TCTA delegates raise concerns with the Commissioner
Education Commissioner Robert Scott has a busy schedule, so when he agreed to another open forum with hundreds of our delegates at the 2010 TCTA Convention in Fort Worth in February, we maximized the opportunity. Read more...
Answers to the five most common legal questions
TCTA staff attorneys respond to thousands of legal inquiries from TCTA members every year. Although every situation is unique, there are some questions that come up for lots of members throughout the state. This article will answer some of the most commonly asked questions received by the Legal Department. Read more...
Washington Watch: spring 2010 magazine issue
Education remains a top priority of the Obama Administration, and Congress has indicated it plans to move forward on significant legislation. President Barack Obama proposed increased funding in his new budget, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been up to Capitol Hill to defend the budget and push for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) this year. Read more...
President's message: "Be the change you want to see in the world"
Educators experience firsthand what Rochefoucauld stated in the 17th century: “the only thing constant in life is change.” This past February, our Representative Assembly enacted some changes to bring new life into the annual meeting. Read more...
Frank talk about Social Security legislation
TCTA's Ann Fickel attended a meeting in Washington, D.C., on two federal laws (the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision) that reduce Social Security benefits for most Texas teachers. Fickel participated in a panel that discussed statewide association efforts to address the problem. Read more...
Social studies standards tentatively approved
After more than 20 hours of public testimony and the consideration of almost 300 amendments, the State Board of Education voted on first reading to adopt the social studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The proposed TEKS will be posted in the Texas Register in mid-April for public comment and will be discussed at a public hearing when the board meets again in May. Read more...
Take 10 minutes to fill out your census!
The 10-question 2010 Census, a count of everyone living in the U.S., will be mailed or delivered to every household in the U.S. this month. This survey is used to determine how $400 billion in federal funds are distributed to local communities. Teach your students about the importance of this survey that will help shape school budgets.
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TCTA defends salaries in TV news interview
News 8 Austin interviewed TCTA's Lonnie Hollingsworth to get our perspective on the budget deficit facing many districts across the state. After testifying on cost drivers at the Senate Education Committee last month, Hollingsworth once again emphasized the importance of class-size caps and the salary schedule, this time in front of a TV camera. Read more...
Did you know?
Did you know that you could lose your entitlement to District Awards for Teacher Excellence (DATE) grant money if you resign from your district or voluntarily transfer to a different campus? If you’re considering a voluntary resignation or transfer from a campus that is participating in the DATE program, you may want to review the terms of the plan to determine whether you’ll be leaving your award behind you if you leave.
Read more...
USDE releases final criteria for latest of series of grant programs
Over the last few months, the USDE has released final criteria for a series of grant program proposals it released this summer. TCTA commented on all of them, noting concerns about a number of highly objectionable common themes, including the latest to be finalized, the $650 million "Investing in Innovation" or "i3" fund. Read more...
Two ways to tell TEA about the student data you want
TEA wants to hear from teachers specifically - take advantage of this prime opportunity either by attending a free regional forum and earning three CPE credits or giving input via the website. Check out the "Student Snapshot" sample and give feedback to TEA. You must register to attend the regional forums.
SBOE adopts final graduation requirements; delays vote on social studies TEKS
Final adoption of changes to the high school graduation requirements can be seen in a side-by-side comparison chart. The Texas Education Agency answers FAQs on these changes. Also, the revised social studies TEKS that reflect amendments approved in January are now posted. Read more...
Obama announces plan to improve schools
President Barack Obama is proposing $900 million for struggling schools willing to follow one of the four approaches in his 2011 budget proposal. The announcement was made at an education event sponsored by America's Promise Alliance (APA), which is an organization founded by General Colin Powell and his wife, Alma. The Powells and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan also announced a 10-year drop-out prevention plan called GradNation. Dallas is hosting a Dropout Prevention Summit on Monday, March 8, supported by the APA.
Updated: 03/19/10
