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Texas Education Agency










*March 2024*




*Special Education Newsletter**
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Announcements


Updated Dyslexia Handbook Draft: Public Comment Open

The proposed amendment would update the rule to align with House Bill (HB) 3928, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; clarify terminology used in the Texas Education Code (TEC); and update the Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders [ [link removed] ] adopted as Figure: 19 TAC §74.28(c) to clarify requirements related to dyslexia evaluation, identification, and instruction.* Public comment opened on March 1, 2024, and will close on April 1. 2024.* 

 

*Provide Public Comment* [ [link removed] ]


2023-2024 School Year Data Submission for State Performance Plan Indicator (SPPI) 7 and SPPI 13 in the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) SPP Application

On Thursday, March 7, 2024, TEA published the above TAA to inform local educational agency (LEA) and education service center (ESC) staff that SPPI 7 Preschool Outcomes and SPPI 13 Secondary Transition data collection for the 2023-2024 school year will open in the TEAL SPP Application on April 1, 2024, for LEAs to start submitting data. The data collection for both SPPI 7 and SPPI 13 will close August 9, 2024.

 

Data collection and submission resources can be found on the SPPI 7: Preschool Outcomes [ [link removed] ] and SPPI 13: Secondary Transition [ [link removed] ] webpages. For programmatic and/or technical questions, please contact your respective ESC. Support can also be obtained from the TEA via email at [email protected].






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Upcoming Dates


* **March 1 - May 1*: *HCF application period for 2023-2024. Please refer to the HCF webpage [ [link removed] ] for additional information and resources. REMINDER: If you submitted a Non-Public Day or Non-Public Residential application for a student and would also like to submit a High Cost Fund application for that student, their Non-Public Day or Non-Public Residential application must be in FINALIZED status prior to the High Cost Fund application submission.
* *March 27: *Application window for the _Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant Award [ [link removed] ]_ closes
* *April 1 - August 9: *SPPI 7 Preschool Outcomes and SPPI 13 Secondary Transition data collection for the 2023-2024 school year will be open in the TEAL SPP Application for LEAs to submit their data. 
* *April 12: *Deadline for LEA’s who received a Significant Disproportionality 3 letter to complete the assurance statement in the Legal Framework [ [link removed] ].  Questions? Reach out your regional Legal Framework representative listed on the website.
* *April 30: *Last day to complete the Texas SPED Support user survey [ [link removed] ] which is intended to gauge users' experience navigating the website. 
* *June 12*: General registration deadline for the Texas Autism Conference [ [link removed] ]
* *June 20 - 22*: Texas Autism Conference [ [link removed] ] in Austin, Texas (virtual options available). Family day is June 22 and is FREE of charge. 
* *July 29-30*: ALIGNED! 2024: From Child Find to IEP Implementation [ [link removed] ] (virtual conference). FREE of charge. Up to 12 CPE credit hours will be available for all attendees who participate in the live, synchronous sessions. Recorded, asynchronous sessions will be available for 30 calendar days following the conference. CPE credit hours are not available for recorded, asynchronous sessions. 
* *December 6*: SSES+ Medically Fragile Program permanently ends

 

Don't forget to check out TEA's Special Education Webinars and Newsletters website [ [link removed] ] for a list of upcoming events with their agendas. 

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*Did you know... *

*March 3-9 was Texas Educational Diagnosticians Week? *

Governor Greg Abbott proclaimed March 3-9, 2024 to be Educational Diagnosticians Week. He encouraged all Texans to recognize the role educational diagnosticians play in our education system. Their devoted service paves the way for a bright future for the next generation of Texas leaders. You can read the full proclamation HERE [ [link removed] ]. 

 



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*Office of Special Populations and Student Supports (OSPSS) -  * 

*Staff Highlight * 

This month’s staff highlight is *Stephanie Wolf*, Division Director of Systemwide Integration. Stephanie has worked for TEA since July 2022. Prior to that, she spent 15 years in a school district in various campus and district roles including teacher, counselor, assistant principal, Special Education Director, and Director of Student Services. Stephanie obtained her doctorate from Dallas Baptist University in May 2023. She was raised in the DFW area, and lives just a few towns away from her childhood home with her husband and three children who are 18, 11, and 3 years old. Stephanie is an avid reader, NFL fan, and loves being outdoors, especially when she gets to watch her kids play sports. Stephanie identifies with TEA’s core value – We are Determined – by being committed to and intentionally pursuing our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.  





