Spring 2017 ATPE News

How Dan Rather is supporting Texas education » 18

A Texas lawmaker learns what really matters to educators » 20

Can empathy be taught? It is in some Texas schools » 24

ATPE News EDUCATOR

RIGHTS

SOME TEXAS LEGISLATORS ARE TARGETING EDUCATORS. SPRING 2017 | ATPE.ORG

LEARN HOW YOU CAN STOP THE ATTACKS ON YOUR PROFESSION. PA G E 1 4

YOU

DESERVE A

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ATPE News

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators

State Officers Julleen Bottoms. . . . . . . President, Corsicana (12) Carl Garner. . . . . . Vice President, Mesquite (10) Byron Hildebrand. . . . Secretary, San Antonio (20) Tonja Gray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer, Abilene (14) Cory Colby . . . . . . . . . . . Past President, Willis (6)

Board of Directors

T

ATPE Staff Gary G. Godsey. . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Director Alan Bookman. . . . . . Deputy Executive Director Elaine Acker . . Mkting Communications Director

ATPE News Staff Gary G. Godsey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Editor Elaine Acker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor John Kilpper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art Director Leslie Trahan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor Erica Fos. . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Graphic Designer Jean Schlitzkus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Writer/Editor ATPE News contains legislative advertising contracted for by Gary G. Godsey, Executive Director, Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300, Austin, TX 78752-3792, representing ATPE. ATPE News (ISSN 0279-6260) is published quarterly in fall, winter, spring, and summer.

Subscription rates: for members of the association, $3.32 per year (included in membership dues); non-members, $10 per year. Extra copies $1.25 each. Published by the Association of Texas Professional Educators, 305 E. Huntland Drive, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78752-3792.

Periodical postage paid at Austin, Texas, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ATPE News, 305 E. Huntland Dr., #300, Austin, TX 78752-3792.

Advertising rates may be obtained by sending a written request to the above address. Opinions expressed in this publication represent the attitude of the contributor whose name appears with the article and are not necessarily the official policy of ATPE. ATPE reserves the right to refuse advertising contrary to its purpose.

Copyright 2017 in USA by the Association of Texas Professional Educators

Photo by Kate Kuhlmann

Michael Sweet. . . . . . . Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (1) Cesarea Germain. . . . . . . . . . . . Corpus Christi (2) Andy Erdelt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Palacios (3) Eli Rodriguez . . . . . . . . . . . Cypress-Fairbanks (4) Suellen Ener. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beaumont (5) Charles Lindsey II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Magnolia (6) Janie Leath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nacogdoches (7) Jimmy Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paris (8) Dale Lovett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olney (9) Meredith Malloy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ferris (10) Karen Hames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lewisville (11) Jason Forbis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midway (12) Jayne Serna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leander (13) Desirie Ries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hawley (14) Darlene Kelly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ballinger (15) Dawn Riley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bushland (16) Brenda Bryan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hale Center (17) Bridget Loffler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Odessa (18) Rudy Romero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clint (19) Tina Briones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Antonio (20)

he 85th Legislative Session is well under way, and ATPE is working hard to make sure Texas educators’ voices are heard at the State Capitol and beyond. Some of our legislators are also working hard, but unfortunately, they have the opposite goal in mind.

They want to silence your voice.

One of our biggest priorities for 2017 is defeating a bill that would prevent educators from using payroll deduction to pay association dues. Why would our legislators want to take away this safe and convenient payment option?

Because eliminating the easiest way for educators to pay their association dues would reduce our numbers and weaken our voice. It’s interesting to note that under this bill, payroll deduction will still be allowed for firefighters, police officers, and EMS workers. Why are they coming after us? Because we oppose vouchers. Because we raise a ruckus about the unfair “A-F” system.

Payroll deduction is by far the easiest and safest payment method, and despite what some legislators say, it doesn’t cost our districts—or the state—a thing.

With payroll deduction, I don’t have to worry about identity theft or updating my payment information. And I don’t have to think about renewing my ATPE membership at the beginning of the school year, when what I really want to be focused on is getting ready for my students.

As I write, the payroll deduction elimination bill is still a threat to Texas educators. Read our advocacy blog at TeachtheVote.org for updates. Yes, ATPE has our backs in the classroom, but it’s time for us to speak up for ourselves and protect our rights. Our collective voice is powerful. Stand firm and speak out. Be that squeaky wheel. Contact your legislators NOW.

Julleen Bottoms ATPE State President

ISSN © ATPE 2013 0279-6260 USPS 578-050 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792 (800) 777-ATPE (2873) atpe.org | atpe@atpe.org ATPE NEWS 3

Contents ATPE NEWS | Spring 2017, Volume 37, Number 3

24 A Culture of Caring Austin ISD’s social emotional learning program teaches empathy in the classroom

1

20 FEATURES

What They Said: What I Learned from Conversations with Texas Educators State Representative Diego Bernal on how to address Texas educators’ biggest concerns 4 ATPE NEWS

3 4 5

628 7From TABS to STAAR 8A history of standardized testing in Texas

9 10

Texas map courtesy Diego Bernal; SEL photo-Erica Fos; Dan Rather photo courtesy Ron Oliveira

2

18

#

SPECIAL SECTIONS 18 The Rather Prize

How Dan Rather hopes to improve education in Texas

32 2017 ATPE Summit

Learn everything you need to know to make this year’s summit a success

32

EVERYTHING ELSE 6 Calendar 7 Feedback 8 Regional Roundup 10 Know and Tell

14 Your Ally

Texas lawmakers are unfairly targeting educators with a payroll deduction elimination bill

15 Your Voice

34 Members Speak

Six ways we are just like our students

36 Family Album 38 ATPE News

Quick calming activities for the classroom

Standing up for your rights this legislative session is critical— and easier than you think

12 Spotlight

16 PAC Honor Roll

Classroom makeover contest winners • Meeting notice for the House of Delegates

31 Why I Volunteer

43 Brain Break

Chess is teaching Brownsville students valuable life lessons

ATPE NEWS 5

CALENDAR

April 1

6–7

Teacher Retirement System quarterly board meeting

37th anniversary of ATPE’s founding

14

18–21 21–22

1–5

19–20 29

State office closed for Good Friday

State Board of Education meeting

Spring committee meetings: ATPE-PAC, Bylaws, Legislative, Resolutions, and Public Information

May 1

Entry deadline for ATPE Communications Award and end of the PAC’s Peak Challenge

Teacher Appreciation Week

ATPE Board of Directors meeting

State office closed for Memorial Day 85th Session of the Texas Legislature—Sine Die

June 1–2

Teacher Retirement System quarterly board meeting

9

Last day to register and make lodging reservations for ATPE Summit

THE ATPE

VISION 6 ATPE NEWS

9

ATPE

SUMMIT atpesummit.org

#atpesummit

2017

State Board for Educator Certification meeting

20–23 State Board of Education meeting

ATPE is the preeminent public educator association in Texas and makes a difference in the lives of educators and schoolchildren. In partnership with all stakeholders, we are committed to providing every child an equal opportunity to receive an exemplary public education.

FEEDBACK

Mathis Elementary student photo courtesy Ostolia Garcia

Dear Editor, Thank you for your Winter 2016 article “Once Upon a Time,” about literacy programs for students. I was particularly interested in the section “Focusing on Preschool Readiness.”

Mathis Elementary has been focusing on pre-K writing and reading for the past four years. It's amazing how our four- and five-year-olds’ brains can focus. Their brains are like sponges. Yes, I've had some kindergartners and first graders reading already! It can be done. Thank you for that article.

DO YOU HAVE FEEDBACK FOR ATPE NEWS? Send letters to comm@atpe.org.

Ostolia Garcia

Prekindergarten teacher Mathis Elementary, Mathis, TX

Mathis Elementary prekindergarten students focus on reading and writing.

Save time when you need it most.

ATPE offers up to $8 million in professional liability insurance, extensive employment rights defense insurance, and no-cost access to staff attorneys for eligible members.* Join or renew your membership for the 2017-18 school year with ATPE starting April 1, and you’ll be covered the moment school starts. So you can focus on the things that really matter.

Visit ATPE.ORG to join the state's largest and most influential educators' group starting April 1.

*Eligibility, terms, and conditions apply.

ATPE NEWS 7

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Kansas

T

here are more than a thousand school districts in Texas and each one has success stories. Regional Roundup highlights some of the achievements happening in our public schools.

When something special happens in your school district, let us know! Send news to comm@atpe.org.

