October 12, 2011

TO THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT ADDRESSED:

SUBJECT:     Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval

The purpose of this letter is to inform Texas local educational agencies (LEAs) of the method for requesting approval to use 2010–2012 Education Jobs Fund (Ed Jobs) funds as an incentive for early resignation.

Ed Jobs Background

The purpose of the Ed Jobs Fund is to provide essential resources to assist LEAs in saving or creating education jobs and help to ensure that America's students are prepared to succeed in college and careers.  Jobs funded under this grant include those that provide educational and related services to early childhood, elementary, and secondary education at the school level. Funds may not be used for LEA-level or district-wide employees.

The project period for the grant is August 10, 2010, to September 30, 2012. Allocations for Ed Jobs are based on weighted average daily attendance (WADA) state funding formulas. The allocations may be viewed at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=5040&menu_id=2147483678.

The Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval Form

As detailed in the frequently asked questions (FAQ) for Ed Jobs (available from the Education Jobs Fund—Guidance page at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id= 2147500359&menu_id=934&menu_id2=941), Ed Jobs funds may be used to pay incentives for early resignation for school-level employees with prior approval from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). By signing the Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval form, the LEA provides the following assurances:

1.    The LEA will establish a written policy or have an employer-employee agreement regarding the early resignation incentive.

2.    The LEA will offer early resignation incentives paid from Ed Jobs funds only to personnel who are providing educational or related services at the school level.

3.    The LEA's use of Ed Jobs funds for resignation incentives will directly or indirectly save or create school-level jobs at the LEA.

4.    The LEA will not structure the early resignation incentive in such a way as to encourage retirement, such as by offering a greater incentive to employees with 25 years of service, nor will it require retirement as a condition for personnel being offered the early resignation incentive. (This assurance is not applicable to charter schools.)

5.    The LEA's early resignation incentive will not be offered only to a subset of school-level personnel who are eligible for retirement. (This assurance is not applicable to charter schools.)

6.    The LEA will amend their Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval form to request additional school-level positions, or significantly increase the approximate number of incentives or approximate amount of incentives.

In submitting the form, it is important that the LEA adhere to the following directions. The Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval form is to be submitted individually, with no supporting documentation attached. Supporting documentation submitted with the approval forms will be returned to the LEA.

Accessing, Completing, and Submitting the Form

The following process is used to access, complete, and submit the form:

1.    Go to the Education Jobs Fund—Guidance page.

2.    Open the Education Jobs Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval form (in the Texas Guidance section).

3.    Save the form to your desktop.

4.    Complete the form. If the early resignation incentive is being offered to more than six position titles, use page two of the form. Follow the guidance given in the Ed Jobs FAQ (available from the Education Jobs Fund—Guidance page) to determine which employees are school level (B-4) and to ensure, if the LEA is an independent school district, that Ed Jobs funds are not used as an incentive for early retirement (B-23 and B‑24).

5.    Print the completed form.

6.    Have the form signed and dated by the authorized official. If the LEA uses page two for additional position titles, the same authorized official must sign and date page two.

7.    Mail the form to the Division of Grants Administration, Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin TX 78701.

Further Information

For more information regarding the Education Jobs Fund Early Resignation Incentive Request for Approval form, email gafpc@tea.state.tx.us.

Sincerely,

 

 

Yolanda Cantu

Director, Division of Grants Administration