2025 Behavior Post

August is a month of new beginnings for educators, students, and parents alike. New schedules, new grade-level content, perhaps a different school, supplies, and so on. Bus drivers practice their routes, teachers attend professional development, administrators review expectations, and lead the community they serve. August also has many celebrations, including the National Happiness Happens Day on August 8. Happiness is contagious!

The ESC6 Special Education Department also has news to share. Amber Naylor will be our Autism Specialist, while Fabiana Bezerra (myself) will focus on Behavior. Molly Cole is our new Low Incidence Specialist, and Laura Brinkley is our Integrated Classroom Support Specialist. We congratulate Diane Roberson and Mydah Stoever on their new endeavors. Tracy Johnston joined Sam Weesner as our Statewide Liasons, while Julie Griffit joined Lauren Hodge as our MTSS Strategic Liasons. Dr. Munro, Ana Deter, Dr. Jones, Pam Bumpass, and Angela Cameron remain in their current roles. Marivel Lara and Kristi Beard are our wonderful secretary and assistant for the department. Jan Oatess is our generous Component Director who inspires and guides us all. Please know that whether we are in a new or ongoing position, we are committed to supporting you, your students, and your team.

This Post is full of learning opportunities, legal updates, and strategies. If you are unfamiliar with this monthly publication, we begin with upcoming events at the ESC6, additional training elsewhere, inspiration, a parent corner, and conclude with music for your pleasure. Questions, suggestions, and/or comments are always welcome. We strive to serve you.

May 2025-26 be a safe, productive, and joyful school year!

All Texas educators may access these courses for free on the TEALearn website and earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours.

Heart Galleries of Texas

• For Caregivers: Adoption: What to Expect — Multiple dates
• For Professionals: Championing Kinship Family Bond — August 12
• For Professionals: Vicarious Trauma: Awareness, Impact, and Treatment Strategies — September 9

Collaboration, Action, and Accountability

Tuesday, Aug. 5 @ 1 pm ET

REGISTER HERE

Presented by Makiri Pugh, Managing Director of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools (DC); Mandy Couturier, Director of MTSS, Harwood Unified Union School District (VT); and Susan Long, Education Consultant, Branching Minds

Do your MTSS teams spend more time talking about problems than solving them? Are the right people even at the table? This edLeader Panel will help you structure your MTSS teams, clarify roles and responsibilities, and run focused meetings that lead to real outcomes.

We’ll walk through how to organize your team’s work for impact, including:

• How to build MTSS teams at the district, campus, grade level/department, and student level
• Team roles and responsibilities
• MTSS meeting agenda templates for each type of meeting
• Tips and resources to streamline collaboration and accountability

Make 2025–2026 the year your MTSS teams get things done. Bring your team—we’ll bring the resources! This edLeader Panel will be of interest to K-12 school and district leaders. Learn more.

Best Jobs for ADHD Brains: How to Pinpoint Your Ideal Work Environment
with Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., and Bruce Hughes, M.A.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 @ 1pm EDT (find it in your time zone »)

This webinar will be recorded. Register now for access to the live webinar PLUS we'll also email you the webinar replay link.

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Career misalignment happens when your job doesn’t match your interests and skills. It’s easy to spot but seldom simple to remedy. But what if you could find an environment that actually nurtures your ADHD brain? When you understand your natural strengths, personality, and interests, this can lead to and shape a career that feels deeply satisfying.

In this webinar, ADHD expert Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., and ADHD career coach Bruce Hughes will guide you through a proven process for discovering your ideal work environment.

Register Now to Reserve Your Spot & Get Replay Access »

Third Quest Summer Training

Reserve a spot now.

Reading Intervention for Adolescents

> Request a free program overview and consultation at TheThirdQuest.com

AUGUST 2025 • VIRTUAL TRAINING
Presented by Marilyn Sprick and Colleagues

The Third Quest (TTQ): Learn to teach this comprehensive reading intervention for grades 5–12. TTQ provides instruction in vocabulary, word study, fluency, content knowledge, comprehension, and study skills. TTQ is field tested and proven to work at Tiers 2 and 3.

Two session days per training:

• August 12 and 13 (Tuesday and Wednesday)

Sessions meet from 8 am–1 pm PT each day.
The Parallel Universe: Learn to teach this short 41-lesson reading intervention (grades 5 to 12). Streaming video instruction is embedded with teacher-directed lessons. The Parallel Universe provides scientifically based reading instruction in a motivating context.

Training dates available:

• August 14 (Thursday)

Sessions meet from 8 am–11:15 am PT.

> Learn More or Register at TheThirdQuest.com/Training

Grant Opportunity: If you have 2 or more schools serving grades 6 and 7, your district may be eligible to participate in a national study of The Third Quest. Virtual training, teacher materials, and student materials are provided by the grant.
> Learn More at ReadAndAchieve.org

Safty-Care Initial Trainer Training- provides attendees with the skills and competencies necessary to effectively train the Safety-Care Core Curriculum to those in their organization, including Incident Prevention, Incident Minimization, and Incident Management.

