2019 BRAND BOOK
and Style Guidelines
Howdy!
Welcome to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) brand guidelines! This book contains all you need to know about how the TEA brand should be applied on various marketing collateral. Using our brand correctly is important, so we ask that this guide always be referred to when developing materials and assets for external communications and engagement. We hope that you enjoy getting to know our brand identity so you can help promote and champion it! Sincerely, The TEA Communications Team
Taylor ISD
2
Table of Contents
Our Identity
4
Who We Are
5
Our Strategic Focus
6
Our Standards
7
Our Voice
9
Audience
12
TEA Logo and Use 16
Agency Color Palette
20
Fonts
22
Icon Use
24
Photography
27
Social Media
31
Editorial Style
32
Frequently Asked Questions
46
3
Our Identity
United ISD
Who We Are Here at the TEA, we believe that education is more than knowledge, it’s having the hands-on experience to land a job and the opportunity to learn soft skills that contribute to a self-fulfilling life. Created in 1949 through the passage of the Gilmer-Aikin laws, TEA helps deliver education to more than 5.3 million students by overseeing primary and secondary public education in the Lone Star State. Since students, families, and teachers are fundamental to our mission, we aim for our brand identity to be a true reflection of them. Through our vision and mission statements, we attempt to capture the essence of why we are here (vision) and what we do (mission) — now and in the future.
Our Vision Every child, prepared for success in college, a career or the military.
Our Mission We work to improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.
Our Strategic Focus Recruit, Support, and Retain Teachers and Principals
We don’t educate over five million students in a vacuum. Educators are the key, so we strive to provide educators with the frameworks and tools they need to ensure that Texas children are prepared for the future. Texas educators are the key to expanding young minds in the Lone Star State.
Build a Foundation of Reading and Math
You’ve heard the phrase “if you build it, they will come.” Our vision is to prepare every child for a career, college, or the military. This means we put our backs into building a solid foundation of reading and math for all children so they can conquer all subjects, challenges, and life pursuits.
Connect High School to Career and College
Parents entrust us with their children to ensure that they are prepared for any path they choose after graduation. By providing students with career-focused instruction and academics, the Texas high school experience can be more connected to the workforce of tomorrow.
Improve Low-Performing Schools
It doesn’t matter where you come from, only where you are going. Nearly 164,000 students attend a low-performing school. We strive to equip educators with the proper training and improvement strategies to ensure that all students are able to access quality learning environments.
Our Standards
El Paso ISD
Our Voice Voice
Words We Like
Indicates our character and personality as communicated through copy writing. This copy writing could be applied across various agency products and services.
Career
Military
College
Readiness
Continuous Improvement
Rigor
Equity
Success
Growth
Support
Guidance
Transformation
Our Voice Is...
MATTER OF FACT
We strive to share information in a practical and objective manner at all times.
TRANSPARENT
We don’t have hidden agendas, but we do have details. It’s critical we get them out to those who need them.
DETERMINED
We are goal-oriented and realize that if we make mistakes, continuous improvement is necessary.
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Our Voice Is Not Overly Optimistic: We are aware that we exist in the real world and have real expectations. Jargony: We strive to inform our audience rather than provide meaningless speech that isn’t understood outside of context. Cheesy: We always choose words that are simple and relevant. Corporate: Unoriginal words like “new and improved” have no place here.
Our Voice What to Avoid Facts Without Context: Education is complicated, sharing the facts without regards to importance isn’t always helpful. We encourage our teams to lead with substance by showcasing TEA’s distinctive ability to relate to our audiences. It’s All About Us: Yes, we know that TEA is amazing because, well, we work here. But from our audiences’ perspective, they want to know how what we do benefits them.
Aubrey ISD
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Our Voice Tactics to Use Discuss the Process
People-First Word Choices
Sample: A Year in the Making: TEA Reveals 2018 Annual Report
Sample: TEA Staff Wear Blue To Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking Month
Spending months observing data and scouring academic January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and our performance reports may not seem fun. But at TEA, the agency’s first ever annual report transpired. Commissioner Department of Special Populations staff knows how to raise awareness—blue anyone? #WearBlueDay #txed Morath released the findings at the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) Conference and continues to share the details throughout the state.
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Our Voice Active Voice
Doing What’s Right
Sample: Bloomington ISD Teacher, Ms. Mancell, Involves Students in Learning
Sample: Surprise of a Lifetime: Texas Teacher Receives National Milken Educator Award
We’re back with an all new #IAmTXEd story today! Let’s visit the Bloomington ISD Bobcats and learn how Ms. Mancell involves her students in their learning. Read now: http://ow.ly/wPbp30nr9bx #txed #BloomingtonISD
Krystal Contreras, a fourth-grade writing teacher at Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary School in San Benito, Texas, holds her students to the highest of standards. Her hard work paid off as she was recently awarded the 2018 Milken Educator Award for her time and energy.
San Benito CISD
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Our Audiences
Statewide, we want our brand to be best known by our audiences. An effective brand should connect with our audience to understand their wants, reactions, and needs. Thus, how we use our voice and tone impacts the actions and emotions of our most cherished supporters. The following groups are examples of our most important and common audiences.
