INSIGHT—Winter 2016 by Texas Association of School Administrators

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

WINTER 2016

INSIGHT Why Texas Needs a More Meaningful School Accountability System

January 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;February 1, 2017 Austin Convention Center

Keynote Speakers

Shanna Peeples 2015 National (and Texas) Teacher of the Year and Secondary ELA Curriculum Specialist, Amarillo ISD

Mike Morath Texas Commissioner of Education

Lauren B. Resnick and Christian Schunn Institute of Learning, University of Pittsburgh

The Midwinter Conference is the conference of the year for school leadership teams. See the conference website at tasanet.org/midwinter and follow the conference on Twitter using #TASA17 as we post updates on the growing lineup of speakers and sessions.

WINTER 2016 Volume 31 No. 4

INSIGHT FEATURED ARTICLES

Cover Story ➤

NEXT-GENERATION ASSESSMENTS & ACCOUNTABILITY

Why Texas Needs a More Meaningful School Accountability System

John Tanner LEGAL INSIGHT

The rebranding of vouchers: education savings accounts

Ramiro Canales H-E-B EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

Program celebrates Texas educators

New Column ➤

TEACHER PERSPECTIVE

The benefits of collaborative, continuous professional development

Allison Ashley TECH TAKE

Managing the change: Shifting the technology culture on campus, in schools

Ashley May BOOK REVIEW

What Texas school administrators are reading

TSPRA Voice ➤

A NEW DAY IN EL PASO ISD

District regains public trust through community engagement, innovation

Gustavo Reveles Acosta

Higher Education ➤

GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT ETHICS

What districts need to know in addressing violations

Stacey Edmonson, Catherine Robert and David P.Thompson Small Schools Perspective ➤

EXPLORING REVENUE STREAMS

Factors to consider when accepting transfer students

Mary Springs

WINTER 2016

INSIGHT

OFFICERS Kevin Brown, President, Alamo Heights ISD Buck Gilcrease, President-Elect, Alvin ISD

DEPARTMENTS

Gayle Stinson, Vice President, Lake Dallas ISD Karen G. Rue, Past President

TASA Professional Learning Calendar

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President’s Message

Daniel Treviño, Jr., Mercedes ISD, 1

Executive Director’s View

Troy Mircovich, Ingleside ISD, 2 Jeanette Winn, Karnes City ISD, 3 Greg Smith, Clear Creek ISD, 4 Shannon Holmes, Hardin-Jefferson ISD, 5 Clark C. Ealy, College Station ISD, 6 Stan Surratt, Lindale ISD, 7 Rex Burks, Simms ISD, 8 Kevin L. Dyes, Holliday ISD, 9 Kevin Worthy, Royse City ISD, 10

INSIGHT EDITORIAL STAFF

David Belding, Aubrey ISD, 11 Judi Whitis, Valley Mills ISD, 12

Executive Director

Johnny L. Veselka

Assistant Executive Director, Services and Systems Administration

Ann M. Halstead

Amy Francisco

Director, Communications and Media Relations

Design/Production Anne Harpe

Editorial Director

Katie Ford

INSIGHT is published quarterly by the Texas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues. © 2016 by TASA. All rights reserved.TASA members may reprint articles in limited quantities for in-house educational use. Articles in INSIGHT are expressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators. INSIGHT is printed by 360 Press Solutions, Cedar Park, Texas.

Douglas Killian, Hutto ISD, 13 Joey Light, Wylie ISD, 14 Aaron Hood, Robert Lee ISD, 15 Steve Post, Tulia ISD, 16 Keith Bryant, Lubbock-Cooper ISD, 17 Ariel Elliott, Greenwood ISD, 18 Jose G. Franco, Fort Hancock ISD, 19 Brian T. Woods, Northside ISD, 20

AT-LARGE MEMBERS Elizabeth Clark, Birdville ISD Pauline Dow, North East ISD Gonzalo Salazar, Los Fresnos CISD Doug Williams, Sunnyvale ISD

EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Gayle Stinson, Lake Dallas ISD, Chair George Kazanas, Midway ISD Michael McFarland, Lancaster ISD Dawson Orr, Southern Methodist University Jill M. Siler, Gunter ISD Greg Smith, Clear Creek ISD Kevin Worthy, Royse City ISD

INSIGHT

Cover photo © iStock.com/kali9

Steve Flores, Round Rock ISD

TASA Professional Learning Calendar: December 2016–April 2017 For details on our professional development events, please visit us at www.tasanet.org or call the TASA office at 512.477.6361 or 800.725.TASA (8272)

Date

Event

Presenter Location

December December 5–6 Academy for Transformational Leadership Schlechty Center Georgetown, Session 2

Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel & Conference Center, Georgetown, Texas

January January 11–12 Crucial Conversations Betty Burks

TASA Headquarters, Austin, Texas

January 23–24 Academy for Transformational Leadership Schlechty Center Georgetown, Session 3

Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel & Conference Center, Georgetown, Texas

January 25–26

Klein Multipurpose Center, Klein, Texas

Academy for Transformational Leadership Schlechty Center Klein, Session 3

January 29 TASA Budget Boot Camp

Doug Karr, Omar Garcia

Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas

January 29– TASA Midwinter Conference Various February 1

Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas

January 31– Aspiring Superintendents’ Academy Schlechty Center February 1

Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texasruary

February February 1 TASA Accountability Forum Seminar Various

Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas

February 21 TASA/TASB Legislative Conference Various

Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol, Austin, Texas

February 22–23

FTSA2: Engaging in Leadership Various Session 2

Doubletree by Hilton-Austin, Austin, Texas

February 28– March 2

Curriculum Management Audit Training Susan Townsend Level 1

TASA Headquarters, Austin, Texas

First-time Superintendents Academy Various Session 4

Austin Marriott North, Round Rock, Texas

March March 1–2

March 22–23 Academy for Transformational Leadership Schlechty Center Georgetown, Session 4

Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel & Conference Center, Georgetown, Texas

March 29–30 TASA Spring Leadership Conference Various

Austin Marriott North, Round Rock, Texas

April April 18–20

Curriculum Management Audit Training Susan Townsend Level 2

TASA Headquarters, Austin, Texas

April 19–20

Academy for Transformational Leadership Schlechty Center Klein, Session 4

Klein Multipurpose Center, Klein, Texas

WINTER 2016

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DEFINING OUR ROLE “No one is born a good citizen. No nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime.Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off from its youth severs its lifeline.” — Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations

Kevin Brown

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE With national and statewide pressure on

hat is the role of public education in Texas? The answers to this question vary greatly, depending on whom you ask. Some say it is to teach basic academic skills; others cite college- and careerreadiness and leadership skills.All of these are important components to a quality education. By many measures, educators are doing better work than ever in these areas and more.

However, I suggest that the primary purpose of public education is to create engaged, ethical citizens — citizens who engage in public life, commit to the common good, listen to opposing viewpoints, articulate cogent thoughts and participate in civil dialogue. Instilling these attributes is critical to our nation’s success. Many Americans of various political thought model this quite well; many do not. Given the current political climate, it is clear we have a lot of work to do.

high-stakes tests and accountability, I am afraid we sometimes forget the important role we play in developing citizenship.

We educators play a critical role for the greater good of our democracy, preparing our children as future citizens. With national and statewide pressure on high-stakes tests and accountability, I am afraid we sometimes forget the important role we play in developing citizenship. There is no standardized test that measures it, so we, as a society, diminish its value. I believe we should place a heavy emphasis on social studies to help our children understand the complexities of national and global issues and to show them the power and responsibility they have to be involved in some way. As citizens ourselves, we are reminded that our individual contributions must extend beyond the role we play as educators. Participating in the legislative and election processes and modeling civil discourse are important to both our students and our society. In this regard, we educators can do better. With the election season behind us and a legislative session ahead that will deal with school funding, accountability and the privatization of public schools, now is the time for us to be the citizens we want our children to be. None of us has all the answers, but we have an important voice and obligation to engage in the process and work for solutions that benefit all. What role will we play? Our future rests upon our involvement as citizens.

WINTER 2016

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Friday, March 3 10:45am Leading Adaptive Change: A Systems Approachto Improving Instructional Effectiveness

Community Schools: Cultivating Opportunity, Equity and Agency Innovative Strategies to Close the Homework Gap Beyond Principal Supervision, Building a System of Support for Principal Success

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WHY WE NEED A MORE MEANINGFUL SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM

his fall, knowing TASA members’ concerns about the test-based state accountability system, state testing requirements, and the pending implementation of A-F ratings for schools and districts, the TASA Executive Committee authorized the development of the “Texas Accountability Series,” a collection of essays to inform school leaders, policymakers, and the public about the potential impact and consequences of the A-F ratings on Texas public schools.

Johnny L. Veselka

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW A community-based model empowers school districts to engage their local communities in designing their own internal systems of assessment.

We asked John Tanner, executive director of Test Sense and author of “The Pitfalls of Reform,” to research other states’A-F rating systems and provide us with the pros and cons of the system Texas will implement in fall 2017. (You will find the executive summaries of his essays on pages 11-13.) Across all of his research on the A-F systems in 16 states,Tanner could not find a single piece of evidence to support A-F systems as effective. He did, however, find evidence to support more meaningful kinds of accountability systems, such as community-based accountability. A community-based model empowers school districts to engage their local communities in designing their own internal systems of assessment and accountability that, while meeting general state standards, allow districts to innovate and customize curriculum and instruction to meet their unique needs. Clear Creek ISD has led the way in advocating for communities across Texas to develop their own local reporting systems. District leaders began their own system’s development by polling their community. What they found was that educators, parents, business and civic leaders, and school board members all agree: The pathway to realize the district’s mission is not beholden solely on improved results on standardized tests.The CCISD community told district leaders that student success should be measured by what happens every day in every school; the amount of human and financial resources invested in providing students varied opportunities; and the level of public trust and community involvement. College Station ISD has successfully implemented a community-based accountability system with extensive input, based on its ability to: recruit, develop and retain qualified and dedicated staff; provide a challenging, relevant, engaging and aligned curriculum; provide an array of services, programs and opportunities to meet the needs of students; create classroom and campus cultures that involve families; and commit to responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Other districts have also begun the process of developing community-based accountability systems. They are doing so because they realize that accountability is important but that the current system — as well as the A-F system that is coming — are based primarily on standardized test scores and therefore not designed to provide the meaningful feedback they need to keep improving. As Tanner wrote: “True accountability should guide improvement along the way, rather than offer a post-mortem on a year of schooling derived from a single data collection point at the end of that year. … True accountability is about improvement. It meets each student wherever he or she happens to be and then moves him or her toward a compelling future. … The CBAS approach represents the most exciting opportunity in 20 years to build a better mousetrap. It is not without its challenges, but we would be wise to vigorously pursue it.The only likely option is to let accountability happen absent the educational community, which would again be a shame.”

