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T E X A SSystem of Education Service Centers
Strategic Plan
2010-2015
2 Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC Mission: Assisting the Educational Community in Achieving Excellence and Efficiency
ESC Vision: “World Class Educational Community Preparing a World Class Workforce” Core Beliefs: • System focus on unique regional educational
needs • Integrity/Honesty/Ethics • Collaboration and Teamwork • Goal and Results Oriented • Service Oriented • Student Centered • Dependable
3 Adopted 2/14/2011
PARTICIPANTS
Region 1 – Edinburg
Region 2 – Corpus Christi
Region 3 – Victoria
Region 4 – Houston
Region 5 – Beaumont
Region 6 – Huntsville
Region 7 – Kilgore
Region 8 – Mount Pleasant
Region 9 – Wichita Falls
Region 10 – Richardson
Region 11 – Fort Worth
Region 12 – Waco
Region 13 – Austin
Region 14 – Abilene
Region 15 – San Angelo
Region 16 – Amarillo
Region 17 – Lubbock
Region 18 – Midland
Region 19 – El Paso
Region 20 – San Antonio
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Major Programs and Services .............................................................................................................................. 6
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
History....................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Student Enrollment .............................................................................................................................................. 13
Staffing/Programs/Management Initiatives ....................................................................................................... 14
Goals and Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 15
TETN ....................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix A: Statewide Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 28
Appendix B: Comprehensive School Support Plan – Service Centers .................................................... 35
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 1967, the Texas Legislature established twenty media centers in response to Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Act passed by Congress, which provided limited funding for instruction related training and services for teachers. As time passed, the legislature worked to expand the role of these media centers to enhance the teaching standards in the state, and ultimately, student performance. Today, 20 Regional Education Service Centers make up the ESC system. These centers, located throughout the state, serve more than 4.8 million students and 659,820 administrative and campus staff and play an integral part in ensuring the success of Texas’ education system.
Regional Education Service Centers are intermediate educational units that provide training, technical assistance, administrative support and an array of other services as determined by the legislature, the Commissioner of Education and the needs of local school districts and charter schools. Most often associated with assistance to small and medium-sized school districts, the service centers have a long history of providing assistance to all districts, including metropolitan and large suburban districts. The third party client satisfaction survey, authorized by the commissioner, indicates that the superintendents, principals and teachers in large suburban and metropolitan school districts rate the work of the service centers comparable to that of small and medium-sized school district personnel. All of these services are reviewed annually in a multi-phased review of the Education Service Centers and the quality and effectiveness of their services as reflected in an analysis of both student achievement and client satisfaction measures.
In recent years, the service centers have taken the lead in preparing content area teachers to meet the ever increasing demands of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and to prepare educators for the transition to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Additionally, the service centers have been sharply focused on assisting the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in promoting the financial health and viability of Texas school districts during rapidly changing and more complicated financial times. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has raised the level of accountability Texas educators must meet. Service Centers play an active role in helping school districts and charters understand the compliance requirements and develop strategies to successfully implement all facets of the accountability system (see Appendixes A and B).
Section 8.002 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) defines the Education Service Center’s purpose as:
Assist school districts in improving student performance in each region of the system;
Enable school districts to operate more efficiently and economically; and
Implement initiatives assigned by the Texas Legislature or the Commissioner of Education.
Education Service Centers address this critical mandate by providing Texas educators with solutions that improve student performance. Service Centers work closely with school district and charter school administrators, analyze district and school data, provide quality training to teachers, administrators, business office personnel and school boards. Service Centers also provide countless hours of technical assistance to educators and other education related stakeholders. ESC staff has a thorough understanding of the student population that it serves in each region and customizes programs and services to meet those unique regional needs.
Education Service Centers have made a significant contribution in public education. Many programs and services support more than one of the legislative objectives. The following chart provides a profile of the major programs and initiatives implemented by service centers in response to legislative mandates, priorities of the Commissioner of Education, and customer needs.
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Major ESC Programs and Services
Improve Student
Achievement
School District
Efficiency
Statewide Initiatives
Accountability: TEKS/TAKS Support AEIS/PEIMS Support
Professional Development/Training/Technical Assist: Teachers Administrators Instructional Aides Support Staff Board Members Parents
Curriculum & Instructional Program Support Advanced Academics (G/T) Bilingual Education Career & Technology Education (CATE) General Education Federal Programs Special Education
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Support: Achievement of “Adequate Yearly Progress” Highly qualified teachers & instructional aides Other NCLB Compliance
Direct Services to Students: Early Childhood Intervention Head Start Adult Education Special Programs Distance Learning Student Support Services Assessment
Personnel Services: Recruitment Placement Assessment Certification Mentoring Retention
Consolidation of Functions: Shared Services Arrangements Consortia/Cooperatives
Technology: Telecommunications services (Internet, email,
filtering, E-Rate, technology plans, TETN, video conferencing)
Integration of instructional technology in the classroom
Management Information Systems developed and supported by service center
PEIMS technical training & support services
Program Administration Child Nutrition Program Student Health Services Financial Accountability Bus Driver Training
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INTRODUCTION
The role of Education Service Centers (ESCs) in Texas has changed significantly from its inception in 1965. Originally, service centers provided educational 16 mm films to school districts. Today, service centers play an integral part in the Texas education system by providing educators technical assistance and professional development using proven strategies to directly impact success in classrooms statewide. In addition to providing training, service centers assist school districts and charter schools throughout the state in operating more efficiently. ESC staff understand that learning is powerful and strive to ensure that Texas students are learning, one student at a time.
ESC efforts have helped to improve Texas’ school districts and charter schools. In recent years, the service centers have taken the lead in preparing content area teachers to meet the ever increasing demands of Texas Assessment of Academics Skills and now the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Additionally, the service centers have been sharply focused on assisting the Texas Education Agency in promoting the financial health and viability of Texas school districts during rapidly changing and more complicated financial times.
Regional Education Service Centers are intermediate educational units that provide training, technical assistance, administrative support and an array of other services as determined by the legislature, the Commissioner of Education and the needs of local school districts and charter schools. Most often associated with assistance to small and medium-sized school districts, the service centers have a long history of providing assistance to all districts, including metropolitan and large suburban districts. The commissioner’s annual evaluation of client satisfaction indicates that superintendents, principals and teachers in large suburban and metropolitan school districts rate the work of the service centers as high as small and medium-sized school district
Service Centers are an important partner with TEA in serving Texas LEAs. Service Centers are key partners in supporting the delivery of most major state educational initiatives and technical assistance for schools and provide a full range of core and expanded services to LEAs such as accountability, professional development for classroom teachers and administrative leaders, instructional strategies in all areas of the statewide curriculum, and support to struggling campuses and districts (see Appendixes A and B).
Service Centers also assist LEAs in operating more efficiently and economically through various instructional and non-instructional cooperative and shared services arrangements, regional and multi-regional purchasing cooperatives and other cost-saving practices that have a positive impact on Texas schools. Service Centers also provide many administrative services to LEAs.
Some service centers include LEAs in counties that have been identified as border regions in the Texas Government Code (TGC)§ 2056.002(e)(2) and (3), specifically, the Texas-Louisiana and the Texas-Mexico border regions. Because many LEAs in those regions are likely to serve students who have relocated from Mexico or Louisiana, these service centers provide specialized training in Homeless and Migrant Education Training; professional development on strategies to meet the needs of English language learner (ELL) students, including the use of technological resources that are focused on language skills; health services; and testing program assistance to help ensure accurate assessment of newly enrolled students.
Source: Texas Education Agency Strategic Plan; Fiscal Years 2011-2015
8 Adopted 2/14/2011
personnel. All of these services are reviewed annually in a multi-phased review of the Education Service Centers and the quality and effectiveness of their services as reflected in an analysis of both student achievement and client satisfaction measures.
Section 8.002 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) defines Education Service Center mandates as follows:
Assist school districts in improving student performance in each region of the system;
Enable school districts to operate more efficiently and economically; and
Implement initiatives assigned by the Texas Legislature or the Commissioner of Education.
However, the statute does not provide the ESC system with effective strategies to attain its purpose. Therefore, it became incumbent on the system to develop a strategic plan to provide the road map for each center, both individually and collectively, to meet the statutory directives and to attempt to do so with decreasing state appropriations.
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ESC History Timeline
1965 -
Title III of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) Act passed by Congress provided limited funding for instruction-related training and services for teachers. The Texas Legislature established twenty media centers to provide Title III funded services.
1967 -
Existing media centers were incorporated into ESEA. Title III-funded Education Service Centers’ Legislative appropriation of $1 per average daily attendance (ADA) provided funding for media centers and required participating districts to provide matching funds. The role and scope of centers expanded. Centers were directed to assist with the coordination of educational planning.
1969 - The statewide computer services system was established in centers with $1 per ADA funding.
