THE MAGAZINE of the TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Summer 2020 | Volume 40 | Number 1
COVID-19’S IMPACT ON TEXAS SCHOOLS
What will classrooms look like in 2020?
ALSO INSIDE | Get to know TCTA State President Twila Read Your mental health matters | Understanding teacher service records
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
The COVID conundrum
L
et me begin with a disclaimer. This column was written on June 29, and I am acutely aware that some of its content may well be laughably inaccurate or dated by the time you receive it. Further, let it be known that I have no special skills or expertise in this area, though I once wanted to be a doctor before I encountered calculus and physics. There is growing frustration in all corners regarding the lack of actionable information about what’s going to happen, how, and what everyone’s role will be when the new school year begins. That frustration is entirely understandable as, to some extent, is the lack of guidance. There are so many competing interests and the options and potential consequences seem to change weekly. With regard to competing interests, our members have been very divided, or at least those who responded to our survey in mid-June were before the recent spike in cases. Some of you can’t wait to get back to school and re-establish direct contact with your students. Some of you fear for your own health due to underlying conditions, or for members of your household. Some parents want their children back on campus as soon as possible; others are voicing concerns about how safe it is or isn’t. Some students seem to have adapted well to distance learning; others still don’t have the technology available to even give it a try. One of the things the global pandemic, as it has been declared by the World Health Organization, has magnified is the vast role Texas public schools have been playing and the near-miracles that educators are expected to perform. No longer are schools just a place for learning the curriculum; for many, they are a safe place for child care, a place for a reliable supply of food, a nurturing environment that has gradually been tasked with providing social and emotional learning as well as being alert to mental health issues, whether a child’s weight is a concern, and a host of other items once addressed by communities, families, churches, social services, etc., that are now largely left to the schools. Anybody who didn’t fully appreciate teachers and aides previously should certainly do so now. I recently read one letter to the editor from a parent of two children, one of whom had special needs, in which he was essentially venting that the child with special needs required full day one-on-one attention. His point was largely to note the level of care and instruction that all children, but some especially, require. My hope is that when on-campus instruction begins again, he’ll check to be sure his child’s teachers have that level of support when his child is in their classrooms. With regard to how and when school resumes, I don’t have any answers. However, I don’t think your local school board and superintendent do either. Nor does this seem to be a matter for “local control,” which is often over-rated and should be limited to local issues primarily of consequence to your particular community, not big issues like whether you have rights and protections provided to you (those are a matter of state law, though Districts of Innovation are chipping away at them), and certainly not matters of public health. I feel sorry for school administrators when they have to decide whether or not to call a snow day; you hate to waste a day if the weather doesn’t turn foul, but you also don’t want to be the person whose decision strands a bunch of students at school or, worse yet, results in an accident. COVID-19 is way bigger than a snow day, and local school boards and administrators lack the expertise to determine what is safe and for whom. Continued on page 23 2
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Texas Classroom Teachers Association PO Box 1489, Austin, TX 78767-1489 Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekdays Phone: 888-879-8282 Fax: 512-469-9527 Website: tcta.org
2020-21 Executive Board President
Twila Read, Grand Prairie President-Elect
Sherry Miller, Killeen Immediate Past-President
Albert Mosqueda, San Benito Budget
Melody Young, Sherman Curriculum & Instruction
Vacant
Governance
Eleanore Malone, Tyler Legislation
Cristal Isaacks, Levelland Membership
Vacant
Professional Rights & Responsibilities
Joyce McCurdy, Wichita Falls Teacher Personal Services
Nydia Alvarez-Alonzo, Mission
Staff Contacts Executive Director
Jeri Stone
General Counsel
Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Associate Executive Director
Ann Fickel Attorneys
Jeri Stone Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Dohn Larson Holly Eaton Michael Currie Gerald Francisco Julie Leahy Paige Bruton Williams Business Office
Park Brigtsen
Communications
M. Clare Haefner Legislation
Paige Bruton Williams Lonnie F. Hollingsworth Jr. Ann Fickel Pamela McPeters Membership
Persie Ngo-Hatchie Professional Development and Advocacy
Holly Eaton
Services Corporation
Jan Lanfear
About TCTA The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is an independent association for Texas teaching professionals that was founded in 1927. TCTA is based in Austin and is the only statewide teachers association that limits active-level membership to those directly involved in classroom teaching or teaching support.
CONTENTS
Summer 2020 | Volume 40 | Number 1
DEPARTMENTS
2
Executive Director’s Message
14 THE MAGAZINE of the TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Summer 2020 | Volume 40 | Number 1
COVID-19’S IMPACT ON TEXAS SCHOOLS
4
TCTA News & Notes
What will classrooms look like in 2020?
9 Legal Notes
10
Washington Watch
ALSO INSIDE | Get to know TCTA’s new state president Twila Read Your mental health matters | Understanding teacher service records
On the Cover
What will learning look like this year? It was a school year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools, and now officials in Texas are struggling with how and when to reopen. We explore the impact of the coronavirus on the 2019-20 school year and look at what may be ahead for teachers and students in 2020-21.
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Planning Ahead
FEATURES
12
Always in their corner TCTA State President Twila Read is an advocate for students and educators. But she resisted the call to serve. Growing up in Dumas, Texas, Read’s parents were educators. Her mom taught prekindergarten and her dad was a teacher and coach before he transitioned into city management. But Read had no intention of following in their footsteps.
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Congratulations to the 2019-20 TCTA statewide award winners Find out who was recognized for outstanding contributions to TCTA and the education profession.
THE CLASSROOM TEACHER (ISSN-0279-2494) is the official publication of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA), providing news and opinions in the interest of education excellence. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. The views and opinions contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright © 2020. Publication schedule is quarterly. Annual membership dues for TCTA are $175, $5 of which is allocated to a one-year subscription to THE CLASSROOM TEACHER. Subscriptions for nonmembers are available for $10 per year. POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address, articles and/or photographs to: Editor, THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, PO Box 1489, Austin, Texas 78767-1489. TCTA is located at 700 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78701. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT AUSTIN, TEXAS.
Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
Gov. Abbott selects TCTA member to serve on SBEC board Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed TCTA member Jean Streepey to the State Board for Educator Certification. Abbott also appointed Julia Moore to the board. SBEC oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification and standards of conduct of public school educators. Streepey and Moore will fill terms on the 15-member board that are set to expire on Feb. 1, 2025. Streepey is a seventh grade math teacher for Highland Park Independent School District in Dallas. She joined TCTA in 2019 and also is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Council of Presidential Awardees in Mathematics, and both the National and Texas Councils of Teachers of Mathematics. Additionally, she is a warehouse volunteer for the North Texas Food Bank and a volunteer for Girl Scouts. Streepey
received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Southern Methodist University, Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Education in Education Policy from The University of Texas at Arlington. Moore of Pflugerville is the founder of Julia Faye Consulting, a public relations consulting firm, Texas outreach director of EdChoice, an account manager for Steinhauser Strategies, and an advisor to other national education organizations. She is a member of the Austin Liberty Leadership Council and former chair of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Austin Steering Committee. Julia received a Bachelor of Science in Political Communication and a certification in Ethics & Leadership in Law, Politics, and Government from The University of Texas at Austin.
TEA adds data driven early childhood resources to its website TEA’s Early Childhood Education division has created a new section on its website focused on data driven instruction. It defines data collection requirements for grades PK-2 and provides links to free tools and information to help decide what tool(s) will work best for each school district. TEA plans to expand the web page to include guidance on tool selection, best practices for using data to inform instruction, and family engagement partnerships to support each child. Go to https://tinyurl.com/ydb93dlq to learn more.
Supreme Court blocks Trump from ending DACA program The U.S. Supreme Court on June 18 ruled against the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, declaring in a 5-4 opinion that the 2012 initiative was inappropriately terminated by the Trump administration. The ruling means DACA will continue to protect more than 700,000 Americans, including more than 100,000 Texans, allowing them to attend school and work without fear of deportation. “We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority
opinion. “‘The wisdom’ of those decisions ‘is none of our concern.’ We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action.” While immigrant rights groups praised the Supreme Court’s decision, President Donald Trump said his administration would continue to look for a way to end the program. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement that his office would keep fighting to have DACA declared unconstitutional in a separate case filed in Texas’ federal courts.