WINTER 2016

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NEXT-GENERATION ASSESSMENTS & ACCOUNTABILITY Why Texas needs a more meaningful school accountability system by John Tanner With support from TASA, John Tanner, executive director of Test Sense and author of “The Pitfalls of Reform,” has written three essays that begin the Texas Accountability Series.

n fall 2017,Texas will join 16 other states in implementing a public school rating system that assigns letter grades to schools and districts. By December 1, 2016, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) had to adopt indicators showing how the A–F ratings will be determined, and by January 1, 2017, TEA must submit a report to the Texas House and Senate Education Committees showing the ratings that schools and districts would have been given if the system had been in place for the 2015–16 school year. As another Texas Legislature with authority to change the law that established Texas’ A–F system prepares to meet, it is imperative that stakeholders know that the research is clear: A–F school rating systems fail as an indicator of school quality, but there is evidence that supports more meaningful kinds of accountability systems. With support from TASA, John Tanner, executive director of Test Sense and author of “The Pitfalls of Reform,” has written three essays that begin the Texas Accountability Series. The first essay, “The A–F Accountability Mistake,” provides an overview of A–F systems and their failures. In addition, to question A–F systems is to question test-based accountability, and criticisms of controversial topics are most likely to be heard when solutions accompany the critique, so this essay is accompanied by “Creating a Meaningful Community-Based Accountability System” and “The Misfit Between Testing and Accountability.” As additional issues related to school accountability arise, the series will be continued to ensure that Texas educators have the information they need to work with policymakers and the public in a meaningful way. Related materials will also be developed and provided to TASA members to assist them in their advocacy efforts. Following are the executive summaries of all three essays. Educators are strongly encouraged to read the full essays, which are available online at https://goo.gl/Yrs74f.

The A–F accountability mistake Executive Summary Argument: The reduction of school quality to a single mark is the purpose of A–F school rating systems.The argument is that a grade will signal a level of quality and make it difficult for low-rated schools to escape scrutiny. Advocates of such rating systems use terms such as “simple,” “clear,” and “transparent” to describe them, and frequently cite competition and subsequent improvement as key outcomes. Former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and a number of organizations he supports are the most

Next-Generation Assessments & Accountability continues on page 12

WINTER 2016

Next-Generation Assessments & Accountability continued from page 11

vocal proponents of such systems. Florida adopted its system in 1999 and 16 other states have since followed. Texas is scheduled to implement its A–F rating system for the 2017-18 school year. Research on such systems is surprisingly inadequate given the prevalence of A–F as a policy tool.What does exist is almost universally negative. Florida cites significant gains in the first few years of its program, a fact that is a primary argument in support of such systems. Nevertheless, by Florida’s own admission, the majority of the “gains” were due to changes in the rules, a fact not shared with the Texas Commission on Next-Generation Assessments and Accountability when the Bush-supported organizations offered testimony on this topic in 2016. Most states with A–F rating systems have adjusted the rules to their systems following implementation so the results more closely match the public and policymakers’ expectations for the distribution of grades. These adjustments call into question the logic behind such systems: It appears they are only declared successful once they reflect a preconceived notion of expectations, not an objective reality. The few basic rules behind A–F appear simple on the surface but generate an inordinate number of behind-the-scenes calculations and numerous additional rules that render the results unusable for informing change. In many cases schools that perform in a statistically similar manner are awarded vastly different grades, while schools that perform quite differently are awarded similar grades. The reduction to a single grade tends to downplay achievement gaps. In a study of the Oklahoma system, gaps were shown to be wider in higher graded schools than in lower graded schools, and lower graded schools were shown to be performing better with subgroups than higher graded schools. 12

INSIGHT

Based heavily on standardized test scores, A–F school rating systems tend to assign grades in which the socioeconomic status of the school is the single best predictor of the grade, ignoring the efforts being made in some of the most challenged educational environments. The reduction of a school to a single grade has the tendency to color the judgments and subsequent actions of the entire school, even though each school is a diverse place with the need to serve all students. Reducing a school to a single grade has the predictable effect of telling a school with a good grade that all is well and telling a school with a bad grade that all must change, even though neither can ever be accurate.

organization’s existence. Accountability is the means by which an organization determines its success at providing the benefit, or achieving that mission or purpose. A meaningful accountability system requires each participant in an organization to ask the question: For what am I accountable and to whom? The state of Texas has answered that question for every educator: accountability is to the state for high or rising test scores. This differs from how educators would answer that same question, given their specific assignments and spheres of influence. Their answers would be deeply influenced by local needs and conditions. True accountability should be designed such that every educator answers the accountability question and then supplies evidence as to his or her effectiveness. It should support the professionalism of teachers, where most of the educational decisions about children are made. It should guide improvement along the way, rather than offer a post-mortem on a year of schooling derived from a single data collection point at the end of that year.

Conclusion: Rating schools and districts with A–F letter grades is a policy idea that fails every criterion put forth as a reason for having it. It is neither simple nor transparent. It misrepresents a large proportion of what happens in schools by reducing an entire school to a single mark that can only be partially appropriate given the complexity of schooling. In the end, A–F school ratings do more harm than good. They create confusion among educators, True accountability is shared. It assigns and they fail to offer the public useful or each task to the appropriate stakeholder accurate information about their schools. with the authority to see it through. It is about improvement. It meets each student Find the full essay, “The A–F Account- wherever he or she happens to be and ability Mistake,” online at https://goo.gl/ then moves him or her toward a compelling future.True accountability relies only Yrs74f. upon information relevant to the task at hand rather than simply grasping at whatCreating meaningful ever data or information is available.

community-based accountability systems Executive Summary

Argument: Organizations consist of people, processes, and systems, all working together toward a defined benefit, frequently known as a mission or purpose. That benefit is the reason for the

Conclusion: While it is likely that the state will continue to impose broad-brush judgments on schools in some form or another, schools recognize the disconnect between that broad brush and true accountability for the students placed in their care. True accountability for educators’ decisions is necessarily local,

necessitating the establishment of a mean- knowing the reasons why a ranking is as it ingful community-based accountability is.This is always a mistake:The causes for a system. ranking need to be determined first. Only then will it become clear if a judgment Find the full essay, “Creating Meaningful is warranted, or what types of changes Community-Based Accountability Sys- should be supported. tems,” online at https://goo.gl/Yrs74f. Policymakers noticed that schools they perceived as good had high standardized The misfit between test scores and declared that all schools testing and should have high standardized test scores. accountability The impossibility of this notwithstanding (e.g., it is impossible for everyone to Executive Summary be above average), policymakers have Argument: Rank order, standardized shown little interest in understanding testing was invented to analyze human the realities behind their primary edutraits that could not be readily observed cational accountability instrument. The and for which no measuring stick existed. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Their invention enables the rank ordering Readiness program (STAAR) in Texas is of a population on relative differences, and based upon rank order, standardized test in turn allows an analysis to proceed in the methodologies. absence of the measuring stick.The methodology never measured for the amount of anything.

Conclusion: A methodology designed to show the rank ordering of a population automatically sacrifices any capacity to comment on what caused that ranking. It can serve only as a signal for researchers to begin their search.The quality determination of schools and the passing score for students has, for the duration of education reform, been made via an instrument stripped of any ability to judge quality. This represents a grave concern, as the consequences are extensive. Find the full essay, “The Misfit Between Testing and Accountability,” online at https://goo.gl/Yrs74f.

John Tanner is the executive director of Test Sense, the author of “The Pitfalls of Reform,” and a consultant to TASA.

Such tests work by finding a statistical average and then measuring out to the students furthest above and below average to create a ranking.The relative differences between students can then be observed and analyzed, even though a ranking can say nothing of what caused it to come to be. Because such rankings are based on the aggregate of a student’s experiences with the domain (e.g., numeracy or literacy), the patterns in the rankings will correlate with those experiences. If those experiences have patterns in society, then those patterns will be expressed in the rankings. Given that experiences with numeracy and literacy in the U.S. correlate highly with socioeconomic status, it is not surprising that the rankings do as well. Ranking is one means by which the patterns in education can be viewed and disrupted. However, rankings are all too often assigned value judgments prior to

WINTER 2016

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LEGAL INSIGHT The rebranding of vouchers: education savings accounts by Ramiro Canales

S Proponents of school

chool choice will be a key issue during the 85th Texas Legislature. The Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives have studied school choice programs during the interim session and will issue their recommendations in December. The issue will generate lots of attention during the 140-day session.

choice programs have begun to frame the issue as one that involves fundamental rights.