System Leaders
(Superintendents, Central Admins, Executive Staff) System leaders are the men and women who run our public and charter school districts. These individuals are our primary audience.
Example Words We Use
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Texas Leadership Initiative Training in Fort Worth
Guidance
Partnership
Leadership
Support
TIL training
Our Audiences School Leaders
(Principals, Assistant Principals) They lead our schools to improve outcomes for all students. Most of our actions and guidance falls upon them to implement.
Example Words We Use
Elected Officials
(Legislators, Legislative Staff, School Board Members) They set the rules and guidelines at both the state and local levels. The agency both takes and issues direction here, depending on the context.
Example Words We Use
Best Practices
Fidelity
Execution
Student Success
Bandera ISD
Accountability
Improved Outcomes
Implementation
Transparency
Commissioner Morath and Students of Ft. Bend ISD
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Our Audiences Parents Students They serve as the guardians of our most important audience and can be a valuable partner in helping ensure our tools and resources are easy to understand.
Example Words We Use Accountability
Student Needs
Information
Transparency
Granbury ISD
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Advocacy Groups
(TASA, TASB, TPPF, Texas Aspires, PTA, CPPP, Teacher Organizations) Associations and advocacy groups enhance our work due to their unique, on-the-ground perspective and relationships with many of our key audiences.
Example Words We Use Feedback
Partnership
Force-multiplier
Strategy
TASA meeting
Our Audiences Teachers
Students
We typically go through districts to communicate with teachers, the most important factor for student success. Our messages must ultimately reach them.
Although not a direct audience, students are the reason we come to work every day and all our messaging should serve in their best interests.
Example Words We Use
Example Words We Use
Growth
Proficiency
Achievement
Future
Instruction
Readiness
Dreams
Success
Cleburne ISD
Granbury ISD
15
TEA Logo and Use This is the main, most commonly used TEA logo. (Filename: TEA_logo_Color_w.pdf)
TEA Blue
TEA Orange
It can be downloaded from the Marketing and Communications Resources page (https://texasedu. sharepoint.com/sites/ext/pic/SitePages/Home.aspx). Use the .pdf or .jpg versions for printed materials. For web or social media, use the .png or .jpg versions. The TEA color palette was recently updated. For accessibility reasons, a slightly darker blue and orange are now the official primary TEA colors. (For more on the color palette, see page 20.)
Agency name
Trademark symbol
All logos in the Marketing and Communications Resource page have been updated with these colors. Please update your local files accordingly. Use the grayscale version only if specifically required for grayscale printing. Use the white version only on backgrounds that are too dark or busy to see the color logo clearly (see page 19).
16
Texas Education Agency
Grayscale version
ÂŽ All-white version
TEA Logo and Use
1/2X
1/2X
1/2X
1/4X
1/4X
1/4X
1/4X 1/2X
Logo Clearspace Other page elements should never overlap the logo or be too close. So please allow 1/4 of the logo’s height as the minimum open space all around the logo. Ideally, 1/2 the height is best, especially in print or on large posters.
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TEA Logo and Use Incorrect Logo Use 1
2
3
4
™
1
Outdated logo—do not use!
Outdated logo—do not use!
2
3
Outdated logo—do not use!
™
4
Don’t stretch or squash the logo. Be sure the logo size is an equal percentage in all directions.
™
5
6
Texas Education Agency
5
18
8
®
Previous color palette colors— please update to current color palette.
7
6
Logo on a dark-colored background and difficult to see clearly.
7
Logo on a dark gradation and difficult to see clearly.
8
™
Logo on top of a busy photo and difficult to see (also too close to the edges of the photo).
TEA Logo and Use Correct Logo Use 1
1
2
Current logo with current palette colors.
2
3
White version of the logo on dark or color-clashing backgrounds.
3
4
White version of the logo on gradients or busy backgrounds.
4
White version of the logo on busy photo, resized and repositioned so agency name is legible and properly spaced from the edges.
On the cover of a document:
You can extend a white bar all the way across the top of the
Another solution is to offset the full-color logo on a white bar
page, with the full-color TEA logo either centered or at the left,
over the photo. The right edge of the bar can mimic the same
vertically centered and with at least 0.125� space all around.
angle as the letters T and E in the logo, usually by moving
Between the white bar and the photo, place a color line (such
the bar’s upper right corner 9 pts to the right. Apply a slight
as TEA orange in this case), at least 3 pts thick.
transparency to the white bar, such as 90% opacity here.
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Agency Color Palette Primary Colors The TEA color palette consists of 17 vibrant and warm colors that are grouped into two distinct areas: primary and accents. Within each area, there is variety and freedom to choose specific colors to ensure each project visually establishes our welcoming and informative approach. The primary colors are also available in 4 darker and lighter shades.