Oklahoma

6 PLAINVIEW

2

1

ROUND ROCK MANOR

5

3 CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS

DEL RIO

Gulf of Mexic 4 MCALLEN

8 ATPE NEWS

From Across the State yearbook staff 1 Mwinsanornational award

The Manor High School Yearbook staff won a national award for outstanding achievement in yearbook page design. The team’s work was selected from thousands of submissions in the National Yearbook Contest judged by industry professionals on creativity, technical design, and originality, sponsored by Entourage Yearbook. mhs.manorisd.net

Arkansas

cAllen high schooler wins at 4 Mworld powerlifting championships

McAllen Memorial High School senior Abigail Castillo (front) took first place in her division at the World Association of Bench Press and Dead Lift in Las Vegas. She bench pressed 181 pounds and dead lifted 330 pounds. This is the second year that the district has offered a powerlifting program, and it’s the second straight year a Mustang has won the international event. mcallenisd.org

ound Rock dance teacher named 2 RDance el Rio student will have tuition Educator of the Year 5 Dpaid for at private university

Cedar Ridge High School lead dance teacher and ATPE member Karen Searles was named Dance Educator of the Year by the Texas Dance Educator’s Association (TDEA). She was nominated for the award by her peers. Searles worked with her Jazz 4 class and submitted a video of a lesson plan in action, along with a statement of accomplishments, as part of the application process. roundrockisd.org

Louisiana

Photos courtesy of: 1. Manor ISD; 2. Round Rock ISD; 3. Karen Needham; 4. McAllen ISD; 5. San Felipe Del Rio CISD; 6. George W. Bush Presidential Center

co

HEADLI N ES

County teenagers perform 3 Hatarris presidential inauguration

Seven Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students made the trip to Washington, DC, and performed at events surrounding the 58th Presidential Inauguration. They were chosen from among 51 members of the Virtuosi of Houston Young Artists Chamber Orchestra to participate in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Virtuosi of Houston works to create performance opportunities for young musicians, regardless of race, religion, or financial status. cfisd.net

Priscilla Quintero was one of only 35 scholars accepted into the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at St. Edward’s University. In addition to paying for other expenses like books and meal plans, the CAMP aid package covers more than $40,000 in tuition during a student’s freshman year. After her freshman year, Priscilla will continue to receive tuition assistance through the program. sfdr-cisd.org

lainview documentary 6 Pteam interviews President

George W. Bush

A five-member film crew from Plainview High School recorded a 20-minute interview with the 43rd president of the United States. Their interview with George W. Bush is entered in this year’s UIL Young Filmmakers Festival. The team met with the former president at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the SMU campus. facebook.com/PlainviewISD

ATPE NEWS 9

KNOW AND TELL

Why: A common misconception is that mindfulness is mostly a self-regulation tool. However, when practiced consistently, mindfulness increases proficiency in the five core competencies of SEL (created by CASEL, an organization that supports SEL in schools).

Mindfulness Strategies for the Classroom

SELF-AWARENESS: Enhances your ability to focus attention and improves self-compassion SELF-MANAGEMENT: Increases emotion regulation skills SOCIAL AWARENESS: Increases empathy by helping the individual regulate emotions rather than getting overwhelmed during difficult situations

BY JAMES BUTLER, AUSTIN ISD SEL MINDFULNESS SPECIALIST, AND EMILY HOALDRIDGE-DOPKINS, AUSTIN ISD SEL SPECIALIST

RELATIONSHIP SKILLS: Increases compassion and deep listening

t’s no secret that teachers have a lot to accomplish every day. Integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into class routines provides students with valuable life skills and can help make learning more efficient. SEL helps improve class relationships, which fosters learning across content areas. Mindfulness is a tool that supports SEL in and out of the classroom. A practical definition of mindfulness is “right here, right now: paying attention on purpose, responding, and being kind to yourself.” In Austin ISD, one of the nation’s leaders in SEL, mindfulness is being implemented in one way or another on nearly 100 campuses, and the number keeps growing.

RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING: Increases cognitive flexibility and creativity

I

10 ATPE NEWS

What:

When:

There are many ways to practice being present in the classroom.

Here are a few quick and easy mindfulness activities:

Got a minute? Mindfulness can be practiced during different parts of your day. Here are a few suggested times to practice mindfulness with your students:

MINDFUL STRETCHING “Dolphin pose”—Sit or stand. Stretch your arms behind your back.

Grasp your hands, gently lift your arms, and look up. Take five deep breaths. Get creative and come up with your own “poses.”

MINDFUL BREATHING “Finger tracing”—Hold one hand with outstretched fingers. Touch the bottom of your outstretched thumb with a finger from your other hand. Breathe in and slowly move your finger up your thumb.

Breathe out and slowly move your finger down your thumb.

Continue as you trace your outstretched hand from your thumb to your pinky. Repeat with other hand.

START OF THE DAY/CLASS END OF THE DAY/CLASS TRANSITIONS AFTER LUNCH BRAIN BREAK (when class energy level needs a change)

Photos courtesy of James Butler and Emily Hoaldridge-Dopkins

MINDFUL LISTENING “Listen to the bell”—Play the sound of a bell or chime and have your students focus on the sound while taking slow, steady, controlled breaths. The volume will decrease, and when your students can no longer hear the sound, have them raise their hand. You can also do this with eyes closed and open them when the sound fades away.

MINDFUL SEEING “Find something new”—Set a timer for one minute or play a chime.

While taking slow, steady, controlled breaths, students notice their surroundings by silently looking around the room to find something they haven’t noticed before. This can be done in a variety of locations on campus.

MINDFUL EATING “Eat with your senses”—Using a snack, guide your students to pay close attention to their food through the five senses. Encourage them to notice texture, color, shape, ingredients, flavor, and so forth. For the first bite, intentionally go through each sense: sight, touch, smell, taste, and listening (while chewing).

James Butler leads a mindfulness activity with Austin students.

ATPE NEWS 11

SPOTLIGHT

The Right Moves Chess is teaching Brownsville students valuable life lessons.

INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS BY JEAN SCHLITZKUS

12 ATPE NEWS

SPOTLIGHT

Y

ou might not expect today’s teenagers to be attracted to the refined and thoughtful game of chess in the age of social media and fast-paced handheld gaming. But in Brownsville, it’s not uncommon to see tables covered with plastic checkered gaming mats, and students staring silently and patiently contemplating their next move. The South Texas border town has a long and storied history as a chess powerhouse. It all began in the early 1990s when elementary school teacher J. J. Guajardo tackled classroom behavioral issues by showing his students how to play the classic twoplayer strategy board game. In 1993, Guajardo’s team won its first state chess championship, a feat the team repeated every year through 1999. Since Guajardo’s chess dynasty, national trophies have continued to find a home in Brownsville.

The chess players in Brownsville are so good that the school district’s program was featured in a 2010 episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The Valley chess magic even caught Hollywood’s attention. In 2015, the film Endgame, about a Brownsville student who helps his school’s chess team reach the Texas state finals, was released.

BISD’s lead resource teacher for advanced academics, Corina Caballero, is also the district’s chess coordinator.

She says today’s regional and state tournaments host between 900 and 1,200 kids. Compare that to Brownsville ISD’s 10 yearly local tournaments, each hosting between 700 and 900 students at the local level alone. Although Caballero doesn’t play much chess anymore, she has been a chess sponsor and whole-heartedly believes in the power of the pawn. “I feel that competition is

Fernando practices as much as five hours a week on chess tactics. On the day before a tournament, he will practice for an hour and a half. good for kids. If they don’t have a good game, that means they have to work harder until next time. That’s just part of life.” Caballero also believes chess teaches life skills like critical thinking and problem solving.

Fernando Montanaro sees the consequences of every move on the chess board and already understands the importance of his moves in life. The high school freshman is enrolled in the Science Technology, Architecture, and Medical Professions (STAMP) College Preparatory Program at Hanna High School, and plans on becoming a pharmacist. He says he’s primarily focused on academics, but he quickly adds that he’s focused on chess, too. He’s been playing since the first grade and is now

In the first grade, Fernando saw classmates playing chess. He says that once he learned some basic moves, openings, and strategies, he was hooked.

ranked in the top 10 percent nationwide in the US Chess Federation’s junior classification. He’s competed in seven national tournaments. ATPE News sat down with Fernando to talk about the appeal of the classic board game.

Why should school districts promote the game of chess?

It’s a good idea to start a chess team because chess improves focus and concentration and helps students set goals.

And, overall, it helps students think more critically. It helped me focus a lot more because, with chess, you have to concentrate. A game can last as long as six hours. Plus, sometimes you focus on one move for as long as 20 minutes.

Chess is also a lot like life because you have to plan, set your goals, and work toward them. Sometimes you make mistakes. You just have to try harder and not give up—just like life. continued on page 42

ATPE NEWS 13

YOUR ALLY

What Is REALLY Going on with Payroll Deduction?

I PAUL TAPP ATPE MANAGING ATTORNEY

14 ATPE NEWS

f you have been reading about education is- MYTH: PAYROLL DEDUCTION COSTS TEXAS sues in the legislature, you likely know that TAXPAYERS MONEY. there is a multi-pronged attack on public edu- FACT: THE COSTS CAN BE PASSED ON TO cation, including offensives toward again cutting THE ORGANIZATION. important educator protections and siphoning off Texas Education Code 22.001 allows school disresources to non-accountable private schools in tricts to pass costs on to the organization. the name of “choice.” The final prong is a direct assault on those who defend public education— MYTH: THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT educator groups like ATPE. BE IN THE BUSINESS OF COLLECTING DUES This attack takes the form of two bills filed in FOR EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS, AND the current legislature, THESE BILLS PREVENT House Bill 510 (HB 510), THAT CONFLICT. authored by Rep. Sarah FACT: BOTH BILLS ALLOW Davis, and Senate Bill 13 GOVERNMENTAL PAYROLL (SB 13), authored by Sen. DEDUCTION FOR SOME Joan Huffman. These bills GROUPS, EVEN SOME WHY WON’T YOU BE would revoke a law that UNIONS. has existed since 1995 ALLOWED TO USE PAYROLL These bills specifically say that requires school disthat the government can still DEDUCTION WHEN tricts to allow staff to pay FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE process payroll deduction retheir professional dues quests for dues, even union OFFICERS WILL? through payroll deducdues, for firefighters, police oftion and pass any cost on ficers, and EMS workers. The to the organization. bills also allow governmental Let’s fact check some misconceptions about entities, including public school districts, to use these payroll deduction bills. payroll deduction for charitable organizations, like United Way and the American Cancer Society.