1971 - Centers received initial basic state support for regional services to schools, regional coordination in planning and for center administrative costs.
1977 - Management and Services Audits of service centers began.
1984 -
House Bill 72 expanded centers working relationship with the Texas Education Agency in two areas: raising the quality of school programs and bringing uniformity and continuity to school district operations. Centers assumed new role in the area of decentralizing services. Service Centers took on technical assistance functions in the implementation of the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Centers took the lead in the training of local school boards.
1986 - The State Board of Education adopted the State Plan for Regional Education Service Centers, which defined the roles of the centers and their relationship to TEA. Essential functions of the centers were defined.
1988 - The State Plan for Regional Education Service Centers was reviewed and updated.
1989 - The Commissioner was authorized to enter into performance contracts with service centers for technical assistance and other services related to accreditation, training and curriculum as well as the implementation of PEIMS.
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1990 - The Price Waterhouse study of TEA recommended assigning “operational technical assistance” to the service centers.
1992 -
The State Board of Education rules were revised providing greater authority to the commissioner in three areas of center operations: 1) selection of center operations, 2) center budget approval, and 3) annual performance evaluation of the executive director for continued
employment. Following a legislative mandate, TEA began decentralization of functions to service centers including certification officers (10 FTEs) and child nutrition program specialists (30 FTEs). Agency also establishes Field Service Agents and Partnership Schools Initiative program and transfers 70 FTEs to service centers.
1995 -
Section 8 of Senate Bill 1 restructured service centers, identifying core services and a market-driven structure. Rider 44 to Article III of the General Appropriations Act of 1995 directed decentralization of several TEA functions. ESC’s role was expanded to provide technical assistance to school districts in accreditation monitoring.
1996 - The Commissioner conducts ESC 2000 study in preparation of sunset review of service centers by the 75th Texas Legislature.
1997 -
The 75th Texas Legislature reauthorized the service centers and adopted a revised Section 8 clarifying the centers’ role and function in improving student performance. Subchapter C clearly affirms the role of the commissioner in establishing a process of evaluation and accountability for the service centers. Section 8.102 directed the commissioner to develop a uniform system of reporting for the service centers, including information on client satisfaction. Section 8.103 provided for an annual evaluation of each ESC executive director and section 8.104 provides the commissioner with the power to sanction failing Education Service Centers. Additionally, Chapter 8 required the provision of Core Services to school districts within each region.
1998 - The Commissioner entered into a contract with the Texas Center for Educational Research to develop a third-party client satisfaction survey. The survey was piloted in October-November 1998 and fully implemented in the spring of 2000.
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1999 -
The 76th Texas Legislature authorized the Student Success Initiative, better known as the Texas Reading Initiative, requiring intensive reading training for all kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers scheduled for the summers of 1999, 2000, and 2001. The service centers functioned as the primary administrators and providers of this training.
2001-
The 77th Texas Legislature expanded the Texas Reading Initiative to the third and fourth grades and authorized the implementation of intensive training for math teachers beginning with grades five through eight. The service centers served as the primary administrators and providers of this training.
2003 - The 78th Texas Legislature reduced funding to service centers and ordered the Texas School Review team to conduct a performance audit and Sunset Review of all 20 centers.
2006 - The 79th Texas Legislature eliminated the separate Sunset Provision for service centers and made service centers a part of the TEA Sunset process and sets the next review for 2012.
2007 -
The 80th Texas Legislature approved twelve End of Course assessments to replace the TAKS test.
2008 - TETN was expanded to LEARN Network tying higher education to EE-12.
2009 -
Service Centers received ARRA funds for Title 1 technical support. State TEKS professional development dollars came to service centers to provide professional development in the core subject areas. The 81st Texas Legislature approved the phase out of the TAKS test and approved a more rigorous assessment system (STAAR). Also, House Bill 3 was approved by the Legislature, giving service centers the opportunity to assist districts in its implementation. 4x4 requirements for graduation were implemented in the four core academic areas.
12 Adopted 2/14/2011
Student Demographics
The system of Education Service Centers is composed of 20 Education Service Centers regionally situated throughout the state currently serving more than 4.8 million students and over 659,820 administrative and campus staff. Each regional ESC understands the unique needs of the students living in its region. Texas is a state composed of a variety of ethnic and economic groups, which create a uniquely diverse student population. Students living along the Texas/Mexico border have different needs than students living in East, Central or West Texas. Consequently, it is critical that service centers are geographically positioned to deal with the diversity within the state. ESC personnel recognize the many challenges facing Texas students and work in partnership with educators statewide to maximize the limited financial resources to provide the opportunity for all Texas school children to receive a quality education.
The following exhibit summarizes enrollment by region, as well as provides the number of school districts and charter schools served.
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Regional Enrollment and the Number of Districts and Charters 2009-10
Student Number of Number of
Region Enrollment Districts Charters
ESC 1 Edinburg 398,808 38 8
ESC 2 Corpus Christi
103,842
42
8
ESC 3 Victoria
52,378
40
1
ESC 4 Houston
1,070,020
54
51
ESC 5 Beaumont
80,115
31
5
ESC 6 Huntsville
168,080
57
4
ESC 7 Kilgore
166,393
96
6
ESC 8 Mt. Pleasant
56,760
47
0
ESC 9 Wichita Falls
38,691
38
1
ESC 10 Richardson
734,415
80
39
ESC 11 Fort Worth
529,413
77
19
ESC 12 Waco
152,019
78
7
ESC 13 Austin
365,388
58
18
ESC 14 Abilene
49,649
42
1
ESC 15 San Angelo
47,112
43
1
ESC 16 Amarillo
82,443
63
1
ESC 17 Lubbock
79,810
58
3
ESC 18 Midland
76,431
33
2
ESC 19 El Paso
178,184
12
8
ESC 20 San Antonio
394,827
50
31
State 4,824,778 1036 221
Source: Academic Excellence Indicator System, (AEIS), 2009-10 and TEA AskTed.
14 Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC Staffing Although organizational variances exist from center to center, the overall ESC organizational structure is consistent throughout the state. An executive director, reporting directly to the Commissioner of Education and to a local board of directors, oversees the daily management of each center. Under the executive director’s supervision, centers are organized into functional units providing products and services that best meet the needs of the districts in each region. Most ESC staff focuses on program delivery to the school districts and charter schools within the ESC’s regional boundaries. Each ESC has a chief financial officer or business manager who is responsible for ensuring each center maximizes financial resources and adheres to budgetary constraints.
In September 2010, according to Texas Education Agency (TEA) reports, there were a total of 4,845 full-time employees working at Education Service Centers throughout the state, including Head Start staff. Of that number, 2,491 were professional and 2,354 were support staff.
ESC Programs Education Service Centers develop training opportunities for educators based on the unique needs of students within each region. Each year, centers survey their customers/clients to determine the programs and services needed in the upcoming school year. ESC staff closely reviews state and regional student performance data to identify areas that need special attention. For example, low math and science scores have been identified as a problem area throughout the state. Therefore, the ESCs are focusing on developing better math and science skills through workshops and technical assistance that deal specifically with providing teachers proven strategies to improve skills.
Federal programs comprise a significant part of service center programs. For instance, federal special education funds are appropriated through TEA to service centers to assist districts and charters with the special needs of students identified under IDEA. Special education staff at service centers helps prepare districts and charters for federal audits, such as PBMAS, by facilitating self-assessments. During these self-assessments, ESC staff might review records and identify areas that can be corrected prior to the federal auditors’ actual visit. Many of the special education staff at service centers have experience providing direct support and assistance to special needs students, such as deaf or visually impaired students. All service centers build capacity at the district level by providing technical assistance and training. Additionally, ESC special education staff meets regularly with special education directors from the districts and charters to discuss current changes in special education law and situational problems encountered on campuses. Both special education and general education ESC staff collaborate to help mainstream special education students to succeed with general classroom populations.
Education Service Centers also act as the fiscal agent for many of the federal Title programs, such as Bilingual/English as a Second Language and Migrant Education.
The State of Texas requires every school district and charter school to submit student information, including classroom link data, financial information and staffing information several times a year through the state’s reporting system, the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Reporting requirements are constantly changing and are often difficult to understand. PEIMS staff at each ESC is charged with making this process less difficult. They provide workshops and on-going technical assistance to ensure district and charter school staff are up to date on PEIMS Data Standards definitions and PEIMS reporting requirements. PEIMS data drives school funding and as school district fiscal conditions become increasingly strained, it is more critical that information be reported
15 Adopted 2/14/2011
accurately. Service Centers are involved in educating campus staff of the financial impact of errors in their PEIMS reporting. As an increasing number of campus personnel begin to understand the financial impact reporting errors can have, data quality has improved substantially and funding has been directed where it is truly needed. The activities conducted by service centers in these areas must continue if data quality and reporting is to continue to improve.
