Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act U.S. Department of Education Issued: March 2017 OMB Number: 1810-0576 Expiration Date: September 30, 2017 Introduction Section 8302 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 1 requires the Secretary to establish procedures and criteria under which, after consultation with the Governor, a State educational agency (SEA) may submit a consolidated State plan designed to simplify the application requirements and reduce burden for SEAs. ESEA section 8302 also requires the Secretary to establish the descriptions, information, assurances, and other material required to be included in a consolidated State plan. Even though an SEA submits only the required information in its consolidated State plan, an SEA must still meet all ESEA requirements for each included program. In its consolidated State plan, each SEA may, but is not required to, include supplemental information such as its overall vision for improving outcomes for all students and its efforts to consult with and engage stakeholders when developing its consolidated State plan. Completing and Submitting a Consolidated State Plan Each SEA must address all of the requirements identified below for the programs that it chooses to include in its consolidated State plan. An SEA must use this template or a format that includes the required elements and that the State has developed working with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Each SEA must submit to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) its consolidated State plan by one of the following two deadlines of the SEA’s choice: • April 3, 2017; or • September 18, 2017. Any plan that is received after April 3, but on or before September 18, 2017, will be considered to be submitted on September 18, 2017. Alternative Template If an SEA does not use this template, it must: 1) Include the information on the Cover Sheet; 2) Include a table of contents or guide that clearly indicates where the SEA has addressed each requirement in its consolidated State plan; 3) Indicate that the SEA worked through CCSSO in developing its own template; and 4) Include the required information regarding equitable access to, and participation in, the programs included in its consolidated State plan as required by section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act. See Appendix B. Individual Program State Plan An SEA may submit an individual program State plan that meets all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements for any program that it chooses not to include in a consolidated State plan. If an SEA intends to submit an individual program plan for any program, the SEA must submit the individual program plan by one of the dates above, in concert with its consolidated State plan, if applicable. Consultation Under ESEA section 8540, each SEA must consult in a timely and meaningful manner with the Governor, or appropriate officials from the Governor’s office, including during the development and prior to submission of its consolidated State plan to the Department. A Governor shall have 1 Unless otherwise indicated, citations to the ESEA refer to the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA. 2 30 days prior to the SEA submitting the consolidated State plan to the Secretary to sign the consolidated State plan. If the Governor has not signed the plan within 30 days of delivery by the SEA, the SEA shall submit the plan to the Department without such signature. Assurances In order to receive fiscal year (FY) 2017 ESEA funds on July 1, 2017, for the programs that may be included in a consolidated State plan, and consistent with ESEA section 8302, each SEA must also submit a comprehensive set of assurances to the Department at a date and time established by the Secretary. In the near future, the Department will publish an information collection request that details these assurances. For Further Information: If you have any questions, please contact your Program Officer at OSS.[State]@ed.gov (e.g., OSS.Alabama@ed.gov). 3 Programs Included in the Consolidated State Plan Instructions: Indicate below by checking the appropriate box(es) which programs the SEA included in its consolidated State plan. If an SEA elected not to include one or more of the programs below in its consolidated State plan, but is eligible and wishes to receive funds under the program(s), it must submit individual program plans for those programs that meet all statutory and regulatory requirements with its consolidated State plan in a single submission. ☒ Check this box if the SEA has included all of the following programs in its consolidated State plan. or If all programs are not included, check each program listed below that the SEA includes in its consolidated State plan: ☐ Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies ☐ Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children ☐ Title I, Part D: Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk ☐ Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction ☐ Title III, Part A: English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement ☐ Title IV, Part A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants ☐ Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers ☐ Title V, Part B, Subpart 2: Rural and Low-Income School Program ☐ Title VII, Subpart B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (McKinney-Vento Act) Instructions Each SEA must provide descriptions and other information that address each requirement listed below for the programs included in its consolidated State plan. Consistent with ESEA section 8302, the Secretary has determined that the following requirements are absolutely necessary for consideration of a consolidated State plan. An SEA may add descriptions or other information, but may not omit any of the required descriptions or information for each included program. 4 TEA Strategic Plan In the fall of 2016, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced a new comprehensive strategic plan outlining the Agency’s transformative effort to improve alignment, focus, and performance in service of strengthening academic outcomes for over five million students in public schools across Texas. This effort, which included extensive research and stakeholder engagement, resulted in the development of a new mission supported by four strategic priorities and three enablers that will drive and focus TEA’s work going forward. These priorities and enablers serve as the foundation for all efforts at TEA including the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as outlined below in this draft State plan. Through resource and policy alignment, TEA will be able to provide more effective support, technical assistance, and grant programs to better assist and support school districts and charter schools. Key initiatives supported through the new policy framework provided by ESSA and driven by the work of our strategic plan include a redesigned certification framework, aligned technical assistance and interventions for low-performing campuses, and a robust network of supports for our most vulnerable student populations. TEA’s work alignment is critical to maximize the resources that are available to drive improvement and change across the 1,207 independent school districts and charter schools in Texas. By creating a unified framework, TEA will maximize ESSA’s policies and funding to better support improved outcomes for all students in our State. 5 A. Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) 1. Challenging State Academic Standards and Assessments (ESEA section 1111(b)(1) and (2) and 34 CFR §§ 200.1−200.8.) 2 2. Eighth Grade Math Exception (ESEA section 1111(b)(2)(C) and 34 CFR § 200.5(b)(4)): i. Does the State administer an end-of-course mathematics assessment to meet the requirements under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(bb) of the ESEA? ☒ Yes ☐ No ii. If a State responds “yes” to question 2(i), does the State wish to exempt an eighth-grade student who takes the high school mathematics course associated with the end-of-course assessment from the mathematics assessment typically administered in eighth grade under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(aa) of the ESEA and ensure that: a. The student instead takes the end-of-course mathematics assessment the State administers to high school students under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(bb) of the ESEA; b. The student’s performance on the high school assessment is used in the year in which the student takes the assessment for purposes of measuring academic achievement under section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the ESEA and participation in assessments under section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the ESEA; c. In high school: 1.The student takes a State-administered end-of-course assessment or nationally recognized high school academic assessment as defined in 34 CFR § 200.3(d) in mathematics that is more advanced than the assessment the State administers under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I)(bb) of the ESEA; 2.The State provides for appropriate accommodations consistent with 34 CFR § 200.6(b) and (f); and 3.The student’s performance on the more advanced mathematics assessment is used for purposes of measuring academic achievement under section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the ESEA and participation in assessments under section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the ESEA. ☒ Yes ☐ No 2 The Secretary anticipates collecting relevant information consistent with the assessment peer review process in 34 CFR § 200.2(d). An SEA need not submit any information regarding challenging State academic standards and assessments at this time. 6 iii. If a State responds “yes” to question 2(ii), consistent with 34 CFR § 200.5(b)(4), describe, with regard to this exception, its strategies to provide all students in the State the opportunity to be prepared for and to take advanced mathematics coursework in middle school. The State of Texas provides and encourages all students the opportunity to be prepared for and take advanced mathematics coursework in middle school. Texas focuses its elementary and middle school curriculum on Algebra I-ready skills to prepare all students for success in Algebra I and to continue in higher-level mathematics courses throughout their school career. We created a Texas Algebra Ready website and curriculum focal points for mathematics in kindergarten through grade 8. We also have Texas Regional Collaboratives that support science and mathematics teaching strategies and instruction. In addition, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §74.26(b) provides that “districts may offer courses designated for Grades 9-12 (refer to §74.11 of this title (relating to High School Graduation Requirements)) in earlier grade levels.” TAC §111.39 related to the Algebra I curriculum states that “this course is recommended for students in Grade 8 or 9.” Recent legislation from the 85th Texas Legislature included changes to the accountability system that, once implemented, will allow high schools to factor Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), SAT, and ACT tests into their accountability ratings. The State is studying the number of Grade 8 students who take Algebra I in middle school and go on to take AP, IB, SAT, and ACT tests in high school. Understanding the high rate at which these students participate in advanced mathematics testing and how they perform on these exams will provide important data to assist Texas in updating the State’s accountability system to include these advanced mathematics tests. Therefore, to take advantage of this federal flexibility the State will require students who take Algebra I in middle school to also take SAT or ACT in high school so that their results can be used in the accountability system. 3. Native Language Assessments (ESEA section 1111(b)(2)(F) and 34 CFR § 200.6(f)(2)(ii) ) and (f)(4): i. Provide its definition for “languages other than English that are present to a significant extent in the participating student population,” and identify the specific languages that meet that definition. Texas defines languages other than English that are present to a significant extent in the participating student population as greater than 10 percent of the total student population. Currently, Spanish is the only native language that meets this definition. 7 ii. Identify any existing assessments in languages other than English, and specify for which grades and content areas those assessments are available. Texas provides the following Spanish assessments: STAAR Spanish grades 3–5 mathematics, STAAR Spanish grades 3–5 reading, STAAR Spanish grade 4 writing, and STAAR Spanish grade 5 science. iii. Indicate the languages identified in question 3(i) for which yearly student academic assessments are not available and are needed. None iv. Describe how it will make every effort to develop assessments, at a minimum, in languages other than English that are present to a significant extent in the participating student population including by providing a. The State’s plan and timeline for developing such assessments, including a description of how it met the requirements of 34 CFR § 200.6(f)(4); b. A description of the process the State used to gather meaningful input on the need for assessments in languages other than English, collect and respond to public comment, and consult with educators; parents and families of English learners; students, as appropriate; and other stakeholders; and c. As applicable, an explanation of the reasons the State has not been able to complete the development of such assessments despite making every effort. Not applicable 4. Statewide Accountability System and School Support and Improvement Activities (ESEA section 1111(c) and (d)): On June 15, 2017, Governor Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 22, 85th Texas Legislature. This bill revamps large portions of the accountability system in Texas, including the reduction of domains from five to three. Implementation of the new accountability system will occur with the release of August 2018 accountability ratings, thereby maintaining alignment with provisions of ESSA accountability requirements. i. Subgroups (ESEA section 1111(c)(2)): a. List each major racial and ethnic group the State includes as a subgroup of students, consistent with ESEA section 8 1111(c)(2)(B). Texas evaluates the academic performance of the following racial/ethnic student groups: • African American, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, white, and two or more races Ethnicity Percent of Enrollment African American: A non-Hispanic person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. 12.6% Hispanic: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. 52.2% White: A non-Hispanic person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. 28.5% Asian/Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, Polynesian Islands, Micronesian Islands, Melanesian Islands, or Philippine Islands. 4.1% American Indian: A person having origin in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through affiliation or community recognition. 0.4% Two or More Races: A person having origins in any two, or more than two, racial categories, i.e., Black or African American and White. 2.1% b. If applicable, describe any additional subgroups of students other than the statutorily required subgroups (i.e., economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, children with disabilities, and English learners) used in the Statewide accountability system. Texas evaluates the academic performance of the following additional student groups: • Economically disadvantaged • Students receiving special education services • Students formerly receiving special education services • English learners (EL) • Continuously enrolled • Mobile c. Does the State intend to include in the English learner subgroup the results of students previously identified as English learners on the State assessments required under ESEA section 9 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) for purposes of State accountability (ESEA section 1111(b)(3)(B))? Note that a student’s results may be included in the English learner subgroup for not more than four years after the student ceases to be identified as an English learner. ☒ Yes ☐ No d. If applicable, choose one of the following options for recently arrived English learners in the State: ☐ Applying the exception under ESEA section 1111(b)(3)(A)(i); or ☒ Applying the exception under ESEA section 1111(b)(3)(A)(ii); or ☐ Applying the exception under ESEA section 1111(b)(3)(A)(i) or under ESEA section 1111(b)(3)(A)(ii). If this option is selected, describe how the State will choose which exception applies to a recently arrived English learner. Performance results for English learners in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools will be excluded from accountability performance indicators. (Students must be assessed and are included in participation rates.) Performance results for English learners in their second year of enrollment in U.S. schools will be included in the accountability performance indicators based on the EL Progress Measure (see Appendix C for more details). Links to Supporting Evidence: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/ell/ ii. Minimum N-Size (ESEA section 1111(c)(3)(A)): a. Provide the minimum number of students that the State determines are necessary to be included to carry out the requirements of any provisions under Title I, Part A of the ESEA that require disaggregation of information by each subgroup of students for accountability purposes. Results for accountability purposes will be reported for any student group that meets accountability minimum size criteria of 25 tests (for assessment related indicators) or 25 students (for graduation and non-assessment related indicators). To ensure that campuses and districts with a very small number of students or assessments are still evaluated for accountability purposes, the All Students group 10 minimum size criteria is reduced to at least 10 assessments (for assessment related indicators) or 10 students (for graduation and non-assessment related indicators). Small numbers analyses are conducted when there are fewer than 10 test results or 10 students results. A three-year uniform average is computed based on the current year, prior year, and prior-prior year results. If there are 10 or more test results or students available when all three years are combined, then the three-year uniform average is used to evaluate the All Students group. The table below summarizes the impact at the district and campus level for all students and six student groups based on a minimum size of 10 for all students and 25 for student groups based on 2016 data. The “Not Evaluated” category in the table below is comprised of campuses/districts that fit into one of the following groupings: 1) Paired campuses such as campuses with grade spans from prekindergarten through kindergarten or early elementary through second grade. These campuses have no test data and are required to pair with campus for purposes of accountability. 2) Disciplinary, juvenile justice, or residential treatment facilities. The test results for these campuses are to be assigned to the student’s home campus. Texas law does not allow these campuses to be evaluated. 3) Campuses/districts with extremely small numbers of students or campus/district configurations that do not do not give assessments. Districts Not Evaluated Fewer than 10 tests No students in Grades Tested Student Groups Evaluated (n >= 25): African American Hispanic White Economically Disadvantaged English Learners Special Education Campuses % of Number Total Number % of Total 0 2 0% 0% 148 818 2% 9% 500 998 1,014 1,150 41% 83% 84% 95% 3,041 6,640 4,866 7,174 35% 77% 56% 83% 580 784 48% 65% 4,096 3,851 47% 44% 11 Number of Student Groups Evaluated: All students Plus 1 or more student groups Plus 2 or more student groups Plus 3 or more student groups Plus 4 or more student groups Plus 5 or more student groups Plus 6 or more student groups District Cumulative % of Number Total 1,199 100% Campus Cumulative % of Number Total 7,707 98% 1,181 98% 7,502 96% 1,181 98% 7,502 96% 1,152 96% 7,293 93% 991 82% 6,320 80% 786 65% 4,638 59% 570 47% 2,717 35% b. Describe how the minimum number of students is statistically sound. Using a minimum “n” of 25 for accountability provides both statistical reliability across accountability metric calculations and privacy protection for those student groups too small to report without disclosing personally identifiable information. c. Describe how the minimum number of students was determined by the State, including how the State collaborated with teachers, principals, other school leaders, parents, and other stakeholders when determining such minimum number. The development of the minimum size criteria for the indexbased accountability system were developed in consultation with two accountability advisory groups of educators, school board members, business and community representatives, professional organizations, and legislative representatives from across the state. The Accountability Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) includes representatives from school districts and regional education service centers (ESCs). The Accountability Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) includes representatives from legislative offices, school districts, and the business community. Members identified issues critical to the accountability system and reviewed the ATAC recommendations. The APAC either endorsed the ATAC’s recommendations or developed its own, which are forwarded to the commissioner for final decision. In addition, public 12 comments were solicited from each Texas public school district in late 2012 to get educator feedback on various technical and policy issues related to the development of the performance indexes. The survey provided valuable input to the accountability advisory groups on the minimum size criteria for student group evaluation. The comments received from educators and the recommendations of the accountability advisory groups informed the final decision by the commissioner to establish a minimum size threshold of 25 students that has been used for the accountability system since 2012-2013. Source: The survey results were compiled in a report available online at https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/perfreport/account/2013/20130211m tg/comments.pdf d. Describe how the State ensures that the minimum number is sufficient to not reveal any personally identifiable information.3 Texas state law, administrative rule, and policies and procedures require and enforce strict adherence to the protection of student confidentiality and privacy rights, as guaranteed under FERPA. Section 39.030 (b) of the TEC requires: The results of individual student performance on academic skills assessment instruments administered under this subchapter are confidential and may be released only in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). However, overall student performance data shall be aggregated by ethnicity, sex, grade level, subject area, campus, and district and made available to the public, with appropriate interpretations, at regularly scheduled meetings of the board of trustees of each school district. The information may not contain the names of individual students or teachers. Source: The direct link to the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 39, governing assessment and accountability is http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/ed/ed0003900toc.html. 3 Consistent with ESEA section1111(i), information collected or disseminated under ESEA section 1111 shall be collected and disseminated in a manner that protects the privacy of individuals consistent with section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g, commonly known as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”). When selecting a minimum n-size for reporting, States should consult the Institute for Education Sciences report “Best Practices for Determining Subgroup Size in Accountability Systems While Protecting Personally Identifiable Student Information” to identify appropriate statistical disclosure limitation strategies for protecting student privacy. 13 e. If the State’s minimum number of students for purposes of reporting is lower than the minimum number of students for accountability purposes, provide the State’s minimum number of students for purposes of reporting. Not applicable iii. Establishment of Long-Term Goals (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(A)): a. Academic Achievement. (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(A)(i)(I)(aa)) 1. Describe the long-term goals for improved academic achievement, as measured by proficiency on the annual statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments, for all students and for each group of students, including: (1) the timeline for meeting the long-term goals, for which the term must be the same multi-year length of time for all students and for each student group of students in the State, and (2) how the long-term goals are ambitious. In 2016, Texas adopted a plan that sets high goals for postsecondary student achievement. The State’s 60X30 plan provides that benchmark and is aligned both to work being done in colleges throughout Texas and to the needs of the workforce. The goal of the plan is straightforward: by the year 2030, 60 percent of Texans aged 25-34 should possess some form of post-secondary credential. To align with this plan, the bar for high student achievement – performance at an “A” rating in the Student Achievement domain – is set at 60 percent of students being on pace for likely success in a post-secondary setting, be it a trade school, community college, or four-year university. TEA built its assessment program, the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR), to measure college readiness with achievement measured at four performance levels: Masters Grade Level: Performance in this category indicates that students are expected to succeed in the next grade or course with little or no academic intervention. Students in this category demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in varied contexts, both familiar and unfamiliar. 14 Meets Grade Level: Performance in this category indicates that students have a high likelihood of success in the next grade or course but may still need some short-term, targeted academic intervention. Students in this category generally demonstrate the ability to think critically and apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. For the purposes of accountability, TEA considers these students to be proficient. Approaches Grade Level: Performance in the category indicates that students are likely to succeed in the next grade or course with targeted academic intervention. Students in this category generally demonstrate the ability to apply the assessed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. Did Not Meet Grade Level: Performance in this category indicates that students are unlikely to succeed in the next grade or course without significant, ongoing academic intervention. Students in this category do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the assessed knowledge and skills. The STAAR test was built and validated by actual student performance so that achieving the Meets Grade Level standard is indicative of a student who, if that proficiency level is maintained through high school, has a better than 60 percent chance of passing freshman college level math and English courses. The Masters Grade Level standard is indicative of a student who has a better than 75 percent chance of passing those courses. (This latter standard is used by SAT and ACT). The Approaches Grade Level standard is about one standard deviation below Meets Grade Level. Source: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/6862.PDF 2. Provide the measurements of interim progress toward meeting the long-term goals for academic achievement in Appendix A. See table in Appendix A 3. Describe how the long-term goals and measurements of interim progress toward the long-term goals for academic 15 achievement taken into account the improvement necessary to make significant progress in closing statewide proficiency gaps. TEA’s goal is to have all students increase 50 percent to at least 60 in the Meets performance level by 2032, thereby closing the gap for all student groups to meet the 60x30 plan adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. As such, TEA has established interim targets over five-year intervals beginning in 2017-2018. This approach brings consistency to the system, which will allow districts the opportunity to plan short- and long-term improvement strategies to meet this aggressive goal for our State. In setting this benchmark, TEA is maintaining the expectation that we should hold all student groups to the same expectations of proficiency growth over the course of this plan. Additionally, the interim benchmarks will create achievable yet aggressive progress checks for all student groups to achieve to ensure that they are making meaningful improvements towards the long-term goals. Thereby setting the state up to successfully meet its overall 60x30 goal. The long term (15 year) goal for the Academic Achievement reading and mathematics indicators is a 50 percent reduction in the gap between the baseline values for 2017 and 100 percent proficiency. For example, the All Students baseline for reading is 44 percent at the meets grade level standard. There is a gap of 56 between 44 and 100. Half of that gap is 28 percentage points. Adding 44 and 28 gives you a 15-year 50 percent growth target of 72. b. Graduation Rate. (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(A)(i)(I)(bb)) 1. Describe the long-term goals for the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for all students and for each subgroup of students, including: (1) the timeline for meeting the long-term goals, for which the term must be the same multi-year length of time for all students and for each subgroup of students in the State, and (2) how the long-term goals are ambitious. 2. If applicable, describe the long-term goals for each extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, including (1) the timeline for meeting the long-term goals, for which the term must be the same multi-year length of time for all students and for each subgroup of students in the State; (2) 16 how the long-term goals are ambitious; and (3) how the long-term goals are more rigorous than the long-term goal set for the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. 3. Provide the measurements of interim progress toward the long-term goals for the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and any extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate in Appendix A. 4. Describe how the long-term goals and measurements of interim progress for the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and any extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate taken into account the improvement necessary to make significant progress in closing statewide graduation rate gaps. Goal: High schools and school districts that do not meet the long-term graduation rate goal must meet the interim target for the four-year graduation rate. The long term statewide goal for the four-year graduation rate is 94 percent. Student groups that are at or above interim or longterm targets will be required to exceed that rate in the following year(s). Four-Year Graduation Rate Interim Target: Beginning with the Class of 2017, Texas will set the four-year graduation target at 92 percent and raise it by two percentage points over five year-long intervals. TEA’s goal to achieve these graduation rates will maintain the state’s status as a national leader in the number of students earning high school diplomas. TEA has established interim targets over five-year intervals beginning in 2017-2018. This approach brings consistency to the system, which will allow districts the opportunity to plan short- and long-term improvement plans to meet this aggressive goal for our State. In setting this goal, TEA acknowledges the long-term interventions necessary to improve graduation rates across the State. See Appendix A table of interim and long-term goals. c. English Language Proficiency. (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(A)(ii)) 1. Describe the long-term goals for English learners for increases in the percentage of such students making 17 progress in achieving English language proficiency, as measured by the statewide English language proficiency assessment, including: (1) the State-determined timeline for such students to achieve English language proficiency and (2) how the long-term goals are ambitious. 2. Provide the measurements of interim progress toward the long-term goal for increases in the percentage of English learners making progress in achieving English language proficiency in Appendix A. Beginning next school year, TEA will administer a new form of the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). In anticipation of the new exam, TEA is proposing achievable, but ambitious, targets for the new TELPAS administrations in campuses and districts based off historical trends when administering a new assessment. Texas proposes setting a long-term goal of 46 percent of students making progress in achieving English language proficiency by the year 2032. This goal sets an ambitious target for campuses in our state based on prior achievement gains to ensure that students will succeed after entering Texas schools. See interim progress goals in Appendix A. iv. Indicators (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(B)) a. Academic Achievement Indicator. Describe the Academic Achievement indicator, including a description of how the indicator (i) is based on the long-term goals; (ii) is measured by proficiency on the annual Statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments; (iii) annually measures academic achievement for all students and separately for each subgroup of students; and (iv) at the State’s discretion, for each public high school in the State, includes a measure of student growth, as measured by the annual Statewide reading/language arts and mathematics assessments. b. Indicator for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools that are Not High Schools (Other Academic Indicator). Describe the Other Academic indicator, including how it annually measures the performance for all students and separately for each subgroup of students. If the Other Academic indicator is not a measure of student growth, the description must include a demonstration that the indicator is a valid and reliable statewide academic indicator 18 that allows for meaningful differentiation in school performance. c. Graduation Rate. Describe the Graduation Rate indicator, including a description of (i) how the indicator is based on the long-term goals; (ii) how the indicator annually measures graduation rate for all students and separately for each subgroup of students; (iii) how the indicator is based on the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; (iv) if the State, at its discretion, also includes one or more extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rates, how the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is combined with that rate or rates within the indicator; and (v) if applicable, how the State includes in its four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and any extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rates students with the most significant cognitive disabilities assessed using an alternate assessment aligned to alternate academic achievement standards under ESEA section 1111(b)(2)(D) and awarded a State-defined alternate diploma under ESEA section 8101(23) and (25). d. Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency (ELP) Indicator. Describe the Progress in Achieving ELP indicator, including the State’s definition of ELP, as measured by the State ELP assessment. e. School Quality or Student Success Indicator(s). Describe each School Quality or Student Success Indicator, including, for each such indicator: (i) how it allows for meaningful differentiation in school performance; (ii) that it is valid, reliable, comparable, and statewide (for the grade span(s) to which it applies); and (iii) of how each such indicator annually measures performance for all students and separately for each subgroup of students. For any School Quality or Student Success indicator that does not apply to all grade spans, the description must include the grade spans to which it does apply. 19 INDICATOR MEASURE Academic Achievement outcomes on STAAR grades 3-8 and Achievement EOC assessments in ELA/reading and mathematics. Calculations for academic achievement (proficiency) are based on scored tests (i.e., the denominator is scored tests only and does not include tests scored as “absent” or “other”). Participation is determined using a separate calculation of scored tests over all submitted test answer documents (i.e., scored, absent, and other). The numerator from the participation calculation is the denominator for the academic achievement (proficiency) rate calculation. Should the participation level for the all student groups or any student group fall below 95 percent, the denominator used for calculating academic achievement (proficiency) will be adjusted to include the necessary students to meet the 95 percent threshold. DESCRIPTION Percentage of assessments at or above the Meets Grade Level standard (proficiency) for all students and student groups by subject. Other Academic Indicators for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools that are Not High Schools Growth would be credited for those who maintain high performance levels as well as those who fail to meet the proficiency standard but exhibit growth from one year to the next. Measure will account for all students as well as student groups by subject. Growth on STAAR assessments in reading and mathematics over a two-year period. See Appendix G for details about how the progress measure is calculated. See Appendix E for description on how growth is calculated in the Texas A-F system. Graduation Rate Texas will use the definition for graduation as outlined in ESEA sections 8101(25) and 8101(28). Four-year graduation rates are calculated for districts and campuses if they: (a) served Grade 9 and Grade 11 or 12 in the first and fifth years of the cohort or (b) served Grade 12 in the first and fifth years of the cohort. Source: Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools 2014-15 report online at http://tea.texas.gov/acctres/dropcomp_index.html as outlined in TEC Chapter 39.053. The high school graduation rate is the other performance measure for all districts and high school campuses for which the rate is calculated. Measure will account for all students as well as student groups. High schools and school districts that do not meet the long-term graduation rate goal 20 English Language Proficiency The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Composite Rating provides a single measure of a student’s overall level of English language proficiency determined from the student’s listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency ratings. A weighted formula is used to generate composite ratings of Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High. See Appendix D for additional information on TELPAS. School Quality or Student Success Indicator for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools that are Not High Schools School Quality or Student Success Indicator for High Schools Achievement outcomes outlined in the Student Achievement Domain STAAR component. Achievement outcomes of annual graduates on college, career, and military readiness indicator. must meet interim target for the four-year graduation rate. The long-term statewide goal for the four-year graduation rate is 94 percent. Progress is the percent of current English Learners in Grades K-12 who have made progress in developing their English language proficiency since it was last assessed. To be considered as having made progress, a student must have an increase of at least one proficiency level on the TELPAS composite rating from the most recent prior year to the current year. Students who had a TELPAS composite rating of Advanced High in the most recent prior year must maintain the composite rating of Advanced High in the current year to be counted as having made progress. Measure will account for English learners. Includes the average of three performance levels (Approaches, Meets, and Masters) on the reading/English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and writing assessments for all students assessed on a campus. See appendix E for additional information on calculation of this Domain College, Career, and Military Readiness will include indicators that account for the following: • Students who meet Texas Success Initiative (TSI) benchmarks in reading or mathematics 21 • Students who satisfy relevant performance standards on AP (or similar) exams • Students who earn dual course credits • Students who enlist in the military • Students who earn an industry certification • Students admitted into postsecondary certification programs that require as a prerequisite for entrance successful performance at the secondary level • Students who successfully complete a college preparatory course • Students who successfully meet the standards on a composite of indicators that indicate the student’s preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate or associate degree • Students who successfully complete an OnRamps dual enrollment course • Students who are awarded an associate’s degree while in high school Current consideration is that annual graduates can meet the standard through achievement of at least one of the indicators 22 listed. The indicator will include outcomes for all students as well as each student group. The denominator for the college, career, and military readiness indicator consists of yearly annual graduates and all non-annual graduate 12th graders in the same year. A nonannual graduate 12th grader is defined as an enrolled 12th grader who did not graduate. See appendix E for additional details on the methodology for this domain. v. Annual Meaningful Differentiation (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(C)) a. Describe the State’s system of annual meaningful differentiation of all public schools in the State, consistent with the requirements of section 1111(c)(4)(C) of the ESEA, including a description of (i) how the system is based on all indicators in the State’s accountability system, (ii) for all students and for each subgroup of students. Note that each state must comply with the requirements in 1111(c)(5) of the ESEA with respect to accountability for charter schools. b. Describe the weighting of each indicator in the State’s system of annual meaningful differentiation, including how the Academic Achievement, Other Academic, Graduation Rate, and Progress in ELP indicators each receive substantial weight individually and, in the aggregate, much greater weight than the School Quality or Student Success indicator(s), in the aggregate. c. If the States uses a different methodology for annual meaningful differentiation than the one described in 4.v.a. above for schools for which an accountability determination cannot be made (e.g., P-2 schools), describe the different methodology, indicating the type(s) of schools to which it applies. 23 Overview of Closing the Gaps Domain The Closing the Gaps domain ensures students are doing well regardless of racial group, special education status, and socioeconomic status for all indicators required by state law and ESSA including English language proficiency and school quality indicator for elementary and secondary schools that are not high schools. The domain includes requirements to track the performance of former special education students as well as students who are mobile versus those who are continuously enrolled. Closing the Gaps A-F Grade Determination The campus A-F grade for Closing the Gaps is determined using weighting for indicators as described below. Campus Type Elementary and Middle Schools High Schools and K12 Indicator Academic Achievement Growth English Learner Language Proficiency Student Achievement Domain Score Academic Achievement 4-Year Graduation Rate English Learner Language Proficiency College, Career, and Military Readiness Weight 40 percent 40 percent 10 percent 10 percent 50 percent 10 percent 10 percent 30 percent If a campus is missing an indicator, the missing indicator weight will be distributed evenly among the remaining indicators. For example, if an elementary campus has no growth, the weight will be equally added to academic achievement, English learner language proficiency, and Student Achievement domain indicators, The Closing the Gaps score will be computed based on: • a weighted average of the indicators computed from the number of items meeting targets divided by the number of items evaluated • the weighted average will be scaled to grades A (90-100), B (8089), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (0-60) by creating grade cut 24 • points based on 2017 data and using an approximate distribution of 10% A’s, 20% B’s, 40% C’s, 20% D’s, and 10% F’s. the scaled score will be used to determine the comprehensive schools (lowest 5%) a rank ordering method based on the Closing the Gaps domain score of campuses as outlined in Section (v). The Agency will identify at least the lowest five percent scoring campuses that receive Title I, Part A funds for comprehensive support. This alignment of the Closing the Gaps domain and federal comprehensive identification will allow the state to maximize support and resources for those campuses that are in greatest need of assistance, while minimizing confusion from multiple identifications. Additionally, the intervention actions outlined in subsections (e) and (g) below are aligned with state statutory requirements, thereby minimizing the duplication of requirements. d. Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools. Describe the State’s methodology for identifying all public high schools in the State failing to graduate one third or more of their students for comprehensive support and improvement. If a campus does not obtain a 67 percent four-year graduation rate for the All Students group, the campus will be automatically identified for comprehensive support and improvement. e. Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools. Describe the methodology by which the State identifies public schools in the State receiving Title I, Part A funds that have received additional targeted support under ESEA section 1111(d)(2)(C) (based on identification as a school in which any subgroup of students, on its own, would lead to identification under ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i)(I) using the State’s methodology under ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(D)) and that have not satisfied the statewide exit criteria for such schools within a State-determined number of years. Any Title I campus identified for targeted support and improvement for three consecutive years will be identified for comprehensive support and improvement the following school year. f. Year of Identification. Provide, for each type of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement, the year in which the State will first identify such schools and the 25 frequency with which the State will, thereafter, identify such schools. Note that these schools must be identified at least once every three years. TEA will annually identify campuses for comprehensive support and intervention beginning with the August 2018 accountability release, which is based on School Year 2017-2018 performance data. g. Targeted Support and Improvement. Describe the State’s methodology for annually identifying any school with one or more “consistently underperforming” subgroups of students, based on all indicators in the statewide system of annual meaningful differentiation, including the definition used by the State to determine consistent underperformance. (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(C)(iii)) Student group achievement will be monitored annually through the Closing the Gaps domain (see Appendix F). Any campus that has one or more achievement gap(s) between individual student groups and the interim goals outlined in Appendix A will be identified for targeted support and improvement. TEA defines “consistently underperforming” as a school having one or more student groups that do not meet interim benchmark goals for three consecutive years. h. Additional Targeted Support. Describe the State’s methodology, for identifying schools in which any subgroup of students, on its own, would lead to identification under ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i)(I) using the State’s methodology under ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(D), including the year in which the State will first identify such schools and the frequency with which the State will, thereafter, identify such schools. (ESEA section 1111(d)(2)(C)-(D)) Any campus that is not identified for comprehensive support will be identified for additional targeted support if an individual student group’s overall percentage, based on the weighting outlined on page 27, is at or below the percentage for comprehensive support campuses in that rating year. For example, if the cut point for a campus to be identified for comprehensive support is 25 percent, then any campus with a student group that has an overall percentage of 25 percent or less will be identified for additional targeted support. Identification will begin with the August 2018 school ratings and will occur on 26 an annual basis. i. Additional Statewide Categories of Schools. If the State chooses, at its discretion, to include additional statewide categories of schools, describe those categories. Not applicable vi. Annual Measurement of Achievement (ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(E)(iii)): Describe how the State factors the requirement for 95 percent student participation in statewide mathematics and reading/language arts assessments into the statewide accountability system. Calculations for academic achievement (proficiency) are based on scored tests (i.e., the denominator is scored tests only and does not include tests scored as “absent” or “other”). Participation is determined using a separate calculation of scored tests over all submitted test answer documents (i.e., scored, absent, and other). The numerator from the participation calculation is the denominator for the academic achievement (proficiency) rate calculation. Should the participation level for the all student groups or any student group fall below 95 percent, the denominator used for calculating academic achievement (proficiency) will be adjusted to include the necessary students to meet the 95 percent threshold. vii. Continued Support for School and LEA Improvement (ESEA section 1111(d)(3)(A)) a. Exit Criteria for Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools. Describe the statewide exit criteria, established by the State, for schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement, including the number of years (not to exceed four) over which schools are expected to meet such criteria. Campuses that do not rank in the bottom five percent of the Closing the Gaps domain for two consecutive years and have increased a letter grade (for example, from F to D or from D to C) on the Closing the Gaps domain will be considered as having successfully exited comprehensive support status. Exit Criteria for Schools Receiving Additional Targeted Support. Describe the statewide exit criteria, established by the State, for schools receiving additional targeted support under ESEA 27 section 1111(d)(2)(C), including the number of years over which schools are expected to meet such criteria. To exit additional targeted support status, a student group must meet at least 50 percent of the indicators evaluated and meet the targets for the Academic Achievement indicator in both reading and mathematics. b. More Rigorous Interventions. Describe the more rigorous interventions required for schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement that fail to meet the State’s exit criteria within a State-determined number of years consistent with section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the ESEA. Aligning with current state intervention requirements outlined in the Texas Education Code, schools that fail to exit comprehensive status within two years will be subject to more rigorous interventions, including the development a Campus Turnaround Plan. A turnaround plan must focus the campus’ systemic approach to producing significant and sustainable gains in achievement. The development of this plan will include a systemic data and root cause analysis, followed by the development of a turnaround initiative that will focus on wholeschool reform. Prior to submitting turnaround plans, districts must gather input and comments from parents and community members on their proposed turnaround initiative as required in TEC 39.107. Plans will be submitted to TEA for review, feedback, and Commissioner approval prior to implementation. Campuses identified and listed as comprehensive status for five consecutive years will be subject to more rigorous interventions that include, but are not limited to, closure of the school; restarting the school in partnership with a charter school; converting the school to a charter school with an independent governing board, new leadership team, and redesigned school model; appointing a Conservator to oversee the school or LEA; or inserting a state-appointed Board of Managers to oversee the entire LEA. c. Resource Allocation Review. Describe how the State will periodically review resource allocation to support school improvement in each LEA in the State serving a significant number or percentage of schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement. 28 TEA will periodically review LEA resource allocations as it pertains to Title I, Part A, Title II, Part A, and 1003 school improvement funds in LEAs serving a significant number or percentage of schools identified for comprehensive and targeted support and improvement. TEA will focus on those LEAs with the highest percentages of comprehensive and targeted schools and consider development of methods to ensure all LEAs that meet this requirement are provided with relevant analytical supports. TEA will assist in a deeper resource allocation review that seeks to support LEAs in understanding how they allocate funds and develop plans for more equitably funding schools in need of improvement, most likely on a weight student funding basis. d. Technical Assistance. Describe the technical assistance the State will provide to each LEA in the State serving a significant number or percentage of schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement. TEA intends to provide technical assistance to LEAs serving a significant number or percentage of schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement at the board, LEA, and campus level. For school boards, TEA has developed the Lone Star Governance training program that helps them focus on student outcomes and effectively performing their executive duties. For more information please see: http://tea.texas.gov/LSG/ TEA will develop a set of supports to help LEAs build the capacity to evaluate campus performance and community partnership and neighborhood needs, make strategic decisions about and build the capacity to take actions related to school improvement, school transformations (restarts, partnerships, closures, new schools, and related activities), or maximizing enrollment in high performing schools, to understand and address school-level talent needs, and to make informed decisions about curriculum and assessment strategies. For LEAs and campuses, TEA will deploy a continuum of assistance including basic services that may include: a resource library and toolkits for school improvement and transformation activities, more advanced supports such as access to a statewide Center for School Improvement and Center for School Transformation, vetted Professional Service Providers, and 29 vetted School Improvement Partners (organizations with a specialty and track record in different aspects of school improvement and school transformation) or School Transformation Partners. Additionally, campuses identified as comprehensive are required to engage parents and community members through the improvement process. TEA has created, and will continue to improve, tools and resources for comprehensive campuses on how to best engage parents and community members in the improvement process. TEA intends to have these new and improved assistance services fully developed and in place in advance of the 2018-2019 school year. e. Additional Optional Action. If applicable, describe the action the State will take to initiate additional improvement in any LEA with a significant number or percentage of schools that are consistently identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement and are not meeting exit criteria established by the State or in any LEA with a significant number or percentage of schools implementing targeted support and improvement plans. Similar to Section 4(viii)(c) above, TEA will consider more rigorous interventions at the LEA level for LEAs with a significant number or percentage of schools that are consistently identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement and are not meeting exit criteria established by the State. These interventions may include, but not be limited to, appointing a Monitor, a Conservator, or a Board of Managers to oversee the LEA or a group of schools in the LEA or partnering with the LEA to consider alternative governance solutions for sets of identified schools. f. School Improvement Resources. Description of the process to award school improvement funds to LEAs. Texas will withhold seven percent of state Title I funding to distribute to LEAs through both formula and competitive grant applications for school improvement. A portion of the seven percent set aside may be distributed via formula to LEAs with comprehensive support schools that submit a completed application. That application might describe, among other things, the LEAs overarching plan for evaluating campus performance and making decisions about school 30 improvement or transformation actions and their plans to ensure school level talent needs are addressed, as well as attestations that campus level strategies will utilize evidence-based strategies. TEA intends to provide LEAs with access to appropriate resource library/toolkits; a vetted list of high quality, non-profit school improvement and school transformation partners; and to statewide Centers for School Improvement and School Transformation. A portion of the seven percent set aside will be distributed to LEAs with comprehensive or targeted schools via a series of competitive grant programs. These grant programs will require the applicants submit their district- and campus-level improvement plans, which will outline the use of evidence-based strategies. TEA will give priority points to LEA applications that ensure the identified campuses have the operational flexibility necessary to successfully implement plans. These grants may incentivize the following types of school improvement and transformation actions: • Restarting the school in partnership with a high-quality school management organization or converting it to a charter school; • Redesigning the school, including replacing the school leadership team with a new team, implementing a new instructional model, or related activities aimed at better serving the needs of the students; • Replicating an existing successful school model into an identified school, including as a charter school; • Closing the identified school and consolidating the students into a higher performing or new school, whether charter or district managed; • Creating new schools, whether district or charter, to provide students in identified schools with new and better education options. TEA will ensure these new schools guarantee and prioritize access to students currently attending the identified school(s); • Increasing access to effective teachers or leaders or adopting incentives to recruit and retain effective teachers and leaders; • Building the instructional leadership capacity of school leadership teams to understand and implement evidencebased strategies such as data driven instruction; • Building district capacity to analyze campus performance and make and execute strategic decisions about school improvement or transformation actions; or 31 • Grouping identified schools together in a zone or cluster and providing those schools with operational flexibility and additional school improvement supports. 5. Disproportionate Rates of Access to Educators (ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(B)): Describe how low-income and minority children enrolled in schools assisted under Title I, Part A are not served at disproportionate rates by ineffective, out-offield, or inexperienced teachers, and the measures the SEA agency will use to evaluate and publicly report the progress of the State educational agency with respect to such description. 4 In analyzing the out-of-field data for the 2016-2017 school year, TEA did not find gaps between Title I campuses and non-Title I campuses, nor did it find gaps between the highest quartile Title I campuses and non-Title I campuses as it relates to both low-income and minority students. Campus Group Out-of-Field Percent 1 Title I Non-Title I Title I Low-Income Upper Quartile 2 Title I Minority Upper Quartile 3 6.11 7.63 6.13 6.79 1 Percentage of teachers who are not certified in field for their assignment. 2 Title I campuses above the highest quartile for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. 3 Title I campuses above the highest quartile for minority students. In analyzing the teacher experience data for the 2016-2017 school year, TEA did find gaps between Title I campuses and non-Title I campuses. On average, approximately 5.35 percent of the teacher FTEs on Title I campuses are in their first two years of teaching when compared to non-Title I campuses. When comparing the highest quartile Title I campuses as they relate to low-income and minority status to non-Title I campuses, the gap widens to approximately 8.53 percent and 7.37 percent, respectively. Campus Group Inexperienced Percent1 Title I Non-Title I Title I Low-Income Upper Quartile 2 Title I Minority Upper Quartile 3 22.69 17.35 25.88 24.72 1 Percentage of teachers who are in their first two years of teaching. 2 Title I campuses above the highest quartile for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. 3 Title I campuses above the highest quartile for minority students. 4 Consistent with ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(B), this description should not be construed as requiring a State to develop or implement a teacher, principal or other school leader evaluation system. 32 To track and update equitable access gaps moving forward, TEA will calculate gaps and post information on the state equity website (https://texasequitytoolkit.org/ ) according to the following: Measure Inexperience Out-of-field How Calculated 1) Comparison between Title I campuses and nonTitle I campuses for teachers in their first two years of teaching. 2) Comparison between non-Title I campuses and the highest quartile Title I campuses as it relates to lowincome percentages for teachers in their first two year of teaching. 3) Comparison between non-Title I campuses and the highest quartile Title I campuses as it relates to minority percentages for teachers in their first two year of teaching. 1) Comparison between Title I campuses and nonTitle I campuses for teachers whose credentials match the state assignment rules. 2) Comparison between non-Title I campuses and the highest quartile When Reported For 2016-2017 school year data – February 15, 2018 All future school years – December 15th of the subsequent school year. For example, for the 2017-2018 school year data, by December 15, 2018. For 2016-2017 school year data – February 15, 2018 All future school years – December 15th of the subsequent school year. For example, for the 2017-2018 school year data, by December 15, 2018. 33 Ineffectiveness Title I campuses as it relates to lowincome percentages for teachers whose credentials match the state assignment rules. 3) Comparison between non-Title I campuses and the highest quartile Title I campuses as it relates to minority percentages for teachers whose credentials match the state assignment rules. For the purposes of equity gaps, TEA calculates teacher effectiveness based on student academic growth based on state assessments. 1) Comparison between actual student growth to expected student growth for minority and lowincome students against expected student growth to actual student growth for nonminority and nonlow-income students regardless of campus Title I designation. 2) Comparison between actual student growth to For 2016-2017 school year data – June 1, 2018 All future school years – December 15th of the subsequent school year. For example, for the 2017-2018 school year data, by December 15, 2018. 34 expected student growth for minority and lowincome students against expected student growth to actual student growth for nonminority and nonlow-income students within Title I schools TEA has prioritized three contributing factors for the differences in proportionate rates of access to educators: 1) Insufficient training and support for teachers – between districts and within districts; 2) Insufficient training and support for campus leadership – between districts; and 3) Alignment of district systems for recruiting, developing, supporting, and retaining effective teachers and principals – between districts. Likely Causes of Most Significant Differences in Rates Insufficient training and support for teachers. Strategies (Including Timeline and Funding Sources) 1) Continue to support the implementation of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), currently used in over 1000 LEAs throughout the state, as a process that provides accurate assessment of teacher practice for the purposes of more accurately pursuing growth activities. See 5.2(A)(iv) for more information on state activities to improve support for campus teachers and principals. 2) Support the implementation and monitor the impact of changes to teacher preparation rules pursued and enacted during the 2016-2017 school year. Rule changes included differentiating teacher certification based on where the teacher is in the credentialing process, increasing the level of support required from educator preparation programs based on teacher certification level, requiring the demonstration of content knowledge prior 35 to becoming a teacher of record for all teaching candidates, and requiring more rigorous training for field supervisors supporting teaching candidates. 3) Continue the implementation of the Educator Excellence Innovation Program (EEIP), a state funded grant program that provides funds for selected districts to pursue innovative strategies around recruiting and hiring, induction and mentoring, appraisal, professional development, career pathways, and strategic compensation. The first cohort for this program will conclude with the 2017-2018 school year, and future efforts will prioritize rural LEAs to better support their systems and processes for recruiting, supporting, and retaining effective educators. Insufficient training and support for campus leaders. Alignment of district systems for recruiting, developing, supporting, and retaining effective teachers and principals. 4) Continue the implementation and expansion of Lesson Study, an inquirybased, job-embedded professional development process where teachers work collaboratively to develop, teach, and assess research-based lessons. In its first year of implementation, TEA is working with six regional ESCs and 15 LEAs. By 2020-2021, TEA intends to work with all twenty ESCs and 700 LEAs on Lesson Study. Funded from Title II, Part A. See D(1) for more information on state activities to improve training and support for campus leaders, including supervisors of campus leaders. TEA will begin work with a third-party facilitator to support a select number of districts with campuses that rate unsatisfactorily in the state accountability system to appraise and improve alignment of districts’ systems that impact the recruitment, development, support, and retention of effective teachers, principals, 36 and principal supervisors. The initial recipients of this support will include a cohort of approximately 5-10 districts, depending on district size, and will commence in the months leading up to the 2017-2018 school year. The initiative will include building the capacity of the state’s regional ESCs so that they may provide systems support to districts in the future. 6. School Conditions (ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(C)): Describe how the SEA agency will support LEAs receiving assistance under Title I, Part A to improve school conditions for student learning, including through reducing: (i) incidences of bullying and harassment; (ii) the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom; and (iii) the use of aversive behavioral interventions that compromise student health and safety. Beginning in the fall of 2015, TEA launched a statewide initiative for Restorative Discipline Practices. Restorative discipline is a part of the multi-tiered systems of support. Restorative discipline changes traditional behavior management by focusing on community building and the development of strong and powerful relationships, not just punishment. With restorative discipline, teachers challenge students to understand how their actions affected others and why they might have taken those actions. In turn incidents that might otherwise result in punishment and create opportunities to encourage accountability, improve school safety, help strengthen relationships, and create productive learning environments. Partnering with the Institute for Restorative Justice and the Restorative Dialogue at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work, TEA is working with the 20 education service centers to train campus and district administrators on the restorative discipline methods. An initial grant provided training to 10 of the state’s 20 education service centers and school districts in Texas. The first 10 service centers were selected based on the number of African-American males that were suspended from the school districts in their regions. The training occurred in two parts. The first part included a two-day administrator readiness training; the second part a five-day coordinator training. Follow-up funding will allow the remaining 10 regional service centers to receive similar training and support. As of the 2016-2017 school year 1,800 campus and districts administrators have been trained in restorative discipline practices. TEA also supports all 20 of the ESCs through the Texas Behavior Support Initiative. This initiative provides trainings and products for ESC and childserving agency network representatives to use in professional development and 37 technical assistance activities with districts and charter schools and child-serving agencies. The goal is to create a positive behavior support system in the Texas public schools that helps students with disabilities receive special education supports and services in the least restrictive environment and to participate successfully in the TEKS-based curriculum and state assessment system. The 85th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 179 commonly known as David’s Law. This legislation takes a comprehensive approach to address issues related to bullying and harassment in our schools. Through this legislation districts must include in their bullying policies the notification to a parent or guardian of an “alleged” victim on or before the third business day after the incident is reported, add anonymous reporting procedures for a bullying incident, and they may establish a prevention and mediation policy for bullying incidents between students. To assist in these efforts TEA, in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University, provides online tools and resources for districts and campuses to help address bullying. Resources can be found at https://txssc.txstate.edu/. 