MYTH: TEXAS EDUCATORS AND PUBLIC So what’s the difference? Why won’t you be alSCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF CAN BE REQUIRED lowed to use payroll deduction when other public TO JOIN A UNION OR PROFESSIONAL servants will?

ORGANIZATION. During a Feb. 13 Senate committee hearing, SB FACT: NO ONE WORKING FOR A SCHOOL 13 author Sen. Joan Huffman stated that she was DISTRICT CAN BE REQUIRED TO JOIN AN exempting first responders from her bill because ORGANIZATION. they “serve the community … with great honor and Texas is a “right to work” state. No public school distinction” and “they generally don’t interfere employee can be required to join a union or pro- with the business interests of the state of Texas.” fessional association in order to get or keep a job.

Does the legislature consider educators less Texas Education Code 21.407 specifically prohib- valuable than firefighters and police officers? It its a public school district or anyone representing certainly seems so. What business interests is the or acting on behalf of a public school district from state afraid that educators will interfere with? requiring or coercing anyone to join any union or What is REALLY going on with payroll deduction? professional association.

These are things all educators should be asking their legislators.

YOUR VOICE

Stand Up for Your Rights this Legislative Session

A MARK WIGGINS ATPE LOBBYIST

child of poverty, raised in the remotest number, you can quickly and easily support our corner of the Texas Hill Country, Lyndon efforts at the Capitol.

We can magnify our voice even more through Johnson was one of just five classroom teachers to rise to the office of president of the phone calls, personal letters, and visits to legisUnited States. Little surprise, then, that some lative offices—often the most powerful way to inof his best advice was delivered in terms even fluence lawmakers and easier than you think. The the most hard-headed youngster could easily key is to be calm, respectful, and prepared. Every type of communication can be broken down into understand.

“There are plenty of recommendations on how a few simple steps: to get out of trouble cheaply and fast,” Johnson 1. Identify yourself as a constituent and was once quoted as saying. “Most of them come educator.

2. State the bill or issue you’re calling about down to this: Deny your responsibility.”

It’s a warning to avoid shirking duty, which the and explain why it’s important to you. Make 85th Texas Legislature may want to consider as sure they know why this is personal.

Example: “I’m concerned about Senate Bill 13, they debate a broken school finance system and try to keep schools funded within a budget tight the ban on payroll deduction. It’s the safest and most convenient way for me to be a member of my enough to raise a blister.

Among the bad fixes being put forward this ses- professional organization, which is not a union. I sion are proposals to privatize public education feel like we’re being attacked for being teachers, through vouchers, such as education savings ac- and it’s unfair.” counts (ESAs). Vouchers deny the core respon- 3. Ask for a commitment.

Example: “Will you oppose Senate Bill 13?” sibility enshrined in the Texas Constitution to 4. Thank them and educate every child. To leave your contact info. skirt opposition, voucher For those who can drive proponents are using “A to Austin, you also have through F” accountabiliopportunities to testify ty grades to promote the at committee hearings, myth that public schools THIS IS A SESSION OF although public testiare failing. Worse yet, they’re attacking teachUNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS ON mony is typically limiters directly by banning EDUCATORS, AND IT WILL TAKE ed to three minutes and may occur in the middle their ability to support AN UNPRECEDENTED SHOW OF of the night. Our blog at professional organiFORCE FROM OUR SIDE. TeachtheVote.org comzations such as ATPE bined with Advocacy through payroll deducCentral on atpe.org are tion. Now more than ever, it’s up to educators to stand up for their rights great resources for updates on upcoming bill hearings, plus the latest news and talking points. and the rights of every child entrusted to them.

This is a session of unprecedented attacks on edThis session, ATPE has deployed a powerful new set of tools that enable us to combine our voices in ucators, and it will take an unprecedented show of a way lawmakers can’t ignore. Advocacy Central force from our side. ATPE’s lobbyists are working lets you easily communicate with your legislators hard to set up the ball—and the strength of our about bills that affect your career and students. members will drive it home.

President Johnson might have put it another After activating your account online at atpe.org and linking your account to your membership way: It’s no time to sit on our spurs.

ATPE NEWS 15

PAC HONOR ROLL

Make an ImPACt

IF

100,000 MEMBERS DONATED

x

JUST

$10 PER YEAR

=

WE’D HAVE

$1 MILLION TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION! The following ATPE members donated $50 or more to ATPE’s Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) from Oct. 1, 2016, though Dec. 31, 2016.

Abilene Tonja Gray

Comal Chris Douglas

Huntsville Jeanine Sicard

Northside (20) David de la Garza

Alvin Kristopher Clancy

Corsicana Julleen Bottoms

Irving Connie Kilday Miranda Madden

Plano Lindsay Beattie Dennise Schuler

Amarillo Nelson Bishop Yolanda Capetillo Michael Renteria Dawn Riley

Cypress-Fairbanks Stephanie Bailey

Jacksboro Kristi Daws

San Antonio Annie Perez

Killeen Alice Page Eileen Walcik Melissa Walcik Ron Walcik

San Marcos Genie Rolfe

Leander Jayne Serna

Tornillo Cecy Lettunich

McAllen Twila Figueroa

Tyler Betty Berndt

Mesquite Debbie Massey Jerrica Pruitt Cynthia Rowden Kay Young

Willis Gidget Belinoski-Bailey

Del Valle Debbie Luciew-Nelson

Andrews Tina Hardarson

Edinburg Benjamin Lozano

Austin Elizabeth Abrahams

Galena Park Sharon Dixon Imelda Hernández

Ballinger Darlene Kelly

Grapevine-Colleyville Kelley Walker

Boerne Margie Hastings

Hale Center Brenda Bryan

Carrollton-Farmers Branch Keri Minier Ginny Welch

Humble Gayle Sampley Stacey Ward Laura Whitfield

Nacogdoches Janie Leath

Spearman Sherry Boyd

Woden Ginger Franks Teresa Millard

Clear Creek Janis Balsamo

Invest in the ATPE Political Action Committee today!

It’s easy to set up recurring monthly or quarterly donations online at atpe.org/pac-donate.

16 ATPE NEWS

IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SUPPORT OFFICEHOLDERS AND CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION. WHY should you help?

Because we need to ensure that those in office are fighting for quality educational standards and protecting your professional interests. We are facing a barrage of attacks on public education this legislative session—from efforts to divert your hard-earned tax dollars to private schools with little or no accountability to bills that threaten associations like ATPE by eliminating your right to pay for membership dues via payroll deduction.

3 MYTHS ABOUT CONTRIBUTING

TO ATPE-PAC

MYTH #1

PAC DOLLARS ONLY GO TO ONE PARTY. We are bipartisan. We don't favor one political party over another.

We support both Republicans and Democrats.

HOW can you help?

Your voluntary donations to the ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) are used to make bipartisan contributions to officeholders/candidates who support public education and ATPE’s philosophies.

WHEN should you help?

Now is a critical time to donate. Our annual PAC’s Peak Challenge goal is to raise $25,000 for ATPE-PAC by May 1. The election season will soon be here and it’s essential that we have a healthy fund.

INVEST IN PUBLIC EDUCATION BY CONTRIBUTING TO ATPE-PAC You can make a meaningful impact by investing in a fund that ensures that quality public education and your professional interests are protected.

DONATE TODAY at atpe.org/PACDonate.

ATPE-PAC solicits donations only from ATPE members, employees, and their families.

MYTH #2

ATPE-PAC IS FUNDED BY ATPE MEMBERSHIP DUES. By law, your ATPE membership dues dollars can’t be used to fund ATPE-PAC, which is why we rely on individual, voluntary donations.

MYTH #3

DONORS ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS. There’s no minimum contribution amount. The amount you give is completely up to you. You can make a one-time online contribution using a debit or credit card, or set up monthly or quarterly ATPE-PAC donations of as little as $5.

ATPE NEWS 17

THE

RATHER PRIZE

Innovative Ideas from Students, Teachers, and Administrators to Improve Education in Texas

BY DAN RATHER, MARTIN RATHER, & RICE UNIVERSITY

ast, diverse, limitless: the state of Texas boasts many strengths, and all allude to its expansive resources and rich diversity. We have countless ideas to share and invaluable resources to utilize.

Despite all that Texas has to offer, however, our education system continues to face systemic problems. We hope to find solutions through our initiative, the Rather Prize, which seeks to reward high-quality ideas from Texas students, teachers, and administrators.

Founded by journalist Dan Rather and his grandson Martin Rather, the Rather Prize and our partners at Rice University in Houston seek a nonpartisan avenue for empowering local-level voices in education. To accomplish this goal, we encourage idea submissions from students, teachers, and administrators—anyone who learns or works in a Texas education institution—across the state. After public voting on finalists, we award the winner a $10,000 prize and an additional $10,000 in implementation support from Rice University’s Center for Civic Leadership.

18 ATPE NEWS

Photos courtesy of Ron Oliveira

Recent metrics from Education Magazine place our educational system as 42nd in the country. On top of that, Texas students rank 47th in SAT scores.

For a state with so much heart and pride, we know we can do better.

With a statewide graduation rate of 88 percent, Texas boasts enormous academic success and potential. Most of the recent gains in graduation rates are enjoyed by minority students, who traditionally encounter the most obstacles throughout their education. We want to improve the experience of students across the state, ensuring the vast resources Texas has to offer can impact every classroom and student.

However, the Texas legislature and individually elected school boards retain almost exclusive control over education policy in Texas, and in recent years, we have seen little improvement. Currently, there is no way for local-level ideas to transcend these policy barriers and transform classrooms across the state. At the Rather Prize, an education competition for a $10,000 grant, this is what we seek to change.

The Rather Prize was established in 2015 in response to what the Rather family saw as a weak point in Texas education—the ability for local-level ideas to be celebrated.

“When we created the Prize, which was all my grandson Martin’s idea, we aimed to celebrate the educators who helped to shape all of us into who we are today, and the student who thinks critically and effectively about how to improve the system around them,” said Dan Rather, who is a product of Texas public schools.

Martin Rather, a sophomore at Rice University, helped establish partnerships between the Rather Prize, SXSWedu, and Rice University’s Center for Civic Leadership. Martin says, “I think that the strength of our contest is that we are nonpartisan, open to all in Texas education—we have received ideas from middle school students all the way up to retired educators—and we have fantastic partners who allow us to offer the platform of the nation’s strongest education conference and all of the resources of Rice in order to help to implement the

winning idea.” The goals of the contest are to find the best ideas and help implement the winning proposal.

So far, the Rather Prize has seen remarkable results.

After Dr. Sanford Jeames of Austin’s Eastside Memorial High School submitted his innovative proposal to connect underserved high school students with community mentors, he saw his rising seniors flourish and demonstrate increased confidence in their post-high school plans. Dr. Jeames calls the program, the “STEP Up Challenge, because we want to see our students step up to do better and accomplish more. And we are all about creating stronger outcomes for our students in terms of acceptance to college and strong internships.”

For students who perceived higher education as an unfeasible goal, the role of community and professional mentors in shaping students’ outcomes cannot be understated. Dr. Caroline Quenemoen, an associate dean at Rice University who worked with the Rather Prize and Dr. Jeames on Eastside’s pilot program, said, “The results of the program were outstanding, and I hope that other schools will look towards what Eastside is doing to see if they can adopt many of the same standards.” Following Dr. Jeames’s pilot program at Eastside Memorial, the school saw their college acceptance rates grow and students’ perspectives broaden.

Dr. Jeames is just one success story, and there are many more waiting in the wings.

In this year’s contest, we received ideas from more than 200 students and educators, and thousands of Texans have voted for their favorite. The ideas are as diverse as the state they came from.

A student in Wharton ISD proposed connecting local news organizations with school districts so that students could learn how to use media to tell national news stories from their own perspectives, learning both communication skills and the importance of writing the news.

A teacher in Leander suggested a living history museum that would allow students to explore and recreate continued on page 42

ATPE NEWS 19

WHAT They

SAID What I Learned from Conversations with Texas Educators

BY DIEGO BERNAL STATE REPRESENTATIVE TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 123

State Rep. Diego Bernal visited all 55 campuses in his district. While the schools were diverse, the educators’ concerns were the same.

20 ATPE NEWS

design,

My commitment to public education is rooted in two core beliefs. he first is that education can solve our most pressing problems—poverty, hunger, inadequate health care, the lack of affordable housing, unemployment, crime, the need for criminal justice reform, and many more.

It is the one issue that can affect all others.

Second is my belief that in order to unlock education’s immense potential, it must be offered to all students fairly and equitably. The idea that educational opportunities are determined by zip code is un-American and falls short of the greatness of Texas.

Although the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the public school finance system meets minimal constitutional requirements, meaning nothing has to change, the inequity of the public school finance system—and the absurdity of this ruling—is obvious to the naked eye.

That reality, lived by more than 5.23 million students in every corner of the state, means that Democrats and Republicans alike have a moral obligation to find ways to improve public education in spite of the Court’s failure.

In politics, it is often the case that elected people talk to other elected people and other “leaders.” There’s nothing wrong with that, and it can yield valuable information, but my team and I wanted to get to the core, to the bedrock, of public education. We want our work to be useful, to be felt and meaningful.

So we went local.

Texas House District 123 includes campuses from three school districts— San Antonio ISD, North East ISD, and Northside ISD. It is one of the most economically diverse districts in Texas, a fact reflected by the campuses and their surrounding neighborhoods. We wanted to know if there were similar experiences, issues, themes, and patterns that linked these schools and districts together. We wanted to start by identifying what they had in common.

We decided the only way to do that was to go to each campus and talk to educators—the people who do this work for a living every day. I asked my staff to set up meetings with the principals/educators at every public school in our district. There are 55 campuses total. I met with them all.

The only ideas and recommendations that made their way into my final report are the ones that I heard again and again, everywhere. Every point listed below was repeated, confirmed, and verified by educators during the 55 school visits, as well as by scores of individual teachers, parents, and students that I met and continue to meet with across campuses and districts.

This document is a blueprint for nonpartisan, common-sense education policy in Texas, both in terms of practical action items and school finance priorities. During my visits, I didn’t find Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals; I only found people who wanted the best for our students.

After more than 55 campus conversations and dozens of others, here are excerpts of what they said.

ATPE NEWS 21

Find ways to fit more quality instruction time into a school day.

Districts and schools need the freedom to hire more support staff.

E

C

Texas Educator: “I bet you think I need more money, and I do, but it’s not at the top of my list. And I bet you think I need new technology, and trust me, an iPad for every student would be great, but it’s not at the top of my list. You know what I need? Time. Give me more time spent on actual instruction and I’ll show you a school that’s been turned around. You know what I do? I have my office take on as much of the teachers’ paperwork as possible. Anything we can do to lighten the load, we do it. You know why? MORE TIME! Teachers get to teach. Simple.”

Provide incentives for hiring exceptional teachers.

ducators repeatedly stated that quality instruction time — more time teaching — is what matters most to a student’s learning. Teachers end up with less time dedicated to teaching and learning when forced to spend too much time on other responsibilities, like filling out mounds of paperwork, managing large classrooms, and taking attendance.

Programs meant to help schools shouldn’t burden them.

R

eporting and compliance duties often come along with grants, academic improvement programs, and data collection. Well-intentioned regulations can take away instruction time if the logistics at the district and campus level are not properly considered by the state.

Texas Educator: “You guys [the Texas Legislature] give us so much to do, but don’t tell us how or when. You want fire drills for school buses, good idea, now tell me how to do it and when. What am I going to have to cut? We always have to ask ourselves these questions. These days, if I can get my teachers to spend 3 ½ hours on instruction a day, it’s a win.”

Read about ATPE’s legislative priorities at atpe.org/advocacy/legislative-program/ legislative-priorities

o-teachers, social workers, behavioral health professionals, and additional staff can all take burdens off educators and allow them to spend more time teaching.

If students arrive in the classroom well-fed, well-rested, housed, clothed, cared-for, and ready to learn, teachers automatically gain more quality teaching time. Educators across districts asked for the ability to hire additional support staff to provide these wraparound services.

G

ood teachers, and excellent leadership, are important at every campus, but students and campuses with the most challenges require the best help. From a policy perspective, when advocating for the “best” teachers, it is difficult to define with specificity what that is, although the consensus is that experience is a common quality. Overall, principals and other teachers know talent when they see it and need the flexibility and authority to hire those educators.

Texas Educator: “If I had to choose between an iPad for every student or a few more top notch teachers, I would take the teachers in a heartbeat, every time.”

Resources should be commensurate with the size of the student population and what the state expects of them.

A

lthough the responses from educators varied in terms of priority, in almost every way possible, educators noted that generally the resources for English language learners and special education students were insufficient. From the dearth of certified teachers, instructional materials, and test preparation to class size and accountability, educators at nearly every campus lamented the general inadequacy in resource availability and quality.

Texas Educator: “These students are capable. They can do the work, it’s just their English that’s the challenge. In every other way they’re on top of their game, just as gifted, and it feels like we’re punishing them. We’re failing them, really.”

22 ATPE NEWS

ALLOW TEACHERS TO TEACH. Quality teachers want to teach, not do paperwork, tend to administrative matters, manage behavioral problems, or act as social workers. Many teachers leave poor, minority, inner-city schools not because of a bias or lack of compassion for the students or their neighborhoods. Rather, in those settings, teachers often find that they spend a tremendous amount of time doing things other than teaching.

Change testing practices so that they help, not hurt, students.

T

he federal government requires specific testing practices to hold districts and campuses accountable. Texas currently mandates additional layers of testing and adds higher standards and more curriculum requirements to these tests. Instead of helping direct a student’s learning, these tests have taken over the school day and year, hijacking a teacher’s ability to be creative in the classroom.

