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Updates

09/18/2008

• Added link to Section 3 Administrator Assessment Information - includes sample tutorial for administrators.
• Added InfoSource Learning content

05/30/2008

• TEA Letter regarding Assessment
• Region 10 Technology Coordinators’ Roundtable
  • “In our ESC/TEA Technology collaboration video conference on Tuesday, May 27, the TEA reported that they expect the Administrator Addressed memo concerning new technology reporting requirements to come out Friday, May 30.” Source: Barbara Smith, Region 10
  • Audio was removed from host site
  • Methods and Tools to Assess 8th Graders - This document was removed by host site

Video/Audio Recording

• Tim Holt’s Video of TEA Presentations:
  • TEA Update Part 1
  • TEA Update Part 2
• Miguel Guhlin’s Audio
  • Listen to Angela Clark’s summation of the Texas Virtual School Network - Short excerpt/overview
  • Karen Kahan’s Presentation, as well as Barbara and Angela on the Texas Virtual School Network. Please share this information with as wide an audience as possible.
    • TEA Presentation, Part 1
    • TEA Presentation, Part 2
    • Slideshow Presentation (8.5 megs) - Get PPT version (27 megs)
  • Reaction to TEA Presentation from Mark Gabehart, Abilene ISD

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Presentation Notes

Staffing Changes

• Susan Barnes-retired
• Anita Givens-promoted ot Deputy Associate Commissioner, Standards and Alignment
• John Lopez - promoted to Acting Managing Director

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Division Reorganization

• Division is divided into 3 units:
  • Distribution and Accessibility
  • Review and Adoption, Finance
  • Educational Technology
• Karen Kahan - Unit Manager for Educational Technology

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Survey Results

• Speak up 2007 - www.tomorrow.org
  • Texas is one of the largest response providers.
  • National Findings
• Technology Counts -
• State Tech Report Card 2008; Texas’ Grades include:
  • Access to tech - grade was a “C”
  • Use of technology - grades was B-
  • Capacity to use technology was a C
  • Overall grade was a C+

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New Reporting Requirements - NCLB IID

Legislation −2002

• Improve student achievement thrugh use of tech
• Ensure every student is tech literate by 8th grade
• Continued Professional Development

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Reporting Information

• STaR Chart data
• Competitive and formula
• Teaching and Learning
• Educator Preparation and development
• TEA is required to report since it is an essential part of the process, as well as measure the success of the activities. It is critical to continued funding.

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Administrator Addressed letter

• New requirements—first group to introduce—early part of next week, look out for this letter. This will prepare districts for new reporting requirements.

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Requirements include

• Unduplicated number of computers available to students for instruction by Internet access type (don’t report old machines, there are min requirements):
  • No Connectivity
  • Dial up
  • High speed (wireless or wired)
• Another report is assessing whether schools can do online TAKS test…survey is being created now.
• Unduplicated number of 8th graders evaluated for technical literacy under the district’s methodology as defined by the state at the end of the 8th grade. This has never been asked for before.
• Unduplicated number of school personnel achieving acceptable performance on standards-based performance profiles of technology user skills as defined by the State by staff categories.

  • Teacher and librarian information can already be pulled out.
  • School administrator information is not available.

• Electronic reporting system - opens in September 2008 and closes November 2008 and report is due in early Spring! Very short timeline.

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Next Steps

• Look out for announcement for reporting notice.
• Prepare in the summer
• Data is required and tied to funding
• Document your data. Make sure that you document your source in case of an audit. What is your supporting documentation is one of those questions?

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Questions

• Does a District want to go through all this accountability if they’re not getting a lot of Title 2 Part D money? (Mark Gabehart)
• If a school district decides to NOT apply for Title 2 Part D, will that hurt Title 1 funding? Will opting out hurt the District? It will not impact Title 1, but responder is not sure.

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Miguel’s Questions

• What is meant by “the District’s Methodology?”
• What methodology are other school districts using?
• Are we assessing 2007–2008 8th graders BEFORE school ends in May, 2008? OR
• Are we assessing incoming 9th graders in September 2008?
• What assessment should we use? Will the State create one or will we have to create one of our own?
• How are we going to assess 3500 8th graders?
• Don’t we first need to assess our computer labs?
• What is our lab situation at middle school?
• Could we use the built-in assessment in our technology applications:TEKS electronic textbook?
• Is there a built-in assessment in Glencoe’s TechConnect? (Answer: sort of…is it available to students?)
• Can TechConnect aggregate results?
• If another district is using Learning.com, is that assessment available at cost to my district online?

