Sec. 29.0881.  STRONG FOUNDATIONS GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  The commissioner shall establish and administer a strong foundations grant program for campuses or a program at a campus serving students enrolled in prekindergarten through grade five to implement a rigorous school approach that combines high-quality instruction, materials, and support structures.
(b)  The commissioner shall adopt components that school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and campuses of the districts or schools must implement under the strong foundations grant program.  The components must include:
(1)  use of high-quality instructional materials, curricula, and curricular tools;
(2)  use of aligned diagnostic and formative assessments;
(3)  aligned professional supports;
(4)  practices designed to ensure high-quality supports for students with disabilities;
(5)  evidence-based practices to increase and maintain parental engagement; and
(6)  measurement of fidelity of implementation of the program.
(c)  Grants provided under the strong foundations grant program may be in the form of funds, in-kind resources, or both.
(d)  The commissioner shall use funds appropriated, federal funds, and other funds available for the strong foundations grant program to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in implementing the program.
(e)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school that receives grant funds under this section may use the funds to:
(1)  financially support or train or otherwise prepare educators and other staff;
(2)  pay for agreements with other entities to provide prekindergarten services; or
(3)  pay for accelerated instruction provided under Section 28.0211.
(f)  The commissioner may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source, including private and nonprofit organizations, for the program.  A private or nonprofit organization that contributes to the program may receive an award under Section 7.113.
Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 910 (H.B. 4545), Sec. 4, eff. June 16, 2021.
Amended by: 
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 404 (H.B. 1416), Sec. 3, eff. June 9, 2023.