Hitting testing benchmarks has become more important than the mastery of the subjects. The stress of standardized testing is palpable at many campuses, especially at those with high-needs student populations.

Attempts to tie teacher ratings to testing outcomes hide inequalities.

T

est scores, particularly those from high-stakes tests that students take once a year, can be used to measure a variety of things, but they are an imperfect and incomplete measure of the effectiveness and dedication of any one teacher. When test results can impact the career trajectories of teachers, students shoulder the additional stress.

I didn’t leave because I didn’t like the kids.

I didn’t like the adults. They wanted me to save the school, save the district, save their job… I’m here for the kids.

—Texas Educator

Texas Educator: “How do you expect to get teachers — the superstars you want us to bring in or even the young ones we know we’ll get — to come to the toughest schools when they know that the risk of being labeled a ‘bad’ or ‘unsuccessful’ teacher is so much higher?”

The A-F campus rating system harms students.

T

his district and campus rating system can ultimately shame students, branding them individually with their school’s score. Students might not be aware of the precise meaning of an “improvement required” campus, but every student knows what an “F” means. The inequality of the current school finance system all but ensures that a campus’s letter grade will align with the wealth or poverty of the surrounding area, but the students will carry the weight of that grade in a more personal, internal way.

Texas Educator: “What are they grading? How much do you want to bet the grades line up with how much money the schools get? And why A through F? We’re using the language the children use. They may not know the exact meaning of ‘needs improvement,’ but they all know what an F is. You want them walking around thinking they and their friends earned their school an F? Way to go.” continued on page 42

This article was originally published on Medium. The original version was edited to fit in ATPE News.

Read the full article online at bit.ly/2kJyzNb. ATPE NEWS 23

a Culture of Caring Austin educators are teaching (and modeling) emotional competency in the classroom

By Leslie Trahan • Photos by Erica Fos

24 ATPE NEWS

Every morning, no matter how she’s

feeling, Emily Day looks each of her third-grade students in the eye and greets them with a smile as they enter her classroom. It is a simple idea, but the effect it has on her students is transformational.

"They’re cheerful when they walk in,” Day says.

"And I can check with them and say, 'Hey, are you ok?’ if I see them come in a little off. It allows them the space to say, 'I had a rough morning,’ which is important because we expect our students to come in ready to go, but it’s hard to come in ready to go every morning.”

This morning greeting is just one of many ways Day incorporates social and emotional learning (SEL) into her classroom. SEL, an initiative that teaches students how to manage their emotions and respond to the emotions of others, is growing in popularity, and Austin ISD, where Day works, is one of a handful of districts across the country leading the movement.

Austin Takes the SEL Plunge

Austin’s Zilker Elementary isn’t your typical neighborhood school. The campus is covered with gardens and art projects (one garden is a declared “child-life habitat”). Classrooms include “peace areas,” quiet places where students can sit alone to calm down and reflect, or invite a peer to resolve a conflict using a “peace path,” or conflict resolution script. The school hosts Mindfulness Mondays, when parents, teachers, and students meet to practice calming exercises. And unlike most children across Texas, Zilker students couldn’t identify “portable brown” on a color palette. In an effort to de-institutionalize the campus, Zilker’s portable buildings have been painted vibrant blues, oranges, and yellows.

Zilker’s staff and parents have worked hard to create a warm and student-friendly environment. So it’s not surprising that an approach like SEL would thrive here.

Austin ISD instituted its SEL program six years ago, in partnership with CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), an organization that works to advance SEL in K-12 education. The rollout started with just a handful of schools, but by the 2015-16 school year, all 130 of the district’s schools were on board. Zilker has been a part of this program for five years now.

ATPE NEWS 25

Austin’s SEL director, Pete Price, admits he wasn’t immediately sold on the notion of bringing SEL into Austin schools. At the time the idea was proposed, Price was the principal at O. Henry Middle School, and he wasn’t convinced an SEL program would be effective for his students.

But it didn’t take long after seeing the program in action for him to change his mind.“Being a principal, I noticed that some kids got along really well and other kids got frustrated more during the day,” says Price. “I saw how critical these skills were to their success.” Price quickly became one of the program’s staunchest advocates, and he moved into the position of SEL director in July 2016. Austin’s SEL team, which Price manages, includes 16 SEL specialists, each of whom works with a team of schools. These specialists, whom Price refers to as “missionaries,” provide SEL training to teachers, administrators, and students throughout the school district.

Price is a firm believer that there should be no strict blueprint for how schools incorporate SEL. When his specialists go into a school, they collaborate with staff and students to institute the program in a way that works for that individual campus. “The specialists have an arsenal of tools to teach the campuses, but it all depends on where the campus is,” says Price. “It is highly subjective—needs based and strength based. We want to make this really grassroots.”

students’ confidence levels by providing them with a greater understanding of their struggling classmates and equipping them with the social and emotional tools necessary to ask for help and explore new ideas. “We are all in this together and we actually have a responsibility toward each other to help everyone be successful,” says Day. “The space we have created together allows for that.”

Research conducted over the years has confirmed not only that students do perform better with teachers like Day, who take the time to understand their emotional needs, but also that explicit SEL instruction has a positive impact on academic scores and overall long-term success.

SEL has also been linked to a reduction in the achievement gap. Students who have turbulent home lives or parents who are working multiple jobs may not be exposed to the same amount of social emotional modeling at home that other students might receive. For these students, SEL instruction at school can have a large impact.

“A lot of SEL is preventive strategies to ensure students will be successful,” Price says. “We have 60 percent poverty in Austin. We have kids who come from challenging situations. If you don’t provide them with an opportunity to talk, the trauma is going to pop up its ugly head sometime during the day. And it will be disruptive not only to that student but to other students’ learning.”

Day, who has worked with students from both ends of the economic spectrum, agrees. “I have found it’s the same for all students,” she says. “Kids from both sides of town want to feel like they have a say in the classroom. SEL transcends all boundaries.”

Students who feel emotionally secure and valued by the teacher will achieve at higher levels.

Relationships Propel Results

Despite the recent interest in SEL, Price says the concept is nothing new. What has changed is our understanding of it. “When I started teaching in the early ‘80s, I did social emotional learning. But when I started teaching, we had no idea about brain research,” says Price. “The last couple of decades, we have learned so much about the brain. Now we know with irrefutable evidence that learning is enhanced based on the social and emotional context. We know learning with others can enhance academic achievement. We know that students who feel emotionally secure and valued by the teacher will achieve at higher levels.”

Price firmly believes that relationships propel academic results, not the other way around. “You can’t pound kids with worksheets and ‘drill and kill,’” he says. “You’ve got to make sure they know they’re valued and that they’re cared for, and then you’ll see results.”

Emily Day’s experience supports this idea. “I have noticed that my students don’t feel embarrassed to try to grapple with concepts that they don’t easily understand,” she notes. Day believes her weekly SEL lessons have increased

Making Time for Empathy

Despite SEL’s documented benefits, many classroom teachers may be resistant to adding a half hour of lessons into their already overloaded schedules. Price acknowledges that our schools ask a lot of teachers and fears that for many educators, SEL may seem to be just one more classroom requirement. That’s one reason he believes integrating SEL lessons into academic content is so critical.

Day confirms that juggling explicit SEL lessons along with traditional academics can be a challenge. But she also notes that dedicating time up front to modeling appropriate behavior cuts down on discipline issues and helps her class run smoothly, which saves her time in the long run. “SEL has provided the tools to work stuff out, so it’s not always the teacher’s problem to initiate it,” says Day. “We have so much on our plates all the time that it’s hard when you have to stop

» For links to the research discussed in this article, see the online version of this magazine at atpe.org/News/ATPE-News-Archives.

26 ATPE NEWS

and figure out these class issues that come up. I don’t have a lot of behaviors that I have to stop and take care of because students have the tools to work things out on their own.”

Price notes that administrative support for SEL is a major factor in how successful the program is on each campus. If administrators are enthusiastic about SEL, they can provide the tools necessary to help teachers juggle their time.

Day agrees with this assessment. “Zilker is a great place for SEL,” she says. “It’s encouraged by the administrators, who put great stock into the happiness of the kids who attend school here.”

More than a Curriculum

In addition to her early greeting, Day begins every class with a morning meeting, a 15- to 20-minute ritual that involves students’ sitting in a circle, acknowledging each other, and sharing thoughts and feelings.

During each morning meeting, Day asks her students a few simple questions, for example, “How do you show kindness to others?” and “What brings you joy every day?” Students pair up and discuss their answers, and Day praises them on behaviors such as making good eye contact and politely inviting others to partner with them.

“What morning meeting does is allow everyone to have a say or voice their opinion about things in a respectful way,” says Day. “We look each other in the eyes, we smile at each other, and we give firm handshakes.”

Day’s morning ritual is just one of many ways she encourages empathy and understanding in her classroom. She conducts half-hour weekly SEL lessons, which are drawn from Second Step, AISD’s preferred curriculum for elementary and middle schools. A typical Second Step lesson includes classroom or small-group discussion around a social scenario.

These lessons are important to students’ understanding, but in Day’s classroom, SEL instruction is more than a curriculum.

She makes a point of modeling appropriate behaviors whenever she can. “We have to model what we expect. We have to model what good conversations look like,” says Day. “I’ll have a conversation with somebody so that everybody can watch. They’re more successful because they know what is expected.”

