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DEPARTMENT NEWS
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The SSES application will be closing on March 15, 2024, and will re-open next school year on February 3, 2025. This is a one-time-only grant; if you have previously applied for or received an SSES grant, you will not be able reapply. The SSES program is a $1,500 online grant for parents/caregivers of eligible students served by special education and who are enrolled in a Texas public school. Families of eligible students can use the online accounts to shop the marketplace to obtain educational materials and resources, such as textbooks, curriculum, or technology devices, and/or services, such as additional speech therapy, tutoring, or other specific services.
The SSES+ Medically Fragile program will be ending on December 6, 2024. However, since the application closes on March 15, 2024, this will be the last time families can apply and take advantage of the SSES+ Medically Fragile program. Families that currently have SSES+ Medically Fragile accounts or apply before March 15, 2024, will have until December 6, 2024, to spend these funds. Students who would have qualified for the SSES+ Medically Fragile program will still be eligible for the SSES program if they have not previously received an account. The SSES+ Medically Fragile program is a $5,000 online grant for parents/caregivers of eligible students served by special education and determined as “Medically Fragile” by their ARD Committees and who are enrolled in a Texas public school. For more information about eligibility, go to our SSES+ Medically Fragile website.
Registration is now open for the 32nd Annual Texas Autism Conference! Educators, professionals, and families are welcome to join on June 20-22, 2024. In-person (Austin, TX) and virtual options are available for this conference. This conference provides educators and campus leadership with strategies, resources, and evidence-based practices in the education of students with autism. Early-bird pricing for the conference is available through April 24, 2024.
The TEA has partnered with the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) to offer UNLIMITED access to ATIA online courses for all educators, support staff, and parents serving students across Texas.
These online education programs include live and recorded versions by national experts on a variety of topics across the spectrum of the assistive technology industry sectors. Online courses are 60 and 90 minutes in length. Complimentary CEUs are available for completion of these programs. In addition to the stand-alone sessions, Texas specific bundles have been created to guide users through learning pathways to meet professional or tool specific needs.
Visit the Texas ATIA subscription page and use access code PD24INCLUSIONTX to take advantage of these resources.
Each year the TEA invites groups of Texas educators to provide feedback on the development of state assessments (STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, and TELPAS) through educator committees across all assessed grades and content areas. Developing high-quality, aligned questions relies on the expertise and experience of Texas educators. Participants collaborate with other educators from across the state to review and approve each potential question for state assessments. TEA is currently accepting applications from all districts to participate in item review committees all subjects and grade levels.
If you know of any educators (including yourself!) who might be interested in participating in these review meetings, please encourage them to apply using the link below. Meetings are typically held during the spring and summer. If selected, an invite will be sent with all the logistical information.
The commitment is generally two to three days in Austin with all travel, accommodations, and substitute coverage paid for by TEA. All participants will earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Has your staff completed TEA's UDL courses in TEALearn? Are they looking for additional guidance on implementation? If so, the UDL Implementation Guide for Educators in Texas is the resource you’ve been hoping for. In this guide you will find the UDL Classroom Implementation Rubric, which outlines the progression of UDL implementation and growth. It also includes strategies and tips for educators to use as they build their capacity to implement UDL. We hope this guide will support you on your journey of designing inclusive learning environments.
Please take a moment to review the Nonpublic Division’s latest resource outlining state and federal requirements pertaining to off-campus placements. Please pay special attention to frequently overlooked requirements including mandatory state reporting requirements and PIEMS restraint reporting requirements.
TEA has provided funding for K-12 public and charter schools to support their struggling readers with the Learning Ally Audiobook Solution, including high quality, human-read audiobooks and a suite of educator resources. So, to start the new year off right, Learning Ally is excited to kick off a journey of cultivating strong reading habits with the Great Reading Games (GRG)! Building a love for reading is not only enriching but also easy, and Learning Ally is here to support you every step of the way.
What You Can Do:
Ensure that all eligible students have access to their Learning Ally accounts. If you're wondering how to make students eligible for the GRG, Learning Ally has got you covered. Watch the video guide on making students eligible to navigate this process seamlessly.
How Learning Ally Supports You:
Learning Ally has also compiled a comprehensive GRG Educator Guide to provide valuable insights and tips. You can access the guide to enhance your GRG experience and effectively guide your students.