TEA Blue CMYK: 88, 57, 0, 0 RGB: 13, 108, 185 Hex: 0d6cb9 Web Accessible: Yes Web Alternate: N/A
20% lighter
3d98c7
10% lighter
257ac0
100%
0d6cb9
10% darker
0b61ab
20% darker
0a5694
TEA Orange
20% lighter
f37f5f
CMYK: 0, 78, 86, 0 RGB: 241, 96, 56 Hex: f16038 Web Accessible: No Web Alternate: d93c10
10% lighter
f26f4b
100%
f16038
10% darker
d85632
20% darker
c04c2c
Note: CMYK is used for 4-color press printing. RGB and Hex are used for web/mobile. Web accessibility refers to whether you can use black or white text over it and still meet mandatory accessibility requirements. Use the recommended web alternate color where noted.
Our primary colors are a powerful communication tool and often used to encourage action and influence the mood of our audiences. The two colors—blue and orange—are perceived as trustworthy, loyal, dependable, and serene. Both the TEA blue and orange should be your first choice of colors. By using these colors consistently and appropriately, they help reinforce the TEA brand.
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Agency Color Palette TEA has 15 accent colors to support and complement our primary colors. These can be used when blue and orange don’t fit your desired color scheme or for backgrounds, borders, lists, and icons. Red Orange
Yellow
Yellow Orange
CMYK: 9, 90, 100, 1 RGB: 218, 62, 38 Hex: da3e26 Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 6, 18, 81, 0 RGB: 241, 203, 79 Hex: f0ca4d Web Accessible: Yes (black)
CMYK: 0, 43, 99, 0 RGB: 249, 160, 29 Hex: f9801d Web Accessible: Yes (black)
Spring Green
Dark Green
Teal
CMYK: 48, 0, 998, 0 RGB: 146, 200, 62 Hex: 92c83e Web Accessible: Yes (black)
CMYK: 88, 35, 100, 29 RGB: 18, 100, 45 Hex: 12642d Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 76, 9, 27, 0 RGB: 0, 172, 187 Hex: 00acbb Web Accessible: Yes (black)
Dark Blue
Purple
Dark Purple
CMYK: 97, 67, 25, 7 RGB: 0, 72, 110 Hex: 00486e Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 66, 87, 20, 5 RGB: 112, 65, 127 Hex: 70417f Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 88, 89, 27, 14 RGB: 64, 57, 111 Hex: 40396f Web Accessible: Yes (white)
Charcoal
Gray
Light Gray
CMYK: 51, 44, 36, 84 RGB: 54, 53, 52 Hex: 363434 Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 0. 0. 12, 41 RGB: 166, 166, 152 Hex: a6a699 Web Accessible: Yes (black)
CMYK: 5, 6, 10, 14 RGB: 232, 227, 219 Hex: e8e3db Web Accessible: Yes (black)
Start Smart Blue
Start Smart Green
Start Smart Turquoise
CMYK: 85, 38, 22, 1 RGB: 7, 129, 166 Hex: 0781a6 Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 77, 24, 100, 10 RGB: 65, 135, 8 Hex: 418708 Web Accessible: Yes (white)
CMYK: 85, 29, 49, 6 RGB: 1, 133, 131 Hex: 018583 Web Accessible: Yes (white)
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Fonts The standard TEA font to use on all print or marketing material is Open Sans. It comes in 12 different variations. Calibri can be substituted instead of Open Sans. For the web, Arial can be substituted if Calibri is not available.
Primary: Open Sans ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV WXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV WXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Open Sans Condensed Light
Open Sans Condensed Regular
Open Sans Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Open Sans Condensed Light Italic
Open Sans Condensed Italic
Open Sans Bold Italic
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV WXYZ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™® 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Open Sans Light
Open Sans Semibold
Open Sans Extrabold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[ ]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Open Sans Light Italic
Open Sans Semibold Italic
Open Sans Extrabold Italic
This font can be downloaded from the “Logo” folder in the Marketing and Communications Resources folder but only if you already have an Adobe Creative Cloud license. If you are unsure if your division has access to Adobe Creative Cloud, please contact ITS through the HelpDesk.
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Fonts
Secondary: Calibri ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Calibri Light
Calibri Bold
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 123456789£$?!<>{}[]#¢™®
Calibri Regular
Calibri Bold Italic
Calibri, TEA’s secondary typeface, is acceptable for body copy in longform print publications including reports or magazine styled guides. This font may also be used when the primary font is unavailable but should not be used for display copy. It is also allowed to have a Calibri Bold heading over Open Sans Light or Regular text.
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Icon Use At the core functionality of icons is promoting visual interest and accessibility. Our icons play an important role in how we visually express our brand and grab users’ attention.
Reasons to Use Icons
Examples of Commonly Used Icons
• Icons
To view our icon library, visit the Marketing and Communications Resources page at: https://texasedu.sharepoint.com/sites/ext/pic/ SitePages/Home.aspxIcons/Forms/Thumbnails.aspx
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• Icons
help convey visual emphasis and help users more easily navigate content. help users simplify and make sense of recurring patterns
Reasons Not to Use Icons •
Never use an icon to replace all copy or text
•
Never assume all icons are universally understood
•
Never combine multiple icons to create an illustration
•
Never use colorful icons on color backgrounds
Icon Use Category Icons
Sizes
These icons include categories for information about TEA, curriculum and instruction, finance and grants, reports and data, student testing and accountability, educators, and schools.
