Texas Teacher Law

Federal Education Policy

President-elect Obama has put together a small task force of state education chiefs to provide recommendations for action by the new administration.  Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott was one of those chosen for this task force, which meets this coming week. 

Given that Texas was a frontrunner in the high stakes testing race, and that Scott was a heavy player in that while he was still a policy advisor the Governer Perry.

If you like current Texas education policy, you'll be pleased to know his voice will be one of those advising the new president.  If you're less than thrilled with state policy, make sure you voice your own opinions by staying in contact with your own congressional delegation.

Texas Football

I've talked to plenty of teachers, and coaches, and administrators, and parents, and my own bewildered family members from out-of-state over the years about Texas high school football.  I'll let you imagine all the conversational variations I've had, as well as the large variety of law-related issues that have come up (no-pass, no-play, anyone?)

But lest anyone doubt the importance of football in our state culture, we should all take a moment to recognize that yesterday marked the 89th anniversary of the very first play-by-play broadcast of a football game over the radio.  The game? Why Texas A&M vs. the Universty of Texas, of course.

A&M won. Oh well.

Should Schools Be Marketing Themselves?

The Texas Education Agency just last week approved charter schools to fill the final available slots.  Texas law caps the number of charter schools at 215.  The Houston Chronicle notes that advocates of Charter schools say that many more are needed, as evidenced by the fact that thousands of children (allegedly) are on waiting lists to go to Charter schools.

First, any children on waiting lists are not generally waiting for an available charter school.  They are waiting for a specific charter school, and having more schools won't increase the student body at the existing schools.

Second, do the kids who are waiting to get into these Charter schools really making an educated choice of that school over their home school? Hard to say, because most public schools don't advertise and don't market themselves, so kids don's have a chance to get excited about the programs and extracurricular activities at their home school.  They typically don't learn about those things until after they have started classes.

I think about my own experience with my two teensage daughters.  Austin has a several magnet school programs, and in the Spring the magnets make presentations at the feeder schools so that students will know whta is offered and that they have an option to go to the magnet school instead of the regular home school.  The magnets do a good job of getting the word out about their programs, and my kids were understandably excited and interested.  The problem is that they had no information about their home schools.  They didn't have any opportunity to get excited about the home school. 

I understand the non-magnet schools don't have a need to "sell' themselves to the students, because the students are going to fill the school to bursting no matter what.  But for Charter advocates or anyone else to think that kids aren't interested in the regular schools because they  clamor to go to the specialized schools (and when I say "kids" I mean their parents, also) is misguided.

Fundamental Friday - Even Absent Parents are Parents

A post on "More Humbly Did I Teach," a blog by a Baltimore teacher, brings up a common situation for teachers - which parent should you talk to in a divorced family?

Under federal law, all parents are entitled to access student records of minor children, regardless of any custody arrangement.  There are really only two exceptions to this:
1. Parental rights have been TERMINATED (this is a severe situation and has nothing to do with custody.  When one parent is given sole custody, that does NOT mean that the other parent's parental rights have been terminated)
2. There is a court order that restricts one parent from accessing information.  Such a court order will usually be found in the custody order.

That's it.  Unless a court says in writing that a parent has no right to information, then a parent has a right to information.  Even if the parent has no visitation rights or a restraining order has been issued, the parent has a right to information about their child unless one of the two exceptions above apply. 

As a teacher, if you are in doubt, talk to your campus administrator and follow their instructions. If the campus administrator is in doubt, then they can request a copy of the relevant court documents.

If a parent tells you that you may not communicate with the other parent, ask them to provide the school with a copy of the court order that says so.

Nomination Time for Great Teachers

HEB, our very own Texas based grocery store, has long been a strong supporter of public education, both publicly and behind the scenes.  They put their money where their mouth is.   Each year they recognize educators, administrators and districts that exemplify excellence.  Nominations for the 2009 awards are due this Friday.  Please take a moment and nominate someone you know who fits the bill.  The nominating process begins online here - http://www.heb.com/education

Here's the full HEB press release explaining the program:

GIVE A CHEER FOR EDUCATION!

