January/February 2024 Texas School Business

71

YEARS

The News Magazine for Public Education in Texas

Texas School Business

JAN/FEB

2024

Texas school districts offer many forms of support Also in this issue: TCASE President Lorin Furlow

y h t l a e H staff, healthy students

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Healthy staff, healthy students

TCASE President Profile Lorin Furlow leads TCASE with a deep love for special education

Texas school districts offer many forms of support

by Dacia Rivers

by Dacia Rivers

Photo Features

Columns

Departments

7 The Law Dawg— Unleashed

by Jim Walsh

16 Annual Texas ASCD conference held in San Antonio 11 Who’s News 28 Calendar 35 Ad Index

5 From the Editor

by Dacia Rivers

9 Digital Frontier by the TETL Digital Shift Committee in collaboration with Texas ASCD

20 Regional View

by Brenda Lee Thompson 22 Student Voices

by Saniya Nickleson and Adalynn Ybarra 24 The Arts

by Chelsi Johnston 35 The Back Page

by Riney Jordan

The views expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or Texas School Business advertisers.

The publisher also makes no endorsement of the advertisers or advertisements in this publication.

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From the editor

H

appy New Year, school administrators. I hope you all enjoyed at least a small winter break and are ready to kick off a new calendar year with determination.

We have a great issue to help you get started. Starting on page 12, our feature article takes a look at what some Texas school districts are doing to support the mental and physical health of their staff and students. Check it out for some ideas and inspiration.

In this issue we also have a Regional View column from ESC Region 5, touching on the McKinney-Vento student support system and how ESC staff help students in need. We’ve also got a sweet Student Voices from two middle school students in West Oso ISD, detailing their experience participating in the NASA app development challenge. Plus one of Spring ISD’s fine arts teachers details her love for teaching elementary-aged children in The Arts.

As always, if you know of a student who’d be interested in writing for Student Voices, or an arts educator who’d like to write about your district’s programs for our The Arts section, please reach out to me at drivers@ texasschoolbusiness.com.

Thank you for reading and sharing Texas School Business. May 2024 be a wonderful year for Texas public ed!

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 Volume LXXI, Issue 1 406 East 11th Street Austin, Texas 78701 Phone: 512-477-6361 www.texasschoolbusiness.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Dacia Rivers DESIGN

Phaedra Strecher

Dacia Rivers Editorial Director

COLUMNISTS

Riney Jordan Saniya Nickleson Brenda Lee Thompson Jim Walsh Adalynn Ybarra ADVERTISING SALES

Jennifer Garrido

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Brown

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Amy Francisco

Texas School Business (ISSN 0563-2978) is published online bimonthly with a special edition, Bragging Rights, in December, by the Texas Association of School Administrators. © Copyright 2024 Texas Association of School Administrators

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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THE LAW DAWG – UNLEASHED

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Personnel decision time

by Jim Walsh

A

s we move into the spring semester, the time for personnel decisions is upon us. In most districts the board first addresses the superintendent, then the administrators, and then the teachers. If a contract is to be nonrenewed, there is a timeline to meet. Let’s review a few basics about making these key decisions.

First, remember how important this is. I’m sure you’ve noticed how much is outside of your control. We obviously don’t control the Legislature. You can’t control the board, or the teachers, the parents, or the media.

In fact, pretty much everything outside of your personal hula hoop is outside of your control. But for school administrators, the selection, evaluation and retention of personnel is something you do control. And nothing has a bigger impact on the quality of services you offer your students than how you handle these critical decisions.

Second, remember the mantra: We make all personnel decisions based on nondiscriminatory, non-retaliatory, job-related factors. Litigation over personnel decisions in the public sector is always about the reasons for the decision. This is true even with at-will employees. There are actually court cases that say that an at-will employee can be fired for “good reasons, bad reasons, or no reason at all.” Don’t believe it. That is sloppy language that should be disregarded.

The reason matters, and it must be aligned with the mantra: non-discriminatory, nonretaliatory, and job-related.

Third, it’s fair and usually beneficial to offer an employee an opportunity to resign. But in doing so, the administrator needs to stay in the proper lane. Informing the employee of what you intend to do and what is within the scope of your responsibility is neither

coercion nor duress. It’s professional courtesy.

For example, the principal who tells the teacher: “I intend to recommend that your contract not be renewed,” is staying in the lane. The principal is required to make a recommendation to the superintendent, and so when the principal informs the teacher of this, it’s not an improper threat. It’s a courteous communication, particularly if given at a time that affords the teacher an opportunity to think it over, and perhaps resign. On the other hand, statements like, “You need to resign by Friday or your contract will be nonrenewed,” are dangerous whether they are spoken by the principal, the HR director, or the superintendent.

None of those school administrators have the authority to nonrenew the teacher’s contract. Stay in your lane. Don’t tell the teacher what is going to happen; tell the teacher what you are planning to do, consistent with your job responsibilities.

Of course I wouldn’t be doing my job as a lawyer without reminding you to “document, document, document.” And remember that documentation cuts both ways, so be thoughtful with what you write.

Don’t be like the superintendent who wrote a letter to a teacher that concluded with, “we expected better behavior out of a woman of your years.”

I also wouldn’t be doing my job as a lawyer if I failed to add: Consult with your school’s attorney. If the lawyer advises that things don’t look quite right for a contract nonrenewal, consider what other steps can be taken. We can help.

Best of luck as you make your decisions.

Here’s hoping it leads to a stronger staff.

JIM WALSH is an attorney with Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle PC. He can be reached at jwalsh@wabsa.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @jwalshtxlawdawg.

Check us out online at texasschoolbusiness.com for: ► recent issues ► how to submit articles ► Bragging Rights nomination info ► advertising information ► and more!

Texas School Business THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS

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DIGITAL FRONTIER

The use of generative artificial intelligence in K-12 education: balancing benefits, concerns and ethical use by the TETL Digital Shift Committee in collaboration with Texas ASCD

G

enerative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to transform K-12 education. Charles Cooper, instructional content specialist - digital learning at ESC Region 11, likens it to the automobile, stating, “Much like the automobile expanded not only cities but career and familial opportunities, AI is set to redefine education.

It will empower educators to craft powerful lessons, bridging learning gaps and enhancing classroom joy, without sidelining the human touch.”

This technology, exemplified by models such as ChatGPT, offers exciting possibilities for personalized learning, enhanced engagement, and efficient teaching practices. But what do we do with it? How should we embrace it? Dr. Elizabeth Clark, associate superintendent for curriculum, instruction and accountability in Birdville ISD, says that these tools can be viewed as a threat to our paradigm, but what we really need to do is embrace them and design around the innovation.

As with any innovation there are benefits and concerns. Along with the benefits, it is crucial to navigate the ethical considerations surrounding its implementation. In this article, we will explore the use of generative AI in K-12 education, its potential benefits, significant concerns, and offer guidelines to assist districts as they consider generative AI.

Benefits The integration of generative AI in K-12 public education has the potential to revolutionize the learning landscape.

AI technologies offer a wide range of benefits, enabling educators to personalize instruction, enhance student engagement, streamline administrative tasks, and facilitate effective decision-making processes.

As with any innovation there are benefits and concerns. Along with the benefits, it is crucial to navigate the ethical considerations surrounding its implementation.

Personalized learning experiences Personalized learning fosters a deeper understanding of content and nurtures selfdirected learning. AI can analyze individual student strengths and weaknesses, and individual learning styles and provide realtime feedback.

• Generative AI can create customized learning materials, including text, videos, and interactive exercises, customized to suit each student’s learning style and level of understanding. This content can be adapted based on student progress and personalized feedback, ensuring they receive appropriately challenging and engaging materials. Generative AI can analyze a student’s learning history and performance data to recommend personalized learning pathways, suggesting the most suitable sequence of topics and activities for each student by analyzing individual learning patterns and preferences, AI can

recommend personalized resources, reading materials, and supplementary content to students. For students with special needs, generative AI can create personalized learning resources that cater to their specific requirements, enabling a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.

• With the help of generative AI, students can learn at their own pace, allowing them to revisit concepts or progress faster as needed. This flexibility ensures that no student is left behind or held back based on the standard pace of the classroom. AI algorithms can identify learning gaps and misconceptions in a student’s understanding by analyzing their responses and performance data.

Educators can then provide targeted interventions to address these gaps and support students’ academic growth.

AI-powered assessments • Differentiated assessments allow educators to empower students to own the assessment process. A variety of assessments can be used to measure student learning using AI with more efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness than traditional assessments.

• Adaptive testing can efficiently identify areas of strength and weakness, and provide a more accurate measure of a student’s abilities. Adaptive testing using AI algorithms can measure student proficiency and performance by creating appropriate questions for the students. Educators can modify questions to challenge students. > See Digital Frontier, page 23 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

9

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Who’s News Abilene ISD Austin Elementary School will welcome Lacy Bruce as its principal with the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. A 13-year employee of Abilene ISD, she currently serves as assistant principal of the campus and previously taught at Johnston Elementary. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University and her master’s degree in education from Sul Ross State University.

Clay Johnson has accepted

the position of Abilene ISD’s executive director of fine arts.

An educator with the district for 20 years, he most recently was principal of Austin Elementary School. He spent the first 16 years of his career as associate director and then director of band at Cooper High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and his master’s degree in music performance from the University of Michigan.

Aldine ISD The district’s newly appointed assistant superintendent for teaching and learning is Lindsey Wise, who was director of learning recovery, tutoring and student initiatives. She has 16 years of experience as an educator, 15 of those in Aldine ISD. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University and her doctorate in professional leadership from the University of Houston.

