2025 Behavior Post

Kindness is contagious, and it can help us all fight bullying in our schools and in our lives. Check out this article from Mobile Ed for some ideas. October is the opening month of the holiday season, and indeed, there are many reasons to celebrate and causes to promote: Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Book Month, and National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, alongside cultural events like Halloween and Indigenous Peoples' Day. The month also features specific daily and weekly events such as World Mental Health Day (October 10), National Taco Day (October 4), and World Smile Day (first Friday).

We are also three months into the school year, and we are still working on meeting new state legislative requirements. Here are the Updated SB 12 Guidance: Required Parental Rights Form and Right to Health-Related Services Information.

This Post is full of opportunities and information. October professional development sessions are abundant. If you want to learn about the Autism Circuit Academy coaching experience, attend the upcoming Behavior Specialists Network meeting on the 14th. If you want to learn MDR Best Practices, join us face-to-face or virtually on October 27. These are just two sessions to mention.

Furthermore, plan to attend the two-day ESC6 Behavior Conference: Pathways to Positive Outcomes on November 11 and 12. Day 1 opens with legislative updates from David Hodgins, and Day 2 closes with inspiration from DJ Batiste. We have sessions for administrators, teachers, counselors, school psychologists, coordinators, and behavior staff. If you need a discount to attend, please email us at fbezerra@esc6.net.

And to close us off for now, a bit of poetry to lighten your way:

• "October had tremendous possibility. The summer's oppressive heat was a distant memory, and the golden leaves promised a world full of beautiful adventures. They made me believe in miracles." —Sarah Guillory, Reclaimed

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

The Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative is proud to announce that registration is officially open for the 2025 Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium! This free, virtual 2-day event will take place on October 1–2, 2025, and will feature leading voices, timely topics, and collaborative strategies to strengthen suicide prevention across Texas.

Register for the Symposium here: 2025 Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium

CEUs Available – Register Today!

We are pleased to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs). To obtain CEUs, a nonrefundable, non-transferable administrative fee must be paid in advance.

Register for CEUs here: https://form.jotform.com/251347200605042

Please note: Registering for CEUs is a separate process from general event registration.

for your continued support

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and lead change in suicide prevention efforts across our state. If you have questions, please contact us at admin@texassuicideprevention.org. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to suicide prevention in Texas.

—

Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative

Securing the Future: What Behavioral Health Providers Need to Know About AI and Data Security
Oct. 7, 1-2 p.m. ET

Join CPI President Susan Driscoll and VP of Training Jeff Schill on October 8 for a session exploring how neuroscience-based strategies can shape relationships between teachers and students, transform classroom behavior, reduce stress, and boost academic achievement.

Unable to attend? Register to receive the full recording on demand after the event.

• Register Today with EdWeek

Hello Texas Partners,

We are pleased to offer a series of free, virtual Pyramid Model training events. The Pyramid Model is a framework of evidence-based practices designed to promote young children’s healthy social and emotional development. The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations will be facilitating these events.

All early childhood professionals are invited to participate. Participants can choose from 12 events taking place between September and December 2025, offered in English or Spanish, two different curricula, and both beginner and advanced options available.

Each event is limited to 80 participants and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Each participant must apply individually; group or duplicate registrations will not be accepted.

Important Notes:

1. If you are a direct service provider (i.e., Teacher, Administrator, Home Visitor, Early Interventionist) you are eligible to take the Foundational Training options only, outlined below or see attached flyer for Foundational Training. Please select one (1) training from all options listed.

2. If you are an advanced practitioner (i.e., Director, Coach, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, Trainer) you are eligible for the Advanced Training options only outlined below or see attached flyer for Advanced Training. Please select one (1) training from all options listed.

3. Registration will close either four days before each event or once capacity is reached—whichever comes first.

4. Mental health providers may be eligible for CEUs through the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Full attendance and completion of a brief evaluation are required to receive credit.

Foundational Pyramid Model Training Options

I. Infant and Toddler Curriculum – Ages 0-3

· September 15th & 18th, 9-4pm *SPANISH

· September 16th & 17th, 9-4pm

· October 8th, 9th & 10th, 9-1pm *over 3 days

· October 28th & 29th, 9-4pm

· November 13th & 20th, 9-4pm

II. Preschool (PreK) Curriculum – Ages 4-5

· September 9th & 17th, 9-4pm *SPANISH

· September 17th & 18th, 9-4pm

· October 15th, 16th & 17th, 9-1pm *over 3 days

· October 29th & 30th, 9-4pm

· November 7th & 14th, 9-4pm

Advanced Pyramid Model Training Options

I. Infant and Toddler Curriculum – Ages 0-3

· October 14th, 15th, & 16th, 9-4pm

II. Preschool (PreK) Curriculum – Ages 4-5

· November 17th, 18th, & 19th, 9-4pm

Please see flyers attached to support registration. All zoom links and materials will be sent to participants before their training events.