7. School Transitions (ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(D)): Describe how the State will support LEAs receiving assistance under Title I, Part A in meeting the needs of students at all levels of schooling (particularly students in the middle grades and high school), including how the State will work with such LEAs to provide effective transitions of students to middle grades and high school to decrease the risk of students dropping out. Through our four strategic priorities, TEA will support LEAs in meeting the needs of students at all levels through two avenues. First, to provide better tools to assist districts in maximizing their federal funds, the Agency has created a comprehensive needs assessment (CNA) tool as part of the state’s ESSA Consolidated Grant Application aligned to TEA’s four strategic priorities. This tool will enable LEAs to comprehensively identify strategies for improving student achievement, align their federal funds to support those strategies, and create SMART goals to measure the effectiveness of those strategies. The second avenue of supporting LEAs in meeting the needs of students in transition to middle grades, high school, and decreasing the risk of students dropping out is through several statewide initiatives. Elementary Transition: • Statewide reading and math academies for elementary teachers to improve supports and instruction in reading and math. 38 • Texas Readers initiative focused on creating parental and public awareness, creating high-quality professional development opportunities, and building innovative classroom tools. Middle and High School Transition: • In Texas, middle school students who do not perform satisfactorily on the STAAR exam will be administered a personal graduation plan by their school counselor, teacher, or other appropriate individual. These plans must identify education goals for the student; include diagnostic information, appropriate monitoring and intervention, and other evaluation strategies; include an intensive instruction program; involve parental input into the plan; and provide innovative methods to promote the student’s advancement. Additionally, all students entering the ninth grade must develop a personal graduation plan that identifies a course of study that promotes college and workforce readiness, career placement and advancement, and facilitates the student’s transition from secondary to postsecondary education. • Section 28.016 of the Texas Education Code requires instruction for middle school students to receive preparation for college and career. The State supports LEAs in implementing this requirement through the development of approved course offerings for 7th and 8th grades on career planning and college and career readiness. • Creation of more parent-friendly resources to assist parents in better understanding their child’s learning needs over the course of the year. Specifically, the initial focus of this work has been on the complete redesign of the STAAR Report Card. This report card includes resources specifically for parents on how to interpret their child’s STAAR score, inclusion of Lexile levels and a recommended summer reading list, strategies parents can employ to help their children build understanding of mathematics and reading concepts, based on students’ proficiency levels, and questions and resources to ask their child’s teacher and/or counselor. Please see http://www.texasassessment.com/for more information. Dropout Prevention: • Continue supporting the creation of innovative high school programs, including P-TECH, T-STEM, and early college high schools that provide students with a range of opportunities to earn postsecondary credits while in high school. • Building comprehensive and robust accountability measures for postsecondary readiness within the state’s A-F accountability system to ensure that all students are provided opportunities to succeed after high school. 39 B. Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children 1. Supporting Needs of Migratory Children (ESEA section 1304(b)(1)): Describe how, in planning, implementing, and evaluating programs and projects assisted under Title I, Part C, the State and its local operating agencies will ensure that the unique educational needs of migratory children, including preschool migratory children and migratory children who have dropped out of school, are identified and addressed through: i. The full range of services that are available for migratory children from appropriate local, State, and Federal educational programs; ii. Joint planning among local, State, and Federal educational programs serving migratory children, including language instruction educational programs under Title III, Part A; iii. The integration of services available under Title I, Part C with services provided by those other programs; and iv. Measurable program objectives and outcomes. The State Education Agency follows the Continuous Improvement Cycle proposed by the Office of Migrant Education (OME) to identify the needs of migratory children. The first step in this process will include a CNA. It considers a full range of services that are available from the appropriate local, State, and Federal programs. In Texas, a CNA is the result of input from various stakeholders. Staff, students, and parents have the opportunity to respond to the needs assessment surveys. The CNA lays the foundation for designing a program that will address the unique needs of migratory children. The next step is a Service Delivery Plan (SDP). The SDP describes the services that the Texas MEP will provide to address the unique educational needs of migratory children, including preschool migratory children and children who have dropped out of school. It will articulate the instructional and support strategies MEP funded LEAs will employ and guide the state with measurable program objectives and outcomes. The SDP encompasses a full range of services that are available through other appropriate state, local and federal programs. It is the product of joint planning of other federal, state, and local programs including Title I, Part A, early childhood programs, and language instructional programs under Title III, and provide the integration of services available under Title I, Part C with services provided by these other programs. The results of this process will be incorporated into a Local Needs Assessment Tool which can be used by the LEAs to determine the needs of the migrant population in their area. The services and strategies identified in the SDP are included in the Consolidated Application for funding. Depending on the identified needs for the migratory children, including preschool children and children who have dropped out of school, the LEAs may select the activities from the Consolidated Application to be included as their Service Delivery Plan. Similarly, the SEA is committed to planning, coordination, and integration of services among local, state and federal educational programs that serve migrant 40 students. The state has strong coordination with Title III, Part A and uses joint training opportunities to provide information concerning students who are Migrant and/or receiving English language instruction. Furthermore, there are opportunities for the state to strengthen coordination of the Migrant Education Program, planning and integration with other federal and state programs in 2018 and beyond. To that end, the SEA was re-organized in 2017 to increase collaboration, planning and integrations of services, among various state and federal programs serving special student populations including students receiving and/or needing Special Education; English Language instruction; Gifted and Talented support; are Highly Mobile (Migrant, Homeless, Foster Care, Military, etc.); Mental and Behavioral Health services, and beyond. Similarly, improved coordination across other SEA programs serving students in after school programs; career and technology education; early childhood education; and college and career readiness are occurring as a result of SEA organizational changes, with the ultimate goal of improving student outcomes. These changes will result in great gains for the Migrant Education Program and increased awareness, support and integration of services at state, regional, and local levels. The final step to ensuring that the unique educational needs of migratory children in Texas are identified and addressed is the program evaluation. A program evaluation will look at various pieces of data including assessment results and evaluation questionnaires from parents, students, and educators that will assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the migrant education program including preschool migratory children and children who have dropped out of school. This process will be done to re-assess the needs, the strategies used to meet those needs, and to re-evaluate the design of the programs and services offered to meet those needs. Statewide training will be provided to ESCs and LEAs in order to ensure understanding and implementation of all pieces of the Continuous Improvement Cycle, to ensure that the unique educational needs of all migratory children, including preschool migratory children and children who have dropped out of school are met. Additionally, all LEAs that receive MEP funding are required to conduct a program evaluation annually. The following are the current measurable program objectives and outcomes for Title I, Part C. • The percentage of migrant students in grades 3-11 meeting standards on the state Reading/Language Arts assessment needs to increase by 20 percent. The strategy includes providing supplemental services opportunities through the ESSA Consolidated Grant. (i.e., Extended day Statewide Assessment tutorials before school, afterschool, or on Saturdays) (GPRA 1, Measure 1.1) • Increase the percentage of migrant preschool children being served in early childhood programs by 52 percent. The strategy includes providing supplemental services opportunities included in the ESSA Consolidated Grant. (i.e., Supplemental instructional support by a Teacher for Migrant Pre-kindergarten or Kindergarten students who are performing below the 41 • • • • expected level of development and collaborate with parents on ways to support student’s skill development at home). Likewise, this occurs through implementation of the State supported Early Literacy Program for Migrant children: A Bright Beginning. This strategy also includes increased collaboration with other state and federal programs that promote early childhood education and literacy development. This includes programs such as Head Start and Teaching Mentoring and Communities when such programs are available. Referrals to these agencies are done by the recruiters or other designated staff in the Local Education Agency who are responsible for identifying those in need of services and coordinating the referrals for these services. Referrals to non-instructional services are also coordinated in order to meet the needs of preschool children. The percentage of Migrant students graduating needs to increase by 5.7 percent and the percentage of migrant students dropping out needs to decrease by 4.5 percent. The strategy includes providing supplemental services opportunities through the ESSA Consolidated Grant. (i.e., Utilize Migrant Student Exchange Information to promote interstate coordination and timely records exchange). Graduation support and advocacy includes monitoring and tracking attendance and academic progress, leadership and mentoring. LEAs have the option to provide a MEP-funded counselor or specialized staff to provide this advocacy and support for the secondary migrant students. This also includes efforts through coordination and collaboration of services provided by other federal, state, and local programs including Title I, Part A and language educational instructional programs. The percentage of Migrant students in grade 10 meeting state standards on the Reading/Language Arts assessment needs to increase by 23 percent. The strategy includes providing supplemental services opportunities through the ESSA Consolidated Grant Application. (i.e., Extended day Statewide Assessment tutorials before school, afterschool, or on Saturdays) (GPRA 1, Measure 1.1). These opportunities will include coordination and collaboration of other Local, State, and Federal programs including programs that address the language instructional needs of migrant students. For students who are performing on grade level are provided the opportunity to participate in Project SMART. The percentage of Migrant students in grade 11 meeting state standards on the math assessment needs to increase by 14 percent. The strategy includes providing supplemental services opportunities through the ESSA Consolidated Grant. (i.e., Extended day Statewide Assessment tutorials before school, afterschool, or on Saturdays) (GPRA 2, Measure 1.2) The percentage of migrant secondary-aged students not attending school needs to decrease by 6.8 percent. The strategy used will be to provide flexible programs and resources to meet the individual needs of Out of 42 School Youth (OSY), including children who have dropped out of school. One strategy includes support and advocacy for these students through the identification of the student’s needs and referrals to other federal, state and local programs in the schools and communities. The appropriate LEA staff or Out of School Youth Recruiter at the district or at the Education Service Center is responsible for identifying the needs and challenges for these students and making the necessary coordination and referrals needed to give the opportunity for the student to return to school or to obtain a Certificate of High School Equivalency. This includes coordination of English language support when needed. One frequently utilized federal program, when available to students who have dropped out of school, is the High School Equivalency Program (HEP). At the end of the fiscal year, the LEAs and ESCs are required to submit an OSY Report that provides a detailed summary of their efforts in serving Out of school Youth drop out students. Information in that template will capture the coordination of services for children who have dropped out of school including increased support and advocacy promoting graduation, high school equivalency and job readiness skills. The SEA oversees and assesses these efforts by reviewing and evaluating the reports submitted. 2. Promote Coordination of Services (ESEA section 1304(b)(3)): Describe how the State will use Title I, Part C funds received under this part to promote interstate and intrastate coordination of services for migratory children, including how the State will provide for educational continuity through the timely transfer of pertinent school records, including information on health, when children move to a new school, whether such move occurs during the regular school year. The Texas MEP has developed policies and procedures related to the management and exchange of migrant student records through the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) and the New Generation System (NGS). Funding will be allocated for the State and for the LEAs to ensure that there is a consistent and timely electronic transfer of records, including immunization records and other health information; academic history, including partial credit and credit accrual; State Assessment data; and eligibility of services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Texas, in coordination with five other states, will contract with an entity to carry out NGS responsibilities needed to ensure the continuity of transfer of records. In addition, the SEA allocates funds for a contracted entity to carry out the MSIX state level responsibilities and to provide training in uses of the system. The Texas MEP has created the Texas Manual for NGS Data Management Requirements for the purposes of providing guidance and outlining the minimum requirements and procedures for LEAs to follow. The Texas MEP staff will update that manual to include any necessary adjustments to the data entry process. In addition, an NGS User Manual is also available for users in the NGS website. Texas MEP staff will train staff from the 20 Regional ESCs on the uses of the system and the data requirements. The SEA will allocate funds for ESCs to provide NGS training and technical assistance for the 43 designated NGS specialists at each funded LEA. Part of the training will involve the review of a timeline to follow throughout the year. The timeline will include designated schedules for entering data and schedules for running reports used to verify records are up to date. Interstate and Intrastate coordination of services for migratory children will also be incorporated in that timeline. LEAs that receive MEP funding are required to have designated NGS specialists trained on the NGS process. 3. Use of Funds (ESEA section 1304(b)(4)): Describe the State’s priorities for the use of Title I, Part C funds, and how such priorities relate to the State’s assessment of needs for services in the State. TEA will be using its Title I, Part C funds for two primary purposes. The first priority is continuing the work of the MSIX and NGS. Consistent and timely transfer of records is critical to ensure that students served by this program receive the services that they need for success in the classroom. Additionally, the associated trainings and support resources for the MSIX and NGS systems will be supported through funds from the program. The second funding priority is grants to all 20 ESCs to provide professional development and technical assistance to local education agencies in their regions on requirements related to the Title I, Part C program. Additionally, TEA will be exploring new strategies to strengthen identification and recruitment; parental engagement in coordination with the statewide Parental Advisory Council (PAC); involvement with national collaborative consortiums, addressing early childhood and OSY; and use of data to drive program planning and resource allocation with the ultimate goal of improving migrant student outcomes from early childhood to college. 44 C. Title I, Part D: Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk 1. Transitions Between Correctional Facilities and Local Programs (ESEA section 1414(a)(1)(B)): Provide a plan for assisting in the transition of children and youth between correctional facilities and locally operated programs. Title I, Part D, Subpart 1: Close contact is maintained with the state agencies funded under Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 to provide guidance in ensuring that a support system for students making a transition to a regular program or other alternative education program operated by a LEA is in place. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department and Windham School District and are the two State Agencies (SAs) that receive Title I, Part D Subpart 1 funds. SAs are required to assign a transition coordinator who is designated to collaborate with students and the receiving locally operated programs during transition from correctional programs. The transition coordinator provides educational, career, and technical resources, information packets, and community contacts to youth who are relocating to a locally operated program. TEA provides guidance to the SAs on federal and state requirements and available funding sources to support students during the transition period. As students exit the correctional facilities, SA counselors and coordinators provide academic records, credits earned, mental and behavioral needs, and any treatment plans to the receiving locally operated programs. In addition, plans are discussed with students which include continuing education, job prospects, housing, probation/parole requirements, and mental health services, etc., prior to leaving the correctional facility. SAs encourage parent participation through letters home (with student permission) so parents can contact SAs with any questions and concerns. Whenever possible, parents are kept abreast of their child’s academic progress and career goals while in the SA and during the transition phase to the locally operated program. TEA’s guidance to SAs stresses that a smooth transition between the correctional facilities and locally operated programs, which benefit the student, is a goal which must be maintained. SAs use student pre- and post-tests, as well as qualitative and quantitative data in annual comprehensive needs assessments, to guide educational needs for the facility. SAs are required to report student academic, career, and vocational progress annually to TEA. TEA reviews annual progress data and provides technical assistance and further guidance to SAs, as needed, to assist in the improvement of student academics. SAs also receive guidance as they review evaluation data to increase student academic achievement and career goals from TEA. Title I, Part D, Subpart 2: Transitional and supportive programs operated in local educational agencies (LEAs) under Title I, Part D, Subpart 2 are designed primarily to meet the transitional and academic needs of students returning to 45 LEAs or alternative education programs from correctional facilities. It is required of LEAs that operate a school within a delinquent correctional facility to conduct an effective component of transitional and academic support services for adjudicated youth when more than 30 percent of the youth being released from the facility will reside inside the boundary and attend the local educational agency. 2. Program Objectives and Outcomes (ESEA section 1414(a)(2)(A)): Describe the program objectives and outcomes established by the State that will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Title I, Part D program in improving the academic, career, and technical skills of children in the program. To assess the effectiveness of the Title I, Part D program, the Agency requires each State Agency or LEA that operates a Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 or 2 program to annually evaluate the program disaggregating the data on student participation by gender, race, ethnicity, and age. The evaluation includes multiple measures and data sources describing student progress on the following program goals listed below. All data on program goals, objectives, and measures are reported in the LEA’s consolidated performance report at the end of each project year. • Maintaining and improving educational achievement levels; • Accruing school credits that meet state requirements for grade promotion and secondary school graduation; • Completing secondary school (or equivalency requirements) and/or obtaining employment after leaving the facility; and • As appropriate, participation in postsecondary education and job training programs. Subparts 1 and 2 are measured using the following objectives and measures. 