tcta.org |
February 19, 2008 |
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Take advantage of early voting – Feb. 19-29! |
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Remember that the primary election date is March 4 – during TAKS testing week! And with all of the interest in presidential politics this year we anticipate increased turnout at the polls. It can be hard enough to get out and vote on any given day, so consider voting early, Feb. 19-29. Early voting locations should be publicized in your local newspaper and/or on your county government website: (If your county’s website does not include polling locations, you can call county officials for that information.) Our TexasTeachersVote.org website includes information on the candidates in your area, including candidate survey replies from those candidates who have responded (we only sent surveys to candidates with a primary opponent). Those surveys are still coming in, so check back if your candidates’ responses are not yet available. You can also call the TCTA Legislation Department for more information on your local races (just remember, TCTA does not endorse candidates for public office!) |
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TCTA testifies on public school accountability |
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TCTA provided testimony at the first meeting held by the state’s Select Committee on Public School Accountability, which is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of the public school accountability system and making recommendations on how the system should be restructured. Susan Lewis, Chair of the TCTA Curriculum & Instruction Committee, is serving on the select committee following appointment by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker of the House Tom Craddick. TCTA urged the committee to adhere to some suggested guiding principles in designing a new accountability system, which include reducing the emphasis on testing, developing a more nuanced system to make accountability ratings more meaningful, incorporating a supportive infrastructure to enable educators and schools to meet the standards, and focusing more on interventions and less on sanctions. As a member of the committee, TCTA officer Susan Lewis asked the committee to provide a mechanism for teachers and the public to give input online because of the difficulty teachers have in being able to attend meetings during the school day. The committee has scheduled future hearings for the following dates: March 27, April 14, May 12, June 16, July 14, and August 4. The locations for the hearings have not yet been determined, but the committee intends to conduct hearings around the state. The Legislature will be required to adopt a new public accountability system aligned with the new assessments by Sept. 1, 2011. |
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At the State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting in Austin, numerous educators testified against an effort to substitute a controversial 10-year-old alternative standards document for a current revision of the state’s English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) TEKS standards. The move by some members of the SBOE to allow the substitution prompted hours of impassioned testimony from educators, some of whom had served on the TEA standards-writing committees for the past two years developing revisions to the ELAR TEKS. As a result, the board decided to adopt a compromise motion to appoint a subcommittee to further refine the standards document more recently developed by educators. The subcommittee will be composed of SBOE Chairman Don McLeroy, and SBOE members Gail Lowe, Lawrence Allen and Geraldine "Tincy" Miller. The subcommittee will receive further input from all interested parties and present a revised ELAR TEKS standards document to the full SBOE board at its March meeting, with final approval for the standards due by May. TCTA will keep members affected by these TEKS standards apprised of any new developments. |
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TCTA testifies on college and workplace readiness |
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TCTA testified before the Texas High School Completion and Success Initiative Council, which was created by HB 2237 during the most recent legislative session. The Council is directed to improve the effectiveness, coordination and alignment of high school completion and college and workplace readiness efforts. The Council is in the process of developing a strategic plan to increase college readiness and reduce dropout rates. TCTA presented testimony urging the Council to consider ensuring that students have choices in coursework and flexibility in graduation pathways, including incorporating rigorous Career and Technology courses into the mainstream curriculum in order to keep students engaged in their learning. TCTA also urged the Council to consider only programs supported by research in devising the strategic plan. The work of the High School Council is crucial in that the commissioners of education and higher education are prohibited from spending money, awarding grants or entering into related contracts in a manner inconsistent with the Council’s strategic plan. |
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| Department of Education wants teachers for federal program | ||
Applications are now being accepted for the national Teaching Ambassadors Fellowship program. Under the direction of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), up to 20 teachers will be selected to provide their teaching experiences and perspectives to the USDE through various assignments and part-time projects, while remaining at their local schools under their regular teaching contracts. In addition, up to five educators will be hired as full-time federal employees to participate in policy discussions in Washington, D.C. Those educators interested in taking part in the program must meet certain criteria, including the full support to participate from their campus principals. Applications are due by April 7, 2008, with the names of participants to be released well before the 2008-2009 school year. |
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| Fingerprinting update | ||
TCTA has fielded several calls and e-mails regarding the fingerprinting process. In addition to general questions regarding issues of confidentiality, there are now concerns regarding news stories providing names and campus locations of educators who may have past criminal histories. Please contact the TCTA legal staff if you have questions or concerns. Read TCTA Executive Director's letter to members. |
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| Copyright © 2008 Texas Classroom Teachers Association®. All rights reserved. The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is an independent association for Texas teaching professionals, which was founded in 1927 and has over 50,000 members across the state. TCTA is based in Austin and is the only statewide teacher association that limits Active membership to those directly involved in classroom teaching or teaching support. For more information about TCTA, please visit our Web
site at www.tcta.org. |
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