Learning Ally is committed to assisting you in promoting GRG and fostering a culture of reading in your school. Feel free to reach out if you need any additional resources or guidance. Learning Ally is here to help you every step of the way! Connect with your State Advancement Specialist by emailing jhuff@learningally.org.
Literacy For All is a free, two-day training worth 12 continuing professional education (CPE) credits. This training delves into the science of teaching reading & explores how cognitive processes impact learning foundational literacy skills.
Math For All is a free, one-and-a-half day training worth 9 CPE credits. It is designed to help educators build capacity in understanding how specific disabilities impact students’ learning of mathematics.
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SHOUT OUT to ESC region 13 for their commitment to Extended Core Curriculum (ECC) Events!
The teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVIs) and certified orientation and mobility specialists (COMS) at ESC region 13 have been busy this year with a variety of ECC activities for students who have visual impairments
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or are deaf blind and their families. In September, they hosted a Self-Defense Training specifically for students with visual impairments and, in collaboration with the Health and Human Services Blind Children’s Program, they offered an assistive technology (AT) event for students and families called “AT Empowerment.” Families were able to interact with a variety of AT and learned how appropriate AT determinations are made. Families also heard from college students who now use AT in their college courses and workplace. For Austin’s White Cane Day in October, the region arranged for American Ninja Warriors to come and facilitate an obstacle course. They also brought devices from the region's AT Preview Center for students and parents to explore. Coming up in February, ESC region 13’s team will host Low Vision on the Road and the Central Texas Braille Challenge. Over 80 students and their families participated in these ECC events thus far this year. ESC region 13 also offers ECC mini grants to their LEAs so they too can provide meaningful ECC activities.
Reach out to your regional ESC team to ask if your region hosts similar ECC events for students and their families.
Accessible Educational Materials
Only have 15 minutes to learn about accessible materials and technologies? These AEM Center resources have been selected to help you get up to speed quickly and focus on the information you need to get started with accessible materials and technologies based on your role.
Contact AEM Center’s Technical Assistance Specialists at aem@cast.org if you need support or have questions.
Early Childhood Transition Q-&-A Released
OSEP has released the 2023 Early Childhood Transition Questions and Answers to assist state lead agencies, early intervention services (EIS) program and providers, state educational agencies, and LEAs in ensuring a seamless transition for children with disabilities who received EIS under IDEA Part C to eligibility for and receipt of preschool services under IDEA Part B.
The questions and answers included in this document clarify the respective IDEA Parts B and C responsibilities in implementing these early childhood transition requirements for infants and toddlers with disabilities into preschool special education or other early childhood programs, including appropriate monitoring, technical assistance, and accurate reporting of data and other required information for the SPP/APR transition indicators (SPP/APR Part C Indicator 8A, 8B and 8C and SPP/APR Part B Indicator 12).
Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
The U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the release of an updated joint-policy statement on supporting the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs. The joint statement sets the expectation that inclusion continues as a child transitions into elementary school, emphasizes the need to increase public awareness and understanding of the science that supports inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs, and reinforces the legal foundations that support inclusion.
The HHS-ED Policy Statement on the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs includes a renewed commitment and urgency, as children with disabilities continue to face barriers accessing and fully participating in inclusive early childhood programs.
New Inclusive Technology Video Series With Professional Learning Kits
Check out and share the Building a Foundation for Inclusive Technology Systems Video Series from the Center on Inclusive Technology & Education Systems’ (CITES). The videos each have a supporting Professional Learning Kit, which include details for a professional learning session with resources such as a detailed agenda with activities, sample slide deck, and sample emails to recruit attendees. The video topics are:
Reach out to the CITES team with any questions cites@cast.org.
New Resource on MTSS for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) recently published a tool on Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities. It includes a fact sheet that identifies strategies parents can use to help ensure their child benefits from MTSS, as well as a set of frequently asked questions that provide details about MTSS.
Involving Students in Selecting and Implementing Accommodations
NCEO has a brief that contains Suggestions for Involving Students in Selecting and Implementing Accommodations. Students are often the best source of information about their strengths and needs and what accommodations would help the most.
This brief synthesizes and summarizes research on the perceptions of students with disabilities regarding accommodations and provides suggestions for soliciting students’ perceptions on accommodations and involving them in advocating for their needs.
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