Having trouble reading this email? Click here to view it as a webpage.

FEATURED NEWS

Poll highlights why many Texas teachers consider quitting


Texas teachers report deep frustrations with insufficient pay, difficult working conditions and a lack of support from their administrators, communities and policymakers, according to the 2022 Texas Teacher Poll released today by the Charles Butt Foundation.


Among the surveyed teachers, 77% had seriously considered leaving the profession — a marked 19-point increase since 2020 — and 93% of those respondents had taken steps in the past year to do so, such as preparing resumes or interviewing for another position.


“While these data reveal a concerning future for our public schools, we also find that our Texas teacher workforce is extremely motivated and dedicated, driven by a desire to make a difference and help students reach their full potential,” the pollsters wrote. “This dedication is challenged by inadequate pay, an untenable workload, feeling unvalued and uninvolved in decision-making, and a lack of resources and supports teachers need to succeed at their job.”


The poll suggests that a “significant salary increase” will be key to keeping qualified teachers in the classroom along with “maximizing retirement benefits” and schedule changes to provide more time for planning and time off.


Among the most positive aspects of the job, the teachers noted solidarity with their colleagues as well as strong relationships with their students.


Click here for more information about the poll results.

TEA releases resources to help educators prepare for redesigned STAAR tests


The Texas Education Agency has released final test blueprints for the redesigned STAAR exams that show the distribution of questions, points, and readiness and supporting standards across reporting categories for each STAAR assessment. Blueprints for reading language arts also include test design information, including the number of passages, the reading load, and the genres eligible for assessment.  


Full-length practice tests will be available soon for all grades and subjects to demonstrate how new item types and online accommodations will appear in the redesigned STAAR tests, which will be implemented in the spring.


To help educators understand how new reading language arts, science and social studies constructed response items will be scored, Constructed Response Scoring Guides will be available later this fall on the STAAR Redesign webpage under Resources to Support New Question Types. The guides include rubrics and real examples of student responses for short and extended constructed response items.  


Ask TEA about the STAAR redesign on Oct. 4


Based on educator feedback, TEA is developing resources and training to support teacher understanding of the STAAR redesign, the rationale and research behind it, and how it better aligns with classroom instruction.


During the next Tuesdays with TCTA webinar at 6 p.m. Oct. 4, Jordan Runge, the director of Strategy and Operations with the Student Assessment Division at TEA, will present an overview of the changes and new resources and training modules for teachers before answering questions about the STAAR redesign. TCTA members who attend this webinar will earn 1 hour of continuing professional education credit.


Click here to register and submit questions about the STAAR redesign.

Know the law and 10 best practices to talk with parents


If you missed our back-to-school webinar on Sept. 6 about working with parents, you can watch the replay now at tcta.org/twt. Michael Currie and Gerald Francisco reviewed the laws relating to parent-teacher conferences and shared 10 best practices for meetings with parents.

TCTA provides input on TRS pension fund, ActiveCare


As the Texas House and Senate prepare for the 2023 session, TCTA is urging lawmakers to address the adverse impact of inflation on current and retired teachers and the teacher shortage in Texas to ensure that compensation, including health insurance premiums for active teachers and retirement benefits, provides teachers with a net wage that reflects their contributions and overall effect on students, the community and economy.


In written testimony submitted during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee this week, TCTA requested that lawmakers balance the responsibility to ensure the TRS pension fund remains actuarially sound with the need to increase pension benefits due to the loss of purchasing power by retirees since 2004 and provide a meaningful cost-of-living adjustment.


Regarding TRS-ActiveCare, TCTA requested that lawmakers consider a more permanent solution to rising health care costs for teachers by considerably increasing the $75 state contribution and indexing it to inflation in future years.


TCTA also recommended that TRS collect certain data from districts based on the change to regional pricing to determine the impact on districts and school employees. Click here to read more.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Student sues district over its response to harassment claims


An eighth grader sued her school district, alleging it failed to train staff members and address her complaints of reported peer harassment based on race and national origin. 


After the student reported that she was being bullied by her peers, an assistant principal told the student he would call the parents of the harassers and follow up with the student to confirm that the bullying had stopped. He did neither of those things, but did speak with at least one of the students about their behavior.


About two weeks later, the student told a teacher she "didn't want to...live anymore" due to the harassment. The school counselor performed a suicide assessment, determined that the student was not suicidal and offered further counseling services. Two days later, the student was arrested and charged with assault after she attacked one of her harassers. Click here to read more.

OTHER NEWS

State Board of Education delays revisions to Social Studies TEKS until 2025


During its meeting last week, the State Board of Education voted 8-7 to delay revisions to the Social Studies TEKS until 2025.


Work groups, made up of educators, parents and industry experts selected by the state board and TEA, spent the past year crafting proposals for the social studies curriculum, but pressure from some conservatives asserting that some of the changes represented the teaching of “critical race theory” or “indoctrination” caused the board to delay action.


“We have time now to hear different ideas,” said board member Will Hickman, who voted in favor of the delay. Board member Marisa B. Perez-Diaz said not moving forward with the updates is a “failure” for the board.


Despite delaying the TEKS revisions, the board did change the years students will learn about Texas history. Currently, students learn about the state’s history in fourth and seventh grades. Board members considered eliminating that timetable to have students in grades six through eight learn both U.S. and Texas history. Instead, the board voted 10-4 Friday in favor of teaching Texas history to fifth and eighth graders.

TRS hosting health fairs for retirees starting Sept. 20


TRS is hosting a series of statewide health fairs from Sept. 20 through Oct. 20 to help retired educators learn more about TRS-Care health benefits. Attendees can talk with health care vendors, learn more about wellness options and get a head start on Medicare.


Click here for dates and locations and to find links to register.

Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness by Oct. 31


Educators may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives the remaining balance on federal student loans after 120 payments for those working full time for federal, state, Tribal, or local government; military; or a qualifying nonprofit. 


Temporary changes ending Oct. 31 provide flexibility that makes it easier to receive forgiveness through the PSLF program. The U.S. Department of Education outlined the changes during a webinar this week and encouraged all educators who may qualify for loan forgiveness to apply, even if previous applications have been denied. Visit PSLF.gov to learn more and apply. 

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.


Have you renewed your membership for the 2022-23 school year?

Members from 2021-22 have until Sept. 30 to renew without a lapse in coverage. You can log in at members.tcta.org to check your status and renew with a credit/debit card or call the Membership Department at 888-879-8282. Click here to renew with payroll deduction.

CALENDAR

CONTENT PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

You can find previous editions of eUpdate online at tcta.org/eupdate.


TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

PO BOX 1489 AUSTIN, TX 78767 | 888-879-8282 | TCTA.ORG

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest