Counselor Corner

Can you believe we are already almost halfway through the fall semester? Football is full swing, six weeks have ended, and the weather is finally starting to be bearable. This edition of the counselor corner is jam packed full of policy, reminders, deadlines, changes, and upcoming trainings. Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns.

TEA has provided some example submission slides from last year's validation of 19 TAC 61.1073. Click on the attachment below to view.

A high priority task this month is to ensure that students on your campus are coded correctly in PEIMS. However, please keep in mind, students move on or off of the at-risk list, adjustments should be made in real time, not just once a year.

The button below is an updated 110% chart for 2024, and it also has a sheet containing all of the at-risk indicator codes.

As we step into October, we want to shine a spotlight on National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. We know that bullying impacts a student’s mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. By raising awareness, we can create safer, more supportive school environments. Below we have listed resources that may support your school community’s bullying prevention efforts.

• Best Practices and Programs Repository- This repository includes best-practice based programs and research-based best practices. Listings that support positive youth development, building relationships, managing emotions, & decision making-skills and school climate may all support bullying prevention efforts.
• Stopbullying.gov- This site is a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This website provides resources on the prevention and intervention of bullying and cyber bullying within the school and community setting.
• Cyberbullying Research Center- This site provides up-to-date information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying among adolescents. The site includes numerous resources to help you prevent and respond to cyberbullying incidents.

We’re inviting children to be take part in our Recycling Week Challenge. Why? Because being kind to people creates a better world, but being kind to the planet gives us a world to live on!

Our beautiful planet needs us more than ever, and every one of us, every single day, has the power to make a difference. Recycling Week is a time to focus on what we can to reduce and reuse our waste. This year the theme is ‘Rescue Me,’ focusing on rescuing recyclable items from heading to the rubbish bin.’

Download the Challenge Sheet here
(to be even kinder to the environment, please feel free to type your answers ion a computer, or use your own scrap paper, rather than printing).

Share Your Insights | TxCAN’s Aligned College and Career Advising Survey

On behalf of the Texas College Access Network (TxCAN), we invite you to participate in the Aligned College and Career Advising Survey. This survey is part of a statewide research project aimed at understanding how districts create effective systems for college and career advising, including partnerships with external College Advising Programs (CAPs), and ensuring alignment across stakeholders.

Who Should Participate: This survey is designed for:

• District-level personnel responsible for college and career advising (e.g., Superintendents, Directors of Counseling, Directors of CCMR)
• Secondary administrators and school counselors
• College advisors working in schools or districts (whether employed by the district or external organizations)
• Teachers whose primary responsibilities include college and career advising (e.g., AVID teachers, college and career readiness course instructors)

Survey Details:

• Time to Complete: 20-25 minutes
• Incentives: Complete the survey to enter for a chance to win one of ten $20 gift cards, four $50 gift cards, or one $100 gift card!

Access the Survey Here

We truly value your perspective and appreciate your participation in this research. Your responses will provide crucial insights into how Texas can better meet the college and career advising needs of its students.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the survey, feel free to reach out to Jennifer Torres, Deputy Director of Higher Education at Educate Texas.

High School Student Initial Testing

TSI Assessment test administrators may administer to high school students only, standalone ELAR test components: 1) CRC and diagnostic test (as applicable), and 2) Essay for initial ELAR test administrations.

When administering ELAR test components separately, test administrators must be mindful that a determination of college readiness cannot be made with scores from just one of the two required components. In determining college readiness as outlined in TAC RULE §4.57 (TSIA College Readiness Standards), passing scores for both ELAR test components are required.

Additional Considerations

Retesting. Regarding all ELAR test administrations, if only one component (CRC or diagnostic test, or Essay) is passed during the initial ELAR test administration, subsequent testing is only required for the component that was not passed or administered.

IHEs accepting ELAR test scores. Institutions may accept ELAR standalone test scores from high school students based on current protocols without regard to when the test was taken.

During the 2024-2025 school year, the TEA will initiate a process to review and approve college preparatory courses provided by eligible institutions to demonstrate college readiness as part of the public-school accountability system. This process aims to ensure that College Preparatory courses, defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.014, meet standards consistent with other indicators of college readiness.

To qualify as a College Preparatory Course for Accountability Provider Applicant, the service provider must fall into one of the following categories:

1. Institution of Higher Education (IHE)
2. An Education Service Center with a partnership agreement with an IHE to offer College Preparatory Courses that will be recognized by the partnering institution.
3. Entities that hold Memorandums of Understanding with IHEs to provide College Preparatory Courses that will be recognized by the partnering institution.

To apply, an eligible College Prep Course for Accountability Provider must:

• Have served students in the 2021-2022 academic year and continue to serve students actively.
• Submit a Letter of Intent via Qualtrics to TEA, including three .csv files with data on previous College Prep Course Participation (District Information for 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024).
• Complete and submit a detailed application through Qualtrics to TEA.

• Undergo a thorough quality review of the application by TEA and faculty reviewers from across the state.