Proponents of school choice programs have begun to frame the issue as one that involves fundamental rights.To proponents, parents should have the right to choose what is in their children’s best interest. In their view, a parent has the right to determine the best educational path for his or her child, which may not include sending that child to a public school. Proponents of school choice promote programs that do not sound, look or feel like traditional vouchers. Instead, programs with non-voucher names — such as tax credit scholarships, savings grants, empowerment scholarships and education savings accounts — are expected to dominate discussions. No matter their names, all programs have one common effect: they divert public money from traditional public schools. The program du jour that has generated the most interest and traction is the education savings account (ESA).To proponents, ESAs are not vouchers.They are an innovative and customized option for parents who seek a quality education for their children. In their view, ESAs will spur competition between public and private schools to secure the funding that each parent receives.To opponents, however, it is a voucher with a politically acceptable moniker. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is a vocal proponent of ESAs. In January 2016, during School Choice Week, he said: “In the 85th legislative session, there will be a more comprehensive bill to provide additional school choice options to parents.”1 Some legislative leaders and special interest groups, such as the newly formed Texans for Education Opportunity, are hoping to replicate the program in Nevada, even though the Nevada Supreme Court recently halted the program because it violated the state’s constitution. Neither Gov. Greg Abbott nor Texas Speaker Joe Straus has stated his position on ESAs. ESAs first came to light in 2011, when the Arizona Legislature created “empowerment scholarship accounts.” In “The Next Generation of School Vouchers: Education Savings Accounts,” published in October 2015, Josh Cunningham, a senior policy specialist at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a non-partisan “champion of state legislators,” summarized Arizona’s program as follows: Like traditional school vouchers, state funds are used to provide financial support to qualifying parents who want to send their children to private school.What makes Arizona’s program different is that parents have freedom to use their state support for more than just private

¹ Press Release, “Lt. Governor Patrick on School Choice Week,” Jan. 25, 2016.

Legal Insight continues on page 17

WINTER 2016

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Legal Insight continued from page 15

school tuition. In fact, parents can choose not to use the funds for tuition at all, instead using them to pay for a number of products and services related to educating their children. These could include online courses, textbooks and tutoring. Arizona’s program is an example of a policy concept that is broadly referred to as education savings accounts (ESAs). According to Cunningham, five states have adopted ESA programs: Arizona, Florida Nevada, Mississippi and Tennessee. Each state determines eligibility requirements and amounts of grants to be provided and provides guidelines regarding unspent funds. Parents who participate in the program are provided “restricteduse debit cards” for “qualifying education expenses.”2

The Nevada model

Article 11, Section 1, in the Nevada Constitution “does not limit the Legislature’s discretion to encourage other methods of education.”3 The court also concluded that “funds placed in education savings accounts ... belong to the parents and are not ‘public funds.’”4 However, because the ESAs were funded from an appropriation for K-12 public education, the Supreme Court permanently halted the program from taking effect, because the use of the money “undermines the constitutional mandates under Sections 2 and 6 [of the Nevada Constitution] to fund public education.”5 In layman’s language, under the Nevada Constitution, a separate appropriation is necessary to fund ESAs to pass constitutional muster.

spent. Private or religious schools are not required to comply with the Texas Public Information Act. Hence, no information is required to be released to any parent or concerned citizen.Additionally, there is no evidence that the ambitious ESA program adopted by the Nevada Legislature actually works, because the Nevada Supreme Court halted it. Speculation about the benefits of Nevada’s program may not convince Texas lawmakers to create their own — especially at a time when the Texas Legislature is focused on changing the system that funds traditional public schools. Undoubtedly, legislation promoting school choice programs will be filed in the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. If the previous legislative session is a guide, the Texas Senate will pass a school choice bill, but it will encounter stiff resistance in the Texas House of Representatives. Individual bills promoting specific school choice programs may also be filed. The deadline to file bills is in early March, 2017.

The Texas Constitution is different than the Nevada Constitution. Any proposed program will have to allay lawmakers’ concerns that the program does not violate any constitutional provisions. Proponents will say it does not. Opponents will say it does. What will matter is the details. In previous sessions, the debate over vouchers has been contentious. It is highly unlikely that any separate appropriation to fund ESAs will gather traction, especially in the Texas House of Representatives. It will Ramiro Canales is an attorney and be perceived as taking money away from the assistant executive director of governmental relations at TASA. public schools.

On June 2, 2015, the governor of Nevada signed SB 302 into law. SB 302 established the state’s ESA program. “It allows grants of public funds to be transferred into private education accounts for Nevada school-aged children to pay for their private schooling, tutoring and other nonpublic educational services and expenses.” Unlike other ESA programs, the Nevada Why ESAs raise concerns Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information purposes only. It does program applies to all children attending NCSL’s characterization of ESAs as vouch- not constitute legal advice. public schools. ers will resonate with Texas lawmakers. After ESAs were adopted, litigation Like vouchers, ESAs are viewed as deprivensued. The plaintiffs in the case claimed ing public schools of funding, allowing the the program violated the education provi- recipient schools to circumvent the state’s sions in the Nevada Constitution.This past financial and academic accountability September, the Nevada Supreme Court requirements, and keeping the taxpayers issued a split decision. It concluded that in the dark about how the money is being

² Schwartz v. Lopez, 132 Nev. Adv. Op.73, at p.6. Sept. 29, 2016.

³ Id. at 5. ⁴ Id. ⁵ Id. at 6. WINTER 2016

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H-E-B AWARDS PROGRAM CELEBRATES TEXAS EDUCATORS

n 2002, in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), H-E-B launched the Excellence in Education program to highlight outstanding achievements by Texas schools and educators.This year, H-E-B celebrated the 15th anniversary of the program, which awards cash incentives, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, to teachers, principals, schools and districts. Since the program’s inception, more than $8.5 million has been awarded to educators, schools, districts and early childhood facilities.This is the largest monetary awards program for educators in Texas and one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Join Harlingen CISD and Socorro ISD at the TASA Midwinter Conference, where they will present details of these two outstanding initiatives recognized by H-E-B’s Excellence in Education Program.

In addition to recognizing and awarding cash prizes to educators and districts, an important goal of the Excellence in Education program is to spotlight best practices and celebrate the ongoing work of Texas schools and educators. In an effort to help H-E-B share this information with educators across the state, TASA is proud to showcase districts from the H-E-B program in this publication.This issue features Harlingen CISD’s School of Health Professions and Socorro ISD’s WIN Academy. Future issues of INSIGHT will highlight other district programs recognized by H-E-B.

Harlingen CISD’s School of Health Professions Harlingen School of Health Professions (HSHP) is a remarkable example of what is possible when a district is driven by a strategic plan developed collaboratively with community stakeholders.With the license afforded by such a plan, Harlingen CISD embarked upon an ambitious vision for the HSHP that otherwise would not have been possible. With help from the Texas Workforce Commission, Harlingen CISD staff identified the medical field as a future regional workforce need.What makes the HSHP distinctive is that the district insisted upon making the future employers of its students — the health care industry itself — part of the solution from the beginning. The result is a school that challenges its students with a rigorous and relevant curriculum and is able to adjust its offerings to fit changes in the health care field. For example, the HSHP recently identified opportunities for students to conduct medical research at the newly formed University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, a partnership that was not part of the HSHP vision when it opened in the fall of 2014. Planning began with the end in mind, referred to as the 13th Year Profile. Shaped by six graduatecentered goals, this profile drove all design decisions from the curriculum to the building’s layout. The first goal states that HSHP graduates will develop a personal protocol to support their wellness. This involves investigations into personal beliefs and the work-self balance that students will negotiate as they transition into postsecondary education and beyond. The second goal states that graduates will have participated in focused learning experiences with health care professionals. One of the key decisions that rose out of this goal was to create six demand-driven strands of study, each with dedicated classrooms and specially designed labs.These strands are dental science, patient care, surgical procedures, pharmacology/biomedical technology, medical science research and sports medicine/therapeutic services. H-E-B Excellence in Education continues on page 20

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H-E-B Excellence in Education continued from page 19

Students apply to the HSHP in seventh grade. Students gain substantial exposure to all six strands in eighth, ninth and 10th grade. Each Wednesday and Thursday, for example, medical professionals from each strand visit the school and speak to students. Tenth graders participate in mock medical school rounds within each strand and engage in real-work activities in a real-world environment. For example, pharmacists from the community model workplace processes in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pharmacy lab, which meets all industry standards. By the end of their sophomore

relationships with health care professionals dedication. In the internships, there is a as a means to identify potential teachers strong focus on developing soft skills, such for the HSHP classrooms. as interpersonal communication skills, which are necessary for success in the The third goal states that students will workplace. have integrated high school, college and professional experiences with an empha- The sixth and final goal states that students sis on math and science. In 11th grade, will experience instruction that aligns students engage in coursework that leads with area postsecondary institutions. to certifications aligned to their chosen The curriculum for each of the strands is strand. Seniors are placed in half-day developed with input from postsecondary workplace internships, which provide institutions and health care professionals. authentic learning experiences aligned to their chosen strands.To allow time for the The HSHP is a bold initiative with a nontrivial price tag. Understandably, the district faced challenges in making the school a reality. The district had to be creative in procuring startup costs. It was able to obtain funding through the Qualified Schools Construction Bond at a low-interest rate, subsidized by the federal government. Now that the startup expenses have passed, the school is supported through the regular district budget.

Students at the Harlingen School of Health Professions in Harlingen CISD gain real-world experience in six strands of study, including dental science, patient care, surgical procedures, pharmacology/biomedical technology, medical science research and sports medicine/therapeutic services.

year, students are prepared to declare their chosen strand, having had three years of authentic learning and career exposure in all strands. Starting this school year, Harlingen CISD is utilizing the latitude afforded by its TEA Innovative District designation to hire world-class teachers with industry experience. The district is leveraging its

INSIGHT

internships, the high school curriculum is accelerated, beginning with the incoming eighth graders The fourth goal states that the HSHP graduates will have an established lifestyle of commitment and volunteer community service. The fifth goal states that the curriculum will cultivate characteristics that embody determination, empathy and

Also, there were questions, for example, regarding the decision to build a new facility when existing facilities required repair and maintenance. There also were challenges in defending the need for the HSHP in the first place. These are valid concerns that any stakeholder should express to ensure responsible stewardship of a communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children and finances. Fortunately, the district was well positioned to respond to these concerns, as the strategic plan provided a clarity of purpose that was communicated in a common language for the whole community. The collaborative process behind the plan cultivated the trust and community support necessary to bring the plan into reality.

