Winter Newsletter
December 5th, 2024
- Provides anti-bullying tools for students, including how to report a bullying situation.
- Content aligns with Texas Model student comptetencies in IV.C.
- Available in K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and high school bundles
Click here for the resource
A New Resource Created for McKinney-Vento Students and available to everyone for FREE!
Our new app, called Big Country Navigator, is here to help students and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, food scarcity, or need for healthcare. This free, easy-to-use app connects you with desired community resources in the Big Country based on your geographic location.
We are still in the final stages of adding resource agencies and working out bugs, but we are happy to share that the app is available and ready to use as-is.
Features Include:
Shelter Listings
Food Pantries and Meal Services
Educational Support Programs
Counseling and Mental Health Resources
Transportation Assistance
And Much More!
How to Access:
Download Big Country Navigator today on the App Store or Google Play and get the support you need at your fingertips!
If you have any questions or feedback about the app, please share it with the Region 14 ESC McKinney-Vento Team either through the "Give Feedback" button in the App's options, or via email to:
Tina Haywood: thaywood@esc14.net. Jennifer Andress: jandress@esc14.net
Jonathan Cogburn: jcogburn@esc14.net Nancy Galle: ngalle@esc14.net
The Commissioner’s Rule for House Bill 3 (88R) Mental Health Training (TEC § 22.904) has been adopted as of December 2, 2024. This rule, identified as 19 TAC § 153.1015, mandates that school district employees who regularly interact with students complete an evidence-based mental health training program. Currently, the primary recognized training programs identified are Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA). However, local education agencies (LEAs) can offer a locally selected course if it meets the requirements of subsection (d)(3)(A)(J). This alternative course can be developed and provided by a partnering organization, such as a mental health agency.
For further questions, reach out to our mental health team
The TEHCY Discipline Toolkit provides a comprehensive overview of how to support and respond to students experiencing homelessness related to discipline. This includes a comprehensive approach to student behavior, including addressing the root-causes of behavior and providing appropriate interventions, supports, and key-actions for students when problematic behaviors occur. There are both federal and state law requirements that must be followed.
This toolkit presents clear and specific descriptions of the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act as they pertain to discipline, and includes practices, procedures, and tools that local education agencies (LEAs) will be able to use to strengthen services and supports to students experiencing homelessness, also known as McKinney-Vento eligible students. This toolkit serves as both an orientation manual and a ready reference resource for new and experienced LEA leaders.
It is paramount that students experiencing homelessness have equitable access to all available supports and resources to meet the same challenging state academic standards established for all students and all discipline related requirements are understood, implemented and followed.
TEHCY Discipline Toolkit Promotional Video
TEHCY Discipline Toolkit (2024)
TEHCY Discipline Toolkit: Exclusionary Rubric and Worksheets (Standalone)
Safety Planning Intervention (SPI): is an evidence-based intervention training. This training teaches participants how to conduct safety planning with an individual who may be at risk for suicide. Safety planning is a written, prioritized list of coping strategies and resources for reducing suicide risk that is completed in a collaborative manner between the individual at risk and the mental health professional (e.g. school counselor, nurses, social workers, licensed professional counselors, etc.) working with them. Participants will learn how to:
- Discuss the evidence behind and rationale for Safety Planning Intervention and
- Describe and discuss each of the steps in the intervention
Safety Planning Intervention Training for Trainers (SPI T4T) is a one-day, virtual training that prepares participants to teach a Safety Planning Intervention course.
Trainings are hosted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and are intended for a wide range of mental health professionals. Training dates are listed below:
12/16/24 (SPI T4T) 8:30am-4:00pm
1/30/25 8:30am-12:30pm
2/20/25 (SPI T4T) 8:30am-4:00pm
5/8/25 8:30am-12:30pm
8/7/25 8:30am-12:30pm
To register for a free training or learn more email suicide.prevention@hhs.texas.gov.
The purpose of this communication is to inform school systems that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has successfully reached an agreement with the Department of Defense (DOD), and the DOD data will be the source of military enlistment beginning with 2026 accountability.
Background
To support TEA’s mission, the Texas Governor’s office directed the establishment of the Governor’s Committee to Support the Military (GCSM). The GCSM encouraged data sharing between the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and TEA, with the intention to establish a reporting process that allows TEA to measure the College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) component of recent Texas high school graduates.
Use of Military Enlistment data collected from the DMDC: 2026 Accountability (2025 graduates and non-graduating 12th graders)
TEA will use the new military enlistment data from the DMDC to support accurate and consistent reporting of military enlistment as part of the CCMR accountability measures beginning with 2026 accountability for 2025 graduates and non-graduating 12th-graders.
Districts will have an opportunity to verify their local records against the DOD’s DMDC enlistment data using the CCMR Verifier and provide a DD Form 4 “Enlistment/Reenlistment Document-Armed Forces of the United States,” if necessary.
TEA will also use the data to determine entitlements for CCMR Outcome Bonuses. Additionally, the data will be used to evaluate programmatic offerings that support student readiness, including career and technical education programs.
2025 Accountability (2024 graduates and non-graduating 12th graders)
For 2025 Accountability, the process of submitting the DD Form 4 documentation will continue for 2024 annual graduates and non-graduating 12th graders. Districts will submit the completed DD Form 4 via a secure upload process, as was done in 2024 accountability for 2023 graduates and non-graduating 12th graders.
For Further Information
If you have questions about CCMR accountability requirements, please contact the Performance Reporting Division at (512) 463-9704 or performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov.
It was previously announced that to ensure a consistent standard of course quality, TEA will begin a process to review and approve College Preparatory courses for the purpose of demonstrating college readiness in the public school accountability system. College, career and military readiness (CCMR) credit will be awarded for approved College Preparatory courses only starting with 2026 graduates and 12th graders in 2027 Accountability. This week, the Division of College, Career, and Military Preparation released a guide to this process, College Preparatory Courses for Accountability Application for Service Providers. This document includes the faculty review criteria and application scoring procedures. The application is now open, and will close on January 31, 2025.
For further information visit https://tea.texas.gov/academics/college-career-and-military-prep/college-preparatory-courses-for-accountability or contact advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov