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TCTA presses lawmakers to invest in teachers, schools with expected $27B budget surplus

With the 88th Texas Legislature set to convene in just three months, TCTA has been urging budget writers to significantly increase state funding for both active teacher health care and a mandatory teacher pay raise in the next two-year state budget.

In addition, TCTA has recommended the state increase the school safety allotment — currently $9.72 per student — and expand its possible uses to provide funding for campus behavioral specialists that can assist classroom teachers. TCTA also has called for a meaningful cost-of-living adjustment for TRS retirees.

Lawmakers will have an enormous budget windfall next year as Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar has projected the state will have $27 billion extra when the current budget ends in August 2023, in addition to almost $14 billion set aside in the state’s rainy day fund. Click here to read more.

Watch this webinar to learn more about the STAAR redesign

If you missed Tuesdays with TCTA this week, you can click here to watch the replay. TEA's Jordan Runge presented an overview of the STAAR redesign, explaining how it better aligns with classroom instruction. He showed examples of new question types and shared where educators can find resources to help students prepare for the new exams this spring. Complete TEA's survey after watching the webinar and you'll earn 1 hour of CPE credit.

Join us on Nov. 1 and Dec. 6

You don't want to miss our upcoming Tuesdays with TCTA webinars.

• At 6 p.m. Nov. 1, TCTA attorneys will discuss leave and absences, reviewing state vs. local leave, including when your district can deny a leave request and when it can't. They'll also discuss the Family Medical Leave Act and other types of leave, explain the impact absences can have on your evaluation and review how accrued leave factors into retirement, before answering questions. Click here to register and submit questions.
• At 6 p.m. Dec. 6, members of TCTA's lobby team will recap the Nov. 8 election results and preview the upcoming 2023 session of the Texas Legislature, sharing TCTA's legislative priorities before answering questions. Click here to register and submit questions.

To watch replays of previous Tuesdays with TCTA webinars, click here.

New shift emerging in lesson planning: “internalizing” instead of designing

TCTA is seeing signs of a potentially major shift in the way teachers could be asked to approach lesson planning, and some classroom veterans are raising concerns.

Instead of the long-standing traditional practice in which teachers develop and design lesson plans, due to increased use by some school districts of curriculum systems which include pre-written lesson plans, the focus is turning to teachers internalizing the lessons that have already been produced. 

Click here to learn more about lesson internalization and find out what educators should know about adopting a major curriculum initiative.

Student sues district, claims it failed to respond to racial discrimination by her peers

A student filed suit against a school district in federal court, alleging that the district failed to respond appropriately to incidents of racial discrimination by her peers. Following a trial, the district court found in favor of the school district.

The student appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which further examined three incidents of racial discrimination the student cited in the lawsuit. Click here to read more.

SBEC reconsiders certification test despite SBOE veto of edTPA

The State Board for Educator Certification has spent the last several months gathering information to determine the best path forward on replacing the current pedagogy certification exam after the State Board of Education unanimously rejected a SBEC rule that required the use of edTPA, an expensive performance assessment exam.

At its Sept. 30, meeting, the State Board for Education Certification took up the issue as a discussion item during which TCTA joined with other major statewide education groups and educator preparation programs as a newly formed coalition, the Texas Coalition for Educator Preparation, to discourage SBEC from reconsidering edTPA as the certification exam.

Despite the opposition, SBEC asked TEA staff to bring back draft rule text for its December meeting incorporating edTPA, and possibly a Texas-based performance assessment that has not yet been developed, as pedagogy certification exams to replace the current Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam. Click here to read more.

TELPAS practice tests now available for grades 2-12

Beginning this spring, TELPAS will include a combined online reading and writing test for students in grades 2–12. New TELPAS reading and writing practice sets are now available in the online practice test system. Learn more here.

The following scoring guides for the new online writing questions will be available in November.

• 2022 TELPAS Grade 2 Reading and Writing Practice Set 
• 2022 TELPAS Grade 3 Reading and Writing Practice Set 
• 2022 TELPAS Grades 4–5 Reading and Writing Practice Set 
• 2022 TELPAS Grades 6–7 Reading and Writing Practice Set 
• 2022 TELPAS Grades 8–9 Reading and Writing Practice Set 
• 2022 TELPAS Grade 10–12 Reading and Writing Practice Set 

1,600 teachers earned new designations under TIA program

The Texas Education Agency recently announced that 1,600 teachers have earned new designations under the Teacher Incentive Allotment program. In total, around 6,200 teachers have earned funds under the program, representing less than 2% of the Texas teacher workforce. Now in its fourth year, 373 districts across Texas are actively participating in the TIA program. Click here to learn more.

Register to vote by Tuesday

Tuesday, Oct. 11, is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election. Click here to check your registration status or print an application.

Due to redistricting, every seat in the Texas House, Texas Senate and State Board of Education is on the ballot this year. Texans will also elect the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and other statewide office holders. Many school districts have board seats and bond issues on the ballot. Early voting is Oct. 24-Nov. 4. 

Encourage your colleagues to join TCTA

Help us recruit new members through our Take 2, Make $25 program. Give colleagues your TCTA member number and ask them to include it on their application. You'll get $25 for every two eligible First-Time Active members who join TCTA by Dec. 31. If you would like brochures to share with colleagues on your campus, email membership@tcta.org or call 888-879-8282.

Explore TicketsatWork savings for October

Celebrate the start of fall with TicketsatWork. Find offers on the latest in fall fashion and accessories, spooky Halloween experiences, and personal wellness products and services in observation of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10. Log in or become a member using Company Code SWTCTA.

To learn more about TCTA's other cost-saving programs, click here.

• Oct. 10 is Columbus Day, celebrated by some as Indigenous Peoples Day.
• Oct. 11 is the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election.
• Oct. 31 is the deadline to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.