Service Centers are able to bring in world-class instructors to conduct workshops for school districts and charters that cannot afford to bring them to their own campuses. By providing workshops at the centers, small districts can be exposed to state-of-the-art teaching strategies for a fraction of the expense it would have otherwise cost these districts to bring in professionals of the same caliber.
FAST RATING Financial Allocation Study for Texas 2010 RECOMMENDATION FOR IMPROVING YOUR DISTRICT OR CAMPUS FAST RATING 4 Work with your Regional Education Service Center (ESC) and the Comptroller’s office to identify ways your school or district can maximize efficiencies, such as buying in bulk. Texas’ 20 Regional Service Center play an integral role in providing essential services to school districts.
ESC Management Initiatives
The System of Education Service Centers is committed to the delivery of quality services and products. In 2003, service centers chose to meet the quality standards as prescribed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 9001:2000). Without exception, the system continues to pursue the “Quality Journey.” Service Centers have either chosen to conform to the quality principles through the use of an external certification body or through internal monitoring processes. The quality management system in place in each of the service centers is designed to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting and exceeding customer needs while complying with applicable regulatory requirements. Goal One: Assist the educational community in achieving educational excellence for all students. The ultimate goal of the ESC system is tied to achieving educational excellence across the state. Service Centers have always been committed to promoting educational excellence. Continuing to meet this goal is essential to achieving the ESC mission. Assisting educators in achieving excellence is integral to the existence of Education Service Centers. In partnership with TEA, state legislators and educators, service centers are committed to raising the educational standard, thus reducing the number of Academically Unacceptable districts, charters and campuses.
One measure used to evaluate the effectiveness of the public education system is the state’s high school completion rate. Since implementation of the national dropout definition in 2005-2006, students have been required to return to school during the period of time between the first day of school and the last Friday in September (the “school start window”) so as not to be considered leavers from the prior year. The national dropout definition was fully incorporated in the completion rate for the class of 2009. This new definition has prompted educators to take steps to ensure all students are successful.
FAST RATING Financial Allocation Study for Texas 2010
RECOMMENDATION FOR IMPROVING YOUR DISTRICT OR CAMPUS FAST RATING
4 Work with your Regional Education Service Center (ESC) and the Comptroller’s office to identify ways your school or district can maximize efficiencies, such as buying in bulk. Texas’ 20 Regional Service Centers play an integral role in providing essential services to school districts. Source: Financial Allocation Study for Texas 2010; Susan Combs, Comptroller
4
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The 76th Legislative session passed the Student Success Initiative ending social promotion. Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, 3rd grade students were required to pass the reading section of the TAKS tests in order to be promoted to the next grade level, in the 2004-05 school year, 5th grade students were required to pass the reading and math sections of the TAKS in order to be promoted to the next grade level, and in the 2007-08 school year, 8th grade students were required to pass the reading and math sections of the TAKS in order to be promoted to the next grade level. The 81st Legislative session repealed the third grade requirement that they must pass the reading portion of the TAKS tests to be promoted, but added the more rigorous State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing program to be implemented beginning in the spring of 2012. This more rigorous testing program demonstrates Texas’ commitment to raise the academic standard and expectations for students.
The strategic objectives focus on steps necessary to promote educational excellence. The Academic Excellence Information System (AEIS) compares district and charter school performance data to regional and state averages. The state accountability system establishes state standards for student test performance, graduation and dropout rates. Closing the gaps between minority and non-minority passing rates and the percentage of students taking college entrance exams and meeting or exceeding criterion on those exams continues to be a focus. Objective 1.1 deals directly with assisting districts and campuses to meet or exceed the state standards as set out in AEIS. The national No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, addressed in Objective 1.2, has added another layer to school accountability that service centers must help schools understand and must assist them in meeting or exceeding these more rigorous standards. Additionally, the state has implemented new financial accountability standards for public schools, and service centers are instrumental in assisting districts and charters with these standards as stated in Objective 1.3. Service Centers, by recruiting and retaining qualified staff, have the expertise to positively impact raising the educational standards and helping educators provide a high quality education to every student.
Objective 1.1: Assist in increasing the number of districts/campuses/charters in meeting or exceeding state standards for student performance (see Appendix B). Texas state statute requires districts and charter schools be rated annually and awarded an accountability rating of Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable, or Academically Unacceptable. These ratings along with student performance information are published in the AEIS report each year.
TEA’s accountability plan procedures have changed due to the transition from the current accountability rating system that uses the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), to the new accountability system that uses the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Beginning in 2012, the accountability rating system for Texas public schools and school districts will be based on new, more rigorous testing requirements. The accountability rating system for Texas public schools and school districts is comprised of two sets of procedures – standard and alternative education. Standard procedures result in ratings assigned to standard campuses (including non-registered alternative education), while alternative education accountability (AEA) procedures result in ratings assigned to registered alternative education campuses (AECs).
To determine ratings under the standard accountability procedures, the accountability rating system for Texas public schools and districts use four base indicators:
Objective 1.1: Assist in increasing the number of districts/campuses/charters in meeting or exceeding state standards for student performance.
Objective 1.2: Assist in increasing the annual number of districts/campuses/charters in meeting or exceeding NCLB standards for student performance.
Objective 1.3: Assist districts/charters in meeting/exceeding the state financial accountability rating of standard achievement.
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Performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS),
Performance on the TAKS Alternative, TAKS Accommodated and TAKS Modified,
Completion Rate, and
Annual Dropout Rate for grades 7 and 8.
Districts and campuses can achieve a rating by meeting the absolute standards for the different indicators, or under certain conditions, by meeting Required Improvement (RI) and/or by using the Exceptions Provision, or by virtue of the Texas Performance Measure (TPM).
To determine ratings, the alternative education accountability (AEA) procedures
Performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS),
use four base indicators:
Performance on the TAKS Alternative, TAKS Accommodated and TAKS Modified,
Completion Rate, and
Annual Dropout Rate for grades 7 through 12.
Alternative education campuses (AECs) can achieve a rating by meeting the absolute standards for the different indicators. However, under certain conditions, AECs can achieve a rating by meeting Required Improvement (RI), Texas Projection Measure (TPM), and/or by using the accountability data for at-risk students in the district.
The 79th Legislature’s Third Called Special Session established accreditation levels for districts of accredited, accredited-warned, accredited-probation, and accredited-revoked and required the accreditation status to be determined based upon the academic accountability system as well as the financial accountability rating system.
This objective will require center staff to continue conducting comprehensive data analysis of districts, campuses and charters to identify those that are not meeting or exceeding state standards. Service Centers have developed a system wide Technical Assistance Plan to assist districts, charters and campuses that have been identified as Academically Unacceptable (see Appendix B). In addition to reviewing and analyzing test scores, service centers will also look at closing the achievement gap, graduation rates, ACT or SAT tests, and high school completion rates.
Objective 1.2: Assist in increasing the annual number of districts/campuses/charters in meeting or exceeding NCLB standards for student performance (see Appendix B). In addition to AEIS state standards, Texas districts, campuses and charters are accountable for meeting national standards from the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The act requires each state develop and implement a plan that is effective in ensuring that all local education agencies, public elementary and secondary schools make adequate yearly progress as defined under this act. States must describe how they will close the achievement gap and ensure all students, including disadvantaged students, achieve academic proficiency. Under the act, states must produce annual state and school district report cards that inform parents and the communities about their progress. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Indicators include:
• Reading/Language Arts performance and participation
• Mathematics performance and participation
• Graduation Rate
• Attendance Rate
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Title I districts, campuses, charter schools, and alternative education campuses are subject to implement after not meeting AYP for two or more consecutive years:
Districts:
Stage 1: Revise District Improvement Plan
Stage 2: Implement revised District Improvement Plan
Stage 3: District Corrective Action
Campuses:
Stage 1:
• Revise Campus Improvement Plan (CIP)
• Technical Assistance provided as campus develops and implements CIP
• Parent Notification Requirement
• School Choice/Transportation
Stage 2: Supplemental Educational Services
Stage 3: Corrective Action
Stage 4: Restructuring
Stage 5: Alternative Governance
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2010 Preliminary AYP Status Texas School Districts and Charters Results
Source: TEA, Website address. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/2010/index.html
Implementing this objective will require center staff to continue conducting comprehensive data analysis of districts, campuses and charters in order to develop and implement strategies to increase the number of schools that meet or exceed the NCLB standards. This will include providing technical assistance to schools in need of improvement (see Appendix B). In addition to reviewing and analyzing test scores, service centers will also review graduation and attendance rates.
