ESC-20 Curriculum Communiqué: October 19, 2005
Volume #4
We are continuing the Curriculum Communiqué series as requested. Please continue to share the information with your
staff. If there is additional information that you think would be helpful, please do not hesitate to let me know.
ESC Contact: Ed Vara, ed.vara@esc20.net or (210) 370-5465
1. TEA Correspondence
New TEA Correspondence has been posted at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/taa/sortf.cgi?command=bydate
Date: 10/10/2005
Subject: Hurricane Evacuees and Fall TAKS Exit Level Retest Administrations
From: Student Assessment
Date: 10/06/2005
Subject: Career and Technology Education (CTE) Funding Changes
From: State Funding
Date: 10/12/2005
Subject: State Accountability Decisions
From: Performance Reporting
Date: 10/11/2005
Subject: Reduction of Minimum Days of Service
From: Legal Services
Date: 10/14/2005
Subject: Student data files with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita indicators (KRI)
From: Accountability Research
Date: 10/14/2005
Subject: Annual Survey of Children in Local Residential Facilities for Neglected or Delinquent (SC9000)
From: Formula Funding
2. New Research Report from Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency Division of Accountability Research has posted a document providing guidance on using the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) dropout definition for Texas leaver reporting. The document is available
on the agency's website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/abs2.htm#Dropout. The NCES definition will first be used for
students leaving Texas public school districts in the 2005-06 school year. Additional information may be obtained by
contacting the Division of Accountability Research at (512) 475-3523.
3. NCLB Update
CORRECTION Rural and Low-Income School Program Application
An error was found on Schedule #3-Budget Summary for the Rural and Low-Income School Program (RLISP) Application.
If your school district is applying for funding under the Rural and Low-Income School Program (RLISP) please go to the
following link for the corrected Schedule #3-Budget Summary: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/FFSch3_Rural05-061.doc.
School districts which are eligible for funding under the RLISP or which need to apply for roll-forward funding only can
apply for funding for the 2005-06 school year. The Standard Application System must be used to apply for RLISP funding.
Because of a delay in releasing the application and related documents, the Agency will approve pre-award costs for
allowable program activities beginning September 15, 2005, provided that the application is received in substantially
approvable form by the deadline date of Tuesday, November 1, 2005. This deadline also applies to Shared Services
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Arrangements (SSAs) seeking to add member LEAs via the amendment process. There will be no exceptions to the
application deadline.
For more information, contact the Division of NCLB Program Coordination at (512) 463-9374.
Public Notification of Teacher Quality (Highly Qualified)
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires each local education agency (LEA) to publicly report progress of
the LEA and its campuses toward meeting the highly qualified (HQ) teacher requirements. The 2004-05 Highly Qualified
Teacher Reports for LEAs and individual campuses are available on the TEA NCLB web site at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/hqreport.html.
A letter mailed to LEAs is available at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/PDF/HQ_notification_letterSeptember05.pdf
Title I, Part A and Title I, Part D, Subpart 2-Annual Survey of Children in Local Residential Facilities for Neglected or
Delinquent Children (SC9000)
It is anticipated that the SC9000-Annual Survey of Children in Local Facilities for the Neglected and/or Delinquent will be
available in eGrants on or about October 14, 2005. The SC9000 determines, in part, a LEAs Title I, Part A and/or Title I,
Part D, Subpart 2 funding for the upcoming 2006-07 school year.
The SC9000 will be located on the eGrants Home Page for each applicable LEA and will have a pre-populated list of
residential facilities for which the LEA will be required to report survey data based on a prior-year submission. LEAs will
be receiving correspondence concerning the annual survey from the Division of Formula Funding in the near future.
Schools Affected by Hurricanes Can Receive Flexibility from AYP
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced September 29 that schools seriously affected by hurricanes that
struck Gulf Coast states in August and September will be given some flexibility on the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
provisions of No Child Left Behind. More information will be made available at a later date after the Texas Education
Agency determines how this flexibility will be implemented for Texas.
For more information on the details of this flexibility, please see Spellings' letter at
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secletter/050929.html.
Statewide Parental Involvement Conference
The Statewide Parental Involvement Initiative administered through the Region 16 Education Service Center in Amarillo is
finalizing preparations for the Statewide NCLB Parental Involvement Conference to be held November 3-5 in Austin.
Information can be found at the Region 16 ESC Web site at http://www.esc16.net/dept/title1swi/stateconference.html.