Share your success with us! Were you chosen as your campus Teacher of the Year? Did you win an award or receive grant funding? Email communications@tcta.org and tell us about your recognition so we can share it in The Classroom Teacher. 4
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TEA extends deadline to complete K-3 reading academies New details have become available about the literacy achievement academies required by House Bill 3 for all classroom teachers and principals in grades K-3. The first participants in the literacy achievement academies are expected to start in July. While the target for completion of the literacy achievement academies was the 2021-22 school year, the Texas Education Agency has extended the deadline to the end of the 2022-23 school year. New teachers subsequently must attend an academy prior to their first year of assignment in those grades. All K-3 teachers and principals must register for the literacy academies, but there are some exemptions and additional options.
Exemptions/options
Teachers holding all-level certification in art, health education, music, physical education, speech communication and theater arts, or theater, are exempt. Teachers who participated in the 2018-19 READ Grant can count their participation toward the HB 3 literacy requirement. TEA also is offering a fast track option for skilled participants that requires district-level approval. According to TEA’s Reading Academy Authorized Provider FAQ Page, “the participant will be tasked with successfully passing all 7 artifacts on their first attempt. If they do not pass any single artifact, they will not pass the course, and will be required to enroll in a blended or comprehensive course. The district will not be refunded the cost of the fast track course.� Per TEA, the fast track option is recommended for highly skilled reading teachers with prior certifications or licensures related to reading or dyslexia intervention. This option will be available after Sept. 15, 2020. Districts may work with any authorized provider in Texas. There are currently 38, including all 20 Regional Education Service Centers. Go to tcta.org/node/15394 to find a link to the full list of authorized providers.
Reading Academy design
TEA has authorized three models, a comprehensive model, a blended model, and one involving reading cohort leaders employed by school districts. Regardless of the model chosen, TEA anticipates that between training and demonstrating understanding and application of concepts, it will take participants about 60 hours to complete the academies. Districts can choose which model their K-3 teachers and
principals attend and by which year before the deadline they complete the academies. Participants who fail to demonstrate proficiency or to complete the requirements can be re-enrolled in a new cohort.
Reading Academy content
Reading Academy course modules are available via an online portal (CANVAS platform). There are 12 modules, and performance tasks (e.g. artifacts) are embedded within modules. There are six artifacts. For example, at the end of Module 6, Phonological Awareness, teachers will video themselves providing a very brief phonological awareness lesson using the gradual release of responsibility framework. Two of the artifacts will be graded by cohort leaders, while the remainder will be graded by the CANVAS platform. Cohort leaders must meet certain TEA qualifications, including demonstrating proficiency via a centralized TEA screening, and must have served as a teacher in grades K-5 for three or more years across their career. In addition to demonstrating proficiency on the screening assessment, the cohort leader must be hired either directly by an approved provider or by a district that has signed a memorandum of understanding with an approved provider to implement the academy locally. Training was held virtually June 29-July 1 for cohort leaders serving in July.
Timelines and funding
School districts can work with their authorized providers to form and register cohorts of participants. If a school district is an authorized provider, it can form cohorts as well. The earliest a cohort can launch is July 13, 2020. School districts receive several new funding sources in HB 3 that can be used to support reading instruction, including paying for teacher attendance at reading academies. TEA strongly encourages school districts to structure the reading academies within designated campuswide professional development and/or professional learning community days to ensure that staff has ample opportunity to complete the required content and to keep costs down. Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TCTA successfully limits mentor meetings outside school day In submitting comments on proposed TEA mentoring rules, TCTA objected to a proposal providing for mentoring meetings to occur outside of the regularly contracted school day. TCTA pointed out that the proposal conflicted with statutory provisions requiring that a school district must designate a specific time during the regularly contracted school day for meetings between mentor teachers and classroom teachers assigned to a mentor. Fortunately, TEA agreed and struck the language from the final rules. (Go to tcta.org/node/15401 to view the final rules.) TCTA also successfully advocated that the proposed rules be changed to allow for more teachers to be eligible to be mentored. TEA again agreed, changing the rule language so that any teacher with less than two years of experience in the subject or grade level assigned would be eligible for inclusion in the mentoring program funded by House Bill 3. TEA adopted the proposed rules pursuant to HB 3, the comprehensive school finance bill passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, which, strengthened existing mentor program provisions in statute. HB 3 also provided funding in the form of an annual $3 million mentoring allotment for eligible districts committed to implementing the strengthened
program for beginning teachers with fewer than two years of teaching experience. Among other provisions, HB 3 requires scheduled release time or a reduced teaching load for mentor teachers and classroom teachers to facilitate mentoring activities, including classroom observations or participation in supportive coaching. Another of the bill’s provisions requires TEA to adopt rules detailing how many teachers a mentor can be assigned. The rules specify that school districts must agree to assign no more than two beginning teachers to a mentor who serves as a teacher of record for, on average, six hours per instructional day; or four beginning teachers to a mentor who serves as a teacher of record for, on average, less than six hours per instructional day. Funding for the program will begin in the 2020-21 school year, with $1,800 per mentee provided, at a maximum of $100,000 per district. Funding may only be used for mentor teacher stipends, scheduled release time for mentor teachers and the classroom teachers to whom they are assigned for meeting and engaging in mentoring activities, and mentoring support through providers of mentor training.
Coalition calls on Texas districts to remove police from schools The national unrest over police violence following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others has spread to schools, with several large districts, including Minneapolis and Seattle, severing their relationships with local police departments. In Texas, a coalition of juvenile justice groups called on districts in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin to eliminate their police departments and instead use the funds for more mental health and counseling services. While the state’s largest districts have no plans to disband
their police departments, officials have pledged to review discipline policies. TCTA surveyed members in June about policing in schools, and 82 percent of respondents said their districts had a regular police presence in some or all of their campuses. Nearly 90% of respondents said having a police presence in their district made them feel safer, with many in rural areas saying it helped improve response times when issues arose. Nearly 85% said they would not recommend diverting funds from police to mental health and counseling services.
Need some CPE? We’ve got you covered.
Explore TCTA’s collection of CPE videos now playing at members.tcta.org.
Log in with your email and password to view and save certificates.
Having trouble logging in? Call 888-879-8282 or email membership@tcta.org 6
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TRS approves changes to ActiveCare plans, benefits During its April meeting, the TRS Board of Trustees approved significant changes to plan designs and benefits for TRS-ActiveCare participants, and approved new rates and one provider change for the three HMOs that serve certain regions of the state.
ActiveCare changes
After meeting with participating school districts and stakeholders in February, the TRS staff began working on major changes to ActiveCare in an effort to address the myriad concerns about the plan, ranging from high costs to low benefits. It is important to note that the main problem is the lack of adequate funding from the state, which has tied TRS’s hands in developing more affordable options. But several changes were approved to provide a small measure of relief. Overall, the goals were to lower premiums for child/family coverage where possible, allow broader access to providers, lower deductibles for individuals in family coverage, and provide a new, lower cost option.
TRS seeking nominees for active educator position on board TRS is now accepting nominations for eligible members to qualify as candidates for the election of the Public School District Employee position on the TRS Board of Trustees. The term begins as early as Sept. 1, 2021, and ends Aug. 31, 2027. Nominees may collect the required 250 signatures online or on paper by Jan. 25, 2021. An eligible member for this election is a current employee of a public school district, charter school or regional education service center. Go to https://www.trs.texas.gov/Pages/board_ election_2020.aspx for more information.
ActiveCare will now include four options:
Primary+, is that for dependent coverage, any individual in the plan can reach the deductible and that person’s benefits will kick in. It is not required that all family members meet the deductible before an individual’s benefits begin.