Objective 1.3: Assist districts and charters in meeting and/or exceeding the state financial accountability rating standard of achievement. The 77th Legislature directed the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Texas State Comptroller’s office to “…develop and implement a financial accountability rating system for school districts in the state.” In response to this directive, TEA developed the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST), which was fully implemented in 2003-04 using school districts’ 2002-03 financial data. TEA developed a template that schools can use to project their rating before the official rating is released by TEA. The rating worksheet, along with accompanying calculation instructions, was adopted in 19 TAC §109.1002 to be effective October 20, 2002, and later amended to be effective May 7, 2003. Schools receive ratings from “substandard achievement” to “superior achievement.” The 79th Legislature’s Third Called Special Session established accreditation levels for districts of accredited, accredited-warned, accredited-probation, and accredited-revoked and required the accreditation status be determined based upon the academic accountability system as well as the financial accountability rating system.
Beginning with fiscal year 2008-2009, the financial accountability rating of a school district is based on its overall performance on certain financial measurements, ratios, and other indicators established by the Commissioner of Education in the financial accountability form entitled “School FIRST – Rating Worksheet, March 2010.”
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Implementing this objective will require service center staff to provide access to data related to financial accountability standards to districts on a timely basis and provide training and technical assistance to district personnel and school boards.
Goal Two: Improve capacity to serve as a system to maximize efficiency. Education Service Centers can serve school districts and charters more effectively and efficiently by operating as a system. Service Centers shall be evaluated as a system by the Commissioner of Education to determine effective and efficient delivery of services to school districts and charters.
Education Service Centers are a vital link in the educational process providing a direct, immediate contact with all school districts within their respective regions. Service Centers within this role identify and are responsive to the needs of the local public schools and charters. Each ESC customizes services to best meet the needs of the districts and charters within their region.
Education Service Centers continue to explore opportunities to maximize efficiency through collaborative efforts. Such collaboratives include, but are not limited to, other Education Service Centers, Institutions of Higher Education, private sector, public sector, the Texas Education Agency, and other state agencies.
Strategic objectives are established to ensure that Education Service Centers maximize efficiency by operating as a system:
Objective 2.1: Maintain a quality system for ESC operations to maximize public school efficiencies.
Education Service Centers shall routinely conduct needs assessments. Such needs assessments shall include third-party evaluations, regional evaluations, and analysis of key performance indicators, advisory groups, and results from federal and state accountability standards. Based on the results of the needs assessments, Education Service Centers will design quality programs, products, and services to maximize efficiencies for districts and charter schools. Service Centers shall be committed to providing quality services to school districts and charter schools at a reasonable cost.
Objective 2.2: Provide awareness and assistance in implementation of practices.
House Bill 1 mandated that public education best practices be identified and disseminated on a statewide basis. The Education Service Centers assisted in the development of a process to identify and disseminate successful educational practices while incorporating best practices into trainings.
Objective 2.3: Maximize technology and other resources to improve and enhance customer service.
Technology is an essential tool within the educational community. Education Service Centers work to leverage technology more effectively to facilitate delivery of training and in assisting the educational
Objective 2.1: Maintain a quality system for ESC operations to maximize public school/charter efficiencies.
Objective 2.2: Provide awareness and assistance in implementation of best practices.
Objective 2.3: Maximize technology and other resources to improve and enhance customer service.
Objective 2.4: Recruit, develop and retain qualified staff across service centers in order to meet customer needs.
21 Adopted 2/14/2011
community in finding new ways to integrate technology into instruction and operations. The system is committed to expanding its technology infrastructure to provide more on-line and distance learning opportunities for Texas students. This allows students access to coursework that is unavailable on-site and broadens the educational experience. Implementation requires staff to remain abreast of all new instructional applications that benefit ESC customers.
Objective 2.4: Recruit, develop and retain qualified staff across service centers in order to meet customer needs.
The success of the ESC system is dependent on the quality of staff. Service Centers employ some of the most gifted and dedicated educators in the state. Recruiting and retaining the highest level of professionals and support staff is instrumental to our continued ability to provide high quality programs and services.
In order to continue to provide high quality training and technical assistance, ESC personnel must maintain their own ongoing professional development to remain experts in their fields and to continue to provide high quality training and technical assistance. This requires researching the latest training concepts and teaching strategies as well as remaining abreast of any legislative changes. By pooling resources, service centers are able to jointly develop services that are responsive to the dynamic needs of their customers.
Implementing this objective requires ESCs to develop core competencies that any new employee must have to be hired. Job descriptions are closely reviewed to ensure the skills necessary to successfully fulfill the duties of every position have been identified. Just as school districts and charter schools are striving to meet the “highly qualified” standards set out in NCLB, service centers must identify procedures to evaluate staff to ensure they also meet the standard of “highly qualified.” ESCs formally define “highly qualified” in terms of skills that are necessary in order to meet the needs of a unique and growing customer base.
22 Adopted 2/14/2011
Goal Three: Secure and allocate financial resources in order to provide quality services to our customers.
The strategic objectives focus on steps needed to ensure that financial resources are available to provide quality services to customers. Service Centers develop costing methodologies that ensure adequate cost recovery. In addition, service centers continue to identify new funding sources and make a concerted effort to leverage potential revenue sources that might exist through grants, partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
Objective 3.1: Establish regional costing methodology that accurately reflects cost recovery and considers dedicated revenues.
Pricing services is difficult given the mix of revenue sources. Service Centers are restricted statutorily in how federal and state funds can be used. Service Centers are non-profit agencies interested in cost recovery, giving service centers a competitive advantage. Frequently, Education Service Centers must price services below cost to meet district needs related to geographic location and size. Due to the “multi-service bundling” approach that most centers employ to increase efficiency through internal resource sharing, it becomes difficult to compare the various product and service bundles between service centers or outside vendors. Therefore, it is essential to identify and account for the actual costs of products and services to identify and demonstrate efficiency.
The purpose of this objective establishes regional pricing criteria that will allow each ESC to determine the actual cost of programs.
Establishing a pricing methodology within each center enables centers to:
Quantify the actual cost of providing services;
Identify fixed and variable costs associated with each program;
Simplify revenue reporting based on the time and effort percentage allocated to each funding source; and
Recover operating costs to ensure financial stability.
Objective 3.2: Develop partnerships with other service centers and with external entities to expand and enhance product and service offerings. In order to optimize collaborative efforts, service centers must maximize opportunities to develop system-wide programs and services. This provides customers with additional choices and allows each service center to focus more directly on its unique strengths. For example, ESCs developed bilingual curriculum that helped establish the state standard. By sharing bilingual curriculum, Hispanic students can have access to the same high quality teaching materials regardless of where they live. Each center has unique expertise that benefits educators all over the state.
New programs are often developed by service centers based on needs identified by customers, results of student performance data or in response to changes in education law. Many of these same needs exist throughout the state. Joint development creates economies of scale and allows service centers to meet widespread needs using fewer resources.
Objective 3.1: Establish regional costing methodology that accurately reflects cost recovery and considers dedicated revenues.
Objective 3.2: Develop partnerships with other service centers and with external entities to expand and enhance product and service offerings.
Objective 3.3: Leverage external funding sources to enhance the system’s ability to provide quality programs and services.
23 Adopted 2/14/2011
This objective is intended to concentrate efforts on identifying opportunities to develop collaborative partnerships and services, maximize limited resources, communicate individual strengths to other service centers, share existing services and improve the way service centers market to customers.
Objective 3.3: Leverage external funding sources to enhance the ability of ESCs to provide quality programs and services. School districts have limited funds to spend on professional development. Service Centers must be diligent and responsible to use the limited dollars effectively while continually investigating external funding opportunities. Additional funding sources may become available; however, it is a time consuming process to research and apply for these often restricted use funds. Service Centers will continue to seek available sources of funding in order to ensure adequate financial resources are available.
Implementing this objective will help ensure service centers maintain financial solvency while continuing to provide customers with quality programs and services.
Goal Four: Enhance and sustain customer/stakeholder relationships with Education Service Centers.
The success of Education Service Centers is directly tied to the success of traditional customers: central administrators, campus administrators, program directors and teachers. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is considered both a customer and stakeholder. A critical role of service centers is the successful implementation of TEA assigned initiatives such as providing training in dyslexia related disorders. One of the primary strengths of service centers is the relationship established with customers and stakeholders. Service Centers continually strive to find ways to build and enhance these relationships.
The strategic objectives focus on building, sustaining and strengthening customer relationships. Service Centers are expected to become more accountable to stakeholders; evidence of value-added services based on customer needs must be provided.
Objective 4.1: Develop and implement strategies to demon-strate ESC value in terms of cost-effective, high quality programs and services to customers.
The primary marketing tools include websites, course catalogs, and face-to-face meetings with stakeholders. To ensure long-term sustainability, the traditional and non-traditional customer base will be expanded. The success of the objective will be measured quantitatively by an increase in participation in ESC programs.
Objective: 4.2: Enhance customer service focus among all service centers.
Education Service Centers will provide customer service training to all staff members. The annual Third Party Statewide Survey will continue to be utilized to evaluate customer satisfaction.
Objective 4.1: Develop and implement strategies to demonstrate ESC value in terms of cost-effective, high quality programs and services to customers.