Socorro ISD’s WIN Academy Two years ago, Socorro ISD Superintendent Jose Espinoza challenged his cabinet to find a solution for the district’s persistent academic achievement gap. The cabinet members framed their challenges with tough questions: Are students being promoted while doing below-grade-level work in math and reading? Is the district meeting the needs of the most at-risk students, especially English language learners (ELL), economically disadvantaged and special education students? Are systemic changes needed to close the achievement gaps? If so, are stakeholders willing to go the extra mile to implement and support needed changes, in spite of possible budget constraints? Espinoza’s call for action emphasized that the one-size-fits-all approach did not meet the needs of all students. After conducting research on best practices for improving student academic outcomes, the cabinet found inspiration in Jaime Escalante’s legendary teaching style, which inspired the 1988 film, “Stand and Deliver.” Escalante’s success was driven by his relentlessly high expectations of all his students, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Escalante’s emphasis on ganas (passion or desire) to beat the odds empowered his poor and minority students — like many students in Socorro ISD — to reach their full potential in school, work and life.

at-risk elementary students. The first key is a strong and supportive district and school administration that allocates dedicated funding, researches best prac-

the WIN Parent Academy, which trains and motivates parents to be valuable partners in their children’s academic journey. Every six weeks, the parents learn about

Fifth graders in the Socorro ISD WIN Academy engage in hands-on learning during science class at Robert R. Rojas Elementary School.

tices, researches and designs effective professional development, and supports technology integration.

project-based learning (PBL), hear about what their kids are learning, and how their kids are progressing.

The second key is the program’s “100 percent no excuses” vision of high expectations for everyone, especially the students who struggle the most. Students and their parents sign a commitment to The spirit of Escalante’s teaching style can meet attendance, behavior and academic be found in Socorro ISD’s WIN Academy goals. Parents agree to extended school program, designed for the district’s most days and Saturday tutorials. Also, teachers commit to “looping” with students on at-risk students.WIN stands for: flexible schedules, which means they teach n Work hard. them over multiple years. Looping creates n “I can do it” attitude. the deeper, more lasting relationships that n Never give up. many at-risk students need to thrive.

The fourth key promotes extended instructional time so staff members can provide extra support. Nine-hour school days on Mondays through Thursdays, double-blocked time for reading and math, and monthly Saturday tutorials provide students the opportunity to gain two or more years of knowledge in one year.

Six keys to success define the academy Thirdly, the program builds strong team program that serves the district’s most spirit with parents. This is done through

The fifth key is to take a flexible, nontraditional approach to learning that offers a blended model of PBL and digital learning platforms. This approach combines the expectations of the contemporary workplace with a personalized learning platform.

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H-E-B Excellence in Education continued from page 21

The WIN Academy has reported improved academic outcomes, attendance and behavior in its students. For example, the percentage of students earning an “A” in math almost doubled — from 5 percent in the 2014-2015 year to 9.2 percent in the 2015-2016 year — while the percent of students who failed decreased from 7.8 percent to 3.5 percent. Also, teachers are seeing once-shy students come out of their shells and enjoy school.

arose from additional transportation due to longer school days.

The district also invested tremendous effort to recruit the right teachers with the passion and dedication to teach longer days. Finding teachers with the appropriate certifications, such as bilingual/ELL, Tools for Talking was an essential piece. Understanding that When Stakes are High success hinges upon participating teachers, the district offers WIN teachers a $6,500 January 11–12, 2017 stipend for the extra ganas that is expected TASA Headquarters, Austin The district anticipates an even larger of them. Whether it’s dealing with an unhappy parent, impact on students as the program matures and is expanded and improved. The creation of WIN Academy also a persistent reporter, or a disgruntled staff An indispensable aspect of the process of prompted Socorro ISD staff to identify member, school district leaders face tough continuous improvement is the ability to new and relevant professional development. communication challenges every day. TASA measure accomplishments. Socorro ISD Embedded coaching was implemented to is pleased to partner with VitalSmarts, an is enhancing its analysis of performance assist teachers transitioning into an entirely innovator in corporate training and organizational performance, to offer Crucial data to insure its substantial investments are new instructional model. Conversations, a two-day course to be held leading to results. Success breeds success. Socorro ISD has in Austin January 11-12 that teaches skills Socorro ISD had to overcome some chal- been awarded a grant from the prestigious for creating alignment and agreement by lenges before it saw these successes. It had W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, to be targeted and strategic in getting the program’s operational costs. Progress emotional, or risky topics — at all levels of buy-in from the parents of the students would not have been possible without the your organization. who most needed the WIN Academy district leadership’s sustained focus on the What is the two-day training like? program. Also, as the district expanded WIN Academy.This focus was a result of a Participants learn by example in training that WIN Academy into seventh grade, it realization that the status quo for many of features more than 60 original “before and had to overcome conflicts with Univer- the district’s students was not serving them after” video clips. They engage in extensive sity Interscholastic League activities by well, which led them down a path full of in-class practice, group participation, and hand-scheduling participating students. challenges exceeded only by the rewards personal reflection as they explore and master Moreover, Socorro ISD had to overcome of better-adjusted students and improved crucial skills while earning up to 13 hours of the logistical and financial challenges that student achievement. CPE credit.

Who needs Crucial Conversations training? The Harlingen CISD portion of this article was made possible through the cooperation of Harlingen CISD staff, especially Veronica Marie Kortan, head of organizational development, and Shane Strubhart, director of public relations and community engagement. For more information, contact Kortan at maria. kortan@hcisd.org or (956) 430-9765. The Socorro ISD portion of this article was made possible through the cooperation of Socorro ISD staff, including Lucia Borrego, assistant superintendent of elementary curriculum and instruction; Alisa Farmer, chief academic officer; and Hector Reyna, chief technology officer. For more information, contact Borrego at lborre@sisd.net or (915) 937-0300.

Campus and district leaders, from team leads to principals to central office administrators and superintendents—anyone who wants to: n

Speak persuasively, not abrasively

Foster teamwork and better decision making

Build acceptance rather than resistance

Resolve individual and group disagreements

INSIGHT

New Column

TEACHER PERSPECTIVE The benefits of collaborative, continuous professional development by Allison Ashley

The National Board Certification process pushed me to translate theory into practice and increased my focus on evaluating its influence on students.

(Editor’s note: In this new regular column, 2017 Texas Teacher of the Year Allison Ashley will explore topics related to the teaching profession in Texas.)

o shortage of opinions exist on what constitutes “professional development” or, simply put, what makes it good. While this term is often associated with full-day teacher trainings, I think of it broadly as the process of learning that improves student outcomes through meaningful changes in one’s practice. When recently interviewed for Texas Teacher of the Year, I found myself reflecting upon some of the most effective professional learning experiences in my career.A common theme emerged: Professional development has the greatest impact on my teaching and student learning when it is both collaborative and continuous in nature. I am fortunate to work in a district that offers a National Board Certification candidate cohort and invests in teacher leadership pathways.These professional development experiences have contributed greatly to my effectiveness as a teacher, both within and beyond the walls of my classroom. My understanding of excellent teaching and meaningful student learning has evolved over time, as a result of being in the classroom, coaching novice teachers and attending graduate school. However, pursuing National Board Certification through Austin ISD’s cohort program helped me clarify my vision of excellent teaching in a way no other professional learning experience had. During our periodic meetings, colleagues and I would discuss the extent to which the national board’s teaching standards were present in our classes. Internalizing the organization’s vision for accomplished teaching and working toward a full and documented implementation of these standards alongside my colleagues revolutionized my teaching in an unparalleled way. The National Board Certification process pushed me to translate theory into practice and increased my focus on evaluating its influence on students. For example, in my cohort of fellow teacher candidates, I reflected upon the extent to which students were really the center of my instruction, how much authentic and student-driven conversation happened throughout the day, students’ abilities to take the perspectives of others and the effectiveness on my parent engagement efforts. Identifying these areas for growth, in collaboration with other teachers, helped push my practice forward. Austin ISD’s cohort model for supporting National Board Certification provided opportunities for ongoing and meaningful collaboration with others. Meetings led by a board-certified teacher kept me on track.Working with candidates across the city exposed me to best practices in our community. I was matched with a mentor, who, through insightful questioning, pushed me to reflect on strengths and areas for growth in my teaching. Teacher Perspective continues on page 24

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Teacher Perspective continued from page 23

After receiving National Board Certification, I continued to work with our district candidacy program as a mentor and, later, as a cohort facilitator. Collaborating with a diverse group of high-performing teachers and gaining insights into their practice have been a source of continued learning and inspiration. In addition to National Board Certification, I have benefitted greatly from the work my district has done around promoting teacher leadership.As teachers, we must work collaboratively to strengthen our collective impact on student achievement. Learning to lead our colleagues is a much-needed focus of teacher development efforts.

Continuous learning Recently, through Austin ISD, I participated in year-long series of professional development experiences that helped team leaders deepen their understanding of what effective teamwork looks like. Through these efforts, teacher leaders came together a number of times throughout the year to discuss the realities of our leadership efforts and identify areas for improvement. Much of our work was grounded in the concept of professional learning communities. At my campus, we built upon the districtled initiative and outlined key goals for our work as team leaders. As a vertical

leadership team, we then benchmarked our progress through faculty surveys throughout the year. This allowed us to analyze our collective impact, highlight team successes and share best practices, and address common dilemmas across grade levels. Over time, we increased our effectiveness in leading teams, which set the foundation for improving our teaching practice and increasing student achievement. Austin ISD provided our group of team leaders ongoing learning experiences around professional learning communities and offered release time for our vertical teacher leadership to meet each semester. Our school administrators worked with us to identify strengths and areas of need in our leadership efforts and then provided time and space for us to meet monthly. Their efforts demonstrate a commitment to our leadership work. District- and campus-level administration play a key role in cultivating teacher leadership through these types of collaborative and continuous professional development activities. When done well, this can translate into meaningful changes in teacher practice and have a significant impact on student outcomes. Texas Teacher of the Year Allison Ashley teaches at Becker Elementary in Austin ISD.