Hurricane Rita-Related Schools Closing Web Site
Because dozens of Texas school districts remain closed one week after Hurricane Rita struck the Texas-Louisiana border,
the Texas Education Agency has created a school closings and openings Web page to help school officials communicate
with their citizens. The Web page is available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/hcane/schclose.html. The page is updated
throughout the day as new information is received. Parents and educators are encouraged to visit the Web site for
information concerning schools affected by the hurricane.
Updated Information Pertaining To Students Evacuated Due to Hurricane Katrina
The Frequently Asked Questions for Educators page on the Texas Education Agency's Web site has been updated with new
information concerning students displaced by Hurricane Katrina that are or will be enrolled in Texas public schools. The
updated page can be accessed at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/hcane/faq_edsvcs.html. A special TEA Web site also has been
created to disseminate hurricane-relate information in one location. This Web site is located at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/hcane/.
NCLB Issues Related to Hurricane Katrina
We have developed a Web page on our NCLB Web site to provide easy access to information at:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb/CPRS/Katrina-index.html.
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Please be aware that we are in constant contact with USDE working for additional flexibility. We are not able to answer
many questions beyond what is posted on the Web site at this time, but will provide additional information as quickly as we
receive it.
If you have questions related to NCLB that are not addressed on the Web site, please e-mail those questions to
nclbissues@tea.state.tx.us and we will provide you a response as quickly as possible.
Statewide Parental Involvement Initiative at Region 16 Education Service Center
The Statewide Parental Involvement Initiative is administered through the Region 16 Education Service Center in Amarillo.
General information and resources, including newsletters, workshop listings, statewide contacts, and information on the
Statewide Parental Involvement Conference can be found at the Region 16 ESC Web site at
http://www.esc16.net/dept/title1swi/parental/index2.html.
NCLB NATIONAL NEWS
Please note that this is national information and does not necessarily represent the views of the Texas Education Agency.
President Signs Legislation Establishing Special Aid for Students With Disabilities Affected by Hurricanes
President Bush signed into law on Sept. 30 the Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Affected by Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita Act of 2005, granting the U.S. Education Department authority to permit hurricane-affected Gulf Coast states
access to $25.9 million in federal funds for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, without the states having to provide
matching funds. These VR services may include education, training, assistive technology or various supports necessary for
employment of individuals with disabilities affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita that contribute to the economic growth
and development of communities.
Federal funds for VR services will be made available to affected states in the following amounts:
 Louisiana, $16.4 million
 Mississippi, $6.1 million
 Alabama, $1.7 million
 Texas, $1.7 million
In addition, USDE's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is working with officials in the four Gulf states
impacted by the hurricanes to address the concerns of students with disabilities and their families. Students and families are
being assisted through Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs)
in their local communities or in communities where they have been relocated. OSERS has provided an additional $200,000
in emergency funding to assist at this time of urgent need. Families needing assistance can contact their closest PTI or
CPRC. A list of centers around the country is available at http://www.taalliance.org/centers.
More information on the additional federal hurricane support for children and adults with disabilities is available at
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/speced/hurricane-support.html.
Grants Awarded for 21 Comprehensive Assistance Centers
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education has awarded grants to establish
comprehensive technical assistance centers to help low-performing schools and districts close achievement gaps and meet
the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Section 203 of Title II of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of
2002 (TA Act) authorizes USDE to establish not fewer than 20 comprehensive technical assistance centers to provide
technical assistance to states to benefit school districts and schools, especially those in need of improvement.
The Secretary awards a total of 21 comprehensive centers, 16 to provide technical assistance to states within defined
geographic boundaries, and five content-focused centers to provide expert assistance to benefit states and districts
nationwide on key issues related to the goals of NCLB. These centers replace the former Comprehensive Regional
Assistance Centers, the Regional Technology in Education Consortia, the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for
Mathematics and Science Education, and the Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia. They must provide
frontline assistance to states to help them implement NCLB and other related federal school improvement programs and
help increase state capacity to assist districts and schools to meet their student achievement goals. Regional Centers must
be embedded in regions and are responsible for developing strong relationships and partnerships within their regional
communities.
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The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory will serve as the Texas Comprehensive Center. Dr. K. Victoria
Dimock will serve as the center's director. A list of the estimated allocations for each of the 16 centers is available at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/newccp/grant.doc.
NCLB Fact Sheets Now in One Location
The U.S. Department of Education has placed all of its No Child Left Behind fact sheets on one Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/news/opeds/factsheets/. These fact sheets provide information on a number of areas of NCLB. Among
the categories are academic subjects, information for parents, and material on student achievement.
NCES Publications Projects Education Statistics to 2014
In addition to statistical publications covering past school years, the National Center for Education Statistics has published
"Projections of Education Statistics to 2014.” This publication projects key statistics, such as student enrollment and
expenditures, for elementary and secondary schools and degree-granting institutions to the year 2014. More information on
this publication is available at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005074.