• HD-1 — the existing high deductible option. The
Premium rates
Plan changes
deductible will rise slightly from $2,750 to $2,800, and the in-network out-of-pocket maximum will increase from $6,750 to $6,900. Other benefits remain largely the same. • Primary and Primary+ — new plans considered to be replacements for ActiveCare Select, which had provided benefits only for the use of specified network providers inside the member’s own region. Primary and Primary+ will still restrict benefits to those using network providers but will allow participants to access any of the providers statewide (not only in the county in which the member resides). Benefits for Primary+ are similar to the Select plan, except that the in-network out-of-pocket maximum will decrease from $7,000 to $6,900, the co-pay for therapy is reduced from $70 to $30, many co-pays are eliminated, and the individual deductible is reduced. Primary offers lower premiums coupled with lower benefits, including a $2,500 individual deductible, 30% coinsurance (i.e., insurance covers 70% of charges after the deductible is met, instead of 80% as in the other plans), and an out-of-pocket maximum of $8,150. • ActiveCare-2 (no change in benefits from the current ActiveCare-2). This option remains closed to new enrollees and is only available to those who are already enrolled in ActiveCare-2. A significant change for HD, and a benefit for Primary and
For the high deductible (HD) plan, premiums will rise slightly for employee only and employee/spouse coverage, but will decrease slightly for employee/child and family coverage. ActiveCare-2 rates will increase nearly 10% at each level. Rates for Primary+ are similar to, but less than, those for the now-eliminated ActiveCare Select. Rates for Primary are the lowest available among the four options. To explore the benefits and premium rates for all four plans, go to tcta.org/node/15374.
HMO changes
The three HMOs currently operating will continue for 2020-21, with mostly minor changes. The most significant difference is that the HMO currently operating in the Panhandle and most West Texas counties is switching to Blue Cross Blue Shield, with some accompanying changes in co-pays and coinsurance. Benefits for Baylor Scott & White and South Texas BCBSTX will remain the same. Rate changes for the three HMOs were a mixed bag. The South Texas BCBSTX plan will see very small premium increases ($5-$10); Baylor Scott & White will provide an $8 decrease in employee-only premiums but increases at other levels; and West Texas BCBS premiums are decreasing across the board, ranging from -$27 for employee-only coverage to -$129 for employee/spouse. Explore the HMO rates at tcta.org/node/15374. Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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TCTA NEWS & NOTES
TEA makes progress on assessment changes from HB 3906 TEA is making progress on changes to student assessments required by House Bill 3906. The bill eliminates standalone STAAR writing tests in grades 4 and 7 in favor of a combined reading and writing exam that aligns with revised Reading Language Arts TEKS adopted by the State Board of Education. An advisory committee is working with TEA to redesign the reading language arts exam for grades 3-8 and volunteers are needed to serve on a focus group to help with the process. Thus far, decisions have been made to include writing in the RLA assessments via multiple choice revising and editing items, as well as shortened revising and editing passages as appropriate. Other ideas being considered include adding short answer constructed response items, expanding genres and grade levels for the essay, and
eliminating the 26-line essay limit. Field testing of new item types will occur throughout the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. TEA will begin the transition to implement the redesigned RLA assessments in 2021-22 with the elimination of the 4th and 7th grade writing tests, as well as the addition of multiple choice writing items to the state RLA assessment in grades 3-8. Implementation of the fully redesigned RLA assessment will occur in the 2022-23 school year. TEA continues to assess the feasibility of moving to an online-only format for STAAR testing in all grades, surveying districts this spring about their readiness. The findings of TEA’s study are due to the legislature by Dec. 1. Go to tcta.org/node/15397 to read more.
Member Accolades
TCTA congratulates three members named H-E-B Excellence in Education award finalists TCTA congratulates Susan Ellis, Dottie Griffith and Julie Schniers on their selection as statewide finalists in H-E-B’s 2020 Excellence in Education Awards. Ellis, a TCTA member since 1994, teaches at Central Middle School in Nederland ISD. She is a finalist in the Lifetime Achievement Secondary category. Griffith, a TCTA member since 2002, teaches at Harris Middle School in Northeast ISD. She is a finalist in the
Lifetime Achievement Secondary category. Schniers, a TCTA member since 2007, teaches at Central High School in San Angelo ISD. She is a finalist in the Leadership Secondary category. This year’s ceremony was held virtually because of COVID-19 closures, so all of the 2020 finalists will be invited to attend and be recognized as part of Excellence in Education’s 20th anniversary awards weekend in May 2021.
MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT IN 2020! Voters will head to the polls Nov. 3 to elect the president and fill U.S. Senate and House seats, along with many statewide and Texas legislative seats. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5. Early voting is Oct. 19-30, and the last day to apply for a ballot by mail is Oct. 23. TCTA does not make endorsements, but we encourage members to vote and support education-friendly candidates.
Learn more about candidates by visiting their webpages and attending debates or town hall meetings. If you have a preferred candidate, encourage friends, family and colleagues to vote for that person. You also may want to consider making a campaign contribution or volunteering to help with the campaign (just remember you must volunteer as an individual, not as a member of TCTA).
Learn more about candidates at TexasTeachersVote.org and Vote411.org. 8
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LEGAL NOTES
Know your teacher service record ABCs Attain a copy of your TSR, Be sure to carefully review all A information contained on the record, and timely work with s a public school teacher, librarian, counselor or nurse in Texas, the bulk of your annual salary is determined by your total number of years of service, normally in a Texas public school. However, a variety of educational entities and types of service are recognized for purposes of salary increments. Specific requirements and conditions must be met to acquire service credit for each type of entity recognized by the Texas Education Agency for this purpose, and for proper placement on the state’s minimum salary schedule. Though beyond the scope of this article, questions about credit for salary increment purposes based on service at educational entities other than Texas public schools, as well as other concerns, should be addressed with a TCTA staff attorney. Professional school employees should also be aware that years of service for purposes of the state minimum salary schedule are different from years of service creditable for calculating benefits in the Teacher Retirement System. Different rules apply to TRS service credit, and such credit is not reflected in the teacher service record.
Legal Requirements
Texas Education Code section 21.403 (a) provides that a teacher, librarian, school counselor or nurse shall advance one step on the minimum salary schedule (through Step 20) for each year of experience in these designated
the school district to Correct any errors and/or omissions. positions. It is therefore important as a matter of law that all such years of experience are properly documented. This includes employment by a charter school. While charter schools are not required to abide by the state minimum salary schedule, creditable service may be earned for proper placement on the schedule by a school district. Any claim of service for salary increment purposes must generally document in writing: • that service was provided for the minimum number of days required for salary increment credit • that such service was acquired at an entity recognized for years of service • that the specific requirements for service in a recognized entity were met TEA requires that all service claimed for salary increment purposes by professional employees of Texas public schools be documented on a teacher service record (TSR), identified by TEA as Form FIN-115 (see https:// tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/salaryand-service-record) or other similar document containing the proper information. Certain types of service may require supporting documentation
in addition to recording of such on your TSR. Service records and any supporting documentation must be completed in ink or completed electronically and printed. Any use of white out will nullify the respective document. A service record with a digital signature is only valid for the intended recipient as recorded on the TSR. A digital version including information from prior employing districts will be honored if the most recent employing district is the designated recipient of the information from these previous employers. Though the digital record will not be official if received by the educator, the district must provide a copy to the educator upon request.
What’s in the TSR?
The teacher service record must correctly indicate the total number of years of service provided to a given school district by the teacher, librarian, school counselor, or nurse. Importantly, the TSR must also contain a record of days used and accumulated under the former state sick leave program, as well as the current state personal leave program. Therefore, Continued on page 22 Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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WASHINGTON WATCH
USDE proposes more teacher-directed professional development
E
arlier in the year, the U.S. Department of Education published a proposal in the Federal Register suggesting new criteria for competitive grants under the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program. The EIR program provides an opportunity for schools to create and evaluate entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated programs to improve student achievement within a specific category of students — those designated as high-need students. The EIR program provides an renewals or designated professional opportunity to pilot solutions to days. persistent education challenges that In offering this pilot program, the can ultimately be expanded to serve a Department of Education is interested larger number of high-need students. to learn if teacher-directed professional The program has been funded the past development may be more effective in three years at an average of $125 million improving instructional practice and annually. student outcomes than the existing The EIR was previously known as professional development activities the Investing in Innovation Program aligned to districtwide improvement (i3), authorized by the American goals. USDE received numerous Recovery and Reinvestment Act under comments on the proposal from the Obama administration. I3 provided education associations, teachers and a significant latitude in the strategies and few members of Congress. priorities that grantees could address Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking and was initially funded at $650 million; member of the Senate Education annual appropriations averaged $150 Committee, noted two primary million for six years afterward. Awards issues with the proposed EIR were made in part to improve teacher program stipends, referring to them effectiveness and to accelerate teacher as “vouchers” — a tag line used to practice. invoke opposition to the privatization A proposed criterion for this grant of public education efforts of cycle of the EIR program is to allow Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. projects in which classroom teachers Sen. Murray objected to the potential could receive stipends to self-select for selection of non-evidence-based professional learning alternatives training programs and the shifting of that are instructionally relevant and funds away from the public school meet their individual needs related system if teachers selected external to instructional practices for hightraining programs. Sen. Murray further need students. Additionally, teachers attempted to use language from the receiving the stipends would be allowed department’s own budget documents the flexibility to replace mandatory to discredit teacher-directed training. professional development with such She referenced a section stating, teacher-directed learning, which also “while some teachers report receiving must be allowed to fully count toward stipends for professional development, any mandatory teacher professional the practice is not widely used and its development goals for certification impact is unknown.”