INSIGHT

TECH TAKE Managing the change: Shifting the technology culture on campus, in schools by Ashley May It is our duty to transition away from the traditional role of being the gatekeeper of all knowledge and into the roles of learning guide and facilitator.

e live in a society where technology is all around us. Everywhere you look, people are using technology to increase workflow, track their fitness and entertain themselves. Today’s students always have lived in this world. By 2025, none of the students in our K-8 classrooms will have lived in a world where the iPad didn’t exist. How do we reach these students? How can we bring relevancy to our instructional programs while utilizing the technology that inundates everyday life? We have to move beyond the traditional instructional model and begin to embrace the role that technology will play in the classrooms of the future. To do that, there has to be a cultural shift in our schools and our classrooms. We are all walking around carrying the most powerful computers in the world in our pockets, purses and backpacks. The answer to any question you have can be found by asking Siri or searching on Google. It is our duty to transition away from the traditional role of being the gatekeeper of all knowledge and into the roles of learning guide and facilitator.This is a process that will not happen overnight. However, with strong leadership, we can and will get there. “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” Benjamin Franklin once said.When dealing with technology, truer words have never been spoken. Oftentimes, technology integration is viewed as the acquisition of devices.To some extent, that is true; teachers and students need access to technology to use it. However, the danger lies in only taking a surface-level look at technology integration.You must look below the surface to understand meaningful technology integration. Think of it like an iceberg.The devices are equivalent to the portion of the iceberg that can be seen above the water. When you go below the surface, you see the technology integration planning, the vision and goals of the initiative, the curricular connections and the support needed during implementation. Failure to see below the surface will cause your initiative to sink faster than the Titanic. At the core of any successful technology initiative is good planning, intentional communication and thoughtful execution. There are some hard questions that you will have to ask yourself — and your team — to make sure you are moving in the right direction. In many cases, there will be difficult conversations that must be had to make decisions that keep student achievement as the top priority.

Good planning What is your plan? How do you communicate that plan? Every district is required to write a longrange plan for technology, or LRPT. That document is submitted to the Texas Education Agency. However, many districts do not move beyond the LRPT. There is a breakdown when it comes to

Tech Take continues on page 26

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Tech Take continued from page 25

connecting the information in the LRPT to daily action.This pitfall must be avoided to sustain a successful technology initiative. Some questions to consider include: How is the information in the LRPT translated into everyday action? Are all stakeholders aware of what is included in the plan? How do you get the message out in your school district?

goals that can be monitored for progress. This will allow you and your team to make adjustments as necessary, while still being able to see the big picture and the overarching goal(s). Program monitoring and evaluation are an integral part of any successful endeavor. How else will you know when to continue what you are doing or to try something new?

Simon Sinek once said:“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” Sinek has given TED talks and written books that discuss, at length, the significance of leaders who “start with why.”This should be a resonating message within the educational technology community. In an educational environment consumed with standardized testing, technology will continue to be an afterthought without emphasis being placed on the “why” of technology integration in your school district and on your campuses.

Intentional communication

Teachers are constantly bombarded with best practices and strategies. What makes your technology initiative any different? Without an understanding of the basic truth at the core of your decisions and beliefs, technology integration will be seen as just another thing that teachers are being told to do. One of the first things that can be done to facilitate this transition is to write the plan in plain English.Translate the technology jargon into easily digestible reading material that parents, teachers, students and community members can understand. Remember: If they can’t read it, they won’t do it. Lead with your why. Refer to it often. Everything should directly connect to your why.

Communication is key. You must make sure that your plan is communicated to all of your stakeholders. At the beginning of a bond project, announcements are made to the community, signs go up, flyers are sent out, and the message is spread throughout the district and the surrounding community. Why not implement a similar campaign to make stakeholders aware of what is happening to advance technology in your district? Parents and the community always welcome regular communication about new software programs, access to blended and online courses, improvements and updates to technology infrastructure and other advancements. Many times, if you don’t tell them what you are doing, the assumption is that you aren’t doing anything. Internal communication is equally important. In almost every school district across the state, staff members at all levels can articulate the goals and vision of the school district. They know how major initiatives connect to and support the district’s mission and vision. However, can the same be said of your technology initiatives?

The next step is to break up the plan into When I ask principals about their techphases with short-term and long-term nology goals for their campuses, I often

INSIGHT

am met with uncertainty and/or a lack of clarity. For those who are able to articulate their goals, the connections to the LRPT frequently are missing or unclear. This is not an administrative issue; this is a communication issue. If campus leaders cannot articulate how the technology initiatives support the mission and vision of the school district, how will they ensure that it is implemented with fidelity? How will they model for their staff? A good communication plan keeps all stakeholders in the loop. It doesn’t take much. Whether it’s a tweet on Twitter, a website update, an internal memo or a flyer sent home with students, it should be intentional and connect to your why. A regular pattern of communication with stakeholders should be a focus for you and your team.

Thoughtful execution In the book, “Stratosphere,” Michael Fullan writes:“The integration of technology and pedagogy to maximize learning must meet four criteria. It must be irresistibly engaging; elegantly efficient (challenging but easy to use); technologically ubiquitous; and steeped in real-life problem solving.” For this to be put into practice in our schools, we must take a look at multiple factors that contribute to thoughtful execution. How does your plan translate to the work done and the decisions made every day? What connections have been made to the curriculum? As district-level leadership teams make decisions about curriculum, interventions and supports, are they taking the technology plan into consideration? As campuses are writing their campus improvement plans, are there any technology tools listed as supports that can

help them reach their goals? If so, this is plan? What are the expected outcomes of evidence of a well-communicated tech- each phase? Knowing this in advance will help you plan professional development nology plan. that is timely, meaningful and relevant. Additionally, make sure that your district- Depending on the size of the district, you level curriculum team is aware of and may need to consider offering a mix of well-grounded in the initiative. Many face-to-face and online professional develtimes, these team members are the boots opment.The biggest advantage of offering on the ground. They help with curricu- online learning opportunities is accessibillum writing, they lead and coach the ity. Having online options gives teachers campus curriculum specialists, and they on-demand access to resources. are the eyes and ears in the classroom. As subject matter experts, they know best Departmental buy-in where their curriculum could be best supDoes your information technology ported by technology integration. department support the plan? This is a non-negotiable factor in the success of What phase of the plan any plan. Moreover, do you have the infraare you in? structure and the support personnel? How Resources, training and support must be often do the information technology and dedicated to and focused on the phase you educational technology teams meet to disare in.There are many instructional tech- cuss successes and challenges? The success nology support models in use across the of any initiative will depend partially on state. In some places, there are district-level the strength of the relationship between instructional technology specialists whose these departments. sole focus is on integrating technology into the curriculum and coaching teachers Leadership teams from both sides of the in classroom technology integration. In aisle must meet and communicate on a others, the curriculum specialists have the regular basis. Additionally, issues and resodual role of content specialist and tech- lutions must be communicated to all team nology integration specialist. Still, other members in the most efficient manner places have an instructional technology possible. If your instructional technology specialist on every campus. No matter specialists are sending one message and what your format looks like, the impor- your support specialists are saying sometant thing to consider is what will work thing else, teachers and students will get best in your school district and in your lost in the confusion. schools. Depending on the size of your district, one model will work better than Modeling the vision others.The focus should be less about the model you are using and more about the Teachers need to be reminded of the why potential impact the position(s) will have. behind initiatives and given examples of how.As such, district leaders should model Additional considerations include the technology integration. There are many amount and frequency of professional subtle ways to do this. Using digital tools development available. How will your to send weekly updates to staff, tweeting teachers grow during each phase of the campus happenings and publishing a blog

are a few options. John Maxwell once said: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Make sure that your leaders are willing to show the way. As you can see, there are many components and moving parts involved in shifting a technology culture. However, it is worth the time, sweat and hard work that go into embarking on such a change. None of us went into education for the paycheck. We became educators because we wanted to change lives, one student at a time. As such, we have to make good on that promise by providing students an educational environment that will propel them to success.We owe it to them to do just that.

Ashley May, an instructional technology integrator with Alief ISD, is passionate about growing leaders at all levels. She holds a master of science degree in education media design and technology. In December, she graduates from Lamar University with a master’s degree in educational administration.

References Fullan, M. (2013). “Stratosphere: Integrating Technology, Pedagogy and Change Knowledge.” Don Mills, Ont: Pearson. Sinek, S. (2009). Ted Talk. “How great leaders inspire action.” Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2cweLpJ.

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Texas Reads One Book Once again, we are proud to offer this unique opportunity in Texas...

Jason Garrett

Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys

leads the charge with a huge Texas style kick-off this coming spring as

Texas Reads One Book!

Coach Garrett reads the first chapter via exclusive video cast - then each of the families in your district reads a chapter each night.

Jason Garrett

Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys

KICKOFF : April 3, 2017

FALL SPECIAL

Register early by December 31st to receive special pricing. Choose one title for your custom One District, One Book® reading event in the fall or winter… then read The Lemonade War for Texas Reads One Book in the spring - all for $9.95 (regular price $10.95). General registration continues through March 1st. Just want Texas Reads One Book?

regular price $5.95

You’ll receive books for every student as well as in-school activities, assembly ideas, teacher resources, and family engagement tools. Tens of thousands of families across the state will read together in this celebration of literacy.

TASA TASA

Send an e-mail to sign up your district! texasreads@readtothem.org

Texas Association of School Texas Association ofAdministrators School Administrators

® Creating a Culture of Literacy in Every Home

BOOK REVIEW What Texas school administrators are reading Leadership: Key Competencies for Whole-System Change by Lyle Kirtman and Michael Fullan Reviewed by Karen Rue, past president, TASA

e are practitioners by choice. While degrees on the wall attest to being grounded in learning theory, school administrators are doers. That’s why Lyle Kirtman and Michael Fullan’s book, “Leadership: Key Competencies for Whole-System Change,” is so compelling. Kirtman and Fullan illustrate, with startling clarity, how to use the right drivers for system success while developing seven core competencies in ourselves and in our teams. “Ironically, what looks like a quick route to success (the wrong drivers) actually slows down achievement,” the authors write.“By contrast, the four right drivers work because they develop new capacities and cultures.” The authors, citing Fullan’s 2011 work, ask us to consider the following right drivers:

Capacity building, not negative accountability.A focus on accountability will stifle our ability to create cultures of excellence.We must move to capacity building.

Teamwork, not individualistic strategies. Group quality — not individual quality — allows the culture to use everyone’s talents to obtain sustainable results.

Pedagogy, not technology.Technology is wonderful, but only if it changes the way we think of instruction.

System policies, not ad hoc policies. Fragmentation and constant discrete initiatives will never create sustainable results.

Importantly, the authors remind us that we are not alone in our work.They share examples of education leaders in school systems across the United States who are successfully engaged in transformational work. “Leadership, Key Competencies for Whole-System Change” offers a powerful path forward for education practitioners. As the authors state: “While the superintendent sets the tone for the district, the superintendent cannot do it alone. He or she must be able to develop a strong leadership cadre throughout the district.”

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Book Review continued from page 29

By mastering the key competencies for n Competency Four: focuses on team whole-system change, we can leverage over self; our efforts and the efforts of others for student success.The following descriptors n Competency Five: has a high sense are associated with each competency: of urgency for change and sustainable results in improving student n Competency One: challenges the staachievement; tus quo; n Competency Six: has a commitment n Competency Two: builds trust through to continuous improvement for self clear communication and expectations; and organization; and

School transformation — or wholesystem change — depends on our ability to develop our skills in the seven competencies and to develop other leaders with those qualities. As Kirtman and Fullan so aptly assert,“We need two things: the right focus and the seven competencies.”

I read the real-life examples of others who have successfully navigated the work of school transformation, discovered the key competencies they have in common n Competency Three: creates a com- n Competency Seven: builds external and realized that a path to develop these competencies does exist.We are not alone monly owned plan for success; networks and partnerships. — not with Kirtman and Fullan illumin nating the path.

WEST HIGH SCHOOL / MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT The design of West High School / Middle School honors the tradition and spirit of the West community, while symbolizing future opportunities for its students. A blend of 21st century and traditional learning create a space that is adaptable, collaborative and connected. The architectural character is a symbol of outreach and unification, welcoming students with “open arms.”

We are more than architects. We are a team of experts, each focused on a unique aspect of education, standing beside you as we work toward a common goal: the success of all students.

Read more of our story at www.huckabee-inc.com.

INSIGHT

TSPRA VOICE A new day in El Paso ISD By Gustavo Reveles Acosta

ew school districts in Texas have gone through a public relations nightmare like the one El Paso ISD experienced, beginning in April 2011. It continued for years, as administrators and school board members struggled to cope with the aftermath of a widespread cheating scandal. Armed with a refocused communications office, now called the Office of Community Engagement, El Paso ISD set out to do what seemed impossible: regain the public’s trust.

Four years after the arrest of the former superintendent and the loss of public trust, a newly seated board of trustees and a completely overhauled administration found itself in a difficult position. Budget figures and enrollment projections indicated the previous administration had ignored that the district was losing thousands of students to suburban sprawl. Incoming Superintendent Juan Cabrera knew he would need the public’s help to deal with declining enrollment and revenue, while still delivering on promises of creating academic and extracurricular programs that prepare students to become future-ready leaders. Armed with a refocused communications office, now called the Office of Community Engagement, El Paso ISD set out to do what seemed impossible: regain the public’s trust.

Internal changes To change public perceptions, the district first had to regain the trust of its employees.While teacher instruction and daily operations continued, it was clear many employees were disillusioned with what had happened. The administration decided the message it would take was that El Paso ISD belonged to all its employees, and, together, employees would regain ownership of the schools and offices in which they worked. Changes were made to policies and procedures to provide more transparency in district operations. Employees also were given better and more avenues to express their concerns. Organically, the phrase “I am EPISD” was coined as a mantra for the employees. These three words began appearing on T-shirts and buttons and in email signatures. The slogan became engrained in the work teachers and administrators did. The Office of Community Engagement embraced it as the transformational tool it needed to differentiate the current district from the one that had been embroiled in controversy.

Branding For years, news outlets covering the district’s scandal used the decades-old El Paso ISD logo — a stick figure, reaching up to a golden star, in a blue field. It became synonymous with negative headlines. The Office of Community Engagement replaced this old logo with an “I am EPISD” logo — a simple circle with the words in blue and gold. The new logo graced school forms, signs, uniforms and the website. TSPRA Voice continues on page 32

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Logo usage guidelines and a new seal for official district business also were created and distributed to all schools and departments. The branding campaign brought a new sense of pride to the students, parents and employees of the district.

Transparency To significantly change public perception, however, the district had to do more than change its aesthetics. El Paso ISD had to show it was changing its policies and procedures. The board created more opportunities for members to interact with the public. A new policy extended citizen input at public board meetings and allowed concerned residents to sign up to speak at virtual meetings.Trustees also began an aggressive schedule of community meetings to listen to concerns and share information with the public. The Office of Community Engagement began repairing its relationship with the media. Public relations approached media requests earnestly and promptly, allowing reporters to do their jobs.The gesture resulted in the media trusting again the information the district delivered. Administrators also began rebuilding trust with the business community by developing a partnership with the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce.The district provided the chamber with frequent updates on the positive changes it was making.

public perception would come in the way of student programs. If the people of El Paso were to believe the district was different, El Paso ISD would have to show it was different in the classroom. With a supportive board and an eager group of administrators, Cabrera launched a campaign to modernize teaching and learning through a series of initiatives aimed at creating next-generation learners. Student success goals were no longer based on test scores; the district had learned its lesson. Instead, goals were broader and more aligned with 21st century learning. The district set out to create critical thinkers who learned in different ways.Teachers were empowered to use technology in their classrooms.The district embraced its role as a leader on the U.S.-Mexico border by expanding its dual-language programs to all elementary schools and most of the middle schools.

INSIGHT

To fund this adjustment, the district had to get a tax ratification election, or TRE. The TRE would fund salary increases, fine arts and athletic programming and school buses to replace an outdated fleet. Getting the funding required a vote from the same public that had been bombarded for years with news footage of El Paso ISD educators in handcuffs. Not to be deterred, the district embarked on an informational campaign that did more than present a list of promises. It made a concerted effort to show how different El Paso ISD had become.

The district hosted more than 50 community meetings, and the effort paid off.The business and civic communities endorsed Campaigns like PowerUp came online. the TRE. Each of the 18,000 high school students in the district received a laptop, and teachers But the real test came in August 2015, gained the ability to write digital text- when the issue went to the voters. The books. Initiatives like these continue to TRE passed with 81 percent of the vote, help close the digital learning gap that giving the district the funding and the exists on many El Paso ISD campuses. vote of confidence it needed.

Morever, the district became one of the largest implementers of the New Tech Network, which embraces project-based learning. This innovative approach to learning is producing results in test scores, even though there has been no focus on All of these efforts led to better paren- standardized testing. tal relations, media stories and business partnerships. El Paso ISD also expanded popular and rigorous programs, like International Trust through innovation Baccalaureate and dual credit, to schools traditionally underserved, offering Superintendent Cabrera, however, knew resources to help students better prepare that the biggest catalyst for change in for life after high school.

While the district made sacrifices to invest more in its academic programs, it became apparent that to continue moving forward, El Paso ISD needed to make an adequate salary adjustment for its teachers, which were some the lowest paid in the region.

Despite all this progress, El Paso ISD knows it has more work to do to restore the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trust fully. At every turn, it continues to find ways to engage its stakeholders and rebuild bridges. Administrators and trustees know this is the only way to truly serve the needs of the 60,000 students who attend the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 91 campuses. Gustavo Reveles Acosta is the director of community engagement for El Paso ISD. He is a former vice president for Far West Texas for the Texas School Public Relations Association.

HIGHER EDUCATION Getting serious about ethics by Stacey Edmonson, Catherine Robert and David P. Thompson

he topic of educator ethics has received a great deal of attention over the past few years, with reports of educator misconduct rising and public demand increasing to curb it.According to recent research, educator sexual misconduct, including inappropriate educator-student relationships, while not the only type of educator misconduct on the rise, represents more than one-third of all misconduct cases (Robert & Thompson, 2015). The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has responded by submitting a budget request for additional investigative staff and requests for legislation designed to minimize additional numbers of cases of educator misconduct (Lutz, 2016). Specifically, reported instances of inappropriate relationships with students/minors (IRWSM) are rising in Texas, where the TEA reports an 80 percent increase in the number of investigations opened over the past eight reporting years, ending in 2015-2016 (Chang, 2016). Added to this alarming increase in the number of IRWSM cases is the emerging trend for the majority of educator sex abuse cases, to include electronic communication, either by the Internet or cell phone (Maxwell, 2007). This article summarizes newly adopted amendments to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) surrounding educator ethics. We suggest possible legislative recommendations and offer guidance for districts and educator preparation programs for best practices in ethics education.

Regulatory action Educator preparation programs must ensure that the individuals preparing candidates, and the candidates themselves, understand and adhere to the Texas Educators’ Code of Ethics.

The legislative requests and recently adopted1 amendments to the TAC from TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) address the most common concerns found in investigations. Citing the number of educator discipline cases involving certified but not currently employed educational aides, SBEC adopted a rule, which goes into effect September 1, to reduce the number of certified educational aides. It aims to do so by reducing the certification’s years from five to two (19 TAC §230.53, §230.63, §230.65). Next, an amendment to the Texas Educators’ Code of Ethics (ECE), Standard 1.13, provides districts more leverage in disciplining educators discovered under the influence of alcohol. Where previous language stated “educators shall not consume alcoholic beverages on school property or during school activities when students are present,” the standard has been strengthened to include educators shall not “be under the influence of alcohol” (19 TAC §247.2). ¹ All regulations cited in this section were adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification on Oct. 7.They were adopted by the State Board of Education at its November meeting and are slated to become effective Dec. 27.