The district’s new director of student services is Janel Morris, who comes to Bastrop from Pawnee ISD, where she was director of English language arts. She began her career in 2009 in La Vega ISD, going on to work as a teacher and administrator in Belton, Granbury, Morgan, DeSoto and Keller ISDs. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Walden University.

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

Boerne ISD

Former Aragon Middle School principal Lloyd Turner now leads Cypress Woods High School. The 14-year educator has spent his career in CFISD, beginning as an adaptive behavior teacher before spending five years as a science teacher. He helped open Cypress Park High School as an assistant principal before taking his most recent position. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Prairie View A&M University.

Now serving as superintendent is Kristin Craft, who is the first female superintendent in the district’s history. An educator for almost three decades, she was Spring Branch ISD’s associate superintendent of academics and chief academic officer since 2018.

Boyd ISD New superintendent Tom Woody is the former superintendent of Vernon ISD.

Brownsville ISD An interim superintendent has been selected for Brownsville ISD. Jesus Chavez, a graduate of the district’s Porter High School, previously served as superintendent of Harlingen CISD as well as Corpus Christi and Round Rock ISDs, and was most recently executive director of the South Texas Association of Schools.

Buffalo ISD Adam Ivy, who now holds the top

Aransas Pass ISD

administrative position in Buffalo ISD, was previously superintendent of Thorndale ISD.

New superintendent Glenn Barnes comes to Aransas Pass from Splendora ISD, where he was chief of leadership.

College Station ISD

Bastrop ISD Cedar Creek Elementary School’s new principal, Tammy Hernandez, was most recently an assistant high school principal in Gonzales ISD. An educator for 18 years, she previously was a teacher and administrator in Pasadena ISD. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University and a doctorate from Northcentral University.

Sara Goolsby is the district’s

new chief of staff and school leadership. She has spent 15 of her 20 years as an educator in administration, most recently in Willis ISD, where she was assistant superintendent of innovation. She previously served as that district’s dean of instruction, director of learner pathways, and executive director of secondary education.

Coupland ISD Now serving as Coupland ISD’s superintendent is Earl Purcell, former chief financial officer of Copperas Cove ISD.

Doug Killian, former

superintendent of Pflugerville ISD, now holds the top position in CypressFairbanks ISD. Prior to his time in Pflugerville, he was superintendent of Hutto, Huffman and Poteet ISDs. He is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) with a doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M University.

Denton ISD Denton ISD’s new director of benefits is Sarah Johnson, who brings more than two decades of experience to her new position. For the past eight years, she was Keller ISD’s director of human resources. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler and received her master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University.

Grace Anne McKay is the

district’s new director of advanced academics. She has spent the past 21 years in Denton ISD, most recently as its secondary mathematics coordinator. In addition, she was an adjunct professor at Texas Woman’s University, where she earned her master’s degree in mathematics.

Now serving as director of safety and security is Mary Martin, who comes to Denton ISD from Northwest ISD in Fort Worth, where she was a campus safety coordinator. She began her career in law enforcement in 2002 with the Denton County Sheriff ’s Office.

Ector County ISD Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Ector County ISD’s director of early childhood education, Beatris Mata, to the Texas Early Learning Council. ► See Who’s News, page 26 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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y h t l a He staff, healthy students 12

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Texas school districts offer many forms of support

by Dacia Rivers

◄ Through a partnership with Texas A&M Agrilife, Pritchard Junior High a school received a “Healthy School” designation.

schools have risen to this challenge, developing new ways to meet staff and students’ health needs on campus and beyond.

Whitehouse ISD Northeast Texas’ Whitehouse ISD had fortuitous timing when the district hired Leigh Anne Barber to serve as director of counseling services not long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

It’s far from surprising to learn that hiring counselors can be a huge cost burden to school districts, but in Whitehouse ISD, Barber has developed a win-win partnership that helps alleviate some of those financial challenges.

Barber had previously worked in the same position in nearby Tyler ISD, where she developed a working relationship with the clinic health master’s program at the University of Texas at Tyler. When she came to WISD, Barber began inviting interns from the university to serve as counselors in the school district. It’s been a win-win for the district, making mental health care services more affordable, and the university, which now has an easy internship path for many of its students — one that often leads to permanent employment.

T

exas public schools are not just a place of learning. They’re a place of growth, for students and for staff.

As student needs and government requirements change, districts are often forced to switch up the way they respond, offering new and innovative ways to meet challenges while best supporting those who attend and work in their schools.

In many ways, schools have had to become health providers, hiring counselors to support staff and students while still running the day-to-day business required on each and every campus. Texas public

Initially, these interns perform mental health care services in group counseling situations in the district. After graduating and become licensed professional counselors, they are eligible to be employed as counselors — so far, WISD has hired four former interns to counsel on its campuses.

Thanks to this robust counseling program, WISD was able to offer remote counseling to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barber says that once students returned to campus, the extra counseling available in the district was a huge help.

“When you talk about what kids are dealing with, divorce, trauma, grief, there’s a lot of need,” she says. “There’s a lot of need everywhere.”

With the 80/20 school counselor rule requiring that counselors dedicate 80% of

their time to counseling duties, Whitehouse ISD has been able to shift non-counseling duties off many of its counselors’ backs.

Counselors in the district have ample time to work with students on their mental health needs as well as on their college and career preparedness plans.

With all the extra counseling opportunities, WISD is also able to offer support to staff, who can see a counselor privately and confidentially on campus whenever they feel the need. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from staff as well as families in the district. When a student is referred for counseling, counselors first contact that students’ parents to let them know and invite them to attend a meeting.

Barber says she thinks this step has helped improve response to the initiative.

“If a parent has a concern, we listen to their concern and help them through it, because that’s their child, and they deserve to know what’s going on. The communication with parents has to be there.”

Bells ISD North of Dallas, Bells ISD is a fastgrowth district in a small town, where Superintendent Tricia Meek strives to maintain an environment for students and staff that is nurturing, caring and familylike. A big part of that is boosting the health of everyone in the district through several initiatives.

One wildly popular program that reaches all corners of the district is the Panthers for a Healthy Heart program. BISD partnered with Texas A&M AgriLife last year to kick off this multifaceted program. One of the events was a Walk Across Texas challenge, where groups of staff and students could sign up to walk 832 miles (the distance from one side of Texas to the other) over an eight-week period. Along with the step challenge, the district offered biometric health screenings to staff. They hosted a staff weight-loss challenge. Students at the elementary level participated in Fitness Friday activities and a Jog-a-thon. ► See Healthy, page 14 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

13

▲ Third graders in Bells ISD participate in a Fitness Friday challenge.

From top to bottom, everyone in Bells was up and on the move, working to be the best version of themselves. It all started when Meek heard about the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart program.

She liked the sound of it, but wanted to do something more local for her district — something more personalized to Panther pride. With help from school nurse Brittnie Hodge, Meek planned to kick off the program in January, when many folks are beginning their new year’s resolutions. The timing worked perfectly and the feedback was so immense, they continued the program into the next month with a Getting Fit for February initiative.

“Teachers have told us that some of the initiatives we did were really life changing to them, because we had several who lost weight, and we had several who had not exercised in years, and it spurred them to get into an exercise program,” Meek says.

“It’s been hugely successful.”

While the physical health program focused largely on staff, Meek and Hodge believe the eventual benefits were felt by students as well.

“We know that a huge link to socialemotional health is being active and physically fit, so our goal was to encourage

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

staff members to ‘become a better me,’” Meek says. “And our intent was that if we can make them happier and make them feel better about themselves, then they’re better for our students and better educators in the classroom.”

Of course, the support initiatives in BISD don’t end in the teachers’ break room.

The district has also kicked off a student mentoring program to benefit students with one-on-one support. The elementary principal identified students in grades three through five who could use some extra support through mentorships with older students. Through this program, BISD high schoolers meet once a week with their young mentees to just hang out.

The students play games, read together, or just chat. The hope is that these established students can serve as role models and help prepare the younger students for what’s ahead in junior high and beyond. The program started in early 2023, and the results have been fantastic.

“There are a lot of kids who don’t necessarily have a mentor at home or outside of school, and so they feel really special and they’re excited about it,” Meek says. “Everyone wants a mentor now!”

Montgomery ISD Outside Houston, Montgomery ISD is a small-town district that is dedicated to educating the whole child, including addressing students’ overall well-being.

In a move to support district families as they watch their children grow in a time of constant change, the district began hosting Supporting Our Schools (SOS) parents’ nights in the fall of 2022.

To determine the areas where students needed support, the district asked 6th through 12th graders, with parental permission, to participate in a survey that gathered information about the students’ experiences with drugs, vaping, depression, relationships and other challenges.

The district then held a series of parent night events, revealing the survey results and offering families information, support and assistance. Over the course of three separate parents’ night events, the district invited experts to come and speak with families and offer tips for maintaining open lines of communication between students and their parents.

The idea for the SOS program began when Common Sense Media asked to screen its film Childhood 2.0 to district leaders. The

The goal is to keep the pathways of communication between parents, students, counselors and teachers open and to maintain judgmentfree dialogue so that students feel heard and supported by a community that truly has their best interests at heart.

▲ High school students in Bells ISD serve as mentors to younger students in the district.

film explores many topics of concern to young people in the current climate, such as technology and social media, and how these factors impact students’ safety and mental health.

At the same time, MISD Superintendent Dr. Amy Busby’s son was invited to take a similar survey as part of his church youth group. After watching the film and viewing the results from the youth group survey, Busby decided that parents in the district could benefit from additional education and support with parenting teenagers in a hightech world.

