Mathematics Communications
Texas Education Agency
January 5, 2016
Foundation High
School Program RulesProposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements
Public
Comment Period: December 25, 2015 – January 23, 2016
Earliest
Possible Date of Adoption: January 2016 SBOE meeting
In November 2015, the State
Board of Education approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed amendments to the Foundation High School Program graduation requirements in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements. The proposed amendments would update the rules and align with recent legislative changes. The SBOE is scheduled to consider the proposed amendments for second reading and final adoption at its January 2016 meeting. The official public comment period for proposed amendments to graduation requirements for the Foundation High School Program is now open. Please visit http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Laws_and_Rules/SBOE_Rules_%28TAC%29/ Proposed_State_Board_of_Education_Rules/ to view the proposed amendments and submit public comments.
Proposed New Personal Financial Literacy Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills
Proposed New 19 TAC
Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter C, High School, §113.49, Personal Financial Literacy (One-Half Credit), Adopted 2016
Public
Comment Period: December 25, 2015 – January 23, 2016
Earliest
Possible Date of Adoption: January 2016 SBOE meeting
In November 2015, the State
Board of Education approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for a new Personal Financial Literacy course. If approved, the proposed new course would be available beginning in 2016-2017. The SBOE is scheduled to consider the proposed new Personal Financial Literacy TEKS for second reading and final adoption at its January 2016 meeting. The official public comment period for the proposed Personal Financial Literacy TEKS is now open. Please visit http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Laws_and_Rules/SBOE_Rules_%28TAC%29/ Proposed_State_Board_of_Education_Rules/ to view the proposed new TEKS and submit public comments.
New Resource – Vertical Alignment Chart Grade 3 –
Statistics
A
new Vertical Alignment Chart is currently available on the Gateway.
This document does
not supplant the other Vertical Alignment charts, but
simply focuses on the probability and
statistics standards for grades 3 – 8,
Algebra I, Geometry, and Statistics. They are arranged
by the Statistics
TEKS.
Texas SUCCESS –
Think Through Math Update
Think
Through Math (TTM) has been selected as the provider for Texas SUCCESS math
resource for grades 3–5, grades 6–8, and Algebra I.
TTM
is prepared to begin providing service once the contract is finalized. This
contract will
end on August 31, 2017. At this time, districts can begin
planning for use of the selected
program to provide accelerated instruction
to students in grades 3–5, grades 6–8, and
Algebra I. You can access
additional information about the Texas SUCCESS Initiative with
the link
below.
New Resource – Supporting Information Documents
Supporting
Information documents for grades K– 8 are currently available on the Gateway.
The documents are arranged by the TEKS and provide further explanations of
the
information that was included the Side-by-Side TEKS Comparison documents.
These
documents have replaced the Side-by-Side TEKS Comparison documents for
grades K – 8,
which have been removed from the Gateway.
ESTAR/MSTAR Winter Windows
The
winter windows for the ESTAR/MSTAR Universal Screeners and Diagnostic
Assessments will open in early January. The dates for the ESTAR/MSTAR
Universal
Screener are January 11 – February 12, 2016. The Universal Screener
assists
teachers in determining if a student is at-risk for algebra
readiness.
The content in this screener does not cover all of the TEKS for
the grade levels.
The results of this screener should be used
to guide instruction
for whole class and interventions where appropriate.
The
winter window dates for the ESTAR/MSTAR Diagnostic Assessments are
January 18
– February 19, 2016. The Diagnostics Assessments are administered to
students
identified as being in need of additional support. They are designed to help
teachers identify student misconceptions.
New Resource – Interactive Mathematics Glossary: the
iPhone and iPad Apps
TEA’s
Interactive
Math Glossary is now available in the iTunes app store. The glossary is
designed to help teachers explore and understand mathematics vocabulary used
in the
grades K–8 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Each glossary term is
displayed in a
four-quadrant Frayer Model. Go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/
interactive-math-glossary/id1051404376?mt=8
to download.
(PAEMST)
The
2015-2016 nomination and application windows for
grade K-6 mathematics and
science teachers for the Presidential
Awards for Excellence in Mathematics
and Science Teaching
(PAEMST) program are open.The PAEMST awards are the
nation's
highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science.
