Statement regarding ADSY for Texas Partnership schools

Statement from Bibi Yasmin Katsev, Executive Director, Texas District Charter Alliance on ADSY for Texas Partnership schools

Providing another path for educators to get students’ additional help

April 21, 2021

We were pleased to see the inclusion of funding for students attending Texas Partnerships schools in House Bill 1525. No matter the school type, students who need additional time for learning due to gaps or disruptions deserve to go to schools that are funded to offer these programs. Especially as students recover from COVID learning loss.

House Bill 3 (86R) added half-day formula funding for school systems that add instructional days to any of their elementary schools starting in the 2020-2021 school year. Funding for Additional Days School Year (ADSY) is available for those days beyond a minimum of 180, up to 210 total, specifically for grades pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. These elementary school-aged students are some of our most vulnerable, who need to be reading by third grade and progressing appropriately. ADSY provides an incentive to elementary campuses to get students the additional help they need. The ADSY initiative is also flexible and can be used to best support students with either additional summer learning, targeted remediation during the school year or a different design of the school year.

Members of the Texas District Charter Alliance are grateful to Representative Jay Dean (District 7-Longview) for listening to educators. His support of this specific flexibility for Partnership schools provides the ability to add instructional days to help students recover from learning loss.

The Texas District Charter Alliance (DCA) is composed of district and charter leaders who have come together to engage in advocacy to put students’ interests before all else and seek to improve all public schools.  We support transformative policies that allow for partnerships and collaboration between districts and charters to provide schools with opportunities for greater innovation and student achievement.

The Texas District Charter Alliance (DCA) represents 30 organizations; Academica, Aldine ISD, AUSL, Beaumont ISD, Brooks County ISD, Democracy Prep Charter School, El Paso ISD, El Paso Leadership Academy, Freer ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, Great Hearts, Green Dot Public Schools, KIPP Texas, IDEA Public Schools, Learn4Life, FW Leadership Academy Network, Longview ISD, Midland ISD, Premont ISD, Relay Lab Schools, ResponsiveEd, Rural Schools Innovation Zone, San Antonio ISD, School Innovation Collaborative, Spring Branch ISD, Third Future Schools, Transformation Waco, Uplift Education, and YES Prep Public Schools.