The district formed an SOS committee, which has worked to connect parents with local resources to help their students navigate the teen and young adulthood years. At the SOS parent events, local mental health counselors were on-hand to provide families with information about costs, insurance coverage and appointment scheduling. The Montgomery County Overdose Prevention Endeavor presented a memorial walkway, showing photos of students who passed away due to drug use, and provided information on NARCAN training and safe disposal of medications.

MISD school counselors greeted parents, allowing families to make a personal

connection with school staff members who work one-on-one with their students.

The district says the events were so popular that the committee plans to repeat the parent nights and continue to provide this support to families. The goal is to keep the pathways of communication between

parents, students, counselors and teachers open and to maintain judgment-free dialogue so that students feel heard and supported by a community that truly has their best interests at heart.

DACIA RIVERS is editorial director of Texas School Business.

▲ Bells ISD makes biometric screenings available to district staff.

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

15

Photo Feature

ANNUAL TEXAS ASCD CONFERENCE HELD IN SAN ANTONIO The Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development held its annual conference in the fall with a theme of Lighting the Path Forward.

Attendees gathered for two and a half days of professional learning, networking, receptions and more.

▲ Dr. Kim Lawson, 2023-24 Texas ASCD Board President, welcomes attendees to the conference. Photo credit: Lauren Viduya

▲ Keynote presenter Baruti Kafele kicks off the Annual Conference on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Photo credit: Texas ASCD staff

▲ From left, Texas ASCD Board Members before the general session: Dr. Wes Cunningham, Frisco ISD; Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz, Dripping Springs ISD; Dr. Lisa Pedevilla, GrapevineColleyville ISD; Dr. Brandon Johnson, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD; and Dr. Jerry Woods, Northside ISD. Photo credit: Nicholas Hernandez

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

▲ Board member Dr. Jerry Woods, Northside ISD, presents Alamo Area Affiliate president Dr. Shannon Fuller, East Central ISD, with the 2023 Exceptional Affiliate Award. Photo credit: Nicholas Hernandez

▲ Dr. Terrie Noland presents on literacy, courtesy of Platinum Corporate Partner Learning Ally. Photo credit: Christine Morales

▲ Making an entrance! Dr. Lisa Pedevilla, Vice President, and Dr. Wes Cunningham, President-Elect, promote the 2024 Annual Conference to be held in Irving, Oct. 13-15, 2024. Photo credit: Christine Morales

▲ Panelists discuss “AI: The Next Disruptor in Education Keynote,” moderated by Dr. Karla Burkholder (board member), Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD. From left, Lori Gracey, TCEA; Dr. Elizabeth Clark, Birdville ISD; Karen Muller (board member), Katy ISD; and keynote speaker Larry Roberts, Red Hat Media. Photo credit: Ariela Valverde

▲ Presenter Anne Grady signs books in the exhibit hall after her keynote.

Photo credit: Olivia White

▲ Board Member Dr. Linda Macias, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, listens to a keynote presentation. Photo credit: Olivia White

▲ Keynote Dr. Catlin Tucker presents Monday, courtesy of Platinum Corporate Partner, Imagine Learning. Photo credit: Jeremiah Granja

▲ From left, Danielle Leon and Nanette Valdez-Yzaguirre, Northside ISD, presenting an Innovative Highlights session. Photo credit: Nicholas Martinez

▲ Conference participants interact in the ballroom.

Photo credit: Christine Morales

PRESIDENT PROFILE

Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education

Lorin Furlow leads TCASE with a deep love for special education

by Dacia Rivers

“I found myself drawn to learning more about how to best help all students learn, especially students who might not learn in the more traditional way.”

L

orin Furlow recently stepped up to lead the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE) with 21 years of education under her belt, though she says her love for the field started at birth. Born to two educators, Furlow has spent much of her life in classrooms, though she got her professional start in a preschool program for children with disabilities as a pre-K teacher at Polk Elementary School in Brazosport ISD. With a degree in interdisciplinary education from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Furlow worked in a variety of roles in BISD, and helped open the district’s first structured special education classroom. She served on the district-wide behavior support team and as autism specialist serving students of all ages. Furlow earned her master’s in educational leadership from Lamar University in

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

2010 and has worked as the director of special services in BISD for the last eight years.

A graduate of BISD schools, Furlow says she developed her interest in special education in high school when participating in the Peer Assistance Leadership & Service (PALS) program. Through the program, she would visit elementary schools across the district and work with a variety of students. Furlow was assigned to her own former elementary school and often worked with students with disabilities.

“I found myself drawn to learning more about how to best help all students learn, especially students who might not learn in the more traditional ways,” she says of the experience.

Furlow has two children of her own who both received special services during their school years, which further shaped her desire to work in special education. In 2008, she became a member of TCASE to deepen her network and connect with other special education leaders. She says that the variety of experience levels TCASE members have mean that someone in the community will always be able to provide the expertise, guidance or resources that other special education leaders need.

In a desire to give back to the organization that has supported her, Furlow began serving TCASE in numerous ways, including sitting on various committees and volunteering and presenting at conferences.

Now she has taken the role of president, stepping up to lead the organization at a time when special education needs are growing across the state.

“Having developed leadership skills and knowledge through TCASE, I want to help make sure that others know about the membership opportunities and about the resources available,” she says. “That’s what led me to seek out more leadership responsibilities and eventually serve as president.”

During her time in the president’s seat, Furlow wants to continue the group’s focus on building leaders and empowering those leaders to improve services and support for students with disabilities. She plans to speak with policymakers and other education stakeholders in an effort to collaborate with them to best serve students with disabilities across the state.

“We want our members to have a seat at the table when these services and supports are discussed,” she says. “Failure to do so could have a critical impact on services for students with disabilities, and we, as special education leaders, need to know that we have unique and important contributions to bring to the table.”

Furlow says she feels blessed to have the opportunity to lead TCASE and to spend her education career in her native Brazosport. By using the connections and learning opportunities TCASE involvement has given her, she continues to work tirelessly to support staff, students and families in her district and beyond.

Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education Membership: TCASE membership is open to special education administrators as well as certified individuals working in special education-related jobs.

Mission: TCASE’s mission is to inspire and empower special education professionals and to work on behalf of their members to help them achieve in their profession.

Year founded: 1960 Website: tcase.org

DACIA RIVERS is editorial director of Texas School Business.

January 28-31 | Austin, Texas Don't miss out!

Online registration ends January 19! tasamidwinter.org Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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REGIONAL VIEW

Education service center programs & practices

▲ Region 5 ESC hosted the first annual Get to Know Your Southeast Texas CBO Networking Meeting in the fall, welcoming McKinney-Vento liaisons, counselors, registrars, administrators and local community-based organizations.

McKinney-Vento student support: a community approach

by Brenda Lee Thompson

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here will we sleep tonight? Will my mom’s friend let us stay for another night? Is there room at the shelter for all of us or will we be split up again? These are just a few questions a child or youth experiencing homelessness may have to confront daily. Housing instability can happen to anyone, at any time, and can happen for many reasons. Family violence, divorce, evictions, or maybe a natural disaster are just a few examples.

According to data released in 2022 by the National Center for Homeless Education, Texas had 93,096 students identified as McKinney-Vento eligible for the 2020-21 school year.

At Region 5 ESC, student success is the ultimate goal, with service and technical assistance as our focus. For the Region 5 McKinneyVento program, this goal is not taken lightly. Students identified as McKinney-Vento eligible may experience barriers in education that other students may never encounter and the McKinney-Vento Act ensures they receive services addressing the unique needs of students experiencing homelessness.

In 2021, many school districts and ESCs received funding from the American Rescue Plan. This new grant funding offered opportunities for school districts and service centers to build capacity within their current homeless programs, to ultimately better serve children and youth experiencing homelessness.

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At Region 5, our greatest source of data and most valuable feedback comes from our school district liaisons and staff. Incoming data quickly revealed the barriers that district liaisons were facing on the local level. Finding local resources for students and families seemed to be the top barrier for many LEAs. Close behind was the lack of leadership activities and opportunities for identified students. Last but certainly not least was the lack of resources for unaccompanied homeless youth. With increased funding and newly identified barriers, it was time for action.

to visit community organizations was very difficult and this created a barrier when developing a network of local providers.

This workshop offered participants a chance to learn more about available resources and allowed providers an opportunity to hear directly from the school district staff about the needs they are seeing in their communities. This event proved to be very beneficial in leveraging our collective knowledge, experience and expertise and ensured liaisons were ready and able to assist students and families in addressing immediate needs.

The Regional McKinney-Vento team, consisting of three members, started the monumental task of identifying local community-based organizations in the Region 5 area. This included 39 school districts and charter schools located across six counties. The process of identifying and cataloging resources by county led to the development of a resource directory and a food distribution guide that local liaisons could utilize and share with students and families experiencing homelessness. Every resource in the guide was vetted by staff to ensure it is a currently available resource.

We now needed to address our second identified barrier. Liaisons had made it clear that there was a lack of leadership activities for students identified as McKinney-Vento eligible. Needing to address all grade levels, the Region 5 McKinney-Vento team began the planning of two upcoming events. Coming in the spring of 2024, in collaboration with Lamar University and the Workforce Solutions of Southeast Texas, Region 5 will host the First Annual Student Leadership Summit.

To keep the momentum going and keep the liaisons excited about the new resource information, the ESC held the first annual Get to Know Your Southeast Texas CBO Networking Meeting in the fall of 2023. This event brought McKinney-Vento liaisons, counselors, registrars and administrators together along with 10 area CommunityBased Organizations (CBOs) to Region 5. This speed networking event allowed participants to visit with each provider to learn more about programs and services offered within that organization before moving on to the next group until all 10 CBOs were visited.

