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). The project provides a face-to-face Training of Trainers (TOT) to experts from the 20 Education Service Centers (ESCs) and the 25 largest school districts throughout Texas, online resources, tools, and follow-up support for Texas teachers and administrators, and builds online interactive professional learning communities to support EOCS contents.
In partnership with TEA, the Institute for Public School Initiatives 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
State legislation requires the phase-out of high school TAKS assessments and replaces them with twelve EOCS assessments. New EOCS exams were created beginning in 2009, with the last to be implemented in 2012. College and Career Readiness Standards have been incorporated into the TEKS for math, science, social studies, and English language arts. "College readiness" is the level of preparation a student must attain in English language arts and mathematics courses to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an entry-level general education course for credit in that same content area for a baccalaureate degree or associate degree program (House Bill 3, Section 39.024a).
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In the spring of 2010, the Institute for Public School Initiatives (IPSI) at the University of Texas at Austin held three TOT events for invited participants representing the 20 ESCs and the 25 largest school districts in Texas. A total of 204 participants attended the TOT sessions. Each session focused on effective standards-based instruction to ensure end of course success for students in English I and II, based on the TEKS for ELAR, integrating the ELPS and the CCRS. Each session included an introduction to the design of the End-of-Course assessments for English I and II and how those assessments relate to state standards. The goal was to help participants develop an understanding of what students will need in order to succeed.
Sessions also provided Texas teachers and administrators with instruction in how to become members of the Project Share professional learning community (PLC) for ELA EOCS and how to access online resources. As members of the PLC, participants have opportunities to complete future online modules and activities through the interactive Project Share platform. TOT participants were then expected to deliver the EOCS for English I and II training to additional trainers and/or directly to teachers in their respective regions or districts. Over 1,200 teachers and administrators have attended EOCS English I and II trainings to date.
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In the spring of 2011, the Institute for Public School Initiatives (IPSI) at the University of Texas at Austin held two TOT events and one information session for 150 invited participants representing the 20 ESCs and the 25 largest school districts in Texas. A total of 114 participants attended the TOT sessions (59 trainers, 30 representatives from the 25 largest districts, and 25 staff members from TEA and IPSI). Each session focused on effective standards-based instruction to ensure end of course success for students in English III, based on the TEKS for ELAR, integrating the ELPS and the CCRS. Each session included information on the End of Course Assessment for English III, including overview and blueprint for implementation.
TOT participants were then expected to deliver the EOCS for English III training to additional trainers and/or directly to teachers in their respective regions or districts. A total of 1,133 teachers and administrators attended trainings in the first quarter of the project from May to August 2011. Updated totals will be available with the second quarter reports for numbers trained from August to October 2011.
Additionally, IPSI observers attended sample sessions at sixteen ESCs. The purpose of the observations conducted on-site was to provide support to the ESCs, document the fidelity of trainings as delivered by ESC, and gather information to improve the development and delivery of future training materials. An online course for teachers and an overview for administrators for English I, II, and III End-of-Course Success are currently in development.
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IPSI is creating follow-up online professional development courses for teachers in Project Share to help ensure End-of-Course success for students in English I, II, and III. Contact your local Education Service Center for information about the courses listed below including how to enroll for Continuing Professional Education (CPEs) credits or how to set up a Project Share account.
Expository Reading and Writing in High School
This course provides teachers with instructional strategies to improve student reading comprehension and analytical writing skills. The state standards (English Language Arts and Reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills; English Language Proficiency Standards; College and Career Readiness Standards) provide a framework for designing effective instruction that prepares students for success in high school coursework, college, and careers. This course focuses on providing instruction that includes daily reading and writing activities that increase student knowledge and skills on a range of expository reading and writing activities.
Literary Nonfiction
Currently under development.
ELA Electives for High School (20 English Electives for High School)
As part of the End-of-Course project, IPSI has created online professional development courses for 20 ELA electives for high school. These courses are part of a series of English electives that highlight the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills required by the Texas Administrative Code for each of the 20 high school English electives. Each elective course includes a description, a link to the Administrative Code, and alignment to the College and Career Readiness Standards and the English Language Proficiency Standards. In addition, five classroom activities that have been aligned to the three sets of standards are included. The 20 ELA electives are:
- 110.46 HS ELA Electives: Independent Study in English
- 110.47 HS ELA Electives: Reading I, II, III
- 110.48 HS ELA Electives: College Readiness & Study Skills
- 110.49 HS ELA Electives: Visual Media Analysis & Production
- 110.50 HS ELA Electives: Contemporary Media
- 110.51 HS ELA Electives: Literary Genres
- 110.52 HS ELA Electives: Creative Writing
- 110.53 HS ELA Electives: Research & Technical Writing
- 110.54 HS ELA Electives: Practical Writing Skills
- 110.55 HS ELA Electives: Humanities
- 110.57 HS ELA Electives: Public Speaking I, II, III
- 110.58 HS ELA Electives: Communication Applications
- 110.59 HS ELA Electives: Oral Interpretation I, II, III
- 110.60 HS ELA Electives: Debate I, II, III
- 110.61 HS ELA Electives: Independent Study in Speech
- 110.62 HS ELA Electives: Journalism
- 110.63 HS ELA Electives: Independent Study in Journalism
- 110.64 HS ELA Electives: Advanced Broadcast Journalism
- 110.65 HS ELA Electives: Photojournalism
- 110.66 HS ELA Electives: Adv. Journalism: Yearbook/Newspaper/Literary Magazine
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Karen Nelson |
Director,
Academic Foundation Initiatives |
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Faith Stevens |
Project Manager,
Academic Foundation Initiatives |
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