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Thank you for subscribing to the TEA mathematics newsletter!
Below you will find information related to the following topics.
- Middle School Math Programs
- Mathematics Office Hours
- Administrative Rules for Middle School Advanced Mathematics
- Middle School Advanced Mathematics Program Webpage
- Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) 2024-2025 cycle begins soon
- Mathematics Achievement Academies
- ESTAR/MSTAR Assessment and Testing Windows
- Updated Innovative Course Application Timeline
- Texas Virtual School Network – New Middle School Advanced Mathematics Courses Now Available
- Public Comment Period of IMRA (Instructional Materials Review and Approval) Process is Open
The following messages are included as a courtesy to readers:
- Discover Math Walks with talkSTEM: Empowering Teachers, Inspiring Students
Middle School Math Programs
Mathematics Office Hours
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) Mathematics Curriculum team will hold office hours on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, from 2:30 – 3:30 (Central). The primary focus will be to answer questions about the Middle School Advanced Mathematics Program and various beginning-of-the-school-year issues, but all mathematics-related questions will be welcome. You can sign up to attend at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkdeGgrjwiHNSiyaCxxxjqwdFlw8r-hjR1.
Middle School Advanced Mathematics: Administrative Rules
Administrative rules governing middle school advanced mathematics programs became effective July 8, 2024. They can be found in Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter DD, Commissioner’s Rules on Mathematics Education, §74.2101, Middle School Advanced Mathematics Program.
Under the program, a school district or open-enrollment charter school must automatically enroll in an advanced mathematics course each grade 6 student whose performance was either in the 60th percentile or higher on the Grade 5 Mathematics State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) assessment or in the top 40% on a local measure that includes either the student’s grade 5 class ranking or demonstrated proficiency in the student’s grade 5 mathematics coursework. Students who qualify under either criterion must be automatically enrolled in an advanced grade 6 mathematics course.
Middle School Advanced Mathematics Program Webpage
The Texas Education Agency has developed a new webpage designed to support implementation of middle school advanced mathematics programs. On March 28, a webinar was held reviewing the law, proposed commissioner’s rules, and implementation considerations. The webinar and its slides are now posted to the new webpage and an FAQ is coming soon. Additionally, office hours will be posted to this new webpage along with TEA resources which may support implementation. You can visit the Middle School Advanced Mathematics Program webpage at https://tea.texas.gov/academics/subject-areas/mathematics/middle-school-advanced-mathematics-program.
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) 2024-2025 cycle begins soon
Do you know an experienced teacher who is doing work worthy of national recognition? Are you doing great work that you want to share with others? The 41st cycle of the PAEMST awards program begins this fall to recognize grade 7 – 12 math, science, engineering, and computer science teachers. You can nominate a teacher or sign yourself up. You can also sign up to be notified when the window opens and be the first to nominate one or more of Texas’s greatest teachers. For all of this and more information, visit https://paemst.nsf.gov/.
Mathematics Achievement Academies
The summer 2024 sessions of Mathematics Achievement Academies are wrapping up. Here is what a few participants had to say . . .
- “I loved the collaboration and learning with other teachers.”
- “I loved seeing the math problems from a student's perspective.”
- "I never thought of teaching it this way—I'm going to really teach this different now.”
- “I loved the hands-on learning.”
- “It challenged me to remove myself from being comfortable and dissect the TEKS in order to teach them thoroughly.”
For all statewide Mathematics Achievement Academy session dates and times, contact your regional education service center. For other questions, please submit a request to the TEA Help Desk.
Find out about academy offerings, answers to frequently asked questions, and more by visiting the TEA Mathematics Achievement Academies webpage.
ESTAR/MSTAR Assessment and 2024-2025 Testing Windows
The Elementary School Student in Texas Algebra Ready (ESTAR) and the Middle School Student in Texas Algebra Ready (MSTAR) assessments were created to help drive instructional decisions about student’s algebra readiness and support district and campus multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Success in algebra is key to success in higher mathematics as well as post-secondary success in STEM-related careers.
The ESTAR/MSTAR universal screener consists of approximately 24 questions that address students’ understanding of positive whole and rational numbers along with understanding of variables, expressions, and equations. This screener can be administered three times a year to monitor the progress of at-risk students. Following the administration of the ESTAR/MSTAR universal screener, select students should be given the ESTAR/MSTAR diagnostic assessment so that the teacher can understand the student’s learning needs and see which areas of accelerated instruction would benefit their students. Additional tools within the system provide decision-making support for campus and district MTSS teams.
