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September 2025

CTE & CCMR NEWS

A Publication of ESC Region 11 

A Note From Jacob and Stephanie

Welcome back, CTE and CCMR Leaders!
Stephanie and I experienced a lot of growth this past year as we reflected on both our successes and challenges. We’re excited to bring a fresh perspective to the support ESC Region 11 provides for your CTE and CCMR teams. We look forward to your continued feedback so we can serve you even better this year.

As a response to needs expressed last year, we are planning a teacher professional development day currently scheduled for Friday, October 10, 2025. Sessions will be offered by career cluster, along with opportunities to share best practices and strengthen industry connections. To help us design this day to best support your teachers, please take a few minutes to complete the survey linked below.

Sincerely,

Jacob and Stephanie

September To-Do List:

• Bookmark links to important TEA documents and web pages (Always use the live versions!) 
  • 2025-2026 SAAH
  • TSDS 25-26 Course Codes 
• Review Master Schedule: sections, teacher of record, counts, weighted funding, etc.
• Verify insurance and registrations are current for vehicles.
• Calendar CTSO competition dates for the year.
• Plan for seniors who are not CCMR Met (don't forget those transfer students!)
• Verify WBL Teachers have been through required training, and student training plans are on file by the 15th school day.
• Verify CTE Science and Math Teachers have completed required online training in TEALearn. (Each has two sections.) The courses have been reopened.  
• Plan for seniors who are not CCMR Met (don't forget those transfer students!)
• Verify CTE course rosters are balanced and PEIMS coding for CTE is correct for all sections in your SIS.
• Begin Purchase orders for IBC exams.
• Plan for October Teacher In-service (Most districts have this on their calendar).
• Verify all WBL sites have been visited for the first six weeks of school.

In accordance with HB 2, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, CCMR OBs for students in special education programs will increase from $2,000 to $4,000. Please find further details in the To the Administrator Addresses Correspondence from July 10, 2025, House Bill 2 (HB 2) Implementation: Foundation School Program (FSP) Funding Formula Changes and Preliminary School Year 2025-2026 Summary of Finances (SOF) Reports.

• 2024 Annual Graduates CCMR Outcomes Bonus Early Counts by District (August 28, 2025) 
• 2024 Annual Graduates CCMR OB Early Counts: Explanation of Methodology and Sources (August 28, 2025) 

2025-26 Preliminary Course Code Change

Plan to make the appropriate changes as needed for your CTE courses undergoing an SBOE update. See the attached documentation with the crosswalk of deleted, added, and revised changes.

The Preliminary 2028 A–F Accountability System Framework has been released on the Accountability System Development webpage, more than two years prior to the 2027 –2028 accountability ratings year.

Information about 19 TAC §97.1002 (which establishes the annual accountability appeals window and due date) will be communicated on the date preliminary accountability ratings are published in TEA Login (TEAL) Accountability application.

IMRA Cycle 2026 CTE Feedback

The Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) quality rubric for CTE will be used to evaluate instructional materials beginning in the summer of 2026.

IMRA quality rubrics support Texas districts in identifying high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in CTE to ensure all students have access to rigorous content and instruction.

Draft Career and Technical Education 6–12 Quality Rubric

Assessment 2025 - 2026 Calendar

The Calendar of Events for the 2025–2026 school year, which includes test administration tasks and reporting events, is now available in the Calendar of Events section of the District and Campus Coordinator Resources. 

Other Updates

Fall 2025 Teacher Externships Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas is funding the Fall 2025 Teacher Externships. The Teacher Externships equip teachers with real-world insights, enhance classroom instruction, and strengthen partnerships between schools and local businesses. Teachers will engage with a local area business for five days/20 hours, create a lesson plan, and earn $1,000. Eligibility requirements must be met. To learn more, view the flyer using the button link below.

Pathway to Purpose - Child Development Associate Certification By working with Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms, learners will become skilled in human development in an early childhood education setting while earning a credential that helps them graduate work-ready. Moreover, they will find meaning and purpose as they become an integral part of their communities, helping to shape the future.

Student Opportunities

NASA TechRise Student Challenge This nationwide contest invites students in sixth to 12th grades attending a U.S. public, private, or charter school — including those in U.S. territories — to team up with their schoolmates to design an experiment under the guidance of an educator. Teams submit ideas for experiments to fly on a NASA-sponsored commercial flight test aboard a suborbital flight vehicle. Competition winners receive $1,500 to build their payloads, and no experience is necessary to join the NASA TechRise Challenge. Proposals due November 3, 2025.

United States Presidential Scholars Program

High school principals are asked to identify outstanding high school students who will be graduating between January and August of 2026 to apply for consideration for the United States Presidential Scholars Program (USPSP). One general program student applicant and one Career and Technical Education (CTE) student applicant will be accepted from each school.