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Possible Assessment Solutions

(most of these were NOT shared at TEC-SIG and have been added by Miguel at different times. This section last updated 09/18/2008).

Costs Money

• Sample issue exploration for a school district with letter to principals

Learning.com

• Use Learning.com at an approximate cost of $3 per student to assess students. This is for a district with 3500 8th graders. Total cost is $14,000, which includes a $3500 setup fee.

Free/No-Cost

Karen Kahan’s Advice to NorthEast ISD

• This noncommercial option was confirmed by TEA via an email and shared on the TEC-SIG list earlier:
  • The Technology Applications instructional materials can be used in the various content areas. There should be evaluation activities as a part of the lessons. The scores made on these activities—tied to the Technology Applications TEKS—can definitely be used to support a “technology literacy” proficiency grade.
  • This approach was confirmed by a phone conversation (Becky Adams, NEISD) and a written email from Karen Kahan to Miguel Guhlin, emailed 08/12/2008.

Use TA:TEKS Built-in Assessment

• Use built-in assessments for Glencoe TechConnect (Grades 6–8) to assess students. No cost if your TA:TEKS textbook publisher has a built-in assessment.

InfoSource Learning’s SimpleAssessment.com

• Free solution from InfoSource Learning
• Assessment can take up to 2 hours to complete per student
• Web accessible, no special browser add-ons required (except the usual stuff)
• Video Tutorials:
  • SimpleAssessment Demo (WMV)
  • Import Training Video
  • Name of the Testing site: districtnametechassessment.howtomaster.com
  • Student Import Template (googledocs)
  • InfoSource Learning’s Learning management system tutorials
• Contact is Brian Cahill at InfoSource Learning

Moodle-ize an Assessment

• Use an assessment like the one Kari Rhame offers and put it into Moodle so that students can login and take the assessment via Moodle. Cost? None (except for staff time).
• Some downloadable Moodle courses available here:
  • White Oak ISD
  • San Antonio ISD - this was created with Captivate to enable the questions to be random, and shared via Moodle. Courtesy of Greg Rodriguez, San Antonio ISD.

8th Grade Assessment Examples

• Kari Rhame shared a paper assessment for 8th grade that she prepared for Learning.com via the TEC-SIG list. Her note is as follows:

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Technology Applications Update

• NCLB Requirements
  • Documentation of meeting the Tech Apps TEKS (K-8) is needed
  • Assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every students is tech literate by the time the student finishes the 8th grade.
  • Deadline by December 31, 2006 - technology will be fully integrated into the curricula and instruction of schools. This will now be assessed!
  • All teachers shall be tech literate so that tech can be fully integrated. SBEC Standards 1–5.
• All current educators should strive to meet the SBEC Tech Apps standards for all educators
• Standards tie directly to the Tech Apps student standards.

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Elementary/MS Assignments PK-8

• Integrating Tech Apps
  • Elementary certified teachers may teach the tech apps teks integrated into the regular PK-8 classroom provided:
    • They are appropriately certified at grade level
    • School district ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to teach the TechApps TEKS
• Currently, teachers who hold only the new EC-4, 4–8, 8–12 or EC-12 certificates should hold a Tech Apps certificate at the grade level of the assignment.
• Tech Apps as a Separate Course
  • Currently, teachers who hold only the new EC-4, 4–8, 8–12 or EC-12 certificates should hold a a tech apps cert at the grade level of the assignment
• New proposed rules for the holders of EC-4 and 4–8 Certificates
  • If adopted, effective 2008–2009 school year:
    • Holders of generalist EC-4 certs may teacher Tech Apps in PreK-4
    • Holders of Certs valid for Grades 4–8 may teach Tech Apps in an integrated manner in those subjects that the educator is certified to teacher.
    • Going to May 22–23, 2008 State Board of Education Meeting

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Computer Science Teachers

• Received a letter about Computer Science AB - Change for 2009–2010 Academic Year
• The AP Computer Science AB Exam will be discontinued following the May 2009 exam administration. May 2009 will be the last offering of the AP Computer Science AB Exam.