Price says SEL lessons have the greatest impact when they are absorbed into daily routines, as in Day’s classroom, but

he admits that not all teachers and students are ready for that level of instruction. In the coming years, Price hopes to usher in a new understanding of SEL. “Too many teachers think SEL is just those lessons,” says Price. “SEL is who we are. It’s how we treat others. It’s all day long. It’s our culture.

It’s the fabric of AISD’s culture. We’re not there yet. That’s where we want to get.”

A More Balanced Approach

Price is proud of how far his team has come in the past six years, but he hopes the coming years will bring even greater success for Austin’s SEL program. Within the next year, Price plans to implement what he calls “SEL 2.0,” which involves increasing the program’s focus on school climate and providing SEL lessons to the adults in each school community (staff, teachers, and possibly even parents).

Most of all, Price hopes his department’s work will help offset the ever-increasing emphasis on testing and accountability that public schools face. “What are schools for?

People say learning, but when you really think about school, the purpose is to help kids become,” he says. “I want my children to become productive and compassionate members of society. I really think we’re on the right track in creating a more balanced approach in teaching.”

At the classroom level, EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION: Day’s goals are similar.

Intentionally teaching SEL skills She is sure her students will learn the academic INTEGRATION: skills they need. What she Addressing SEL through wants most is to know that academic content and they feel happy and safe in skill practice her classroom. With each PARENTS AND FAMILIES: morning greeting, Day Creating SEL opportunities hopes her students underfor parents and families stand her true meaning: CULTURE AND CLIMATE: “No matter what happened Developing a positive yesterday, we’re starting culture and climate for differently today. It’s a fresh the entire community day. I love you. I’m so glad

AUSTIN’S FOUR SEL PRINCIPLES

you’re here.”

ATPE NEWS 27

from

TABS to

STAAR The Long and Winding Road

by Ross Sherman, Timothy B. Jones, and Cynthia Sherman

28 ATPE NEWS

The administration of the 2017 STAAR test will mark the 36th year of standardized testing in Texas. Perhaps no other educational issue in the state has generated as much discussion and divisiveness. Whether you ask the state legislature, the State Board of Education, superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, or students, everyone has an opinion about standardized testing.

More than ten years ago, we wrote an article entitled “Texas’ Journey from TABS to TAKS: With Stops at TEAMS and TAAS Along the Way,” documenting the 25th anniversary of standardized testing in Texas. This article appeared in the Fall 2005 issue of ATPE News. Since then, many changes have occurred and now it’s time to saddle up again and revisit the testing journey. As we stated in our previous article, this is not a journey for the faint of heart!

Over the past 36 years, there have been several tests developed under the guidance of the TEA. As educators, we all became familiar with the acronyms for the various tests: TABS, TEAMS, TAAS, TAKS, and STAAR. Each iteration increased the rigor, or the curriculum alignment, of the tests.

Table 1 is a timeline of the historical development of the tests and the impact that each change had on curriculum and assessment.

In educational parlance, there is an adage that states “what gets tested gets taught.” Although assessment should inform instruction, in reality it drives instruction. This is especially true if educators are held accountable for the outcome of the assessment.

It is critical that the desired educational outcomes are truly being assessed. If the curriculum and assessment are aligned, instruction will follow. Does the latest iteration of standardized testing, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), achieve this goal?

In educational parlance, there is an adage that states “what gets tested gets taught.”

IN THE BEGINNING

The saga began in 1978 when the 66th Legislature passed Senate Bill 350, which required the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to adopt and administer criterion-referenced assessments of basic reading, writing, and math competencies. The Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS) was developed, and Texas’s standardized assessment odyssey was off and running.

STAAR

STAAR was implemented in 2011 and includes the following assessments for grades 3-8: • Grade 3: math and reading • Grade 4: math, reading, and writing

TABLE 1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDIZED TESTING IN TEXAS Assessment

Implementation Date

Effect

Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS)

1979-80

Criterion-referenced assessment of basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics

Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS)

1985-86

Criterion-referenced assessment congruent with the “essential elements”

1990-91

Criterion-referenced assessment designed to be more comprehensive and focus on higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills

Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)

2002-03

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)

2011-12

Criterion-referenced assessment of performance on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Criterion-referenced and end-of-course assessments designed to measure readiness for success in subsequent grade levels and ultimately for college and career readiness

ATPE NEWS 29

• Grade 5: math, reading, and science • Grade 6: math and reading • Grade 7: math, reading, and writing • Grade 8: math, reading, science, and social studies Spanish versions of the tests are included for grades 3-8 math and reading, grade 4 writing, and grade 5 science.

The STAAR program also authorizes end-of-course examinations in algebra I, biology, English I (combined reading/writing), English II (combined reading/writing), and US history.

Algebra II and English III are available to districts as optional assessments. Interestingly, this is not the state’s first foray into end-of-course examinations. In 199394, TEA instituted the short-lived Norm-Referenced Assessment Program for Texas (NAPT), which consisted of end-of-course examinations in algebra I, biology I, and computer science. But we digress.

Under the STAAR system, test results are reported to school districts and campuses on five weighted domains.

Table 2 shows the five domains and a brief explanation of what each domain measures.

A campus performing in the top 25 percent can earn a distinction for academic achievement in English/ language arts/reading, mathematics, science, or social studies. In addition, campuses can earn a distinction in student progress, closing performance gaps, or postsecondary readiness.

IN RETROSPECT: THE BEAT GOES ON

Since the advent of standardized testing in Texas in 1979-80, six Texas governors of both the Democratic and Republican persuasion have served, and the state legislature has convened 18 times. During this time, the 20th century has faded into memory and smart phones have become ubiquitous. Yet most of our students still attack the latest standardized test with a trusty no. 2 pencil. As the 19th-century French novelist and teacher Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr observed, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” We advise Texas educators again, as we did on the 25th anniversary, to stay tuned. Don’t assume the standardized testing debate is over, unless you are shortsighted—or close to retirement.

Ross Sherman, EdD, is dean of the College of Education and Psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler. Timothy B. Jones, EdD, is an educational consultant. Cynthia Sherman, MEd, is a lecturer at the College of Education and Psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler.

TABLE 2. STATE OF TEXAS ASSESSMENTS OF ACADEMIC READINESS (STAAR) Domain

Classification

Explanation

Domain I

Student Achievement

Measures the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment instruments

Domain II

Student Progress

Domain III

Closing Performance Gaps

Tracks advanced academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students and the lowest performing racial/ ethnic student groups

Domain IV

Postsecondary Readiness

Emphasizes the importance of earning a high school diploma that provides students with the foundation necessary for success in college, the workforce, job training programs, or the military

Domain V

Community and Student Engagement

Coming in 2017-18

30 ATPE NEWS

Measures year-to-year student progress by subject and student group © Girl with pencil/Judy Kennamer/Thinkstock

WHY I VOLUNTEER

I volunteer for ATPE because I firmly believe in the importance of providing guidance, support, and education to fresh, brighteyed professionals. Educators listen to other educators, and being an ATPE volunteer gives me the opportunity to be a leader in Texas education.

I help fellow teachers, paraprofessionals, and other educators stay informed about their profession, and I get to network with and meet other outstanding educators. Through ATPE, I stay up to date with statewide education events and news, which I then share with my little corner of Texas.

Being an ATPE volunteer is rewarding because I get to be an ambassador for my profession.

CINDY BARNES

Photo by Wyatt McSpadden

TRANSITION SPECIALIST, BEAUMONT ISD 37-YEAR ATPE MEMBER

ATPE NEWS 31

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND

ATPE

SUMMIT atpesummit.org

#atpesummit

2017

JULY 10–12, 2017 AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER AUSTIN, TEXAS

TO ATTEND SUMMIT, your local unit or region president must register you as a summit delegate. To learn more about the 2017 ATPE Summit and find out how you can attend, visit atpesummit.org. Housing and registration/delegate certification are set to open on April 13 and must be completed by June 9.

32 ATPE NEWS

NEED HELP PAYING FOR SUMMIT? Financial assistance is available to local units (conditions apply). Visit atpesummit.org to find out if your local unit is eligible and how to apply.

JOEL ZEFF

LINDA

CLIATT-WAYMAN

DANCE PARTY

You spoke, we listened! Check out some of the new events in store for the 2017 ATPE Summit.

MONDAY July 10 •W e’re extending the hours of the ATPE Lounge! Shop with our Austin retail vendors, learn new tips at our wellness mini-sessions, and enjoy a complimentary massage, snacks, and more!

• We’ll be hosting our first-ever silent dance party. What? Silent dance party? Trust us…it’s going to be a blast!

• Vegas Night is making a comeback and you can bet it’ll be better than ever! Come roll the dice for a chance at fabulous prizes.

There’s no fee to play.

Joel Zeff and Linda Cliatt-Wayman appearances arranged through Gotham Artists

TUESDAY July 11 •T wo—count ‘em, two—keynote speakers that will make you laugh and motivate you going into the upcoming school year.

• More CPE opportunities! We’re adding additional CPE breakout sessions to help you grow as an educator.

• Join us for the ATPE Connect event prior to the Awards Banquet for a true Austin experience.

WEDNESDAY July 12 •W e’ve streamlined the day’s agenda to ensure you have adequate time to conduct ATPE business.

