Spring 2018 ATPE News

Your leave policies explained PAGE 16

Telling stories that matter to TX educators PAGE 22

Are alt cert teachers ready for the classroom? PAGE 26

ATPE News NEW DIRECTIONS:

+ TECHNICAL

RETHINKING

CAREER

EDUCATION

SPRING 2018 | ATPE.ORG

PAGE 30

THE ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS AND GCU

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Important policy information is available in the University Policy Handbook at https://www.gcu.edu/academics/academic-policies.php. The information printed in this material is accurate as of April 2017. For the most up-to-date information about admission requirements, tuition, scholarships and more, visit gcu.edu. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please visit our website at gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (800-621-7440; http://hlcommission.org/).

GCU, while reserving its lawful rights in light of its Christian mission, is committed to maintaining an academic environment that is free from unlawful discrimination. Further detail on GCU’s Non-Discrimination policies can be found at gcu.edu/titleIX. 17COEE0071

ATPE News

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The official publication of the Association of Texas Professional Educators

State Officers Carl Garner. . . . . . . . . . . President, Mesquite (10) Byron Hildebrand. . . . Vice President, San Antonio (20) Tonja Gray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary, Abilene (14) Jimmy Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer, Paris (8) Julleen Bottoms. . . . . Past President, Corsicana (12)

Board of Directors Hector Cruz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weslaco (1) Cesarea Germain. . . . . . . . . . . . Corpus Christi (2) Cathy Stolle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karnes City (3) Eli Rodriguez . . . . . . . . . . . Cypress-Fairbanks (4) Suellen Ener. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beaumont (5) Charles Lindsey II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Magnolia (6) Kim Dolese. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nacogdoches (7) Frankie Jarrell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paris (8) Dale Lovett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olney (9) Meredith Malloy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ferris (10) Karen Hames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lewisville (11) Jason Forbis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midway (12) Christie Smith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pflugerville (13) Desirie Ries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hawley (14) Jose Delgado. . . . . . . . . . . San Felipe-Del Rio (15) Dawn Riley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amarillo (16) Brenda Bryan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hale Center (17) Bridget Loffler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Odessa (18) Rudy Romero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clint (19) Tina Briones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Antonio (20)

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

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

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

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

Copyright 2017 in USA by the Association of Texas Professional Educators

C

an you believe we’re in the final few months of the school year already? I hope the year has been productive and positive for you and your students.

Here at ATPE, we’ve certainly had a busy year. We’ve been working hard to secure new services and discounts for our members and prepare for the upcoming elections. And, of course, we wrapped up another successful membership campaign! Thank you to our volunteers for once again giving us your all this year. We could not do it without you.

In this issue of ATPE News, you’ll find tips for new educators. For those of you who are new to the profession, I hope you find this advice meaningful. And for those of you who are experienced educators, I hope you’ll take the time to consider what advice you could offer to incoming teachers. Could you reach out to a new teacher at your school? Is there a university ATPE local unit you could lend your support to? Mentoring is key to acclimating new teachers to the profession and providing our students with the best experience possible.

For those of you who are veteran ATPE members as well as accomplished educators, I ask you to take a look at your fellow ATPE members to see if there are any emerging leaders among them. Would any of your local unit’s newer members make good leaders someday? Could you support them on this journey? Taking on a new leadership position can be scary, but having the guidance and support of someone who has been there before makes it much more manageable.

Our strength has always been in our numbers and our passion—and always will be. It’s these strengths that can power positive change in this state: at the polls and in the Capitol, in the hallways of our schools and the seats of our buses, and around the neighborhoods of our communities. By supporting each other, we help our colleagues, students, schools, and communities thrive. And, ultimately, we thrive as well.

Carl Garner ATPE State President

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

Contents ATPE NEWS | Spring 2018, Volume 38, Number 3

FEATURES

22

All Sides: Telling the Story of Public Education ducation reporter Aliyya Swaby E discusses the biggest issues facing Texas public schools.

26

Seeking an Alternative Path lternative certification has A become one of the most popular pathways to the classroom. What does this mean for teachers, schools, and students?

30 >>> On the Cover

New Directions: Rethinking Career and Technical Education areer and technical education C programs are flourishing in Texas. We go behind the scenes at the Killeen ISD Career Center to learn how these programs help prepare students for life after high school.

4 ATPE NEWS

cover and page 4 photos by John Kilpper; page 5 photo by Michael Stravato

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22

26

EVERYTHING ELSE 6 Calendar

18 Texans on Education

8 Regional Roundup

Collaborative learning partnerships help promote and support the teaching profession

10 Education Inspiration

19 PAC Honor Roll

Off-the-shelf ideas to promote your school library

11 2018 ATPE Summit

ATPE Summit hits the road this year! Here’s everything you need to know to make your 2018 Summit experience a success.

14 Know and Tell

Veteran teachers share tips for new educators

16 Your Ally

What you need to know about your school leave

17 Your Voice

Your students deserve more than political soundbites. What can you do to effect real change?

35 Members Speak

A special education teacher shares how standardized testing affects our most vulnerable students

36 Family Album 38 Why I Volunteer 39 ATPE News

Classroom makeover contest winners • Meeting notice for the House of Delegates • ATPE’s first president celebrates milestone birthday • Farewell to ATPE Deputy Director Alan Bookman • Update your contact information • Professional development in your PJs

43 Brain Break

ATPE NEWS 5

CALENDAR

April 1

4

ATPE Summit registration and housing opens

38TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATPE’S FOUNDING

10–13 20–21 State Board of Education meetings

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

May 1

PAC’s Peak Challenge ends

7–11 Teacher Appreciation Week

18–19

28

ATPE Board of Directors meeting

State office closed for Memorial Day

June 11

Last day to register and make lodging reservations for ATPE Summit

6 ATPE NEWS

12–15 18 State Board of Education meetings

State Board for Educator Certification meeting

Welcome to the New

ATPE Member Marketplace!

ATPE is proud to announce a new benefit for our members: an exclusive discounts and rewards marketplace.

The marketplace is easy to use and features discounts and deals on just about anything and any brand you can think of! It also comes with a cashback rewards feature where you can earn 2%– 20% cash back on nearly all purchases.

Get valuable discounts and deals on: • • • • • • • •

ickets to movies, concerts, and sporting events T Local restaurants, gyms, and shops Student loan consolidation and refinancing Personal loans and private student loans TVs, computers, smartphones, and other electronics Installment-based/pay-over-time shopping Apparel, shoes, and accessories Hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages

To take advantage of these exclusive savings, visit

atpe.org/services-discounts.

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Kansas

T

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

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

Oklahoma 4

5

WICHITA FALLS

LUBBOCK

3 JOSHUA

6 SAN ANGELO

2

1

SNOOK SPRING

Gulf of Mexic

8 ATPE NEWS

From Across the State 1 Literacy at arm’s reach

With in-classroom libraries, young students in Spring ISD find the joy of reading just steps away from their desks. These classroom libraries are part of the district’s Literacy Applied plan, which relies on four major building blocks: supported reading, independent reading, word power, and writing.

By exploring the importance of the written word beyond their everyday assignments, students develop a love of reading that will last a lifetime. springisd.org

Arkansas

2 Preparing female leaders

Photos courtesy of (1) Spring ISD; (2) Snook ISD; (3) Joshua ISD; (4) Wichita Falls ISD; (5) Lubbock ISD; (6) San Angelo ISD

co

HEADLI N ES

Created for eighth-grade girls, the new Leaders in Training Club aims to reach English teacher Annette Kirk’s most vulnerable students outside the classroom. Members make vision boards for their futures, write notes of encouragement, and learn to be inclusive and how to express their true feelings. Other educators teach the girls new skills and reinforce positivity. After moving on to high school, the participants mentor the next group. snookisd.org

Louisiana

3 Global, educational hangouts

New technology means innovation in the classroom. Realizing this, Christal Bookhamer, gifted and talented coordinator, uses technology such as Google Drive, Padlet, Skype, and Google Hangouts to connect students with others around the globe.

Students collaborate on project-based learning activities aligned with STEAM concepts. Eighty-two elementary school students have teamed up with more than 150 students from Australia, Kazakhstan, and Spain on projects ranging from social awareness to planning sustainable cities. joshuaisd.org

4 Brain work in Wichita Falls

Scientific Learning, a new program at Wichita Falls ISD, aims to help students “rewire” their brains to improve processes and language development. These specific exercises touch every function involved in language, from decoding sounds to comprehension, and help students with reading and math. Made possible through a grant by the McCoy Foundation, the program is in all WFISD elementary schools and Kirby Middle School. wfisd.net

5 Engineering assistance

Two Bean Elementary children received something special when a group of Texas Tech engineering students developed assistive tools crafted specifically for them—a prosthetic hand for Aidan Galvan and a motorized wheelchair with vertical lift for Isaac Montoya. The Texas Tech students completed these tools as a final project after speaking with the Bean students. The tools allow the boys freedom to do everyday things. lubbockisd.org

A merry community service 6 project

Members of the Lake View High School DECA chapter decked the halls of the Shannon Women’s and Children’s hospital atrium for Christmas as a way to bring holiday cheer to patients. Initially started by students Emily Hahn and Roselani Martinez, the project spread to the entire community. The DECA chapter received contributions from the Lake View woodshop, welding classes, and theatre department to create props, paint boxes, and build a fireplace.

