1. Excellent Educators for All Initiative

2. Federal Requirement - State
For State:
Sec. 1111(g)(1)(B) – as it relates to what must be included in the state’s Title I application:
“how low-income and minority children enrolled in schools assisted under this part are not served at disproportionate rates by ineffective, out-of-field, or inexperienced teachers, and the measures the State educational agency will use to evaluate and publicly report the progress of the State educational agency with respect to such description…”

3. Federal Requirement - District
For Districts:
Sec. 1112(b)(2) – as it relates to what must be included in the district’s Title I application:
“how the local educational agency will identify and address, as required under State plans as described in section 1111(g)(1)(B), any disparities that result in low-income students and minority students being taught at higher rates than other students by ineffective, inexperienced, or out-of-field teachers;”

4. Anxiety One more thing We’re not hiding magical strategies
Are we moving teachers?
Aren’t resources an issue?
Are we being asked to solve the nations equity issues?
Chart this at the front of the room.

5. Messaging - Outcome Hopes
Equity planning emanates from district improvement planning processes
Approach is about continuous improvement, not a need to find the magic solution to ending inequity
Opportunity to align work between districts, ESCs, and TEA
Sheds coordinated light on where additional support is needed – focuses the conversation moving forward

6. Anxiety
One more thing – Nope, it’s a part of what we already do for district continuous improvement planning
We’re not hiding magical strategies – continuous improvement of what we do
Are we moving teachers – no, we’re continuing to grow and develop across the board
Aren’t resources an issue – yep, and this process could unify evidence to suggest how much of an issue resources are
Are we being asked to solve the nations equity issues – no, just keep moving forward in providing effective teaching and leadership for all students
Chart this at the front of the room.

7. State Equity Plan Texas’s plan process (2015): Charge to all states:
Specific steps that the state education agency will take to ensure that students from low-income families and students of color are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified effective, or out-of-field teachers, and the measures that the agency will use to evaluate and publicly report the progress.
Texas’s plan process (2015):
Analyze data on experience and qualifications
Examined gaps between high and low-quartile poverty and minority

8. 2015 State Plan Contents
Analysis of state data identifying equity gaps
Stakeholder engagement information
Identification contributing factors of equity gaps
Theory of action for each contributing factor
Strategies to address each contributing factor
Ongoing monitoring and public reporting on progress
Timeline outlining the implementation of the strategies

9. Percentage of Teachers With Less Than One Year Experience, 2014
All Schools
Lowest Minority Quartile Schools (LMQ)
Second Lowest Minority Quartile Schools
Second Highest Minority Quartile Schools
Highest Minority Quartile Schools (HMQ)
Lowest Poverty Quartile Schools (LPQ)
Second Lowest Poverty Quartile Schools
Second Highest Poverty Quartile Schools
Highest Poverty Quartile Schools (HPQ)
ORIENT THEM TO THE GRAPHIC
DATA SOURCES:  Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) for the state
The TAPR Reports present a wide range of information on the performance of students in each school and district in Texas every year. The reports also provide extensive information on school and district staff, programs, and student demographics. The data we’re presenting come from the campus-level TAPR data for the entire state.
Highly Qualified (HQ) Report for the state
NCLB requires states to annually report the percentage of teachers who are not highly qualified to the U.S. Department of Education. Districts submit to TEA campus-level information concerning the number and percent of teachers and number and percent of classes taught by highly qualified teachers. This is collected annually through the Highly Qualified Compliance Report in the eGrants system. The data reported must reflect the “highly qualified” status of teachers at each campus in the district.
Percentages double going from lowest to highest quartile

10. Probationary Certificates
*Based on ECOS and PEIMS data

11. State Equity Gaps and Areas of Focus
Equitable Access Gap Focus:
Students from low-income or minority backgrounds are taught by novice or inexperienced teachers at higher rates than other students
High-Priority Areas of Focus:
Improve training and support for teachers
Continue to improve campus leadership
Revised Additional Area of Focus:
Work with districts to strengthen systems for recruiting, developing, and retaining excellent teachers and principals
These two root causes were selected as the most significant factors by stakeholders.

12. Equity Plan Toolkit Project
Intended to support Title I districts in creating their equity plans
Designed to guide districts through five steps:
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
Data Review and Analysis
Contributing Factors Analysis (name change coming)
Selecting Strategies
Planning for Implementation
Will be available in March
ESCs will be trained in the toolkit in order to provide assistance to districts (district not mandated to receive assistance)
Print AIR’s overview piece for the toolkit.

13. Messaging - Our Vision for District Plans
Texas’s District Equity Plan Vision:
Really just folds into districts’ own continuous improvement efforts
Prioritize and sequence
Leverage not layer
Highlight what’s working
There is no “equity” jail – the process is simply about identifying ways within the district that you can continue to improve instruction and leadership.
District strategies will inform how the state uses federal funds (Title II, Part A) to support district plans.

14. Plan Specifics
First plans would be due in fall of 2017 (end of October)
Ultimately, could be a five year “living” plan with annual updates
Equity Plan Toolkit to help navigate the process (March 2017)
ESC support to work through the process
Plan reporting template

15. Texas Education Agency
Contact
Tim Regal
Texas Education Agency