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Most often teachers desire tailored content, be it instructional strategies, technology training or classroom management skills to meet their immediate needs. Teachers can identify gaps in their capabilities and augment through a combination of peercommunities, mentor relationships, professional experts in their field and professional development. Opponents to teacher-directed learning say it could be difficult for individual teachers to wade through external course offerings to determine if a specific course has strong evidence of effectiveness with high-need students. Districts have a standing practice of listing allowable internal courses for all staff development, limiting a teacher’s ability to use district funds for external courses. And Scholastic reports that according to recent surveys, nearly all teachers want effective, ongoing, relevant professional development opportunities — with 84% desiring more professional development tailored to their needs. EIR pilot studies on self-selected professional learning opportunities would enable evaluations to commence and bridge potential gaps in accessing needed content, especially in districts that have more limited professional development content. Democrats point to the Every Student Succeeds Act that defines teacher professional development as “sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and classroom focused.” They point out this EIR competition does not meet that standard. The proposal does state that courses are to be high-quality, and Continued on page 23
PLANNING AHEAD
Don’t forget your mental health — it’s covered! Teachers have a deserved reputation for selflessness, but it’s important to remember to take care of yourself. Although you may think of your health insurance primarily in terms of coverage for physical ailments and injuries, most policies also include coverage for mental health services.
R
esearch and surveys tell us that teaching is one of the most stressful jobs in America. (Teachers tell us this, too.) In one survey, 93% of respondents indicated high levels of stress; the same survey found that teachers with the highest levels of stress and burnout, and the lowest coping abilities, were correlated with the lowest levels of student performance. (It should be noted that the survey did not examine whether the stress was because of, or the cause of, the low student performance.) In recent years, teachers have been asked to accomplish more with scarce resources, often with inadequate support from their administration and parents, and with increasingly difficult classroom discipline concerns. And now, we can add a global pandemic, a faltering economy, and political unrest to the mix. Aside from stress-induced issues, teachers are just as prone to mental illnesses as the rest of the population. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 1 in 5 American adults experiences mental illness, with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder among the more common concerns. Stress and mental illness can take a toll on your physical health. Stress can contribute to or exacerbate mental illnesses, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, sleep disruption, substance abuse and more. Addressing underlying mental health issues can help lead to improved health overall. When your stress levels rise, don’t neglect your mental health. Consider
Five tips to help you reduce stress
Aside from professional assistance and medication, teachers can take other actions to prioritize their mental health. There are the obvious physical factors (eat well, get plenty of sleep and exercise), but changes at work can reduce your stress levels as well. 1. Leave work at school. Easier said than done, we know. And for anyone doing virtual teaching from home, this will be harder than ever. But establishing a finite end to the workday — even if at times not every task gets finished — can make a big difference to your stress levels. 2. Share the work and keep in touch with your colleagues. Having a co-teacher or other colleague who can help with planning and troubleshooting can help relieve the load. And the connections you make with people who completely understand what you’re going through can support you through rough times. 3. Take time for yourself. Many teachers are also caregivers at home, but as the flight attendants say, you have to put your own oxygen mask on before you can help those around you. Indulging in a hobby or other activity that is just for you may take a few minutes away from your responsibilities, but can help you remain available in the long run for those who count on you. 4. Try to keep weekends work free. Rather than starting the work week Sunday afternoon, try to wrap up all of your planning and grading on Friday, or get an earlier start on Monday to get ready for the week. 5. Don’t be too tough on yourself. Teaching is really, really hard and there will always be something you couldn’t accomplish to your satisfaction. When you start feeling down about failures or perceived inadequacies, remember to also think about the things that did go right and what you are particularly good at. Learn from your mistakes — just don’t dwell on them.
whether you might benefit from professional help. If you decide to seek counseling, individual or family therapy, medication, or other treatment, you should know that your health insurance policy very likely includes coverage for
mental health services. If you are enrolled in TRS-Care or ActiveCare, you have access to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and therapists through the Continued on page 22 Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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Always in their corner
Twila Read ready to advocate for students and educators
T
CTA State President Twila Read is an advocate for students and educators. But she resisted the call to serve. Growing up in Dumas, Texas, Read’s parents were educators. Her mom taught prekindergarten and her dad was a teacher and coach before he transitioned into city management. “My maternal grandfather wanted to be a teacher, too,” she said. “He didn’t have the opportunity to attend college, so he was a hardworking farmer who made sure my mom and her sister went to college.” But Read had no intention of following in their footsteps. “I never had any desire to teach when I was in school,” she said. “In fact, I was insulted when someone would tell me I would be a great teacher.” But she changed her mind in college and spent 17 years teaching middle school social studies and English in Grand Prairie ISD before finding her calling as a school guidance counselor. She spent four years as a counselor at Truman Middle School, then moved to Grand Prairie High School two years ago. Read likes being a school counselor because no two days are ever the same. She helps students navigate conflicts with other students and at home, audits transcripts to ensure students are on track to graduate, completes risk assessments on students who threaten self-harm and advocates for students when they’re failing classes and need someone on their side. The responsibility of supporting students is why she comes to work each day. “One day in February, I really struggled getting ready for work, and several times I decided I was not going and I went to my laptop to enter my absence,” Read recalled. “However, every time something told me, ‘No, you are going to school.’ I eventually made my drive to work and while walking into the building, I ran into one of our functional skills
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students having a bit of a meltdown. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he demanded a hug. After he got his hug, he was able to make it to class. That’s why I get up every day and go to school. My students need me in their corner regardless of the situation.” Knowing students need her inspires Read to always listen to what students say. “Right or wrong, students just want someone to listen to what they have to say. (Listening) helps me create trust with the student as I try to help them with whatever the issue is.” Her skills as a guidance counselor also help her as an advocate for her peers. “Advocating for teachers is my passion,” she said. “I will never forget how my first visit to the Capitol made me feel and how much I enjoyed representing Texas educators.” That experience led her to seek a leadership position with TCTA. After being invited to join by a co-worker, Read served on TCTA’s Directors’ Council and Executive Board before running for state president. She also has served Grand Prairie CTA in several leadership roles, including local president. In the year ahead as state president, Read said she is “excited and determined to be the best I can be and help our organization grow.” She knows navigating COVID-19 will be an ongoing challenge, but she’s ready to find new ways to reach out to members and prospective members to continue advocating on their behalf. “Teachers are already feeling the pressure to ‘close the gaps’ without knowing how the school year will look,” she said. “Will
ABOVE: Twila Read with her York Pack, Delilah and Wrigley. OPPOSITE PAGE: Read (far right) is a member of the counseling team at Grand Prairie High School. An avid Chicago Cubs fan, Read takes trips to watch baseball games at Wrigley Field. we have a traditional start to school? Superintendents from larger districts have discussed the idea of hybrid scheduling where students come to school Monday and Wednesday but are at home Tuesday and Thursday. We also need to understand that some of our students do not have an ideal learning environment at their home and figure out how we can better help them.” She’s also concerned about educator salaries and the rising costs of health insurance, so she’ll continue to work with TCTA’s lobby team to advocate for better benefits. Her efforts already paid off in Grand Prairie ISD. Last year, she initiated a grievance regarding the pay raise received by eligible employees in her district under House Bill 3. With the help of TCTA’s legal staff, the grievance was successful — resulting in an additional $900 pay raise for each eligible employee in the district. “TCTA does more for teachers than the other teacher organizations combined,” Read said. When she’s not advocating for students or educators, Read is likely spending time with her “York Pack.” Delilah, who just turned 11, and Wrigley, 9, are spoiled rotten, she says. The dogs have been her constant companions while working from home this spring. “They have made some appearances in Zoom
and Google Meet virtual meetings by barking at the yard guys, snoring during their numerous naps or popping up on screen because they needed to remind me that my attention should be on them.” COVID-19 disrupted one of Read’s traditions — traveling to watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball. A die-hard fan, Read travels each year to games, either at Wrigley Field or on road trips. She hopes to eventually visit all the Major League Baseball stadiums. “Unfortunately, I had to postpone a Europe trip this summer where I would have seen the Cubs play in London and then traveled by train to Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon. We are hoping to go during spring break or summer 2021.” She’s also traveled with students. While teaching middle school, she would take eighth graders on trips to Washington, D.C. “Since moving to high school, I miss that, and am considering starting up a trip,” she said. Read knows this year may be one of the most challenging that teachers and students have experienced. As a counselor, she is well-positioned to help her students through the school year, and as TCTA state president, she will be a strong leader in representing and advocating for educators in the coming months and through the 2021 legislative session. Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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EXPLORING COVID-19’S IMPACT ON TEXAS SCHOOLS
What will learning look like this year?