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Best Practices

• Questions, issues, best practices:
• Send these to karen.kahan@tea.state.tx.us

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ETAC Committee Update - Lisa

• Administrators - The Long Range Plan does state admin, media specialists, and teachers that they will have to meet the SBEC Educator Technology Standards.

Texas Virtual School Network

Audio

• Listen to Angela Clark’s summation of the Texas Virtual School Network. This is a brief recap/overview of the TxVSN.
• Angela’s Photo and Contact information appear below:

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• Web site: http://www.txvsn.org

• SB 1788 June 15, 2007 - Texas Virtual School Legislation:
  • Rigorous, 100% TEKS Aligned courses for students
  • A catalog or clearinghouse of courses.
  • ESC is course evaluator of any course offered in TxVSN
  • Establishes State Virtual School network
  • Establishes Commissioner is responsible for Network
  • ESC operates the network
  • Funding and attendance rules established by TEA
• Go back to your District and start talking about this is going to fit and how students can get the courses they need.

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Texas VSN Facts

• Is a supplemental rather than diploma granting program
• Electronic courses will supplemeent the services the district currently offers students, based on academic needs of students.
• The home (receiving) district will continue to award credits and diplomas and the Tx VSN partners with home district to meet student needs.
• SB 1788 does not affect the provision of the distance learning courses offered under other law.
• Education Code Chapters 30A Sec 30A.001 State Virtual School Network
• Districts are course providers…Commercial vendors are involved but through the provider district. The District has the certified teacher to teach this course.These have to be instructor led courses taught by certified teachers to facilitate the course.
• Private providers eligible via Districts
• Accountability and PEIMS
  • 2008–2009 grades 9–12
  • 2009–2010 grades 60–8
  • 2010–2011 all grades
• Receiver districts will have some options available online. Receiver Districts will have to pay for the courseware since the Provider District has to pay teachers.
• Region 4 will go through every online course to meet 100% of the TEKs, as well as verify teacher certification. Region 4 plays a critical role in course evaluation.

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TxVSN Central Operations

• Lead by Region 10 ESC in collab with Harris County Dept of Education
• Central Operations will be responsible for creating and maintaining the infrastructure for the central registration of students and enrollments for courses
• The Agency intends for all registration and data management processes to be in an electronic, online process. The registration process components will include but not be limited to the propsective student(s), provider districts and receiving districts.
• Central Operations will facilitate the matching of receiver districts and provider districts and courses by creating and maitaining an electronic interface that matches the receiver and provider districts and courses.
• Central Operations for the TxVSN will be required to coordinate all state reporting requirements and all associated data collection, including fiscal and student data.

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Course Evaluation

• Course Evaluation for TxVSN will be led by Region 4 ESC
• The course Evaluation Agency is responsible for the management and implementation of the course quality review process of online courses to be offered through TxVSN
• The Course Evaluation Agency will review online courses to determine if an online course(s) submitted to be offered through the TxVSN:
  • Sufficiently addresses 100% of the Tx Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in that content area, and
  • Meets or exceeds the National Standards of Quality for Online Courses endorsed by the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL)

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Electronic Course Definition

(Facilitated by Angela Clark, Harris Dept of Ed).

• An electronic course is defined as a course in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet
• A student and teacher are in different locations for a majority of the student’s instructional period;
• Most instructional activities take place in an online environment; the online instructional activities are integral to the academic program;
• Extensive communication between a student and a teacher and among students is emphasized; and
• A student is not required to be located on the physical premises of a school district or open-enrollment charter school.

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Professional Development Providers

• Teachers of electronic courses offered by a district or open-enrollment charter school through the network must be certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21 and are required to successfully complete the approrpiate professional development course authorized by the network before teaching and electronic course offered through network.
• Central Operations will ensure that all teachers delivering instruction through courses on the network have met the minimum requirements spelled out in the legislation.

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Online Professional Development Providers

• Education Dev Center, Inc
• ESC-4
• ESC-11
• Harris County Dept. of Ed
• Texas A&M

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Student Eligibility

• Eligible to enroll in TxVSN provided courses only if
  • Younger than 21
  • Has not graduated from HS AND
  • Is otherwise eligible to enroll in a public school
• Full time enrollment
  • Enrolled in a Texas public school in the preceeding school year or:
  • Dependenment military
  • Previously enrolled and does not reside in Texas due to military deployment.

