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The 2008-09 TCTA Awards program has gone high-tech!
We’ve made it easier than ever to nominate a respected school board member, administrator or reporter by placing the 2008-09 TCTA Award nomination forms online. We also added two new award categories this year – Leader of the Year and Innovator of the Year – open to TCTA members only. Since 1976, the TCTA Awards program has been a great way to honor members and others who positively impact Texas public schools and the education profession. The TCTA Awards program is a great way to receive some positive attention; not only from the media, but from your peers and administration as well.
Accolades
TCTA member JoLisa Hoover of Leander is one of 25 U.S. teachers recently selected for a Teaching Ambassador Fellowship position with the U.S. Department of Education. A 4th grade teacher at Grandview Hills Elementary School, JoLisa will serve as a Classroom Fellow for 2008-09, remaining in her classroom and participating in the program through part-time projects. Throughout the year, she will engage in education policy discussions, work with USDE officials in various program offices, and participate in a variety of education programs.
TCTA comments on proposed DAEP administrative rules
TCTA offered comments on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) proposed rules for setting out standards for the operation of school district disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs). These standards were required due to the passage of House Bill 426 during the 80th Texas Legislature. House Bill 426 required school districts with DAEPs to adopt specific minimum standards to ensure a quality education for students enrolled in such programs.
Application deadline is October 15 for Fulbright teacher exhange program
The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program is accepting applications from U.S. teachers and administrators interested in working and teaching abroad during the 2009-10 academic year. The program is unique in its one-for-one exchange of teachers: In most cases, both teachers secure a leave of absence with pay from their home schools and then trade classrooms for the year. Read more...
Senate Education committee hears testimony on special education and vouchers
The Senate Education Committee met to discuss its interim charge related to the effectiveness of public school programs serving special education students, including autistic students. Testimony was presented from a panel of experts about suggested solutions for problems occurring in the context of special education. The committee also heard from TEA staff on the current status of response to intervention (RTI) in Texas and considered the use of vouchers for special education students. Read more…
Attorney General: Bible classes not required by districts
Texas Attorney General (AG) Greg Abbott issued an opinion that school districts are not required to offer courses on the Old and New Testaments, stating that such courses are optional. Abbott issued the opinion on House Bill 1287 passed by the Texas Legislature in 2007 in response to a request from Education Commissioner Robert Scott.
The bill had created some confusion due to apparent conflicts in the law. One part of the statute states that districts may offer the courses, and another part states that a district is not required to offer the courses if fewer than15 students enroll. The AG examined the legislative history of the bill in making his determination that the Legislature intended the courses to be optional for school districts.
The Attorney General also examined language in the bill that inserted the following in the state’s enrichment curriculum, “religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature.” The opinion provides that this language does not require this curriculum to be taught in a separate course and that the State Board of Education may by rule require school districts to teach it. If it does, the curriculum could be included in a related course such as history or language arts. An AG opinion is considered to be persuasive, but not binding authority.
Teacher benefits/rights targeted: Look who's taking aim now
When Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott invited TCTA, along with representatives of several other education organizations, school superintendents, and members of the business community to participate in a school finance summit in July, he initiated a conversation that outlined a far broader range of issues likely to be discussed in the upcoming legislative session. In addition to the concerns voiced by superintendents about the inability of local school districts to generate additional revenue without going to their voters for approval in tough economic times, a litany of longstanding issues relating to employment conditions and benefits was also aired. Read more...
Deadlines approach for candidates, amendments, student/at-large delegates
As provided in the TCTA governance documents, written nominations for candidates for TCTA office must be received at headquarters by Monday, November 3, 2008, for names to be printed on the ballot at the 2009 Representative Assembly, which will be held February 6-7, 2009, at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin. November 3 is also the deadline for proposed amendments to the TCTA Constitution and Bylaws to be received to be eligible for a lower percentage vote for adoption. Read more...
Emerging issues in discussion of new accountability system
One of the most important and exciting pieces of legislation to pass in the last legislative session was Senate Bill 1031 which, among other things, required a state-level committee to take a look at our public school accountability system and come up with ways to change it or even design a new one. This bill was pushed through by Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT), a relatively new business group working to “celebrate, defend and strengthen the public schools.” So the Select Committee on Public School Accountability was appointed to review the system and make suggestions for improvement. Comprising 15 members representing business and education, the committee includes only one teacher, TCTA President-Elect Susan Lewis of San Antonio. Read more...
District court rules that Texas bilingual programs fail to overcome student language barriers
A district court judge ruled on July 24, 2008, that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has failed to properly implement and monitor bilingual programs in Texas, and further found that these programs have failed to achieve results that demonstrate students with limited English proficiency (LEP) are overcoming language barriers. Read more...
Washington Watch Fall 2008
Members of Congress have spent August in their respective districts focusing on constituent service and campaigning for re-election in November. The dismal approval ratings for Congress (recently around 10 percent) and projected Democratic increases in House and Senate seats have those in contested races eager for more time at home on the campaign trail. Presidential election years traditionally put the brakes on Congressional activity, but 2008 has been even less productive due to the elongated Democratic primary season. The lack of a presumed heir to the oval office has made the race more competitive in both parties. Read more...