1. Maintain and Improve Educational Achievement. 2. Accrue school credits that meet state requirements for grade promotion and secondary school graduation. 3. Make the transition to a regular program or other education program operated by a local education agency. 4. Complete secondary school (or equivalency requirements) and/or obtain employment after leaving facility. 46 D. Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction 1. Use of Funds (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(A) and (D)): Describe how the State educational agency will use Title II, Part A funds received under Title II, Part A for State-level activities described in section 2101(c), including how the activities are expected to improve student achievement. Texas will use Title II, Part A funds in its pursuit of two strategies related to both increasing student achievement through increasing instructional effectiveness and to continuous improvement processes that lead to improved access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders for low-income students and students of color. The two current strategies funded by Title II, Part A under ESSA are the creation of the Texas Equity Toolkit, which assists districts with engaging in a continuous improvement process focused on issues of equity, and the implementation of an instructional leadership initiative designed to provide to LEAs and schools that did not earn satisfactory ratings on the state accountability system with comprehensive instructional leadership training for principal supervisors, principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders in an effort to build skills in coaching, growing, and developing educators. As it relates to instructional leadership, the state will use Title II, Part A funds to provide the skill development for principal supervisors so they can spend their time: Modeling best practices for their principals, including coaching teachers through the observation/feedback cycle, meeting with teachers to analyze student work and formative assessment data, and observing and coaching teacher leaders working with their peers; collaboratively tackling challenges in the instructional practice of the campus by analyzing data, assessing strengths and weaknesses, and self-reflecting through root cause analysis; developing and using tools and systems customized for the particular needs of a campus, including observation protocols, lesson plans, and progress monitoring templates that provoke selfreflection and root cause analysis; brokering support for their principals with other central office personnel, such as human resources to prioritize the hiring of high-quality teachers; buffering principals from interferences that prevent them from focusing their time and energy on instruction; and differentiating their approach to meet the individual needs of each of their principals. In addition, the training will work with campus leaders so that they can: Establish common language and expectations around instructional best practices; utilize a consistent coaching conversation framework that incorporates opportunities for teacher self-reflection; provide bite-sized, actionable feedback, and aligned practice; foster a positive campus culture built on a foundation of 47 strong instructional expectations; prioritize time and tasks to spend at least 60 percent of their time actively coaching and supporting teachers through observation/feedback cycles; target the individual and collective needs of teachers to ensure that all are growing in their effectiveness; and clearly understand classroom, grade-level, and campus-wide trends and leverage this understanding to inform the allocation of time and resources. This initiative will begin the training of educators in the summer of 2017 and will continue with new cohorts through the 2019-2020 school year, at which point capacity will have been built in the state’s ESCs so that they will be better served to provide training to the LEAs that they support. TEA will also dedicate three percent of state Title II, Part A funds to provide grants to LEAs to support efforts to improve principal practice. During the summer of 2017, TEA will conduct a feasibility study on principal residency programs to determine whether to pursue this option with the 3 percent Title II, Part A set aside, to pursue basic grants to LEAs to provide high-quality, evidencebased principal training in instructional leadership, or a combination of the two. It is anticipated that grant awards will be made to LEAs during the spring of 2018. 2. Use of Funds to Improve Equitable Access to Teachers in Title I, Part A Schools (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(E)): If an SEA plans to use Title II, Part A funds to improve equitable access to effective teachers, consistent with ESEA section 1111(g)(1)(B), describe how such funds will be used for this purpose. As it relates to the Texas Equity Toolkit, the state will use Title II, Part A funds to build a toolkit and support an equity planning process through the state’s regional education service centers (ESCs). The Texas Equity Toolkit provides more detailed support in the following processes for continuous improvement of practices that relate to equity: Step 1. Stakeholder Engagement & Communications; Step 2. Data Review & Analysis; Step 3. Root Cause Analysis; Step 4. Selecting Strategies; and Step 5. Planning for Implementation. This toolkit was finalized in March of 2017 and is accompanied by a training of trainers at ESCs so that they can better support their LEA’s efforts to build thorough plans to improve equitable access to excellent educators. 3. System of Certification and Licensing (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(B)): Describe the State’s system of certification and licensing of teachers, principals, or other school leaders. 48 The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) establishes the requirements for the preparation, certification, testing, and standards of professional conduct for Texas Educators. The 15 SBEC members include 11 voting members appointed by the governor to six-year terms: four classroom teachers, one counselor, two administrators, and four citizens. Four non-voting members also serve on the board. The governor appoints a dean of a college of education and a person who has experience working for and knowledge of an alternative educator preparation program. The Commissioner of Education appoints a staff member of the Texas Education Agency, and the Commissioner of Higher Education appoints a staff member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For each certificate type, the SBEC engages a diverse group of stakeholders to develop and approve specific standards defining the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in the respective roles. These standards, in addition to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for students, provide the basis for the preparation and assessment of prospective educators. There are five basic requirements to become a certified teacher in Texas. 1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree – Earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. o The Texas Administrative Code requires that candidates completing a Texas program must have a degree from a university that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency as recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). o Health Science Technology and Trade and Industrial Education certifications are exempt from the bachelor's degree requirement, but they do have other requirements related to professional licensure and relevant work experience. 2. Complete an Educator Preparation Program – Complete an approved educator preparation program. If the candidate does not hold a degree, he or she must complete a university program. If the candidate holds a degree or is pursuing a certification that does not require a degree, he or she may contact an alternative certification program or post-baccalaureate program. Before a preparation program can recommend a candidate for standard certification, the program must provide a minimum of 300 clock-hours of coursework and training, and the candidate must complete either a 14-week clinical teaching assignment or a year-long internship as the teacher of record. 3. Pass Certification Exams – Pass the appropriate teacher certification exams to demonstrate knowledge and skills related to pedagogy and professional responsibilities and content. 4. Submit a State Application – Apply to be certified after all requirements are met. 49 5. Complete Fingerprinting – All first-time applicants must be fingerprinted as part of a national criminal background check. Similarly, to receive standard certification as a principal, an individual must: 1. Pass Certification Exam – Pass the appropriate principal certification exam(s). 2. Hold a Master’s Degree – Hold a minimum of a master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education. 3. Hold a Valid Classroom Teaching Certificate 4. Have Two Creditable Years of Teaching Experience as a Classroom Teacher 5. Successfully Complete a Principal Preparation Program – The individual must complete an approved principal preparation program, including a minimum of 200 clock-hours of coursework and training as well as a practicum for a minimum of 160 clock-hours. To receive standard certification as a superintendent, an individual must: 1. Pass Certification Exams – Pass the appropriate superintendent certification exam(s). 2. Hold a Master’s Degree – Hold a minimum of a master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education. 3. Hold a Principal Certificate or Three Creditable Years of Public School Managerial Experience 4. Successfully Complete a Superintendent Preparation Program – The individual must complete an approved superintendent preparation program, including a minimum of 200 clock-hours of coursework and training as well as a practicum for a minimum of 160 clock-hours. 4. Improving Skills of Educators (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(J)): Describe how the SEA will improve the skills of teachers, principals, school leaders in order to enable them to identify students with specific learning needs, particularly children with disabilities, English learners, students who are gifted and talented, and students or other with low literacy levels, and provide instruction based on the needs of such students. 50 The State Board for Educator Certification details specific curricular requirements for all teachers seeking initial certification in the state of Texas. These requirements can be found in Chapter 149 and 228 of the Texas Administrative Code and include: • Reading instruction, including instruction that improves students’ contentarea literacy; • Instructional planning and delivery, which includes o Planning based on students’ prior knowledge, needs, and what is developmentally appropriate for the teacher’s student population; and o Planning to meet the needs of diverse learners and adapting pedagogical methods when appropriate; • Knowledge of students and student learning, which includes o Knowing how to effectively address through instructional strategies and resources exceptional needs, including needs related to disabilities and giftedness; and o Knowing how to modify practice to support language acquisition so that language is comprehensible and instruction is fully accessible The Texas Legislature and State Board for Educator Certification have laid out comprehensive professional development requirements for all educators as a prerequisite for recertification. All teachers must receive training in the following areas: • Research and practices in educating students with dyslexia; • Collecting and analyzing information that will improve effectiveness in the classroom; • Recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school; • Integrating technology into classroom instruction; and • Educating diverse student populations, including: o students with disabilities, including mental health disorders o students who are educationally disadvantaged o students of limited English proficiency o students at risk of dropping out of school All principals must receive training in the following areas: • Effective and efficient management, including: o collecting and analyzing information o making decisions and managing time o supervising student discipline and managing behavior • Recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school; • Integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction; and • Educating diverse student populations, including: 51 o o o o students with disabilities, including mental health disorders students who are educationally disadvantaged students of limited English proficiency students at risk of dropping out of school As training relates to gifted and talented students, the Texas Legislature and TEA require, as captured in the Texas Administrative Code Chapter 89, teachers who provide instruction and services that are a part of a district’s defined G/T services to receive a minimum of 30 clock hours of professional development prior to their assignment to provide G/T services and instruction. This 30-hour training must include nature and needs of G/T students, identification and assessment of G/T students’ needs, and curriculum and instruction for G/T students. Teachers must also receive a minimum of six hours annually of professional development. Administrators and counselors who have authority for service decisions for G/T students are required to receive six hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of G/T students and service options for G/T students. Any campus or district-level administrator (including the superintendent) or counselor who has authority to make scheduling, hiring, or program decisions should also have the six hours of training. 5. Data and Consultation (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(K)): Describe how the State will use data and ongoing consultation as described in ESEA section 2102(d)(3) to continually update and improve the activities supported under Title II, Part A. The state will annually support the creation of LEA equity plans, working with the state’s 20 regional education service centers to facilitate the LEA process for continuous improvement in equitable access and use the results from LEA equity plans to determine the most pursued equity improvement strategies by LEAs so that Title II, Part A state activity funds may be used to support the implementation of those strategies. The feedback generated from equity plans, including what strategies district and charter schools would like to pursue in their efforts in improve instruction, leadership, and equitable access, will be collected and responded to annually, as TEA will use that feedback to determine potential uses of Title II, Part A funds and shape future projects in concert with districts. For example, TEA has launched two new initiatives to meet the specific needs of educators based on feedback collected during the equity planning process and the rollout of new state appraisal systems – a principal residency grant program and a district “grow your own” teacher development grant program. TEA also collects data and feedback from teachers, principals, principal supervisors, and other central administrators twice annually on the impact and effect of teacher and principal appraisal systems, the effectiveness of the professional development generated from them, and on improvements to both 52 appraisal process and professional development opportunities for teacher, principals, and their appraisers. Finally, Agency staff engage in monthly meetings with representatives of superintendents, teachers, principals, special education administrators, instructional support specialists, and parents for consultation and feedback on activities and work supported under Title II, Part A as well as other federal and state program areas. 6. Teacher Preparation (ESEA section 2101(d)(2)(M)): Describe the actions the State may take to improve preparation programs and strengthen support for teachers, principals, or other school leaders based on the needs of the State, as identified by the SEA. The SBEC made significant rule revisions related to the preparation and certification of teachers and other educators in the fall of 2016. The following were among the key changes: • Chapter 228 - Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs o Increases the rigor of requirements to be a field supervisor or cooperating teacher/mentor to ensure better support for student teachers or intern teachers. o Changes the late hire date (when intern teachers may be hired without meeting training requirements) from June 15 to 45 days before the first day of instruction (typically around July 10) to ensure that more intern teachers have training before entering the classroom. o Increases the minimum number of coursework hours and specific components of the coursework to be completed before student teaching or an internship from 80 to150 to ensure a stronger foundation before entering classrooms in those roles. o Increases the length of clinical teaching from 12 weeks to 14 weeks to ensure more hands-on experience before receiving a teaching certificate. o Increases the number of observations provided by preparation programs for intern teachers from three to five over the course of a year to increase the level of support for interns. • Chapter 229 - Accountability System for Educator Preparation o Establishes a more accurate and transparent certification exam performance standard to better differentiate program performance as part of the accountability system for educator preparation. o Sets performance standards and a phase-in schedule for other statutorily required performance indicators. 53 • Chapter 230 - Professional Educator Preparation and Certification o Establishes a two-tiered certification for individuals who are in alternative certification programs with an intern and probationary certificate effective 9/1/17. ▪ To receive an intern certificate, which would be valid for only one year, the individual must pass all required content certification exams. ▪ To receive a probationary certificate, which would be valid for a maximum of two years, the individual must pass all required certification exams, including the pedagogy and professional responsibilities exam. o This model would ensure the demonstration of content knowledge before an individual enters a classroom as the teacher of record and would shorten the amount of time an individual could serve as the teacher of record without demonstrating minimal knowledge of pedagogy and professional responsibilities. o It will also provide greater transparency for districts and parents and more targeted support for candidates with varying levels of knowledge and experience. Building on these reforms, the SBEC is engaged in continuing conversations to increase the rigor and level of preparation to ensure that prospective educators are effective in delivering gains in student achievement when they step into their roles. One upcoming reform is a complete redesign of the principal certification exams. In recognition of the critical importance of the role of the principal as the instructional leader, TEA staff in support of the Commissioner of Education and SBEC have begun making significant revisions to the current principal certification exam. The new certification will replace the current multiple-choice exam with a new exam that will include authentic constructed response items targeting the critical competencies for principals to drive instructional improvements on their campuses as well as a new performance assessment that will emphasize problem solving in the field, supporting continuous professional development of teachers, and creating a collaborative team. These changes coupled with new principal standards will usher in a new era of authentic preparation for future instructional leaders. 54 E. Title III, Part A, Subpart 1: English Language Acquisition and Language Enhancement Entrance and Exit Procedures (ESEA section 3113(b)(2)): Describe how the SEA will establish and implement, with timely and meaningful consultation with LEAs representing the geographic diversity of the State, standardized, statewide entrance and exit procedures, including an assurance that all students who may be English learners are assessed for such status within 30 days of enrollment in a school in the State. Timely and Meaningful Consultation In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC) 29.056, the Texas Education Agency has established standardized, statewide entrance and exit procedures for English learners. Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 89.1225 provides clarification of these procedures, based on timely and meaningful consultation with LEAs representing the geographic diversity of the State. Timely and meaningful consultation in the establishment and implementation of entrance and exit procedures is ensured in four ways: 1. Annual statewide entry-exit procedures training: During the development of annual training materials used to present statewide, standardized training on entry/exit procedures, the TEA utilizes input provided by LEAs over the course of the year via the State’s twenty regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) to ensure that entrance and exit procedures are devised in timely and meaningful consultation with LEAs representing the geographical diversity of the State. 2. Selection of the TEA-approved English language proficiency test: The TEA will develop and carry out a process for gathering timely and meaningful input from diverse stakeholders from across the State (to include teachers, English Learner contacts at regional Education Service Centers (ESCs), Bilingual/ESL Directors/ Coordinators, and psychometricians appointed by the SEA) to identify the TEAapproved English language proficiency test to be used statewide for identification, and program entrance (see Appendix H). All tests submitted by publishers for consideration must be based on scientific research and must measure oral language proficiency in listening and speaking in English from PK-Grade 12. Assessments must measure reading and writing in English from Grade 2-Grade 12 and must meet the state criteria for reliability and validity. Therefore, complete official sample test copies in English and Spanish with comprehensive explanations must be submitted for committee review, including (1) scoring information; (2) norming data information, including ethnicity, gender, grade level, and geographic region; and (3) technical manuals with validity and reliability information. The TEA-approved test to be used statewide for initial identification of students as English learners must be re-normed at least every eight years to meet the criteria specified in the TEC 39.032. 