Weekly Update 10.1.2015
TEA Information
RF Tracker System
RF tracker is open for data entry of students and facilities. Initial entries need to be completed by November 20, 2015. If you are designated to have a PBM visit, you are asked ot have RF tracker up-to-date before the visit.
For further information or questions, please contact Jerry Klekotta at or 713.744.6393.
Music Therapy
Dr. Melody Musgrove, Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, recently wrote to state Special Education Directors about music therapy. A portion of her letter is below. In addition, an OSEP letter (Letter to Farbman) is attached.
I am writing to address questions we have received regarding the inclusion of music therapy as a related service under section 602(26) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and §300.34(a) of the Part B regulations. Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. Attached for your reference is OSEP’s June 9, 2000 Letter to Farbman. (Note that Letter to Farbman includes citations to the 1999 Part B regulations.) This letter reiterates the Department’s long-standing position that the list of services in the definition of related services is not exhaustive and may include other developmental, corrective, or supportive services (such as artistic and cultural programs, art, music, and dance therapy) if they are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. If the IEP Team determines that music therapy is an appropriate related service for a child, the Team’s determination must be reflected in the IEP, and the service must be provided at public expense and at no cost to the parent. This position was restated in the 2006 Part B regulations at 71 Fed. Reg. 46539, 46569 and in Question E-1 of the document “Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs, Evaluations, and Reevaluations” September 2011 available at http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C3%2C
If you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
All best,
Melody Musgrove, Ed.D.
PBMAS, SPP, and RF Staging
According to TEA, PBMAS staging has been drafted and is waiting for Commissioner’s approval and posting to ISAM. You will not be receiving a letter. Please continue to check ISAM under your TEASE/TEAL account periodically to determine your LEA’s staging. All districts and charters need to login to ISAM to check.
If you are noncompliant with SPPS indicators 11, 12, and 13, you will receive a letter. The date on the letter will start the timeline for correction. If your LEA was compliant in all three indicators, no letter will be sent.
You will not receive a separate stage for RF. If your LEA is staged in SPED, you will also be required to complete the RF staging requirements. For RF there will no longer be a 4A or 4B stage. For LEAs that are stage 2 for SPED, no submissions are required (previously for RF stage 2 had to submit) but random selections by the agency may occur. Continue to forl the current RF manual pages 3-5 concerning the interventions as well as the investigatory topics. A revised manual is in process.
Access to data in TEA secure web applications is protected by at least one of TEA's security gateways, the Texas Education Agency Security Environment (TEASE) or by the Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL). If you need to set up access, go to http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Other_Services/Secure_Applications/TEA__Secure_Applications_Information/. As a reminder, apply for access as soon as possible to allow time for approval.
For further information or questions, please contact Jerry Klekotta at or 713.744.6393.
Specific technical assistance at Region 4 for
· SPP 4A and 4B is Dr. Clynita Grafenreed at or 713.744.6345
· SPP 11 and 12 is Kara Zowlinski at or 713.744.6562
· SPP 13 is Karen Pepkin at or 713.744.4470.
Student Attendance and Accounting Handbook
The Texas Education Agency recently posted the 2015-2016 Student Attendance and Accounting Handbook Change Document is available at (http://tea.texas.gov/index2.aspx?id=25769817607). Page 15 of the document outlines a change to Section 4 (Special Education).
NEW:
4.7.2 Code 01 – Homebound
To be placed in the special education homebound instructional setting . . .
· The student is expected to be confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of 4 weeks. The weeks need not be consecutive if the student is chronically ill and the local district policy allows for such.
OLD:
4.7.2 Code 01 – Homebound
To be placed in the special education homebound instructional setting . . .
· The student is expected to be confined at home or hospital bedside for a minimum of 4 weeks (the weeks need not be consecutive).
The change adds language that the student must be chronically ill and that the local district policy must allow for such in order for the weeks to not be consecutive. Please note that in section 3.7 (General Education Homebound) there is no change to this requirement in the change document.
Sign up Online to Receive TEA Updates
To sign up for TEA updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below. About 60 different topic-specific subscriptions are available. The TEA PMI Division remind districts and charters to subscribe to their updates.
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXTEA/subscriber/new
Region 4 Schools Receive 2015 National Blue Ribbon Honors
Earlier this year, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) nominated more than 20 Texas public schools for national 2015 Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. Founded in 1982, Blue Ribbon Schools is a U.S. Department of Education program that recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels. The U.S. Department of Education announced today that 25 schools nominated by TEA have been awarded Blue Ribbon honors for 2015. The schools in Texas include the following:
•Aldine ISD – Victory Early College High School
•Houston ISD – North Houston Early College High School
All schools were selected as exemplary high performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Each school has an economically disadvantaged population of 25 percent or greater. The nominated schools completed a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education. Schools that receive the award are recognized at the Blue Ribbon School conference in Washington, D.C.
For more information about the national Blue Ribbon Schools program, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.
Projected 2015 Impact to LEAs from Potential Federal Government Shutdown
A new statewide letter dated September 28, 2015, has been posted to the TEA Correspondence page. The purpose of this letter is to outline the minimal expected impact that a potential federal government shutdown could have on Texas local educational agencies (LEAs) and on TEA in terms of current federal education grants.
EDGAR Now Allows Two-Year Grace Period for Procurement Policies and Procedures
The new EDGAR regulations now allow grantees the option of a two-year grace period to implement policies and procedures that conform to the procurement standards in 2 CFR 200.317–200.326. If taking the two-year grace period, the new procurement requirements would go into effect in school year 2017–2018.
