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September 15, 2009

Education Secretary to Conduct Live Town Hall Meeting This Tuesday

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will discuss education issues with parents, educators, and students across the country in a televised town hall on this Tuesday, September 15, 2009,  from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.  Individuals are invited to participate by watching the broadcast and asking questions by phone and email during the show and posting comments to Duncan’s blog on the USDE website. 

The town hall meeting is the first broadcast of the new season for the U.S. Department of Education’s monthly TV show, “Education News Parents Can Use.”  It is also part of the “Listening and Learning Tour,” which has taken Secretary Duncan across the country to engage Americans in a conversation about education and federal policy. Tuesday’s broadcast will include a discussion about the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.   For more information, including how to view the broadcast, visit:
http://www.edgovblogs.org/duncan/2009/09/town-hall-meeting-with-secretary-arne-duncan-join-the-conversation/.

 

August 31, 2009

Obama to Deliver Back-to-School Speech

President Obama will deliver a speech about the importance of persisting and succeeding in school on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.  The U.S. Department of Education is encouraging students, parents, and educators to use this opportunity to help students get focused and begin the school year strongly. 

The speech will be broadcast live, on http://www.whitehouse.gov/, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.  USDE has also asked a group of its Teaching Ambassador Fellows to develop some suggested classroom activities around the speech to help engage students and stimulate discussion on the importance of education.  The suggested activities will be posted on http://www.ed.gov/

Education News Show Will Feature ‘Town Hall’ Meeting With Duncan


The next edition of “Education News Parents Can Use,” the U.S. Department of Education’s monthly television news program, will air from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 15, 2009.  The program will feature Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a special town hall meeting, subtitled “America Goes Back to School.”   

Since May, Duncan has been traveling throughout the country on a “Listening and Learning” tour to engage a broad group of stakeholders  in an open and honest conversation about federal education policy in anticipation of the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act.  For his latest tour stop, Duncan will engage in a live, interactive discussion via telephone, email, and video.  To contribute to the discussion: 

  • call the show during the live broadcast on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, at 1-888-493-9382, between 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time;

  • email your comments, to Education.TV@ed.gov, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 9, 2009; or

  • submit original video comments, to http://www.dropio.com/ENPCU/, by Wednesday, September 2, 2009.

For more information, visit www.ed.gov/edtv/
 

 July 20, 2009

REMINDER School Choice Parent Notifications Due August 10, 2009
All identified 2009-2010 School Improvement Program (SIP) campuses are required to disseminate the required School Choice options on or before August 10, 2009
, to parents and TEA.

 

Any campus not served with Title I funds is eligible to be offered for school choice, regardless of the state accountability rating or AYP status.

 

Title I campuses in School Improvement status which had met AYP in 2008 and would potentially exit School Improvement status were not required to send the parent notification until after the 2009 Preliminary AYP release.  If the campus did not exit and progressed to the next stage in School Improvement, the notification must be sent to parents and TEA by August 10, 2009.

 

Parent notification letters may either be mailed, sent via electronic mail (campus must have a viable email address), sent home with the student, or distributed by other verifiable means.  If the LEA selects any method other than mailing the letters to parents, the LEA must receive a signature of receipt which must be maintained locally for documentation purposes.  TEA may conduct a validation of the signatures of receipt.

 

A copy of the parent notification letter and/or packets is required to be mailed to TEA at the time they are disseminated from the LEA to the parents.  Failure to meet this parent notification deadline or failure to disseminate accurate information in the letter may cause the LEA's 2010 Initial Compliance Review (ICR) score in the 2010 NCLB desk audit process and subsequent Performance Based Monitoring (PBM) interventions to be elevated.  Please mail a copy of the parent notification letter at the time it is disseminated to parents to:

 

Anita Villarreal, Director of Title I School Improvement
Texas Education Agency
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701

 

NEW Q&A SIP School Choice Parent Notifications
Q&A School Improvement Program (SIP) School Choice Parent (SC) Notifications
Existing SIP campuses that disseminated SC Parent Notifications (PNL) on June 1, 2009, need to follow this guidance after the Preliminary 2009 AYP release on August 6.

 

Does the LEA need to disseminate another PNL if the only change for my campus is a change in SIP Stage and/or Indicator(s)?

 

The LEA needs to disseminate a follow-up notice that could be in the form of a memo, a flyer, or some other form of auditable documentation to inform the parents of the change.  The LEA must disseminate this notice to parents by August 10, 2009, and mail a copy to:

Anita Villarreal
TEA/NCLB/SIP
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, TX  78701

Does the LEA need to disseminate another PNL if the school choice options have changed from since the June 1st letter was disseminated?

 

Yes, if the school choice options have changed, the LEA must disseminate another parent notification letter found on our website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/titleia/sip/2009-2010/sip-campus.html.