I
t was a school year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools, and now officials in Texas are struggling with how and when to reopen. Campuses remained shuttered after spring break in March, and districts quickly shifted to distance learning to complete the 2019-20 school year, following orders from Gov. Greg Abbott and Education Commissioner Mike Morath to keep schools closed.
TEACHING DURING A SHUTDOWN
Remote instruction was a big adjustment for students, families and especially teachers, many of whom had to try to teach and keep track of their students while also caring for their own children at home. Distance learning looked different in every district, with some more prepared than others to teach students remotely . In a mid-June survey of TCTA members, nearly 40% of respondents said they held virtual classes with students, using 14
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Zoom, Facebook Live, YouTube and other video platforms to teach and stay connected until school ended in May. About 36% posted prerecorded videos and other lessons online for students to complete, and around 15% prepared paper packets for parents to pick up and give their children to complete at home. Others deployed a variety of methods to reach students, and many said email and phone became the primary means of communication. Most teachers had access to reliable internet connections and the programs necessary to work from home and teach online. But many districts had to purchase tablets or laptops along with Wi-Fi hotspots to ensure students had access to the technology needed for remote learning. More than half of TCTA’s survey respondents said that while they were able to work from home, they spent more time working than they would have had the school year not been disrupted. And many lost contact with some of their students, with teachers also reporting trouble reaching parents and getting support needed to ensure students
I am worried about my students because... 9509 Responses
Which of the following best describes how your district responded to the coronavirus pandemic?
I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY STUDENTS BECAUSE...
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES HOW YOUR DISTRICT RESPONDED TO THE PANDEMIC? 2682 Responses - 5 Empty
17%
My district quickly developed and deployed a strong alternate teaching method.
74%
18% 17% 6%
TCTA COVID-19 SURVEY 17%
Other responses.
14%
YOURteaching DISTRICT OFFERED If your district offeredIF an alternate method, how did it primarilyAN reachALTERNATE students?
TEACHING METHOD, HOW DID IT PRIMARILY REACH STUDENTS? Teachers held live classes with students, in real time, through a video platform,
17%
My students don’t have proper access to technology or the internet. I lost contact with some of my students after schools closed in the spring semester.
My district relied upon worksheets and gave minimal direction to teachers regarding distance learning.
40%
17%
Teachers held live classes in real time through a platform like Zoom.
Parents are not providing support students need to learn at home. Online/distance learning is causing my students to fall behind.
I don’t feel like I can properly assess my Other responses. students’ state of well-being with remote instruction. ents used software and pre-recorded videos to complete lessons online. TCTA surveyed members in June. The responses were collected before the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases began in late June/early July.
completed lessons at home. Not surprisingly, the pandemic prompted some teachers to consider changing careers. Several respondents cited a lack of support, training and communication from administrators during distance learning as reasons they’re apprehensive about returning to teaching in the fall. Some are considering jobs that won’t put them at as much risk of contracting COVID-19. Others felt they couldn’t adequately teach students remotely. “Teaching my students in a self-contained classroom requires ‘hands-on’ methods,” one TCTA survey respondent said. “That’s difficult to do when not in the classroom.” Most are concerned about the future and worry about the stress and anxiety of learning new ways of teaching during this pandemic, but plan to return in the fall. “I can’t imagine doing anything other than teaching,” one respondent wrote. Another said, “I could retire and thought it might be time, but I still love teaching and the kids so I will continue. I am willing to do what it takes even if it means lots of training for online teaching.”
36%
Other 4%
Students used software and prerecorded lessons online.
Students used paper packets to work. to complete lesson Students used papercomplete packets or worksheets 15%
Other responses.
To help districts implement remote instruction, the Texas Education Agency launched the Texas Home Learning Model (texashomelearning.org). The website provided comprehensive 8-week learning plans and instructional materials for grades Pre-K through 12, in digital and print versions. Each grade-level learning plan included weekly lesson plans with daily schedules identifying activities for each subject, student learning goals and digital and downloadable/printable instructional materials. The Home Learning Model was expanded to include summer lessons and will have new lessons in the fall to support districts that need distance learning options. Serving students in special populations through remote learning was another challenge. TEA released guidance to help districts serve students with disabilities that included resources and adaptive online tools, but many special education teachers struggled to provide the same quality of services to students. Many respondents of TCTA’s COVID-19 survey said the
Continued Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNING GUIDANCE
On July 7, TEA released its 2020-21 public health planning guidance to help schools reopen safely for in-person instruction. TEA recommends four sets of practices for districts to follow to slow the spread of COVID-19 in schools. PROVIDE NOTICE: School systems must post for parents and the general public, one week prior to the start of on-campus activities and instruction, a summary of the plan they will follow to mitigate COVID-19 spread in their schools based on the requirements and recommendations outlined by TEA. PREVENT: School systems must require teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. This involves self-temperature checks and reporting any contact with people who have COVID-19. Those who have symptoms or who have had close contact with someone with symptoms should stay home until conditions for re-entry are met. RESPOND: If an individual who has been in a school is labconfirmed to have COVID-19, the school must notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). • Schools must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed case (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfaces in those areas can be disinfected, unless more than 3 days have already passed since that person was on campus. • Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, schools must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among
MAINTAINING HEALTHY OPERATIONS
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says schools may consider implementing several strategies to maintain healthy operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Suggestions include: • Limit any nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations as possible — especially with individuals who are not from the local geographic area (e.g., community, town, city, county). • Pursue virtual activities and events in lieu of field trips, student assemblies, special performances, school-wide parent meetings, and spirit nights, as possible. • Identify small groups and keep them together. Ensure that
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students, teachers or staff who participate on any on campus activities. MITIGATE: TEA’s recommendations include: • Districts should set up hand washing/sanitizing stations at school entrances, and when possible, in each classroom. Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors should be encouraged to sanitize and/or wash hands frequently. • Campuses should institute more frequent cleaning practices, including additional cleaning by janitorial staff, as well as provide the opportunity for children to clean their own spaces before and after they are used, in ways that are safe and developmentally appropriate. • Whenever possible, schools should open windows or otherwise work to improve air flow by allowing outside air to circulate in the building. • Schools are required to comply with the governor’s executive order regarding the wearing of masks. • Where feasible without disrupting the educational experience, encourage students to practice social distancing. • Employees of school systems, like employees of any organization, must continue to meet the work expectations set by their employers, subject to any applicable employment contract terms. • School teachers and staff should be trained specifically on the protocols outlined in this document and the practices adopted by their school system. TEA says: “There will almost certainly be situations that necessitate temporary school closure due to positive COVID-19 cases in schools. Parents, educators, and school administrators should be prepared for this in the event that it occurs, while actively working to prevent it through prevention and mitigation practices.” View the complete document online at tcta.org/node/15404.
student and staff groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of children stay with the same staff (all day for young children, and as much as possible for older children). • Designate a staff person to be responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns (e.g., school nurse). All school staff and families should know who this person is and how to contact them. • Develop policies for return-to-school after illness. • Encourage employees and students to talk with people they trust about their concerns and how they are feeling. Find more CDC tips about health and safety during the pandemic at cdc.gov/coronavirus.
special accommodations and modifications some students needed were not available online. Others said students could not be properly evaluated. Others said language barriers and a lack of parental support hindered their efforts to reach students. “This was a very difficult time for all,” one member wrote. “Special ed students struggled with the limited support; even though options of assignments and virtual classes were available, they need the small group, one-on-one support to keep them on task and focused.”
