Weekly Update (1.14.2016)

Weekly Update (1.14.2016)

TEA Information

2015-2016 Data Validation Monitoring Leaver Records Staging

On January 8, 2018 TEA sent a TAA Letter to provide districts, including charter schools, with 2015-2016 intervention staging information for data validation monitoring of leaver records (DVM-L). Staging will be posted the week of January 11, 2016, in the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application in TEASE. Through ISAM, a district can determine which stage of intervention has been assigned for DVM-L. All districts with anomalous data for any DVM-L indicator have been assigned an intervention stage. TAA Letter available at: http://tea.texas.gov/interiorpage_wide.aspx?id=25769824823

Information related to the DVM-L indicators is available in the 2015 Leaver Records Data Validation Manual.

Intervention documents and tools, including the Data Validation Intervention Guidance Document, for conducting the DVM-L intervention activities will be posted to the TEA websiteon January 8, 2016, and will be available in ISAM the week of January 11, 2016. Districts selected for on-site data validation reviews will receive individualized correspondence from TEA detailing required intervention activities.

For questions about interventions, intervention resources, due dates, or submission extension requests, please contact the Program Monitoring and Interventions Division at (512) 463-5226 or by email at .

IDEA B Maintenance of Effort

TEA is on track to complete 2014-2015 IDEA-B LEA MOE compliance reviews this spring using the following data:

· PEIMS financial data mid-year collection

· Summary of Finance (SOF)

· SPED student count (October snapshot)

· SHARS Reimbursement Reports.

Be sure to review the TTAA letter dated December 10, 2015, which explains two changes to the IDEA-B LEA MOE Guidance Handbook:

1. SOF data used in the calculation will be from the first “Near Final” report (for 2014-2015, it is dated 9/8/14).

2. Exceptions for “decrease in the enrollment of children with disabilities” will offer LEAs greater flexibility to justify/document a decrease in expenditures as a result of a “decrease in enrollment . . . “ – examples include re-assigning teachers to general education and closing a self-contained unit. TEA-approved exceptions of this kind will lower the MOE baseline/threshold going forward. Good news for LEAs!

TEA staff are working on finalizing website resources and training opportunities:

· Compliance Review Flowchart – will be posted to the IDEA-B LEA MOE website soon

· Compliance Report format for Preliminary and Final MOE reports

· TCASE Learning Lab sessions – January 20, 2016, from 10:45 – noon and 1:30 – 2:45

· Future TETNs –

o February 9th Session # 1218535

§ This session will include discussion of recent revised commissioner rules updates, clarification of the regulations regarding the eligibility standard and compliance standard, explanation of the Subsequent Years rule, and the LEA and Texas role in the compliance review process.

o February 11th Session # 1218536

§ Register by clicking on link or at www.esc4.net

If your district is a videoconferencing network member, you may be able to attend this meeting in your district. Contact your district videoconferencing coordinator, or the Region 4 videoconferencing team at

E-mail questions to

Nominations being accepted for Student Heroes Program

The State Board of Education (SBOE) is now accepting nominations for the 2016 Student Heroes Award.
The Student Heroes awards program recognizes Texas public school students in prekindergarten through high school who do outstanding things to benefit their fellow Texas students.

SBOE Chair Donna Bahorich urged school leaders to nominate those students who are shining examples of good character and citizenship for their communities.
“We have so many wonderful students who give so much of their time to benefit Texas students, schools and communities,” Bahorich said. “These unselfish acts of kindness should be spotlighted and recognized by all.”
One student per each of the 15 State Board of Education districts can be recognized for this annual honor. Anyone may nominate a public school student for the award. Award requirements include:

· The service/assistance or good deed must be voluntary and not part of any curriculum, graduation requirements or class or community project.

· The service/assistance or good deed must benefit other students in Texas, either individually or as a whole.

· The benefit may be to students of one campus, a district or a community.