Higher Education continues on page 35

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Clarification also is proposed in the area of ethics professional development, with additional language on requirements for educator preparation programs. Section 228.30 now includes instruction in the code of ethics, specifying that the instruction must cover the three areas of the ECE: professional ethical conduct, practices and performance; ethical conduct toward professional colleagues; and ethical conduct toward students (19 TAC §228.30). Educator preparation programs must ensure that the individuals preparing candidates, and the candidates themselves, understand and adhere to the ECE (19 TAC §228.50). These additions further communicate the importance of ethics education in educator preparation programs.

has probable cause (i.e., “sufficient reason based on known facts” [Law.com, n.d.]) that he or she has engaged in sexual misconduct with a student or minor. With this language — specifically the use of the phrase “cause to believe” — the educator only needs a suspicion of misconduct to withhold assistance and must withhold assistance on a showing of knowledge or probably cause. This new language will not completely eliminate the practice of educators moving districts when under investigation for sexual misconduct, but it places potential certificate sanctions on educators purposely assisting the movement. Additional proposed legislation, as discussed in the following section, encourages additional penalties for educators failing to disclose incidents of IRWSM Finally, both an adopted addition to the with the intention of removing any doubt ECE and Section 8038 of Title VIII of that all suspicion of IRWSM should be the newly passed Every Student Succeeds reported as required. Act (ESSA) address educators who assist peers suspected of sexual misconduct with Possible legislative moving to other districts, also known as recommendations “passing the trash.” Standard 1.14 of the ECE, quoting the new requirement under Faced with what was, at the time, the seventh consecutive annual increase in the ESSA, reads: number of educator IRWSM investigaThe educator shall not assist another tions opened by TEA, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick educator, school employee, contractor, or and House Speaker Joe Straus charged agent in obtaining a new job as an educa- the Senate Committee on Education and tor or in a school, apart from the routine House Public Education Committee to transmission of administrative and per- hold hearings on this subject between sonnel files, if the educator knows or has the 84th and 85th sessions. Both the first probable cause to believe that such person and third authors of this article testified at engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a each hearing.The third author’s testimony minor or student in violation of the law. ranged from recommendations to (19 TAC §247.2, 1.14, please also see 20 n strengthen reporting requirements for U.S.C. § 7926) school district superintendents and open-enrollment charter school chief This addition to the code solidifies the executive officers; expectation that a certified educator is subject to certificate sanction for providing a positive reference for another educator n clarify school district and open-enrollment charter school employment whom the educator actually knows or

policies, including disclosing substantiated sexual misconduct of an educator to prospective employers; and n

strengthen requirements on educator ethics and ethical decision-making for preservice educator preparation and continuing professional education.

One of the recommendations advanced was to require a minimum number of clock hours on educator ethics and ethical decision-making for preservice educator preparation and continuing professional education for educators, where there currently are no minimums. In addition, a second recommendation was to provide continuing professional education for certified paraprofessionals, including courses on ethics and ethical decisionmaking, where there are currently no such requirements.As the third author noted in his testimony: Surely the people, taxpayers, and school children of Texas deserve better. Indeed, this must change, and the regulatory authority exists for SBEC to require that a certain number of clock hours be devoted to educator ethics and ethical decisionmaking in both preparation programs and continuing professional education. Further, the Legislature could also draft and pass statutory language that requires SBEC to set a minimum number of clock hours for these topics and to, within reasonable guidelines, describe the desired content of these topics (see http://bit.ly/2d7uAp7, May 11,Thompson, 2016). On Nov. 14, the first day for prefiling legislation for the 85th Texas Legislature, House Rep. Tony Dale, R-Austin, filed House Bill 218. In relevant part, this proposed legislation: (1) expands the scope of Texas Penal Code § 21.12 (improper

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educator-student relationships); (2) expands from superintendents to principals the duty to make required reports under Texas Education Code § 21.006; (3) establishes a criminal penalty (Class A misdemeanor) for a superintendent’s or principal’s knowing failure to make the report required by Texas Education Code § 21.006; (4) requires school districts, open-enrollment charter schools and other entities to adopt a policy that provides notice to the parent of a student with whom an educator is alleged to have had abused, or was involved in or solicited sexual contact or a romantic relationship with a student or minor; (5) requires applicants for positions for which certification is required to complete a pre-employment affidavit that discloses “whether the applicant has ever been charged with, accused of, adjudicated for or convicted of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor”; (6) provides that continuing professional education for classroom teachers and principals must include a component on “understanding appropriate relationships, boundaries, and communications between educators and students” (teachers) and on “preventing, recognizing, and reporting any sexual conduct between an educator and a student that is prohibited by the penal code or must be reported by the education code; (7) permits the SBEC to issue certificate sanctions to persons who aid other educators who have engaged in sexual misconduct with a student or minor in obtaining subsequent employment in education; (8) requires school districts to “adopt a written policy concerning electronic communications between a school employee” and currently enrolled district students; and (9) empowers the commissioner to “authorize special accreditation sanctions … when a school district for any reason fails to produce, at the request of the (TEA), evidence of an investigation report relating relating to an

INSIGHT

educator who is under investigation by the in a world that has always included the State Board for Educator Certification…” internet, smart phones, and social media bring new generational perspectives and norms to educational settings. Recommendations for

districts, preparation programs

In light of the documented, consistent increase in the number of inappropriate educator relationships with students and minors, what role can school districts and preparation programs take to address this and other ethical violations? Awareness of the code of ethics and how it defines the professional educator’s role on a daily basis must be a key component of both preservice and in-service educator preparation. Professional development often focuses on important instructional, curricular and pedagogical aspects of teaching — perhaps with the assumption that teachers have a complete understanding of their ethical responsibilities or simply “know better” than to engage in certain behaviors. Regardless of potential changes in legislative requirements for mandatory professional development hours, school districts and educator preparation programs can provide professional development and/or coursework that specifically focuses on educator ethics and ethical decision-making, especially in the context of teacher-student relationships. Such training needs to include not only the laws and codes governing ethical conduct, but specific examples of inappropriate behaviors and the potential consequences of those behaviors. In short, teachers and aspiring teachers need exposure to and understanding of not just the expectations, but what those expectations and their violation look like in actual practice. In today’s media-driven context, this understanding may be particularly important as teachers – and students - who have grown up

School and district administrators, as well as faculty in preparation programs, also need this type of ongoing professional development and understanding. What does inappropriate behavior look like and how is it identified? Clearly defined and communicated procedures for identifying and addressing inappropriate behavior — from allegations to evidence to action — need to be in place. While targeted professional development is important, consistent reminders and reinforcement are equally valuable tools. Preservice teachers should learn about the code of ethics and what constitutes an inappropriate relationship throughout their entire program, including the application of this learning in diverse situational perspectives. Likewise, in-service teachers should have ongoing support structures across multiple contexts. Building an educational environment that actively works to limit the incidence of IRWSM requires more than a “one and done, check-it-offthe-list” training opportunity. A final recommendation includes careful, consistent, long-term monitoring and documentation of IRWSM and enforcement of consequences. An understanding that inappropriate relationships with students are neither gender- nor age- specific is critical. Every allegation is serious, and all incidents must be investigated and documented. Incidents that include electronic communication, including situations with the absence of physical contact, are still incidents and are treated as such. Social media is monitored as needed, with expectations

and accountability articulated for appro- and a former Texas public high school priate behavior in public forums while teacher and administrator. using personal accounts. Consequences, communicated and clear, are also enforced. References As the scope of the law and the account- 19 Tex.Admin. Code §228.30 ability for reporting inappropriate relationships with students increase, the 19 Tex.Admin. Code § 228.50 development of procedures and implementation of these processes are critically 19 Tex.Admin. Code § 230.53 important. The protection of students and minors in all situations clearly rises to 19 Tex.Admin. Code § 230.63 the top of the list of responsibilities that educators bear. For district leaders and 19 Tex.Admin. Code § 230.65 education preparation providers, the obligation includes developing in-service and 19 Tex.Admin. Code § Sec. 247.2 preservice educators who understand this responsibility and educational contexts 20 U.S.C. § 7926 that support this development. 41 Tex. Reg. 6390 (2016) (Proposed Aug. 26, 2016). Stacey Edmonson is the dean of the College of Education and a professor of educational leadership at Sam Houston State University. She has served as a central office administrator, principal and teacher in Texas public schools.

Catherine Robert is a doctoral fellow and candidate studying educational leadership and policy studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She has more than eight years of administrative experience at both the district and regional levels.

David Thompson has nearly three decades of academic preparation and professional experience in educational leadership, education law and ethics, special education and education research. He is a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio

Law.com (n.d.). Probable cause. Retrieved from http://dictionary.law.com/Default. aspx?selected=1618 Lutz, E. M. (Oct. 1, 2016) “Texas officials want money to investigate student-teacher relationships.” The Texas Tribune. Retrieved from www.texastribune. org/2016/10/01/tea-requests-moremoney-student-teacher-relationsh/. Maxwell, L. A. (2007) “Digital age adds new dimension to incidents of staff-student sex.” Education Week, 27 (13), 1-1, 14. Retrieved from www.edweek.org/ ew/articles/2007/11/28/13webabuse. h27.html. Robert, C., & Thompson, D.P. (2015) Educators’ use of electronic media. Insight: The Professional Journal of the Texas Association of School Administrators, 30 (4), 24-27.

Chang, J. (Sept. 21, 2016) “Cases of improper teacher-student relationships hit 8-year high,” Austin American-Statesman. Thompson, D.P. (May 11, 2016) Invited Retrieved from http://atxne.ws/2cSvUes. testimony:Texas House Public Education Committee. Retrieved from http://bit. 85th Texas Legislature (2016) House Bill ly/2d7uAp7. 218 (introduced). Retrieved from www. capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/85R/billtext/ Texas Penal Code § 21.12 html/HB00218I.htm.