They also gathered donations. saisd.org

ATPE NEWS 9

EDUCATION INSPIRATION

Shelf Life LOOKING FOR CLASSROOM INSPIRATION? You’ve come to the right place! In this department, we highlight fun and inspiring educational activities found on social media. Check out these simple ideas to promote your school library.

These fun character silhouettes make a great bulletin board!

Number the figures to turn the display into a guessing game.

Dr. Seuss is a terrific place to start, but you can adapt this idea for other books that are popular at your school. bit.ly/2BCEp7r

@MizzLRoy

FOR MORE CLASSROOM IDEAS, FOLLOW ATPE ON PINTEREST pinterest.com/atpe

4 ATPE member Andrea Keller created this engaging display to promote the 2017-18 Texas Bluebonnet and 2x2 Reading List. Check out more of her creative ideas for library displays and activities on her website. beeinthebookends.blogspot.com

10 ATPE NEWS

3

Draw on your students’ natural curiosity by setting them up on a “blind date” with a book!

Disguise the book by wrapping the cover, and give a few details about each pick. Make sure you include a variety of options for every type of reader. bit.ly/2lg4JOØ

Photos courtesy of: (1) risking-failure.com; (2) literaryhoots.com; (3) beeinthebookends.blogspot.com; (4)tinyurl.com/texansread

Promote Banned Books Week at your library by setting up a banned books mug shot photo shoot. Your students might be surprised to learn what books have been banned over the years!

2

July 11–13 • Sheraton Dallas Summit is ATPE’s annual gathering where volunteer leaders have a little fun while learning from and connecting with other leaders from across Texas. This year, ATPE is taking the show on the road—to Dallas! To attend summit, your local unit or region president must register you as a summit delegate. To learn more about the 2018 ATPE Summit and find out how you can attend, visit atpesummit.org.

Housing and registration open on April 4 and must be completed by June 11.

ATPE NEWS 11

WE’VE SIMPLIFIED AND CHANGED UP A FEW THINGS THIS YEAR. Check out a breakdown of the agenda and note the highlights!

WEDNESday, July 11

WEDNESDAY

• Hit up the ATPE Lounge, open for a four-hour block in the afternoon! There’s plenty of complimentary goods and services to go around.

• Vegas Night is coming to Dallas! Take a chance with Lady Luck, roll the dice, and see what you can do with the cards you’re dealt. You just might win some fantastic prizes!

Thursday, July 12

THURSDAY

• Shape the future of your association by participating in the House of Delegates meeting. Delegates will elect the 2018-19 ATPE state officers, vote on bylaws amendments and resolutions, and shape ATPE’s legislative priorities for the upcoming year.

• It may have been silent, but we still heard you loud and clear: Last year’s Silent Dance Party was a hit, so we’re bringing it back. Bring your best moves to the dance floor, and we’ll see you there!

Friday, July 13

FRIDAY 12 ATPE NEWS

• Friday is all about learning from and celebrating with each other. We’ve got several volunteer training sessions lined up for you, plus the awards luncheon in the early afternoon!

Need help paying for summit?

Financial assistance is available to qualified local units (conditions apply). Visit atpesummit.org to find out if your local unit is eligible and how to apply.

DISCOVER “BIG D”!

DISCOVER “BIG D”!

much as ATPE Summit is about trainAs much asAs ATPE Summit is about training ing and governance, it’s also about fun. and governance, it’s also about fun. We We hope you’ll take some time to get hope you’ll out take to get and andsome about time in Dallas and out see what about in Dallas and see what the city has to the city has to offer. Our accommodaoffer. Our accommodations are in for a prime tions are in a prime location many of location forDallas’s many main of Dallas’s main attractions, whichattracyou can tions, whichgetyou get taking to bythewalking, to bycan walking, Dart train, or riding the trolley!

Amble taking the Dart train, or riding thethrough trolley! the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Amble through the Dallas Arboretum and Gardens or the Dallas World Aquarium.

Botanical Gardens or the Dallas World Plaza and the Sixth Aquarium. Visit VisitDealey Dealey Plaza andFloor the Museum to see a piece of history. And Sixth Floor Museum to see a piece of hisdon’t miss out on the plethora of shops, tory. And don’t miss out on the plethora of restaurants, and bars near the hotel. shops, restaurants, and bars near the hotel.

ATPE NEWS 13

KNOW AND TELL

Words of Wisdom for New Teachers

If you feel a few butterflies when you think about entering the classroom for the first time next fall, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Whether you are a recent university graduate or have just completed an alternative certification program, here are a few tips to get you started on the right path.

14 ATPE NEWS

Take Time Upfront to Build Relationships

D

eveloping relationships and building a line of trust is crucial for new teachers. Building positive relationships with your students and their families is essential in setting up a productive learning environment. It’s all about relationships—if you can’t connect with them, then you can’t teach them!

During the first nine weeks of the school year, I take time after school each day and call a few students’ families to tell them something positive their child has done

at school. Most of the time, the parents are shocked or think something is wrong when I call. The time I take on my end to go through my list of students and call (not email—there is something special about talking to a person) their parents accomplishes three things: It (1) sets up positive communication, (2) establishes lines of trust with the families, and (3) builds proactive classroom structures that assist me when I do need to call home when a problem arises.

Don’t be the teacher who only calls home when something bad happens at school; call early on in the year and set up the relationship.

Sarah K. McMahan is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction and the co-director of the Texas Woman’s University New Teacher Academy. In fall 2017, Dr. McMahan returned to the K-12 classroom setting serving as a longterm substitute teacher during her faculty development leave (sabbatical).

Communication, Connection, and Care

S

tudent teaching was great, but it was someone else’s classroom and, ultimately, someone else’s responsibility. Now it is your turn! Here are a few ways that you can make it a little easier on yourself as a first-year teacher.

•R each out to all of your students’ parents in the first two weeks. You can do this through email, snail mail, or even a phone call. It is always easier to get parental assistance if you have already established a positive relationship. Make sure that you can say something special about their child.

•F ind a good mentor teacher. Sometimes schools assign mentor teachers, and sometimes they do not. You will need a mentor to assist you with policies, procedures, teacher tricks, classroom management, etc.

•T ake care of yourself. This is one that always gets left out. We get so busy with our

work and our personal lives that we forget to take care of ourselves. Make time for exercise, quiet time, personal reflection, or fun reading. You cannot invest in your students if you do not invest in yourself.

Remember, teaching is fun! Teachers literally change our world. Go, and have a great start to your year!

Rebecca Fredrickson is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at Texas Woman’s University.

Her research interests include accountability, mentoring, and teacher induction.

Take Time to Reflect

I

know your mindset is to come in and be the best teacher there ever was, but that takes time and experience. It will take time to figure it all out, and experience to do all the things you want to do to make your students successful. Do not expect to do it right the first time.

Slow down and think before throwing a new twist into your lesson plans; start small and add something new each week or two. Your professors and mentors have given you a treasure trove of information, strategies, curriculum, accommodations, modifications, extracurricular activities, and more.

Take those notes, figure out what is working for you, and do not overanalyze your performance as a teacher (or your students’ performance on assignments and activities).

It is always a learning curve, and you’ll be climbing a thousand-step staircase to get to where you want to be as an educator. Take it all in, reflect on your lessons, and rely on your fellow educators. We are all in this profession together: learning, changing, and improving as we go.

For more great tips, download Your First Classroom, ATPE’s popular guide for new educators.

Your First Classroom contains tips on topics like: • Effective classroom management • Time savers for the classroom • Communicating with parents • Public education law

Download your free copy today at atpe.org/firstclassroom.

Carl Garner, Jr., is ATPE’s state president for 2017-18. He is a sixth-grade math and science teacher in Mesquite ISD with 17 years of experience in education.

 Do you have classroom tips to share? Email Know and Tell entries to comm@atpe.org.

ATPE NEWS 15

YOUR ALLY

Your Leave, Explained

A PAUL TAPP ATPE MANAGING ATTORNEY

s an educator, you already know that you receive different types of leave, including state and local days, family and medical leave, and assault leave. But did you know there are rules dictating when each of these can be used? Different circumstances require different types of leave, and different rules govern the use of each type. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common situations you may encounter and the rules that apply to each.