• August 20 - August 22 Safety-Care Initial Huntsville, Texas
• August 26 - August 28 Safety-Care Initial Hurst, Texas

My name is Jeffrey Greenberg, PhD, and I am the director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Eating Disorder Center of Excellence (ED-CoE). The purpose of the ED-CoE is to develop and disseminate training and technical assistance (TTA) for healthcare professionals and greater eating disorder communities on prevention, treatment, and awareness. We are excited to be hosting a webinar tailored specifically for suicide prevention specialists, behavioral health providers, addiction medicine specialists, and more. The information about this webinar is below:

Title: Eating Disorders and Suicide

Description: This webinar aims to enhance understanding of the relationship between eating disorders and suicide. It will highlight the high mortality rate associated with eating disorders and the importance in managing risk and reducing mortality.

Date: Thursday, August 28th, 2025 | 1-2 PM ET

Platform: Zoom

To register for the webinar, please click here

Save the date! Our virtual, free 2025 Children’s Mental Health Advocacy Conference is on October 21st! For more information, please visit the Lives in the Balance website.

In the meantime, our 2024 Conference featured dozens of state and federal lawmakers, advocates, those with lived experiences with punitive, exclusionary discipline, and experts on alternatives. It was an amazing day. If you missed it, here are the recordings for the three sections of the day:

Corporal Punishment Section

Restraint and Seclusion Section

Punitive, Exclusionary Discipline Section

Dear friends,

Happy summer! For many of us, summertime is a chance to slow down and get some much-needed rest. But for some infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities services occur throughout the year. The IDEA regulations define extended school year services (ESY), and IDEA expects that all local educational agencies (LEAs) provide ESY services if an IEP Team determines ESY services are necessary to provide a free appropriate public education. There are different criteria for determining eligibility for ESY services, so it is best to check with your State educational agency or the OSEP funded parent center for your State on the ESY criteria that apply.

While it may seem too soon, some school districts start their school year at the end of July and beginning of August. Right now, I imagine that those early starters are working on implementing the IDEA requirement that an IEP is in effect for every child with a disability at the beginning of the school year. This can be challenging at times, especially for schools that have a large number of highly mobile children, like school districts near military facilities. Last year OSEP created a self-assessment to assist States in ensuring that services are provided in a timely manner. Please take a moment to review the self-assessment and please let us know if you find it useful.

TEA Revises RDA Special Education Discipline Indicators Following House Bill (HB) 6

On July 17, 2025, TEA released a To the Administrator Addressed (TAA) letter announcing updates to the 2025 and 2026 Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Special Education determination calculations. In accordance with HB 6 from Texas’ 89th Legislature (2025-2026), TEA will no longer include the following discipline-related indicators in Performance Level (PL) Mean or Determination Level calculations:

• SPED OSS and Expulsion >10 Days Rate (Ages 3–21)
• SPED ISS >10 Days Rate (Ages 3–21)
• SPED Total Disciplinary Removals Rate (Ages 3–21)

These indicators will still have PLs calculated and reported for informational purposes only, ensuring transparency while complying with the new legal requirements.

New TEA Webpage: 89th Legislature Updates

This page provides information on legislation passed during the 89th regular legislative session, including changes to the Texas Education Code and other Texas statutes. Implementation resources will also be shared here to support school leaders. As additional information becomes available, it will be communicated to school systems and posted on this page.

Download the resources here and contact us to help spread the message and keep fellow Texans safe. If you have any questions, please contact info@safegunstoragetexas.com

The CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) offers a guide for schools called “Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools: An Action Guide for School and District Leaders". This guide helps support students' feelings and mental health. It includes ways to help students understand mental health, engage in activities that promote relaxation and calmness, build connections between students, families, and school staff, and ensure that staff also take care of their well-being.

If you are seeking information on MTSS/TIER and/or on how to implement it, we have a survey for you!

By completing this questionnaire, we can tailor the courses we offer and better understand your coaching needs. Please take this 5-10 minute survey. We truly appreciate it!

ESC6 TIERmates

Tiered Interventions Using Evidence-Based Research (TIER), funded by the Texas Education

Agency, develops and disseminates information about best practices for the multi-tiered

system of supports (MTSS) framework. The project goal is to improve the quality of

interventions provided to students by increasing local education agency capacity for

implementing an effective, integrated, comprehensive framework for intervention that both is

grounded in differentiated instruction and aligned to the systems that are fundamental for all

students’ academic, behavioral, and mental health achievement.

TIER has developed a series of 11 modules, or broad topic areas, focused on a particular aspect

of MTSS. Each module contains a set of learning pathways, or individual presentations, that

support the implementation of an MTSS framework. A brief description of each module is

outlined below.

▪ Introduction – Learn about the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework and

how it can be used to meet the academic, behavior, and mental health needs of all

students.