Step up and vote for education-friendly candidates
Both national and Texas politics promise to be a lively spectacle filled with incredible drama as Election Day draws near. Even though Texas is traditionally considered a Republican state, more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans voted for president during the 2008 March primary. However, no one can predict how these same citizens will cast their votes in November. More than ever in today’s uncertain political climate, every vote carries additional importance because the fate of a party’s supremacy balances precariously on several pivotal legislative seats. Read more...
Two new loan grants and forgiveness programs announced
Two new federal loan grant and forgiveness programs are available for teachers under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, which amended the Higher Education Act. Read more...
Texas sets new record with all-time high average on ACT
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) reported that for the third year in a row, Texas public and private school graduates increased their ACT composite score. Students set a new state record with an all-time high average of 20.7, even while the national average score dropped. Read more...
Reauthorized federal Higher Education Act impacts teacher preparation and loan forgiveness
You may wonder why you should care that Congress recently reauthorized the federal Higher Education Act (HEA) - after all, what does higher education law have to do with public education? Actually, the answer is: Plenty! This enormous piece of federal legislation – HR 4137, now called the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which has been up for reauthorization since 2003 and was only recently reauthorized by Congress on July 30, 2008, contains numerous provisions about teacher quality, teacher preparation and teacher loan forgiveness. Of course, the bulk of the HEA has to do with federal student aid and other higher education programs, but the focus of our analysis of the bill is centered on the provisions more directly related to public school educators mentioned above. Read more...
TEA releases public school accountability ratings
The Texas Education Agency has released the 2008 school accountability ratings. According to TEA, more Texas schools earned the state's two highest ratings, exemplary and recognized, in 2008.
Hot Topics Discussed at School Finance Summit
TCTA participated in the invitation-only School Finance Summit held by Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott in late July. Participants included other teacher and administrator groups and a number of superintendents representing diverse Texas school districts. Read more...
Public monies headed to private schools
TEA has released final rules on a controversial dropout recovery grant program that allows state grant funds to be awarded to private schools. The rules resulted from a comprehensive high school dropout reduction and completion bill (HB 2237) passed during the 80th Texas Legislature containing a seemingly innocuous provision about dropout recovery programs. TCTA submitted comments during the rulemaking process stating, “Initially, it should be noted that we are skeptical of the notion that private entities will be able to enter this relatively specialized area of education with good results.” The effective date for the rules was August 28, 2008. Read more...
State Board for Educator Certification adopts minimum standards for educator preparation programs
After months of preparation involving numerous stakeholder meetings and several board discussions, the State Board for Educator Certification adopted on first reading a set of proposed rules designed to implement minimum standards for all educator preparation programs. Read more...
Accountability committee update
The Select Committee on Public School Accountability recently met in Brownsville to gather expert and public testimony regarding how to change our state accountability system. The committee, which includes TCTA President-elect Susan Lewis, heard testimony from the Economic Policy Institute and the National Center for Educational Achievement, as well as additional comments from Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and a recap from three groups who had previously presented proposals for overhauling the current system. See an overview from all meetings here.
Paraprofessional requirements under NCLB
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act requires paraprofessionals with instructional support duties working in a Title I, Part A program to meet certain criteria. TEA has published new guidelines and an outline of reporting requirements for districts to show that 100 percent of their instructional Title I paraprofessionals meet the requirements at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year.
House committee focuses on SBOE, revised TEKS and new data system
While meeting to discuss interim charges, the House Public Education Committee also focused on the State Board of Education (SBOE), the adoption of the revised K-12 English/Language Arts and Reading TEKS, and the possible development of a comprehensive state educational data system.
During his two-hour testimony, Don McLeroy, SBOE Chair, defended the revision process and position/prevailing vote taken by the SBOE at its May meeting, where the revised ELAR TEKS had been the main focus. SBOE members Ken Mercer, Pat Hardy, Bob Craig and Mavis Knight argued against the process and the final outcome. Following the SBOE members, several teachers testified who were disheartened by the process and asked for a legislative remedy to ensure that teachers’ opinions were not ignored in the future.
House Government Reform Committee studies state agency investigations
The House Committee on Government Reform held an interim hearing on the topic of state agency inspectors general. (An inspector general office serves as an internal investigating division within a state agency designed to check into allegations of fraud and abuse. Read more...
TEA posts final draft of ELAR TEKS
The English language arts and reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills adopted by the State Board of Education in May 2008 are posted on the English language arts and reading page of the TEA website.
Elementary students in best shape, study shows
Elementary students are the most physically fit according to an assessment of 2.6 million Texas students in grades 3 - 12. Decreasing emphasis on physical education in the the upper grades corresponds with the decline in fitness levels with each passing grade level. Read more...