I have leave, but my principal says I can’t use it.

I am ready to retire and want to use my days, but HR says I can’t.

Since state days accumulate, many educators find themselves with a large balance of unused days at retirement. Some are surprised to learn they cannot automatically use their days. Unless the educator has a reason (usually medical) to need non-discretionary leave days, the district can legally refuse to allow them to use their leave before they retire. A district can legally allow a staff member to use unused leave before retirement, but they are not required to unless it is non-discretionary leave.

Many districts do compensate employees for unused leave.

However, these are local policies that can vary from district to district.

All public school employees receive five state leave days per year, which accumulate from year to year if not taken. So, most educators regularly have DIFFERENT leave days available to use. But CIRCUMSTANCES not all leave days are created I was only out one day, but equal. The law allows districts my supervisor says I need REQUIRE DIFFERENT to distinguish between discrea doctor’s note to return.

TYPES OF LEAVE, AND tionary leave (taken by choice) When an employee calls in DIFFERENT RULES and non-discretionary leave sick, they may be required to GOVERN THE USE OF (taken out of necessity, most bring in a doctor’s note. This is commonly for illness).

EACH TYPE. LET’S TAKE because sick days are covered The law allows a district to reunder non-discretionary leave.

A LOOK AT A FEW strict employees’ use of discreThe employee does not have to COMMON SITUATIONS tionary leave. Restrictions must get prior approval for the abTHAT YOU MAY be listed in official school board sence and can be absent on days policy. Most board policies rethat they could not be if they ENCOUNTER AND quire prior approval, prohibit asked for discretionary leave.

THE RULES THAT leave on certain days, and reMost districts’ policies require APPLY TO EACH. strict the number of days that employees to bring in a doctor’s can be taken or the number of note if they have been out for staff that can be out on a given day. So, an educator three consecutive days or more. Less well-known, who wants to take a trip or attend the graduation most policies also require a note if the district has of a family member (discretionary leave) might a reason to be suspicious about the absence. find their request denied, even though they have The ATPE Member Legal Services team has restate leave days available. ceived calls from educators who were denied a reOther laws, such as the Family and Medical quested discretionary day and then simply called Leave Act, may apply if the educator or a close in sick for that day. That raised suspicions as to family member becomes ill, even if the absence whether the member was actually sick. A district, could be considered voluntary. Any local days pro- like any employer, can take negative employment vided by the district are subject to district policy. action if it appears that an employee has called in Most local policies allow their use only as non-dis- sick when they were not. An employer can also incretionary sick days. vestigate an absence, even if the absence was for less than three days.

16 ATPE NEWS

YOUR VOICE

Students Deserve More Than Campaign Sound Bites

F JENNIFER CANADAY ATPE GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS DIRECTOR

or decades, there has been a debate about how many students could be identified as needing how to serve the needs of students with special education. disabilities, often putting parents, eduIt’s not the first time we’ve seen detriments of cators, and policymakers at odds. Parents want policy making based on arbitrary caps. With the their children to receive the best possible care. standardized testing boom that followed 2001’s Educators want to be trained in evidence-based enactment of No Child Left Behind, we saw caps practices and have sufficient resources to imple- placed on the number of students who could be exment those practices. The aim of policymakers empted from taking those tests. Who remembers can be harder to reconcile. Governing decisions the “65 percent solution,” proposed by Overstock. are often made with an eye toward com CEO Patrick Byrne more reelection, as lawmakers weigh the than a decade ago? Promoted desires of their constituents against as a panacea for school funding the realities of politics. Campaigns by requiring 65 percent of apare expensive, and the currency of propriations to be earmarked IT’S TIME TO PAC contributions, endorsements, for “instruction,” it was quickly DEMAND STATE and “dark money” seldom flows with debunked as having been pulled no strings attached. Add the fact that LAWS AND POLICIES out of thin air with no statistitoo few constituents actually vote, cal basis or grounding in reality.

THAT REFLECT and it’s easy to see how the scales tip.

Now, we have Gov. Abbott proACTUAL NEEDS As a result, many of our leadposing another cap—this time RATHER THAN ers have focused on cost-cutting on growing property tax revenue “SOLUTIONS” and limiting “government,” which at the local level, which happens sounds fine in a campaign ad but to be the bedrock of funding for THAT FIT NEATLY belies the fact that “government” our public schools.

INTO A CAMPAIGN includes vital services for children Attempts to arbitrarily limit PLATFORM. in need. Educators are a “governwhat we can raise and spend on ment” resource that becomes a public education will fail as long target for cuts rather than a funding priority, and as we have no means of similarly capping the true children are the casualties of those policy-mak- needs of students. Neglecting to identify a student ing decisions. Failing to fund and provide for the as needing special education services does not needs of students—especially those with disabili- negate that student’s needs, and neither does reties—plays right into the hands of those who want stricting the funding provided for those needs. It’s to privatize education. What better way to justify time to demand state laws and policies that reflect private school vouchers for students with special actual needs rather than “solutions” that fit neatly needs than to cause the public system serving into a campaign platform built around sound bites those children to fail by withholding resources? about limiting government.

We saw the consequences of ill-conceived state There’s no better time to make those demands policy earlier this year when the federal govern- than during an election year. The primaries are ment concluded a long-term investigation of how over, but some runoffs are pending, and there Texas educates students with disabilities. US are still some important contests to be decided Department of Education officials determined in November’s general election. If you’re not althat Texas had denied special education services ready talking to your candidates, now is the time to students by adopting policies that would limit to ask how they will address school funding and the number of students receiving such services. what they will do to ensure our most vulnerable One strategy had the effect of placing a ceiling on students never fall through the cracks again.

ATPE NEWS 17

TEXANS ON EDUCATION

School-University Collaboration Offers Expansive Learning

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BY LORENA CLAEYS, UTSA

BY BELINDA BUSTOS FLORES, UTSA Dr. Lorena Claeys currently serves as the executive director and research associate of the UTSA Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE). Dr. Claeys engages in research and the development of proposals to support ATE’s mission.

Dr. Belinda B. Flores is the founder and principal investigator of ATE. Dr. Flores currently serves as associate dean of professional preparation, assessment, and accreditation and professor.

ublic school and university collaborative 2014) uses a variety of software and hardware partnerships are key to transforming and to promote bicultural-bilingual literacy. And engaging in innovative teaching and learn- the Nepohualtzitzin-Ethnomathematics Club ing practices. Over the last 11 years, the Academy (Prieto, Claeys, & Lara Gonzalez, 2015) uses an for Teacher Excellence (ATE), housed in the ancient abacus-like tool to teach kids advanced College of Education and Human Development arithmetic in a fun, unique manner. These clubs at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has sponsored 46 after-school informal learning clubs in collaboration with nine San Antonio-area public schools populated largely by Latino/a The informal learning clubs sponsored by and ESL students. Through these UTSA’s Academy for Teacher Excellence clubs, ATE supports and prouse a community-of-learners approach motes the teaching profession, to encourage experimentation in learning particularly STEM education. and teaching.

Modeled after University of California professor Olga Vásquez’s La Clase Mágica (LCM), the program is designed to promote literacy and cognitive development among elementary school-aged also use emerging mobile technologies, like spechildren. Using the LCM framework, ATE’s in- cially built or adapted apps for smart phones, to formal learning clubs make educational activities assist learners in navigating an increasingly globrelevant to learners by incorporating the varied al-digitized world. linguistic and cultural resources of Latino/a comThe informal learning clubs each engage learnmunities. This approach values and promotes ers in play, fantasy, and peer interaction. Together, learners’ bilingualism, biliteracy, and bicultural- learners build robots to complete tasks, learn ism. Participating undergraduate teacher candi- about ancient civilizations while building skills dates and STEM majors at UTSA are able to en- in mathematics, or engage in bilingual group gage in hands-on experiences working with young learning. Our after-school learners are the prilearners in three clubs with special curriculums mary agents in their learning process. Guided by developed by UTSA’s education researchers. Each undergraduate mentors, they select learning acclub employs research-based theoretical princi- tivities and work with peers. These undergraduate ples to create effective after-school activities and mentors, many of whom will become the next genuses specialized tools to engage learners in the eration of educators, increase their competency in acquisition and construction of knowledge and the effective use of technology in the classroom skills. A robotics club (Schutze, Claeys, Flores, and advance their content knowledge. & Sczeck, 2014) allows students the opportuni- Additionally, they acquire approaches to engage ty to learn basic coding and engineering skills. learners in biliteracy, digital literacy, numeracy, LCM (The Magical Class—a Bicultural-Bilingual and scientific thinking necessary for the 21st cenTechnology-Based club; Flores, Vásquez, & Clark, continued on page 42

At a glance

 18 ATPE NEWS

For more information about the Academy for Teacher Excellence, please visit ate.utsa.edu.