No smaller than 16 pixels (at the smallest measurement) and no larger than 80 pixels (at the largest measurement).
These icons represent the major work streams at TEA and can be found below. Please only use these icons for the seven mentioned categories and do not alter them without prior approval.
Color At TEA, we prefer for our icons to be only one color. You can customize the color based on TEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s color palette.
*Category icons are uploaded to the icon library but may be different colors.
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Icon Use Design
Shadows
All icons should be viewed from a straight-on perspective and not an angle. All icons should remain flat.
Remember, icons do not need shadows or lighting as they are to remain flat in design.
Examples of Bad Icons
Padding and Strokes Each icon should have significant padding that surrounds the icon. Touch points should be a minimum of 10 pixels in size and a maximum of 48 pixels. Strokes can range between 0.5 pixels to 2 pixels depending on the overall size of the icon.
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Photography
One dynamic tool that showcases our culture and diversity is photography. Our images capture the heart of TEA and connects people to the work in ways that words canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do on their own. The TEA photography library is home to more than 2,000 images. These portraits can be used in various marketing projects to showcase the sophistication and diversity of learning in Texas (https://texasedu.sharepoint.com/ sites/ext/pic/SitePages/Home.aspx). To search the photo library, simply enter what you would like to find in the search bar in the top left corner of the screen.â&#x20AC;?
Portraiture Capturing the mood and expressions of Texas students is a signature staple of our portraits. Our portraits typically are close-up images and body shots where the smiles of students are the primary focus of the photography. These shots also focus on students and their interactions with learning.
Photo Styles Our photography style is fun, different, and sincere. Our photos tend to capture the natural element of our students and teachers whenever possible. We also try to incorporate light into our photography, but this is usually captured more in our active photography than within schools or campuses. Our photography can be broken down into four subject categories including portraiture, action, art, and candid.
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Photography
28
Action
Art
A photo library wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be complete without incredible action shots. In this collection, the photography involves shots of teachers and students participating in sports.
Our secret weapon in the photography library are the drawings and illustrations by Texas students. These designs capture the uniqueness and incredible talent of our students. From paintings of smoke pipes to colorful peacocks, to fashion designs and jaded dragons, these photos show the talent that makes TEA the place that it is.
Photography Candid
Photo Correction
Our candid photos are the best. Typically, they are captured spontaneously as they happen, and the students (and teachers) usually aren’t aware of the cameras at the time. These images usually showcase a very relaxed or natural atmosphere of our students and teachers.
We prefer for our images not to be altered. However, if your image needs any Photoshop correction, please contact the Strategic Communications Division.
Sharing Your Photos At TEA, we encourage all divisions to share their photos by submitting them to our online gallery. Simply submit a HelpDesk ticket (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/ en-us/categories/115000401168-Communications) with the subject header “TEA Photography Share.”
Examples of Good Images to Share • A class being held outdoors on a sunny day • Students and teachers giving back to the community through volunteering • Faculty and students out on a field trip • Pictures that showcase the different styles of learning
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Photography Examples of Images Not to Share • Students or staff wearing items that could be offensive to others • Images that consist of alcohol or drugs • Images that consist of exposed body parts (belly button, cleavage, derriere, etc.…) • Potentially offensive personal items that can be seen or viewed in the background
Resolution Make sure that your image has a high enough resolution before scaling, to avoid pixelated imagery. For print, images should have a dpi of 300 pixels. Images for electronic or digital communications should be at 72 dpi at full image size.
Guidelines Here are some guidelines that you can use to ensure that your project reflects our brand identity:
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Dos and Don’ts • Do crop images (if needed) • Allow plenty of white space around the image • Follow typography guidelines when adding text to images • Don’t reduce image size to such an extent it minimizes the impact of the photo • Don’t make text or captions so large that they cover up the entire image
Photography Questions If you have questions or need help with photography, please reach out to Strategic Communications. To do so, all TEA staff should submit the request via TEA’s submit a request via the Communications Help Desk (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/en-us/ categories/115000401168-Communications).
Social Media Follow us!
https://twitter.com/teainfo
https://www.instagram.com/ texaseducationagency
https://www.linkedin.com/ company/texas-education-agency
YouTube
Flickr
https://www.facebook.com/ TexasEducationAgency/
https://www.youtube.com/user/ TxEdAgency
http://www.flickr.com/ photos/txedu/sets/
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Editorial Style
Editorial Style At TEA, we believe that a consistent writing style enhances our audiences’ understanding of our brand. Since most of our divisions produce their own marketing collateral and copy—we want to provide writers and editors across each division with helpful editorial tips.
Our Preferred Style Throughout the agency, TEA uses the Chicago Manual of Style. It is commonly used in publishing and is one of the most respected style guides in the United States.
Our Media Style Externally, TEA uses the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook when communicating with the press and media. Our communications department uses this guide when developing speaking points, press releases, fact sheets, media advisories, and more. Please note, use of the AP stylebook is not the preferred editorial style TEA staff needs to focus on.
Only our communications staff will focus on this style when developing content for media use.