• Shape the future of your association! Delegates will elect the 2017-18 ATPE state officers, vote on bylaws amendments and resolutions, and shape ATPE’s legislative priorities for the upcoming year.

EMPOWERED EDUCATORS = EMPOWERED STUDENTS ATPE NEWS 33

MEMBERS SPEAK

1

We like candy.

You can curtail backlash for a mandatory STAAR training by providing sweets.

I’ve seen schools ration it out day by day during the first week of August in-service. If they leave the bag out, people pick out the Almond Joys like spoiled trick-or-treaters. Or they hoard it by the fistful like manna in the desert.

2

We talk at inappropriate times.

Six Ways We Are Just Like Our Students

BY LAURA GALLAWAY, ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTIONAL COACH AT BRYAN ISD

J

ust about the time I’m about to grumble over something seemingly foolish my students are doing, I feel an overwhelming sense of conviction. “Are you really any different?” my conscience asks. I am convinced that we teachers are more like our students than we are different. Accepting this humbling truth can help us reframe and approach challenges with a positive attitude.

34 ATPE NEWS

Anyone who has been within 10 feet of me knows that I am always talking. I’m a verbal processor. I even talk in my head, which causes me to laugh at seemingly random and inappropriate moments.

Teachers are notorious for talking during faculty meetings and professional developments. I need to talk about what I’ve just learned. I need to explore how to apply a new idea. I need to hear others’ ideas.

I’m certain that I have a verbal pressure valve. If I can’t let it out during a structured time, I just start blurting.

Teachers can give students structured opportunities to process information verbally. This is part of the application of Vygotsky’s social learning theory. I plan turn-and-talk into instruction. Some kids (especially gifted students) might benefit from sticky notes for a “parking lot” or a learning journal. I know you’re thinking they’re just going to draw in it.

Make expectations clear and suspend the privilege if students abuse it.

3

We don’t always pay attention to directions.

At the beginning of every school year, I find myself sweetly asking our accommodating secretary, Mrs. Penny, “Remind me about the attendance again.

Do I do it on paper or online? Or both?

What if they don’t come tomorrow?” I will inevitably be back the next day to clarify for my newly enrolled student. I know she explains it during in-service. I just can’t ever seem to remember what she says.

“Where do I turn this in? What page did you say? When is lunch?” Kids may not retain information if they are not ready. I know you just said it. I know you said it a million times (literally). But perhaps their brains were not ready to file the information.

I find it helpful to create visual reminders, such as writing the page number on the board. I use an “Ask Three Before Me” strategy to eliminate the small stuff. And though I’m not always successful, I try to remember to be patient when they ask me things for the billionth time (literally).

© Woman teacher tutor/IStock/Thinkstock

4

We resent being forced to do things we think are useless.

We’ve all spent countless hours in faculty meetings hearing information that could’ve been addressed in an email. We hold a strong grudge against our captors who torment us with redundant material. (Unless, of course, there’s candy.)

I ask myself, “Is this worth their time?”

If the information is only applicable to a few students, I plan small-group instruction. If there’s an unavoidable task (like progress monitoring), I explain the why. Students may not completely understand or agree, but they will appreciate that I took the time to address their concerns.

5

We crave immediate and positive feedback.

Have you ever had an administrator or curriculum coach come through your room without leaving you any feedback? It’s distressing. Especially if you witnessed them typing on a tablet while they were observing. I always imagine they’ve documented something to the effect of, “This woman is dreadfully disturbing. She should be terminated immediately, and her certification should be revoked.”

Our students need to know how they’re doing, as well as what they’re doing well.

If all my walk-throughs delivered a list of the things I didn’t do well, I would probably quit reading them or just stop going to work. I certainly wouldn’t put forth my best effort because it would feel like it didn’t matter.

I want to hear what I’m doing well.

If I trust and respect you, I’m willing to hear one or two things within my zone of proximal development that I can start implementing. Tell kids what they’re doing well. Praise their courage. When you know they can handle it, stretch them with a manageable teaching point.

6

We get angry when people cut in line.

I have seen some real tantrums at school. And I’m talking about in the copy room. Especially when someone sends a print job from their computer while others have been waiting in line to use the copy machine.

Double especially if the person waiting had colored cardstock in there. Adults and kids both feel slighted when people cut.

It’s tempting to tell kids that “it doesn’t matter because we’re already late” and “we’re all going to the same place.” But that can leave kids feeling like they don’t matter. I try to help kids understand why it really bothers them. We feel disrespected when others step in front of us. That is frustrating because you feel like people think you are unimportant.

In a world of flaring tempers and extreme road rage, students need to understand what they feel, why they feel it, and how to process it. I realize it seems like a distraction from the standards, but this is arguably the most integral of all “other duties as assigned.” Addressing children’s social emotional needs may not always show up in the scores, but it makes them much less likely to show up on America’s Most Wanted.

Accepting that we are just like our students may be humbling, but it can transform our perspective. We can better understand our students and more accurately address their needs. When we focus on our similarities, we find patience and perseverance we didn’t know we had. Perhaps, then, we will begin to see our strengths mirrored back.

Laura Gallaway is an instructional coach in Bryan ISD. She has been a teacher and an ATPE member since 2007.

ATPE NEWS 35

FAMILY ALBUM

OUR FAMILY ALBUM SHOWCASES ATPE MEMBERS WORKING, COLLABORATING, AND HAVING FUN ACROSS THE STATE. Are you or someone you know featured on these pages? If not, send us a photo for the next issue! You can send a high-quality photo to comm@atpe.org. Don’t forget to include the names of the people in the photo and tell us what event was taking place.

REGION 3

Sandra Castillo shows off gift cards she won in an ATPE Register to Win contest during Calhoun County ISD’s teacher orientation.

REGION 20 Future educators at Schreiner University box dinners and gifts at Notre Dame Catholic Church as part of a community service project.

REGION 4 Students at Houston Baptist University learn about the benefits on an ATPE membership.

REGION 9

REGION 4 Clarence Lestor welcomes new Houston member Glenda Masters to the ATPE family.

36 ATPE NEWS

Ashley Redwine, Throckmorton ATPE local unit president, was one of 20 educators statewide to win gift cards in the ATPE Register to Win contest.

FAMILY ALBUM

REGION 7

ATPE Regional Representative Ginger Franks visits with future educators at Le Tourneau University in Longview.

REGION 15

Photos by ATPE staff

Jackie Davis and Cheryl Buchanan meet with Texas state representatives in San Angelo.

REGION 13

Leander ATPE local unit members gather to make plans and a enjoy bite to eat.

REGION 4

Galveston ATPE members get together for an ATPE Connect event.

ATPE NEWS 37

ATPE

News

Congratulations, CLASSROOM MAKEOVER CONTEST WINNERS!

I

magine a $500 shopping spree to buy items for your classroom! One lucky ATPE professional member and two ATPE first-time professional members each received $500 as part of ATPE’s Classroom Makeover Contest.

Congratulations to first-time professional members Daniel Duran of Crowley ISD and Macy King of Eagle MountainSaginaw ISD. Returning professional member Rory Raven of Northside ISD in San Antonio was also handed a $500 check.

Macy King transformed and expanded her classroom library!

Daniel Duran of Crowley ISD

Rory Raven of Northside ISD

As a first-year teacher, $500 was such a blessing. I used the money to help expand my classroom library and create a better system for organizing. I was able to purchase numerous new books to help pique my students’ interest and keep them engaged. I also added popular titles such as Pete the Cat and Elephant and Piggie! I also purchased storage bins to help organize our library and an app to keep track of what titles we have in our collection.

WANT TO QUALIFY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN? Make sure you renew your ATPE membership for 2017-18 by Sept. 30, 2017.

38 ATPE NEWS

© Girl with laptop/IStock/Thinkstock; Classroom makeover photos by ATPE staff

Official Notice of the 37th Annual Meeting of the ATPE House of Delegates The ATPE House of Delegates (HOD) will meet during the 2017 ATPE Summit this July 10-12 at the Austin Convention Center.

HOD proceedings, including state officer elections, will occur July 12. Please visit atpesummit.org for more information about the summit and the HOD, including delegate certification information. The wording of proposed bylaws changes will be published in the Summer 2017 ATPE News and made available at atpesummit.org at least 45 days prior to the HOD meeting. This notice is published pursuant to Article IX, Section 4, of the atpesummit.org #atpesummit ATPE State Bylaws.

ATPE

SUMMIT 2017

The ATPE Blog is full of expert tips and useful resources!

Have you visited the ATPE Blog lately? If not, you’re missing out on tips for navigating the new teacher appraisal system, thoughts on the new A-F school rating system, a ton of education advocacy tools, classroom tips, and much more. The ATPE Blog is constantly being updated with the latest resources to help you do your job and with information about current Texas public education issues. Bookmark your association’s blog now at atpe.org/News/ATPE-Blog.

››

atpe.org/News/ATPE-Blog

ATPE NEWS 39

ATPE

News

Announcing a new tool for ATPE members:

ADVOCACY CENTRAL ATPE’s newest tool, Advocacy Central, makes it quick and easy for members to contact legislators about issues of concern.