Many LEAs stated that leaving the campus

This summit will allow students in grades 9-12 to experience the “Game of Life.” This full-day summit will include breakout sessions including topics such as resume writing, career and technical opportunities in Southeast Texas, mental health information, and post-secondary education. The summit theme represents LIFE … Leadership … Integrity … Focus … Excellency! For our younger students in grades K-6, Region 5 will host the Full STEAM Ahead Academy. This fun-filled day will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Working collaboratively with multiple programs at Region 5, this event will surely be a hit.

Most critically is a need for more resources for unaccompanied youth.

As we learned more about the unique needs of unaccompanied homeless youth (those not in the physical custody of their parents or guardians), we realized this was an area of vital need and would require more than just an event or workshop. This required social advocacy. Cities such as Waco and Abilene have wonderful drop-in centers for unaccompanied and homeless youth, with targeted programs and services.

Studies have shown the negative impact homelessness has on children and youth.

Homeless teens are more likely to be involved in the prison system, to struggle with addiction and mental health issues, and to be at risk for human trafficking.

The goal of drop-in centers is to break that cycle. As we strengthen relationships with city and state agencies, we continue to provide information regarding the needs of unaccompanied homeless youth in our area. To date, we have had the privilege of meeting with two state representatives who were eager to learn more about the obstacles that unaccompanied youth are facing and we look forward to collaborating with state leaders as we continue our advocacy efforts.

Our work is not done, only just beginning as we continue to learn more about what children and youth experiencing homelessness need to succeed.

Homelessness is not a choice, but a journey many of our students find themselves walking through. We had a choice. With extra resources and increased staff capacity, we could either continue like before, or we could choose to do things a little differently.

Children and youth experiencing homelessness today have the potential to be tomorrow’s leaders. It’s our job to make sure they get that opportunity.

BRENDA LEE THOMPSON is program specialist for the Migrant Education Program, McKinney-Vento Program and Foster Care in Region 5 ESC. Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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STUDENT VOICES

West Oso ISD junior high students work to develop an app for NASA

by Saniya Nickleson and Adalynn Ybarra

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articipating in the NASA app development challenge has proven to be quite a challenging yet enjoyable experience.

Being part of a group of five or fewer, we’ve immersed ourselves in the intricacies of creating an app using Unity, closely following the guidelines outlined in NASA’s provided handbook.

The prospect of being selected adds an exciting element, as it could mean a trip to Houston and the chance to visit NASA headquarters.

It’s a unique opportunity for West Oso Junior High, as we are the sole school in Corpus Christi taking part in the NASA app development challenge.

Beyond the technical aspects, this challenge has the potential to teach us more about NASA and deepen our understanding of space exploration.

Overall, it’s not just a project but a journey that promises both learning and fun.

SANIYA NICKLESON and ADALYNN YBARRA are in sixth grade at West Oso Junior High School in West Oso ISD.

“Student Voices” is a regularly featured column in Texas School Business. It’s an opportunity for students of all ages from across Texas to share their experiences in K-12 public schools. Contact Editorial Director Dacia Rivers at drivers@texasschoolbusiness.com for publishing guidelines.

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DIGITAL FRONTIER

► Continued from page 9 • Intelligent tutoring systems use AI

to track student progress and adjust the difficulty level of tasks to match their abilities. AI tutoring gives educators the ability to individualize learning for students. Educators can measure and identify student strengths and weaknesses based on data analyzed with AI. Educators can recommend personalized learning pathways and provide resources or interventions to support student learning. AI-powered virtual tutors can act as personalized guides, addressing students’ questions, providing explanations, and offering support whenever needed. These tutors can adapt their teaching styles to match the student’s learning pace and preferences.

Data-driven decisionmaking AI’s data analysis capabilities can potentially transform the way education institutions make informed decisions. By processing vast amounts of student data, AI can identify patterns and trends, helping teachers and school leaders identify areas of improvement and design targeted interventions. School administrators can also utilize AI to optimize resource allocation, forecast enrollment trends, and make data-backed policy decisions, leading to more efficient and effective educational practices.

Enhanced educator efficiency AI has the potential to streamline routine administrative duties for teachers, such as grading, attendance and lesson planning, allowing them to allocate more time and attention to individual student needs. This efficiency, in turn, fosters stronger teacherstudent relationships and enables educators to implement more creative and innovative teaching strategies. Using AI automated feedback and grading to track student progress, provide feedback and automate the grading process for students saves time for educators.

Professional development It is vital for districts to support teachers with professional learning around AI and vet AI resources for their appropriateness.

Build an understanding that this is an “information literacy” journey, and AI is a

source for finding information to complete a task or product. Help teachers understand that the quality of the output is dependent on the prompt and human input to teach staff and students alike the value of prompt engineering.

As AI technologies evolve, teachers need ongoing professional development to effectively integrate AI tools into their pedagogical practices. Training programs can help teachers understand AI capabilities, address potential biases, and enhance their ability to leverage AI in ways that align with ethical and educational standards.

Concepts that may be new to the K-12 audience include generative AI, large language models (LLM), and hallucinations. Providing information and examples around these through professional learning better enable district staff to utilize such tools in constructive ways. Identifying positive and negative uses helps create a baseline from which staff can integrate AI.

Concerns regarding the use of AI in education Concerns related to the use of AI in education include academic integrity, educational outcomes, responsibility and adaptability, and access and equity. As advances in artificial intelligence grow, educational organizations must strike a balance between leveraging AI’s capabilities and preserving human interaction in the classrooms. We suggest that this balance can be achieved by ensuring that AI is used as an accompaniment to human thought and creativity, rather than as a substitute.

Academic dishonesty Developing a strong culture of academic integrity within educational institutions is crucial. This includes cultivating ethical values, fostering discussions, and emphasizing the importance of originality, critical thinking, and research skills. AIdriven algorithms have become increasingly sophisticated, enabling students to easily generate essays, reports, or other assignments by simply inputting a few keywords or instructions. The elephant in the room that is dividing educators is whether or not using AI is plagiarism or just cheating. When asked if the use of AI is plagiarism, ChapGPT provided the following: “As AI systems, like GPT-3, become increasingly sophisticated in generating human-like text, concerns have arisen over the potential for these models to

replicate existing content without proper attribution. Instances of AI-generated articles, essays, and even creative works bearing striking resemblances to pre-existing materials have been reported, leading to accusations of plagiarism against AI developers and users alike. The line between genuine creativity and automated reproduction blurs as AI generates content based on vast datasets, making it challenging to distinguish originality from imitation.”

By definition, plagiarism involves taking credit for another human being’s original work. Since copying the results from an AI program is not copying another human’s work, it is not technically plagiarism. While arguments have been made to support both sides of the plagiarism argument, universities and companies such as Turnitin agree that at the very least the use of generative AI without transparency or citation is academically dishonest. Turnitin takes it a step further to say that the use of AI for academic writing is akin to “contract cheating” (enlisting an essay mill to produce a paper). Still, this type of academic dishonesty is not an acceptable practice.

Then there’s the age-old issue of “cheating.”

What compels students to cheat? Clark affirms that cheating happens when students “will be graded on something on which they may not do well.” AI should force us to rethink why and how we teach what we teach. What is the purpose of what we teach? For example, why do we teach writing the same today as it was taught 30 years ago? Do kids really need to know how to write that way? Probably not. We can’t continue to do things the way we’ve always done them, and AI just may force us to confront the-way-we’ve-always-doneit syndrome.

Combating the copy-and-paste use of AI-assisted results requires a multifaceted approach that involves training, technological solutions, and institutional support. Educational institutions need to have a clear definition of plagiarism and academic dishonesty as well as develop specific rules about students using AI tools in order for them to be able to appropriately use the tools. These guidelines should be consistently communicated to students to encourage ethical use of AI technologies.

Institutions of higher learning have already begun to address the AI issue. Some ► See Digital, page 33 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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THE ARTS

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

News in fine arts education

The rainbow room

by Chelsi Johnston

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hat is something universally enjoyed by elementary-aged children? Aside from the widespread appeal of Lego, TikTok dance trends, Takis, anime, and talking to their friends when they should be at a level zero — it’s art. Elementary kids exhibit a genuine love, appreciation and daily excitement for the subject that I was born to teach. This forms the foundation of my “why” and serves as my unwavering commitment to my work every single day. Consequently, one might ponder why visual arts, with its proven benefits for student engagement, attendance, and behavior, isn’t a top priority in every school district. I chose Spring ISD for its remarkable dedication to the arts.

The support from both the campus-level and district leaders is what allows my classroom to be a safe haven for every student I teach, not just those aspiring to be artists. Spring ISD stands out as one of only 16 districts in Texas to earn a District of Distinction in Visual Arts for five consecutive years, a testament to its comprehensive approach evaluated through an 18-point rubric. All that to say, we take art seriously over here.

My art room, affectionately dubbed the “rainbow paradise” by some of my young artists, prioritizes cultivating a culture

that underscores the importance of being a well-rounded individual inside and outside the classroom. I remain cognizant that the challenges faced by children in our community often overshadow considerations like, “what color should this shape be in my artwork?” However, this doesn’t diminish their right to moments of joy and relief from life’s hardships. I argue that it’s precisely these students who deserve passionate teachers offering them every available opportunity. Within my classroom, a favorite feature is the “art job” wall, showcasing diverse career paths under the umbrella of being an artist, from video game designers and photographers to more easily relatable roles such as art teachers, florists and tattoo artists. Establishing a connection with their familiarities fosters excitement for exploring the unfamiliar.

We frequently discuss the increasing demand for various art-related jobs in this era of technology and entertainment.

Witnessing my students’ astonishment when they realize we’re doing similar things to Disney animators during a lesson is truly priceless. Demonstrating commitment to our children’s goals, even at a young age, can yield abundant growth and opportunities.