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Gov. Abbott canceled spring and summer STAAR testing and the U.S. Department of Education granted TEA’s request for waivers from 2019-20 testing and accountability ratings. TEA announced all districts and campuses would receive “Not Rated” accountability ratings for the 2019-20 school year, offering a temporary reprieve for low-performing schools facing the possibility of state intervention. Texas will have to reapply for waivers in 2020-21 should COVID-19 further disrupt learning. For now, TEA expects STAAR tests to still be administered in the new year. In mid-June, TEA announced an optional extended online testing window for 2020-21, but the paper test dates remain the same. (Find more details at tcta.org/node/15398.) In addition to the state’s COVID-19 response, the federal government passed several relief bills. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act expanded emergency paid sick leave and the Family and Medical Leave Act, and extended unemployment aid and food stamp support. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability Act sent stimulus checks to households based on income tax returns, giving eligible adults $1,200 and children $500. The CARES Act also created a $30.75 billion Education Stabilization Fund to support schools. Included in that was a $13.5 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, which was awarded as grants to states based on their Title I allocations. As COVID-19 cases declined and the state began to reopen in late May, some districts decided to expand summer school, hoping to mitigate the summer slide and loss of learning experienced in the spring. Gov. Abbott allowed schools to reopen June 1, with restrictions on group gatherings and encouraging social distancing, hand washing and the wearing of face masks. A few schools reopened campuses to a limited number of students, but others chose to offer online classes during the summer to those who needed extra instruction. Through it all, TCTA remained in contact with state and local officials to advocate for our members, urging Gov. Abbott, Commissioner Morath and others to listen to the advice of medical professionals and to make decisions based on data, putting the health and safety of teachers and students ahead of political priorities. We also answered members’ questions and combed through guidance from federal, state and local officials to create and maintain a list of frequently asked Continued
REMOTE INSTRUCTION MODELS
To meet attendance requirements for state funding, TEA describes the following models for remote instruction. Synchronous — Similar to regular classroom instruction, where students are taught at a particular time in a (remote) group setting. For example, the entire classroom may be on a videoconference call. Students must participate in the group session to be counted present and to count for average daily attendance (ADA) funding. Students in grades 3-5 must receive at least 180 minutes of instruction; those in grades 6-12 must receive at least 240 minutes. The synchronous method for recording attendance is not allowed for grades PK-2. (School systems could support these grades via the asynchronous method). Asynchronous — Students may have individual time with a teacher, and/or may work at their own pace through pre-recorded videos or instructional packets. Attendance is determined through daily “engagement” which can include remote meetings with the teacher, making progress in the learning management system, or turning in assignments. A student is only counted present if the daily engagement standard is met. If, for example, the student does not complete the engagement measure on Monday, but then completes it on a subsequent day, the student is still considered to be absent on Monday. Students are required to attend at least 90% of classes (with some exceptions) to receive credit and be promoted. Remote attendance will count in the same manner as oncampus attendance in satisfying this requirement. A district cannot move to pass/fail grading for students in remote instruction; the grading policies must be consistent with the district’s policies for on-campus instruction. Source: TEA Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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A NOTE OF CAUTION ABOUT THE TEXAS VIRTUAL SCHOOLS NETWORK Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Greg Abbott and Education Commissioner Mike Morath gave schools more flexibility to implement online learning in the spring of 2020 and in the upcoming 2020-21 school year, but momentum is building among supporters of school choice to expand the Texas Virtual Schools Network. The TXVSN, created in 2007, includes TEA approved online courses for eligible students through either the course catalog or the full-time online schools. The TXVSN course catalog can be used by Texas public schools to provide their students opportunities to enroll in high school, Advanced Placement, and dual credit courses offered by catalog course providers. However, the TXVSN Online Schools program circumvents the traditional school system entirely by providing full-time virtual instruction to eligible Texas public school students in grades 3-12 who enroll in one of their online schools. Student enrollment in the online schools has grown by 292% in the past decade from 5,133 students in 2010 to 20,022 in 2020. In the 2020-21 school year, Texas students have the opportunity to learn remotely through their school district by way of synchronous or asynchronous instruction (see the box on page 17), or through the state’s Texas Virtual School Network. The TXVSN alternatives are different from the remote learning options for districts as they are not led by the student’s teachers but by teachers employed by the TXVSN or a provider. Research from the National Education Policy Center and Raise Your Hand Texas shows lower academic performance among virtual schools. The TXVSN Online Schools program is essentially a virtual voucher system, and it is failing Texas students, with 38 percent of the schools rated as unacceptable under the standard accountability system in 2018-19, the most recent year with ratings available. By comparison, only 14 percent of public school campuses were rated as unacceptable in 2018-19. Proponents of private vouchers are using the pandemic to urge Texas lawmakers to reduce the requirements and expectations for virtual schools, overturning years of legislative action. Expanding virtual voucher school systems represents a shift of taxpayer dollars from public to private interests. Moreover, efforts to expand TXVSN at a time when districts are implementing remote learning systems that are tailored to the specific needs of the district and its students are duplicative and disruptive. Private school vouchers are a failed experiment in educational autonomy. Despite a long history, research shows school vouchers do not deliver improved outcomes or educational innovation at scale. TCTA believes funds should remain with the public school system, given its proven results, and we will continue to push against inferior schooling options billed as school choice. 18
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questions on tcta.org with their answers, updating almost daily as new information was released. (You can access the FAQs at tcta.org/covid19.)
WHAT’S AHEAD
Even now, a few weeks ahead of the start of the 202021 school year, it is not certain what learning will look like. Beginning in late June, COVID-19 cases spiked in many areas across Texas, leaving district officials to wonder when campuses should reopen and how many students would return. It will not be business as usual. Many districts are planning hybrid models and adjusting schedules to plan for another year of disruption. Experts predict another wave — maybe two — of COVID-19 cases before a vaccine is developed and distributed widely enough to eliminate the threat of the virus. TEA encouraged districts to adopt a year-round model for learning, building in longer breaks to give flexibility in case schools need to be shut down again. A few districts opted to start classes earlier in August and extend into June, but most will attempt to follow a traditional schedule, even if some of the learning happens online. Most teachers are looking forward to returning to the classroom (though it is important to note that the survey was taken before the late-June surge in coronavirus cases). In TCTA’s survey, nearly 50% expect students on campus five days a week, though nearly 60% hoped districts would make accommodations for employees at high risk of complications from COVID-19, allowing them to work remotely if they don’t feel safe returning to school. “My district is doing its best for employees and students, given the unprecedented nature of the virus,” one member wrote. “I hope we go back to our regular schedule … my students need face-to-face, hands-on, student/teacher involvement.” Many teachers said they would wear masks when schools reopen and do their best to encourage social distancing, even though it will be a challenge, especially in elementary schools. TEA plans to help, providing personal protective equipment to schools for use by employees and students. TEA released health and safety guidelines on July 7 that included direction for faculty and students to follow Gov. Abbott’s July 2 order to wear face masks in public, with a few exceptions. (See page 16 for some highlights from TEA’s guidance and find a link to the complete document at tcta.org/node/15404.) TEA’s health and safety guidance leaves most of the decisionmaking to local school districts. Therefore, TCTA repeated our call for the use of scientific data and metrics developed by state and federal health officials in the reopening of schools. We argued that local officials should not have either the authority or the burden of making such life-and-death decisions, and the determinations regarding when and how schools reopen should be made free of political or social pressures. TCTA’s stance is that schools should only open for in-person instruction when it is safe for students and employees, and in a manner that continues to protect their health. The state should provide data-driven benchmarks, developed by health
TEA PROVIDING PPE FOR SCHOOLS
The Texas Education Agency, in collaboration with the Governor’s Strike Force and the Texas Department of Emergency Management, is distributing personal protective equipment to help school systems reopen for the 2020-21 school year. PPE includes: •
Disposable masks: 53 million for students and staff
•
Reusable masks: 18 million for students and staff
•
Thermometers (infrared and no-contact): 42,500 for students and staff
•
Gloves: 12 million sets for staff
•
Hand sanitizer: 600,000 gallons for students and staff
•
Face shields: 1 million for staff
PPE allotments were calculated by using 2019-20 student and on-campus staff counts and were allotted on a per pupil, district basis. On-campus staff includes teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals and auxiliary staff. PPE is expected to arrive between mid-July and early August. Districts maintain the discretion and responsibility for distributing the PPE according to their local needs.