Objective 4.2: Enhance customer service focus among all service centers.
24 Adopted 2/14/2011
Texas Education Telecommunications Network (TETN) Since its inception in 1996, the Texas Education Telecommunications Network (TETN) has provided video, voice and data services among the 20 Education Service Centers and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). These members formed the TETN cooperative to accomplish three main goals; 1) save out-of-pocket expenses by reducing travel required to attend meetings in Austin, 2) enhance productivity to Service Center staff, district personnel, administrators, teachers and students, and 3) create “added value” to network users.
TETN Plus Network Business Plan (Adopted June 2010)
The purpose of the Texas Education Telecommunications Network (TETN) is to provide a statewide intranet with significant, expandable bandwidth. Such a network allows the Education Service Centers and TEA to continue as the source of the only statewide network in existence for educational purposes. With the advance of technology-related services and delivery models, the availability of affordable bandwidth along with the level of support provided by ESCs across the state, TETN will become a vital resource for schools as they seek to minimize their reliance on commercial internet.
TETN began as a network of T1 lines connecting all 20 Service Centers and TEA. Dubbed the ’21 Points of Light’ it represented the vision of ESC leadership to provide a more efficient, effective manner in which to conduct statewide business among the members. The system was developed in a cost-share model in which all members shared equally, thereby assuring the inclusion of all ESCs across the state without undue burden. The annual cost savings on travel alone is in the millions of dollars. The system is currently highly utilized for video conferencing, statewide activities for students, and distance learning.
TETN is in position to serve the PK-12 community as a conduit for high quality intranet traffic including distance learning, virtual field trips, virtual participation in educational activities at a global level, professional development, virtual schooling, and a myriad of applications utilizing the broadband infrastructure. Additionally, TETN is in position to support enterprising activities to the PK-12 community.
TETN is further in position to expand the opportunity to create a self-sufficient system to accommodate next generation technology infrastructure and services. The rapid development of applications which TETN could support present the opportunity to evolve into a self-sufficient enterprise which could generate revenue to be shared on the same basis as the cost share for all members, including a percentage for ESC’s of destination. Additionally, TETN will have the opportunity to align to the National Broadband Plan for Education and the TEA Long-Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 with the support of online learning, digital content, data access and transparency, and broadband infrastructure. Finally, TETN will be able to expand on the opportunity to collaborate with the Internet21
The TETN objectives include the connection of TEA and all ESCs with minimum 300 mbps bandwidth on a total cost-share basis and additional bandwidth for members on a fee basis. Also, TETN will provide members wholesale internet access and seek to become E-rate eligible as a system, thus advancing in quest of self-sustainability. Further, the objectives will include the maintenance of policies which promote equal access for members as well as system wide services, such as internet access and VOIP, which leverage economy-of-scale pricing. In order to maintain fairness among the members, service centers must notify the TETN Office prior to offering for-profit services over the network.
K20 community to explore and leverage Internet2 resources on behalf of the ESC regional networks and their school districts.
1 Internet2 is a national, leading-edge network among the research and education community including K12 schools, libraries, advanced science centers, and cultural centers.
25 Adopted 2/14/2011
TETN will also develop unique content to promote educational opportunity for every student in Texas without creating competition between TETN and its members. TETN will provide innovative learning experiences and access to new technologies to enrich content offerings by the ESCs. Finally, TETN will provide the opportunity for members to have access to services including disaster recovery, backhauling, software hosting, communications services, etc.
TETN Plus Background and Services
After researching the market place in 2007, TETN joined the Lone Star Education and Research Network (LEARN) as the K12 member to receive the lowest-cost pricing for a gigabit backbone. TETN core routers have been deployed among the cities of Dallas, Houston, and Austin, and network switches were installed in San Antonio and Tyler to expand the TETN footprint. Peering with Texas higher education was implemented and shared Internet2 service of 50 mbps was established.
As of fall 2010, twelve service centers have joined the Plus network and are connected with a minimum of 300 Mb. TETN provides wholesale internet access to the service centers as an optional service. Currently TETN has two gigabit of internet being shared by ten service centers. Since the initiation of internet service in 2008, TETN has dropped the cost to service centers each year by leveraging economy-of-scale pricing.
TETN Plus Content and Distance Learning
An integral component of TETN Plus is the addition of an educational specialist in the TETN Office. This person is responsible for developing unique content for broadband. In addition to working with the Internet2 K20 community to identify multi-state/multi-country student projects, the specialist is focused on supporting ESC-developed content. Examples of Internet2 activities include programs hosted by Georgia Tech University and University of Illinois. These programs require broadband connectivity so that remote instruments such as a scanning electron microscope can be manipulated by students. The content specialist provides a single point-of-contact for multi-regional activities and supports the ESC distance learning efforts.
Interactive Video Conferencing Services
Prior to and concurrent with the national and statewide growth in online learning, distance learning through interactive videoconferencing (IVC) has provided Texas students, teachers, and districts with increased opportunities for learning and professional growth and experience. IVC continues to be a valuable distance learning option for Texas students, educators, districts, and communities. Through the TETN network, the service centers provide IVC across the state and within their region to meet the needs of students and districts. IVC is used to provide courses including dual credit and graduate courses, professional development, certification programs, and student programs.
The ESC networks provide IVC connectivity to 900 school districts as well as higher education and cultural institutions in their regions. These “other” entities provide content to students and teachers in the ESC region and also use TETN to reach students in other regions. School districts have taken advantage of the TETN backbone service by participating in student collaborative projects, statewide meetings, and sharing classes.
With the migration to the new TETN Plus network, K12 classes and student programs that involve two sites between TETN Plus members no longer are bridged by the TETN Office. With unlimited bandwidth, Service Centers place video calls and schedule classes with one less coordination point thereby saving TETN resources for other multi-regional classes and events.
26 Adopted 2/14/2011
Between September 2008 and May 2010, 1,134 statewide conferences and professional development sessions were held on TETN that resulted in savings of $5.6 million in travel and productivity expenses. School districts participated in almost half of those conferences to receive first-hand information and answers to questions.2
During this same time period, 3,673 K12 classes, field trips and collaborations between school districts were conducted over TETN.
One of the current trends is to adopt HD video conferencing. IVC classroom equipment is becoming more affordable and offering HD capability. The service centers are making investments in HD MCUs (multi-point control units) to support multi-point HD calls. The TETN Office procured an HD MCU that can support up to six HD sites. A near-future technology that TETN will need to support is IVC to the desktop and hand-held devices. Some service centers have already deployed a solution, but overall the adoption rate will not increase until the technology becomes non-proprietary and less expensive.
Goals, Objectives and Strategies
Goal: To Advance Statewide Initiatives
Objective: To support state initiatives of the Commissioner and Legislature. As a result of regional planning, create a collaborative effort to support identified statewide initiatives through programs and other activities including partnerships with universities, community groups, businesses and/or other entities.
Strategy I. Provide and support an efficient statewide, education network.
Activity: Build out the backbone in Lubbock to provide a TETN presence in West Texas.
Activity: Investigate ways to reach a total cost-share model for TETN Plus.
Activity: Continue to provide shared services that offer economy-of-scale pricing for the service center
Strategy II. Support resources and services to ensure successful and effective uses of technology.
Activity: Research and adopt new solutions that support interactive video conferencing on individual devices.
Activity: Build sustaining relationships with the Internet2 national community and their international counterparts to promote global learning.
2 School districts are not counted in the cost-saving formula.
Appendix A: Statewide Initiatives
Adopted 2/14/2011
Statewide Initiatives
In addition to the regional and statewide services provided, the System of 20 Regional Education Service Centers delivers many statewide initiatives on behalf of the Texas Education Agency. These initiatives serve to advance the education initiatives of the Texas Legislature, the Governor and the Commissioner of Education and rely on the network
of service centers as a cost effective and efficient deployment system. The following chart is not meant to be inclusive of all statewide initiatives delivered by the System of 20 Education Service Centers. However, the initiatives listed below represent some of the larger statewide projects as well as showcase the range and variety of services provided.
A Sample of Statewide Initiatives
Name and Purpose
Major Activities of Sample Statewide Initiatives
ESC Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Professional Development (TEKS PD) – Rider 42 – SSI: (Student Success Initiative) Education Service Centers (ESCs) provide Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) professional development training to all eligible teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators. Training will be provided in both face-to-face and online formats. Training will be provided at no cost
• Provide training to as many eligible participants – teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators - as possible. (Teacher leaders are individuals who may not work directly with students but who work primarily with content area teachers as mentors, coaches, strategists, coordinators, etc.) Training will be provided at
to participants.