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, emphasize the importance of how we teach our students of color. He remarked, “students come to school with the expectation that we are going to help them make their dreams come true.” If we’re setting numerous expectations for our students, are we truly doing right by them if we don’t reciprocate that commitment?

This year I was able to work with the Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH) in Houston’s Museum District, “one of the country’s largest concentrations of cultural institutions,” to bring 12 of my art club students to explore for the day. As a

teacher-created club, there is not a budget for the numerous expenses that occur when traveling with public school students, including busing and ticket prices. All it took was a plea to the right people at MFAH to be granted 100% coverage for the trip.

The impact of the experience really sank in as a conversation broke out amongst the group. “This is the first time I’ve ever been to a museum … my parents said they have never been either!” The seemingly minor aspects of our role as educators, often feeling routine, can hold significant importance for a student’s development and lasting memories. This is particularly true for those who find themselves constrained by their circumstances and made to believe that their current situation defines the extent of their possibilities.

The work in the elementary art classroom not only introduces students to their love for the craft but often sparks continued passion throughout middle and high school.

While it’s common for districts to prioritize visual arts programs at the secondary level, I challenge my colleagues to reflect on their role in the broader journey of our students.

Our content, guided by the elements of art — color, line, shape, form, value, texture, and space — serves as the framework for my lessons, but it’s the relationships created within my four walls that truly dictate the outcome. Every morning, I wake up with enthusiasm to share how following my passion has enriched my life and to guarantee my students comprehend the myriad of opportunities the arts can offer them. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon; I have much to accomplish. However, it’s the validation from my young artists that will always ensure I approach it with a heart full of rainbows.

CHELSI JOHNSTON is art teacher, fine arts team lead and elementary visual arts facilitator at Link Elementary School in Spring ISD.

“My art room, affectionately dubbed the ‘rainbow paradise’ by some of my young artists, prioritizes cultivating a culture that underscores the importance of being a well-rounded individual inside and outside the classroom.”

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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Who’s News

Harlingen CISD Nelda Alonzo, former

principal of Harlingen High School, is now the district’s career and technical education (CTE) director.

◄ Continued from page 11

Flour Bluff ISD (Corpus Christi) Superintendent

Velma Soliz-Garcia, who

has led the district since 2021, has announced her upcoming retirement, effective in January.

Former district athletic director Chris Steinbruck is now serving as interim superintendent.

The new principal of Harlingen High School, Efrain Amaya, has arrived from McAllen ISD, where he was a coach, teacher, assistant principal and director. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas Pan-American and holds two master’s degrees from Grand Canyon University.

Houston ISD Fort Worth ISD The new principal of Wyatt High School is Armando Gallegos, who comes to Fort Worth from Midland ISD, where he was principal of Bonham Elementary School from 2022.

Ganado ISD The district’s new superintendent, Jonathon Szymanski, was most recently an assistant principal in Wharton ISD.

Georgetown ISD Amanda Johnson is now the district’s

executive director for human resources.

She comes to her new job with more than 20 years of experience in Texas public school education, most recently serving as director of human resources for Georgetown ISD. She was previously a teacher, coach, and administrator in Round Rock, Lake Travis and Leander ISDs. She received her bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), where she also earned her master’s degree in educational administration.

Greenville ISD Greenville ISD’s superintendent, Sharon Boothe, has retired. She had a 20-year career in Texas public schools, also working as the district’s deputy superintendent before taking on the top job.

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Houston ISD’s new chief human resources officer is Jessica Neyman, who joins the district from IDEA Public Schools, where she was vice president of human resources. She previously worked in a number of Texas public school districts and in the oil and gas industry.

Leila Walsh is now chief

communications officer, coming to HISD from her role as chief external affairs officer at Chiefs for Change, a network of school district superintendents and education leaders. She previously was a senior manager in Houston ISD’s communications department.

Hutto ISD Hutto ISD has hired Brittany Swanson as its associate superintendent for instruction and innovation.

She began her career as an instructional coach and teacher in the Dallas area before moving to Australia, where she worked for the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.

Itasca ISD Former Waxahachie ISD high school principal Tonya Harris now leads Itasca ISD as superintendent. Prior to her most recent position, which she held since 2019, she was assistant principal of Waxahachie ISD’s ninth grade center.

Katy ISD Kara Morgan has been

appointed principal of the new, as yet unnamed, Junior High #18, which will open its doors in the fall of 2024. Currently principal of Bethke Elementary School, she previously worked as an administrator at Tompkins and Jordan high schools.

She holds a master’s degree in educational management from the University of Houston Clear Lake.

Killeen ISD The district’s new executive director of administration is Jennifer Washington, a 30-year education veteran and graduate of Killeen ISD’s Ellison High School. She initially was a teacher and coach at her alma mater before transferring to DeSoto ISD and going on to work in Temple ISD. She returned to Killeen as principal of Manor Middle School before accepting the position of director of student hearings. She holds a master’s degree in education from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

Leander ISD Erika Cruz, who now serves

as principal of Danielson Middle School, led Plain Elementary since 2021.

Before coming to Leander, she was a teacher and administrator in Round Rock and Pflugerville ISDs. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas and her master’s degree in education at Texas State University. She is a doctoral candidate at Lamar University.

New area superintendent Paul Johnson was most recently principal of Vista Ridge High School and previously served as an associate principal and as a teacher, coach and assistant principal in Mesquite ISD. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and his master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University at Commerce.

The district’s newest campus, as yet unnamed Elementary School #30, will be led by Niki Prindle when it opens this fall. She has spent the past 20 years in Leander ISD, most recently leading Whitestone Elementary. Prior to joining Leander ISD, she spent seven years as a teacher in Fort Worth and Round Rock ISDs. She is a graduate of Austin College and earned her master’s degree in educational

administration and early childhood education from Texas Christian University.

Stiles Elementary School’s new principal is Jayme Spexarth, who has eight years of experience as a campus administrator, previously serving as an assistant and associate principal at Vandegrift High School and in Lago Vista ISD. She is a graduate of Kansas State University and completed her master’s degree in education at Texas State University.

Lewisville ISD The district’s new chief human resource officer, Melissa Cobb, served as executive director of human resources since 2020.

Prior to that, she was director of human resources in Allen ISD and worked in Plano ISD and in Bossier City, La. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University and her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of North Texas.

McAllen ISD Rene Gutierrez has been

named superintendent of McAllen ISD. He comes to his new position from Brownsville ISD, which he led since 2019. Prior to that, he held the top job in Edinburg ISD and worked as a teacher and administrator.

McKinney ISD The district has welcomed Stephen McGilvray as its new chief information officer. He comes to McKinney from Coppell ISD, where he worked for 20 years in technology leadership, most recently as executive director of technology.

The McKinney ISD Education Foundation has named Sheila Marlow Due its first chief executive officer. She comes to her new job with an extensive background in nonprofit management.

Northside ISD (San Antonio) The following assistant principal assignments are announced by the district: • Jennifer Cipollone, Luna Middle School; • Sergio Martinez, Jordan Middle School; • David Rojas, Rawlinson Middle School.

Rotan ISD Michael Rudewick has been selected to fill

the position of superintendent of Rotan ISD. After beginning his career in Copperas Cove ISD, he taught and coached in Sonora and Schleicher County ISDs, and most recently was a principal in San Angelo ISD. He is a graduate of Howard Payne University with a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

San Angelo ISD The district’s new superintendent,

Christopher Moran, comes

to San Angelo from Whitehouse ISD, which he led since 2016. He previously served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal, and was superintendent of Brownsboro ISD. He received his bachelor’s degree from Evangel University, his master’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler, and his doctorate in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University.

New Diana ISD Superintendent Carl Key has announced his upcoming retirement, which will bring to a close his 40-year career in Texas public education.

Temple ISD Sarah Bartlett has been

named director of career and technical education (CTE), joining the district from Waco ISD, where she was dean of CTE Academies at Waco High School. She previously worked in Burleson and Midway ISDs. A graduate of the University of Texas, she holds a master’s degree in school psychology from Mary Hardin-Baylor University.

Uvalde CISD Uvalde CISD announces the appointment of a new superintendent.

Ashley Chohlis comes to Uvalde from Poth ISD, which she led since 2022. The 28-year educator previously worked in East Central ISD in San Antonio.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas with a master’s degree in educational administration from Texas A&M University at Kingsville.

Waxahachie ISD Jacob Perry has accepted the

position of interim principal of Waxahachie High School.

The 23-year educator was most recently director of student and campus services for the district.

Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD (San Antonio) The district’s new director of technology is Stephen Barnwell, who was the technology department’s enterprise services manager.

He began his career in Pennsylvania as a support technician with the Bethlehem Area School District, coming to Texas in 2011 to work in San Antonio’s Lackland ISD. He is a graduate of Penn State University and holds a master’s degree from Liberty University.

Sherman ISD Sherman ISD announces the hiring of Robert Rushing as director of student nutrition.

The University of Houston graduate spent seven years with New Braunfels and Pflugerville ISDs.

Midland ISD Midland ISD’s director of fine arts, Deb Shaw, was named Texas Thespians’ 2023 Administrator of the Year, receiving her honor at the group’s state festival in San Antonio in November. She is now in her 18th year leading the district’s fine arts department and her 32nd year in fine arts education.

officer at Hays CISD and as an assistant principal and principal for Del Valle ISD.

Taylor ISD The district has announced the appointment of

Jennifer Garcia-Edwardsen as

Ysleta ISD Ysleta ISD has announced the appointment of Eduardo Holguin as director of security and safety. He joins the district from El Paso’s Socorro ISD, where he was a police department sergeant after beginning his career as an officer with the El Paso Police Department.