HONOR ROLL

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION! The following ATPE members donated $50 or more to ATPE’s Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC) from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2017.

Abilene Tonja Gray

Crowley Steve Pokluda

Huntsville Jeanine Sicard

Alief Karen Martin

Cypress-Fairbanks Stephanie Bailey

Ingram Chris Moralez

Alvin Ron Fitzwater

Dallas Deborah Pleasant

Amarillo Yolanda Capetillo Charles Jones

Dickinson Lisa Cook

Irving Teri Daulton Connie Kilday

Austin Elizabeth Abrahams Ballinger Darlene Kelly Boerne Margie Hastings Cyndy Veselka Bryan Sallie McGehee Carrollton-Farmers Branch Keri Minier Columbus Charlotte Tilotta Coppell Maria Slette

Edinburg Benjamin Lozano

Keller David Williams

Northside (20) David de la Garza Evelyn Hardaman Olney Dale Lovett Robinson Kimberly Cowart San Antonio Tina Briones Judy Byrnes

Ferris Meredith Malloy

Killeen Eileen Walcik Melissa Walcik Ron Walcik

Forney Wendy Smith

Leander Jayne Serna

Tyler Betty Berndt Eddie Hill

Galena Park Carmela Garcia Jeff Miller

Lubbock Allyson Haveman

Waco Jane Sykes

McAllen Twila Figueroa

Woden Bernard Franks Teresa Millard

Garland Jed Reed Grapevine-Colleyville Kelley Walker Hale Center Brenda Bryan Humble Gayle Sampley

Mesquite Cynthia Rowden Millsap Deann Lee North East Olga Rubio

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Invest in the ATPE Political Action Committee today!

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ATPE NEWS 19

BIG C HANGE

STARTS with you.

Election season is already here. We know how this past Texas legislative session went—unrelenting attacks on public education, with us constantly playing defense to ensure the voices of Texas educators and schoolchildren were heard.

Are you ready to shake things up in Austin?

I know you are, so take part in the PAC’s Peak Challenge!

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

NOW IS THE TIME TO DONATE.

20 ATPE NEWS

with us.

We need to ensure that those in office are fighting for public education.

It’s time to stack the Texas legislature with education allies. A strong ATPEPAC gives us a better opportunity to compete in the political arena and gain the support of legislators who will work with us—not against us.

VISIT 501AUCTIONS.COM/ATPEPAC TO BEGIN MAKING YOUR MARK TODAY!

Big change starts with you.

with

ATPE-PAC. Now is a critical time to donate to ATPE-PAC. Our annual PAC’s Peak Challenge runs from Feb. 1 to May 1, with the goal to raise $25,000. You can make a meaningful impact by investing in a fund that fights for you.

ATPE Member Gayle Sampley explains why supporting ATPE-PAC is vital

The 2018 elections are our chance to send a strong message that the education community is fighting back against attacks on our profession and policies that are harmful to students, teachers, and retirees. Stand with ATPE-PAC because ATPE stands with you.

While we are in Texas classrooms teaching this state’s 5.4 million schoolchildren, our ATPE lobbyists are pounding the granite corridors of the Texas Capitol on our behalf. They do a good job, but they need money in our ATPE-PAC in order to engage legislators. Dues dollars are prohibited by law from being donated to candidates or officeholders, so ATPE-PAC is our only means of making “By choosing to support ATPEcampaign contributions. By choosing to PAC, you are supporting the support ATPE-PAC, you are supporting the growth and development of strong relagrowth and development tionships with those who make Texas law. of strong relationships with Imagine if each of our 100,000 members those who make Texas law.” made a $10 donation to ATPE-PAC. That’s $1,000,000! And that is precisely what ATPE-PAC needs to fight the powerful and wealthy special interest groups who want to privatize schools, test students into unconsciousness, and reduce teacher rights and benefits.

Join me in supporting ATPE-PAC. Donate today. Any amount will help—$5, $10, $25, $100. Go to 501auctions.com/atpepac to donate using your credit or debit card. Or mail a check to ATPE’s headquarters in Austin.

—Gayle Sampley, Humble ATPE

ATPE NEWS 21

ALL SIDES Telling the Story

of Public Education INTERVIEW BY JESUS CHAVEZ

22 ATPE NEWS

Photo courtesy of The Texas Tribune

A

liyya Swaby is the public education reporter for The Texas Tribune. Since joining the Tribune in October 2016, she’s helped inform thousands of Texans about the state of Texas public education. A recent Texas transplant, Swaby has traveled all across the state to cover some of the most pressing topics in public education. In the time that she’s been with the Tribune, she’s reported on education policy debates in the 85th Texas Legislative Session, school finance and its effects on school districts, life in rural school districts, and the challenges many schools are facing in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Throughout it all, Swaby’s approach has been to provide a human face to her stories while informing the rest of us on the issues that affect millions of children, parents, and educators every day. ATPE sat down with Swaby to chat about her work and what goes into covering public education in a state like Texas.

ATPE: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

Swaby: I started at The Texas Tribune in October 2016.

Previously, I covered education locally in New Haven, Connecticut, for two years. Before then, I spent a year in Panama doing freelance reporting for a project. I went from covering the New Haven School District every day for a hyper-local newspaper—the New Haven Independent—to covering the entire state of Texas and its politics surrounding public education. That was a big move for me.

You’ve been with The Texas Tribune a little over a year now. What are some of the most memorable stories you’ve covered in that time?

I arrived here in October 2016 and then a few months later had to jump right into the legislative session for the first time. As a result, a lot of what I wrote about then revolved around school finance and private school tuition subsidies, which were two of the main issues that legislators revolved around this session.

I tried to do stories that highlighted the policy debates, but they were really meant for students, schools, and the people reading the articles who didn’t necessarily work as lobbyists or who don’t know the nitty-gritty of how these things work statewide. For me, that meant going to school districts and talking to students and parents.

One story that I did—which I did with Edgar Walters, an investigative reporter here—had us traveling to Texas City ISD. They were risking losing funding through ASATR (Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction), which was about to expire, and the legislature didn’t seem poised to extend it. We went [to Texas City] and talked to administrators and students and saw what it meant for them to be losing that funding. They had a really specific situation because they had merged, or annexed, another school district, so they were really depending on that money to get that district’s facilities up to standard because that district had not managed money how they should have.

That was a big eye-opener for me. It was one of the first stories that made me realize that I could make school finance interesting and palatable to people outside the education world.

Texas is a large state. As a result, you have so many different school districts serving different needs. How do you approach a beat that large and find stories that will resonate with such vastly different populations?

During the legislative session, it was easy because a topic would come up or there would be hearings with superintendents talking about the needs of their school districts. I found out about Texas City ISD when the then-superintendent went to a senate hearing and talked about their issues.

Then and now, that’s a lot of how I find people: Who is most vocal, is that story representative of enough school districts that it tells a story, and is it worth using as a sort of a case study?

I also end up using a lot of data. The Texas Education Agency has a ton of data on trends over time, and that helps me inform and drill down and see if there are specific school districts that are representative of trends we’re seeing in the data. We have an excellent data team here at the Tribune that is really helpful with that kind of digging.

Traveling is obviously a large part of your job. Not being from Texas, what is it like traveling across a state that’s so large and varied?

Traveling is my favorite part of the job. I know that my blind spot is covering rural areas because I’m from New York and grew up near the city. I just don’t have as much exposure to those areas. I try very hard to travel to rural school districts and speak with people who depend on industries like farming or natural gas and oil to make a living. Those are the places where I’ve learned the most because it’s in these areas that education is just so central to the community and to so many of the people. It’s a good place to see a very deep and genuine part of Texas.

[Traveling there] also helped me realize that there are a lot of rural legislators. A big part of the political divide in Texas that people outside of Texas might not get is the big rural and urban divide. Especially with so many of the

ATPE NEWS 23

country’s largest cities located here, I think people forget how many parts of Texas are rural and depend on agriculture. I’ve been digging in deep so that I can learn as much as I can. As someone who’s not from rural Texas, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to understand, but it’s interesting to talk to people from these different walks of life.

It seems like education was very present in this latest legislative session. How do you think the conversations that happened during the session have set the tone for this election year?

This is my first time covering the primaries, but I feel like there’s a lot to say about how education will play a role in them. Teachers are organizing. Educators are organizing. In ways that they might not have been before. The conversations around them, not just in terms of issues but of voting blocs, are very prevalent right now. I can’t exactly say whether it’s more present than before, but I do feel that the primaries will be a time where you see people who were angry about what conversations did or didn’t take place make themselves heard. I’m sure that will reflect in the conversations that are being had and in the rallies, protests, and debates around the primaries.