TCTA comments on proposed NCLB regulations
After Congress failed to reauthorize the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2007, most experts agreed that the chances of Congress acting to reauthorize NCLB during 2008, an election year, were slim to none. Instead, the Act has been automatically extended until September 2008, at which time Congress will extend the Act for an additional period of time. Due to lack of action by Congress and the growing chorus of protests from states and educators about the troublesome aspects of the current NCLB, such as no provisions for counting student growth as a means for meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the U.S. Secretary of Education has released proposed regulations that address some of these issues and clarify others. The deadline to submit comments was June 23, 2008 and TCTA submitted comments. Read more...
TRS Update June 2008
The Teacher Retirement System Board of Trustees met Thursday and Friday, June 12 and 13, 2008.
The TRS fund currently stands at $111.4 billion, which is down from a high of $118 billion in October 2007, due to a struggling economy and the subsequent effect on investments. However, that total is trending upward from a low of $107.9 billion earlier this year. Read more...
TEA announces options for loan deferment, cancellation
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has rolled out this year’s Teacher Loan Forgiveness program at both the federal and state levels. A list of teaching assignments in shortage areas and a list of low-income schools has been established. Teachers serving in eligible assignments can receive student loan forgiveness benefits. Read more...
Jan Pate: Adding her personal stamp as an artist and as TCTA’s new president
After enjoying a year filled with fun and exciting art experiences with Mrs. Grissett at Goddard Junior High School in Midland, I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up. That year, I decided to become an art teacher like Mrs. Grissett, who introduced her art classes to all kinds of stimulating art experiences and helped her students hone their artistic skills. I had discovered my mission in life: teach others to love and create art. Read more...
Key policy discussions plentiful in legislative interim
Legislative committees and special task forces kept Austin (and other cities throughout the state) humming with policy discussions this spring. These discussions preview the topics and specific recommendations that we are likely to see in 2009. Read more...
The next chapter in Texas public education takes shape
The months leading up to a legislative session always offer some important clues about what to expect once January of an odd-numbered year arrives and the Legislature convenes in regular session. Battle lines get drawn, priorities established, and issues developed, often through a seemingly endless series of hearings and reports. Read more...
TX Congressional representatives continue to support retirees in Social Security issue
Texas school retirees who already are subject to reduced spousal Social Security benefits because of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) were shocked to learn earlier this year that their spousal benefits would be slightly reduced again because of the 13th check that was paid in January. Read more...
Education committee questions dropout recovery program
TCTA testified on several key teacher issues at a recent hearing of the House Public Education Committee. It was Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott on the hot seat though, as the only invited witness to the meeting. He was asked to discuss the fundamental role of the agency and the implementation of laws passed in recent legislative sessions. The committee also questioned Commissioner Scott on the recent application requirements for a dropout recovery grant program that could potentially open the door to vouchers. Read more…
TEA announces $5.1 million in new funding for Early College High Schools
The Texas Education Agency has announced it will make approximately $5.2 million available for funding Early College High Schools (ECHS) Cycle 3 grants. The funding will support the planning and implementation of approximately five to 10 new schools and expansion of approximately 10-15 existing schools to serve middle school students. The target population includes firrst-generation college-goers, low-income students, students of color, and English language learners.
Early College High Schools are innovative high schools that allow students who may not otherwise consider attending college an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and two years of college credit. Read more about TEA presentations to explain the ECHS design model.
TCTA stalls readoption of minimalist certification program
The State Board of Education decided to delay allowing rules containing a controversial certification program to go forward after a committee of the board heard testimony from TCTA objecting to the program. State Board for Educator Certification rules containing the Temporary Teacher Certificate (TTC) had earlier been readopted by SBEC over TCTA's objections and were forwarded to the SBOE during its May meeting for approval or rejection. After hearing testimony from TCTA and others opposing the program, SBOE committee members decided to postpone voting on the rules until their July meeting, expressing the hope that their action will encourage SBEC to reconsider its stamp of approval on the program.
TCTA testified that the TTC essentially represents a failed legislative initiative to circumvent state educator certification and preparation requirements by allowing a person with a bachelor’s degree to teach for two years without completing or even being enrolled in a state-approved educator preparation program; rather, the rules require a school district to train the teacher.
TCTA has consistently opposed this rule since its adoption by the SBEC in spring 2004. TCTA also pointed out that only one TTC has been issued since the program's inception, showing the lack of interest in and need for the certificate.
In response, SBOE members questioned SBEC staff about the need for the program and expressed the sentiment that it should be eliminated. Legal counsel for the SBOE committee presented three options for consideration: reject the rule, take no action (thus allowing the rule to go forward) or postpone voting on the rule. Read more...
Most grade levels show progress on 2008 TAKS scores
The results of the 2008 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) are out and show progress in most grades. Results from the second administration will be available soon. Read more…
New requirements for reading assessments for 2008-09 school year
The Texas Education Agency released new requirements for the Reading TAKS exam to be administered in the 2008-09 school year for certain grade 7 students. HB 2237, passed during the 80th legislative session, provides for the implementation of a reading assessment to be administered at the beginning of grade 7 to students who did not demonstrate reading proficiency on the grade 6 TAKS reading instrument.
More current news items of interest
Updated: 08/21/08
