The purpose of the English Language Arts (ELA) End of Course Success (EOCS) project is to create professional development for teachers of English I, II, and III, bilingual/ESL teachers, special education teachers, and administrators including and integrating the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In partnership with the Texas Education Agency, the IPSI seeks to achieve the following primary goals through the EOCS project:
- Develop a clear understanding of the expectations of the EOC exams for English I, II, and III
- Build the knowledge of teachers and leaders for the expectations of the EOC for English I, II, and III
- Demonstrate the integration of the TEKS for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR), ELPS, and CCRS related to the End of Course assessments
- Emphasize the relationship between standards, instruction, and assessment
- Enhance instructional strategies for improving student success in reading and writing
- Provide Texas teachers and administrators with online resources and follow-up activities and support through an online interactive platform
- Build online professional learning communities to support EOC assessments
- Create online professional development through Project Share in the 20 English Language Arts electives
Visit the English Language Arts End of Course Success page for more information.
In the spring of 2009, the Institute for Public School Initiatives, in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, held three Training-of-Trainer events for 529 participants representing the 20 ESCs and the 50 largest school districts in Texas. Each session covered a range of grade levels and focused on either the English or Spanish Language Arts and Reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (ELAR or SLAR TEKS). Additionally, each session integrated the ELAR and SLAR TEKS with the ELPS and CCRS. Each participant attended one of the following training sessions:
- ELAR Grade K-2
- ELAR Grade 3-5
- ELAR Grade 6-English IV (6-12)
- SLAR Grade K-2
- SLAR Grade 3-6
Visit the English Language Arts and Reading TEKS page for more information.
The Institute for Public School Initiatives (IPSI) will support capacity building for high-quality Intel® Teach online professional development. IPSI, in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Education Service Centers will integrate Intel® Teach Elements online professional development into the TEA’s Project Share gateway. By doing this, educators and administrators from across Texas will have access to Intel® Teach resources, materials, and professional development.
Intel® Teach Elements courses include animated e-learning tutorials, interactive learning exercises, and offline activities to apply concepts. The courses can take place in face-to-face and online settings, as well as in a self-paced format.
Visit the Intel Teach page for more information.
The OnTRACK project, funded by the Texas Education Agency, focuses on student preparedness for college and career readiness. Customized online resources are being developed to support student success in math, science, social studies, and English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). In partnership with the Texas Education Agency, the Academic Foundation Initiatives at IPSI seeks to achieve three primary goals through the OnTRACK project.
- Provide middle school students with the tools needed to be successful in high school English courses.
- Help high school students exceed the minimum score required on each End-of-Course assessment in order to meet graduation requirements.
- Prepare all students to demonstrate readiness for college and career on English III.
Visit the OnTRACK for College Readiness: English Language Arts and Reading page for more information.
The Texas Education Agency launched Project Share to explore the development and delivery of high quality, sustained, and ongoing professional development for educators so they can meet the needs of our 21st century learners. In 2009, Rider 42 of the General Appropriations Act, Article III of the 81st Texas Legislature appropriated $152 million each fiscal year for the Student Success Initiative (SSI) with a particular emphasis on Professional Development (PD) Academies and an online platform, Project Share, to extend teacher professional development opportunities.
In partnership with the Texas Education Agency, the goal of the Project Share Support Center at IPSI is to provide support materials for Project Share, a collection of Web 2.0 tools and applications that provides high quality professional development in an interactive and engaging learning environment.
Visit the Project Share Support Center page for more information.
The Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) program is authorized as part of the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act Public Law No. 111-117 under the Title I demonstration authority, Part E, Section 1502, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2011).
The goal of the Texas Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Initiative is to improve school readiness and success in the areas of language and literacy for disadvantaged students in targeted Local Education Agencies and their associated Early Childhood Education providers (Texas Literacy Initiative, 2011). IPSI serves as a partner with the Texas Education Agency, Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Center at Houston, and the Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts at the University of Texas at Austin in the development and implementation of the Texas State Literacy Plan.
Visit the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Initiative page for more information.
The purpose of the Texas Literacy Initiative grant is to improve school readiness and success in the area of language and literacy for disadvantaged students in targeted school districts, including their associated Early Childhood Education Center providers, who will use the model of Literacy Lines to implement the Texas State Literacy Plan.
Goals:
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Increase the oral language and pre-literacy skills of participating preschool children.
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Increase the performance of participating K-2 students on early reading assessments.
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Increase the percentage of participating students who meet or exceed proficiency on the state English language arts assessments in grades 3 through 12.
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Increase the use of data and data analysis to inform all decision-making in participating districts, campuses, classrooms, and early learning settings.
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Increase the implementation of effective literacy instruction throughout Literacy Lines.
Visit the Texas Literacy Initiative page for more information.
The heart of the eight-year Texas Reading First Initiative plan focused on “providing data-driven professional development and site-specific technical assistance to funded Local Education Agencies ” to ensure that proven methods of early reading instruction were in place in classrooms across the state (Texas Reading First Plan, 2003). IPSI’s role in the TRFI was to deploy and oversee Reading Technical Assistance Specialists (RTAs) across the state. RTAs supported the professional development and mentoring of Local Campus Coaches (LCCs) and principals who, in turn, provided site-based professional development for K-3 teachers at TRFI funded schools.
Visit the Texas Reading First Initiative page for a recap of this project.
Karen Nelson
Director, Academic Foundation Initiatives
knelson@ipsi.utexas.edu
(512) 232-4217