What is the Tribune’s approach to informing its readers, and how can educators use that to inform themselves?

A lot of teachers, depending on where they live, probably have good local resources and local reporting happening. The Tribune is more at the state level. We’re not going

24 ATPE NEWS

to have the nitty-gritty on what’s going on in each school board, but we’re putting in a lot of work to help people figure out who their candidates are.

We have the whole election machine, basically, that is starting up. We’ll have a series of articles on candidates at the state and the congressional levels. We also have explainers where people can submit questions that they’d like answered. So, if there are certain areas where people feel that there are gaps in our education coverage, then there are certainly opportunities to not just read the news and react, but to be a part of asking questions and let us know when we haven’t covered something fully or when we could be doing a better job.

Another big story in 2017 was Hurricane Harvey and the myriad effects it’s had on areas across Texas. You wrote a few articles about Harvey’s effect on education and schools. Can you give us an idea of where we are now?

Hurricane Harvey devastated a lot of school districts in a few major counties. I think a lot of the conversation now as they start to rebuild is about funding. These districts obviously have to rebuild, and they have to put money into that and into educating students who might be in their district now but weren’t before.

The question now is, will those investments be refunded in the next session? That’s a big question that I think a lot of educators don’t have the time to really think about right now because they’re busy getting things back to normal for students and staff, but that’s something to look toward.

I’m hoping to continue to cover Harvey’s effects as we

move toward the next session, especially with a different legislature. Will they want to fund these school districts in the way that they’re asking for? And I think they’ll have a big conversation around accountability and testing. The education commissioner has said he’s not going to waive standardized tests, for the most part, for students affected by the storm. It’s still up in the air about whether they’ll be held to the same accountability standards as Texas moves into its new A-F accountability system. Those are the two major areas in which anything could really happen, especially with a new legislature coming up.

What sorts of stories are you drawn to telling or wanting to tell?

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know?

If there are stories that I’m not telling as an education reporter, I hope people feel free to reach out to me at aswaby@texastribune.org or on Twitter @AliyyaSwaby.

One of my favorite things is to travel and visit and dig deep into individual school districts. Tell those stories.

If there are stories that I should be telling that I’m not, then I hope people will let me know.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans—and engages with them—about public policy, politics, government, and statewide issues. For more information, visit texastribune.org.

Photos of Texas City ISD on pages 23, 24, and 25 by Michael Stravato

I’m drawn to stories where there’s a really nuanced policy question that is maybe unanswerable, but the stories that I tell can really illuminate either side. So that the person reading it, who maybe was on one side of the topic, can read it and understand how the other side can think what they do.

I wrote a story recently about a school district where they had $7 million in state cuts and they decided to give their athletic director and football coach a $21,000 raise.

I ended up writing a story where I traveled to the school district and talked to a lot of people there. My story was about how school districts make decisions on how to change their budgets when they have to scale back and what the priorities are that they take into account. It wasn’t that I came into the story thinking that schools

spend too much on athletics. It was really that I’m coming from a place where I honestly wanted to understand what goes into these decisions. How do you decide whether to spend money on this and not what you would think of as more directly academic or teaching salaries?

After the story, there was a lot of conversation that I saw happening on social media and people that reached out to me. Some people thought I was saying that football was unimportant and money shouldn’t be spent on it, and others thought that I, as a reporter, was saying that the state was cutting too much money from schools. But really, I was just presenting a complicated story. The fact that two sorts of people read it and got different things out of it shows that I was successful in presenting a complicated issue.

ATPE NEWS 25

SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE PATH

BY KATIE LANDAVERDE LAKE DALLAS ISD

26 ATPE NEWS

THE BELL RINGS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. Two first-year teachers with perceptible nerves greet their students for the first time. One is a 22-year-old who has spent the last four years studying courses on instruction, educational theory, and pedagogy. The other is a 30-year-old who spent the last eight years working in finance and received a teaching certification through an alternative certification program over the summer.

Is one of these teachers doomed to fail, or is the playing field relatively level?

WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE THE ALT CERT PATH?

Is alternative certification deserving of the often-palpable stigma it receives? And why do people choose “alt cert” anyway?

In an effort to find the answers to these questions, I spoke to both alternatively and traditionally certified educators about their perceptions of and experiences with the alt cert route. Many of the alternatively certified educators I spoke with knew they wanted to teach long before they entered the profession, while some found a calling for education later in life. Regardless of when they decided to teach, many of these individuals found it almost impossible to quit their jobs or go back to school for a second degree.

Why? Perhaps my own experience can help illuminate the issue.

I grew up north of Dallas, and both of my parents were Texas public school teachers. I knew early on that I wanted to teach. After high school, I attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and while I had a wonderful experience, they did not offer an education program or a teaching certification option. So, I majored in history and creative writing and moved back to Texas after graduating.

I wanted to get my master’s in education but knew I needed to save some money first. I landed a job as a leasing consultant for a property management company and planned to stay only a short time. Five years later, after several promotions, marriage and a baby, I was managing a midsize staff and a 300-plus-unit luxury townhome community. It was then that I realized there would never be a “right time” to quit my job and go back to school. I received my alternative certification in 2015 and started teaching in Lake Dallas ISD the same year.

My story is not unique. Like many people who choose the alternative certification route, going back to school to get a second degree in education was not a feasible path for me.

While the reasons people choose to teach are diverse, for many educators, the choice to go through an alternative certification program is straightforward. One teacher I spoke with said the choice was easy: “I needed to work on my teaching certification requirements while I was still working a full-time job and taking care of a family. Alternative certification was the only thing that made sense.”

If you decide you’d like to teach and you already have a college degree in a field outside of education, you have three choices: (1) go back to school to receive a second bachelor’s degree, (2) pursue a master’s degree that includes a teaching certification, or (3) go through an alternative certification program. A second bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree may take two or more years to complete, but an alternative

certification program can often be completed in as little as a few months while still working a full-time job.

Perhaps it is because of circumstances like these that we’ve seen the number of alternatively certified teachers increase. In the 2013-14 school year, the number of teachers certified through an alternative route surpassed those certified through the university undergraduate route, and the number of alternatively certified educators has steadily risen each year since.

The Texas Education Agency officially recognizes more than 140 unique alternative certification programs. There are alt cert programs offered through universities, school districts, education service centers, community colleges, and private entities. With so many programs available, it’s no wonder alt cert is on the rise.

ARE THE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF ALT CERT TEACHERS JUSTIFIED?

Despite this upward trend, it’s no secret that we have all heard some negative stories about alternative certification—alt cert was generally frowned upon in education in the past. But is its poor reputation warranted?

Many skeptics have touted poor retention as one of the main reasons for their negative views toward alternative certification. In the 2015-16 school year, 89.7 percent of alternatively certified educators remained in the profession after the first year and 64 percent remained after five years. Admittedly, these numbers are markedly lower than the retention of university undergraduate certified teachers (94.5 and 75.6 percent after the first and fifth years, respectively).

Even so, the alt cert teachers’ retention rates are far from abysmal. In addition, statistics show that more alternatively certified teachers find jobs in education than their traditionally certified counterparts, shattering the myth that it is impossible to find teaching positions with an alternative certification. In the 2015-16 school year, 88.5 percent of alternatively certified teachers were employed in education, while 76.5 percent of university undergraduate certified educators were working in teaching positions (up from just 47.4 percent in 2011-12).

Conversations with alt cert teachers confirm the suspicion that the negative stigma surrounding alternative certification may be dissipating among administrators across the state. Of the alt cert educators interviewed, all confirmed that they had little to no difficulty finding a job in education, and many reported that their certification route played a minimal role in the interview process.

Katie Landaverde is a technology integration specialist at Lake Dallas ISD. She received her bachelor’s degree in creative writing and history from Eckerd College, and she is currently a graduate student in educational leadership at UNT. In 2017, Ms. Landaverde was named the winner of the second annual Rather Prize.

ATPE NEWS 27

ARE ALT CERT TEACHERS PROPERLY PREPARED FOR THE CLASSROOM?

In short, the answer is no. Regardless of education, background, training, observations, and student teaching, virtually no one is prepared for their first year of teaching. Teaching is a profession that requires ongoing flexibility, preparation, and the bravery to face potential failure each day.

Of the alternatively certified educators I spoke with, an overwhelming majority said they felt comparatively prepared and adequately supported during their first year of teaching. As one alt cert teacher said, “I felt overwhelmed and unprepared my first year, but no more so than my four-year counterparts. In fact, my life experiences gave me some advantages in particular situations.”