2017 TASA/TASB Legislative Conference February 21, 2017 n Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol During the daylong session, trustees and administrators will hear Capitol insiders’ insights on the 85th legislative session. Association staff will provide updates on legislative happenings and proposed bills to prepare attendees to meet with legislators and their staffers later that day. After the conference, buses will be available to take attendees to the Capitol for appointments with legislators. School board members will earn board-training credit for attending the training. The conference is free; however, preregistration is required. https://goo.gl/djXxPV

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SMALL SCHOOLS PERSPECTIVE Factors to consider when accepting transfer students by Mary Springs

T By understanding the

he walls were whispering, “There must be more money! There must be more money!” Even the children heard the ever-present voices that proclaimed there wasn’t enough money. The sounds drove the young boy to ride his rocking horse and chant those same words over and over again.All he wanted to do was save his family by bringing in more money.

transfer process and its history, we can better understand its impact on rural districts, in terms of finances, facilities and staffing, academics and school culture.

While the short story,“The Rocking Horse Winner,” is a fictional tale by D.H. Lawrence, many in the educational world walk through schools and hear the walls recite those same words: “There must be more money! There must be money!” Unlike the boy in the story, who could foretell the winners of the horse races and make enough money to save his family, educators do not have such insight.The fate of our schools is determined in a much different way. In recent years, with decreases in state funding, school districts have explored many ways to increase their revenue. Accepting out-of-district transfer students is one way that schools can increase their revenue, now that restrictions have been removed on school transfers. By understanding the transfer process and its history, we can better understand its impact on rural districts.

Transfer process Accepting out-of-district transfers can be considered somewhat of a “newly found” phenomenon that began with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals 2006 decision in the Mumford vs. Hearne case. This case determined that students could transfer from one public school district to another without regard to changing the ethnicity percentages of the sending or receiving districts. This ruling nullified Texas Education Agency (TEA) Order 5128, an effort to guarantee the desegregation of public schools. Under this order, many districts had not been able to receive transfers if the transfers altered the sending schools ethnicity percentages by 1 percent for districts of more than 300 students and 3 percent for districts of less than 300. Order 5128 was issued to stop what is known as “white flight,” or white students leaving districts with higher percentages of minority students to attend schools in districts with higher populations of white students. Districts now have the ability to enroll transfer students from neighboring districts without the impending penalties that had been imposed under TEA Order 5182. In many areas of the state, there is growing competition for students to increase enrollment and boost lagging revenue.The approach to transfer students and how they are enrolled — and the standards they have to meet — varies district by district. Transfer policies can include a detailed application, an interview and strict transfer agreements, once the student is accepted. Other districts may simply require basic information about the student, and they are enrolled on a “first come, first served” basis. Another decision that districts must make regarding transfer students is whether or not to charge tuition.TEA sets the tuition limit for each district in the state, but it does not require that tuition be charged.

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Small Schools Perspective continued from page 39

Impact on finances School finance is a murky and little understood part of the educational system in Texas.To fully understand the impact of transfers on rural schools, a short history lesson in school finance is in order. The Texas Legislature is empowered with the responsibility of determining how schools will be funded. Many programs, over the years, have attempted to balance the school finance system across Texas, which is a large and diverse state. Although the history of school finance goes back to the 1800s, in 1993, the Legislature enacted the Robin Hood plan.This plan was intended to take money from property wealthy districts to redistribute to districts with smaller tax bases. Since 1993, the wealthy districts, known as Chapter 41 districts, have sent more than $20 billion in local tax dollars to the state for redistribution. Another milestone in the history of school finance began with House Bill 1 in 2006. This bill, when it became a law, limited the amount of taxes a school district could levy to provide property tax relief to taxpayers. In exchange for lowering tax rates, the state promised to fill in the local tax void with Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction (ASATR). In 2011, the Legislature cut education spending and also determined that ASATR would end for school districts in the 2017-2018 school year — thus, creating a fiscal cliff for many districts that depend on ASATR to fund their schools. While all school districts in the state have had to deal with the aftermath of the changes in school finance, small, rural districts have felt the cuts the deepest.The state’s formulas to calculate revenue for the districts are quite complicated, but they

INSIGHT

are grounded in the number of students enrolled in a district, the attendance rate of those students and the categories into which the students fall. Some students who are identified in categories such as special education or bilingual, just to mention two, are given weights that increase the amount of revenue received per student. In addition to the revenue that is allocated to the district, for Chapter 41 districts, the number of students and their attendance is also used to calculate the amount of local tax revenue that the district must send to the state. By enrolling new students, the district is able to add to its revenue stream. Also, for Chapter 41 districts, additional students can lead to a reduction in the amount recapture owed to the state. However, for a district to count the student against its recapture, it may not charge the student tuition.This allows more local tax dollars to be kept in the district.

are on the annual PEG list and submit that information to TEA for additional payment.While it may be a simplistic way to look at school finance and there are other contributing factors, the bottom line is: The number of students in a district and how often they attend school are factors that impact revenue tremendously.

Impact on facilities and staffing

For large districts, accepting a small number of transfer students may not cause a burden on existing facilities. However, in a small, rural district, the addition of transfer students could lead to larger class sizes, a need for more cafeteria space, additional athletic facilities, better technology and more staff. Managing enrollment becomes an integral part of the transfer process. In elementary schools, it may be necessary to have a limit on the number of transfer students accepted into grades pre-K through Under the current Option Three agree- fourth, where state limits also apply. If a ment for the purchase of attendance grade level exceeds the state limit, more credits, property wealthy districts are classrooms and teachers may be needed. basically enrolling students who attend other districts. By having transfer students In grades where there are not statetake the place of these attendance credits, mandated enrollment limits, the district districts can actually see the benefit that needs to analyze the space available in each students receive from their tax dollars. classroom and the teacher-to-student ratio. Some districts may impose stricter guide- In high schools, more students can lead to lines on transfer students for attendance, additional programs. For example, a career and this can have a positive impact on the and technology education (CTE) class carries additional weights for funding. By calculation of average daily attendance. accepting transfer students, this course can Under TEA’s Public Education Grant become another way to provide electives (PEG) program, districts that accept trans- to current students while drawing more fer students from campuses identified as revenue. If a very small school doesn’t have PEG schools receive additional funding enough students to make a health careers for those students.This program was devel- track possible, adding students could make oped to give parents the option to move it more feasible. students from schools that are struggling academically to more successful schools Extracurricular activities also can benefit nearby. Schools that receive the transfers from additional students. If a small school identify students whose sending schools does not have enough students to field

a certain program, transfer students can help add to the numbers. For eligibility purposes, students who are in a new school under the PEG program are more likely to be granted an eligibility waiver if they transfer on their first opportunity. For all transfer students, a waiver application would have to be presented to the district executive committee, but it would more likely have to be approved by the state waiver officer. Transfer students who attend the receiving district for one year prior to varsity participation are eligible under current University Interscholastic League (UIL) rules. There are additional eligibility rules that pertain to students who transfer their freshman year from a district that only serves students through the eighth grade. Every situation may be different, and it is always best to seek the advice of a UIL official.

Impact on academics Standardized tests and passing standards are always at the forefront of school decisions. In small schools, the percentages are even more important, as only a few more students passing or failing could change the overall accountability ratings. In these cases, where scores might be borderline, the screening of transfer students usually entails examining the test scores of potential transfers. The parents of transfer students are usually very involved in the educational decisions regarding their students. Oftentimes, these students are strong performers in academics.Transfer students can have a positive influence on other students, as well as on test scores.

college readiness programs, gifted and talented offerings, innovative technology and a variety of CTE classes. The district that wishes to draw additional transfers can focus on these programs, which will encourage higher transfer rates and benefit the resident population.

Impact on school culture There is a certain balance between managing a transfer population while still meeting the needs of resident students. A high number of transfer students can result in the creation of an “artificial” population. If the majority of the transfer students are of a certain ethnicity or socioeconomic status, the new population may not reflect the community of the resident students. If transfer students are held to a different standard than resident students — or if the transfer students outperform the resident students — a feeling of animosity may develop. A district that has a large transfer population has to develop strategies to build harmony among all students and parents. For example, if a district requires transfer parents to perform a certain number of parental involvement hours, the district also may incentivize residents’ parents to have the same type of involvement.

Even in an artificial population, transfer students bring opportunity for diversity to the student body. Transfer students from other communities may have different heritages and can foster awareness and understanding of different cultures. Special needs students can increase awareness and acceptance. Students from different backgrounds and different needs can encourage out-of-the-box thinking that improves school culture for all chilSchools with strong academic perfor- dren. Celebrating differences can lead to mance have a tendency to draw the most empowering children to be better citizens, transfers. The same goes for schools with colleagues and friends.

Whenever new students attend a new school, there is always an adjustment period. To minimize the adjustment period for transfer students — and for resident students changing campuses — there are some events the district can plan. For all incoming freshman, whether residents or transfers, a high school orientation is a great time to introduce children to each other. Something as simple as getting T-shirts for all students to wear helps to smooth difficult transitions. Orientation meetings for parents of younger children are also a way to help new families assimilate into their school environments.

Lesson learned While there is a tremendous amount of positivity associated with transfer students, there are some drawbacks. Overcrowding of facilities, alienation of resident students and parents, and demanding transfer parents can be issues that districts face.There are some basic conversations among the superintendent, trustees, staff and other stakeholders that must happen before accepting transfer students. A transfer process, agreement and board policies should be established in advance.There are many school districts that have these documents in place and can be used as examples. Making sure that your process is complete and your expectations are clear will allow for a smooth transition for both the transfer students and the district. The young boy in the short story did bring more money to his family to try to stop the voices, but, unfortunately, he met a tragic end. One can only hope that the school finance story in Texas has a much happier ending!

Mary Springs is the superintendent of Three Rivers ISD.

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CONGRATULATIONS We salute the 12 Texas school districts featured in the 10th Annual Bragging Rights

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