Recipients of the Student Heroes awards will be announced in May. A certificate of recognition will be awarded to the Student Hero by his or her State Board of Education member. The deadline for nominations is March 11.
Nomination forms and program guidelines are available athttp://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Awards/Student_Heroes/ or for more information please .

Region 4 schools nominated for 2016 national Blue Ribbon Honors

The Texas Education Agency announced the nomination of 26 Texas public schools for national 2016 Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. Founded in 1982, Blue Ribbon Schools is a U.S. Department of Education program that recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform at very high levels.

The nominated schools in the Region 4 area include the following:

· Alief ISD – Alief Early College High School

· Alief ISD – Kerr High School

· Houston ISD – Lovett Elementary School

· Houston ISD – Oak Forest Elementary School

All schools that have been nominated for the 2016 honor were selected as exemplary high performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Each school has an economically disadvantaged population of 20 percent or greater.

The nominated schools must now complete a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education. Announcements of the national award winners will be made in September 2016. Schools that receive the award are recognized at the Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

TEA identifies seven schools for best practices case studies project

Commissioner of Education Mike Morath announced that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has identified seven campuses across the state to take part in a best practices case studies project. Each of the seven campuses were designated by TEA as a High Performing and High Progress Title I Reward School. All have proven successful in classroom efforts on campuses with a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged families and high mobility rates. The following campus from Region 4 was selected to participate:

· KIPP Inc. Charter – KIPP Shine (Houston)

The final case studies will be available to all Texas school via the TEA website as well as distributed in Texas school improvement trainings.

For the 2014-2015 school year, 11 Texas campuses were chosen to take part in Reward School case studies. The reports generated on the findings from those case studies can be accessed at: http://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Monitoring_and_Interventions/School_Improvement_and_Support/Reward_School_Case_Studies/.

For more information about Title I Reward Schools, please visit the TEA webpage at:

http://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Monitoring_and_Interventions/School_Improvement_and_Support/School_Improvement_and_Support/

TETNs on Reimbursement Training for High Risk Grantees Designated by TEA

The following High Risk Reimbursement Training TETNs will provide guidance to high risk grantees expending federal grants administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) whom have been placed on a payment by reimbursement basis. Training will include guidance on the specific condition reimbursement process and detailed requirements for the reimbursement of grant expenditures. These TETNs will be provided by TEA and are open for districts and charters to register and attend at Region 4. Click on the link below to register.

Target Audience: High Risk Grantees designated by TEA

· TETN for Federal/State Programs - High Risk Reimbursement Training

Attend this TETN session to learn about updates in federal/state programs. Hear from Texas Education Agency staff about issues such as completing funding applications, securing TEASE designation and certification for the eGrants system, and receiving updates on program or performance requirements.

Session ID: 1218302
Schedule: Feb 17, 2016

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Region 4 ESC – TETN, 7145 West Tidwell, Houston, 77092

· TETN for Federal/State Programs - High Risk Reimbursement Training

Session ID: 1218309
Schedule: Feb 3, 2016

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Region 4 ESC – TETN, 7145 West Tidwell, Houston, 77092

The TETN host is Tammy Michels, , 512-463-9918. If you have questions, contact Dr. Edna Forté, Accountability & Leadership Solutions, Federal & State Programs at 713.744.6358 or .

Commissioner of Education Rules, Commissioner of Education Rule Review, State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) Rules Filings and Change to Rule Review Plan, and State Board of Education Rules

A number of recent proposed rule reviews, proposals, and adoptions have been issued. Please see information at the end of this weekly update for activity over the winter break. Although not all COE or SBOE rules, reviews or actions are directly related to special education, several are or have implications for students who qualify for special education and related services.