In my own experience, and in interviews with other alternatively certified educators, I have found that diverse backgrounds can bring unique and interesting perspectives to the classroom. The experience I gained while working in management translates well to the education setting.

Marketing, budgeting, sales, management, training, coaching, motivating, and customer service are all valuable skills that I use every day as an educator. As one alt cert teacher said, “I think alternative certification is a great option. If I could do it all over again I would—just sooner.”

Teaching is one of the hardest and most important jobs in the world, and we need people in education who want to be there.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if someone found their calling to teach at 15 or 50—or the path they took to get there.

Alternative Paths by the Numbers In 2015-16, a total of 25,591 teachers became certified.

ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION

UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE

Of those, 12,553 (49.05%) were alternatively certified.

Here is their breakdown:

Of those, 8,366 (32.69%) went the university undergraduate route.

Here is their breakdown:

21

33

75

Lowest Age

Average Age

Highest Age

70% FEMALE 30% MALE 28 ATPE NEWS

20

26

70

Lowest Age

Average Age

Highest Age

83% FEMALE 16.3% Black/AA 52% White 27.5% Hispanic/Latino 2.3% Asian 1.9% Other

17% MALE

6% Black/AA 54.7% White 35% Hispanic/Latino 2.5% Asian 1.73% Other

ALTERNATIVELY Certified Teachers

TOTAL Certified Teachers

TOTAL CERTIFIED AND ALTERNATIVELY CERTIFIED TEACHERS BY YEAR

20,999

7,314 36% 2011-12

22,599

24,643

8,671 38%

2012-13

10,606

25,876

25,591

12,061

12,553

47%

49%

2014-15

2015-16

43%

2013-14

EMPLOYMENT BY CERTIFICATION ROUTE

RETENTION BY CERTIFICATION ROUTE

Percentages of teachers certified in 2014-15 who were employed in 2015-16.

Percentages of teachers who stayed in the classroom after one and five years.

AFTER ONE YEAR (2015-16):

90%

Alternative

89%

ALTERNATIVELY CERTIFIED TEACHERS

78%

POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFIED TEACHERS

87%

University Post-Baccalaureate

95%

University Undergraduate

AFTER FIVE YEARS (2011-16):

Alternative

77%

UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE TEACHERS

74%

OUT-OF-STATE CERTIFIED TEACHERS

University Post-Baccalaureate University Undergraduate

64% 68% 76%

Numbers provided by the Texas Education Agency at tea.texas.gov/Reports_and_Data/Educator_Data/Educator_Reports_and_ Data/. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

ATPE NEWS 29

NEW DIRECTIONS:

+ TECHNICAL

RETHINKING

CAREER

EDUCATION

By LESLIE TRAHAN | Photos by JOHN KILPPER

Daniella Pazmino wants to be a surgeon. The Killeen ISD senior knows she’s chosen a demanding path and has dedicated her high school years to preparing for her future career.

A disciplined student, Pazmino is the president of her school’s organization for future healthcare employees and a certified EMT. She’s assisted with patient transports, is trained in phlebotomy, and knows how to save 30 ATPE NEWS

a life with an automated defibrillator.

This is certainly an advanced skillset for a teen, even one as ambitious as Pazmino. But at her high school, a resume this developed is the norm.

Pazmino is an all-day student at her district’s career and technical education (CTE) campus, the Killeen ISD Career Center. By the time she graduates, she’ll have a year’s worth of college credits under her belt.

U The Killeen ISD Career Center gives students like Daniella Pazmino real-world opportunities to practice their skills.

91%

of high school graduates who earned 2 to 3 career and technical education credits enrolled in college.*

ntil recently, a CTE program would have been an unusual choice for a student like Pazmino.

If she had been in high school 20 years ago, Pazmino would have attended a traditional school, taken as many science classes as she could, and hoped for the best in college—collecting mountains of debt along the way.

But over the past couple of decades, Texas—and the rest of the country—has gotten serious about CTE. And with good reason. Studies have shown that students who attend CTE programs are less likely to drop out of school, more likely to find employment, and better compensated in their careers.

Despite wide-ranging evidence that CTE is effective, vocational programs have always grappled with stereotypes. As recently as the 1990s, CTE (then called “vocational education”) was widely stigmatized as a pathway to a trade for students who weren’t cut out for college.

Today, in part thanks to high-achieving students like Pazmino, perceptions are starting to change. A growing demand for trade certifications in the workforce, increasing student debt, and continuing debate over the role of college in today’s world have added to the growing acceptance of these programs.

And having the support of the Texas legislature hasn’t hurt either. House Bill 5, passed in 2013, gave CTE a much-needed boost. The bill gives Texas students the opportunity to receive endorsements—a series of linked courses meant to develop a particular skillset. Students are encouraged to pursue endorsements that align with a potential career, and they must declare their intent by the beginning of ninth grade.

Since 2014-15, the first school year after House Bill 5 went into effect, the number of Texas students taking CTE courses has increased by 25 percent.

The Killeen ISD Career Center is a testament to the growing popularity of CTE programs in Texas.

It opened nearly six years ago—before House Bill 5 passed—with an enrollment of 647. Today, the school has more than 1,700 students. Program opportunities have also expanded. In the past year, the school has added auto collision and repair tracks and a dental facility. Within the next few years, they expect to add robotics and renewable energy programs as well.

The KISD Career Center is a CTE-dedicated campus that offers courses in 14 of the 16 career clusters determined by the US Department of Education.

ATPE NEWS 31

Daniella Pazmino uses a device to scan for and illuminate veins on health science teacher Jeff Watson.

Here, students can study everything from welding to graphic design. They undergo specialized career training and receive real-world opportunities to practice their skills. The campus is home to a functioning salon, auto garage, and photography studio, among other facilities, and boasts industry-standard equipment and technology.

Students also have opportunities to participate in off-campus job training. Future teachers partner with Killeen educators for an entire year, and future healthcare providers like Pazmino work side by side with nurses in the local hospitals.

Nancy Duran, the KISD executive director of CTE, believes that the program’s popularity stems from its flexibility. Students at the Career Center are assigned a home campus—one of the district’s four traditional high schools. They attend the Career Center for half or full days depending on their schedules and interests. “What we offer is available to any Killeen ISD high school student, no matter what school they’re assigned to,” says Duran.

“Students have more ownership over what they’re learning.”

32 ATPE NEWS

Teachers feel a lot of ownership over their work, too. Most come to the Career Center straight from the industry, which means they sometimes have to take pay cuts. Health science teacher Jeff Watson, who has been at the Career Center for almost four years, worked in the healthcare field for 18 years before he started teaching.

Teaching pays less than his previous career, but the predictable, daytime

Average High School Graduation Rates*

VS.

93%

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

80%

TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

*Data from the Association for Career and Technical Education.

hours allow him to spend more time with his family, and working with students still gives him an opportunity to fulfill his true passion—helping people.

The often-unanticipated demands of teaching and the reality of taking a steep pay cut means the school experiences more turnover than it would like. But for those teachers who stay, the experience can be extremely rewarding. Watson has had opportunities to go back to his previous career, but for him, the positives of teaching far outweigh the negatives. “I’ve worked harder as a teacher than any single day as a respiratory therapist,” admits Watson. “But I couldn’t ask for a better job. We are so supported.”

At the KISD Career Center, potential students begin taking tours as early as fifth grade. It might seem premature for students to begin planning their career paths while they are still in elementary school, but the school’s CTE program advisor, Warren Kostencki, says encouraging fifth graders to consider their graduation plans helps keep them in school.

“There is some research that says students start to have some ideology of dropping out as early as fifth grade,” says Kostencki. “And if we can show those fifth graders what is in front of them, or what could be in front of them, that may save a few.”

And for those students who have decided not to drop out, Kostencki believes CTE can provide the motivation they need to stay focused. “Once students see that what we’re doing is relevant and meaningful to them, attendance goes up, grades go up, and discipline problems go down,” he says.

But CTE doesn’t just work for students who need a reason to stay in school. College-bound students also benefit.

Bailey Greene, a senior who studies automotive technology and graphic design at the Career Center, hopes to design green energy vehicles one day.

He attends the Career Center to get the experience he needs to succeed in his future career.

“I decided my best option was to come here and work on the cars that I will one day design,” he says. “If I’ve had the experience as a mechanic, when I get to design cars, I can say, ‘We should probably leave a little gap here so a wrench can fit.’”

Watson says that even though typical behavior problems still exist in his classes, the majority of students are engaged and focused because they have a goal in mind. “Some people have the mindset that kids who attend the Career Center aren’t going to college,” he says. “But almost all of our kids in the health science program are going to go on to become some kind of healthcare provider. They want to be doctors and nurses. They’re here because they want an edge up in college.”

Although college and career prep are the main focus of the Career Center, the school aims to provide students with more than just direction.