care professionals, that a district/community must meet before schools are opened for in-person instruction. Districts should then be required to follow specific safety protocols that are appropriate based on the COVID-19 prevalence and trajectory in the community. Due to the uncertainty in predicting the number of COVID-19 cases, many districts are planning hybrid models when the 2020-21 year begins in August. Fort Worth and Northside ISDs, for example, are giving parents the option of enrolling students in virtual school. TEA’s July 7 guidance says all districts should allow parents to make the same choice, offering in-person and remote instruction for students. Other districts plan to keep classes smaller, staggering the days and times students attend, while others will do their best to isolate students, limiting interaction between different classes, even eating lunch in classrooms rather than the cafeteria. TCTA attorneys note that the law still ensures teachers have a 30-minute duty-free lunch period, with very limited exceptions. Some districts, especially those in areas with fewer COVID-19 cases, are planning for a regular school year, with all students and educators on campus, but they’ll be prepared to shift to distance learning if cases climb and they need to close for extended periods to quarantine and disinfect classrooms. Hybrid approaches are supported by health experts, but they will undoubtedly impact teaching. Many TCTA members have reached out with concerns about being forced back to campus when they don’t feel safe, and we’ve encouraged state and
local leaders to offer accommodations. “I know there are no easy solutions, but I do want to do what is best for kids,” one member said. “Hybrid scheduling can work and save districts money on operational costs,” another member said, but “I am worried that my work schedule will not be aligned with the school district my children attend. Districts should work together for some commonality.” Others have expressed concerns about how much more time they will be required to spend teaching classes in person and online. In our survey, nearly 75% of respondents said they worked longer hours at home during the spring and expect a similar situation in the coming year. Others worry about the impact distance learning has on their relationships with students. “If the beginning of the year is remote learning, there will be no way to have a relationship with students. We will not get to know their personalities. It will be very stressful, chaotic, and unsuccessful.” Some contracts signed for the school year may not account for COVID-19 disruptions or the potential for an extended school year. TCTA urges members with concerns to call the Legal Department at 888-879-8282 for assistance.
IMPACT ON EDUCATION AND FUNDING
No matter what 2020-21 looks like, one thing is certain: The impact of COVID-19 will be felt for years. Experts say Continued Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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With regard to my special education students... 3233 Responses
WITH REGARD TO MY SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS... 35%
I was not able to successfully teach them because some or all of the modifications/accommodations required were not available in an online/distance setting. I was able to successfully teach my special ed students in an online/ distance setting.
25% 7%
I was not able to successfully teach them because some or all students were not able to be properly evaluated due to school closures. Other responses.
9% 18%
I was not able to successfully teach them because some or all students were not able to have their IEPs revised by the ARD committee due to school closure.
TCTA surveyed members in June. The responses were collected before the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases began in late June/early July.
each them because some or all of the modi�cations/accommodations required were not available in an online/distance setting. I was students able to successfully mywhat special students online/distance learning. can lose up toteach 30% of theyeducation learned during the viathat dips heavily into district reserves to cover a $47.6 million ssfully teach them because some or all students were not able to be properly evaluated due to school Other summer, which makes it likely that coronavirus disruptions shortfall, despite uncertainties aboutclosures. how much funding it will teach them because some or all students were not able to have their IEPs revised by the ARD committee due to school closure. caused an even greater learning loss for some students, receive from the state in the coming year.
especially those in low-income households without access to technology. Many will struggle to catch up. TEA created optional end-of-year and beginning-of-year assessments to help teachers determine how student learning was impacted. While similar to STAAR tests, the student performance data from the optional assessments is not intended to be used for purposes such as accountability, staff performance, compensation measures or student placement decisions. The hope is that they will provide benchmarks and help identify where remediation is needed, but it will take time to overcome the learning loss. School budgets are also being impacted by COVID-19. Although Texas was awarded $1.28 billion in ESSER funds, TEA chose to use 95% of the funding allocated to school districts to supplant state funds that would have been used for districts with reduced average daily attendance due to school closures, instead of providing additional funding to schools for any costs incurred in rapidly switching to distance learning. TCTA brought this issue to the attention of Texas Congressional representatives and joined other efforts to redirect the funds to supplement state funds that had already been built into the state budget. Many districts spent funds on technology to help students learn remotely and say further closures or reductions in state funding could mean cuts in the years ahead. In late June, Austin ISD approved a $1.65 billion budget
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Though there had been concerns that the state would not fully fund remote learning, providing a financial incentive for districts to insist on bringing students and employee on campus, TEA announced in late June that it would generally fund remote instruction at the same rate as in-person attendance. In releasing guidance on funding and attendance, TEA distinguished between two types of remote instruction, synchronous and asynchronous (see box on page 17).
2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
When the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January, we expect budget cuts for the 2021-23 biennium since the spring shutdown had a huge impact on the state’s economy. Gov. Abbott has ordered state agencies to identify a minimum of 5% budget cuts, but some lawmakers say the cuts could be deeper based on how quickly the economy rebounds in the months ahead. For now, school funding and TRS contributions are exempt from those cuts, but TEA’s budget will be affected. House Public Education Committee Chair Dan Huberty said protecting and building on the accomplishments of House Bill 3 would be a priority in 2021, but as was seen in 2011, state budget woes can bring big cuts to education. TCTA will continue working with state and federal lawmakers to prioritize public education funding and to protect the rights and needs of teachers and their students.
Congratulations! Meet the 2019-20
award winners
MaryAnn Lang
State Rep. John Frullo
Victor Valdez
Laura Isensee
Leader of the Year Lubbock CTA
Faculty Representative of the Year Lubbock CTA
Friend of Education Public Official Texas House District 84
Silver Apple Media Award Houston Public Media Education Reporter
Cameron Stubblefield Paraprofessional of the Year Lubbock CTA
Susan Deleon
Retiree of the Year North East CTA
Angelica Wilbanks
Administrator of the Year Lubbock ISD
Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER
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LEGAL NOTES Continued from page 9 when educators change employers and begin service at a different school district, the TSR is the document used by the employing district not only to verify years of service credit for proper salary payment, but also the type and amount of leave currently available to the employee (in addition to any local leave granted by the district). The TSR must include the following information: • the names of all employing school districts (and other entities recognized for service credit) for each year of service • whether each employing entity is public or private • the specific position held by the educator for each year of service • years of creditable service experience at the beginning of each contract year • the percentage of the workday and number of days employed for each year of service • the beginning and ending dates of service for each year of service • an authorized signature for the school district or other entity for each recorded year of service
It is your teacher service record
TEA rules provide that the district must allow teachers and other professional personnel ready access to their TSR and any required attachments. In addition, it is important that teachers and district administrative personnel understand that the TSR, though maintained by the school district during the employee’s term of service, is the property of the employee. If the TSR is requested by the employee upon separation from employment, the district must provide the original record, not a copy. The district should then maintain a copy pursuant to applicable legal requirements. Texas Education Code section 21.4031 (b) requires that upon the request of a teacher, librarian, school counselor or nurse, a previously employing school district must provide to a school district currently employing that individual a copy of his/her TSR. This should be done no later than 30 days from the later of the date of the employee’s request, or last day of service with that school district. While it is the responsibility of the school district (or
charter school) to ensure that service records are accurate in all respects, mistakes and omissions are not infrequent, especially when the employee has worked for a number of school districts or different types of educational entities, has been employed in different positions and/or has had a break in service. It is incumbent on the employee to verify that the school district is properly and accurately maintaining the TSR. The school district will only pay teachers and other employees for service properly verified and recorded on the TSR. Even a missing signature may cause a delay in payment of the teacher’s proper salary amount.