3. Development/revisions of the Student Exit Rubric: The TEA will develop and carry out a process for gathering timely and meaningful input from diverse stakeholders from across the State (to include representatives from ESCs and 55 LEAs) to develop the standardized Student Exit Rubric to be used as the subjective teacher evaluation in accordance with TEC 29.056 (g) (3) for program exit. 4. Periodic revisions to TAC 89: Based on input from LEAs via their regional ESCs, and in response to changes to TEC 29, the TEA engages in a periodic revision process of TAC 89, which includes information on entrance/exit procedures. Revisions are made in consultation with a committee comprised of representatives from LEAs and ESCs from across the State who convene over a series of meetings. The revised document is then posted for a 30-day public comment period. The revision process to TAC 89 ensures that entrance and exit procedures are developed in meaningful and timely consultation with diverse stakeholders. The TEA will engage stakeholders in the process of revising TAC 89 to align Rule text with the ESSA State Plan for implementation in the 2018-2019 school year (see Appendix H) Entrance Procedure Texas Education Code (TEC) 29.056 and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 89.1225 require that all the steps of the standardized process for determining English learner program entrance, including language proficiency assessment and parent notification, are completed within four weeks of a student’s initial enrollment. Training is provided by the TEA on an annual basis to ensure that LEAs implement the standardized entrance procedures with fidelity and in accordance with state regulations. Each step in the standardized process is outlined in detail below. Step One: Administration of the Home Language Survey (HLS) Texas Education Code (TEC) 29.056 (a)(1) requires an HLS to be administered within four weeks of each student’s initial enrollment in a Texas LEA and to students previously enrolled who were not surveyed in the past. The HLS must be signed by the student’s parent or guardian for each student in prekindergarten through grade 8 or by the student in grades 9-12. The HLS is administered in English and Spanish; for students of other language groups, the HLS is translated into the home language, whenever possible. The HLS contains the following two questions: (1) What language is spoken in your home most of the time? and (2) What language does your child speak most of the time? The HLS is used to establish the student’s language classification for determining if the LEA is required to provide a bilingual education or English as a second language (ESL) program. Step Two: Assessment of language proficiency and English learner status In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC) 29.056 (a) (1) (2) and (3), if the response on the HLS indicates that a language other than English is used, the student is evaluated using the TEA-approved English language proficiency test. 56 The TEA-approved assessment for determining program entry measures oral language proficiency (listening, speaking), reading, and writing in English and Spanish (as appropriate) for students in prekindergarten through grade 12. The State assures that all students will be identified as English learners (or non-ELs, as appropriate) within four weeks of enrollment. For entry into a bilingual education or ESL program, a student is identified as an English Learner using the following standardized criteria: (1) In prekindergarten through Grade 1, the student’s score on the TEA-approved English oral proficiency test is below the level designated for indicating limited English proficiency; (2) In Grades 2-12, the student’s score on the TEA-approved English oral and written proficiency test is below the level designated for indicated limited English proficiency. Step Three: Recommendation for program entry In accordance with TEC 29.056 (c), LEAs shall by local board policy establish and operate a language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) that is responsible for making recommendations for program entry and exit for English learners. The composition of the LPAC is standardized and must include one or more professional personnel, a campus administrator, and a parent of a current English learner participating in the program who is designated by the LEA and not employed by the district. The TEA provides standardized training on LPAC practices and procedures on an annual basis to staff from all twenty regional ESCs, who then provide training to the LEAs within their assigned geographic regions. This training model assures statewide standardization of English learner identification and program entry decision-making procedures. At the local level, LEAs must also have policy and procedures on file for the selection, appointment, and training of LPAC members in accordance with state Rule. The LPAC follows a standardized procedure as it reviews all pertinent information on all students identified as English language learners in order to: (1) designate the language proficiency level of each English Learner; (2) designate the level of academic achievement of each English Learner; (3) give written notice of the classification to the student’s parent in English and the parent’s primary language along with the benefits of a bilingual education or ESL program no later than 10 days of the student’s identification as an English Learner; (4) designate, subject to parental approval, the initial instructional placement of each English Learner in the required bilingual or ESL program; and (5) facilitate the participation of English Learners in other special programs for which they are eligible and are provided by the school district with either state or federal funds. 57 Identification/Entrance of Students with Disabilities For a student enrolling for the first time in a Texas school who is eligible for special education services, the standardized process for English learner identification is followed. However, recommendations for program entrance must be made by the Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) committee, in conjunction with the LPAC, in accordance with TAC 89.1225 (f) (4). The ARD is the committee responsible for making the educational decisions for any student with identified special needs. An ARD meeting is needed for initial placement, annual review, and any time the LEA staff or parents feel a change is needed in a student’s special education program. In the case of an English learner with special needs, the ARD committee meets in conjunction with the LPAC to make entry decisions and to ensure that assessment procedures differentiate between language proficiency and handicapping conditions in accordance with TAC 89.1230 (a). An English learner with special needs is to be dual-identified and served through both English learner and special education program services. Exit Procedure Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 89.1225 (h) delineates the standardized procedure to be followed when monitoring English learner progress in the attainment of English and when recommending an English learner for program exit. Training is provided by the TEA on an annual basis to ensure that LEAs implement the standardized exit procedure with fidelity and in accordance with state regulations. Each step in the standardized process is outlined in detail below. Step One: Monitoring English learner progress All English learners participate in the State’s annual Texas English Learner Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) to demonstrate progress in English proficiency development. At the end of each school year, the LPAC reviews all pertinent information on all English learners identified in accordance with TEC 29.056 (g) to: (1) designate the language proficiency level of each English Learner; (2) designate the level of academic achievement of each English Learner; and (3) classify students as English proficient (as appropriate) in accordance with the criteria described in TEC 29.056 (g) and recommend their exit (as appropriate) from the bilingual education or ESL program. Step Two: Recommendation for program exit For exit from a bilingual education or ESL program, a student who would be able to participate equally in a general education, all-English instructional program may be classified as English proficient at the end of the school year. TEC 29.056 (a) requires that a student’s parent be notified of program exit. Determination of English proficiency and recommendation for program exit are based upon the following standardized exit criteria in accordance with TEC 29.056 (g): 58 (1) current results from the State’s annual English proficiency test (TELPAS). (2) current satisfactory performance on the reading assessment instrument under the TEC, §39.023(a), or an English language arts assessment instrument administered in English selected from the list of TEA-approved tests, or a score above the 40th percentile on both the English reading and English language art sections of a TEA-approved norm-referenced standardized achievement instrument for a student who is enrolled in Grade 1 or 2; and (3) results of a subjective teacher evaluation, using the TEA-approved Student Exit Rubric. For a student to be recommended for program exit, all the above criteria need to be documented as met. No single criterion may be used on its own to determine program exit. Exiting of Students with Disabilities and Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities For English learners who are also eligible for special education services, the standardized process for English learner program exit is followed. However, annual meetings to review student progress and make recommendations for program exit must be made in all instances by the ARD committee, in conjunction with the LPAC, in accordance with TAC 89.1230 (b). Additionally, the ARD committee in conjunction with LPAC shall implement assessment procedures that differentiate between language proficiency and handicapping conditions in accordance with TAC 89.1230 (a). For students with significant cognitive disabilities, the ARD in conjunction with LPAC may determine if the student should take an alternative English language proficiency assessment following a process outlined in TAC §89.1225(k), which gives special consideration to an English learner for whom assessments under TAC §89.1225(h) are not appropriate because of the nature of a student’s disabling condition. Monitoring Exited Students TEC 29.0561 (a) outlines the standardized procedure that the LPAC follows to monitor the academic progress of each student who has exited (transferred out) from a bilingual or ESL program. During the first two school years after a student has exited, the LPAC reviews the student’s performance and considers: (1) the total amount of time the student was enrolled in a bilingual education or ESL program; (2) the student’s grades each grading period in each subject in the foundation curriculum under Section 28.002 (a)(1); (3) the student’s performance on each assessment instrument administered under TEC Section 39.023 (a) or (c); 59 (4) the number of credits the student has earned toward high school graduation, if applicable; and (5) any disciplinary actions taken against the student under TEC, Subchapter A, Chapter 37. The findings of the standardized LPAC review are used to evaluate if program exit was appropriate. The LPAC may determine that a student who earns a failing grade in a subject in the foundation curriculum under TEC Section 28.002 (a)(1) during any grading period in the first two school years after the student is transferred out, may be provided intensive instruction or reenrolled in a bilingual education or ESL program. 1. SEA Support for English Learner Progress (ESEA section 3113(b)(6)): Describe how the SEA will assist eligible entities in meeting: i. The State-designed long-term goals established under ESEA section 1111(c)(4)(A)(ii), including measurements of interim progress towards meeting such goals, based on the State’s English language proficiency assessments under ESEA section 1111(b)(2)(G); and ii. The challenging State academic standards. The SEA assists eligible entities in meeting the State-designed long-term goals based on TELPAS (the State’s English language proficiency assessments) and STAAR (the State’s academic assessments) by providing leadership, professional development, and technical assistance primarily through the State’s twenty regional ESCs, as well as directly to LEAs. The role of the State’s twenty regional ESCs is to focus on student, school district, and charter school performance, both academically and financially. The 20 ESCs operate as a unified system assisting the TEA to improve public education across the state and ensure that long-term goals are met. They assist LEAs in improving student performance in each of their respective regions by disseminating TEA-generated information and guidance, and developing and/or designing products, resources, and services to increase student performance at all schools in the region. Several mechanisms are in place for the statewide dissemination of accurate information, high quality professional development, and specialized technical assistance to assist eligible entities in meeting goals established under ESEA, including: • • Convening Texas Education Telecommunication Network (TETN) meetings, broadcast monthly via the internet to communicate key information and guidance with ESC staff, and to answer questions from the field and gather key stakeholder input. LEA staff are invited to participate in some TETN meetings as well; Facilitating professional development to ESC staff on relevant topics (e.g., LPAC procedures, evaluation using the TEA-approved Student 60 • • Exit Rubric) for further dissemination among LEAs at the regional level; Providing an annual conference for teachers, principals, and other educators from LEAs who receive Title III funds to obtain professional development to enhance their teaching skills in meeting the diverse needs of English learners, including how to implement effective programs and curricula on teaching English learners. Funding and overseeing contracts with entities to develop tools and provide specialized services that support quality instruction for English learners, such as: o Contracted services with Texas A & M University to develop an on-line course to prepare teachers for certification in bilingual education and to assist LEAs with identified bilingual teacher shortages in increasing the number of trained and certified teaching staff to provide high quality language instruction for English learners; o Contracted services with ESC Region 20 to create various online module courses related to Title III, Part A for LEAs to access to strengthen their knowledge and awareness of second language acquisition and the linguistic needs of English learners. 2. Monitoring and Technical Assistance (ESEA section 3113(b)(8)): Describe: i. How the SEA will monitor the progress of each eligible entity receiving a Title III, Part A subgrant in helping English learners achieve English proficiency; and ii. The steps the SEA will take to further assist eligible entities if the strategies funded under Title III, Part A are not effective, such as providing technical assistance and modifying such strategies. Monitoring Progress of Eligible Entities To monitor the progress of each eligible entity receiving a Title III, Part A subgrant in helping English learners achieve English proficiency, the State conducts an annual validation process for LEAs as well as for ESCs. The annual validation process for LEAs addresses the Title III, Part A statutory requirements based on program implementation and effectiveness. The State requires the subgrantee to submit responses to questions at the end of the academic year addressing the expectations, along with supporting documentation. During the annual validation process, the State randomly selects LEAs to submit documentation for the question(s) that were selected for 61 them. The State reviews the documentation to determine if the subgrantee met the Title III, Part A statutory requirement. If the documentation doesn’t fulfill the requirement, the SEA contacts the LEA for additional documentation or clarification. If no additional information is available from the LEA, then the State provides technical assistance to the LEA of the expectation(s) and notifies their ESC to ensure that targeted and ongoing direct technical assistance and professional development are provided for the LEA. In addition, the State conducts an annual validation process for ESCs that receive Title III, Part A funding to ensure that they are meeting requirements set by the State to assist LEAs who receive Title III funds. The ESCs provide professional development for LEAs to build capacity of classroom teachers to become ESL certified. ESCs are also required to provide high-quality training and technical assistance related to allowable use of Title III funds, strategies for promoting parental and community participation, and assistance in conducting individualized data analysis with TELPAS results, State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) data, and/or any other data applicable to the Title III program. The ESCs are asked to complete and submit a compliance checklist consisting of questions and compiling data that details the results of each State requirement addressed. The State randomly selects questions for each individualized ESC and requests documentation to support their efforts. The State reviews the evidence and provides technical assistance if the ESC did not meet the expectation of the State. Providing Further Assistance Section 3122(b)(4) of Title III, Part A, requires that the State provide technical assistance to subgrantees during the development of their Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) and throughout its implementation, and develop, in consultation with the LEA, professional development strategies and activities, based on scientifically based research, that will be used to meet identified objectives. For LEAs that did not meet the State’s achievement objectives for two consecutive years, the State provides technical assistance, develops professional development strategies/activities, and assists the LEA in implementation of the adopted strategies/methodologies. For LEAs with three consecutive years, the state monitors implementation of the CIP and continues providing ongoing support with professional development strategies/activities. 62 For LEAs with four consecutive years, the State requires the LEA to modify curriculum, program, or method of instruction and may determine whether to continue to provide Title III funding and/or require that the LEA replace relevant personnel. In addition to the staged approach described above, the State provides supplemental Title III funding annually to ESCs throughout the state for providing direct technical assistance and professional development for LEAs not meeting the state’s achievement objectives. 63 F. Title IV, Part A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants 1. Use of Funds (ESEA section 4103(c)(2)(A)): Describe how the SEA will use funds received under Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1 for State-level activities. The TEA works to improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems, working towards the vision that every child in Texas is an independent thinker and graduates prepared for success in college, a career, or the military, and as an engaged, productive citizen. To achieve this vision for public education in Texas, the Agency has outlined specific strategic priorities to guide and focus our work on behalf of the more than five million school children in our State. The state will utilize funds for state-level activities to support key initiatives aligned to our four strategic priorities highlighted below. In addition to specific initiatives related to the implementation of the Agency’s strategic plan. TEA supports districts in utilizing their federal resources to support the implementation of a well-rounded education as it is defined in TEC Section 28.002, which includes a foundation curriculum of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies (consisting of Texas, United States, and world history; government; economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits; and geography); and an enrichment curriculum that includes languages other than English (to the extent possible), health, physical education, fine arts, career and technology education, technology applications, religious literature (including the Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature), and personal financial literacy. 2. Awarding Subgrants (ESEA section 4103(c)(2)(B)): Describe how the SEA will ensure that awards made to LEAs under Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1 are in 64 amounts that are consistent with ESEA section 4105(a)(2). To ensure that all eligible LEAs receive subgrant awards in accordance with section 4105(a)(2), TEA will undertake the following process: 1) Calculate LEA initial amount based on final annual allocations received; 2) If the initial LEA amount is less than $10,000, increase it to $10,000; 3) Ratably reduce each LEA that receives more than $10,000, ensuring that none are brought below $10,000 in the process to cover LEA increases performed in Step 2; and 4) If the final allocation amount is not sufficient to ensure all eligible LEAs receive $10,000, all LEAs are ratably reduced to match the total available funding amount. 65 G. Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers 1. Use of Funds (ESEA section 4203(a)(2)): Describe how the SEA will use funds received under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, including funds reserved for State-level activities. Funds received under ESSA for school year 2017-2018 will be used to continue 66 existing grants to eligible entities awarded under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The Texas Education Agency’s Cycle 8 grants will be entering their fifth and final year, and Cycle 9 grants will be in their second year. Based on federal funding availability, TEA will publish a 21 st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant competition under ESSA in early 2018 and begin Cycle 10 on August 1, 2018. Funding priorities will align with statutory requirements that programs serve: 1) students in schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) and other schools determined by the local education agency to be in need of intervention and support; and 2) students who may be at risk for academic failure, dropping out of school, involvement in criminal or delinquent activities, or who lack strong positive role models. Applicants will be required to provide assurances that they are serving these populations and that they are serving students primarily attending campuses that are eligible under Title I, Part A, and at least 40 percent economically disadvantaged. Additional priorities will be determined through stakeholder input, alignment with agency priorities, needs assessment, and other means as appropriate. Texas will use funds received under the 21 st CCLC program, including funds reserved for state-level activities, to provide opportunities for communities to establish or expand activities in learning centers that help students, particularly those who attend low-performing schools, to meet the challenging state academic standards, offer a broad array of academic enrichment for students, and offer families of students served in the CCLC program opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development. To this end, TEA will allocate the annual allotment in accordance with section 4202(c) as described below. • At least 93 percent of the annual award will be reserved for awards to eligible entities under section 4204. • No more than 2 percent of the annual award will be allocated to the agency’s administrative costs for implementing a rigorous peer review process for subgrant applications; ensuring program activities align with challenging state academic standards; providing a list of prescreened external organizations; working with stakeholders to improve policies; and supporting the implementation of programs, awarding of funds to eligible entities, and other required activities. Administrative costs include, but are not limited to, salary for the SEA coordinator and other contributing positions, such as grant managers and contract managers, and required oversight activities. In 66 • addition, required travel and supplies will be charged to state administrative costs. No more than 5 percent of the annual award will be allotted for state activities. State activities include contracted services for required program evaluation, program monitoring, data collection, and grantee training and technical assistance. o A program evaluation provider collects and analyzes data for the statewide program evaluation and provides technical assistance to grantees related to local program evaluation. o Program monitoring provides the development and maintenance of a risk-based monitoring tool, evidence collection, and grantee-level reporting of findings. Monitoring findings are one of the data sources that inform the annual training and technical assistance plan. Program monitoring ensures that all grantees are, and remain, in compliance with all statutory and program requirements. o Texas manages a statewide system that collects data at the student, activity, center, and grantee levels for the Texas ACE program. This system is designed to provide data for local and statewide program evaluations, federal reporting, program monitoring, and technical assistance. o A technical assistance contract provides the resources that local programs need to remain in compliance and operate high-quality programs. This contracted service provides grantees with regular, inperson and web-based opportunities for training and technical assistance. Other services provided by this contract include product development, content development, website maintenance, and a 24hour help desk. This contracted service provides the tools and support required to ensure that local programs are in compliance with all statutory and program requirements, including aligning activities with state academic standards and other quality indicators. This contractor also provides the primary support for the development and maintenance of a ‘blueprint’ for each grant cycle. The blueprint includes program policies and procedures, examples, and resources. TEA contracts for annual conference and meeting events. The flagship event is the statewide Out of School Time Initiatives Conference, or OSTI-CON. Depending on the number of active grantees, this conference attracts up to 450 attendees each year and offers learning tracks for site coordinators, family engagement staff, and project directors in an engaging and collaborative atmosphere. 