Questions We can also be reached via phone at 512-463-3900 or submit a Help Desk ticket to the Communications team (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/en-us/ categories/115000401168-Communications). For all other users, including external vendors or designers, the book can be downloaded here: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html.
Quick Style Rules Abbreviations • Use the abbreviations Ave., Bldg., Ct., Dr., Expy., Hwy., Ln., Pkwy., Pl., PO Box, Rd., Rm., Sq., St., Ste., Ter. (Terr.) when giving a complete address. Spell them out and capitalize when they are part of a formal street name without a number.
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Editorial Style {{ Examples:
1701 N. Congress Ave.; North Congress Avenue
• Abbreviate titles when they are used before a full name. {{ Examples:
Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Rep., Rev., Sen.
• Abbreviate junior or senior after an individual’s name. Do not precede the suffix with a comma. {{Example:
John F. Kennedy Jr.
• Abbreviate company, corporation, incorporated, and limited when used after the name of a corporate entity. {{Examples:
Acme Co., Acme Corp., Acme Inc., Acme Ltd.
• Abbreviate state names when used for U.S. Postal Service. Spell out when used alone. {{Examples: {{Example:
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TX (Texas), OK (Oklahoma)
Texas was the first state to enjoy pecans.
{{Example: {{Example
U.S. History Noun: United States of America
• Abbreviate A.D. before a year and B.C. after a year when using historical context.
Acronyms Do not use an acronym unless you have used it earlier, along with the full term: • Examples: {{Texas {{Adult
Education Agency (TEA) Basic Education (ABE)
• Never use periods in an acronym. • Do not use an apostrophe to make an acronym or initialism plural. {{Example:
ESCs, RFPs
• Abbreviate prekindergarten to the term “pre-k” on the second reference.
Apostrophe
• Abbreviate United States with periods when it is used as an adjective but spell out when used as noun.
It is okay to add an “s” to all single nouns and names even if they already end in an “s.” As an exception, if the noun or proper name is plural, the apostrophe goes after.
Editorial Style
• Examples: {{My
boss’s vacation begins tomorrow
{{Texas’
education system
Capitalization TEA’s editorial style follows these capitalization rules: • Use lowercase letters except when uppercase is clearly required. • Do not capitalize entire words or sentences. • Capitalize the name of a specific course. {{Examples:
Algebra I, Band II
• Do not capitalize the name of an academic subject. {{Examples:
science, math
• Do not capitalize grade, even when it immediately precedes a grade number. {{Examples:
grade 8, eighth grade
• Do not capitalize knowledge and skills statement, student expectation, readiness standard, or supporting standard.
• Capitalize the proper name of a document and italicize {{Examples:
Texas Constitution, Dyslexia Handbook
• Capitalize the name of an ethnic group. {{ Examples:
African American, Hispanic, Asian
• Do not capitalize a racial designation such as black or white • Capitalize the proper name of a specific fund, plan, or program. {{Examples:
Permanent School Fund
• Capitalize the proper name of a governmental or judicial body. {{Examples:
Texas Legislature, 82nd Texas Legislature
• Use lowercase letters for federal, nation, or state except when the word is part of a proper name. {{Examples:
federal government, state highways
• Capitalize State Board of Education; do not capitalize the board. {{ Example:
The State Board of Education will convene April 24. The board will discuss business.
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Editorial Style
• Do not capitalize education service center unless using the proper name of a specific one. {{ Examples: {{ Example:
Center.
Contact the nearest education service center.
We visited the Region One Education Service
• Do not capitalize website, webpage, email, or internet. All are used as one word. • Capitalize a common noun or adjective that forms an essential part of a place name. {{Examples:
City of Austin, State of Texas
• Capitalize the name of a building or monument. {{Example:
William B. Travis Building
• Capitalize a civil, military, religious, or professional title only when it immediately precedes the person’s name. {{ Examples:
Scott;
Chairwoman Cargill; Commissioner Robert
• Capitalize the names of laws, acts, and historical epochs. House Bill 72 (On second reference, use HB 72.); Paleozoic Age; Administrative Procedure Act
{{ Examples:
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• Capitalize the proper names of school districts and education service centers. Houston Independent School District, Region 20 Education Service Center
{{ Examples:
• Capitalize agency divisions and departments and division units. Instructional Materials Division, Curriculum, Standards and Student Support Services
{{Example:
• Capitalize degrees when used in an institutional setting. When used in normal prose, lowercase. {{Example:
Educational setting: Bachelor of Arts
{{Example:
Normal context: bachelor of arts
• Capitalize academic titles when they precede a name. {{Example:
Dr. John Smith
Captions • Should be capitalized like a regular sentence • Specific titles or works mentioned in the caption should follow rules for titles and italics • Credit lines should appear at the end of a caption
Editorial Style
(usually in parentheses)
Commas
• If crediting a photo, make sure the photographers name or event appears in the bottom right side of image
• Use commas when numbers are larger than three digits:
• If listing in appendices, captions on images should be listed as “Figure” followed by the number.
• In lists of three or more items, use a comma before and or. Do not use a comma when there are only two items.