For more learning and training on the ESTAR/MSTAR universal screener and diagnostic assessments, please visit the ESTAR/MSTAR webpage of Texas Gateway Resources.
2024-2025 ESTAR/MSTAR Assessment Windows:
| Assessment Window |
Universal Screener |
Diagnostic Assessment |
| Fall |
August 12 - October 11, 2024 |
August 19 - October 18, 2024 |
| Winter |
January 6 - February 7, 2025 |
January 13 - February 14, 2025 |
| Spring |
April 14 - May 16, 2025 |
April 21 - May 23, 2025 |
Updated Innovative Course Application Timeline
To benefit both innovative course applicants and local education agencies (LEAs) who wish to implement innovative courses, the timeline for future innovative course application cycles has been updated. The updated timeline is designed to provide additional time for the following:
- Applicants to complete applications
- Applicants to receive local board approval
- Applicants to complete course pilots and analyze data
- Districts and open-enrollment charters to plan for innovative course implementation
Approved courses will be available for implementation starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
The 2025-2026 application window for innovative courses will close on September 13, 2024. The complete innovative course application timeline is available on the TEA innovative courses webpage.
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The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) is proud to announce the release of online middle school advanced mathematics courses available now to help districts meet the statutory requirements of Senate Bill 2124 (Texas Education Code, §28.029).
The new TXVSN middle school advanced math courses, offered by three TXVSN course providers, are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and taught by Texas-certified teachers trained in the best practices in online instruction. The advanced math courses may cover TEKS standards for multiple grade levels in a single semester. If a student completes the available courses from the same provider, they will have received instruction in all the middle school mathematics standards.
Schools can use the TXVSN courses to address local teacher shortages, create flexibility in a student’s schedule, or allow a student to accelerate their learning. Students enrolled in a TXVSN course can generate funding regardless of whether the student is physically present at school while participating in the course. For more information about the courses offered through the TXVSN, please visit the TXVSN course catalog or contact the TXVSN Help Desk.
Public Comment Period of IMRA Process is Open
The State Board of Education (SBOE) posted 142 instructional materials for public feedback as part of the new Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process. The public comment period is from May 29, 2024, to August 16, 2024, and members of the public are encouraged to review instructional materials and submit written comments, report suspected factual errors, or share any suitability concerns. To see the list of materials submitted for review, access copies of the instructional materials themselves, SBOE feedback forms, and SBOE-approved IMRA rubrics, please visit sboe.texas.gov/imra.
This IMRA cycle includes full-subject, tier-one instructional materials intended for classroom-wide instruction to support all students in K–5 English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR), Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR), and K–12 mathematics. Additionally, partial-subject, tier-one instructional materials for K–3 English and Spanish phonics are also up for the public to review.
All materials are being reviewed by independent teams of professional reviewers – teachers, parents, and other curriculum experts – based on how well they support on-grade-level instruction of the SBOE’s curriculum standards, and they are also being evaluated based on rubrics the SBOE has developed to analyze instructional material quality and suitability. In addition to these professional reviews, the SBOE welcomes review and feedback from all members of the public. All feedback and recommendations collected from the public will be considered alongside findings from the professional review teams at forthcoming SBOE meetings as part of the approval process.
For additional information and resources, review the SBOE press release and visit the SBOE IMRA webpage.
The following messages are included as a courtesy to readers:
Discover Math Walks with talkSTEM: Empowering Teachers, Inspiring Students
TalkSTEM, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to transforming STEM education by supporting teachers as they engage all students by highlighting the foundational role of mathematics in STEM. TalkSTEM’s open access video library showcases real world-situated and inquiry-based math in TEKS-aligned videos. The short videos show math that students can find in parks, playgrounds, zoos, museums, malls, and more. TalkSTEM guides students in observing and posing relevant questions connected to math. All talkSTEM’s resources are research-based and developed by educational experts. View research articles on the talkSTEM and MathFinder sites if interested.
Joining the talkSTEM learning network provides all educators with free access to all resources, including talkSTEM’s Educator Dashboard that facilitates turnkey usage of the video library and creative guides to designing your own math walks in your location of choice. Educators can conveniently enhance their lessons using talkSTEM’s videos.
Sign up on talkSTEM.org to gain free access to all resources and to be notified of additional opportunities to participate in talkSTEM’s professional learning network.
As a further courtesy to our readers, here are links to materials provided by our colleagues in other parts of the Texas Education Agency.
Student Assessment
Instructional Materials
Special Populations
Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Thank you for your commitment to serving Texas students.
Mathematics Team
Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division
(512) 463-9581
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