Weekly Update (10.20.2016)
TEA Information
Delay for PBMAS Staging
At the TETN on October 5, 2016, it was communicated that Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System (PBMAS) staging would be available in ISAM the week of October 24,2016. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the posting of this staging information will be delayed. TEA anticipates that PBMAS staging information will be available in ISAM the week of November 14, 2016.
Required Nonpublic Day and Residential Application and Data Collection for Districts
A letter was recently sent to LEAs to notify districts of a new system for electronic collection of nonpublic placement notification and funding information for students with disabilities who have been placed in an approved nonpublic facility by an admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee in order to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
Previously districts have reported through physical documentation to TEA regarding students with disabilities receiving educational services in nonpublic facilities for day and residential placements. The new Nonpublic/High Cost Funds system for electronic data collection will streamline the process for submitting documentation of compliance with notification and reporting requirements. Documentation will now be collected through an existing Texas Education Agency Secure Environment (TEASE) specific application. Existing High Cost Funds users need not reapply for TEASE access to use the new nonpublic system.
The Nonpublic/High Cost Fundsapplication is accessible through TEASE beginning on October 10, 2016. Application submission for students continuing in a nonpublic placement from the 2015-2016 school year are due by December 1, 2016.
Districts that currently do not have access and are required to complete the data collection can access Nonpublic/High Cost Funds by submitting an online request for access by following the instructions on the TEA website at
Additional guidance and resources regarding the Nonpublic/High Cost Funds notification and funding application are available on the TEA website at:
If you need assistance completing the Nonpublic/High Cost Funds application, please contact the Education Service Center (ESC) special education specialist at the phone numbers available from the TEA website at or contact the Division of IDEA Support at r (512) 463-9414.
Nonpublic Day and Residential Guidance Webpage Updates
The Nonpublic Day and Residential Guidancewebpage has been updated to include the most recent TETN PowerPoint from October 5th, the submission checklist, and a link to the Division of School Improvement’sNonpublic School Approval and Reapproval Process .The link to the updated Nonpublic Day andResidential Placement Notification and Application Guidance will be live in the coming days. Additionally, a “To the Administrator Addressed” letter will be released soon with information about the Nonpublic/High Cost Funds TEASE application.
Upcoming Deadline: School Health and Related Services (SHARS) Reporting Requirement
This is a reminder of the October 31, 2016, deadline for submitting the SHARS Reimbursement Report form. This deadline applies to LEAs that received IDEA-B grant funding in the 2015-2016 school year.
For details on this reporting requirement, refer to the September 16, 2016, To the Administrator Addressed letter posted by the Federal Fiscal Compliance and Reporting Division to the TEA Correspondence page.
Form Availability and Submission
The SHARS Reimbursement Report form is available through the GFFC Reports and Data Collections application. The form must also be submitted through that application, as follows:
- Log on to TEASE/TEAL.
- Select “GFFC Reports and Data Collections.”
- Select “Download Response Documents” to download the form.
- Select “Upload Response Documents” to submit the form.
- From the Report Title drop-down menu, select “SHARS for IDEA-B LEA MOE.”
- From the School Year drop-down menu, select “2015–2016.”
- From the Response Doc Type, select “Response Document.”
- Select “Browse” to locate your completed, signed, and scanned form.
- Select “Upload Document.”
Consequences of Failing to Comply
TEA may apply one or more of the following enforcement actions in accordance with 2CFR§200.338 if the SHARS Reimbursement Report form is not submitted by the October 31, 2016, deadline:
- Temporarily withhold cash payments pending correction of the deficiency or more severe enforcement action.
- Disallow all or part of the cost of an activity or action not in compliance.
- Wholly or partly suspend or terminate the federal award.
- Initiate suspension or debarment proceedings.
- Withhold further federal awards for the program.
- Take other remedies that may be legally available.
For Further Information
With any further questions, please email .
For Your Information
Starbucks Upstanders Story: Carwash
Check out this episode of Upstanders, a Starbucks original series, about a dad who builds a business for his son with autism.
Region 4 Upcoming Professional Development
Webinars at No Cost
Differentiated Instruction: A Foundation - This course enables participants to define differentiation, determine why it is important, review research to supports its effectiveness, identify a step by step process for how to differentiate, and review strategies for differentiating the content, process, and product of instruction.
Session #1262383
When registering use the promo code REGION4ROCKS . Register at
This session will be open until August 31, 2017.