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Benefits for Texas Districts

• As an alternative to traditional classroom teaching, online courses are proving esp beneficial to reach students who need:
  • Additional or advanced course
  • Retake courses for grad purposes
  • Options for courses currently offered in their schools
  • Increased access to courses because of physical disabilities, esp home-bound kids.

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Provider Districts

• Academically acceptable or higher to provide courses
• Open enrollment charter school rated recognized or higher and may serve as a provider school only
  • in the District they serve
  • Or another student in the state they serve (didn’t get this all)

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Teachers

• Must have PD from approved provider before teaching a course
• Will receive documentation of course completion of TxVSN
• Must be tx certified in curr area they will teach in
• Should be briefed on TxVSN Operations
• should be aware that they’re instructing students statewide

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Receiving Districts

• Will provide a counseling contact to TxVSN for each campus
• Schedule and approve students participation in courses
• Award credit if a course is successfully completed
• Will have course options for students previously not available.

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What’s In It for Us?

• Assurance of course quality with NACOL Standards
• Assurance of that online instructors have received quality prep
• Decrease dropout rate
• Assist with teacher shortages
• Expanding course offerings
• Alternative school settings
• Schedule conflicts
• Meeting State 4×4 mandates
• Preparation for Higher Ed
• AP Courses

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Who do we target first?

• Look at your district/campus data
• Credit recovery
• Acceleration
• Seniors
• Pregnant and parenting teens
• Homebound students
• Summer school enrollment

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Timeline

• Year One - August 2008 - August 2008
  • Web site is up
  • Policies and procedures need to be setup
  • Integration requirements
  • Infrastructure deploy
• Year Two - September 2008-August 2009

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Next Steps

• Send info to txvsn@tea.state.tx.us
• Look at issues for accepting courses in your district - what is the criteria for transfer courses?
• Send us feedback/questions.

Professional Development Opportunities

• Web Links
  • NECC 2008
  • Intel Training News - Region 10 serves as state affiliate. July 1, 2008 event at http://www.intel.com/education
  • Computer Science Teachers Association on June 28th
  • Tech Apps Network - http://www.techappsnetwork.org

Internet Safety

• LRPT 2006–2020 approved by State Board of Educ. in November 2006
  • Internet Safety at TEA
  • Internet Safety - http://tea.state.tx.us/imet/intersafe

School Library - K-12 Databases

• Rider 88 - directs the Comm. of Educ. to transfer amounts not to exceed $2.5 million in each year of the 08–09 biennium to TSLAC for the purpose of acquiring “online research and information resources for libraries in public schools and for admin expenses.”
• EBSCO Publishing Databases
• Britannica Online
• http://web.esc20.net/k12databases
• Number of participants are being tracked, including statistics
• Goal 100% Activiation and 100% Regular Usage
• Usage Statistics check - http://www.texshare.edu/k12/stats
• State Library is working on District functionality. Campus level but will be District soon once all Britannica accounts are created.
• What can you do?
  • Share with admin
  • Do demos in meetings and at conferences
  • Show all teachers how they can use dbases to support the TEKS and promote critical thinking
  • Send a letter home to parents
  • Attend K-12 Databases training.
• School Library Study
  • Library info - http://www.tea.state.tx.us/imet/libraries

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HB 2503 Tech Literacy Assessment Pilot

• Use a currently available assessment administer:TEKS, and incorporate performance-based measures
• Participating district selects grades 5–9
• Web Site - http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/techlitassessment
• http://Senate.state.tx.us/kids

New TEA Portal

• Revised look to match parents, educator type categories
• Process to get all current info into the new look-n-feel

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Mailing List Admin

• http://www.tea.state.tx.us/list
• Subscribe to these listservs:
  • To The Administrator Addressed
  • Curriculum
  • Grant
  • Educational Technology Mailing Lists

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Grants

• Web site - http://www.tea.state.tx.us/grants.html
• Vision 20/20 Feedback
  • Grants submitted are being sorted and ready for reviewers.
  • All info will be posted in early summer
  • Watch the Web site

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Best practices

• Web - http://www.tea.state.tx.us/bestprac

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Instructional Materials and Educ Technology

• Web - http://www.tea.state.tx.us/imet

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TEA Contact Email Addresses

• John Lopez - john.lopez@tea.state.tx.us
• Karen kahan - karen.kahan@tea.state.tx.us