Show Thanks to Those in

Texas

Education with a Nomination for a 2009 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award

 

(

SAN ANTONIO

) — Among the most meaningful phrases a teacher can hope to hear is a simple “thank you.” H-E-B is giving the community a way to thank those in

Texas

education by launching the nomination period for the 2009 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards. Just one nomination can place a teacher, principal or a school district on the path toward winning a cash prize ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. 

For the first time in the awards eight-year history, nominations will be accepted online at www.heb.com/education. Nomination forms can also be picked up at H-E-B stores. All nominations are due by November 21, 2008. Teachers, principals and school districts are also strongly encouraged to submit their names for consideration.   

“A nomination is a simple yet powerful way to show appreciation for our educators that are daily demonstrating a true passion for teaching children to aim high in life,” said Jill Reynolds, H-E-B Community Relations Program Manager. “They deserve to be thanked and rewarded for this dedication.”      

Following the close of the nomination period, all nominees will be sent an application form to complete. This form requests additional information from the nominee for judging purposes including written responses that communicate their teaching and learning experiences, their teaching philosophies and what inspires them to make a difference in the lives of their students. Completed application forms will be due January 2, 2009. Following a regional judging process, 225 semifinalists will receive an       H-E-B Gift Card and a certificate of recognition from H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt. Additionally, 48 finalists representing five

Texas

regions will be selected and invited to compete further for an H-E-B Excellence in Education Award and cash prize.

 

About the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards

The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program was launched in 2002 in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators as a strong way to support public education in

Texas

. It is a personal initiative of H-E-B CEO and Chairman, Charles Butt, who implemented the program to highlight the outstanding practices of

Texas

public schools and spotlight and celebrate the work of

Texas

educators. Since its inception, the program has handed out over $3 million to 773 educators and 155 schools and districts across the state.

─ more ─

 Page 2/H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards

 

 

Upon selection of the 48 statewide finalists, they will be notified of their special status during surprise visits to their schools, March 23 - April 8, 2009. Each teacher/principal finalist will be awarded $1,000. Teacher finalists will also receive an additional $1,000 for their school and principal finalists receive an additional $2,500. The eight finalists in the large (5A, 4A) and small (1A, 2A, 3A) school district categories will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.

 

Finalists will also receive an invitation for an all-expense-paid trip to

Austin

for a bit of pampering and relaxation at the Barton Creek Resort & Spa. During their stay, the finalists will participate in the award’s statewide competition process from which 10 grand-prize winners will be selected. These 10 winners — two principals, six teachers and two school districts, one large and one small — will be announced at a celebratory awards dinner to be held on May 3 at the resort.   

 

Each winning principal—one elementary school and one secondary school—will receive a $10,000 cash prize and a $25,000 grant for his/her school. The winning large school district will receive a $100,000 cash prize. The winning small school district will receive $50,000.

 

The six winning teachers will include one elementary and one secondary teacher in each of three categories:

·         The Rising Star Award — honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience. These winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize plus a $5,000 grant for his/her school.

·         The Leadership Award — honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. These winners will each receive a $10,000 cash prize plus a $10,000 grant for his/her school.

·         The Lifetime Achievement Award — salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. These teachers will each receive a $25,000 cash prize and a $25,000 grant for his/her school.

 

 

Tuesday Tasks

As tempting as it is for teachers to tell themselves that the only thing that matters is what they do in the classroom, it’s just not true.   A happy and comfortable teaching career includes the ability for a teacher to reasonably exercise options like making grade or subject level changes, obtaining campus transfers or employment in other districts, or advancing to leadership or administrative positions.  In tough economic times, teachers also need to be valued enough that they escape the lay-off axe.  And occasionally, it’s nice to be in a position to receive consideration for honors and awards.