Grant Application Opportunities
In a recent Federal Register notice, the U.S. Department of Education modified the eligibility criteria for the Striving
Readers program so that states are eligible to apply on behalf of one or more school districts and clarified the grades that
must be targeted and students who must be served by the program's school-level and targeted intervention components. In
addition, USDE will conduct a conference call briefing concerning the grant on Thursday, October 14. More information is
available at http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/. (Note: The previously announced September 14, 2005 notice of
intent to apply for the grant is non-binding. The deadline for all applications is November 14, 2005)
In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the following grant application opportunity:
*Fellowship Support for Graduate Students in Engineering and Science Grant - Fund No. OAR-ASD-05-18
More information on this grant is available at
http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/EPA/OGD/GAD/OAR-ASD-05-18/listing.html
TEA Source: Cory Green, Senior Director, cory.green@tea.state.tx.us
4. Teacher of the Year Announcement
October 11, 2005 Amarillo, Plano Educators Named Texas Teachers of the Year
AUSTIN -A Plano biology and research science teacher and an elementary bilingual pre-kindergarten teacher from
Amarillo are the Texas Teachers of the Year for 2005-2006, Commissioner of Education Shirley Neeley announced today.
Karen Shepherd, who is the science department chair and teaches science at Plano High School in the Plano Independent
School District, is the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. Cynthia Lewis is a pre-kindergarten bilingual teacher at
Whittier Elementary School in the Amarillo Independent School District.
In addition to being named Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year, Shepherd also was selected to be Texas’ nominee in the
National Teacher of the Year Program. The two were chosen from a field of six finalists who were interviewed by a panel
of judges that was chaired by State Board of Education member Dan Montgomery. The other members of the panel
included: Former Teacher of the Year, Sherry Lindemann; former member of the State Board for Educator Certification,
Dr. John Beck; Texas Association of School Administrators, Betty Burks; Texas Association of School Boards, Lynn
Sperry; Texas Congress of PTAs, Jan Wilkerson; Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, Karen
Hickman; Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, Dr. David Ellis; Texas School Public Relations Association,
Kari Hutchison; and Texas Association of PARTNERS IN EDUCATION, Milli Christener.
“I congratulate Karen Shepherd and Cynthia Lewis for being selected as our 2006 Texas Teachers of the Year,” Neeley said
in making the announcement. “What an honor to have these two fine educators representing thousands of outstanding Texas
teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty daily.”
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“These teachers show extraordinary commitment and dedication to children and demonstrate their passion for their
profession every day. They use innovative and creative approaches to teaching and they excel at keeping the main thing the
main thing—our children” Neeley said. Shepherd’s earliest connection to teaching began with her childhood ballet
instructor.
“As I grew artistically, I came to love this gentle teacher,” she wrote. Her early experiences still influence her teaching
style. “Like ballet,” she said, “teaching is a dance. Together, my students and I plié through fundamental concepts and
pirouette into the wonders of life.” A 21-year veteran of the profession, she is passionate about teaching science, as well as
the importance of giving back to one’s community. “I want my students to develop a life-long love of learning the subject I
teach,” she said.
In addition to teaching science, Shepherd sponsored LASER (Learning about Science and Engineering Research) for 16
years, and for 10 years she promoted the LASER Science Challenge, which is a day of science inquiry for elementary
students from Plano and surrounding districts. She also developed an Elementary Science Program that focused on bringing
science research skills into the elementary classrooms. For six weeks, elementary students work with high school research
science students on scientific inquiry, including different hands-on activities each week. She is particularly proud of a
program she initiated, LASER BEAMS (Bringing Early Academic Mentoring in Science), in which her students mentor
Limited English Proficient (LEP) students to bridge the achievement gap, which Shepherd considers to be an important
educational issue. The goal of LASER BEAMS is “to have all 5th grade LEP students in the local elementary school plan,
design, implement, and draw conclusions in a science fair format.” Shepherd noted, “These programs build a sense of
community and incorporate the notion – ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ ”
“My parents’ stewardship taught me that life spent in the service of others is a life well spent,” Shepherd wrote in her
application. In her science research class, she discusses the importance of making contributions to society. Shepherd’s
philosophy of education reflects her belief that “there is no limit on what you can learn about students and teaching.” She
writes that students who are encouraged by a teacher with a passion for learning and for the students she teaches, “Dream
bigger dreams and set higher goals.”