▪ Leadership – Review essential structures and practices necessary for schoolwide

implementation of MTSS.

▪ Communities – Be informed about working with caregivers and important outside-of-

school stakeholders.

▪ Behavior – See how to incorporate Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

(PBIS) within an MTSS framework.

▪ Mental Health – Explore how to integrate mental health supports such as trauma-

informed care and restorative practices within MTSS.

▪ Screening – See why screening is an essential practice in MTSS. Learn about common

screening measures in academics and behavior.

▪ Progress Monitoring – Explore progress-monitoring measures as well as how to analyze

progress monitoring data and make data-based decisions.

▪ Decision Making – Learn how to use a data platform. Review decision rules for

determining student progress.

▪ Academics – Dive into evidence-based practices that should be included within

universal, targeted, and intensive support.

▪ Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Practices (CLRP) – Focus on culturally and

linguistically responsive practices within academic and behavior interventions.

▪ Data-based Individualization (DBI) – Learn about DBI and how it can be used to

improve student outcomes in reading, writing, behavior, and mathematics.

TIER Certification Overview

Purpose of Certification - A primary goal of the TIER project is to develop and disseminate information about best practices for an MTSS framework. One way this is accomplished is through a training of trainers (TOT) model which aims to increase the number of certified TIER trainers across the state. Once a participant becomes a TIER certified trainer, they can deliver training within their region or district in their area(s) of certification. Please note that at least one member from each education service center (ESC) should be certified to provide, at a minimum, Introduction, Leadership, and CLRP content, otherwise referred to as TIER Essentials+ Certification.

Source: © 2022 The University of Texas System/Texas Education Agency. Licensed under CC-BY-ND-NC 4.0 International.

Conscious Discipline has shared these free videos. Feel free to share with your staff and with parents.

Level Up Your Leadership - 3-Part Series addressing common Administrator Challenges

• Working with Parents - https://vimeo.com/1039776606/2692cc9476

• Supporting Teachers - https://vimeo.com/1039778339/b74872329c

• Helping Children - https://vimeo.com/1039777535/15f302b5e6

Since July 17, 988 is no longer offering its dedicated LGBTQ+ Youth and Young Adult subnetwork, also known as the “Press 3 option.” We remain deeply disappointed by this decision.

To our country’s LGBTQ+ youth: we see you, we support you, and we don’t want you to hesitate to reach out for help.

Although the LGBTQ+ service option is no longer available, 988 continues to operate as a resource for everyone, and NAMI encourages anyone in crisis to reach out to 988 for help.

If you are seeking LGBTQ+-focused support:
- The Trevor Project offers support 24/7hotline, available at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at https://lnkd.in/eXjfQduT, or by texting START to 678678.
- Trans Lifeline, a trans peer support lifeline, is available for trans people in crisis: translifeline.org/hotline/.

Please remember: you are not alone.

Mark your calendar!

All are virtual meetings and Meeting times vary.

Parent Support Group - Second Tuesday of the month

addaoffice@pdq.net

Northwest Arkansas - Third Monday of the Month

julie@moveforwardwithadhd.com

Adult Support Group - Third Thursday of the month

addaoffice@pdq.net

Fort Bend Support Group - Last Tuesday of the month

ftbendaddasr@gmail.com

In Person Meeting

MESQUITE – Every other month,

2nd Tuesdays, 7-8 pm, Sept., Nov., Feb., April.

Professional Development Center,

3819 Towne Crossing Blvd, Mesquite, 75150

Kellie Smith, 972 882-7519, kesmith@mesquiteisd.org

The newly revised page for military families from the Center for Parent Information and Resources contains valuable resources to support military families through changes in duty stations and other challenges.

It can be tough for parents to talk to their teens about things like sex or drugs or know how to comfort them when they seem sad but refuse to talk about it. But teens who want reliable information about uncomfortable or upsetting things can also be unsure about how to get it, short of randomly scrolling the internet.

That’s why we created You Are Okay, a new resource hub for teens and young adults. Because having clear information about whatever they’re going through makes it a little easier to talk about it. This especially applies to mental health challenges, so we’re offering tips from both youareokay.org and childmind.org about teen mental health.

Anxiety and depression look different as kids get older, and certain disorders, like bipolar or schizophrenia, tend to appear in the teen years. It’s good to know how to recognize early signs of them, to avert a crisis that could be dangerous. While family support is crucial, it’s just as important that young people have resources to understand their mental health on their own terms, so they can speak up for what they need. And based on questions we’ve received from teens in the past, we also have articles about how to best support a friend or a sibling who is struggling.

— Molly Hagan, Staff Writer

Fabiana Bezerra, LSSP, NCSP

ESC 6 Behavior & Autism Specialist for Special Education

Email: fbezerra@esc6.net
Website: https://www.esc6.net/
Location: Education Service Center Region 6, Montgomery Road, Huntsville, TX, USA
Phone: 936-435-8252
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ESC6SPED/
Twitter: @escregion6