Teachers know that because of the fast pace of technology, they’re preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet. That means they have to teach students more than how to perform a particular skill. They have to teach them how to adapt to a changing career environment.

“Our kids work on hands-on projects. They do project-based learning and problem-based learning,” says Kostencki. “They become more ready to be flexible in their career. They know they’re going to have to change and adjust.”

Part of teaching students to adjust to different environments involves exposing them to new skills and potential

Bailey Greene works alongside teacher James Gilmore on state-of-the-art auto tech equipment.

ATPE NEWS 33

Getting Technical IN TEXAS:

77% of high school students take at least 1 CTE course.

Daniella Pazmino and her sister Gabriella cohost a radio show that is broadcast live from the Career Center

1 in 4 students takes 3 or more courses in a single program area.

1,027,435 Total students enrolled in CTE courses for 2009-10, representing 77% of all high school students.

38% of CTE students are economically disadvantaged.

49%

of CTE students are at risk.

25,000 certificates/licensures were earned by high school students in 2007-08.

Students who take 2 or more CTE courses have: • lower dropout rates • higher graduation rates • better attendance rates • higher scores on standardized tests Data as of 2010. Numbers compiled by the Career & Technical Association of Texas and the Texas Education Agency.

interests. Pazmino has learned a lot attended school with for years. Greene about herself by exploring the differbelieves that attending the Career ent career courses that her school has Center gives students the opportuto offer. Once a shy student, Pazmino, nity to meet like-minded peers and alongside her sister, now co-hosts a rahelps them overcome long-standing dio show, which is broadcast live from stereotypes that prevail in neighborthe Career Center. hood schools. “At the “I always wanted to be Career Center, you meet in medicine, but in my people you can actually junior year, I had enough build connections with,” space in my schedule to he says. “You erase all the take a different class,” preconceived notions bePazmino recalls. “My siscause you get a new one ter got into radio, so I did, when you come here.” too. It made me realize that I want to minor in something else. Like creThe growth of CTE proative writing. I think that grams like the Killeen if you come to the Career Career Center is a reflec—Warren Kostencki, Center, your confidence tion of society’s shifting CTE program advisor really skyrockets. I startattitudes about what deed off shy, and now my fines “success.” Twenty confidence has soared.” years ago, college was considered the Encouraging students to experiment most reliable path to a career, but in in different fields also helps them build today’s world, that’s not always the connections that surpass traditional case. As college becomes more expenbarriers. “When students are at their sive and student debt continues to rise, home campus, all they ever see is the more students are considering paths people there,” explains Watson. “When that can take them directly into the they come to the Career Center, they workforce—or at least help them shave develop friendships with people from a few years off college. across the city.”

Perhaps that’s why students and Many students feel that they have staff alike describe the Career Center stronger connections with their in terms that are more appropriate Career Center colleagues than they do for an institution of higher learning with the students on their home camthan a high school. Pazmino believes puses—their neighbors whom they’ve that the combination of dedicated,

“It just boils down to a student finding their pathway.

We’re here to help them find that pathway.”

continued on page 42

34 ATPE NEWS

MEMBERS SPEAK

" Everybody is a genius.

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

STAAR: One Size Does Not Fit All

BY CINDI FIELDS, KELLER ISD

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teachers to adjust and work on the areas where students scored the lowest instead of considering what is best for each individual student.

In today’s world, there isn’t a perfect solution, but I propose bringing back a State-Developed Alternative Assessment that shows the level of improvement made in a given school year. With this type of assessment, students are taught and tested on the level they are at and are expected to make progress accordingly. Standards are set early in the school year, and goals and benchmarks are put into place to guide instruction and assessment throughout the year. An appropriate assessment allows for students to feel successful and positive about themselves. It helps them focus on what they are able to do without the constant reminders of what they struggle with. This type of assessment allows teachers to modify instruction to fit the individual needs of each student.

Meeting students where they are, instead of teaching above their abilities, will prevent frustration and confusion on the part of students, teachers, and parents.

All students can learn and make progress.

Nobody should have the right to mandate just how fast that progress should be.

eing a special education teacher for more than 12 years in Texas has afforded me many opportunities to experience students’ success. Dayto-day victories, both large and small, are rewards for what I do in my professional life.

But the ugly truth of the matter is that special education students are set up for failure from the start. Ironically, the guidelines that are meant to help our students succeed are called the Every Student Succeeds Act and Free and Appropriate Public Education. Despite what we claim to be working toward, we are not setting special education students up for success. Students in sixth grade who are working on a second- or third-grade educational level are asked to perform at their enrolled grade level on annual high-stakes tests.

This poses many problems for students, parents, teachers, administrators, and school districts. Year after year, my special education students make progress in academics and functions, but upon hearing that they “did not meet standards,” these students are crushed. Their self-esteem, spirit, excitement for learning, and motivation are obliterated. Yet again, these students feel labeled as a failure. It doesn’t matter if their teacher tells them how much they’ve grown and improved.

They still feel it wasn’t enough.

Accommodations are put in place for special education students to help “level the playing field.” But this is impossible to do when you are talking about comparing achievement levels for a student with a severe disability vs. a non-disabled stuDO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? dent. Why are the passing standards the same? Why are these students expected Send Members Speak submissions to achieve well beyond their capabilities? Why are teachers, parents, and schools to comm@atpe.org. put in a position to make a student feel inferior when they are doing the best they can? Why are Cindi Fields is a special education teacher who has we as a society squelching young people’s spirits taught in Texas for 14 years, 12 of them in special with an unattainable, unrealistic goal of passing a education. As a mother, she understands parents' test well above their cognitive ability? The result and teachers' perspectives on standardized tests. is that students have anxiety and feel like a failure and teachers are judged. Administrators ask

ATPE NEWS 35

FAMILY ALBUM

OUR FAMILY ALBUM SHOWCASES ATPE MEMBERS WORKING, COLLABORATING, AND HAVING FUN ACROSS THE STATE. Are you or someone you know featured on these pages? If not, send us a photo for the next issue! You can send a high-quality photo to comm@atpe.org.

Don’t forget to include the names of the people in the photo and tell us what event was taking place.

REGION 11

Various Mansfield ATPE officers and campus reps, alongside Mansfield ISD area superintendents, cooked up a team-building event in the kitchen of Ben Barber Career Tech High School.

REGION 3

Region 3 presidents gather for their yearly meeting.

REGION 11

ATPE Executive Director Gary Godsey (left) joined Mansfield ATPE officers Carlos Diaz, Beatrice Owens, Jennifer Bowland, Dyann Campbell, and Kelle Gressett for their Christmas dinner.

REGION 3

REGION 7 A class of student teachers at LeTourneau University celebrated the new year by signing up as ATPE members.

36 ATPE NEWS

Students of Houston Baptist University hold up a special gift at their clinical teacher meeting.

FAMILY ALBUM

REGION 12 Courtney Jones (left) and Jason Forbis (right) goof it up for the camera at a Region 12 Connect Event.

.

REGION 2

Graduating ATPE student teacher members from Texas A&M–Corpus Christi received red/white ATPE member cords at a graduation celebration reception, sponsored by Corpus Christi ATPE.

REGION 10 The DeSoto ISD Education Foundation accepts a donation from ATPE, presented by DeSoto ISD Associate Director of Bands and DeSoto ATPE President Laurencio Arroyo (left).

Photos courtesy of ATPE staff

REGION 19 Eduardo Silva (left) wins the drawing for a crate stocked with goodies at the UTEP Teacher Job Fair.

REGION 13

Members of Region 13 attend a team-building event at Board and Brush, where they got to brush up on their artistic side.

REGION 4

The Houston Museum of Natural Science proved to be the perfect place for Region 4 to hold their fall meeting.

ATPE NEWS 37

WHY I VOLUNTEER

B

eing an ATPE volunteer keeps me engaged in local, regional, and state-level conversations about legislation and our state representatives. We must make informed decisions when voting so we can protect the future of public education. ATPE provides an appropriate and meaningful way to let my voice be heard in the Texas legislature.

ATPE makes me feel valued throughout the year. They always ask how they can better support their members—not just during school hours, but at all times. My deep-rooted belief in the importance of having a servant’s heart, serving others, and supporting one another coincides with ATPE’s foundations.

Whether I’m mentoring new educators or collaborating with seasoned veterans, volunteering with ATPE allows me the opportunity to lead others. I’m proud to be a part of a professional association that offers protection, services, discounts, professional development, and support when and if it’s needed.

—MELISSA CLANTON ATPE campus representative for Levelland Middle School

in volunteering for ATPE?  Interested Contact ATPE’s volunteer program coordinator, Anna Belle Burleson, at aburleson@atpe.org.

