It is hard to believe that we are almost to October.

I know that your time is limited but I wanted to really encourage you to make your voice heard this year in the upcoming TEKS Revision process. TEA just recently announced that applications for the TEKS Revision Work Groups have been opened. I encourage you to apply and share your expertise. In addition, I encourage you to join this year's TXCSS Social Studies conference in November. Registration is open! This is a wonderful opportunity to grow your own learning and practice as well as a great networking chance.

Here are just a few items to bring to your attention in this issue:

• TEKS Revision Work Group Information and Application
• Check out the Region 10 Social Studies offerings coming this Fall. Registration will be open soon.
• Registration for Mock Trial teams is open (see below).
• Registration is open for the TCSS Conference in Round Rock at the new Kalahari Resort
  
• Update: NCSS will be going virtual again this year. New registration information coming soon.

The SBOE is now accepting applications to serve on social studies TEKS review work groups. The SBOE's TEKS review and revision process calls for multiple, separate work groups. Applicants do not need to be educators to apply. Please enter information in the application that best reflects your experience. A link is provided below to the application.

https://tea.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_39LY0ZqSaPRQO6a

Work Groups

Throughout the revision process, applications are submitted to SBOE members for their review and approval. TEA then builds work groups from the pool of approved applicants and notifies selected applicants of their invitation to serve on a work group.

• Work group members will be expected to complete an online orientation session prior to their work group meeting.
• Work group members may be asked to complete pre-work exercises prior to their meeting.
• Work group members may be asked to provide invited testimony at SBOE meetings.

Questions related to the application for the social studies TEKS review and revision process can be directed to teks@tea.texas.gov.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) today announced updates to the TEKS review and revision schedule. Approved at the Board’s April meeting, the updated schedule moves up the review and revision of the social studies TEKS to the 2021-22 school year and pushes back the review and revision of the mathematics TEKS to the 2022-23 school year.

The instructional materials adoption cycle was also revised in response to the changes.

HB 3979 -

While HB 3979 went into effect September 1st, the SBOE is required to revise the TEKS, as needed, by December 31, 2022. Since teachers must teach the current TEKS, they should continue teaching the current TEKS until the revision of the TEKS and the implementation of those revised TEKS have occurred. During the second special session of the Legislature, SB 3 was drafted, signed and sent to the Governor's desk to be signed. Once it is signed (or after 30 days becomes law), it will supercede HB 3979. For more information and clarification, the Texas Council for the Social Studies has created some "guidelines" to assist with the interpretation of both - you can access those guidelines HERE on the TXCSS website under the Advocacy tab.

SB 1063 -

SB 1063 provides for a new course combining personal financial literacy and economics, This course, once it is developed and has approved TEKS, can be used to satisfy a social studies graduation requirement. The bill did not add the course to the required curriculum. However, the State Board of Education (SBOE) has the authority to decide if the course should be part of the required curriculum and could make it so at some future date. If the SBOE does not take action, local districts will have the option to offer the course or to not offer the course.

Join us for a series of monthly cohort meetings this Fall to explore the process of implementing Ethnic Studies courses (specifically the Mexican American and African American Studies courses) in your district. If you have already implemented these courses but would like to join to share your experiences and learn new ideas to implement next year, we encourage you to join in with us. We will discuss proposal ideas, planning the courses, instructional resources, and strategies for teaching with cultural sensitivity. Find support from educators in both Region 10 and Region 11 to create curriculum that will be ready to implement in the 2021-2022 school year.

These sessions are open to teachers, curriculum specialists, coordinators either currently teaching, implementing or planning either Ethnic Studies course or those that have plans to do so.

UPDATE:

OUR COHORT WILL CONTINUE THIS FALL WITH DATES ON SEPTEMBER 7, OCTOBER 5, NOVEMBER 9 & DECEMBER 7. REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW.

FREE HUMANITIES TEXAS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS (FALL 2021)

Beginning in September, Humanities Texas will hold FREE professional development webinar series for social studies and ELA teachers in Texas schools.

