Celebrate Texas Public Schools Week in March

As in years past, many Texas school districts will take time during the month of March to Celebrate Texas Public Schools.

As stated by the Texas School Public Relations Association, every moment of every day in Texas public schools, real life engagement and profound learning occurs. This is something that our students and teachers know well. They celebrate these big and little moments as they happen.

As a community, we too, should be celebrating these moments. The Celebrate Texas Public Schools campaign is the perfect opportunity to do just this and more.

The Celebrate Texas Public Schools concept is not a new one. Originally created in 1950 by the Masonic Lodges of Texas to recognize contributions made by the state’s free system of education, the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) takes it to new heights.  Read more history at the TSPRA website.

Texas schools provide a solid foundation with dedicated efforts by educators and support from parents and the community. We equip our students with the tools necessary to succeed.  NOW, more than ever, we need to make public statements about the great things happening in our Texas public schools.

Each student’s future success comes through a quality education today. By sharing the good news of Texas public education, we can ensure enhanced opportunities for future generations of Texans. After all, education is bigger here!

If your district is among those holding a Texas Public Schools Week or Month event, visit the TSPRA website to access resources, including a sample CTPS proclamation and the 2015 "It Matters" logo. http://www.celebratetps.org/

Graduation Good News - Rates Tick Upward, Target is still All Students

Texas High School Class of 2013's Graduation Rate Exceeded National Average

TASA Daily News
According to the latest figures released by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, TEA reports that the Texas Class of 2013 high school graduation rate was 88 percent, outpacing the national rate of 81 percent.

The Texas graduation rate hit 88 percent for the second consecutive year, tying Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota and Wisconsin for the nation's second highest. Only Iowa at 90 percent posted a higher graduation rate for the Class of 2013. See a state-by-state breakdown of graduation rates for the Class of 2013

Nation's high school graduation rate ticks up for second year in a row
The Washington Post
According to federal data released in early February, the U.S. high school graduation rate increased for a second consecutive year. The new data, highlighted in this Washington Post article, indicates that 81 percent of the class of 2013 graduated within four years, up two percentage points from 2011 figures. States began collecting data in a uniform way in 2010.

Improving High School Graduation Rates of Students With Disabilities 

SEDL Monthly News
Students with disabilities have lower graduation rates than students without disabilities, and many states are taking steps to address this gap. The Southeast Comprehensive Center recently completed two Information Requests on different states’ approaches to improving high school graduation rates of students with disabilities. One publication examines approaches in California, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. The other publication reviews strategies in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Tennessee.

Discover BrainPOP - Free Access Through May 31st

Region 7 Digital Learning Department is excited to announce that we are going to offer discounted access to BrainPOP as part of our Digital Learning eAgreement for the 2015-2016 school year! 

This is going to be based on a per-student price as opposed to the per-campus pricing that is currently offered directly through BrainPOP. Subscribers will have 24/7 access to the Combo subscription: BrainPOP, BrainPOP Jr, and BrainPOP Español for teachers, students and families. Districts will also have the option to add BrainPOP ESL for an additional reduced fee.

To help you discover BrainPOP, every district in Region 7 has been provided with complementary access through May 31st. 

 This includes BrainPOP, BrainPOP Jr, BrainPOP Español, and BrainPOP ESL! District personnel, students and their family members are invited to explore BrainPOP to see all of the great features that BrainPOP has to offer, including animated videos on TEKS related content for grades K-12, customized assessments, primary sources, mapping tools, educational games and more! 

If you have any questions please contact Elizabeth Walker at ewalker@esc7.net or 903.988.6924.

Please share this info -  provide everyone in your district with the following login credentials for BrainPOP:

brainpop.com

Username: esc7

Password: brainpop