• Expand participants’ knowledge of TEKS specific to teaching/supervisory assignments
no cost to participants
• Expand participants’ knowledge of English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS), how those standards interconnect with content area TEKS, and how those standards relate to classroom instruction
• Expand participants’ knowledge of the Response to Intervention (RtI) model and how that model can be implemented across K-12 education
• Impact instructional/supervisory practices of participants in order to ensure effective classroom instruction for all students
Teacher Mentoring Institute – Rider 62 – LEP SSI: (Limited English Proficient) the purpose of this project is to provide support for new Bilingual/ESL teachers for grades PK-12
• Institutes will be clustered by grades PK-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 and include tracks for college and career readiness as appropriate
• Trainers from all ESCs and the 25 largest school districts with the highest numbers of ELLS will be able to participate in several trainer of trainer (TOT) courses
• Instructional strategies will include the affective, cognitive and linguistic needs of the students for each clustered group
• Provide resources to teachers and include a series of webinars to participants
Adopted 2/14/2011
Program Model Characteristics – Rider 62 – LEP SSI: Develop instructional designs for teachers and administrators that will delineate the four Bilingual Education program models and two English as a Second Language (ESL) program models
• Develop a manual/resource (with an online component) that articulates the six types of programs defined in TEC§29.066
• Program targets school board members, central office administrators, campus administrators, teachers and parents
• Content includes reviews of research, tools to assist in program selection, lists of resources for each audience listed above, data and evaluation tools for program monitoring and student progress monitoring, highlights of effective programs in Texas school districts and frequently asked questions
• Trainer of Trainers (TOTs) offered to Education Service Centers • Deliver a series of webinars for discussing the program models
ESC School-Based Tobacco Prevention: ESCs provide strategies to meet the TEA goal to reduce tobacco use among 4th through 12th grade students in Texas. Coordinate program activities with existing statewide tobacco prevention strategies and with existing tobacco prevention youth-focused media campaigns
• Contract with approved vendor to provide tobacco prevention training sessions and complete pre/post assessment
• Facilitate and maintain registration of participants • Provide and coordinate Facility Use for training sessions • Provide materials to be used during training sessions • Track and maintain:
o # of educators trained in school-based tobacco use prevention o # of regional districts represented in training sessions o # of students served as provided by vendor
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education – Title X, Part C: The ESC McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program is designed to provide leadership and technical assistance to school districts, community-based organizations, and public and private agencies that will identify barriers to enrollment, attendance, and academic achievement of homeless children and youth in Texas and to implement a state plan designed to remove such barriers.
• Implement the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youths program by insuring that all elements of the program as described in the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youths Act are fully implemented
• Provide technical assistance that carries out the policy that all homeless children and youth have access to a free and appropriate public education
• Review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies to assure homeless children and youth are afforded a free and appropriate public education
• Provide services to homeless children and youth that enable them to enroll in, attend, and achieve success in school
• Develop and implement professional development programs for school personnel to heighten awareness of specific problems of the education of homeless children and youth in the state
• Facilitate coordination between the state education agency, ESCs, state social service agencies, and other relevant service providers to improve the provision of comprehensive services to homeless students and their families
• Administer all statewide responsibilities required under the McKinney-Vento grant including all subcontracts
Adopted 2/14/2011
Learn and Serve America: Learn and Serve America school-based program will improve the quality and breadth of service-learning in the state through competitive subgrants to LEAs and ESCs, network development and support, and targeted outreach activities
• On a statewide basis, the ESCs will operate the state Learn and Serve America Project by administering the technical assistance and subgrant program. Specifically, the ESCs will do the following:
o Award and administer subgrants o Provide training and technical assistance to subgrantees o Provide information on and support for service-learning statewide o Coordinate evaluation of the program
• The ESCs will facilitate program activities by doing the following:
o Developing and conducting professional development for subgrantee program coordinators and other staff, including subgrantee meetings and an annual Summer Institute
o Providing technical assistance to subgrantee program coordinators and other staff and to others interested in implementing service-learning
o Hosting webinars on specific topics related to high-quality service-learning implementation
o Managing the SLT website o Conducting presentations at conferences and other events to promote
and support service-learning o Developing statewide partnerships to promote and sustain service-
learning o Managing the evaluation of the program by an external contractor o Attend all required meetings for the Learn and Serve America program
ESC School Readiness Integration (SRI) Specialist: Fund an early childhood services expert for the 2010-2011 school year in each of the 20 Regional Education Service Centers in Texas to coordinate the development and implementation of a cost-effective statewide School Readiness Integration Model in accordance with the School Readiness Certification System Project in Rider 41 and the Prekindergarten Early Start (PKES) Grant Program in Rider 45.
• Coordinate early childhood education services between school districts, child care providers, and Head Start programs in a local community
• Determine cost-effective practices in a local community • Implement successful cost-effective practices identified in the local coordination • Report successful practices from a region to the state office for compilation and
future examination for implementation statewide • Assist in data collection for SRCS and progress reporting
ESC Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS): Provide one-time funding to help offset the ESCs’ cost to develop and provide training and support to school districts and charter schools on the collection and reporting of the Classroom Link data
• District staff will thoroughly understand the data that they are required to capture and report through PEIMS in the 2010-2011 school year, therefore improving the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of the data collection
• District PEIMS coordinators will be familiar with the new Edit+ Classroom Link reports available to them to validate the data submitted
• ESCs will provide training to all of their PEIMS district and charter school clients on the requirements of the Classroom Link data collection including the data,
Adopted 2/14/2011
collection through Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) in the 2010-2011 school year
edits, business rules, validation reports and timelines • ESC PEIMS coordinators will be able to provide knowledgeable first line support
to district PEIMS coordinators on the requirements for the collection of the classroom link data
• All districts and open enrollment charter schools will report accurate information on contract teaching staff and class id’s by the due date for the PEIMS 2010-2011 Fall collection, and will report accurate information on course sections offered, class identifications, teacher assignments, and course completion data by the due date PEIMS 2010-2011 Summer collection
• ESC must monitor, review, and approve the Classroom Link data submitted by their district clients for accuracy, and ensure that all of their PEIMS district clients comply with the reporting requirements
TX Center for District & School Support (TCDSS): Serve as the coordination point for school improvement efforts in TX. Develop district level capacity to support struggling schools.
• Streamline and align the interventions under the state and federal accountability systems
• Plan and deliver an annual District Institute focused on best practices at the central office for supporting schools in turnaround
• Develop case studies of best practices in TX to share and disseminate through the Turnaround Center to the system of service centers
• Develop and conduct District Snapshots to assess the current state of district central office systems related to the effective support of struggling schools
TX Turnaround Center: Provide training and support to personnel from the 20 Education Service Centers designated as members of the regional turnaround training and support teams. These regional turnaround teams provide technical assistance and training to low-performing schools in their respective regions. The TX Turnaround Center supports the effectiveness of these regional turnaround teams.
• Provide professional development for ESC Turnaround Teams • Ongoing webinars on relevant topics to support the work of the T/A Teams • Website with research and resources • Development and transfer of technical assistance tools e.g. Campus Snapshot • Maintain by region a statewide data base of Professional Service Providers (PSPs)
trained to serve as members of the state required Campus Intervention Team • In collaboration with SIRC plan the annual Professional Service Provider (PSP)
training • Conduct annual site visit/needs assessment to each ESC related to the activities
of the regional Turnaround Team
TX Turnaround Leadership Academy: Design and deliver a leadership academy for school and district teams serving low-performing schools.
• Deliver a two-year cohort based leadership development academy in partnership with the University of VA Turnaround Specialist Program that includes the district central office as a key partner in the leadership academy. Major activities include:
o Five-day training at the University of VA (year one and two) o Mid-year cohort retreat (includes principal and three campus support
team members as well as district representatives) in TX o Spring district retreat (includes district staff and principals) in TX o Site visits by UVA staff to the campus and district office o A formative and summative assessment of current campus practices
Adopted 2/14/2011
o A formative and summative assessment of current district practices o Ongoing development and monitoring of 90 day action plans
• Serving 29 campuses in five districts and four regions across the state (11,12,13,18)
School Improvement Resource Center (SIRC): Provide a statewide system of support and technical assistance to schools in improvement under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as required by federal Title I Part A Technical Assistance.
• Provide a statewide system of Professional Service Providers (CAMS/TAPS) for districts to assign to campuses in improvement under NCLB (not meeting AYP)
• Plan and offer annual school improvement conference • Serve as the representative of TEA to ensure compliance with all reporting
requirements • Provide professional development for the network of PSPs to ensure their
effectiveness and annually evaluate their effectiveness • Provide training and support for Supplemental Education Service (SES) providers • Conduct annual site visits to schools and districts in advanced stages of
improvement
Texas Title I Priority Schools Grant Program (TTIPS): Provide technical assistance and support for the federal Title I school improvement grant program focused on the state’s lowest performing Title I schools. Eligible schools must select one of four models: Turnaround, Transformation, Restart, or Closure. Provide a “Texas/TEA Design” for schools who want SIRC to serve as a provider in their project design.