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In This Issue


* Autism Toolkit Now Posted [ #link_5 ]
* Child Find Process for Parentally Placed Private School Children With Disabilities Quick Guide [ #link_6 ]
* Decision Making Online Course Now Available [ #link_9 ]
* Transition Planning Resources for Families [ #link_2 ]
* Sign Up to Receive Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES) Email Updates [ #link_3 ]
* Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) [ #link_7 ]
* Instructional Leadership Tools [ #link_10 ]
* Learning Ally [ #link_8 ]
* Instructional Routines for Mathematics Intervention [ #link_11 ]
* Engagement Opportunities [ #link_1 ]
* NATIONAL NEWS [ #link_4 ]

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Texas SPED Support
Monthly Spotlight:

Texas SPED Support [ [link removed] ] has been live for 7 months and almost *6,000 users have signed up for an account*. The perks of being an account holder include the ability to *bookmark resources* and *follow topics* that are important to you! Sign up today! And don't forget to complete the user survey [ [link removed] ] which will be used to enhance the functionality and features of this website. 

 

Follow on Facebook, Instagram, & Threads: @TexasSPEDSupport
Follow on Twitter: @TXSPEDSupport






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DEPARTMENT NEWS

Autism Toolkit Now Posted

Are you looking for that perfect tool to use with your students and don't have time to create your own? Well look no further than the Autism Toolkit! While this collection of tools was developed for teachers working with students with Autism, they can be helpful for any student who is struggling. This *toolkit includes visual cards, mini schedules, data collection tools, and so much more*. Visit Texas SPED Support and find the tool that fits your need now! 

 

*Check Out Toolkit Now* [ [link removed] ]


Child Find Process for Parentally Placed Private School Children With Disabilities Quick Guide

This quick guide highlights* key points and important resources* for local education agencies (LEAs) to consider for children with disabilities enrolled by their parents/guardians in private elementary and secondary schools located in the LEA.

 

*Go to Quick Guide* [ [link removed] ]


Decision Making Online Course Now Available

The focus of this course is how to use progress monitoring data to inform decision making. The course is designed for teachers, staff and administrators of K-12 schools, as well as ESC staff.

 

After engaging in this course, learners should be able to do the following: 


* Explain how decision rules, considering level, trend, and variability, can be used to determine whether a student is responding to intervention. 
* Interpret and handle variable data from curriculum-based measurements. 
* Generate a hypothesis based on collected data to identify instructional changes to increase the effectiveness of intervention. 
* Explain various ways intervention can be intensified.

*Go to Course* [ [link removed] ]


Transition Planning Resources for Families

*SPEDTex has a new page of transition resources to help families plan for their child’s transition to life outside the public school system*. Under Texas law, not later than when a student reaches 14 years of age, the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must consider and, if appropriate, address transition services for a child served by special education. Families can come to the ARD meeting with a vision for their child in adulthood and questions about any areas where more information is needed. This website includes a collection of videos, guides, checklists, and documents to provide helpful transition planning resources for families at any stage (from early childhood to high school graduation). Explore and share these resources today.

 

*Transition Resources - English* [ [link removed] ]


*Transition Resources - Spanish* [ [link removed] ]


Sign Up to Receive Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES) Email Updates

*The SSES application is now closed for the 2023-2024 school year.* We are no longer accepting applications for either grant program; and the SSES+ Medically Fragile program will permanently end after its final spending deadline, December 6, 2024. *The main SSES application will re-open next school year on February 3, 2025*. SSES eligibility has not changed – it is still a first-come, first-served, one-time grant for students enrolled in a Texas public school who receive special education services. If your student has previously been awarded an SSES or an SSES+ Medically Fragile account, you will not be able to apply again.  *If you would like to receive SSES email updates on the new application window and program information*, please fill out the interest form below to join the email list. If you would like to receive updates in Spanish, please fill out the SSES Spanish Interest Form [ [link removed] ]. 

 

*Fill Out SSES Interest Form* [ [link removed] ]


Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)

The TEA has partnered with the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) to offer *UNLIMITED access to ATIA online courses for all educators, support staff, and parents serving students across Texas*.  

 

These *online education programs include live and recorded versions by national experts* on a variety of topics across the spectrum of the assistive technology industry sectors. Online courses are 60 and 90 minutes in length. *Complimentary CEUs* are available for completion of these programs. In addition to the stand-alone sessions, Texas specific bundles have been created to guide users through learning pathways to meet professional or tool specific needs.  

 

Visit the Texas ATIA subscription page and *use access code PD24INCLUSIONTX* to take advantage of these resources. 

*Visit ATIA Now* [ [link removed] ]


Instructional Leadership Tools

Are you an administrator supporting classrooms unique to special education? Instructional Leadership Tools for Inclusion, Early Childhood, and Behavior can be found on the Texas SPED Support Website. The Tools are *intended to assist LEA administrators with information and evidence to support performance evaluations for teachers of students with disabilities served in inclusive classroom settings*. They are not intended to supplant any documents or resources adopted by the LEA to support the employee evaluation process. The considerations and discussion points provided are designed to help administrators guide their own thinking, teacher thinking, and purposeful conversations. This tool is *designed to align with Domains 1-3 of the T-TESS evaluation system.* It is r*ecommended for use in any stage of the T-TESS process, especially during the Pre-Evaluation Conference and Post Evaluation Conference meetings.*  

*Go to Tools* [ [link removed] ]


Learning Ally

As spring approaches, Learning Ally would like to encourage our students to continue their reading journey. We offer a vast library of audiobooks specifically designed to support students with dyslexia, visual impairments, and other reading barriers.

 

*A Few of the Key STAAR Aligned Features: *Watch this short video [ [link removed] ] to see all of the special features available when using the Audiobook Solution. Learning Ally has specialized features aligned with STAAR requirements, designed to elevate your students' preparation and performance.

 

*We are excited to offer Educator Rapid Coaching Sessions. *If you're not yet familiar with Learning Ally or don't have an account, don't worry! You can easily enroll at no cost by visiting the Texas Landing Page. From there, you can register to attend an Educator Coaching Session, where you'll receive personalized guidance on how to effectively use Learning Ally to support your students' reading goals.

 

Let's make this spring a time of adventure, imagination, and growth through the power of reading with Learning Ally!

 

*Visit Landing Page* [ [link removed] ]


Instructional Routines for Mathematics Intervention

The Instructional Routines for Mathematics Intervention *provide educators with FREE materials to use when providing intervention to students who experience difficulty with mathematics*. The routines *address content included in the grades 3-8 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)*. There are 23 modules that include routines and examples – each focused on different mathematical content. Designed for Texas teachers and aligned with the TEKS, these 23 modules are focused on different mathematics content and are *designed for grades 2 through 8*. 

 

These modules feature: 


* Step-by-step routines for explicit teaching of mathematics content
* Vocabulary Cards with visuals that can be easily displayed in the classroom
* Problem Sets over 50 ready-to-use problems for each module

*Go to Instructional Routines* [ [link removed] ]


Engagement Opportunities

*We are always looking for ways to connect with our partners in the field!*

From site visits, to review opportunities, to focus groups, there are numerous ways to connect with TEA and support the field of education. *If you are interested in participating in any engagement opportunities, sign up by clicking the button below. *

 

*Sign Up Here* [ [link removed] ]


*Instructional Materials Review and Adoption (IMRA)*

*TEA is seeking educators and subject-matter experts across Texas to serve as instructional materials reviewers for the new **IMRA review process* [ [link removed] ]*.*

Selected reviewers will earn extra income while making a statewide impact. Reviewers will work in small teams to conduct quality reviews and collaborate with other educators to produce ratings and reports for assigned reading language arts, phonics, and mathematics products. For our *bi-weekly information sessions*, sign up HERE [ [link removed] ]. 

If you or your colleagues want to participate in the IMRA review process, please apply today! To learn more about the IMRA process, visit our website [ [link removed] ].

 

*Apply Today* [ [link removed] ]


State Assessment Educator Item Review Committees

Each year the *TEA invites groups of Texas educators to provide feedback on the development of state assessments* (STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, and TELPAS) through educator committees across all assessed grades and content areas. Developing high-quality, aligned questions relies on the expertise and experience of Texas educators. Participants collaborate with other educators from across the state to review and approve each potential question for state assessments. *TEA is currently accepting applications from all districts to participate in item review committees all subjects and grade levels*. 

 

If you know of any educators (including yourself!) who might be interested in participating in these review meetings, please encourage them to apply using the link below.* Meetings are typically held during the spring and summer*. If selected, an invite will be sent with all the logistical information. 

 

The commitment is generally* two to three days in Austin with all travel, accommodations, and substitute coverage paid for by TEA*. All participants will *earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits*. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

 

*Apply Now* [ [link removed] ]


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NATIONAL NEWS

 

Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Multilingual Learners: Using Culturally and Linguistically Aligned Practices

This new brief [ [link removed] ] from the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) highlights how to use culturally and linguistically aligned (CLA) strategies to support multilingual learners with a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework. It includes a case study showing MTSS implementation through a CLA lens for a school with a large Spanish-speaking student population.  

 

Features of Explicit Instruction Self-Paced Learning

The first two modules in NCII’s course content focused on Features of Explicit Instruction [ [link removed] ] have been adapted into self-paced modules available within the NCII and PROGRESS Center’s Learning Module Library. These modules include video lectures, activities, and checks for understanding.  

 

The available modules are "Modeling and Practicing to Help Students Reach Academic Goals "(approximately 5 hours to complete) and "Supporting Practices: Using Effective Methods to Elicit Frequent Responses" (approximately 5.5 hours to complete). Users can choose to complete the modules in one sitting or return at a later time to pick up where they left off. At the completion of each module, users can receive a module completion certificate. The remaining two modules in the series are coming soon! 

 

Empowering Learning: Technology, Equity, and Access

The Office of Educational Technology (OET) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) recently released two documents to boost and promote learning success for all students. The Dear Colleague Letter [ [link removed] ] and [ [link removed] ]Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services [ [link removed] ] aim to increase understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s requirements regarding AT devices. In addition, OET released the National Educational Technology Plan [ [link removed] ], which calls upon all involved in American education to ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology.

 

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