Teachers can apply to attend on the Humanities Texas website.

Teaching about American Indians in Texas

Mondays • September 13 through October 4, 2021 • 5:00–6:30 pm CT

This webinar series will offer teachers new windows into the history of American Indians in Texas and a collection of curriculum materials geared toward bringing innovative perspectives into the classroom. Team taught by a historian and two master teachers, the institute will focus on the long arc of American Indian presence in Texas from the pre-contact era through the “Indian Wars” of the 1870s.

Teaching America’s Founding Documents

Wednesdays • September 15–October 13, 2021 • 5:00–6:15 pm CT

Each weekly webinar will cover one of the America’s founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Washington’s Farewell Address. Each session will focus on both the context of the featured document (how it came to be and its impact/significance) and its actual contents (the most important things for teachers to know and share with their students).

*This is just the beginning of our fall programming. Stay tuned for more announcements on additional online opportunities for both social studies and ELA teachers.*

Participants will receive CPE credit and a wealth of curricular materials. CPE hours will be based on Zoom attendance and adjusted if a participant misses any portion of the program.

Teachers can apply to attend here:

http://www.humanitiestexas.org/education/teacher-institutes/application.

Teachers who apply will receive information about and access to each weekly session in the series.

Please contact us with any questions: institutes@humanitiestexas.org

Come get to know the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in our first-ever K-5 educators’ professional development. Receive the tools, resources, and confidence you need to teach your students the importance of empathy, acceptance, and kindness through historical Upstanders. Participants will have the unique opportunity to hear from Brad Meltzer, author of the Ordinary People Change the World book series, and Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum PBS series, which helps kids build character, kindness, and compassion, one real historical hero at a time. Register here - https://dhhrm.formstack.com/forms/2021_espd

REGISTRATION:

• Online team registration is open now! The link to register is HERE.
• The registration fee is $175 per team. Checks and credit cards only. No purchase orders will be accepted.

REGION 10 DATES:

• Saturday, November 13, 2021 (8:00-1:00) - Mock Trial Clinic - George Allen Courthouse
• Saturday, January 29, 2022 - Region 10 Competition, George Allen Courthouse
• Saturday, February 5, 2022 - Dallas ISD/Region 10 Semi-Finals

• Thursday, March 3, 2022 3:00PM – 7:00PM State Competition Registration/Orientation – Belo Mansion
• Friday, March 4, 2022 7:00AM – 8:00PM State Competition – Rounds 1, 2, 3 – George Allen Courthouse
• Saturday, March 5, 2022 7:00AM – 8:00PM State Competition – Round 4 & Semi-Final and Final Rounds

COURTROOM ARTIST CONTEST:

• Reminder - Participation in the artist contest is not required and artists may compete without a mock trial team.
  

REGISTRATION DEADLINE -- JANUARY 15, 2022

More details will be coming soon regarding calendar dates.

For Additional Information Contact:

Melissa Garcia

Law-Related Education Coordinator

State Mock Trial Coordinator

Dallas Bar Association

214.220.7484

mgarcia@dallasbar.org

Kelly Bellar

Region 10 SS Consultant

972.348.1432

kelly.bellar@region10.org

2018-2019:

September 2018, November 2018, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019, May 2019, June 2019

2019-2020:

August 2019, September 2019, October 2019, November 2019, December 2019, January 2020, February 2020, March 2020, April 2020 (Part 1), April 2020 (Part II), May 2020 (Part I), May 2020 (Part II) June 2020, July 2020

2020-2021:

August 2020, September 2020, October 2020, October 2020 (Part II), November/December 2020, December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, March 2021 (Part I), March 2021 (Part II), April 2021 (Part I), April 2021 (Part II), May 2021 (Part I), May 2021 (Part II), July 2021, August 2021, September 2021

Email: kelly.bellar@region10.org
Website: https://www.region10.org/programs/social-studies/service-offerings/
Location: Richardson, TX, USA
Phone: 972-348-1432
Twitter: @Region10SS