2. Awarding Subgrants (ESEA section 4203(a)(4)): Describe the procedures and criteria the SEA will use for reviewing applications and awarding 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds to eligible entities on a competitive basis, which shall include procedures and criteria that take into consideration the likelihood that a proposed community learning center will help participating 67 students meet the challenging State academic standards and any local academic standards. TEA will make competitive subgrant awards in compliance with the authorizing statute and program guidance, including ensuring that all grant applications considered for award in the competitive process meet the eligibility criteria in section 4201(b)(3). TEA will consider statewide program evaluation findings, stakeholder input, needs assessment and other data as appropriate to determine any state-specific priorities and program requirements in order to help participating students meet the challenging State academic standards and any local academic standards, as appropriate. Eligible entities include local educational agencies, community-based organizations, Indian tribe or tribal organizations [as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Act (25 U.S.C. 450(b)], other public or private entities, or consortia of two or more such agencies, organizations, or entities. All applications are screened for eligibility and completeness by qualified agency staff with expertise in program and grant requirements. During eligibility review, program staff also review applications for qualifying priority points. When a peer-reviewed application scores a pre-determined percentage of points through the standard and specific review criteria, grant staff then add those priority points to the overall score. Per ESEA, section 4203(a)(3), priority will be given to entities that serve: (i) students who primarily attend schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d); (ii) students who primarily attend other schools determined by the local educational agency to need intervention and support; and (iii) the families of such students. TEA will further give priority to eligible entities that propose to serve students who may be at risk for academic failure, dropping out of school, involvement in criminal or delinquent activities, or who lack strong positive role models [4204(i)(1)(A)(i), sub clauses (I) and (II)]. TEA may also add other priority criteria based on an assessment of the needs of the state and findings of comprehensive statewide program evaluation. The purpose of the review and scoring process is to determine the applicant’s ability to implement the proposed program in compliance with statutory and program requirements. TEA collects potential peer reviewer data through the application itself (to nominate qualified individuals to review other applications in the pool, as appropriate) and through outreach to existing grantees not represented in the applicant pool, professional networks, organizations, associations, and other groups or individuals as appropriate in compliance with section 4203(a)(5). The number of times a single application is peer reviewed and scored is determined by the maximum award available. Applications for grant programs under Title IV, 68 Part B, are reviewed and scored by five different reviewers. The highest and lowest scores are dropped and the remaining three scores are averaged. Reviewers must score all competitive grant applications against standard review criteria based on statutory and program requirements. The standard review criteria address various sections, each with a certain point designation. To address aspects unique to the program, program staff may also add review criteria, each with a certain point value. Peer reviewers complete an online webinar training session before reviewing and scoring eligible applications. 69 H. Title V, Part B, Subpart 2: Rural and Low-Income School Program 1. Outcomes and Objectives (ESEA section 5223(b)(1)): Provide information on program objectives and outcomes for activities under Title V, Part B, Subpart 2, including how the SEA will use funds to help all students meet the challenging State academic standards. 2. Technical Assistance (ESEA section 5223(b)(3)): Describe how the SEA will provide technical assistance to eligible LEAs to help such agencies implement the activities described in ESEA section 5222. As a part of the subgrant application, LEAs will identify program objectives and outcomes through the new comprehensive needs assessment schedule that is aligned with the Agency’s four strategic priorities. This tool will enable LEAs to comprehensively identify strategies for improving student achievement, align their federal funds to support those strategies, and create SMART goals to measure the effectiveness of those strategies. TEA will provide technical assistance and resources to districts, which may include face-to-face and virtual supports and trainings either directly by the Agency or through our regional education service centers. 70 I. Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Title VII, Subtitle B 1. Student Identification [Sec. 722(g)(1)(B) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Describe the procedures the SEA will use to identify homeless children and youth in the state and to assess their needs. TEA, the Region 10 Education Service Center (Region 10 ESC) and the Texas Homeless Education Office (THEO) collaboratively manage the responsibilities for the Texas Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program. Specifically, TEA contracts with Region 10 ESC to administer the grant portion of the program, manage program implementation, and provide training and technical assistance. Region 10 ESC contracts with THEO to support sub-grantees and run a robust technical assistance center. The State of Texas recognizes that proper identification of homeless children and youth and assessment of their needs is critical to their success. TEA requires that the homeless status of every student is assessed and reported in the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), the state’s educational data collection system. TEA maintains information about the identification of students in the PEIMS Data Standards and on the agency website and sends a notification to school districts and charter schools regarding the importance of identification in the agency’s annual “Attendance, Admission Enrollment Records, and Tuition” letter. Region 10 ESC and THEO disseminate a jointly-developed Student Residency Questionnaire (SRQ) template that districts may use to assist with identification of students at enrollment. The SRQ template is regularly updated to reflect changes in laws, rules, policies, or procedures to properly identify and assess the special needs of students experiencing homelessness. In addition to these efforts, school district personnel are trained to reach out to their communities to find students living in homeless situations. Region 10 ESC and THEO disseminate information about identifying and assessing the special needs of students in homeless situations by providing the following: • Staff development at local education agency (LEAs), regional education service centers (ESCs), and other educational and community service venues; • Workshops at educational and professional conferences; • Webinars and Texas education telecommunication network (TETN) updates in collaboration with TEA; • Resource materials; • Technical assistance, including a toll-free telephone line; • A comprehensive website; and • Social media that includes Facebook, Twitter, and blog activities. In collaboration with other state agencies, homeless service providers, and homeless coalitions across Texas, Region 10 ESC and THEO hold meetings, participate on committees and workgroups, and maintain ongoing relationships that enhance the ability of districts and communities to identify and assess the special needs of children and youth 71 in temporary living situations. TEA, Region 10 ESC, and THEO regularly solicit input from families and students in homeless situations and Texas homeless service providers about the needs of the homeless students and families they serve and their barriers to public school education. 2. Dispute Resolution [Sec. 722(g)(1)(C) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Describe the SEA’s procedures for the prompt resolution of disputes regarding the educational placement of homeless children and youth. Pursuant to the Act, students experiencing homelessness must be immediately enrolled in the school of origin or the school in the attendance zone where the student currently resides. Disagreements over eligibility, school selection, or enrollment may be disputed. If a dispute arises, the child or youth must be immediately enrolled in the school of origin or school located in the child’s attendance zone, as requested by the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, pending final resolution of the dispute, including all available appeals. McKinney-Vento (MV) disputes should be resolved locally whenever possible and must go through the local McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution process. The Homeless Liaison is available to assist homeless students and families with filing an appeal and navigating the dispute resolution process. If a resolution is not reached locally, MV disputes may be appealed to TEA. TEA provides guidance to LEAs that MV disputes should be expedited and resolved promptly to meet federal requirements. It is stressed in the guidance that districts have a responsibility to ensure that local timelines in the district’s complaint policies are expedited, whenever possible, to meet the U.S. Department of Education’s and the TEA’s expectation of prompt dispute resolution. Once a complaint is received by TEA, the district homeless liaison is notified that a complaint was filed and a request is made that all related documentation be submitted to TEA within five business days. This documentation includes the dispute resolution record, and any other information the local school board used in its decision-making. The TEA is expected to make a final decision within 20 business days of receipt of the full record from the LEA and any additional records requested by TEA to review the dispute. TEA’s written decision will be sent electronically and in hard copy to the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth who filed the complaint; the local school district’s homeless liaison; and the local superintendent. TEA’s decisions regarding McKinneyVento disputes are considered final. If the school refuses to enroll the child or youth immediately, the person attempting to enroll the child should contact the school district’s homeless liaison and/or the school district superintendent’s office immediately. The complainant should also contact the 72 Texas Homeless Education Office toll free line for assistance and/or TEA’s Office of General Inquiries. In addition to the TEA’s procedures for resolving McKinney-Vento disputes, the state has developed a robust Question and Answer document outlining local dispute procedures and processes for LEAs to follow. Lastly, Region 10 ESC and THEO provide extensive training and technical assistance on dispute resolution and continue to develop tools and resources to assist LEAs with understanding and implementing a streamlined and effective dispute resolution process. 3. Support for School Personnel [Sec. 722(g)(1)(D) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Describe programs for school personnel (including the LEA liaison for homeless children and youth, principals and other school leaders, attendance officers, teachers, enrollment personnel, and specialized instructional support personnel) to heighten the awareness of such school personnel of the specific needs of homeless children and youth, including runaway and homeless children and youth. Region 10 ESC and THEO create and provide professional development, resource materials, and technical assistance to Education Service Centers (ESCs), LEAs, and other entities that work to meet the specific needs of runaway and homeless youth. Training for liaisons and school personnel is provided at least annually via webinar and in person at all 20 regional ESCs around the state. A Texas Ending Homelessness Conference is held annually for educators, runaway homeless youth service providers, and housing and homeless service providers. Ongoing technical assistance regarding enrollment, identification, and support for students in homeless situations is provided. Specialized training for school personnel and other audiences is also available upon request. The THEO provides immediate and direct access to information regarding the rights of unaccompanied youth and strategies to overcome enrollment barriers via a tollfree helpline. Most recently the program has developed a comprehensive “training of trainers” curriculum that will be used to prepare ESC staff to enhance the professional development and support already provided to LEAs to ensure that all homeless liaisons and school personnel receive training as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Trainers at the ESCs will greatly increase the Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth program’s capacity for professional development and technical assistance to the over 1,200 independent school districts and charter schools in Texas. Fact sheets and other guidance documents are available on the THEO website at www.theotx.org. These materials are designed to assist school districts in understanding key components of the McKinney-Vento law and assessing their districts' policies and practices to remove barriers and provide support to students experiencing homelessness. Additionally, an implementation manual, specifically for new McKinney-Vento liaisons, is in development. This manual will include a Quick-Start Guide for new homeless liaisons and detailed information for structuring and implementing a homeless education 73 program. The manual will assist new liaisons with understanding key components of the law and practical steps for implementation and oversight, including training and coordination with school leaders, attendance officers, counselors, community service providers, and others. To ensure that public notice of the education rights of homeless children and youth is provided, Region 10 ESC and THEO disseminate free brochures and posters statewide. The posters and brochures are currently available in Spanish, English, and Vietnamese. Additional translations are planned as needed. Information is disseminated throughout the state via listserv announcements, email, and various other means to a variety of audiences including, but not limited to: • Homeless liaisons; • School counselors; • Teachers; • Campus administrators; • Truancy personnel; • Specialized instruction support personnel; • Service providers; • School nurses; • Transportation personnel; • School nutrition personnel; • School resource officers; • Social workers; • Parents, and • Higher education personnel, such as professors of education, social work, nursing, counseling, and other related professions. 4. Access to Services [Sec. 722(g)(1)(F) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Describe procedures that ensure that: a. Homeless children have access to public preschool programs, administered by the SEA or the LEA, as provided to other children in the State; Prekindergarten children experiencing homelessness are among the six groups of students who are eligible for free prekindergarten in Texas (Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.153). Region 10 ESC and THEO regularly collaborate with prekindergarten, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), and Head Start programs to increase awareness of the importance of including information about the special needs of homeless children and youth and their families in any training or professional development activities. The THEO Project Director is a member of the ECI Advisory Board. Information about prekindergarten and Head Start eligibility is widely distributed throughout the state. Region 10 ESC and THEO emphasize the importance of the McKinney-Vento collaboration with educational programs for 74 young children. Several of the grantees have developed close working relationships with prekindergarten, ECI, and Head Start programs. b. Homeless youth and youth separated from the public schools are identified and accorded equal access to appropriate secondary education and support services, including by identifying and removing barriers that prevent youth described in this paragraph from receiving appropriate credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed while attending a prior school, in accordance with State, local, and school policies; and All homeless students are required to be identified in Texas schools. See question 1 for greater detail on the identification of homeless students. All children in Texas between the ages of 6 and 19 are required to enroll and attend school (TEC §25.085). Additionally, THEO collaborates with agencies and service providers who work with homeless youth and youth separated from the public schools, such as the Texas Network of Youth Services, to make them aware of protections available to homeless, unaccompanied youth. Furthermore, all McKinney-Vento sub-grant recipients conduct outreach efforts in their communities to locate supplemental programs for which children and youth experiencing homelessness are eligible. Region 10 ESC, THEO, and LEA liaisons also collaborate with service providers to advocate on behalf of homeless children and youth to ensure that the students are afforded equitable access and can return to school and participate in these programs. There are many state laws in place to ensure equal access and supportive services for homeless secondary students including the following: • Students may enroll in any district regardless of where they, their parents, their guardians, or any other person having lawful control of them reside (TEC §25.001(b)(5)). • Students who are “homeless” meet the “student at risk of dropping out of school” definition in TEC §29.081 and are, therefore, entitled to compensatory, intensive, and accelerated instruction. • TEA is required to: o ensure school records for a student who is homeless or in substitute care are transferred to a student’s new school not later than the 10th working day after the date the student begins enrollment at the school (TEC §25.007 (b)(1)); o develop systems to ease transition of a student who is homeless or in substitute care in the first two weeks of enrollment at the new school (TEC §25.007 (b)(2)); o develop procedures for awarding credit, including partial credit if appropriate, for course work, including electives, completed while enrolled at another school (TEC §25.007 (b)(3)): 1. To support implementation, the Texas State Board of Education adopted §74.24 of Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) that expanded the credit by examination window, requiring a school district to provide opportunities for a student who is homeless and who transfers to the district after the start of the 75 o o o o o o school year to be eligible to participate in credit by examination at any point during the school year. 2. Similarly, TAC §74.26 was adopted requiring school districts to award credit proportionately to a homeless student who successfully completes only one semester of a two-semester course. promote practices that facilitate access by a student who is homeless or in substitute care to extracurricular programs, summer programs credit transfer series, electronic courses, and after-school tutoring programs at nominal or no cost (TEC §25.007 (b)(4)); establish procedures to lessen the adverse impact of the movement of a student who is homeless or in substitute care to a new school (TEC §25.007 (b)(5)); encourage school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide services for a student who is homeless or in substitute care in transition when applying for admission to postsecondary study and when seeking sources of funding for post-secondary study (TEC §25.007 (b)(7)); require school districts, campuses, and open-enrollment charter schools to accept a referral for special education services made for a student who is homeless or in substitute care by a school previously attended by the student (TEC §25.007 (b)(8)); develop procedures for allowing a student who is homeless or in substitute care who was previously enrolled in a course required for graduation the opportunity, the extent practicable, to complete the course, at no cost to the student, before the beginning of the next school year (TEC §25.007 (b)(10)); ensure that a student who is homeless or in substitute care who is not likely to receive a high school diploma before the fifth school year following the student’s enrollment in grade nine, as determined by the district, has the student’s course credit accrual and personal graduation plan reviewed (TEC §25.007 (b)(11)). The 85th Texas Legislature granted TEA rule making authority for TEC § 25.007 (SB 1220, effective September 2017). This important change in state policy grants TEA authority to implement procedures and guidance through state rule to support and strengthen implementation of TEC § 25.007. This law also provides TEA the directive to provide guidance, as needed (TEC § 25.007 (15)). Furthermore, TEA will use this opportunity to develop clear policies and guidance through administrative rule, regarding the removal of outstanding fees, fines, and absences, and ensure that there are no barriers to enrollment and participation in advanced placement programs and magnet schools, as required by ESSA. Similarly, in agency rule TEA will require that LEA’s review and revise policies to remove barriers to the identification of homeless children and youth. 