Introduction

The Office of Federal and State Accountability will host its annual ESSA Academy on March 24-25, 2025, at the Cooperative Conference Center (169 Laurelhurst Avenue, Columbia, SC). Each morning will begin with a phenomenal keynote speaker, followed by breakout sessions to support the successful implementation of ESSA programs. CEU credits will be awarded to attendees upon completion. All school- and district-level personnel who work with ESSA programs, including but not limited to Title I Principals, Federal Programs Coordinators, Academic Officers, and Finance Directors, are encouraged to attend.

Day 2 - Tuesday, March 25th (current page)

Link to Monday, March 24th

Welcome - 9:00 AM

Keynote 1 - Federal Updates from Washington: 9:10 AM - 10:30 AM
Keynote 2 - Demonstrating Success in ESSA Programs: 10:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Breakout Session 1 - 11:45 AM – 12:30 AM

Understanding Your Subaward Agreement and Compliance: The subaward agreement, also know as the GAN, contains important information both directly and by reference. This session will cover terms in the subaward agreement, expectations for subgrantees, and tips for better grant management.
Diving Deep into Title I, Parent and Family Engagement: Grab your scuba gear as we dive into the updated Parent and Family Engagement guidance and have deep discussions about school and district requirements.
Understanding Equitable Services & LEA Responsibilities: This session will introduce attendees to new equitable services requirements, forms, and a handbook highlighting the SCDE expectations for LEAs based on the latest Department of Education guidance.
Understanding School Improvement Designations and What to Do: Have you ever wondered how you received a federal or state designation? Do you ever think about what you need to focus on to improve your scores? The Office of Leadership Effectiveness will do a deep dive in federal and state designations and the data that goes with them.

Breakout Session 2 - 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM

Pathways to Flexibility: Is your district seeking innovative ways to implement its strategic plan while improving student achievement? This session will demystify the flexibility process and provide practical strategies for leveraging policy adjustments to meet district goals. Participants will gain a step-by-step roadmap for accessing flexibility, real-world case studies from successful districts, and actionable strategies to navigate challenges such as compliance concerns and stakeholder engagement.
Stronger Together: Empowering Families Through Engagement Centers: Parenting centers often serve as hubs for building strong family-school partnerships. These centers are especially effective in supporting the families of students preparing to enter school.  We will share how to use Title I funds to develop and sustain local parenting centers. Parenting centers can empower parents and guardians to be actively involved in their child's education and overall well-being by engaging families, building connections, and linking them to learning outcomes. 
Navigating the Numbers: Understanding the Fiscal Components of Federal Grants: Interested in learning more about the fiscal components of your federal grants? Join us as we delve into allocation essentials, claiming requirements and expectations, and best practices for tracking funding throughout a grant cycle.
Title I, Part C Education of Migratory Farmworker Children & Youth: This session aims to provide an overview of the Title I, Part C program in South Carolina and explore needs, strategies, and best practices for identifying and serving Title I, Part C students.  

Breakout Session 3 - 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM

The Numbers Don't Lie: Building capacity of school leaders to develop strong leadership teams through analyzing data; empowering staff members & PLCs; & building cohesive & effective team members. Speakers will discuss data dives, strategies for empowering teachers, and ways to lead change initiatives.
Show Me the Money: Understanding Title I Allocations: Why does my district’s allocation change every year? How does the OFSA determine LEA allocations? This session will discuss the funding formula used in determining allocations. 
Connecting the Dots Between District Strategic Planning and Title I: Fund the plan, not plan the fund.  Connecting the Dots will help you discover ways to fund your strategic plan.  This session will draw parallels between strategic planning and Title I planning that will help you work smarter, not harder and reach the student achievement goals that you always wanted to achieve.
Tips and Tools for School Improvement for Students with IEPs: This session will provides a summary of the academic performance of students with IEPs in South Carolina based on NAEP scores and provides practical tools and strategies to enhance instruction, support student progress, and reduce exclusionary discipline. Join us for this interactive session and leave with actionable strategies to build a more effective and impactful special education program!Some presentations could not uploaded to our website due to accessibility issues. These can be found on the Whova application within the agenda section.
Some presentations could not uploaded to our website due to accessibility issues. These can be found on the Whova application within the agenda section.