Accommodations vs. Modifications: This training will provide teachers with an understanding of the differences between accommodations and modifications including why, when and how to effectively provide each.
Session #1262380
When registering use the promo code REGION4ROCKS . Register at
This session will be open until August 31, 2017.
Effective Collaboration Between General and Special Education Educators: This course will provide teachers with a deep understanding of the significance of effective collaboration between General and Special Education teachers. We will discuss the legal requirements of collaboration, the roles and responsibilities for each teacher, and the components of collaborative planning.
Session #1262384
When registering use the promo code REGION4ROCKS. Register at
This session will be open until August 31, 2017.
Video Modeling: Applications for School- and Transition-Aged Youth
Attendthis professional development session to learn more about video modeling, an evidence-based practice for instructing students with disabilitiesin the classroom and postsecondary settings. Following this session,participants will be able to immediately incorporate this technique into their existing practices. Examples of how video modeling (VM) has been used by different districts throughout the country and across disability categories will be provided. Participants will be shown, and have a chance to practice, all of the steps needed to create and deliver VM interventions using an iPad or other commonly available technology. Practitioners will also be shown how to monitor and chart student progress. As part of the professional development, practitioners in small teams will develop, film, and implement their own VM intervention.
Session ID: 1226438
Dates: November 4, 2016
Time: 9:00 – 4:00
Fee: $35
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801
Autism and Self-Determination: Teaching Skills across the Life Span
Join this session to learn more about the development of self-determination skills in individuals with autism. Most students leave high school with self-determination skills that are sufficient to help them continue their education and attain employment. However, many students with autism do not develop these skills resulting in limited future opportunities. In this session, participants will learn 1) what self-determination is and why it is important, 2) how to assess self-determination skills, and 3) how to promote self-determination starting at an early age and continuing into adulthood.
Session ID: 1260235
Dates: January 23, 2017
Time: 9:00 – 4:00
Fee: $35
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801
Structured Teaching: It's More Than Just Work Systems, A 3-Day Series
Join this 3-day series to gain in-depth information on creating a structured classroom to support the learning and behavior of students with autism and other disabilities. During this professional development series, participants will learn 1) the principles and research base for structured teaching; 2) how to apply structured teaching principles to support students of varying ages and ability levels; 3) how to implement structured teaching in a variety of settings including special education classrooms, general education classrooms, and the community; 4) how to teach students to use structured teaching components; and 5) how to “re-structure” systems when students are not responding positively. Participants will also create materials, use these materials to practice implementing structured teaching in their classrooms through “homework” assignments, and receive feedback.
Session ID: 1224374
Dates: January 24, February 7, and February 28, 2017
Time: 9:00 – 4:00
Fee: $105
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801
Verbal Behavior: Teaching Communication Skills to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
Join this session, presented by Dr. Vincent Carbone, to learn more about the behavioral approach to teaching communication skills to children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Participants in the workshop will learn how to 1) conduct a Behavioral Language Assessment, 2) select the most appropriate form of communication for a child (vocal, signing, pointing to or exchanging pictures, or activating an augmentative device), and 3) select the communication responses and supporting skills that should be taught first.The workshop includes the recommended teaching procedures for those children who have no formal communication skills to those who are near conversational speakers. Dr. Carbone will also describe and demonstrate errorless teaching, specific quick-transfer (prompting and fading) procedures, and the use of both discrete trial training in the natural environment and during intensive teaching sessions. Many video tape demonstrations are provided to illustrate the methods to increase spontaneous language and to develop conversation.
Session ID: 1225548
Dates: March 7 & 8, 2017
Time: 9:00 – 4:00
Fee: $70
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801
Region 4 Autism Symposium
Join this 3-day symposium to gain the most recent information on autism research and issues related to autism from birth to transition. Keynote speaker, Temple Grandin, Ph.D., will share her personal experiences as an individual with autism. Additionally, leaders in the field, Celine Saulnier, Ph.D., Paula Kluth, Ph.D., and Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D. will provide information regarding research on the etiology and early identification of autism, strategies to support students with autism in the classroom, and issues related to adolescence and early adulthood.
Session ID: 1143551
Dates: August 1, 2, & 3, 2017
Time: 8:30 – 4:00
Fee: $200
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801
ADOS 2 Training
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) improves an instrument already viewed as "the gold standard" for observational assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is a 2-day workshop that teaches you how to use the ADOS-2 to assess and diagnose autism. An experienced workshop leader will describe the ADOS-2 and demonstrate administration and scoring, operationalizing diagnostic criteria for ASD. The workshop focuses primarily on Modules 1 through 4.