If you have questions or concerns please email holly.beseda@austin.utexas.edu or jenny.baldwin@austin.utexas.edu.

• 11/3 - Chapter 37 and MDRs
• 12/8 - Interventions Through the Tiers
• 1/12 - Coaching Behavior Management
• 2/90 - Restorative Training Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

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

Registration is Now Open: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Care Online Conference

You're invited to attend a free online conference on best practices for person-centered care around adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), traumatic stress, and trauma-informed care (TIC) interventions for adults and children with behavioral health conditions, with an emphasis on state hospitals and maternal and child health.

Presentations will include:

• From Trauma to Triumph: Community Actions that Make a Difference: Presented by Kynthia Brooks, Child Health Specialist, Family Health Strategy division, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• The Forgotten Fourth Trimester: Supporting Families with Trauma-Informed Care Approaches to Reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences: Presented by Lisa Ramirez, Director, Maternal Child Health Coordination, Family Health Strategy division, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• ACES and The State Hospital: Trauma, Impact, Resiliency and Recovery: Presented by Jillian Erdberg, PsyD, Director of Programs, State Hospitals, Health and Specialty Care System, Texas Health and Human Services Commission; Jeffery Matthews, MD, Chief Medical Officer, State Hospitals, Health and Specialty Care System, Texas Health and Human Services Commission; and Jennifer Miller, Program Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services (CAPS), Austin State Hospital, Health and Specialty Care System, Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

We are offering four hours of free continuing education units (CEUs) for this conference.

ASL and CART will be provided.

This conference is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of financial assistance award totaling $27.7 million with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

OCALICONLINE 2025 – Snapshot

Standards-based Individualized Education Program Process Training

Participants may take the updated Standards-Based Individualized Education Program (SB IEP) Process Training in person beginning in October 2025, by finding a trainer at their regional ESC.

The intent of this training is to provide participants with an understanding of the SB IEP process for gathering student data, including the full individual and initial evaluation (FIIE), developing the student’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statement, drafting measurable annual goals with short-term objectives/benchmarks, if appropriate, determining what specially designed instruction is needed, and creating a data collection system for monitoring progress on the annual goals.

This course is approved for 12 hours of continuing education credit by the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA). TSHA approval does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures. Instructions for claiming TSHA continuing education credit will be provided at the end of this course.

Curious About MTSS? Start Here!

If you're interested in learning more about Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), the MTSS Introduction Module is the perfect starting point. This module includes 6 foundational training pathways designed to support effective implementation of the MTSS framework.

There are two flexible ways to complete these courses:

• Join a Live Training: Connect with an MTSS specialist in your region to participate in a synchronous training session. You can find contact details by visiting View Trainers by Region.
• Learn at Your Own Pace: Prefer self-paced learning? Simply click View Course to enroll in the asynchronous version and complete the training on your own schedule.

Whether you're new to MTSS or looking to strengthen your understanding, this module offers a solid foundation to build on.

New Resource to Help Educators Create Accessible Content

Looking for resources to help educators make their digital materials accessible to all students? Discover nine essential skills for creating accessible instructional content that remove barriers for students with disabilities. These practical techniques from NCADEMI work across your favorite authoring tools from document editors to learning management systems and multimedia authoring platforms.

Implementation in Action!

New Video from Louisiana DeafBlind Project!

The Louisiana DeafBlind Project recently released a video explaining the important role that interveners have in the success of students who are deafblind. Learn more about the project here.

Get to Know Us Better!

Connect With the Office of Special Education Programs Online

OSEP implements the IDEA. For the past 50 years the IDEA is the law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services to eligible children. If you have questions or comments about the OSEP Update, send them to OSEPNewsletter@ed.gov.

We are excited to announce that the Empowering Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Educators to Improve Student Outcomes grant cycle 2 for school year 2025-2026 application will be open September 15, 2025 – October 31, 2025. This grant will enable Education Service Center (ESC) 10 to administer a program providing funding support for local educational agencies (LEAs) and ESCs seeking training and certification for ECSE professionals during the 2025-2026 school year. Applications for grant funds must fall into one of the following categories:

• Trainings should focus on behavior management and inclusive opportunities and increase ECSE educators' ability to improve student outcomes for children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5 and not in kindergarten.
• LEAs also can apply for funding through the program to support dual certification of teachers in special education and general education.

Please note: With the passage of House Bill 2 (HB2), educators pursuing certification in Special Education or Bilingual Education are eligible for financial support. Specifically, the certification exam fee for their first attempt on the associated content pedagogy exam will be waived, as well as the certification application fee. This means that when registering for the exam or submitting the certification application, the cost will be $0. Due to this change, the Empowering ECSE Educators to Improve Student Outcomes Grant – Cycle 2, reimbursement is available only for the Early Childhood: PK–3 (292) test.

For more information please visit the Empowering ECSE Educators to Improve Student Outcomes Grant Cycle 2 site on the Texas SPED Support website!

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.

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