{{Example:
Fig. 1 Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, Winter, 1945 (Photograph by Joe Rosenthal. In Joe Rosenthal and the flag-raising on Iwo Jima. By The Pulitzer Prizes. New York: Columbia University, 2019, 12.)
{{Example:
Fig. 2 This iconic photo, taken February 23, 1945, by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal, shows five U.S. Marines and a Navy sailor raising the American flag over the battle-scarred Japanese island of Iwo Jima. But it wasn’t the first flag raised over Iwo Jima that day, and Rosenthal wasn’t the only one there taking photos.” (Photograph by Joe Rosenthal. In the Inside Story of the Famous Iwo Jima Photo. By Thom Patterson. New York: CNN, 2016.)
• If listed in a table, follow instructions in Chicago Manual of Style.
{{ Example:
TEA helps over 8,000 teachers.
{{ Example:
The students looked forward to making, cake, cabbage, and foie gras.
{{ Example:
The little boy doesn’t eat anything but pizza and burgers.
• Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to connect two independent clauses. Example: Joseph counted the cash, and then he left for the bank.
{{ Correct
Example: Joseph counted the cash, then he left for the bank.
{{ Incorrect
• Do not use commas around appositives that are necessary to the meaning of the sentence. • Do use commas around appositives that are simply providing extra information.
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Editorial Style The painter Paul Klee is known for using bright colors and whimsical shapes. His father, Hans Klee, was a German music teacher at the Hofwil Teacher Seminar.
{{ Examples:
• Always use a comma after e.g. and i.e. • Use a comma after an introductory adverb phrase.
Colons • Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is followed by a complete sentence. Otherwise, the first word is lowercase. {{ Example:
The fact was undeniable: She was the only person in the library.
{{Example:
He loved only one thing: learning
• Use a colon to introduce a list at the end of a complete sentence. The responsibilities of superintendents include the following: instruction, planning, staff development, finance, and community relations
{{ Example:
Cities and States If a city or state reference develops in your content for a newsletter, please follow the style:
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• State names should be spelled out if used on their own {{Example:
Texas is home to the TEA
• If a city is used, abbreviate with state {{Austin,
Tex. is where the TEA will host its annual job fair
• Only use the two-letter form of a state name when zip codes are used {{ Example:
Send your questions to 1701 North Congress, Austin, TX 78701
Dashes vs. hyphens • With an “em” dash—you can use two hyphens or select, insert symbols, or special characters—you can add information within a sentence. (Shortcut: CTRL + Alt + minus on the numeric pad) Against all odds, Pete—the unluckiest man alive—won the lottery. Upon discovering the errors—all 124 of them—the publisher immediately recalled the books.
{{ Example:
• With an “en” dash, you can show continuity between numbers and indicate a multi-word term as part of a compound adjective. En-dashes are usually used
Editorial Style
frequently in public documents. But for internal or technical materials, hyphens are usually used in their place. (Shortcut: CTRL + minus on the numeric pad) 2010–11 school year, pages 3–10, the meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
{{ Example:
• Hyphenate compound adjectives only if required for clarity {{Example:
On-campus visit
{{Example:
Fastest-growing company
{{Example:
High-level discussion
• Don’t use hyphens with commonly understood terms or adverbs that end in “ly” or between figures and units of measure {{Example:
Greatly exaggerated claims
{{Example:
2 percent rule
• Hyphenate related, compound adjectives before a noun. {{ Example:
post-secondary education, first-grade class
• Do not hyphenate a compound adjective after a linking verb {{ Example:
dropping out
• Use a hyphen to create compound modifiers when the first word of the modifier is the adverb well. {{ Example:
the well-dressed gentleman (clearly describes a man who wears fine clothes rather than one who is simply not sick and not undressed)
• Use hyphens sparingly and only to provide clarity. • Use a hyphen (-) in a hyphenated word like son-inlaw.
Dates • When a phrase refers to a month, day, and year, set off the year with commas. Otherwise don’t use commas: {{Example:
April 19, 2019, is the target date of the launch.
{{ Example:
April 2019 was particularly cold and breezy.
Use commas when writing about decades in the following manner: • Do not use an apostrophe between the year and final “s”
an at-risk student, a student who is at risk of
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Editorial Style {{ Example:
Home economics in education was popular in the 1970s
• If you omit the first part of the year, use an apostrophe to indicate the missing digits {{Example:
Physical education got its start in the ‘80s
• If you spell out the decade, capitalize it {{Example:
The Sixties were a time of change in education
• Use abbreviations without periods for degrees and professional designations: {{Example:
BA, MS, MEd, MSW, MPH, PhD, MBA
• Use an apostrophe if you refer to a “bachelor’s degree” or a “master’s degree;” do not use an apostrophe when referring to an “associate degree.”
Degrees
Exclamation points
TEA prefers that you capitalize degrees when used in an institutional setting or context. This is TEA’s preferred style:
Please use exclamation points sparingly, if at all.
• Educational setting: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Juris Doctor • Normal context: bachelor of arts, master of science, juris doctor • Lowercase the area of study, unless the area is part of the official degree title: {{Example:
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Health
Bachelor of Arts in history, Master of Public
Italicize I talicize book titles, movie titles, opera and play titles, album titles, radio and television program titles, magazine and newspaper titles, and the titles of works of art.