Session ID: 1231648
Date: October 25-26, 2016
Time: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4 ESC
Fee $90
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Ethics for Licensed Specialists in School Psychology
Examine ethical situations that commonly occur for individuals providing psychological services in the school setting. This session will review relevant rules of practice, ethical standards, and legal implications. Session and materials costs are partially funded through state or federal grants.
Session ID: 1221537Session ID: 1231524
Date: November 4, 2016Date: February 10, 2017
Time: 8:30a.m. – 11:30a.m.ORTime: 8:30a.m. – 11:30a.m.
Location: Region 4 ESCLocation: Region 4
Fee $30Fee $30
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Issues in Cultural Diversity for the LSSP
Attend this session to consider and discuss current issues in cultural diversity as it relates to the field of school psychology. This session will satisfy the annual requirement for 3 hours of cultural diversity training that is required by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
Session ID: 1221540Session ID: 1231546
Date: November 4, 2016Date: February 10, 2017
Time: 1:00p.m. – 4:00p.m.ORTime: 1:00p.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4Location: Region 4
Fee $30Fee $30
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Special Education Webinar – Orthography and Reading
A common misconception is that phonological deficits are at the root of all reading disorders. This webinar will explore the critical role that orthographic processing plays in reading while introducing the concept of a functional reading system. Participants will learn how to identify orthographic deficits, and will be provided information on research-based intervention recommendations.
Session ID: 1240442
Date: November 8, 2016
Time: 10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.
Location: online
Fee $20
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Introduction to the Vineland-3
The Vineland is a standardized, norm referenced instrument for the assessment of adaptive behavior. This workshop will provide an orientation to the changes in the revised Vineland-3, along with guidance on the basic use of the instrument.
Session ID: 1231552Session ID: 1256515
Date: November 17, 2016Date: November 17, 2017
Time: 9:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.ORTime: 1:00p.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4Location: Region 4
Fee $30Fee $30
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
PROMO CODE: R4DirectorV3 for one (1) free registration per district.
Houston Metropolitan Educational Diagnostician Association 41st Conference
Houston Metropolitan Educational Diagnosticians Association (Hou-Met), a local chapter of the Texas Educational Diagnosticians Association (TEDA), promotes professionalism, excellence, and continuing growth for diagnosticians to provide individuals with disabilities quality educational services in the Houston-Metropolitan area. The purpose of this conference is to provide the latest information on evaluation for eligibility and facilitate networking opportunities for school personnel involved in the evaluation of children with disabilities. Attend this annual conference to learn more about current special education evaluation issues.
Session ID: 1213201
Date: November 29-30, 2016
Time: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4
Fee $125
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Language Development: What Diagnosticians and LSSPs Need to Know
Distinguishing language development from disability is a common challenge for many evaluation professionals in Texas. This workshop will review the different language development trajectories of ELL students, formal and informal assessment practices for language proficiency and data interpretation from a cross-linguistic perspective. Emphasis will be given to the evaluation of Spanish-speakingstudents.
Session ID: 1256514
Date: December 2, 2016
Time: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4
Fee $35
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Help! I’m Not Bilingual and I Have ELL Students to Evaluate
Students from diverse cultures and backgrounds are often referred to special education for evaluations. Sometimes, a bilingual evaluator is not available. What are the best practices for both monolingual and bilingual evaluation staff? This presentation will provide practical field-based guidelines and research findings for the assessment of ELL students.
Session ID: 1242967
Date: December 6, 2016
Time: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Region 4
Fee $35
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562
Special Education Webinar – Dyslexia, the Diagnostician, and the FIE
In their Dear Colleague Letter dated 10-23-15, OSERS discusses that evaluation professionals in determining whether the child has a specific learning disability would find it helpful to include information about the specific condition (e.g., dyslexia) in documenting how that condition relates to the child’s eligibility determination. This webinar will assist participants in understanding the dyslexia identification process through a differential diagnosis approach, and analyzing the definitions and characteristics of Dyslexia and Specific Learning Disability within the special education evaluation pathway. The domains to assess for dyslexia, including achievement, cognitive processes, and other related areas, and how to use a pattern of strengths and weaknesses as part of the evaluation process to differentiate between dyslexia and other disabilities will also be addressed.
Session ID: 1241148
Date: December 13, 2016
Time: 10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.
Location: online
Fee $20
Contact: Kara Zwolinski at or 713-744-6562