Leaders' Lowdown

Region 14 is excited to bring in the nationally renowned "Get Your Teach On Leadership Summit". The day will focus on leadership skills to improve Tier 1 instruction. Click the image below to register. BELA participants will receive a separate registration link from Amy McIntire.

Session Topics: LASO 5, T-TESS 2.0, Planning for Academies, EMAT Changes, and PASS.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is preparing to roll out T-TESS 2, an updated teacher appraisal system, beginning in the 2027–2028 school year. This transition includes changes to appraiser training and certification, along with the phase-out of AEL training. Region 14 strongly encourages districts to transition together in 2027–2028 to promote districtwide alignment, consistent evaluation practices, and shared expectations across all campus and district leaders. Begin planning now to ensure a smooth, coordinated transition for your district. For questions, please contact Candilyn Smith at csmith@esc14.net.

TEA has released the HB8-approved alternative BOY and MOY Assessments. Approved assessments may remain on the list for up to 2 school years, contingent on the vendors maintaining compliance with statutory and TEA requirements.

The Lowman Road Show is coming to Abilene on November 18th! Please help spread the word and encourage your teachers across all content areas to attend. This will be a great opportunity for teachers to explore resources and strategies to get the most out of Lowman!

Here is the registration link!

LASO 5 contains several opportunities that are available to all districts.

1. ELIT - This is a grant that will provide licenses for early literacy intervention for K-3. TEA plans to award 500 districts. The grant provides the licenses, training, and onboarding support. The list of available products will be released in February. For additional information, contact Kelli Allen (kallen@esc14.net).
2. PREP allotments - These allotments are provided to any LEA that applies and meets the eligibility criteria. They are designed to help with the teacher recruitment efforts. Grant Opportunities include Grow Your Own, PREP Mentorship, PREP Residencies, and PREP Alt. For additional information, contact Stephanie Scott (sscott@esc14.net).
3. ADSY - Additional Days School Year - This grant provides formula funding for school systems that add up to 30 instructional days (beyond the 175-day minimum). ADSY PEP is a grant that supports school systems in designing high-quality ADSY programs. Schools can either restructure the traditional academic calendar with ADSY Full Year or develop an enriching summer program through ADSY Summer Learning.

The Department of Justice published a final rule requiring state and local governments, including public school districts, to ensure their web content and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities. The rule mandates compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards by specific dates as follows. The official version was published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2024. Full document text for the final rule is document number 2024-07758 on the Federal Register website.
Extension deadline information from the Federal Register.

DISCLAIMER: This information is provided as a courtesy from Region 14 ESC. We highly recommend you check with your district legal department for complete and final details.

Contact Ashley Parker | 325-675-7045
esc14.net/digital-accessibility

Click the image below for more information, including the agenda for the upcoming GCA CON November 10-12, 2026.

Please see the information below for the most recent TIA related updates. If you have any questions, please reach out to Stephanie Hammer at shammer@esc14.net.

Please register to attend this event by Monday, November 16th.

LASO 5 has a grant opportunity for districts interested in participating in Enhanced TIA. See the PDF below for more information.

The Grace Museum's Spark Science Center is offering free educational field trip admission for all 5th-grade students enrolled in Region 14 public school districts during the 2026-2027 school year, saving participating districts the cost of admission and classes. Find more information in the attached announcement below. For questions, contact Shana Hrbacek at shrbacek@esc14.net.

TEA has started a new program to provide $400 to parents of students who scored Did Not Meet Grade Level on the 3rd grade ELAR STAAR assessment. Parents must create an account on the PASS website.

Eligible tutors include TIA designated teachers, Texas Certified Reading Specialist (EC-12), Licensed Dyslexia Therapists, CALT, and CALPs. These staff members must complete the PASS application process.

See the attachment below for a full catalog of the services we offer through CCAL and the contact person for help and support.

Texas Mathematics Academies

Kelli Grigsby (Elementary Math)

Secondary Math

Shana Hrbacek (Science)

Kelli Allen (Librarian Smore)

Kelli Allen (K-2 Smore)

Madison Galle (Social Studies)

Amanda Carpenter (GT)

Amanda Carpenter (STEM)