the Texas Education Agency’s Standard Application System by 5:00 p.m. Central Time, March 29, 2016. Sincerely, Daryl Michel Digitally signed by Daryl Michel DN: cn=Daryl Michel, o=The University of Texas, ou=IPSI, email=dmichel@ipsi.utexas.edu, c=US Date: 2016.03.04 17:34:16 -06'00' Daryl Michel, PhD Director, Academic Foundations The University of Texas at Austin dmichel@ipsi.utexas.edu 210.380.8375 1