 

The LEA must disseminate this notice to parents by August 10, 2009, and mail a copy to:

 

Anita Villarreal
TEA/NCLB/SIP
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, TX  78701


REMINDER School Improvement Program Summer Planning Academy
If you have not yet attended the required Summer Planning Academy (SPA) training in Austin for new
SIP Academy campuses, please register today.  This is the last Summer Planning Academy (SPA) training that will be offered this summer!

 

Summer Planning Academy (SPA) Training for Campus Facilitators for CYCLE II and Stage 1 campuses, July 30 - August 1, 2009 (SU0916837), at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel.

 

July 30, 2009:    8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
July 31, 2009:    8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
August 1, 2009:  8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

 

To register, log into the E-Campus system at www.esc13.net and enter the workshop number provided above.  Each campus can bring up to three people.  If you have any questions, please contact Allison Ivey at 512-919-5202 or allison.ivey@esc13.txed.net.

 March 23, 2009

Obama Emphasizes Student, Parental Involvement in First Major Education Speech

In the first major education speech of his administration on March 10, 2009, President Barack Obama emphasized the role that students and parents must play in improving the nation’s schools, saying the government cannot do it alone. 

In a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Obama unveiled what will be the five pillars of his administration’s education reform efforts: investing in early childhood initiatives; encouraging better standards and assessments; recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers; promoting innovation and excellence in America's schools; and providing every American with a quality higher education.   

But Obama also called on students and parents to shoulder some of the responsibility of improving education.  He told the audience “no government policy will make any difference unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents,” and that “America cannot succeed unless our students take responsibility for their own education.”  To read the complete transcript of Obama’s speech, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/Taking-on-Education/.


 March 9, 2009

New Practice Guide on Supplemental Education Services Available

The Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII), a national content center funded through the U. S. Department of Education’s Comprehensive Centers Program, has published a practice guide titled “Improving SES Quality: State Approval, Monitoring, and Evaluation of SES Providers.” 

The purpose of the guide is to provide state Supplemental Education Services (SES) directors and other interested stakeholders with current, useful information to improve their knowledge and practice in three areas of SES: approving, monitoring, and evaluating providers.  A separate chapter is devoted to each category, and includes promising practices for many of the topics covered.  The document also draws on the results of a national CII survey of SEAs regarding their experiences with SES providers.  All 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia responded to the survey, and the report’s authors also conducted site visits in several states. 

The SES practice guide is available for free downloading at www.centerii.org.  See “Download CII Publications,” and complete the short survey to download the guide. 


REMINDER
:
NCLB Report Card Requirements

Section 1111(h)(2) of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires each local education agency (LEA) that receives Title I, Part A funding to disseminate specific LEA and campus level data to 1) all LEA campuses, 2) parents of all enrolled students, and 3) to make the information widely available through public means such as posting on the internet, distribution to the media, or distribution through public agencies. 

The following data for the 2007-2008 school year must be disseminated for the LEA and each campus no later than March 30, 2009

  • Assessment results for the LEA and campuses in the aggregate and disaggregated by race/ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged showing two-year (2006-2007 and 2007-2008) trend data for each subject and grade tested.
    • by performance level,
    • with a comparison between annual objectives and actual performance for each student group, and
    • including the percentage of each group of students not tested.
  • Graduation rates for secondary school students.
  • Performance of school district and campuses on adequate yearly progress (AYP) measures.
  • Number and names of Title I schools identified as in need of improvement, including the stage of improvement and AYP indicator missed for any schools identified for improvement.
  • Professional qualifications of teachers in the LEA and campuses, including the percentage of teachers teaching with emergency or provisional credentials and the percentage of classes in the LEA and campuses that are not taught by highly qualified teachers, including a comparison between high- and low-poverty campuses within the LEA.

The Division of NCLB Program Coordination will conduct a random validation to ensure the report card data are disseminated as required by statute. 

The State NCLB Report Card for 2007-2008 is available as a PDF document through the following link:
                http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/PDF/2007-08StRepCrd.pdf.

In order to obtain the LEA- and campus-level data needed to comply with the 2007-2008 NCLB report card requirements, the LEA should access the existing Student Assessment reports, the AYP Reports, and the Highly Qualified Teacher Reports developed by TEA.  However, the LEA must ensure that all the data required are disseminated to parents.  Please note that neither the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report by itself nor the School Report Card referenced in the December 11, 2008, letter to the Administrator Addressed meets the NCLB report card requirements.   

To disseminate the required information, the LEA may use the parent notification template available at:
          http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/PDF/2007-08SampleParNotifLet.doc,
in conjunction with appropriate web site postings and by making hard copies available for review upon request.  The LEA and its campuses should also consider providing opportunities for parents to meet with school officials to discuss the data and ask any questions they may have. 