She sees students breaking barriers and demonstrating that they can all achieve in science, “whether male or female, black
or white, prince or pauper, all students can excel in a career related to science.” Shepherd challenges her students by
presenting them with “an entertaining, informative, and demanding curriculum.” She is excited to see students preparing for
the medical and veterinary fields, law school with emphases on medical science, environmental science, patent law,
engineering, biotechnology “and, thankfully, science education. I am proud of my students entering business programs,
medical school, and law school, but I savor the moment they say ‘I want to teach.’ ” Shepherd believes educators “must sell
teaching as a career choice. We must continue to entice student into the profession.” She is proud of her colleagues.
“Exceptional! Magnificent! Outstanding! Superior! Amazing! Dazzling! Superb! These are a few of the superlatives I
would choose when addressing educators” about the wonderful work they do. “Too often, we listen to the media and begin
to think we are failing at our job. We are not failing! We are succeeding and we are succeeding in a constantly changing
arena where we must adapt to stay ahead.” She continued, “We are the architects of success.”
In her message as the Texas Teacher of the Year, Shepherd wrote, “To the general public, I would say, please have faith
that we are up to the task. . . Remember, educators care about students and want to improve their quality of life.” She
continued, “Please become involved in your community. Become an active partner in education; help fuel the passion for
learning that we must instill in our future leaders. If we don’t, who will?” Shepherd has earned a Master of Science from
the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Science from North Texas State University. Texas Elementary Teacher of
the Year Lewis said, “Growing up in a small border town prepared me well for a future in teaching children who would be
learning a second language.” She learned to appreciate and love different cultures and believed that “learning a second
language at an early age is a very natural process in which the learner does not have to lose his own cultural identity.”
Lewis’ work developing bilingual and dual language programs has brought her much recognition, such as the PBS
documentary on Hispanics in which she was featured. “But the accomplishments and contributions that bring me the most
gratification are the unrecognized and often unnoticed details that happen on a daily basis; The ear-splitting grin of a child
who has mastered writing his name by himself for the first time; the wonder of new knowledge when a mother thanked me
for modeling how to read a book to a child; or the honor of receiving a gift of pure love in the form of a picture and words
on a crumpled notebook paper held by sticky fingers.”
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Lewis is familiar with the true spirit of community service as opportunities present themselves. In her home town, Lewis
experienced the devastation resulting after a tornado destroyed more than 200 homes and businesses. She spent much time
assisting with rebuilding/recovery efforts. Lewis said she is ready to help others as often as possible, following the advice
of Edward Everett Hale “To look up and not down, to look forward and not back, to look out and not in, and, to lend a
hand.” She explained her philosophy of teaching as a land of learning where the discovery of self and others opens a very
large door. “Young children learn best when their teachers recognize that learning takes place at different rates, reading is
the foundation of educational success, parents are involved, music and movement are integral to the expressions of life, and
children are innately curious and eager to learn.”
Lewis is concerned about the increasingly diverse Texas student population. She believes a “variety of race and cultural
backgrounds can add a richer texture and deeper perspective to the student population.” She laments the lack of qualified
bilingual teachers to meet the specialized needs of students. As the immigrant population in Texas increases, the Hispanic
population will rise. Considering this fact, Lewis wrote, “It will be wise for us to address this major issue now so that we
can take advantage of better methods to not only teach English to immigrant children, and to enrich our own children with
another language and understand another culture. The interconnectedness of our world demands that we step up our pace
and meet the needs of a more global future.”
Lewis’ message as Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year is to “stop the blame game.” She believes there needs to be an
individual effort made towards a common goal of peace and respect, not in accusations against others. The blame game
needs to be replaced with “I” statements such as, “I can stay after school to help your child,” or “I can learn new skills to
improve how I work with this child,” or “I can make a difference by volunteering.”
Lewis earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Texas at Austin, English as a Second Language
certification from The University of Texas at Arlington, and a Master of Education degree from Framingham State College.
Other Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year finalists are: DeLaine Hamilton, a gifted and talented teacher at Heritage
Elementary School in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District and Vicki Murphy, an enrichment specialist
teacher at College Hills Elementary School in College Station Independent School District. The other finalists for the Texas
Secondary Teacher of the Year are: Beverly Finch, an English teacher who also works with students on college preparation
programs at Estacado High School in Lubbock Independent School District and Joy Killough, an Advanced Placement
biology teacher at Westwood High School in Round Rock Independent School District.
5. Science Resources
Information database for K-12 teachers and students from the American Institute of Physics is
http://www.compadre.org.