Legal References General. • Order a legal reference from general to specific.
Editorial Style {{Example:
Texas Education Code, §13.048; Texas Civil Statutes, Article 6252-13(a), §6(c).
• However, use the following examples as guides for referencing the Texas Administrative Code, United States Code, and Code of Federal Regulations, respectively: {{Example:
19 TAC §74.1; 32 USC, §21.11; 34 CFR, §19.1.
• Place one section symbol (§) before the section number in a reference to only one section. For example: §74.1. Place one section symbol before each section number in a reference to exactly two sections. {{Example:
§74.1 and §74.2. Place two section symbols before three or more section numbers in a reference. Example: §§74.1, 74.2, and 74.11.
• When referring to three or more consecutively numbered sections, list the first and last section numbers separated by a hyphen. {{Example:
§§74.1-74.3.
• In rule text, as in any other document, do not use the words “above” or “below” to refer to other parts of
the document. Instead, use appropriate variations of words such as “previous,” “preceding,” or “following.” Legislative Bills • Include the following information in order: a label indicating the legislative branch that initiated the bill (“House Bill” or “Senate Bill”), the unique bill number, and the legislative session during which the bill was considered (see the entry in this section for “Legislative Sessions”). Use the full citation the first time the bill is mentioned. Throughout the rest of the document, abbreviate the bill labels as HB and SB and omit the legislative session. {{Example:
House Bill (HB) 1, 78th Texas Legislature, Second Called Session, 2003; HB 1; Senate Bill (SB) 13, 72nd Texas Legislature, 1991; SB 13.
Legislative Sessions • Include the following information in order: the number of the session, the year, and the number of the special session (if applicable). Do not state “regular session.” The 150-day session held between January and May of each odd-numbered year is the
41
Editorial Style
regular session. All other sessions are called special sessions and are numbered consecutively. Even if the special session occurs in a different year than the regular session, state the year of the regular session. 77th Texas Legislature, 2001; 78th Texas Legislature, Fourth Called Session, 2003.
[title of subdivision]).” {{Example:
Chapter 74 of this title (relating to Curriculum Requirements); Chapter 74, Subchapter A, of this title (relating to Required Curriculum); §74.11 of this title (relating to High School Graduation Requirements).
{{Example:
Texas Administrative Code (TAC) • Order TAC references from general to specific. {{Example:
subsection (b)(1)(A); paragraph (1)(A)(iii); subparagraph (A)(iii)(I).
• When referring from one subdivision to a similar subdivision within the same immediately higher subdivision, make the reference with respect to the immediately higher subdivision using the phrase “of this (name of the higher subdivision).” {{Example:
subsection (d) of this section; paragraph (1) of this subsection; subparagraph (A)(iii)(I) of this paragraph.
• When referring from one section of TAC to a subdivision of TAC outside of that section (but within the same title), make the reference with respect to the TAC title using the phrase “of this title (relating to
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• When referring to a subdivision of TAC in another TAC title, include the following information in order: the number of the title, the word “TAC,” the subdivision designation, and the phrase “(relating to [title of the subdivision]).” {{Example:
1 TAC §91.24 (relating to How to Submit Executive Orders, Opinions, and Exempt Filings).
Links Always include a link if more information is available on the Web. Links in an email should be active (tea.texas. gov) and should not include http://, https://, or www when written (ex. https://tea.texas.gov or www.tea. texas.gov).
Lists Capitalize the first word after each bullet or number. A period should be inserted at the end of each item only
Editorial Style
if it is a complete sentence or if the list has a mix of complete and incomplete sentences.
Numbers
• Use this form for school years: 2006–07 • Write fiscal or budget years using only one, four-digit year. {{Example:
FY 2017
• Spell out numbers one through nine, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). In technical writing, all numbers should be written out to 100. If a sentence begins with a number, it should be spelled out or the sentence rewritten. Use figures in tables.
• When referring to a biennium, use four digits for each year. Biennium will always start with an evennumbered year.
• For dates, use ordinal numbers
• Write whole percentages without a decimal point.
{{Example:
April 10, not April 10th
{{Example:
{{Example:
2018–2019 Biennium
8 percent
• Use this form for telephone numbers: (512) 463-9000. If extensions are used, please only limit to internal newsletters for TEA staff.
• Keep percentages that require a decimal point to no more than four digits, if possible.
• Always spell out the word percent when possible. In space-constrained context such as tables, the % symbol can be used.
• Precede the decimal with a zero for amounts less than one percent.
• Always spell out the words million and billion with use of facts and figures.
• Remember that percent is an adverb and percentage is a noun or an adjective.
1.5 million (not 1,500,000); 50 billion (not 50,000,000,000)
{{ Example:
{{Example:
{{Example:
9.6 percent; 10 percent; 15.63 percent
0.697%
The percentage of students participating five percentage points.
{{ Examples:
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Editorial Style Parentheses
Seasons
When a parenthetical is a complete sentence, the closing punctuation mark for the sentence is placed inside the closing parenthesis.