• Provide technical assistance for the three-year federal grant program which includes:
o Information sessions and resource toolkits for prospective grantees on the four approved models
o Collaborate with TEA to provide grant readers o Provide a three-day professional development event for funded grantees
related to grant requirements o Develop and provide a Texas Design Option for the Turnaround and
Transformation option (approximately 70 schools in the first funding cycle)
o Provide formative and summative assessment of current campus practices for Texas Design grantees
o Provide formative and summative assessment of current district practices to support struggling schools
English Language Learners (ELL)Web Portal- Rider 62 - LEP SSI Create and maintain an interactive web portal for a video-based professional development series for educators of English Language Learners (ELL) in the content areas of math, science, social studies and language arts and reading.
• Develop and maintain the web portal www.elltx.org making ELL resources accessible to educators and parents
• Develop the Texas English Language Learner Instructional Tool (TELLIT) Professional Development Series and provide accessibility to all Texas educators through Texas Project Share
• Facilitate production of video segments of differentiated classroom instruction • Conduct review/approval meetings with TEA • Provide scheduled reports to TEA
Gifted and Talented Performance Standards Increase appropriate participation in the
• Collaborate with TEA Advanced Academics staff to determine appropriate activities to advance three ongoing G/T initiatives
o The Texas Performance Standards Project (www.texaspsp.org)
Adopted 2/14/2011
Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) with the goal of improving services for gifted/talented students in Texas.
o The Online Training Project o The G/T Equity Project (www.gtequity.org)
• Manage development, production, and dissemination of supporting materials and informational tools
• Manage development and delivery of professional development (face-to-face and online)
• Provide technical assistance to service centers and LEAs • Plan and conduct project meetings and leadership meetings • Conduct an evaluation of the project and report the results to TEA
Math Diagnostic Instrument Provide for the ongoing expert review of the supplemental math screening and/or diagnostic instruments developed by CORE K12 and used as a component of the Math Academies.
Provide expert knowledge on the design, delivery, and possible expansion of the math screening and/or diagnostic instruments developed for use in conjunction with the Math Academies.
• Provide fiscal management as necessary to accomplish project goals • Coordinate the expert feedback for the design, delivery and possible expansion
of the math screening and/or diagnostic instruments developed for use in conjunction with Math Academies
• Coordinate the review of math screening and/or diagnostic instruments developed by CORE K12
ESC Core Content Academies Implement statewide math, language arts, science and social studies academies for teachers in grades 5-8 and campus leaders to improve overall instruction and achievement in order to meet end-of-course standards in ninth grade/high school and to ensure postsecondary readiness Chemistry, Physics, English I and English II, English III, World Geography, US History, Geometry and World History End-Of-Course Success (EOCS) professional development for teachers grades 9-12 and campus leaders to improve overall instruction and achievement in order to ensure student success on the end-of-course assessments. Provide follow-up support for designated
• Provide fiscal management as necessary to accomplish project goals • Coordinate the content development for face-to-face and online professional
development for Core Content (math, language arts, science and social studies) Academies
• Oversee materials production for Trainer of Trainer (TOT) sessions • Organize and provide materials for TOT sessions • Organize registration and maintain a database for all state and regional trainers • Plan and coordinate statewide TOT sessions, including securing accommodations
for participants • Manage reimbursements for participant travel and expenses • Distribute stipends to each of the 20 ESCs. Each ESC pays stipends to
participants who successfully complete training • Support the delivery of face-to-face and online professional development by
creating online trainer groups and maintaining regular communication with group members
• Support the delivery of online professional development by providing guidance to designated ESC specialists (either through the face-to-face TOT, through the online group or through online course) on how to effectively deliver and facilitate online professional development courses
• Provide and manage two servers to (1) host video, audio and text files for state-
Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC specialists by creating online trainer groups and maintaining regular communication with group members. Create online and face-to-face professional development courses for teachers. Create self-paced online administrator overview courses. Identify parts of online courses that can be shared through Texas Education on ITunes U.
sponsored professional development and (2) host video, audio, and text files to be used for iTunes Texas
• Facilitate collaboration among project partners and stakeholders
Statewide Parent Coordination Network Provide training and support to the identified network members in the system of ESCs in connection to the State Performance Plan Indicator 8 for parents of students receiving special education services under the TEA Division of IDEA Coordination.
• Coordinate the State Performance Plan Parent Survey Process • Provide information, technical assistance, or training to school personnel and
parents to facilitate parent involvement • Coordinate and facilitate Parent Coordination Network meetings. • Coordinate a statewide system for delivery of training and information
dissemination to parents of students with disabilities, ages 0-22, and the professionals who work with them, including parents who are traditionally underserved through Texas Project FIRST
• Coordinate a statewide system for collaboration between ESCs, LEAs and parent organizations that will result in parents receiving accurate and consistent information through Texas Project FIRST
• Update and disseminate the Surrogate Parent Training materials and a FAQ document
• Participate in (a) Parent Conference, (b) serve on state committees, and (c) collaborate with parent organizations and the Parent Training and Information Centers
• Review data from the Texas Parent Survey, results of the Parent Organization Academy, Texas Project FIRST activities and other data such as Public Input Meeting results
Adopted 2/14/2011
Appendix B: Comprehensive School Support Plan – Service Centers
Adopted 2/14/2011
State Key Dates System Wide Activities April 21, 2010 Info Commissioner’s Final Decisions on Accountability released.
TEA o
LEA o Review and discuss implications for existing plans and strategy o
ESC Services
Professional Development-Master Schedule Building workshop Training in Campus Planning Software Online Training in Comprehensive Needs Assessment Training in Campus Planning to meet State and Federal Program Requirements Orientation to Comprehensive Needs Assessment Orientation to Campus Planning to meet State and Federal Planning
requirements
May 19, 2010 Info Accountability Manual Released TEA o
LEA o Review and discuss implications for existing plans and strategy o
ESC Services
Specialized session on-site on accountability changes Workshop session on Accountability Manual and related changes
Comprehensive School Support Plan
For Districts, Charters and Campuses: Key Dates and Activities
Adopted 2/14/2011
June 3, 2010 Info TAKS Results for All Subjects and Grades (available through Pearson Online Data Access)
TEA o
LEA o Needs assessment and priority setting. o Begin calculating accountability status from assessment results. o Needs assessment and ACCT/AWP calculation should influence NCLB SAS and budget o Examine curriculum alignment in priority areas o Strategy formulation should begin to address priorities and needs o Consider needs in recruitment and hiring process
ESC Services
Survey design and development to assist with Comprehensive Needs Assessment
Data Disaggregation training Professional Development – Curriculum Alignment and Prioritization Disaggregation training and technical assistance Professional Development – Response to Intervention
June 18, 2010 Info 2008-2009 Annual Dropout Lists available via TEASE These reports provide a preview of the data that will be used to calculate the Annual Dropout Rate and Completion Rate I base indicators for the state accountability ratings and graduation rate for AYP.
TEA o
LEA o Begin to examine the dropout list for accuracy and add other local data such as discipline, demographics, TAKS results, grades to create a dropout profile for each student
o Initiate a dropout recovery to ensure re-enrollment prior to school start window o Determine completion rates and dropout rates (lag a year)
ESC Services
Provide a dropout profile by student, campus, district to assist in developing strategy and activity
Provide Dropout Summits as networking opportunities for districts Showcase Best Practices, both local and nationally proven Overview of Dropouts and Best Practices
June 23, 2010 Info AYP Guide Available http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/2010/guide/index.html
Adopted 2/14/2011
TEA o
LEA o Review and discuss implications for existing plans and strategy
ESC Services
AYP sessions on-site customized to examine local issues Professional Development – Data Disaggregation Professional Development – Curriculum Alignment and Prioritization workshops Accountability and AYP Overview training Accountability Team offers assistance to districts
July 29, 2010 Info Preview Data Tables available in TEASE
TEA o
LEA o This should validate district preliminary work o Planning should begin for board reports, public release, appeals o Planning should begin for strategy implementation, pre-service and in-service training o Schedule trainings to meet identified needs
ESC Services
Run data analysis based on district’s preview data Provide Annual Accountability Training Modules with technical assistance Distribute the State and Federal Comparison Charts
July 30, 2010 Info State Accountability Ratings Release
TEA o
LEA o Begin development of early interventions for TAKS failures, especially in priority subjects and for priority sub groups.
