DEPARTMENT NEWS
In honor of teacher appreciation week, which was at the beginning of May, check out these inspiring words from students across ESC Region 13. This series highlights students thanking the teachers, principals, staff, bus drivers, nurses and more who positively impact students' lives. It will take about 30 minutes to watch all the videos in the series, but they are sure to bring a smile to your face!
We invite you to take a brief voluntary satisfaction survey to share your experience with the Ascend platform. Your input helps us improve ASCEND to better support your needs. Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Survey closes June 27th.
In alignment with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, the TEA has released the SPPI Reports for the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023. Users can publicly access and download the school system, regional, and statewide reports on the SPP Public Report Generator webpage.
The SPPI Reports provide school systems with a detailed overview of key federal performance and compliance indicators related to special education in Texas. The reports cover areas such as graduation rates, dropout rates, math and reading participation and proficiency, suspension and expulsion data, child find, and effective transitions. They offer insights into the performance of students with individualized education programs (IEPs), highlighting areas of progress and areas needing improvement against targets set by both the federal government and the TEA, with advisement from stakeholder groups.
Beginning with FFY 2023, SPPI Reports providing unmasked school system-level data were added to the TEAL Accountability Application. Since the reports available through this site are unmasked and student confidentiality is not protected, they are only accessible to approved users and must be treated as confidential.
Questions regarding the SPPI Reports can be submitted by email at spp@tea.texas.gov.
The report with results of the post-school outcomes survey conducted in summer 2024 for the 2022-23 cohort is now available. Resources are available on the Texas SPED Support website to understand the SPPI 14 post-school outcomes survey. Watch the videos to learn more about SPPI 14, including how to use the results of the survey to inform transition planning practices or to increase response rates. Contact the transition specialist in your region to learn more about regional and local reports.
The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) is a multi-year plan designed to enhance the capacity of LEAs to implement, scale up, and sustain evidence-based practices, improving outcomes for children with disabilities.
State-identified Measurable Result (SiMR)
The State-identified Measurable Result (SiMR) is a key feature of the SSIP. It is a specific, measurable goal that the state aims to achieve through its SSIP activities, focusing on a specific outcome.
Texas defined its SiMR as enhancing the reading proficiency rate among children with disabilities in grades 4, 8, and high school. This is measured by aggregating the results from state assessments in grades 4, 8, and End of Course exams in reading achievement, evaluating their performance against grade-level standards, inclusive of any accommodations.
Reading proficiency is defined as scoring at grade level or above on the 4th and 8th grade STAAR English Language Arts assessments and the high school STAAR English I assessment. Accommodations are adjustments or supports provided to students with disabilities to help them access the curriculum and demonstrate what they know.
Resources:
TEA offers resources designed to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities and support the SiMR. These resources can be found on the Texas SPED Support website which serves as the primary repository for training, professional development, and implementation guidance.
Resources include:
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and guidelines are now available on the TEA website! Explore a comprehensive overview of the UDL guidelines, complete with detailed descriptions and practical examples to support implementation in your classroom or program. Plus, the page includes direct links to valuable UDL resources hosted on Texas SPED Support—making it easier than ever to dive deeper into inclusive, effective teaching strategies.
Click below to access the UDL framework and resources. Don’t miss out—check it out today and empower your learning community!
This question-and-answer document was updated in April 2025 and is intended to provide guidance and best practices to LEAs regarding the REED and reevaluation processes. While 34 CFR §300.305 refers to REEDs being conducted for initial evaluations if appropriate, best practice dictates - and thus TEA would expect - that a REED will always be part of the initial evaluation process because there is always existing data for the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to review as it begins the evaluation process. As part of the reevaluation, the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee and other qualified personnel, as appropriate, must complete a REED to help determine what additional data, if any, are needed to determine whether the student continues to require special education and related services and whether changes are needed to the services provided.
Guidance for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) is a self-paced, nine-module course designed to equip educators, required dyslexia members for the MDT and admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, evaluation personnel, and school leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to conduct high-quality, legally compliant evaluations for students suspected of having SLD in Texas.
Grounded in both federal and state regulations, this course explores the full evaluation process—from MDT membership, observations, the eight areas of underachievement, appropriate instruction in reading and math, exclusionary factors, response to intervention (RTI) or pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW),and dyslexia and dysgraphia.
Participants will also learn how to document the determination of SLD, evaluate impact on access and progress in the general curriculum, and make appropriate recommendations for evidence-based interventions. Upon successful completion of the course and posttest, participants will earn 12 continuing education hours and receive a certificate of completion.
