Parents and Families Newsletter
Summer 2026
To see the results, you will need your child’s unique access code and their date of birth. You can usually find this code on a previous year’s report card or by asking your child’s school. Once you have logged in, you can see which questions your child answered correctly and find resources to help them improve in specific areas.
After you look at the scores, we encourage you to connect with your child’s teacher. You can ask them how these results will be used to help your child in the classroom next year. Building a strong partnership with teachers is one of the best ways to support your child’s academic success.
Parent Day Registration
Registration opens May 11
Cost: $50 per person
Childcare will not be provided
Families will have opportunities to learn, connect, and engage with educators and programs that support multilingual learners across Texas.
For more information and registration updates, visit: https://pfetexas.net/gcacon
Save the date so you do not miss this opportunity!
A Healthy Brain for Life
New research shows that speaking two languages does more than just help with school. It actually protects the brain as we get older. Recent studies from the Mayo Clinic have found that people who use two languages every day can delay the signs of memory diseases, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, by four to five years. This is because the constant management of two language systems strengthens executive functions in the brain. By supporting your child’s language skills now, you are giving them a gift that will help keep their brain healthy and strong for their entire life!
Staying Connected to Your Roots
Speaking more than one language helps your child stay connected to who they are. By speaking in the family’s home language, children can talk easily with grandparents, cousins, and other family members which helps keep family stories and traditions alive.
This connection builds a strong sense of belonging and pride in your family and gives your child a strong base and the confidence to share their voice with the world
Understanding the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)
The ELPS are the standards used in Texas schools to outline what emergent bilingual students should know and be able to do as they strengthen English. These standards focus on four main areas:
Listening,
Speaking,
Reading, and
Writing.
Teachers use the ELPS to make sure students are making progress in English while also learning their regular school subjects like math and science. Understanding these standards helps parents see the specific goals the school has set for their child's language growth.
At Home Activities
The “At Home Activities” section on the TXEL portal is a great place to find help for your student. Find a list of free websites and software that will help develop your child’s English reading and writing skills as well as spark an interest in other content areas such as math, science, and social studies.
Parent Training and Information (PTI) Projects
A PTI is a center funded by the U.S. Department of Education to help families of students with disabilities. In Texas, four PTI projects are operated by a non-profit called the Partners Resource Network. This network serves parents of children with disabilities from birth to age 26. These projects provide free services to help families:
Understand their child's disability and state and federal laws.
Find different program and service options.
Participate as team members during the creation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Communicate more effectively with school professionals and build advocacy skills.
Build a strong support network.
The goal of these projects is to empower parents and youth to be strong decision-makers for their future. To learn more about PTI Projects, visit https://prntexas.org today.
Checking In With Your Child: Their Digital World
In today's world, a big part of your child’s learning and social life happens online. From watching educational videos to playing games with friends, the "digital world" is where they spend a lot of their time. Instead of only checking to see if their online homework is finished, try checking in on their digital experiences. These conversations help you stay connected to what they are seeing and keep them safe while they explore.
Try asking these questions to learn more about your child's online life:
“What is the coolest thing you learned from a video or website this week?”
This turns screen time into a learning opportunity. It gives your child a chance to practice their language skills by explaining a new concept to you. Whether it is a science fact or a DIY craft, showing interest in what they discover builds their confidence.
To expand on these questions, try a “tech-free 10.” Set aside 10 minutes during dinner or before bed where everyone, including the adults, put their phones away. This shows your child that while the digital world is exciting, the real-world connection you have with them is the most important thing.
Alphabet Art
Draw Your Own Ending
Keep Up Skills During Summer
Summer is a wonderful time to relax, but it is also a great chance to practice language skills while having fun. You can help your child stay ready for school with simple daily activities that do not feel like extra work. These small steps help your child feel confident and prepared for the new school year.
Try reading together for at least 15 minutes each day. You can use books from the local library in English or your home language. Reading in any language helps build a strong brain. You can also encourage your child to write letters to family members or keep a summer journal about their adventures. Playing word games like "I Spy" or "Scrabble" is another fun way to practice new words together. When you make language part of your daily summer routine, you show your child that learning can happen anywhere at any time.
Exploring Interests with My Texas Future
Whether a student wants to go to college, attend a trade school, or start an apprenticeship, My Texas Future shows the steps to reach those goals. My Texas Future is an online tool that helps students learn about different careers and the education needed for each one. Families can use this resource to look at a student’s favorite subjects and hobbies to see how they connect to real jobs. When students see how their interests connect to school, they are often inspired to do well.
Financial Planning with Texas Reality Check
Once a student has an idea of a career, it is important to understand the life that job can support. Texas Reality Check is a website that helps families learn about the real cost of living. Students can choose the type of housing, transportation, and entertainment they want as adults. The tool then shows how much money they would need to earn to pay for those choices.
By comparing the expected salary of a career with the results from Texas Reality Check, families can see if a student’s career choice matches the life they want. This helps students understand the value of their education and how their hard work today can help them in the future.
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