If you need additional information regarding the NCLB Report Card, please contact your regional Education Service Center NCLB or Title I staff.  For questions or other information, contact the Division of NCLB Program Coordination at (512) 463-9374.

 

March 2, 2009

Education News Program Will Cover Stimulus Bill

The next edition of “Education News Parents Can Use,” the U.S. Department of Education’s monthly television news program, will provide details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The broadcast will air Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  For more information, including viewing options, visit http://www.ed.gov/edtv/.

What Works Clearinghouse Offers New Practice Guide on Reading

The What Works Clearinghouse, part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, has issued a new practice guide on helping struggling readers.   

Titled "Assisting Students with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades," the guide offers five specific recommendations to help educators identify struggling readers and implement evidence-based strategies to promote their reading achievement.   

Teachers and other specialists can utilize these strategies to implement RtI and multi-tier intervention frameworks and methods at the classroom or school level. The suggestions cover how to screen students for reading problems, design a multi-tier intervention program, adjust instruction to help struggling readers, and monitor student progress. 
 

For more information, visit http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/#rti_reading_pg.
 

 December 1, 2008

Clear and Timely Notice to Parents (SES):

*      Notify parents of school choice option a minimum of 14 days before start of school

*    Clear and concise notice of Supplemental Educational Services that is clearly

      distinguishable from other school-related information provided to parents

o   Can’t be in student handbook or newsletter – must be “clearly”

     identifiable.

 

Use of 20% Reservation (SES):

*    Before reallocating unused funds;

o   Partner with outside organizations /groups to help inform parents

     and students of SES

o   Ensure genuine opportunity to participate

  • Timely and accurate notice to parents (concerning availability to Supplemental Educational Services)

  • Forms widely available and distributed to all eligible students and their parents

  • Minimum of two enrollment periods of sufficient length (sufficient is a minimum of 30 days)

  • Ongoing enrollment would meet this requirement

o   Ensure providers are given access to school facilities

*    Maintain documentation and notify state

*    Inform state of amount of funds remaining from 20% reservation

*    State ensures that district meets requirements

*    State reviews, by beginning of next school year, activities of any district not
 using a significant amount of 20% for SES or if multiple complaints filed

  

Cost of Parent Outreach (SES):

*    District may count costs of parent outreach and assistance for up to 0.2% of 20% reservation amount

 

State Monitoring of SES Provider Effectiveness:

*    Before state renews or removes a provider, the state must examine evidence that the provider’s instructional program-

o   Consistent with district program

o   Addresses individual student needs as in SLP

o   Contributed to increasing proficiency

o   Aligned to TEKS and TAKS

*    Consider parent recommendations

 

For additional information, see TEA/NCLB’s website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/
or go to SIRC’s website at

http://www5.esc13.net/sirc/.
 

 November 24, 2008

USDE to Spend $6.5 Billion to Ensure College Loans

The U.S. Department of Education will spend up to $6.5 billion to purchase federally guaranteed educational loans in order to ensure that college students have access to the loans during the credit crisis, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced last week.

 

Spellings said USDE will spend up to $500 million a week through February 2009 to purchase Federal Family Educational Loan (FFELP) Program loans.  The purchases are designed to be a temporary mechanism to minimize any disruption in the student lending marketplace.  After that, the government begins a “conduit loan program,” under which it will purchase FFELP loans in an effort to provide long-term stability to the student loan marketplace. 

 

For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/11/11202008.html.
 

 October 13, 2008

USDE Brochure Series Offers Parents Advice for Helping Children Learn

The U.S. Department of Education has produced a series of new brochures titled “Helping Your Child Learn.”  The brochures provide advice to parents for helping their school-age children with different subject areas, including reading, math, science, history, homework, and citizenship.  Each brochure also contains helpful tips for parents, learning activities that families can do together, and resources for additional insight.  For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html.

 
 September 24, 2008

2008 Status of Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements Letter

A letter detailing the current status of the NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher requirements was posted to the TEA web site today at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/taa/specprog092208.html.
 

 September 22, 2008 

Parent Notification of Non-Highly Qualified Teacher Assignment


As the 2008-2009 school year is underway, school districts should be mindful of the parent notification requirements in NCLB that relate to core academic subject areas that are taught by non-highly qualified teachers. NCLB requires that any campus that receives Title I, Part A funds must provide to each individual parent timely notice in the event that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified, including a long-term substitute. The notice provided to parents must be in an understandable and uniform format, and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand.

For more information on the highly qualified requirements as they apply to substitute teachers, see Question 13 on page 16 of the Highly Qualified Teacher Guidance Document at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/PDF/hq_guidance_stateversion_v5.032508.pdf.