Jarrod Lucero has been named principal of Hanks Middle School. Most recently an assistant principal at Ysleta High School in El Paso’s Ysleta ISD, he also worked as a coach. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master’s degree in educational administration from Sul Ross State University. ◀

superintendent. Most recently chief of schools at New Braunfels ISD, she previously served as a deputy academic Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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Calendar Professional development & events F E B R UA RY February 1 TASPA Workshop: Certification Fundamentals Georgetown ISD, Georgetown For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org Cost: Members, $150; nonmembers, $185.

TEPSA Region 13 Meeting Location and city TBA For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org February 4-6 TASSP Assistant/Aspiring Principal Workshop Hilton Airport Hotel, Austin For more info, (512) 443-2100. www.tassp.org Cost: Through Jan. 19, $285; after Jan. 19, $335.

TCA Professional School Counselor Conference Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio For more info, (512) 474-3403. www.txca.org February 5 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, virtual cohort (session 4 of 6) Online For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 202324.

February 5-7 TCASE Great Ideas Conference Marriott Hotel, Austin For more info, (512) 474-4492 or (888) 433-4492. www.tcase.org Cost: Pre-conference and main conference: Members, $635; nonmembers, $710. Main conference only: Members, $545; nonmembers, $620.

February 6 TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 12 ESC Region 12, Waco For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

TASBO Course: Maximizing State Reporting Allotments Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

February 8 TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 2 ESC Region 2, Corpus Christi For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

February 14 TASB Asbestos Designated Person Training ESC Region 20, San Antonio For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

TASBO Workshop: Budget and Financial Planning ESC 10, Richardson For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 5 ESC Region 5, Beaumont For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

TASPA Workshop: Understanding Special Education HOUSSE Northside ISD, San Antonio For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org Cost: Members, $125; nonmembers, $160.

TASPA Workshop: Certification Fundamentals Spring ISD, Spring For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org Cost: Members, $150; nonmembers, $185.

TEPSA Region 15 Meeting Fort Concho Elementary School, San Angelo For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org February 7 TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 4 North Bend Elementary School, Humble For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TASBO Workshop: Functions and Duties of School Business Officials Dallas ISD, Dallas For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TEPSA Region 16 Meeting ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org February 7-8 Texas ASCD Curriculum Leadership Academy 43 Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (512) 477-8200 or (800) 717-2723. www.txascd.org

TASB Student Solutions Webinar Series: Discipline of Students with Disabilities Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TASBO Workshop: Leveraging Your 6-Week Reports for Maximum State Funding Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

February 8-9 TASB Conference for Administrative Professionals TASB offices, Austin For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org February 12-13 TASB Federal Advocacy Conference Willard InterContinental Hotel, Washington, D.C. For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: By Dec. 31: $325; after Dec. 31, $375.

February 13 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Corpus Christi area cohort (session 5 of 6) Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

February 14-15 TASB Training: Implementing Strategic HR Practices Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

February 15 TASA Breakaway Leadership (session 2 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $175; nonmembers, $225.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Austin area cohort (session 5 of 6) Round Rock ISD, Round Rock For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASB Course: Integrated Pest Management ESC Region 20, San Antonio For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org February 15-17 Leadership TASB Class of 2024 (session 3 of 5) Location TBA, Corpus Christi For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org February 19 TASBO CSRM Workshop: Measuring School Risk (during the TASBO Engage Conference) Brown Convention Center, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Members and nonmembers, $250.

TASA Virtual Book Study on “Atomic Habits” (session 1 of 5) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Free for TASA members.

TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 14 ESC Region 14, Abilene For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

February 19-23 TASBO Engage Annual Conference Brown Convention Center, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org

TASBO CSRM Workshop: Handling School Risk (during TASBO Engage Conference) Brown Convention Center, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members and nonmembers, $250.

February 20 TASA/TASB/TASBO Budget Cohort for Texas District Leaders (session 6 of 9, during the TASBO Engage Conference) Brown Convention Center, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711 www.tasbo.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA School Transformation Network (session 4 of 6) Online event For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost by district size: Fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students: $225; 1,500 to 4,999 students, $300; 5,000-9,999 students, $375; 10,000 to 49,999 students, $450; 50,000-plus students, $500; regional ESCs, $225.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, San Antonio area cohort (session 5 of 6) North East ISD, San Antonio For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Wichita Falls area cohort (session 5 of 6) Wichita Falls ISD, Wichita Falls For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 9 ESC Region 9, Wichita Falls For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

February 20-21 Fast Growth Texas Annual Conference, in collaboration with TASBO’s Engage Annual Conference Hilton, Austin For more info, (512) 536-1206. www.fastgrowthtexas.org Cost: Members, $175; nonmembers, $275.

February 21 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Dallas area cohort (session 5 of 6) McKinney ISD, McKinney For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Houston area cohort (session 5 of 6) Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 11 Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Bedford For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 20 ESC Region 20, San Antonio For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org February 21-22 TASA First Time Superintendents Academy (session 4 of 4) Marriott North, Round Rock For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org

Cost: TASA members, $845 for all four sessions; nonmembers, $945 for all four sessions; individual sessions, $295.

February 22 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, East Texas area cohort ( session 5 of 6) Tyler ISD, Tyler For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Houston area cohort (session 5 of 6) Clear Creek ISD, Webster For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 3 ESC Region 3, Victoria For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TEPSA Region 7 Meeting ESC Region 7, Kilgore For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org February 26 THSCA Coaches Leadership Summit ESports Stadium, Arlington For more info, (512) 392-3741. www.thsca.com February 26-29 TSPRA Annual Conference Marriott Town Square, Sugar Land For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org Cost: Members, $550; nonmembers, $980.

February 27-29 TASA/CMSi Curriculum Management Audit Training, Level 1 TASA offices, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

February 28 TASBO Workshop: Applications of Purchasing Law Dallas ISD, Dallas For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TASPA Workshop: Unfollow: Dealing with Online Attacks and Criticism Webinar For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org February 28-29 TASA Future-Ready Superintendents Leadership Network (session 3 of 3) Liberty Hill ISD, Liberty Hill For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org TASA/N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute (session 3 of 4) Hilton Post Oak, Houston For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Principals’ Institute (session 5 of 6) Hilton Post Oak, Houston For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

February 28-March 2 TASB Governance Camp: Powered

by Student Voices Convention Center, Galveston For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org February 28-March 3 TABSE Annual State Conference Omni, Houston No phone number provided. www.tabse.net

MARCH March 2 TRTA District 18 Retirement Seminar Odessa College, Odessa For more info, (512) 476-1622 or (800) 880-1650. www.trta.org March 4 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, virtual cohort (session 5 of 6) Online For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA Virtual Book Study on “Atomic Habits” (session 2 of 5) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Free for TASA members.

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◄ Continued from page 29 March 5 TASBO Workshop: Getting Things Done Dallas ISD, Dallas For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $375; nonmembers, $425.

TETL Spring Summit Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more info, (855) 458-9286. www.tetl.org TASA Small Schools Network Event (session 3 of 4) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Superintendent only, $300; superintendent plus one, $600; superintendent plus two, $900.

March 5-6 THSADA Spring Sponsor Showcase Embassy Suites, San Marcos For more info, (832) 240-6550. www.thsada.com March 6 TASBO State and Federal Grants Manual Workshop TASBO offices, Austin For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

March 7 TASB Grassroots Meeting, Region 6 ESC Region 6, Huntsville For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org March 19-21 TASA/CMSi Curriculum Management Training, Level 2 TASA offices, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $800; nonmembers, $900.

TASB Spring Workshop ESC Region 17, Lubbock For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TEPSA Region 20 Meeting Location and city TBA For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

March 20 TASBO Purchasing Compliance Workshop: Federal Grant Expenditures Frenship ISD, Wolfforth For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

March 21 TASA Breakaway Leadership (session 3 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $175; nonmembers, $225.

TASBO ESSER Grant Close-Out Workshop Frenship ISD, Wolfforth For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

TASBO Workshop: Purchasing Standards and Specifications ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TASBO Workshop: Work Orders Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

TSPRA Regional Meeting, Houston/Beaumont area La Porte ISD, La Porte For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org March 22 TSPRA Regional Meeting, North Central Texas area Celina ISD, Celina For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org March 24-26 TAGT Leadership Conference CityPlace Marriott, Houston For more info, (512) 499-8248. www.txgifted.org Cost: By Feb. 9: Members, $329; nonmembers, $429. After Feb. 9: Members, $379; nonmembers, $479.

March 25 TASA Virtual Book Study on “Atomic Habits” (session 3 of 5) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Free for TASA members.

March 25-26 TASBO Finance+CTE Joint Academy Marriott North, Round Rock For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members and nonmembers, $335.

March 26 TASA School Transformation Network Event (session 5 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost by district size: Fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students, $225; 1,500-4,999 students, $300; 5,000-9,999 students, $375; 10,000-49,999 students, $450; 50,000-plus students, $500; regional ESCs, $225.

TSPRA Regional Meeting, West Central Texas area Waco Chamber of Commerce, Waco For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org

APRIL April 2 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, San Antonio area cohort (session 6 of 6) North East ISD, San Antonio For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Wichita Falls area cohort (session 6 of 6) Wichita Falls ISD, Wichita Falls For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASBO Workshop: Holding a VATRE Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $85; nonmembers, $135.