Awardees
serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration
to their communities,and
leaders in the improvement of mathematics
and science education. Since 1983,
more than 4,200 teachers have been
recognized for their contributions in the
classroom and to their profession.
Presidential
Awardees receive a certificate signed by the President of the
United States,
a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events
and
professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from the
National
Science Foundation. Awardees also join an active network of outstanding
educators from throughout the nation.
Teachers
must be signed up or nominated for the 2016 competition
by April 1, 2016. The
application deadline is May 1, 2016.
If you know great teachers, encourage
them to
join this prestigious network of professionals. In Texas,
eligible
teachers who submit a completed application by
May 1, 2016 will receive 20
CPE hours. Sign up to apply
or nominate an educator at www.paemst.org.
For
questions, contact Jo Ann Bilderback at tx_paemst@tea.texas.gov or
512-463-9581.
******************************************************************************
As
a courtesy to our readers the following additional Information has been
included.
Research Science Institute
The
Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
(MIT) co-sponsor the Research Science Institute (RSI) and are
looking for talented
11th grade Science Technology Engineering or Mathematics
(STEM) students for a
summer research program. Students can apply to the
(RSI) program to be held on the
MIT campus June 26 – August 6, 2016.
Participants will meet some of the world's most
talented students and top
scientists and have an opportunity to conduct research
in exciting labs. The
program is free to students except for travel to and from MIT.
If you know a high school junior that may be interested in the program, take a
look at the
CEE website or RSI application materials, and more information
Questions may be directed to Maite
Ballestero, Executive Vice President,
Teacher Enrichment Program
The
Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) is the Center for Excellence
in Education’s
(CEE) program for middle and high school STEM teachers.
TEP provides
opportunities for rural and urban teachers to connect
with experts from
industry and academia to explore
cutting edge research and make meaningful
professional links with
direct benefits for themselves and their
students. All online resources and
events are cost-free for all
participants. TEP events are held in California, Florida,
Maryland,
South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. CEE
invites interested teachers to visit the program website
connect with scientists and engineers
in their community through Bite of Science
sessions and Teacher Roundtables
and to explore a variety of online STEM resources.
Moody’s Mega Math Challenge
Moody’s Mega Math Challenge is an Internet-based applied math
competition that awards scholarship prizes from $1,000 to $20,000
to teams of
high school juniors and seniors. The challenge takes place
February 27 – 28,
2016. Students are required to solve an
open-ended, realistic, math-modeling
problem in 14 hours.
Moody’s Mega Math
Challenge is funded by the Moody
Foundation and organized by
the Society for Industrial and
Applied
Mathematics (SIAM). For more information, visit http://m3challenge.siam.org/.
|
Math Sessions
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
Morath takes office as Texas
Commissioner of Education
AUSTIN – Mike Morath was administered the oath of office today in Austin to become the new Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas.
Commissioner Morath was appointed to the position by Gov. Greg Abbott on Dec. 14, 2015. As Commissioner, he heads the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which oversees pre-kindergarten through high school education for approximately five million students enrolled in both traditional public schools and charter schools.
"I thank Gov. Abbott for the trust he has placed in me and look forward to working with him to continue strengthening our state’s public education system," said Commissioner Morath. "I am committed to ensuring that our education system provides all the children of Texas the opportunity to be successful in life."
Commissioner Morath previously served on the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) board of trustees for more than four years. A strong advocate of public education, Commissioner Morath graduated from Garland High School in the Garland Independent School District. Thanks to that great public school education, he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, summa cum laude, from George Washington University in two-and one-half years.
Among his priorities, Commissioner Morath will focus on supporting educators throughout the state, transitioning the state’s accountability system to an A-F framework, and improving the overall efficiency of TEA.
Commissioner Morath succeeds outgoing Commissioner of Education Michael Williams. Williams served in the position for more than three years.
The Commissioner of Education is a gubernatorial appointment and serves at the pleasure of the Governor. Commissioner Morath’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation during the next legislative session in 2017.
http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Press_Releases/2016/Morath_takes_office_as_Texas_Commissioner_of_Education/
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