ESC Services
Develop and offer specific training for tutorial teachers Offer technical assistance in designing effective tutorial programs Provide training in Differentiated Instruction Offer networking opportunity for CIT/CAM/TAP working in region Provide technical assistance (by appointment) related to the appeals process
and required actions related to accountability ratings
August 4, 2010 Info AYP Data Tables available to superintendents via TEASE NCLB Compliance reports due to TEA via eGrants
Adopted 2/14/2011
State Key Dates TEA o
LEA o Validate district preliminary calculations o Planning begins for board reports, public release (NCLB Report Card), appeals o Existing plans should be reviewed to determine if changes or additions are necessary o Schedule trainings to meet any new identified needs o Examine AYP data for accuracy, merit for appeal
ESC Services
Data Analysis, Benchmark Assessment, and Curriculum products available Provide support through professional development that focuses on best
practices related to instructional delivery for core content, content knowledge and diverse populations (continuous throughout the year)
Data and curriculum products available Provide Annual AYP Orientation Provide AYP Technical Assistance Provide Title I School Improvement training
August 5, 2010 Info AYP Preliminary Public Release via TEA website TEA o
LEA o
ESC Services
Technical assistance in appeal development Provide technical assistance for campuses not meeting AYP
August 13, 2010 Info State Accountability Appeals Deadline
TEA o
LEA o Complete and submit appeal as applicable
ESC Services
Technical Assistance on appeals
August 20, 2010 State Key Dates
Info Parent Notification of School Improvement Program status for Title I School Improvement Stage I and higher
TEA o Notification via TEA NCLB Listserv
Adopted 2/14/2011
LEA o Prepare and distribute parent notification
ESC Services
Overview sessions on Federal Accountability
August/September 2010
Info TEA and LEA Post Ratings. Districts must post current accountability rating, AEIS reports, and School Report Card on district website.
TEA o Notification via EAS NCLB Listserv
LEA o Discussions with staff regarding formative evaluations o Check progress on implementation (maintain focus and coherence) o Collaborate with district technology staff to ensure required information is posted
ESC Services
Administrators Guide to Accountability Overview sessions on Federal Accountability Notification via NCLB Listserv
September 3, 2010 Info AYP Appeals Deadline
TEA o Notification via TEA NCLB Listserv
LEA o Complete and submit appeal as applicable
ESC Services
Technical assistance on appeals
September 10, 2010 Info Proposal for CIT Membership due TEA o
LEA o Set tentative meeting dates with CIT, send current draft of comprehensive needs assessment and DIP/CIP
ESC Services
Highly Qualified Teacher and Paraprofessional training Technical assistance in AYP appeals development
September 8-22, 2010 Info 2010 AEA campus registration process
TEA o
LEA o Complete registration process as applicable
Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC Services
Notification and technical assistance as applicable
September 24, 2010 Info School-Start Window
PEIMS Rules: Students must return during the period of time between the first day of school and the last Friday in September to be counted as having returned to school. This period is the school-start window. Students who do not return during the school-start window are reported and counted as dropouts. Migrant students are counted as returning students, not dropouts, regardless of return date.
TEA o
LEA o Review PEIMS data on all enrolled students to ensure accurate coding
ESC Services
PEIMS training Professional Development – Student Accounting software
September/October, 2010
Info Student Report Cards District must include accountability ratings with students’ first report card. NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher report due November 1, 2010 OEYP Application opens (9/3/2010) ARI/AMI Application due (10/1/2010)
TEA o
LEA o Ensure accountability information is included with report card o Ensure HQT Report is complete and accurate o Complete OEYP Application o Complete ARI/AMI Application
ESC Services
Training for PBMAS Training in Federal Parent Involvement and requirements including best practices PBMAS technical assistance Technical assistance on OEYP Application Technical assistance on ARI/AMI Application
October 15, 2010 Info Submission of AU Focused Data Analysis Submission of AU School Improvement Plan Exit Level TAKS retest week, October 19-22, 2010
TEA o Training and technical assistance on AU requirements and processes
LEA o Completion and submission of required information
Adopted 2/14/2011
o Ensure Exit level TAKS administration for retesters
ESC Services
November 3, 2010 Info Ratings Update
The outcome of all appeals must be reflected in the rating update scheduled for October 2010. At that time, the TEA website will be updated.
TEA o
LEA o Review data a communicate to stakeholders as applicable
ESC Services
November 3, 2010 Info Gold Performance Acknowledgments (GPA) issued by TEA
TEA o
LEA o Celebrate successes o Communicate to stakeholders o Review through an appreciative inquiry lens to determine possibility of replicating the success
ESC Services
Technical assistance related to the determination of GPA
November 17, 2010 Info AEIS Reports available to superintendents via TEASE
TEA o
LEA o Check progress on implementation (maintain focus and coherence)
ESC Services
Technical assistance related to the determination of GPA
November 30, 2010 Info Initial Leaver Data due to ESC TEA o
LEA o Ensure data is submitted to ESC PEIMS
Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC Services
PEIMS Leaver data integrity training
November 30, 2010 (5th year)
Info Submission of first CIT monthly Progress Report TEA o
LEA o Ensure Progress Report is completed and submitted
ESC Services
Coordination and technical assistance with CIT
December 1, 2010 Info TEA Publishes House Bill 3 Transition Plan TEA o Presentations at Assessment Conference and throughout the Spring of 2011
LEA o Process released information
ESC Services
Prepare summaries for LEAs on new accountability and STAAR (new assessment program)
Review documents for implications for curriculum, instruction and assessment in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years
December 2, 2010 Info AEIS Reports available to the public via TEA website TEA o
LEA o Provide report on AEIS to school board o
ESC Services
Technical assistance in reading and interpreting AEIS Data
December 2, 2010 Info Initial Leaver Data due to TEA TEA o
LEA o Coordinate efforts with district PEIMS staff to ensure accuracy of information
ESC Services
Technical assistance with submission
Adopted 2/14/2011
December 2010 Info Final Release of AYP Status School Report Cards released by TEA PEG list is released Notification to superintendents (via mail) of campuses identified under PEG criteria effective for the 2010-2011 school year
TEA o
LEA o Celebrate successes o Communicate to stakeholders o Review through an appreciative inquiry lens to determine possibility of replicating the success
ESC Services
Technical assistance in reading and interpreting data
January 18, 2011 Info Re-Submission Leaver Data due to ESC
TEA o
LEA o Ensure data is submitted to ESC PEIMS
ESC Services
Mid-year meetings with CIT/CAM/TAP is discuss progress barriers, new directions
January 20, 2011 Info Re-Submission Leaver Data due to TEA
TEA o
LEA o Check progress on implementation (maintain focus and coherence) o Plan for accelerated instruction required by SSI (reading and math)
ESC Services
Technical assistance with re-submission
March 1, 2011 Administration (1st) March 18, Receive results (3,5,8)
Info Grades 3, 5, 8 Reading TAKS (SSI) TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Emphasize data accuracy and validation o Determine which students (3, 5, 8) are required for intervention based on SSI
Adopted 2/14/2011
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
April 4, 2011 Administration (1st) April 22, 2011 Receive results
Info Grades 5, 8 Math TAKS (SSI) TEA o
LEA o
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
April 5, 2011 Administration (1st) April 22, Receive results (4,7,9,10)
Info Grades 4, 7 Writing Grades 9,10, Exit Reading and ELA
TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Emphasize data accuracy and validation o Determine which students (3,5,8) are required for intervention based on SSI
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
April 25-April 30, 2011
Info All other TAKS Administrations TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Emphasize data accuracy and validation
ESC Services
May 17, 2011 Administration (2nd) June 3, 2011 Receive results
Info Grades 5, 8 Math TAKS (SSI) TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Convene GPD for students who did not meet standard (SSI Requirement)
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
Adopted 2/14/2011
May 18, 2011 Administration (2nd) June 3, 2011 Receive results
Info Grades 3, 5, 8 Reading TAKS (SSI) TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Convene GPD for students who did not meet standard (SSI Requirement)
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
May 25, 2011 Info TAKS Results for All Subjects and Grades available through Pearson Online
Data Access TEA o
LEA o Conduct summative evaluation of DIP/CIP o Start process again, celebrate success, plan for continuous improvement o
ESC Services
Technical assistance in reading and interpreting data
June 1, 2011 Info End of School
TEA o
LEA o SSI summer intervention (Grade 3,5,8, Reading and Math)
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance State Compensatory Education Evaluation services
June 28, 2011 Info Grades 5, 8 Math TAKS (SSI)
TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Convene GPC for students who did not meet standard (SSI Requirement) o
ESC Services
SSI training and technical assistance
Adopted 2/14/2011
June 29, 2011 Info Grades 3, 5, 8 Reading TAKS (SSI) TEA o
LEA o Continue planning for accelerated instruction o Convene GPC for students who did not meet standard (SSI Requirement)
ESC Services
SI training and technical assistance
July/August, 2011 Info Preview Data Tables available via TEASE
TEA o
LEA o
ESC Services
Technical assistance in reading and interpreting data Run data analysis based on district’s preview data
By August 1, 2011 Info Release of 2011 Accountability Ratings
TEA o
LEA o
ESC Services
Offer networking opportunity for CIT/CAM/TAP working in region. Provide technical assistance (by appointment) related to the appeals process and
required actions related to accountability ratings Offer technical assistance in designing effective tutorial programs. Provide training in Differentiated Instruction