March 26-28 TASBO Academy: Bonds, Buildings and Beyond Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

TASBO Workshop: Managing Special Revenue and State Programs ESC 1, Edinburg For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

March 27-28 TASA Texas Public Accountability Consortium (meeting 2 of 2) Holdsworth Center, Lake Austin Campus, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org

April 2-4 TASBO Construction Academy Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

March 27-28 TASB Workshop: Writing Effective Job Descriptions Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

April 3 ED311 Spring Conference on Special Education Law Conference Center, Hurst For more info, (512) 478-2113. www.ed311.com Cost: Single registration, $225; groups of five or more, $200 per person; groups of 10 or more, $190 per person; digital workbooks are included; printed workbooks, $25 each.

March 28 TASBO Workshop: Commodity Codes in Purchasing Mansfield ISD, Mansfield For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Dallas area cohort (session 6 of 6) McKinney ISD, McKinney For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, North Houston area cohort (session 6 of 6) Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Cypress For more into, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASBO Workshop: Financial Essentials Dallas ISD, Dallas For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

April 4 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, East Texas cohort (session 6 of 6) Tyler ISD, Tyler For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, South Houston area cohort (session 6 of 6) Clear Creek ISD, Webster For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASBO Workshop: Commodity Codes in Purchasing Harris County Dept. of Education, Houston For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

April 8 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, virtual cohort (session 6 of 6) Online For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA Virtual Book Study on “Atomic Habits” (session 4 of 5) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Free for TASA members.

April 9 TASA/TASB/TASBO Budget Cohort for Texas District Leaders (session 7 of 9) Webinar For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASBO Workshop: Converting Paper Resources to Digital Marriott North, Round Rock For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

April 9-11 TASA Curriculum Writing Workshop TASA offices, Austin For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $600; nonmembers, $650.

April 10 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Corpus Christi area cohort (session 6 of 6) Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 202324.

TASPA Workshop: Assault Leave, Workers’ Comp and Responding to On-the-Job Injuries Webinar For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org TEPSA Region 16 Meeting ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org April 10-11 TASB Workshop: Employment Relationships Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

TASBO Academy: Texas School Records Management Marriott North, Round Rock For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $335; nonmembers, $385.

April 11 TASA/N2 Learning Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, Austin area cohort (session 6 of 6) Round Rock ISD, Round Rock For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 202324.

TASB Student Solutions Webinar Series: Defending Districts in Special Education Dispute Resolution Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

TASBO Workshop: Accounts Payable Process ESC Region 10, Richardson For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TASBO Workshop: ESSER Grant Close-Out ESC Region 7, Kilgore For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

April 18 TASA Breakaway Leadership (session 4 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $225; nonmembers, $175.

TSPRA Regional Meeting, West Central Texas area Corsicana ISD, Corsicana For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org

TSPRA Regional Meeting, Houston/Beaumont area Sheldon ISD, Houston For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org

April 11-13 Leadership TASB Class of 2024 (session 4 of 5) Fort Cavazos, Killeen For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

April 19 TSPRA Regional Meeting, North Central Texas area Forney ISD, Forney For more info, (512) 474-91070. www.tspra.org

April 15-17 TRTA Annual Convention American Bank Center, Corpus Christi For more info, (512) 476-1622 or (800) 880-1650. www.trta.org April 16 TASB Asbestos Designated Person Training ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TSPRA Regional Meeting, Gulf Coast area Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi For more info, (512) 474-9107. www.tspra.org April 17 TASB Course: Integrated Pest Management ESC Region 16, Amarillo For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TASB SHARS Matters Webinar Series: Telehealth and Telemedicine Services Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

April 22 TASA Virtual Book Study on “Atomic Habits” (session 5 of 5) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Free for TASA members.

April 23 TASA School Transformation Network (session 6 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost by district size: Fewer than 500 students, $150; 500-1,499 students, $225; 1,500-4,999 students, $300; 5,000-9,999 students, $375; 10,000-49,999 students, $450; 50,000-plus students, $500; regional ESCs, $225.

TASB Asbestos Designated Person Training ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org TASBO ESSER Grant Close-Out Workshop ESC 10, Richardson For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

► See Calendar, page 32 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

31

◄ Continued from page 31 April 24 TASB Course: Integrated Pest Management ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org April 25 Fast Growth Texas Lunch and Learn Online For more info, (512) 536-1206. www.fastgrowthtexas.org April 26 TASBO Workshop: RFQ/P Deep Dive for Owners – Requests for Qualifications Online For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, no charge; nonmembers, $100.

April 29 TASBO Workshop: Construction Purchasing Law ESC 1, Edinburg For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members $195; nonmembers, $245.

M AY May 2 TEPSA Region 19 Meeting Location and city TBA For more info, (512) 478-5268 or (800) 252-3621. www.tepsa.org May 6-7 TASA/N2 Learning Executive Leadership Institute (session 4 of 4) Lakeway Resort and Spa, Austin For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASA/N2 Learning Principals’ Institute (session 6 of 6) Lakeway Spa and Resort, Austin For more info, (972) 515-2268. www.n2learning.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

May 7 ED311 Conference on Special Education Law Civic and Convention Center, New Braunfels For more info, (512) 478-2113. www.ed311.com

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Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Cost: Single registration, $225; groups of five or more, $200 per person; groups of ten or more, $190 per person; digital workbooks are included; printed workbooks, $25 each.

TASA/TASB/TASBO Budget Cohort for Texas District Leaders (session 8 of 9) Webinar For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Registration is closed for 2023-24.

TASB Workshop: Understanding Wage and Hour Law Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org Cost: $225.

TASBO ESSER Grant Close-Out Workshop TASBO offices, Austin For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

May 9 TASB Student Solutions Webinar Series: Wrapping Up 2023-24 Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

TASPA Workshop: How Public is That?

Webinar For more info, (512) 494-9353. www.taspa.org

May 8 TASBO Workshop: Financial Coding for Texas Schools ESC 10, Richardson For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

TASBO State and Federal Grants Workshop Hartford Professional Development Center, Abilene For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

TASBO Workshop: Purchasing for Business Management Dallas ISD, Dallas For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245.

May 14-15 TASBO Leadership Fundamentals Workshop New Caney ISD, Porter For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $550; nonmembers, $600.

May 8-9 TASA Small Schools Network Port Aransas ISD, Port Aransas For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Superintendent only, $300; superintendent plus one, $600; superintendent plus two, $900.

May 15 TASB SHARS Matters Webinar Series: End of Year SHARS Reminders Online For more info, (512) 467-0222 or (800) 580-8272. www.tasb.org

Where did you find that great conference?

May 16 TASA Breakaway Leadership (session 5 of 6) Online For more info, (512) 477-6361. www.tasanet.org Cost: Members, $225; nonmembers, $175.

TASBO Workshop: Commodity Codes in Purchasing ESC Region 19, El Paso For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $235; nonmembers, $285.

May 29-31 TETA HERC Conference West Texas A&M University, Canyon No phone number provided. www.txeta.com May 30 TASBO Workshop: Leaves and Absences ESC Region 18, Midland For more info, (512) 462-1711. www.tasbo.org Cost: Members, $195; nonmembers, $245. ◀

I found it in Texas School Business!

Discover upcoming conferences and continuing education opportunities in the calendar section of each issue of Texas School Business and on our website.

TexasSchoolBusiness.com

DIGITAL FRONTIER

► Continued from page 23

require instructor approval for students to use generative AI tools, others require transparency and appropriate citations on the part of students and still others consider any use of these tools plagiarism.

The University of California Los Angeles Center for the Advancement of Teaching has provided guidance for instructors on the use of generative AI and has addressed academic integrity in their Student Code of Conduct.

Similarly, Baylor University has provided strategies for instructors who require essays.

K-12 schools districts can reference universities to inform their AI strategies.

Minimizing AI risks There are tools that are designed to detect or measure the amount of AI-generated content such as OpenAI’s “AI Text Classifier,” “ZeroGPT” and “AI Content Detector.” These tools use algorithms to identify patterns, similarities, and inconsistencies in students’ work and detect any potential instances of text copied directly from an AI program. It’s important to note that while these tools hold promise, they are not yet reliable.

Teachers can use a variety of strategies to reduce the likelihood of students depending exclusively on AI. For example, assignments that require critical thinking, personal analysis, or group collaboration make it more difficult for students to rely solely on AI-generated work. Mixing individual and group assignments can make it harder for students to rely solely on AI-generated content.

Implementing personalized assessments that are based on a student’s unique learning journey, experiences, or perspectives that require them to provide original thought can make it difficult for students to copy and paste from an AI program. Presentation projects can help assess a student’s understanding and knowledge beyond what AI tools can generate.

Adaptability and responsibility Keeping up with technology is always a challenge for educational institutions. The speed of AI evolution requires rapid adaptation and measured implementation. Meeting the challenge of AI requires that stakeholders work together to ensure that AI is being used responsibly, equitably, ethically, and to produce the optimum results. To help school districts to be efficient and responsive to AI assisted programs, EdTech Magazine suggests that they: • Understand how AI assisted programs work: School districts should learn how Large Language models work and their potential impact in the

classrooms.

• Develop an AI strategy: School districts should define how AI will be integrated into the classroom.

• Train teachers: Teachers should be trained on what AI is and on how to integrate into their lesson plans.

• Ensure data privacy: School districts must ensure that student data is protected and that strong privacy policies are in place.

• Involve parents: Parents should be aware of what personal student data is being collected, if any and how AI is using it.

• Evaluate AI tools: School districts should continually assess the effectiveness of AI tools and modify procedures as necessary.

• Collaborate with other districts: School districts need to collaborate and share their successes and failures with other districts to learn from each other.

Equity and access In many school districts some students are already experiencing inequalities regarding access to high-speed internet and newer devices. Teachers are giving more homework assignments that require internet use, and with the addition of AI-powered programs students without high-speed internet and access to newer devices will fall further behind. The Consortium of School Networking’s (CoSN) Digital Equity Dashboard is a tool that can help districts make informed decisions about digital equity.

