tcta.org |
October 03 , 2008 |
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| TRS conference call to address economy: send questions in advance | ||
TRS will be conducting a second conference call for members on Monday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. with key members of the TRS executive team. The call will address the current state of the economy and how it is affecting TRS. Members may submit questions prior to the call via e-mail. Read more… |
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| New Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation rules proposed | ||
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has proposed rules requiring schools to use a uniform calculation when computing a student’s high school grade point average (GPA) for purposes of admission to institutions of higher education, including in top 10 and top 25 percent admissions. The THECB was directed to develop the standard method as a result of legislation passed in 2007. The rules provide, among other things, that only "academic" courses in certain subject areas shall be used in calculating the Uniform Grade Point Average, regardless of when the course was taken. It is unclear which courses in the specified subject areas would be considered "academic." Read more… |
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| Deadline for TCTA Awards nominations is quickly approaching | ||
A reminder for our local presidents: October 20, 2008 is the deadline for submitting nominations for the TCTA awards program. This year there are two new awards honoring innovation and TCTA leadership. For the first time, nomination forms are available online; simply right click on any of the nomination form links and select "Save to desktop" (on Mac) or "Save target as" (on PC). You can then work at your convenience, save it using the nominee's name, and e-mail to Headquarters once completed. |
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| Dallas ISD layoffs approved | ||
Trustees for the Dallas ISD took action last night to begin a process that may result in the layoff of nearly 1100 employees, including an estimated 550 teachers. The layoffs are the result of a reduction in force caused by a budget deficit originally predicted to be $64 million, grew to $84 million, and may be larger due to miscalculations of costs. TCTA had suggested to district trustees that some layoffs could potentially be averted by redirecting performance pay funds to retain jobs, but trustees approved the staff reductions by a 5 - 2 vote, with one abstention. Information regarding how to respond to notification has been emailed to Dallas CTA members, and TCTA stands ready to assist current members who may be targeted. |
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TCTA: Hurricane Resources |
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TCTA is concerned about the major losses that our members and their colleagues are experiencing due to the devastation of Hurricane Ike. Rather than soliciting contributions from our members at this time that is difficult for many, we have been working to identify resources and collect information about the different types of assistance currently being provided. This link includes a list of organizations that make it their mission to respond to disasters and help individuals in need on a daily basis. Given the different needs in each school district, we believe local affiliates and aid organizations are in the best position to identify specific needs and coordinate relevant resources. TCTA asked the Commissioner of Education Robert Scott to make a determination that waivers will be granted to allow teachers to be paid for days they were unable to work due to the hurricane, and our Legal Department is working to address other employment issues that have arisen. Commissioner Scott this week sent a letter to districts in the 29 disaster declared counties in Texas that are eligible to apply for a missed instructional days waiver. Read TEA release. We know that many districts in the areas affected are struggling to re-open schools and return to normalcy, and we hope these resources are helpful to you. You can find more resources for helping students cope, updates and district information here. |
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TEA provides workshops and audio conferences on state performance pay program |
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TEA, along with the Institute for Public School Initiatives at the University of Texas System, is hosting regional implementation workshops related to the District Awards for Teacher Excellence (D.A.T.E.) and Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) programs. The workshops are designed to allow an exchange of information between districts on the plans submitted to participate in the programs. Also, the two organizations plan to hold a series of audio conferences for those districts that did not apply for the D.A.T.E or TEEG. |
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Accolades |
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TCTA members recognized with Teacher of the Year Awards McAllen CTA member Dora Alicia Newell, a grade 3 teacher at Thigpen-Zavala Elementary School, has been honored as one of three state finalists for Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Other TCTA members named 2008-09 Regional Teachers of the Year include: Dr. Chad Van Devender, Vidor ISD Member-at-Large Congratulations to all our members who received this prestigious recognition. |
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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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