76 Additionally, Region 10 ESC and THEO are developing a resource to assist LEAs effectively implement the numerous state policies outlined in TEC §25.007. This resource will highlight best practices and successful implementation by LEAs throughout the state. In addition to state laws and administrative rules that support secondary education and support services, Region 10 ESC and THEO provide staff development, resource materials, and technical assistance to Texas teachers, counselors, support staff, administrators, homeless service providers, advocates, and others about the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program and related state laws. c. Homeless children and youth who meet the relevant eligibility criteria do not face barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities, including magnet school, summer school, career and technical education, advanced placement, online learning, and charter school programs, if such programs are available at the State and local levels. Texas requires the removal of barriers for students who are homeless including summer program, credit transfer services, electronic courses, and after-school tutoring programs and the removal of barriers to participation in advanced placement and magnet schools, to comply with state law and ESSA (as described above). State law, TEC §25.007 (b)(4), requires that TEA promote practices that facilitate access by a student who is homeless or in substitute care to extracurricular programs, summer programs, credit transfer services, electronic courses, and after-school tutoring programs at nominal or no cost. Additionally, TEA is working with the state’s online learning initiative (TXVSN); Career and Technical Education programs; Charter School Division; Title I, Part A; College and Career Readiness initiatives; and Charter School program areas to provide guidance about the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act and requirements in place to support homeless students. Cross-agency coordination and the development of shared guidance is underway and will continue, to ensure that homeless children and youth who meet the relevant eligibility criteria do not face barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities, as defined by ESSA. Furthermore, TEA’s technical assistance provider will provide sample best practices, training and support to LEAs and service providers regarding accessing academic and extracurricular programs and services. LEAs are informed of the numerous ways Title I, Part A funds may be used to increase the likelihood that students will be able to access these programs. Collaboration with the Texas Homeless Network, LEA liaisons, and other service providers to encourage participation in local homeless coalitions to advocate for the removal of barriers in accessing before- and-afterschool programs for homeless children and youth. Lastly, TEA’s technical assistance provider delivers staff development, resource materials and articles for publication, a toll-free helpline and technical assistance to Texas teachers, counselors, support staff, 77 administrators, homeless service providers, advocates, and others that address the state and federal laws and program regulations regarding access to academic and extracurricular activities. 5. Strategies to Address Other Problems [Sec. 722(g)(1)(H) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Provide strategies to address other problems with respect to the education of homeless children and youth, including problems resulting from enrollment delays that are caused by— i. requirements of immunization records; LEAs are prohibited from denying a child enrollment for lack of records and gives the person enrolling the child 30 days after enrolling to provide records to the school (TEC §25.002). Districts must send records to the enrolling district within 10 days of receiving a request to transfer a student’s records. ii. residency requirements; LEAs are required to enroll homeless students regardless of where they, their parents or legal guardians, or any other person having lawful control over them, reside (TEC §25.001(b)(5)). A student under 18 years of age is permitted to establish residence for the purpose of attending the public schools separate and apart from the student’s parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control of the student under a court order (TEC §25.001(b)(4)). A student who resides in Texas but does not reside in the school district is entitled to admission if a grandparent of the student resides in the district and the grandparent provides a substantial amount of after-school care for the student (TEC §25.001(b)(9)). iii. lack of birth certificates, school records, or other documentation; LEAs are prohibited from denying a child enrollment for lack of records and gives the person enrolling the child 30 days after enrolling to provide records to the school (TEC §25.002). Additionally, TEA has established that students are not necessarily withdrawn even if the enrolling district does not receive the records prior to the end of the 30-day grace period. Districts must send records to the enrolling district within 10 days of receiving a request to transfer a student’s records. iv. guardianship issues; or LEAs are required to enroll homeless students regardless of where they, their parents or legal guardians, or any other person having lawful control over them, reside (TEC §25.001(b)(5)). v. uniform or dress code requirements. LEAs are required to identify a source of funding that must be used in providing uniforms for students at the school who are educationally disadvantaged (TEC §11.162(b)). State law, TEC §11.162(c), allows students assigned to schools with school uniform requirements to be exempted or to 78 transfer to another school with available space if the parent or legal guardian of the student provides a written statement that, as determined by the board of trustees, states a bona fide religious or philosophical objection to the requirement. Efforts are ongoing to ensure that all Superintendents and administrative staff are aware of these provisions. Region 10 ESC and THEO disseminate information and provide technical assistance about removing barriers to school access throughout the state in its resource documents, trainings, toll free helpline, and articles for publication. 6. Policies to Remove Barriers: [Sec. 722(g)(1)(I) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: Demonstrate that the SEA and LEAS in the State have developed, and shall review and revise, policies to remove barriers to the identification of homeless children and youth, and the enrollment and retention of homeless children and youth in schools in the state, including barriers to enrollment and retention due to outstanding fees or fines, or absences. TEA reviews and revises policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment and retention of homeless children and youth in the State on an ongoing basis. This process occurs each year in collaboration with technical assistance providers, education service centers, and the Texas Association of School Boards. State law and policy guidance require that LEAs may not prohibit a student from enrolling in and attending (including participation in academic and extracurricular activities) school pending receipt of transcripts or records from the school district the student previously attended (19 TAC §74.26(a)(1)). Additionally, the failure of a prior district or person enrolling the student to provide identification or school records under §25.002 does not constitute grounds for refusing to admit an eligible student. The requirements of state law §25.002 apply regardless of whether the student has unreturned instructional materials or technological equipment, including fees, or fines or absences. Additional, state laws address the identification and removal of barriers for homeless students, such as TEC §§25.001(b)(5), 29.081, 29.153, and 25.007. • TEC §25.001(b)(5) requires an LEA to enroll a homeless student regardless of where the student, his or her parent or legal guardian, or any other person having lawful control over the student resides. Therefore, a person who is homeless is entitled to admission in any Texas school district. • TEC §29.081 provides students who are homeless meet the state’s criteria for a “student at risk of dropping out of school” and must receive compensatory education services. • TEC §29.153 provides homeless students are eligible for enrollment in free prekindergarten in Texas. • TEC §25.007 removes barriers for homeless students concerning school transitions (see page 67-68). 79 LEAs are also required to review and revise local policies that align with state and federal laws regarding the identification, enrollment, attendance, and education of children and youth experiencing homelessness, including the removal of barriers to fees, or fines, or absences. This information is communicated through statewide training conducted by TEA and agency technical service providers. The Agency collaborates with the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) to comply with state and federal laws. TEA works in collaboration with TASB to review McKinney-Vento statutes and policy guidance to support LEAs with reviewing and revising polices, and ensuring the removal of barriers and full implementation of McKinney-Vento requirements. Furthermore, TEA contracts with technical service providers to provide guidance on the McKinney-Vento act, including disseminating, information statewide and providing technical assistance on removing barriers including fees, or fines or absences, in its resource documents, trainings, and publications and through the toll-free helpline and email inquiries received. 7. Assistance from Counselors [Sec. 722(g)(1)(K) of the McKinney-Vento Act]: A description of how youths described in section 725(2) will receive assistance from counselors to advise such youths, and prepare and improve the readiness of such youths for college. State law contains several provisions that require engagement to promote high school completion, college and career preparedness, and successful transitions of students experiencing homelessness. School counselors (or other designated staff) play a critical role in ensuring that these provisions and requirements are implemented. • • • Every school district in Texas is required to provide instruction to students in grade 7 or 8 in preparing for high school, college, and a career (TEC §28.016). For each student who does not perform satisfactorily on assessments or is likely not to receive a high school diploma before the fifth school year following the student’s enrollment in Grade 9, a school counselor, teacher, or other appropriate individual must develop and administer a personal graduation plan that identifies the student’s goals and learning needs (TEC §28.0212). Each high school principal is required to designate a school counselor or school administrator to meet with each student in the 9th grade to develop a high school personal graduation plan. The personal graduation plan must identify a course of study that promotes college and workforce readiness, career placement and advancement, and facilitates the student’s transition from secondary to postsecondary education. The plan must be signed by both students and parents. Counselors (or other designated staff) continue to meet with students to monitor the plan throughout students’ high school careers to reinforce college and career planning (TEC §28.02121). Additionally, there are several state laws specifically in place to address secondary completion for students who are homeless or in substitute care: 80 • • • TEA is required to encourage school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide services for a student who is homeless or in substitute care in transition when applying for admission to postsecondary study and when seeking sources of funding for postsecondary study (TEC §25.007(7)). TEA is required to develop procedures for allowing a student who is homeless or in substitute care who was previously enrolled in a course required for graduation the opportunity, to the extent practical, to complete the course, at no cost to the student, before the beginning of the next school year (TEC §25.007(10)). TEA is required to ensure that if a student who is homeless or in substitute care who is not likely to receive a high school diploma before the fifth school year following the student’s enrollment in grade 9, as determined by the district, has the student’s course credit accrual and personal graduation plan reviewed (TEC §25.007(11)). Texas school counselors play an important role in assisting homeless students with overcoming the barriers of homelessness and poverty so that college is a reality. Beyond implementing the statutory requirements, school counselors (or other designated staff) are encouraged to work with district homeless liaisons to ensure that all students who are identified as homeless are on track to graduate and have post-secondary plans, and that unaccompanied homeless youth are informed of their rights to independent student status for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and college applications. The Texas Homeless Education Office (THEO) has numerous resources on its website: http://www.theotx.org/resource_type/higher-education-fafsa-free-application-for-federalstudent-aid/. The THEO office is available to provide training and technical assistance to assist school districts, students, and parents concerning post-secondary preparedness for homeless students. Additionally, TEA has specific resources concerning graduation planning and related requirements available: http://tea.texas.gov/Academics/Graduation_Requirements/. 81 J. Title I, Part A, Foster Care The Texas Education Agency (TEA) works in collaboration with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to ensure education stability of children in foster care. Specifically, the TEA and DFPS conducted coordinated meetings and planning regarding the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Title I, Part A foster care requirements. Joint guidance from TEA and DFPS was developed to support local coordination and planning between education and child welfare agencies concerning new ESSA requirements, including designation of points of contact between child welfare and local education agencies and the development of transportation procedures. TEA assures that: (i) Any such child enrolls or means in such child’s school or origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in the such child’s best interest to attend the school of origin, which decision shall be based on all factors relating to the child’s best interest, including consideration of the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement; (ii) When a determination is made that it is not in such child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child is immediately enrolled in a new school, even if the child is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment; (iii) The enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended by any such child to obtain relevant academic and other records; and (iv) The State Educational Agency will designate an employee to serve as a point of contact for child welfare agencies and to oversee implementation of the State agency responsibilities required. Additionally, TEA requires that each LEA provide an assurance to TEA that the LEA: (v) Collaborate with the State or local child welfare agency to designate a point of contact to serve as the point-of-contact for the local education agency (LEA) concerning child welfare matters for children in foster care. (vi) Develop and implement clear written procedures governing how to maintain children in foster care in their school of origin when in their best interest will be provided, arranged, and funded for the duration of time in foster care. The procedures ensure that children in foster care needing transportation to the school of origin will promptly receive transportation in a cost-effective manner and that additional costs incurred in providing transportation to maintain children in foster care in their schools of origin, the LEA will provide transportation if: 82 i. A local child welfare agency agrees to reimburse the LEA for the cost of the transportation; ii. The LEA agrees to pay for the cost of such transportation; or iii. The LEA and the local child welfare agency agree to share the cost of the transportation. Beyond ESSA coordination and planning, Texas has been working for a number of years in a coordinated manner with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Supreme Court Texas Children’s Commission, and other stakeholders concerning school stability and improving the education outcomes of students in foster care. Since 2012, TEA has had dedicated staff and capacity at the state education agency to support local school districts; and work collaboratively with the state child welfare agency to implement the requirements of the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, 2008; numerous state laws; and strategies identified in the Texas Blueprint: Transforming Education Outcomes for Children and Youth in Foster Care. Robust collaborative efforts under the leadership of the Children’s Commission with DFPS and numerous stakeholders has led to significant shifts in policy and practice between the child welfare and education systems concerning students in foster care. These coordinated and collaborative efforts are a necessity to promote school stability and improve the education outcomes of students in foster care. Texas is working diligently, across systems, to address the academic achievement gap and improve the school experience of students in Texas’ foster care system. 83 Appendix A: Measurements of interim progress Instructions: Each SEA must include the measurements of interim progress toward meeting the long-term goals for academic achievement, graduation rates, and English language proficiency, set forth in the State’s response to Title I, Part A question 4.iii, for all students and separately for each subgroup of students, including those listed in response to question 4.i.a. of this document. For academic achievement and graduation rates, the State’s measurements of interim progress must take into account the improvement necessary on such measures to make significant progress in closing statewide proficiency and graduation rate gaps. A. Academic Achievement B. Graduation Rates C. Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency 84 Appendix B OMB Control No. 1894-0005 (Exp. 03/31/2017) NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you color, disability, or age. Based on local about a new provision in the Department of circumstances, you should determine Education's General Education Provisions whether these or other barriers may prevent Act (GEPA) that applies to applicants for your students, teachers, etc. from such access new grant awards under Department or participation in, the Federally-funded programs. This provision is Section 427 of project or activity. The description in your GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving application of steps to be taken to overcome America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law these barriers need not be lengthy; you may (P.L.) 103-382). provide a clear and succinct description of To Whom Does This Provision Apply? how you plan to address those barriers that Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for are applicable to your circumstances. In new grant awards under this program. ALL addition, the information may be provided in APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS a single narrative, or, if appropriate, may be MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN discussed in connection with related topics in THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS the application. THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS requirements of civil rights statutes, but PROGRAM. rather to ensure that, in designing their (If this program is a State-formula grant projects, applicants for Federal funds address program, a State needs to provide this equity concerns that may affect the ability of description only for projects or activities that certain potential beneficiaries to fully it carries out with funds reserved for Stateparticipate in the project and to achieve to level uses. In addition, local school districts high standards. Consistent with program or other eligible applicants that apply to the requirements and its approved application, an State for funding need to provide this applicant may use the Federal funds awarded description in their applications to the State to it to eliminate barriers it identifies. for funding. The State would be responsible What are Examples of How an Applicant for ensuring that the school district or other Might Satisfy the Requirement of This local entity has submitted a sufficient section Provision? 427 statement as described below.) The following examples may help illustrate What Does This Provision Require? how an applicant may comply with Section Section 427 requires each applicant for funds 427. (other than an individual person) to include in (1) An applicant that proposes to carry its application a description of the steps the out an adult literacy project serving, applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable among others, adults with limited English access to, and participation in, its Federallyproficiency, might describe in its assisted program for students, teachers, and application how it intends to distribute a other program beneficiaries with special brochure about the proposed project to needs. This provision allows applicants such potential participants in their native discretion in developing the required language. description. The statute highlights six types (2) An applicant that proposes to develop of barriers that can impede equitable access instructional materials for classroom use or participation: gender, race, national origin, might describe how it will make the 85 materials available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind. (3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how it intends to conduct "outreach" efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment. (4) An applicant that proposes a project to increase school safety might describe the special efforts it will take to address concern of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, and efforts to reach out to and involve the families of LGBT students We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the requirements of this provision. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the state educational agency responsible for federal funds administered under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). TEA requires each applicant for federal funds to provide assurances and demonstrate in its application that it will provide equitable access to, and participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. TEA ensures that all ESSA programs are a part of a State-wide system that supports the whole child and provides an environment free from discrimination and harassment based upon gender, race, national origin, color, disability or age. TEA will ensure to the fullest extent possible equitable access to, participation in, and appropriate educational opportunities for all teachers, families and students with special needs through the use of specific conditions and enforcement actions as allowed by EDGAR. 86 Estimated Burden Statement for GEPA Requirements According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (Public Law 103-382. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0005. 87