For Your Information

Inclusion Works! Conference 2016

Only a month left until the Inclusion Works! Conference in Houston, Texas at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on February 8-9, 2016. This year hosts many distinguished speakers and sessions including:

· Michale Yudin, US Department of Education -http://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/yudin.html

· Dr. Paula Kluth,http://www.paulakluth.com/

· Dr. Lee Ann Jung,http://www.lajung.com/

· "State of the State of Special Education”Moderated by Ross Ramsey, The Texas Tribune,http://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/ross-ramsey/

Click Here to access more information about Inclusion Works!

Please join us by registering at the following link: IW Registration

We look forward to an educational and interactive two days! See you there!

Want to Know More About ESSA?

Weblink to CEC page: http://www.policyinsider.org/2015/12/want-to-know-more-about-essa.html

As you may know, last week Congress passed and the President signed into law the Every Student Success Act, (ESSA) the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It will be important for professionals in the field to learn more about the Act as we move toward implementation. CEC has compiled a number of informational materials from a variety of sources and perspectives to assist you, including:

· ESSA Conference Report Language:

· CEC President James Heiden’s Statement;

· CEC’s Summary of Selected Provisions in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA);

· White House fact sheet on ESSA;

· White House report on progress made in elementary and secondary education and how ESSA will cement that progress;

· Secretary Duncan’s blog post, “Finally a Fix to No Child Left Behind;”

· Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Munoz’s blog post, “What You Need to Know About the Fix to No Child Left Behind” (with a side-by-side comparison of NCLB, ESEA flexibility, and ESSA);

· Dear Colleague letter from both Secretary Duncan and incoming Acting Secretary King on ESSA;

· U.S. Department of Education ESEA webpage;

· U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee Resources; and

· U.S. Senate HELP Committee Press Release.

Posted on 12/16/2015 at 01:24 PM in Administration, NCLB/ESEA, U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education | Permalink

Five Steps To Get Ready For Primary Season

With less than a month away from the start of the 2016 presidential primary and caucus season. On February 1, the Iowa caucuses will kick off the 2016 election cycle. A little over a week later, the New Hampshire primaries will follow. The process goes on through spring as both parties choose a presidential ticket for the November, 2016 election.

For U.S. citizens, your vote is not only something politicians compete for, but your constitutional right. And exercising that right is as American as the stars and stripes. Before election year officially takes off, USAGov wants to help you get ready with these steps for participating in your state’s primaries or caucuses:

1. Mark the calendar Find out when your state’s primaries and caucuses will be and make sure you don’t miss them.

2. Register to vote. If you’re not already a registered voter, look up your state on Vote.USA.gov to begin the process. States have different deadlines, so check with your state’s election office to see how soon before its primaries or caucuses you have to register.

3. Research candidates.

4. Make a plan. Consider voting absentee or during early voting.

5. Spread the word.

Region 4 Upcoming Professional Development

Accommodations and Modifications: What's The Difference?

Accommodations? Modifications? There is definitely a difference! Attend this session to learn what those differences are, how implementing accommodations and modifications in the instructional setting and on state assessmentmay bedifferent, and how to create universally designed learning environments that support access to the general curriculum for all learners.

Session ID: 1171168

Date: January 26, 2016

Time: 9:00AM-4:00PM

Fee: $45

Contact: Kirsten Omelan, Ph.D. at or 713-744-6361

T.E.A.M.S. that Win: Effective Practices for Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners in Elementary Science - Grades K-5

“Teaching Engaging Academicsand MotivatingforSuccess” (T.E.A.M.S.)is a three-day professional development series that appliestheUniversal Design for Learning (UDL) and the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) frameworks to content specific Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) instruction and classroom design. The series will be presented by a Region 4 collaborative triad whose expertise includes classroom management, access to the general curriculum, and science. Participants will be provided with effective research-based skills and strategies which address diverse learners’ access to the general curriculum. Knowledge and skills learned will support student achievement impacting STAAR™ success.

The three days will integrate classroom management strategies with the UDL principles of multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression.Classroom teachers are encouraged to build personal capacity by bringing a lesson which can be used to implement these strategies. Between each session, participants are asked to collect information based on implemented strategies.