Chief Academic Officer October Bulletin

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Texas Education Agency
Correspondence

Chief Academic Officers

 Office of Academics 

October 9th, 2018

October CAO

Dear Chief Academic Officers,

Welcome to this month’s update curated for district Chief Academic Officers. As always, please feel free to reach out with ideas and questions, either to me or to the points of contact in the content below. I look forward to connecting with you.

 

Penny Shaw signature - blue

Penny Schwinn
Chief Deputy Commissioner, Office of Academics

 


Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation Pilot

TEA recently announced an opportunity for LEAs to join the Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation (IMQE) pilot. As a part of this pilot, TEA has contracted with Safal Partners to conduct an independent analysis of grade 3–8 English language arts and reading (ELAR) instructional materials to evaluate their quality through a review process. Pilot participants will get exclusive access to the quality reviews. The aim of this review process is to support and inform LEAs’ own local review processes by providing clear, transparent, and user-friendly information about the quality of instructional materials. The first due date in the application was extended to October 22.


Apply Here 

 


Seeking Texas Educators as IMQE Reviewers

TEA is seeking Texas educators to participate in the Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation (IMQE) pilot by becoming a reviewer of instructional materials. As part of this select group, reviewers will have the opportunity to broaden their impact, work with a talented group of peers in a supportive environment, and receive continuing professional education (CPE) credit and a stipend. The priority application deadline for reviewers focused on ELAR grades 3–8 is October 22. 


Apply Here 

 


Draft Updates of the Dyslexia Handbook

Educators, parents, and community members are invited to review draft updates to The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders (Dyslexia Handbook) and to provide specific feedback or recommendations to TEA. The deadline for submitting feedback for consideration is October 29.

 

Read the Draft Handbook

 


Birth–Second Grade Vertical Alignments

TEA released a new resource that shows the vertical alignment across the Texas Early Learning Guidelines, Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, and the kindergarten-grade 2 TEKS. Alignments are available for the following domains: language and literacy, physical health and development, health and wellness, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, and technology. 

 

View the Alignments 

 


Texas Virtual School Network Course Catalog

The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) statewide course catalog offers a wide variety of teacher-led, TEKS-based online courses that students can take at any time of day from any location. The TXVSN catalog includes high school, Advanced Placement, and dual credit courses that can be taken for initial credit or credit recovery. All courses are taught by appropriately credentialed teachers trained in effective online instruction. 


Learn More

 


Recruiting and Preparing Teachers and Principals

Grant opportunities are open for the 2019–2021 Grow Your Own, Cycle 2 and 2019–2020 Principal Preparation, Cycle 2 grant programs. This grant can be used by districts to encourage high school students to consider teaching as a career and paraprofessionals and/or teacher aides to pursue certification. The grants can also be used by educator preparation programs to support student teachers during their year-long clinical teaching or teaching candidates during their intensive pre-service training. Applications are due on November 13. 


Apply Here