Playa Lakes education funding is available from Conoco-Phillips via PLJV to folks who can help with quality projects.
http://www.pljv.org/CP_RFP.html
Tulips and Seasons: Free Online Project
Charlotte, Vermont (October 2005) - Journey North, an exemplary Internet-based "citizen science" and geography project,
is seeking classroom gardeners to participate in our Plants and the Seasons Tulip Study.
All classrooms are invited to participate in Journey North's free annual international plant study. Each fall, students across
the U.S. and Canada plant the same variety of tulips according to a scientific protocol. When the tulips bloom in the spring,
students share the news online with classmates across the Northern Hemisphere and follow the wave of spring (on real-time
maps) as it moves across the continent. Weekly updates and activities on the Web site help students investigate the
relationship between geography, temperature, and the arrival of spring.
In addition, Journey North is combing the country in search of classrooms and families in capital cities in the U.S. and
Canada who wish to participate. Students in Journey North classrooms throughout North America will be motivated to
learn about capitals and their geography and climates as they make predictions and watch the greening of spring. A dozen
free Red Emperor tulip bulbs will be sent to the first classroom or gardener to respond from each capital city.
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For information on Journey North's Plants and the Seasons Tulip Project, go to:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tulip/index.html. If you are capital city gardeners who are ready to participate, contact
Journey North (mhosier@jnorth.org) and tell us where you're from and how to contact you. If you have colleagues in
capital cities, please forward this to them.
The University of Central Florida's College of Engineering and Computer Science and the National Medal of Technology
Program at the U.S. Department of Commerce ask your assistance in alerting teachers in your state to the ninth annual
Internet Science and Technology Fair <http://istf.ucf.edu> (ISTF).
The ISTF is a national technology literacy program that last year involved 250 student teams from 10 states. It offers
students in grades 3 through 12 an opportunity to work on-line with technical advisors from corporations, federal
laboratories, and academic research centers. Students relate National Critical Technology applications to real-world
problems and adhere to content guidelines based on national science content standards. The ISTF combines science inquiry
and the Internet while helping students develop interpersonal and critical thinking skills, such as teaming, communicating,
researching, analyzing, writing, and web developing.
The program officially begins in October and ends in February, when each student team's research findings are presented in
a web-page format. A national panel of scientists, engineers and teachers judge teams' final projects on-line with top
certificate awards from the National Medal of Technology Program. From now through November, education-related
professionals (including but not limited to science, math, and technology teachers) in your state are encouraged to enroll
student teams. Newcomers http://istf.ucf.edu/Newcomers/ can access information specifically designed to better understand
what is involved. Once a decision is made to participate, teachers may set up an ISTF Teacher Account at My ISTF
http://istf.ucf.edu/EnrollAdmin/ and begin enrolling student teams.
Again, please share this information with your elementary, middle and high school science, math and technology teachers
and other educational professionals who might be interested. A one-page flyer
http://istf.ucf.edu/Team_Members/Teachers/Overview/ is available for distribution purposes.
6. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS -- NOMINATIONS DUE NOV. 4!
If you have been involved in a youth education project that benefits the environment (or know someone who has), now is
the time to apply for a Texas Environmental Excellence Award (TEEA). Presented by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, these awards recognize teachers, students, and members of the community-at-large who are
educating the next generation about environmental stewardship. Among the 10 award categories are three potential areas
for science educators: Education, Youth, and Civic/Nonprofit. Past recipients have included schools, educators, students
and civic/nonprofit groups with environmental projects.
Celebrate the environment -- and win recognition for science education. Winners receive publicity surrounding their win, a
video profile of their projects, and recognition at the TEEA banquet in Austin in May.
For more information or to apply online, go to http://www.teea.org. Nominations must be postmarked by November 4,
2005.
7. 2006 Accountability Decisions
A copy of the letter serving as notification to school district personnel of decisions related to the inclusion of students in the
state accountability performance indicators for 2006 district and campus ratings is available at:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/taa/perfreport101205.html
8. SAWS October Newsletter
9. Important Dates…
Late October – Final ratings released after resolution of appeals (available via TEASE only) State Accountability
Late October – Gold Performance Acknowledgements (GPA) for all districts and campuses released State Accountability
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November 1 – Rural and Low-Income School Program Application due
Late November – Early December – Appeals notifications; AYP / SIP Status update on TEA website based on appeals
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Early December – AEIS Release; release of 2004-2005 AEIS reports on public website (District Superintendents will
receive previews in November) State Accountability
Early December – Public Education Grant (PEG) program notification; TEA notifies districts of campuses identified under
PEG program criteria. This will apply to the 2006-07 school year. State Accountability
Mid December - School Report Card - TEA provides the 2004-05 School Report Card for all campuses State
Accountability
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