For the general program, the commissioner of education will nominate ten male and ten female candidates to apply for the opportunity to be U.S. Presidential Scholars. Additionally, the commissioner of education will nominate five CTE students to apply for the honor.

Background

Established in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program honors graduating seniors for their outstanding scholarship, achievement, and promise of future success. In 2015, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in CTE fields. Seniors chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars are selected by the Commission on Presidential Scholars and will be presented with a medallion at a ceremony in their honor, where they will engage in conversations and events related to issues that concern America and the world.

Applications are due Friday, October 3, 2025. 

Please see TEA’s US Presidential Scholars Program webpage for more information.

Executive Leadership Compass We are excited to introduce a new leadership series specifically designed for school system district executive leaders—Executive Leadership Compass. These sessions are crafted to support strategic growth and organizational effectiveness through purposeful leadership development. Each session will focus on high-impact topics such as aligning vision with culture, leveraging data for innovation, and sustaining leadership momentum.   Executive Leadership Compass 2025–2026 Schedule: September 12, 2025 – Leading with Vision: Aligning Strategy, Culture, and Outcomes November 12, 2025 – Leadership Agility in Times of Change February 18, 2026 – Developing Leaders, Empowering Systems May 28, 2026 – Sustaining Momentum Through Data-Informed Innovation (Virtual only)

2025-2026 CTE & CCMR Leader Meetings

• September 18, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• October 16, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• December 4, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• January 15, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• February 19, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• March 26, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• April 16, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• May 21, 2026 • 9 a.m.

CTE & CCMR Leader Meeting - Virtual Recap

• September 25, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• October 23, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• December 11, 2025 • 9 a.m.
• January 22, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• February 26, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• April 2, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• April 23, 2026 • 9 a.m.
• May 28, 2026 • 9 a.m.

CTE Administrator Trainings

This professional development series is designed to strengthen the leadership capacity of CTE administrators through both fundamental and deep dive sessions. The trainings will focus on key areas of program success, including data-driven decision making, building effective partnerships, program design and expansion, supporting CTE teachers, leveraging resources, and evaluating program impact.

Held throughout the year in Irving ISD and Lewisville ISD, these sessions will provide administrators with the knowledge and practical strategies needed to lead comprehensive, high-quality K–12 CTE programs.

• Oct. 1, 2025 • CTE Administrator Fundamental Training: Data-Driven Decision Making
• Oct. 1, 2025 • CTE Administrator Deep Dive Training: Planning for a Comprehensive K-12 College and Career Readiness Program
• Nov. 5, 2025 • CTE Administrator Fundamental Training: Partnerships
• Nov. 5, 2025 • CTE Administrator Deep Dive Training: Supporting CTE Teachers
• Feb. 24, 2026 • CTE Administrator Fundamental Training: Program Design
• Feb. 24, 2026 • CTE Administrator Deep Dive Training: Program Expansion
• Mar. 31, 2026 • CTE Administrator Fundamental Training: CTE Resources
• Mar. 31, 2026 • CTE Administrator Deep Dive Training: Program Evaluation

CTE Counselor Trainings

This series is designed to equip counselors with the tools and strategies needed to strengthen College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) advising. Participants will engage in fundamental trainings that establish a strong foundation for CCMR and effective CTE advising, or deep dive sessions that provide practical strategies for comprehensive, ongoing career advising across middle and high school.

Sessions will be held at the Randolph Reed Center in Grand Prairie ISD on October 28–29, 2025.

• Oct. 28, 2025 • CTE Counselor Fundamental Training: An Infrastructure for College, Career, and Military Readiness
• Oct. 28, 2025 • CTE Counselor Deep Dive Training: Informed and Ongoing Career Advising for Middle School and High School Counselors
• Oct. 29, 2025 • CTE Counselor Fundamental Training: Effective Advising for CTE
• Oct. 29, 2025 • CTE Counselor Deep Dive Training: Planning for Comprehensive K-12 College and Career Readiness Advising

Teacher Certification Opportunity

Did you know ESC Region 11 offers CTE Teacher Certification areas? Yes, we do! If you have any teachers pursuing Technology Education (6-12) and are looking for support, look no further than ESC Region 11. Our GoTeach11 Certification Team is happy to connect with anyone looking to learn more. Jacob and Stephanie are happy to facilitate that important next step. 

ESC Region 11 Resources

Jacob Hildebrand, M.Ed. Administrator Coach for CCMR & CTE Email: jhildebrand@esc11.net Location: 1451 South Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX 76108 Phone: 817-740-3691