This process will result in the following for a school district:

1. A list of approved College Preparatory Course for Accountability providers.
2. Each College Preparatory Course for Accountability provider will receive a unique Service ID for districts and campuses to use when coding their participation in an approved College Preparatory Course for Accountability:
   1. Unique Service ID for College Preparatory Course English Language Arts
   2. Unique Service ID for College Preparatory Course Mathematics
3. Ongoing oversight by TEA of student outcomes through data monitoring related to approved College Preparatory Course for Accountability participation.

Although the application will be completed and submitted by the service provider, TEA requests that school districts complete a survey, which will be shared soon, to affirm the service provider with whom the school district is currently working.

For more information about College Preparatory Courses for Accountability, please contact advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov

Recent updates have been made to the following related to dual credit:

• Definition of Dual Credit
• Eligibility for Dual Credit
• TSI Exemptions

Below are some key highlights from recent updates along with relevant links. A more in-depth discussion will take place during the October Advanced Academics Office Hours. Register here.

• Dual Credit Updates (Rule §4.83)
  • Dual credit and dual enrollment are synonymous in Title 19, Part 1. A student may earn a single grade toward both the college course and the high school credit or earn two separate grades where the high school grade only reflects a student’s mastery of secondary content.
• Eligibility for Dual Credit (Rule §4.85)
  • A high school student is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses if the student demonstrates college readiness by achieving the minimum passing standards under the provisions of the on relevant sections(s) of an TSI assessment instrument approved by the THECB, demonstrating that he or she is exempt under the Texas Success Initiative, is not a degree-seeking student, and or meets the eligibility requirements for the Texas First Diploma.
• TSI Exemption Updates (Rule §4.54)
  • The criteria for exemption from TSI Assessment are based on performance on standardized tests (ACT, SAT, GED, HiSET, STAAR) or specific academic achievements. If students meet these criteria, they are considered college-ready and do not need to take additional assessments or developmental courses in the corresponding areas.
  • Higher education institutions in Texas must honor exemptions from readiness assessments and cannot impose more on exempt students. However, they can recommend additional coursework to support students' success and help them be better prepared for their studies.
  • The linked standards outline the criteria for exemptions from the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA), which is used to determine college readiness for entry-level courses in Texas.
  • Assessment Exemptions
  • Course and Program Completion Exemptions

Below you will find registration links to important financial aid training webinars. I orginally sent this information out to the counselor listserv on September 9th. These webinars do reach capacity so I advise counselors to go ahead and register for the ones that you need and mark your calendars.

When: October 16 from 10:00-2:00

Description: Over 400 colleges and universities require the CSS Profile, a financial aid application that is incredibly complex and distinctly different from the FAFSA. In this training, we will walk through the many sections of the CSS Profile, sharing tips for answering tricky questions and providing practice with student scenarios and case studies. We will also discuss potential followup steps, including the Noncustodial CSS Profile, waiver request process, and IDOC.

Registration Link

When: October 24 from 10:00-2:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

When: October 29 from 10:00-11:30

Description: TxCAN and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board are excited to collaborate and bring you the latest updates on the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) and the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite. This virtual session is designed to provide crucial insights and guidance for students, families, and educators.

Registration Link

When: November 12 from 12:00-4:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

When: December 5 from 10:00-11:30

Description: TxCAN and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board are excited to collaborate and bring you the latest updates on the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) and the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite. This virtual session is designed to provide crucial insights and guidance for students, families, and educators.

Registration Link

When: December 11 from 10:00-2:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

When January 15 from 12:00-4:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

When: February 13 from 10:00-11:00

Description: This participant-driven, peer-learning session is designed for practitioners who are supporting students with the FAFSA and are looking for a space to answer questions and work out tricky scenarios.

Registration Link

September 2024

August 2024

Staff Contacts (in no particular order)

• Zan Wilson zwilson@esc14.net
• Counselor Consortium, Assessment, 504, PFE
• Dina Riggins driggins@esc14.net
• New Counselor Academy, Mental Heatlh, Leader in Me, MHBH/Small Rural Schools Grant
• Jonathan Cogburn jcogburn@esc14.net
• Mental Health, Care Team, McKinney Vento, MHBH/Small Rural Schools Grant
• Rhonda Cox rcox@esc14.net
• Mental Health, Care Team (October Lead), McKinney Vento
• Jessica Siegfried jsiegfried@esc14.net
• HB 19 Mental Health
• Tina Haywood thaywood@esc14.net
• McKinney Vento
  
• Jennifer Andress jandress@esc14.net
• McKinney Vento
• Daniel Kotara dkotara@esc14.net
• School Safety, Title IV
• Jennifer Seekins jseekins@esc14.net
• CTE
• Vicki Hayhurst vhayhurst@esc14.net
• CTE
• Laura Sandoval lsandoval@esc14.net
• Title III
• Kelli Allen kallen@esc14.net
• Title III
• Amanda Carpenter acarpenter@esc14.net
• GT