The intent of this training is to provide administrators with an understanding of the SB IEP process for gathering student data, including the full and individual evaluation (FIE), to write the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), to draft measurable annual goals with short-term objectives/benchmarks, if appropriate, and to create a data collection system for monitoring progress of the annual goals.
The SB IEP process is based on the belief that students with disabilities can make progress on challenging goals aligned to the general education curriculum at the enrolled grade level with specially designed instruction (SDI) and supports. Special education is not a separate and special place for learning but services and supports that are individually designed to help students access the general education program. Students may be accessing the curriculum at different levels of complexity, at different paces, and/or in different ways, but they should all be working toward rigorous goals.
Shine a Light on Dyslexia This June!
Join Learning Ally's 10th annual Spotlight on Dyslexia Virtual Conference, June 4-5, 2025, for invaluable insights and strategies! Discover cutting-edge research, practical classroom techniques, and powerful advocacy tools to support students with dyslexia. Highlights include expert-led sessions on structured literacy and assistive technology.
Texas Educators: Don't miss this incredible opportunity! Limited Access Silver Tickets providing access to keynote sessions, an eye-opening dyslexia simulation, a curated selection of breakout sessions, and 5 CE credits are available at no charge for Texas teachers. For an enhanced experience and the opportunity to earn 35 CE credits, grab a Texas Gold Ticket at the special discounted rate of $79 using the code SPOD25TX.
Register today and empower your students!
Supercharge Summer Learning
Are you looking for engaging ways to prevent summer slide and keep students connected to literacy? Learning Ally's Summer Reading Together initiative offers a powerful solution and exciting opportunities for students to win! Discover accessible, human-narrated audiobooks and amazing resources designed to ignite a love of reading for all learners.
Empower your students and engage families with our fantastic new educator and parent/caregiver resources
Find highly engaging titles and activities for students as they finish the school year and transition into summer, including prizes, summer learning packets, and lots of activities to keep everyone engaged. For the details, head over to our Summer Reading Together website!
New to Learning Ally and need an account? Get started by enrolling for your free account through the Educator Access Form.
This resource is designed to help parents who have concerns about their child's development or learning, specifically for children aged 3 to 5. It outlines the process for requesting a special education evaluation and provides information on early intervention services.
Aligned! 2025: From Child Find to IEP Implementation Conference which is held on July 30-31, 2025, is open for registration. Join education professionals from across the state for this exciting FREE virtual conference as we explore child find, evaluation, ARD supports, transition, and early childhood special education (ECSE) topics. The Aligned! 2025: From Child Find to IEP Implementation conference provides expertise, best practices, and networking supports to assist public school district and charter schools. Participants can earn up to 12 continuing education units (CEUs)!
Audience:
Educational Diagnosticians
School Psychologists
Speech-Language Pathologists
Transition specialists and teachers
ECSE specialists and teachers
Dyslexia specialists and teachers, including providers of dyslexia instruction
Special Education Teachers
Administrators
ARD committee managers/facilitators
We are always looking for ways to connect with our partners in the field!
From site visits, to review opportunities, to focus groups, there are numerous ways to connect with TEA and support the field of education. If you are interested in participating in engagement opportunities, sign up by clicking the button below.
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.
TEA is looking to grow its pool of qualified monitors and conservators to help the state’s school districts and charter networks remedy issues related to governance, accreditation, academic performance, financial accountability, or other special investigations. Monitors, conservators, and management teams provide leadership, guidance, and support to school systems working to overcome historical systemic challenges and operate effectively and sustainably to improve student outcomes. Monitors and conservators are appointed, as needed, by the Commissioner of Education. If you are interested and would like access to the job description, would like to recommend a colleague, or apply for a monitor and conservator appointment by the commissioner, please visit www.tea.texas.gov/mc-appointments for more information!
New Resources from the NCII
The National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) is excited to share with you two new resources to support intensifying interventions!
Self-Paced Module on Intensive Intervention in Mathematics
If you are interested in math content, check out the first four modules in NCII's eight-part self-paced course on Intensive Intervention in Mathematics. These four modules include:
- Developing a Scope and Sequence for Intensive Intervention
- Mathematics Progress Monitoring and Determining Response
- Selecting and Evaluating Evidence-based Practices in Mathematics
- Intensive Mathematics Intervention: Instructional Delivery
Stay tuned for the remaining four modules in the course to be released on a rolling basis this spring and summer.
New Practice Guide: Supporting Communication Development
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The new Supporting Communication Development practice guide from the National Center on Deafblindness details the essential components of instructional practices commonly used to expand and support a child’s communication, including foundational strategies to plan for and engage in meaningful interactions. Please share this important new resource with practitioners and other adults who work with children who are deafblind.
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