38 ATPE NEWS

ATPE

News

YOU COULD WIN

Two Roundtrip Tickets on Southwest Airlines!

HOW?

Take two minutes to:

1 Log in to your member account at ATPE.org and

2

Confirm that your info is correct or make updates.

THAT'S IT!

You'll be entered to win!

You deserve a vacay, so visit ATPE.org right now.

ATPE RECOGNIZES VOLUNTEERS WITH NEW PROGRAM Get to know your fellow ATPE members with our new volunteer recognition series—ATPE Volunteer of the Month!

ATPE will choose one member each month who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their commitment to our organization and to public education. Monthly winners will be announced on the ATPE Blog and in the ATPE email newsletter. To read about past winners, see the ATPE Blog at atpe.org/news/ atpe-blog.

We are looking for volunteers who exhibit outstanding leadership and tireless efforts, and we’re relying on YOU for nominees.

To learn more about this program or to nominate a volunteer, contact our volunteer program coordinator, Anna Belle Burleson, at aburleson@atpe.org.

ATPE

RECOGNIZES

ATPE Bids Farewell to Deputy Executive Director Alan Bookman ATPE is sad to announce that Deputy Executive Director Alan Bookman, who served us with distinction and honor for more than 34 years, is moving on.

During his tenure, Alan was involved in virtually every aspect of ATPE’s operations. To say that his fingerprints, influence, and mark are on ATPE is truly an understatement. His impact will be felt for many years to come. Alan’s remarkable optimism and his ability to work with members, staff, and leaders throughout the years will certainly leave a void in our organization.

ATPE wishes Alan well in whatever the future brings!

ATPE NEWS 39

ATPE

News

Congratulations, CLASSROOM MAKEOVER CONTEST WINNERS!

I

magine a $500 shopping spree to buy items for your classroom! One lucky ATPE professional member and two ATPE first-time professional members each received $500 as part of ATPE’s classroom makeover contest. Congratulations are in order to first-time professional members Jonathan Fisher, Wylie (14) ISD, and Julie Adams, Clear Creek ISD. Long-time member, Diane Hutto, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, was also a winner.

Winner Julie Adams says she’ll be spending her money on books for her students.

I can’t wait to give the students books they love to read that are just right for their age. I also hope to rearrange the room and create a reset location/reading nook. As a firstyear teacher, getting started was tough financially, and this gave me the ability to create the classroom I desired.

WANT TO BE A WINNER, TOO?

Make sure you renew your ATPE membership for 2018-19 by Oct. 31, 2018, and you just might be next!

THE ATPE

VISION 40 ATPE NEWS

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

ATPE’S FIRST PRESIDENT Celebrates Milestone Birthday!

Alafair Hammett, ATPE’s first state president, celebrated her 90th birthday in December 2017. Her daughter hosted a party in Waco, and Deputy Executive Director Alan Bookman, Past President Larry Davis, Gayle Sampley, Janie Davis, and Past President Floyd Trimble joined in the celebration. Happy birthday, Mrs. Hammett!

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THE 38TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ATPE HOUSE OF DELEGATES The ATPE House of Delegates (HOD) will meet during the 2018 ATPE Summit this July 11–13 at the Sheraton Dallas. HOD proceedings, including state officer elections, will occur July 12. Please visit atpesummit.org for more information about the summit and HOD, including delegate certification information.

The wording of proposed bylaws changes will be published in the summer 2018 ATPE News and made available at atpesummit.org at least 45 days prior to the HOD meeting. This notice is published pursuant to Article IX, Section 4, of the ATPE State Bylaws.

Knock Out Required CPE Credits from the Comfort of Your Home!

It’s something you need to do—those pesky Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits, mandatory for all Texas educators. But it doesn’t have to be a bother! Thanks to your ATPE membership, you have the opportunity to earn CPE credits from the comfort of your home.

The Professional Learning Portal provides you with access to on-demand webinars and continuing professional education courses for free!

CHECK OUT SOME OF THE LATEST COURSES: • “ How to Keep a Job (and Your Certification),” featuring ATPE attorney Paul Tapp • “ Make the Right Choice: Taking Responsibility for Your Happiness and Success,”

by Joel Zeff (2017 ATPE Summit keynote speech) • “ Information Literacy in the Digital Age,” by ATPE member Andrea Keller

To access the ATPE Professional Learning Portal and view courses, go to atpe.org/cpe.

ATPE NEWS 41

continued from page 18

tury. It's a win-win approach.

The LCM framework can be a catalyst for transforming educators’ thinking about new possibilities and opportunities for learning and teaching. LCM has demonstrated its effectiveness with English learners across the United States. At UTSA, it has helped show the benefit of collaboration between communities and universities (Ek, Machado-Casas, Sánchez, & Alanis, 2010; Flores, Vásquez, & Clark, 2014; Vásquez, 2003).

It has also helped Latino/a students in low-wealth communities master STEM concepts. This supports a long-term goal of LCM and ATE to address the national need to increase the ethnic and gender representation of educators and STEM professionals.

References

Ek, L. D., Machado-Casas, M., Sánchez, P., & Alanis, I. (2010).

Crossing cultural borders: La Clase Mágica as a university-school partnership. Journal of School Leadership, 20(6), 820-849.

Flores, B. B., Vásquez, O. A., & Clark, E. R. (2014). ¡Adelante!

El mundo nuevo: Educating the new generation of the twenty-first century. In B. B. Flores, O. A. Vásquez, & E. R. Clark (Eds.), Generating transworld pedagogy: Reimagining La Clase Mágica (pp. 3–16). New York, NY: Lexington Books.

Prieto, L., Claeys, L., & Lara Gonzales, E. (2015). Transnational alliances: La Clase Mágica—nepohualtzitzin ethnomathematics club. Journal of Latinos and Education, 14(2), 125-134.

Schuetze, A., Claeys, L., Flores, B. B., & Sczeck, S. (2014). LCM as a community based expansive learning approach to STEM

education. International Journal for Research on Extended Education, 2(2), 1-19.

Vásquez, O. A. (2003). La Clase Mágica: Imagining optimal possibilities in a bilingual community of learners. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. continued from page 34

goal-oriented students and teachers who know the field results in mutual respect, similar to a college environment. “We are treated like adults,” she says. “The teachers here know what we want to do, so we can connect with them better. We can talk to our professors about anything.”

Despite the evidence supporting CTE, Greene maintains that this program—like college—isn’t necessarily right for all students. “There are students who shouldn’t come to the Career Center, and it’s the ones who aren’t willing to give it their all,” he says. “I’m putting 110 percent of myself into my courses, and I have a job on top of that. You’ve got to pick and choose.”

But it’s not just the dedication of the students that makes this program a success. It’s also the persistence and vision of the school staff that propels students toward a positive outcome.

Greene credits his teachers for pushing him to work harder.

“Every teacher you meet has an idea of who you are, and they see the most potential that anyone has ever seen in anyone,” he says. “It’s amazing the way teachers encourage you.”

Kostencki agrees that a committed staff can make a difference for the school’s students. “It just boils down to a student finding their pathway. We’re here to help them find that pathway.”

Looking for Great Tips and Resources? Try the ATPE Blog!

The ATPE Blog is the No. 1 place to find quick-hit news, vital association information, and stories from members like you. Haven’t checked it out yet? What are you waiting for? Recent topics include: • • • • •

Developing a mentor relationship Creating a positive atmosphere in your school Election tips and resources Cameras in special education classrooms How to make the most of your ATPE benefits

Don’t wait! Bookmark your association’s blog today!

Atpe.org/News/ATPE-Blog

42 ATPE NEWS

BRAIN BREAK

Are you a word find wizard?

F

or this issue of Brain Break, we’re putting your word-search abilities to the test.

Try to find all 12 words hidden in the puzzle. We’ve chosen various terms featured throughout the magazine’s articles.

To see an answer key, head to the ATPE Blog at atpe.org/Spring18/ BrainBreak. If you’d like to be entered into a drawing for an ATPE-branded prize, take a photo of your answers and email contest@atpe.org by April 6. Good luck!

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ATPE NEWS 43

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

Q: What do you need most right now?

A: Peace of mind!

This year, you’ve been a mentor, friend, parent, partner…the list goes on. Now, you deserve a break.

Starting on April 1, join ATPE for 2018-19 and check it off your list. ATPE provides peace of mind when you need it most. You can start using your discounts and free professional learning now. So take that welldeserved vacation, and come back to school next year knowing you have up to $8 million in professional liability insurance*, employment rights defense coverage*, and professional learning at your fingertips.

BEING A MEMBER OF ATPE MEANS GETTING WHAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU NEED IT. JOIN TODAY! *Eligibility, terms, and conditions apply. Visit atpe.org/protection for more information.