The Federal government will now allow a grace period of two full fiscal years after the effective date of EDGAR. Grantees must document whether they are in compliance with the old or new standard, and must meet the documented standard. For more information on the grace period, see Question 110-6 Effective Dates and Grace Period for Procurement of the Frequently Asked Questions document published by the Council on Financial Assistance and Reform (COFAR).
TEA’s New EDGAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) guidance document will be updated soon to reflect this change.
Description
If you have any questions, please submit a request through the TEA Help Desk and enter either “government shutdown” or “procurement grace period” in the subject field.
For Your Information
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and it’s a good time for schools (including personnel and students), communities, districts, and states to take stock of current efforts to reduce and prevent bullying.
Forget Work-Life Balance, Pursue Well-Being Instead
Trying to fulfill professional, family, and personal responsibilities? That’s is a constant struggle for everyone! A Google search of work-life balance shows almost 200 million results. There are two main dimensions that affect your well-being: feeling good and doing good. Feeling good is about experiencing positive emotions on a daily basis; doing good is about overall life satisfaction that comes from pursuing meaningful goals and making a positive impact. So Beth Cabrera (ATD, August 2015) suggests a better goal to consider is to improve your well-being since 1) failure to achieve work-life balance often causes more stress and 2) the pursuit of work-life balance is an impossible goal. When you are thriving, you have psychological resources that help you deal with work-life conflict. Experiencing more frequent positive emotions boosts your energy level and self-confidence. Positive emotions help you think in more creative ways, so you can come up with solutions to better manage the chaos and be more resilient! Consider changing your focus from balance to boosting well-being and increasing joy and meaning in your life!
October 2015 to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. See information at http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month
Fall is Ideal for Planting Trees and Shrubs in Texas
According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, now is a perfect time to add a new tree or grouping of shrubs to your landscape. Fall months of September through December have distinct advantages. Plant roots grow anytime the soil temperature is 40 degrees or higher, which may occur all winter in Texas. During the winter months, the root systems of the fall-planted specimens develop and become established. When spring arrives, this expanded root system can support and take advantage of the full surge of spring growth. Find the best tree for your yard at http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/
ECHO: Service Animal to John Bramblitt (Texan), inducted into the TVMF Hall of Fame
Last year, the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation (TVMF) announced that Echo, a loyal companion and guide dog to John Bramblitt of Denton, was to be inducted into the 2014 Texas Animal Hall of Fame. John Bramblitt, an artist who is blind, was selected as the winner of the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities’ 2013 Texas NDEAM Poster Art contest; his winning piece, Cowboy Sunset, was used in the design of that year’s Texas NDEAM Poster. Echo, his guide dog, was inducted into TVMF as the 2014 winner in the Professional category, which recognizes a remarkable specially-trained assistance animal. Echo was trained at Guide Dogs of Texas. Echo has given John the freedom to travel and navigate the world in a way that would have been impossible in the past and has impacted John in ways in which he will be forever grateful.
A call for nominations has now been issued for this year’s Texas Animal Hall of Fame candidates. Please download the application form HERE and send it to the TVMF office by Sept. 15, 2015. - See more at: https://tvma.azurewebsites.net/Portals/0/Images/affiliates_tvmf_15_hof_form.pdf
Region 4 Upcoming Professional Development
Building An Inclusive School Series
Developing and maintaining an “Inclusive School.” Bring a campus core team and learn the key components in developing and/or maintaining an inclusive school. Day One’s focus is on Inclusion Philosophy, Inclusion Committee, LRE, Case Management, and the IEP Decision-Making Process. Day Two will focus on scheduling and effective instructional frameworks. The final day will address inclusion models, common planning, classroom management/routines, and behavior. Session and materials costs are partially funded through state or federal grants.
Session ID: 1158888
Date: 10/6/15, 10/20/15, 11/10/15
Time: 8:30a.m. – 3:30p.m
Location: MCC 205, MCC 202, MCC 103
Fee: $135 for all three days, participant cannot substitute
Contact Information: Tony Goedicke at or 713.744.6579
Co-teaching Series: Basic and Advanced Co-Teaching Practices
Developing highly effective co-teach teams. Come as a co-teach team to increase instructional intensity more than a one teacher classroom. Day one (High Quality Instruction and Co-Teaching) explores implementing high quality instructional frameworks with the six (6) co-teaching approaching, common planning and the stages of co-teacher development. Day two (Advanced Co-Teaching) explores the variations of the co-teaching approaches. We will dive deeper into analyzing co-teachers beliefs and philosophies of education as well as to evaluate your partnerships in order to development a highly effective team. Session and materials costs are partially funded through state or federal grants.
Session ID: 1158894
Date: 10/7/15, 10/27/15
Time: 8:30a.m. – 3:30p.m
Location: MCC 204
Fee: $90
Contact Information: Tony Goedicke at or 713.744.6579
Pivotal Response Training in the Early Childhood Classroom: Addressing Motivation, Learning, and Social Interaction
Do you have students who are difficult to engage in your early childhood classroom activities? Join this session to learn more about strategies that support the motivation, learning, and social interaction of early childhood students with autism. Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis and developmental psychology and is applied in a naturalistic manner so that the strategies are more readily implemented in early childhood classrooms. PRT increases academic and social skill acquisition while at the same time decreasing challenging behaviors so that students can participate more meaningfully in classroom and inclusive activities. In this session, The Koegel Autism Center will present information on the principles of PRT, as well as relate the information specifically to the early childhood classroom through the use of student examples. Session and materials costs are partially funded through state and/or federal grants.
Session ID: 1151457
Dates: November 3, 2015
Time: 9:00 – 4:00
Fee: $45
Contact information: Cathy Williams, , 713.744.6801