These career benefits can be boiled down to two necessary factors:

Do a good job at your job; and

Make sure that people know you have done a good job.

It’s like the old question “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?”  If we rework the question to ask “If a teacher does a good deed and no one knows about it, will it be considered when the Teacher of the Year is being awarded ?”- the answer is a resounding “No!” whether anyone is there to hear it or not.

The Tuesday Tasks feature is designed to help you further your career, or merely safeguard it, by offering simple things you can do a regular basis that will increase both your value to and  visibility in the school.  Enhancing your reputation as a “good” teacher and a “team player” can bring all sorts of benefits down the line.   And as a teacher, one of the most valuable assets you have is your reputation.  A good reputation can insulate you from false charges of inappropriate conduct by students, parents, and even other educators.  

Today’s Tuesday Task Many people tend to judge the way we work by the way our workspace looks.  A messy workspace can be seen by people as a messy workstyle.  Although there is no correlation between the two in reality, there is in the minds of others, so it’s worth it to keep your desk and other work areas looking neat as much as possible.

Take 15 minutes to straighten all the books and papers on your work areas.  Clear as much as you can off the work surfaces completely – either purging materials you don’t need, or placing in drawers and filing cabinets.   Accept any compliments graciously.

What's Wrong With Appraisals

I was scanning the education headlines from around the state this morning and this one from the Tyler Morning Telegraph leaped out at me: "Legislators Look To Fix Appraisal System."  My heart jumped.  More messing with appraisals?  What now?

Then I clicked on the article and it turns out this has nothing to do with teacher performance appraisals.  Just goes to show how focussed I am on the teacher's viewpoint.  Legislators are looking into property tax appraisals.

But it all led me to think this: Do teachers think that performance appraisals need fixing?  Tell me what you think of the system we have now.  Is it working? Why or why not?  Do you trust it?

Legislators could be looking at teacher appraisals.  So post a comment and let me know if we need to ask them to do just that.  

Fundamental Friday - Planning Time

Most of the time, classroom teachers in Texas are subject to the scheduling decisions of campus principals.  Most of the time, that is, except for 45 minutes a day. 

State law guarantees classroom teachers a minimum of 450 minutes of planning time every two weeks, in increments no smaller than 45 minutes.  For that period of time, a teacher can be required to stay on campus and work, but what she works on is up to her. She can not be required to attend meetings, or to work on cum folders, or to "help out" in an absent teacher's class. 

The planning time must be within the instructional day, not tacked on after the kids leave. The one exception to that is a primary teacher whose students are released before the rest of the school. 

Teachers can be required to attend meetings or work on specific projects with planning time that is over and above the 450 minutes/2 week minimum requirement.

There's Never A Good Way

It's hard to have to hear you're fired.  But it's also hard to tell someone they're fired.  And no matter how the news gets revealed, it's never pleasant for either side.

But there are some ways that are worse than others.  Like leaving a note on a chair. And before you conjure up pictures in your head of your favorite "bad" principal, I'll tell you that the note on the chair was how a law firm told one of it's own partners that he was fired.  They put the note on his chair in the middle of the day while he was out working on a case.

Teachers in Texas who are being fired must be told in writing, but the law is not specific as to how the writing is delivered. So, in theory, a teacher could find a notice of non-renewal pinned to a purse or briefcase.  But let's hope not.

Here's the full story from Canada's Financial Post.

Pam's Pointers

I like Heloise's Hints.  Yes, I browse the books, and marvel over the handy ideas in them.  So I was very excited to learn that you can find similar things on YouTube - I am continually amazed at what I can find on YouTube.  But I won't go into all that now.  I just wanted to share this nifty tip with ya'll, since teachers are generally shoestringers and often without immediate access to things like twisties after the little hands in their classrooms have finished with craft time.  And while this is not strictly legal advice, like the blog tagline says, it could reduce your stress level, and that can only help you avoid legal problems.

So here ya go.