Ethical consideration and responsible use It is imperative that districts embrace innovation with a steadfast commitment to ethical considerations and the well-being of students. The integration of generative artificial intelligence demands careful attention to a set of guidelines that ensure its responsible and equitable use in K-12 education. These guidelines should prioritize data privacy, informed consent, and adherence to legal and ethical guidelines.

Data privacy and consent Clearly communicate the purpose of data collection, the types of data being collected, how it will be used, and the rights of individuals regarding their data. Districts

should practice full transparency of the use of AI through obtaining explicit informed consent from students and their guardians regarding data collection, storage, and usage BEFORE allowing students to use AI tools.

In addition to data access controls and secure data storage best practices for cybersecurity, stringent data privacy measures should be implemented. Districts should determine whether data collected is directly relevant to the intended educational objectives. Anonymize or pseudonymize personal data whenever possible to protect the identities of individuals. Remove or replace identifying information so that the data can no longer be linked to specific individuals.

Bias detection and mitigation AI models are trained on large datasets, which may inadvertently contain biases. If not carefully addressed, AI can perpetuate or amplify biases, leading to discriminatory outcomes or reinforce societal inequalities in education. As some AI development has recognized an opinion disparity between the Large Language Models and the users, methods for encoding human subjectivity into the models have been developed.

Districts can conduct evaluations of AI bias through standardized prompts seeking general consensus opinions on contemporary topics. Regularly evaluate these responses against human feedback opinion surveys or stakeholder surveys.

Additionally, evaluate the AI tools used within the organization based on external audits of implicit bias. Regularly evaluate the usage of AI tools across varying bands of demographics within the organization to determine correlation between a subset of users and specific AI tools. Use this evaluation to determine if AI bias is impacting increased or decreased usage in a demographic population.

The core functionality of collecting, analyzing data and the desire to increase overall results has not changed in education from an AI perspective, but its technological efficiency, speed and sophistication has advanced on all counts, especially in the analysis of large-scale assessment process data being channeled for formative purposes. As students, staff, and parents use the prescribed or promoted AI tools from the organization, open feedback channels > See Digital Frontier, page 34 Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

33

DIGITAL FRONTIER

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will be available to ensure that the tools are not displaying bias that hinders the learning process. New solutions should be sought at the point of detrimental bias.

Limitations It is important to acknowledge that generative AI tools have substantial limitations. Recognizing these limitations helps educators and policymakers make informed decisions about the implementation and integration of AI in K-12 education. Mitigating these limitations requires a holistic approach that combines AI technology with the expertise and guidance of teachers, promoting a balanced and effective learning environment.

AI models like ChatGPT primarily rely on pattern recognition and statistical analysis, lacking true contextual understanding of concepts which can result in inaccurate responses. AI excels at data analysis and pattern recognition, but it doesn’t necessarily foster creativity and higher-order thinking skills that require open-ended exploration, synthesis of ideas, and unique perspectives that AI may not fully capture.

Guidelines for AI in K-12 The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the K-12 environment promises many learning opportunities, but it also necessitates a framework to ensure responsible and ethical use. School districts should provide adequate information and direction about AI expectations to staff, students, and families. As AI begins to play a bigger role in classrooms, it is imperative for school leadership to consider ethical standards, equity, and data privacy.

Prepare the community It is important for districts to establish common language around AI with decision makers, teachers, students, and families. AI can be demystified to a large extent by recognizing forms of AI that are already commonly in use. It’s possible to avoid some of the fear by reminding people of Natural Language Processing (NLP) components that are widely used: • • • • • •

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Email filters Smart assistants Search results Predictive text Language translation Grammar checkers Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

Determining strategic objectives for the use of AI at the district level will provide guidance for teachers and inform families about the district’s use of artificial intelligence. Intentional adoption of AI platforms helps prevent misguided applications of the technology. Given focus through district planning, teachers and students can find the wins that come from deliberate strategies. Identifying some key areas for the use of AI will help solidify beneficial areas of concentration. Some of the biggest ones include: • • • • •

AI as a cognitive aid AI as a creativity tool AI for personalized learning Enhanced productivity Better communication

It’s also important to provide guidance about the limitations of the technology. Generative AI may easily provide text or code, but it doesn’t provide critical thinking or problemsolving skills. There are also equity issues to consider regarding who has access to AI technology. Algorithmic bias is another shortcoming of AI that users need to be aware of since it can magnify bias or stereotypes that exist in the datasets used by various platforms.

Teaching and learning Align AI to support performance-based learning and formative assessment strategies. Because AI doesn’t use critical thinking and problem-solving skills, it’s important to design learning around the development of these essential skills for academic and lifelong success. When utilizing AI, teachers should focus on the process of learning, not the end product.

It is critical to realize that AI models have no concept of truth and humans must be the discerning entity. Hallucinations will occur, so never put anything in front of students that hasn’t been tested first. AI will produce citations to sources that don’t exist, so it’s important to verify them. As a district, adopt citation protocols for AI such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) format.

Policy Craft policy for your district that communicates effectively that students need important skills, including AI, but establish balance with appropriate ways to use it. Common documents for reflecting policies that address AI are: • Code of conduct • Handbooks

• Information security plans When evaluating policies, consider risks versus rewards. Remember that policies need to accommodate AI, but don’t make policies tool-specific because tools will change. Build policies around concepts and strategies for use so that they are flexible as technology evolves over time. Plan ahead, but allow for the fact that the landscape is changing rapidly and policy making will require frequent review and adaptation.

Privacy and security One of the major areas of concern around AI is maintaining privacy and security of human inputs. As with tools commonly in use such as email, never put personally identifiable information (PII) into an open platform such as ChatGPT. Staff and students need to be informed about the risks and learn to evaluate carefully what data they share.

Many AI platforms include privacy policies that require parental permission for students under 13 or 18. Determine how the district will deal with such restrictions and communicate with families. Engage in data privacy conversations with vendors and partners whose applications and services incorporate AI to understand the full scope of how data is used and where it’s stored. Consider vetting AI tools at the district level similar to the way that other software applications and services require approval processes.

Incorporate considerations for AI into information security policies. Even if AI applications aren’t blocked in the district environment, it’s still prudent to monitor the traffic, applications, and usage. Be alert for anomalies or unexpected network behavior.

Consider IoT devices and systems that incorporate AI for possible vulnerabilities or biases that result in negative performance or risks.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence in K-12 public education holds tremendous potential for transforming the traditional educational landscape. By enabling personalized learning experiences, enhancing educator efficiency, promoting data-driven decision-making, offering customized educational content, and fostering inclusivity, AI empowers both students and educators alike. Cooper states, “As education necessarily evolves, AI is the tool that elevates, not replaces. Those who embrace it will transcend boundaries, multiplying their educational impact beyond our current understanding.” ◀

THE BACK PAGE

A hospital stay, a charge nurse, and a hairpiece

I

by Riney Jordan

think there is one thing that I may never become accustomed to experiencing … and that is the element of surprise, discovering the unexpected, and then dealing with it.

COVID-19 finally caught up with both my wife and me, and, although they sent my wife home, they opted for me to spend the next three days in the hospital. Oh, we had both taken the vaccine and the boosters and I must say we were totally taken aback when the doctor announced that we each had COVID. One reason I was so surprised was that the wife and I had tested with the home kits prior to going to the emergency room. Those tests showed each of us to be negative. So, when the ER did their myriad of tests that morning, I was aghast when my doctor said, “Riney, you have COVID!” And, like an idiot, I immediately said, “No. You’re mistaken. I don’t have COVID.” I am rather certain that at that point he rolled his eyes, looked me squarely in the face, and rather emphatically said, “Yes, you do! And, I am admitting you to the hospital for two to three days.”

By the way, are you aware that your mouth actually responds to such a surprise statement and drops open? It’s true. It’s your body’s natural response to something your mind cannot comprehend. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but after the exam, I was wheeled to an isolation room and sealed off from the rest of the world.

I suspect that many of you are aware that I wear a hairpiece and have for the past 55 years. But, for whatever reason, I decided that since I was in isolation, I didn’t need to wear it. After all, I was hidden away and could not have visitors, so trying to keep myself looking so prim and proper when no one was going to be seeing me except for a few nurses, seemed a little foolish. So, I asked my wife to take the hairpiece home.

Well, the next morning, I was thinking much more clearly, so I gave her a call and asked her to send me several things, including a phone charger and my hairpiece.

The staff changed at 7 p.m., and I noticed that my phone was almost out of power.

The new night nurse came in to do a couple of things, and I could tell immediately that she was all business. There would be no silly stuff with her.

As she was about to walk out of the room, I asked her if she would mind looking in my bag and finding my charger.

She took a deep breath, turned around and began going through the bag.

“It should be right there on top,” I volunteered.

In desperation, she began taking one item at a time out of the bag and stacking them on a nearby chair.

All of a sudden, she let out a scream that made me sit up and the other nurses come running.

“What? What on Earth is it?” I asked.

She turned, fell into what space was left on the chair, and began laughing.

“Oh, my goodness,” she explained. “It’s a wig!

Is that yours?”

“Yes,” I answered rather sheepishly. “I forgot that was in there.”

Well, needless to say, the remainder of my hospital stay was rather uneventful. The nurses and I all became good friends, and I lived through it.

So, what does this column have to do with education and public schools?

Not a whole lot. But it’s good once in a while to just laugh and realize that some things aren’t nearly as important as we previously thought they were.

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RINEY JORDAN is the author of two books and a frequent public speaker. To invite him to speak at your convocation, graduation or awards banquet, visit www.rineyjordan.com.

Texas School Business JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

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