Want to tell your representatives how you feel about vouchers, A-F school ratings, testing, or school funding? Advocacy Central automatically links you to your elected officials in your own zip code all the way to the Oval Office. We provide background on issues at stake, plus talking points or sample messages you can modify or send “as is” to your legislators with just a couple of mouse clicks. You can search for any bill at the state or federal level, or read about key legislation that tops ATPE’s watch list.

Ready to raise your voice? Head to atpe.org/advocacy-central right now!

(Member login required.)

ATPE at the Capitol photos now available online Were you at ATPE’s lobby day and political involvement training event in Austin, March 5-6? Be sure and check out photos (and share your own snapshots) of the event online! You can find photos of you and your colleagues at the Capitol on ATPE’s official Facebook page, facebook.com/ OfficialATPE. Member photos, association news, teaching tips, and election information are being updated daily. Make sure you are following your association on Facebook!

It’s something you need to do— Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is mandatory for all Texas educators. But it doesn’t have to be difficult! Thanks to your membership in ATPE, you can earn CPE from the comfort of your home.

The ATPE Professional Learning Portal provides you with access to interesting on-demand webinars and CPE courses for free!

40 ATPE NEWS

ON THE PORTAL, YOU CAN: • Take courses on multiple devices • Generate certificates and reports • Track your progress • Log CPE hours earned through the ATPE portal or from other sources

To access the ATPE Professional Learning Portal and view courses, just log in to your ATPE account on atpe.org and head to Professional Development under the Resources tab.

© Texas State Capitol, DSLR, Computer/IStock/Thinkstock

Knock out required CPE credits from the comfort of your home!

GCU SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ATPE MEMBERS

THE ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND GCU ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR YOU! With over a 60-year history of providing quality teacher and administrator degree programs, GCU will teach you a thing or two, so you can do the same.

• Advance your career. From bachelor’s to doctoral, choose from over 150 online programs across nine distinct colleges to specialize in the area that fits your career goals.

• Learn at your convenience. Complete your coursework 100% online around your schedule.

• Graduate sooner. Ask about our complimentary transcript evaluation to see how many of your prior credits will transfer, lowering your total cost.

You could earn your degree in as little as 16 months.

ATPE members receive a scholarship of 10% off tuition to help you get started on earning your degree!

For more information, please visit gcu.edu/TXEducators or call 855-428-1772 The information printed in this material is accurate as of July 2016. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please visit our website at gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. (800-621-7440; http://hlcommission.org/) GCU, while reserving its lawful rights in light of its Christian mission, is committed to maintaining an academic environment that is free from unlawful discrimination. Further detail on GCU’s Non-Discrimination policies can be found at gcu.edu/titleIX. 16COEE0146

continued from page 13

How has playing chess benefited you personally?

Most of my life, I’ve been very quiet, reserved, and shy. But chess has helped me grow my confidence because it’s a one-onone game. You’re not really the center of attention. You are focused on your own game and you have time to think. At the same time, you get to enjoy being around people you grow to know.

It’s really helped my confidence. And it’s taught me to never give up. Even if you’re getting destroyed in the game, one move can change things from a loss to a win. And with chess, I don’t think you really lose, you just learn from it. You just gain information that you can use later so you won’t make the same mistakes.

Is an individual or team trophy more important?

I think individual trophies are important because they help your self-esteem to know that you practiced enough to win.

But a team trophy is also important because you win with your teammates. Especially during regionals, to qualify for nationals, it has to be a team effort.

Spend money on materials that teachers need and will use.

Instructional materials currently make up a distinct and significant part of a school district’s budget, and much of this money is spent on textbooks. Educators said that textbooks occupy a different place in today’s classrooms than they did before — they’re used far less and are often supplemental compared to other types of lesson materials. Districts need to evaluate their decisions to buy textbooks because they have more spending flexibility than they may realize. Further expanding those spending options would free up districts to spend money on what they really want: people.

Texas Educator: “If I could spend the textbook money anywhere, I would spend it on people.”

Ensure schools engage every anti-hunger resource available.

My mom was a second-grade teacher and became the sponsor of the chess team. I guess she wanted to look out for me. She was at all of the tournaments I went to and was really involved. She’s my biggest fan. My dad knows how to play but never played competitively. When I first started playing, he’d play chess with me. He used to beat me, but now I can easily beat him. My chess coach was Victor Flores, and he married my sister after meeting at nationals. I always tell her that if I hadn’t gone into chess, she wouldn’t have met Victor. I may not play competitively for the rest of my life, but I’ll definitely play as a hobby. I have two nieces and a nephew, and I plan on teaching chess to them.

Hunger makes it more difficult to learn and focus, and can lead to behavior issues. Most school districts offer a variety of food programs, including breakfast, lunch, snack, and summer meals.

However, many do not access the USDA’s school supper program and assume it is too costly. It is, in fact, fully subsidized. Districts should pursue this program as another way to address hunger among their students (and it essentially pays for itself ).

Texas Educator: “I didn’t always know what to do with the hungry students who came to see me later in the day because we’re not allowed to give them cafeteria food after the lunch period.

There was one young man who came to see me more than a few times a week, so with him I took to us walking back and forth between the main campus and one of the portables in the back. There was a pecan tree there, so we’d walk back and forth and stop so he could pick and eat a few until he felt better.”

continued from page 19

Moving Forward

Is anyone else in your family involved in chess?

history through a first-person perspective while learning how to analyze sources.

Five hours south in the Rio Grande Valley, an administrator at Sharyland ISD dreamed up the idea of a classroom sage, a student who would plan lessons with the teacher to help support fellow students, especially those who are learning English.

The winner of the second Rather Prize was unveiled on March 6 at SXSWedu in Austin. We can’t wait to see how students, teachers, and administrators across Texas continue to use their ideas to improve Texas education.

To learn about the winning idea of the 2017 Rather Prize, please go to ratherprize.com. continued from page 23

Pre-K matters.

Teachers and principals note the significant differences between students who attended pre-kindergarten and those who did not. Teachers can go further with kindergarten students who have common academic foundations and learning habits, as well as an understanding of basic classroom norms. Pre-K sets up students for success; it is an essential educational foundation.

42 ATPE NEWS

The concerns detailed in this report are just a snapshot of the common issues educators face across HD123. There are, of course, more. What is not in this document are those that may be school district, campus, or classroom specific. It also does not touch on the nuances created by private and charter schools (both of which I am visiting soon).

That said, it is also irrefutable. It outlines what educators believe would make a difference in their everyday work. You don’t have to like or agree with what is here, but you would be arguing with what these educators have lived in their classrooms.

Let’s craft practical, pragmatic policies and shepherd our school finance conversations not based on what we believe to be true or what our parties say, but on the educational environment those decisions will create for our educators and, most importantly, our students.

I’d like to thank the educators, parents, and students who took the time to sit down with me, the school districts for their cooperation and help facilitating the visits, and my staff for their hard work and patience during the duration of the project.

As a graduate of public schools, I believe in their purpose and promise. After this exercise, I am now more convinced of that than ever.

Let’s get to work.

BRAIN BREAK

Are you a word find wizard?

T

ry to find all 12 words hidden in the puzzle. And just to make things a bit more challenging, we chose slang you might hear on your campus.

Don’t worry if you don’t know what a term means, we’ve included some common definitions so you’ll be in the know, “IRL.” So, “chillax” and give it a go! To see an answer key, head to the ATPE Blog at atpe.org/Spring17/ BrainBreak. If you’d like to be entered into a drawing for an ATPEbranded prize, snap a photo of this page after you’ve circled all of the words, and email the photo to comm@atpe.org

by April 10.

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AWKS: abbreviation of “awkward” BAE: abbreviation of “babe” BASIC: typical or ordinary appearance BOOTS: ugly or unattractive

CHILLAX: to chill and relax FAIL: failing or simply bad GRIND: to eat IRL: abbreviation of “in real life”

LOL: abbreviation of “laugh out loud” ROFL: abbreviation of “rolling on floor laughing” TTYL: abbreviation of “talk to you later” YOLO: abbreviation of “you only live once” ATPE NEWS 43

Association of Texas Professional Educators 305 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 300 Austin, TX 78752-3792

These bills unfairly target educators.

Both bills let the government continue to process payroll deductions for fire, police, and EMS unions.

These bills are unnecessary.

Public school employees cannot be required to join a union or association, and payroll deduction is completely voluntary.

Payroll deduction does not cost taxpayers money.

Districts can pass costs on to the members’ organization, so there is no cost to taxpayers—or the district.

Why won’t you be allowed to use payroll deduction, but other public employees will?

ELIMINATING PAYROLL DEDUCTION IS THE FIRST STEP TO SILENCING TEXAS EDUCATORS. The Texas legislature is considering two anti-educator bills. Supporters of these bills say their goal is to keep government out of the business of collecting union dues, but in truth, they are designed to silence your voice.

ATPE.ORG/ADVOCACY-CENTRAL

Because the legislature wants to make it harder for educators to band together and speak up for their profession and their students. Backers of these bills believe that eliminating the easiest way for educators to pay their association dues will reduce our numbers and weaken our voice.

DON’T LET THEM WIN! Speak up NOW to make sure groups like ATPE that fight for Texas schools, teachers, and students continue to thrive.

Visit atpe.org/advocacy-central to find and contact your legislator. (Members must be logged in to access this page.)