The ABCs of TSRs
Professional employees should always provide a new employing school district with all necessary credentials, including their TSR, as soon as possible after being hired, and no later than the beginning of the contract term. Employees should verify that they are being paid the correct amount when they receive the first paycheck. It is always easier to correct service records at the time of the mistake or soon thereafter. Employees may actually lose their ability to correct an underpayment if they fail to file a grievance within local district grievance policy time limits from the time they knew or should have known they were being underpaid. Such time limits can be as short as 10 days. Teachers, librarians, school counselors and nurses should review service records annually for accurate accounting of days of service and leave balances. It may not be enough to rely upon monthly pay/benefits records provided by the school district. As a TCTA member, you should call the TCTA Legal Department at 888-879-8282 as soon as you have any question about whether you are being paid correctly. In conclusion, annually Attain a copy of your TSR, Be sure to carefully review all information contained on the record, and timely work with the school district to Correct any errors and/or omissions. This will assure continued payment of your proper salary amount and prevent the need to engage in more difficult efforts to set the record straight. This article is not intended as legal advice. For specific questions about your teacher service record, TCTA members should call the Legal Department at 888-879-8282.
PLANNING AHEAD Continued from page 11 Teladoc Behavioral Health service — no office visits necessary. For those in ActiveCare-2 (not open to new enrollees) or one of the new plans, Primary and Primary+, outpatient services are paid with a co-pay; you 22
tcta.org | 888-879-8282
don’t have to meet your deductible first. The online provider search tool is available on the TRS website now so you can look up nearby in-network mental health providers. (ActiveCare enrollment for the new school year began June 15. TRS has introduced
new plans (see page 7) so be sure to check out all of the options available.) If you are not enrolled in ActiveCare, ask your insurance provider for a summary of benefits to see what mental health services are covered and what your costs would be.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Continued from page 2 We need to be relying on doctors, public health experts, and data to set some clear parameters for how open campuses should be and when. Once those parameters are in place, districts will have expert guidance with regard to how and when it is safe to deliver educational services in a variety of manners, including remote learning, on-campus learning, or a hybrid model. This is our first global pandemic in a while, so the experts may not get everything right; some districts may open too quickly, and some too late. There are consequences for any decisions made, whether it’s in the form of learning losses, the loss of life, or a potentially severe illness that may have lingering effects. But by relying on experts, instead of opinions or what works best for some people, we will have done the best we can to protect students, school employees, families, and the community. Lessons will be learned, and some of them are likely to be hard. We’re in a situation akin to the old joke where the bandit holds a guy up and says, “Your money or your life.” None of us wants the economy to suffer, people to be unemployed or lives to be lost, but it’s easier to recover from some consequences than others. So, what is TCTA doing? First and foremost, we are absolutely in your corner and will continue to be there for you. Most of our staff is working remotely, but someone will still answer the phones during business hours, members can still talk to a lawyer, and we are working every avenue we can find to represent your interests. If supported by public health guidelines, we are urging as much flexibility and ability to pivot as can be made available to everyone — so that parents who want their children on campus can send them to school, so that teachers who are not comfortable returning to campus can teach remotely, and all manners of combinations thereof. We are urging the suspension of the current accountability system and STAAR testing; this is not the time to be ranking and sorting districts and campuses in an A-F
rubric. This is the time to focus on individual students, where they are in their learning trajectory, and what they need to catch up and succeed; and to refocus on individual students and their learning instead of complex systems. We have asked the commissioner and the governor to have qualified public health experts establish the parameters that districts should follow with regard to when they reopen and what safety protocols are followed. We have asked the commissioner to inform school districts that teachers may resign from their positions due to a good-faith belief that their continued employment will subject themselves or their family members to infection, without fear that their certificate will be sanctioned for contract abandonment. We worked extensively with the other teacher groups and State Sen. Royce West to come up with a consensus list of concerns and recommendations to be submitted to the legislative leadership and TEA. We have posted virtual reams of information on our website at tcta.org/covid19 about all of the issues members are encountering, like whether you’re eligible for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, whether you’re eligible for unemployment compensation and for how long, what your district can ask of you, and the hundreds of permutations of issues that are arising or anticipated. Our lawyers talk with many members daily, and we respond to Ask-a-Lawyer questions from members online. All of the decisions made won’t be right, and there will be fresh issues to confront, especially if many educators and even more students don’t return when schools reopen. We promise you our best efforts on an ongoing basis to inform you, to be your ally, and to serve as a reliable resource when you need us. I keep chanting to myself that this is a pandemic, it won’t last forever, and we’ll get through this. Early in my lengthy career at TCTA, you taught me that teachers can stand strong like an oak, but also bend like a willow. Together, we’ll get through this.
WASHINGTON WATCH Continued from page 10 instructionally relevant, and given the lack of a prolonged study, this pilot would be a step forward in evaluating self-directed professional development. Supporters of the pilot initiative, including TCTA, credited the department for “entrusting teachers with professional judgment and discretion in determining their own continuing learning needs” and allowing for a “balance in the need for educator training as a function of being a school employee, with time
and opportunity for professional development more closely connected with teacher instructional practice.” Employees are often more engaged in their profession when they are empowered to have input, and are less inclined to see the value in mandatory professional development. State and local education agencies also must be involved as partners in supporting and collaborating with these pilot programs as often there are legislative barriers in regard to certification requirements. Some in Congress may see this
proposal as a promotion of the Trump administration’s school privatization agenda, while others view it as providing a level of autonomy to the teacher profession. In early summer, the program changes to the EIR were submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval, a final step in allowing changes to the program. This article was written by Van Scoyoc Associates, TCTA’s contracted lobby team in Washington, D.C. Summer 2020 | THE CLASSROOM TEACHER 23
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You need a true teacher association.
TCTA was founded in 1927 by teachers who wanted an organization of their own. Our members are teachers, aides, counselors, librarians, and other professionals who work directly with students; no administrators.
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You shouldn’t share your association with your administrator.
With TCTA you never have to worry that your administrator is calling your organization for legal advice, or that your dues are being used to lobby against your interests.
8
Teachers need a safety net.
No educator should be in the classroom in this unpredictable school year without the protection of professional liability insurance. ® Backed by Nationwide , TCTA members are covered by the most comprehensive policy available to Texas teachers.
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Top 10 Reasons to Join
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We’re Texas only.
We’re not affiliated with a national union, and you won’t pay hundreds of dollars in extra dues to a national organization. TCTA retains a top lobby firm in DC to work on federal issues.
6
This is not the time to go it alone.
In these uncertain times, having a professional ally and advocate in your corner is more important than ever.
5
TCTA is a full-service organization.
Our publications win awards and are used by many teacher preparation programs as curriculum. We are fully focused on providing you with reliable information and assistance.
We can’t helpr. be if you’re not a mem
4
Our advocacy efforts are unmatched.
The top-ranked TCTA lobby team has an impressive list of accomplishments each session. We are nonpartisan, and we represent you with professionalism and integrity.
3
You need easy access to experienced attorneys.
We have more staff attorneys per member than any other teacher association in Texas, and we never use non-lawyer “representatives” to handle our members’ legal issues.
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Our legal team has earned respect.
TCTA’s eight staff attorneys average more than 25 years of experience supporting and protecting teachers, and three have served as Chair of the School Law section of the State Bar of Texas.
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TCTA’s legal services are only available to those who are members before a situation arises. That’s why it’s so important to renew now.
Renew your membership by Sept. 30 to avoid a lapse in coverage and ensure you receive your copy of the 2020-21 Survival Guide. ® Make The Educated Choice — renew online at tcta.org/join or call 888-879-8282.