Lowercase the seasons, even if you are referring to a specific quarter of the year:
• Example: (Please see the appendix for additional information.)
Period At the end of each sentence, use only one space and a period.
Quotation Marks Periods and commas go inside quote marks. {{ Example:
“Daisy, your dress makes me happy,” she said.
• The position of exclamation and question marks depends on what’s being questioned or exclaimed {{Example:
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“What were you thinking?” my mother cried angrily.
{{Example:
fall, winter, spring, summer quarter of 2019
Semicolon • Use a semicolon in place of a period to separate two sentences when the ideas expressed in them are very closely related. {{ Example:
then.
Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer
• Use the semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas. This conference has people who have come from Boise, Idaho; Los Angeles, California; and Nashville, Tennessee.
{{ Example:
Special Education References • Special education statutes and rules are cited according to the general rules below. A decision by a special education hearing examiner is cited as:
Editorial Style
{{Example:
Student v. ABC Indep. Sch. Dist., No. 123-SE1234 (Tex. Educ. Agency Jan. 23, 2019).
• A Texas federal case should be cited as: {{Example:
Parent v ABC Indep. Sch. Dist. , 123 F. Supp 2d. 234 (S. Dist. Tex.). A federal appellate case should be cited as Parent v. ABC Indep. Sch. Dist., 123 F3d. 234 (5th Cir).
Time Be consistent with the way you write starting and ending times. TEA’s style is: • Use a lowercase a.m. and p.m. with periods. Do not capitalize or leave out the punctuation.
• If the time range goes from the morning into the evening (or vice versa) you need both {{Example:
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Titles Items such as books, movies, et cetera, should be capitalized and italicized in text. • Example: The teacher frequently referenced The Chicago Manual of Style. • Example: Her favorite album was The Real Fats Waller.
• Use figures with a space between the time and the a.m. or p.m. • If it’s an exact or top of the hour, no :00 is required • If time range is entirely in the morning or evening, use the a.m. or p.m. only once {{Example:
6:30-9:30 a.m.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Klein ISD
FAQs
Can I get a copy of the Brand Book and Style Guidelines? Yes, you can download the book any time from the Marketing and Communications Resources home page on iTEA (https://texasedu.sharepoint.com/sites/ext/pic/SitePages/Home.aspx). You can download the Best Practices Guide and templates here, too.
What do I do if I need strategic marketing support for my department, program, or project? Should you need more assistance or if you need consulting for an upcoming program or project, please reach out to us. To do so, please submit the request via the Help Desk for Communications (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/en-us/ categories/115000401168-Communications). Please provide us a detailed explanation of what you need, the due date of the project, and your contact information. Be sure to title the subject header as â&#x20AC;&#x153;TEA strategic consulting inquiry.â&#x20AC;? We can also be reached via phone at 512-463-9000 .
I am having trouble downloading the brand book and style guide from iTEA. What should I do? Please submit a help desk ticket (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/en-us/categories/115000401168-
47
FAQs
Communications). We will provide you an electronic copy.
48
FAQs
Can the Strategic Communications Team create a website or publication for my division? Since we are a small team, we tend to take requests on0 a case by case basis. We are more than happy to consult with you and your division on upcoming projects to provide brand guidance and advice. For inquiries, please submit a Help Desk ticket with details on the project and information to (https://ihelpdesk.tea.texas.gov/hc/en-us/ categories/115000401168-Communications).
Where can I access accessibility or 508-requirements for TEA? I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to find them. As part of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Texas Administrative Code Chapters 206 and 213, TEA is legally required to make all marketing materials including websites accessible to anyone with a disability. All documents can be found on the Accessibility Resource page on iTEA (https://texasedu.sharepoint.com/sites/itea/ accessibility/default.aspx). Should you have any questions, please submit a help desk ticket (https://helpdesk.tea. texas.gov/hc/en-us). The site also has a checklist that staff can provide to vendors, grantees, contractors or freelancers. This can be found here (https://texasedu.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/itea/accessibility/Application%20Testing%20 documents/Applications_Checklist.docx?d=wae979a85243c48ea81068239f1cad358&csf=1).
49
FAQs
I don’t know much about design, but what is a pixel and why is it important? Pixels and bitmaps are commonly used in raster images. A pixel is defined as a small area of illumination on a display screen—one of many from which an image is composed. Since the files of bitmaps can get rather large, graphic designers tend to reduce the file size of the image. You may have noticed that when using raster images, they work perfectly for smaller areas but become blurry when enlarged. However, if a designer knows that an image will be scaled to different sizes,a vector image will be used. Vector images don’t store bitmaps but instead use 2-D or 3-D lines and shapes. So, they take up less space and pring clearly when enlarged. The chart below describes in more detail the proper uses of a vector and raster images: Vector
Raster Web Uses
Source Files
Output Files
Used for logos, charts, icons, or multi-edged graphics
Used for most web graphics displayed on the screen
Print Uses Source Files
Hi-Res Files
Usually sent to the printer
Can be printed at 300dpi File Types
.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg
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.jpg, .gif, .png, .tif
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