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El Paso Teachers Association |
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School Board Candidate Pics & Bios
EPTA wants to update you and dispel any rumors in regards to TELPAS testing, dates, procedures during this time of a pandemic. There are a few items that you need to be aware of. A meeting was held with Steve Clay to discuss questions/concerns about TELPAS and the implications of testing during this time of F2F and virtual learning. The information that we have is rather lengthy, too much to put in one email, so we will share some important timelines/timeframes that you need to be aware of and then about 3-4 questions that were posed to Mr. Clay with his responses. In order to get through all the questions, please be on the lookout for about 2-3 more emails that will focus strictly on TELPAS.
There has been a lot of different information about when are writing samples due, when is scoring supposed to begin and what is the deadline date among other important questions. Answers to questions given by Steve Clay will be in italics and in blue.
Question #1 - What is the timeline/timeframe to collect and score writing samples?
Timeline/timeframe for TELPAS writing and collecting, timeline/timeframe for scoring samples
TEA set the dates and the Assessment Office has provided the information to CTCs. i. February 8, 2021: Samples can begin to be collected.
ii. Recommendation from Assessment Office is to frontload collection in the first 4 weeks of the window, as this population of students is mobile, but the window remains open to gather and rate collections through April 2, 2021.
iii. February 22, 2021: Samples may begin to be rated.
iv. Data entry of ratings must be completed by April 2, 2021 – local deadline March 31, 2021.
So what this means is this - if your principal or campus testing coordinator is telling you that collection of writing samples must be completed by a certain date - THEY ARE WRONG. If you are being told that the scoring of samples is a certain date sooner than March 31, 2021 (local deadline) with the TEA deadline of April 2, 2021 - they are wrong.
Question #2 - What instructions have been given to students who are virtual who need to turn in writing samples?
a. Writing sample prompts are determined by the teacher that meet one of the six categories. It is a classroom assignment. Students must submit 5 samples. Students may submit through Schoology as all other class assignments are submitted.
b. Teachers are guided by the requirements for writing samples provided in the 2020-2021 TELPAS Rater Manual (pages 23-28).
Students who are virtual are to basically follow the same rules in providing the writing samples and what they are supposed to write; they will need to provide the 5 writing samples and teachers are to use the prompts as given in the TELPAS Rater Manual.
Question #3 - What processes have been put in place to ensure that writing samples are the work of the student only?
a. As per TEA, teachers and verifiers must review the samples using the Writing Collection Verification Checklist and initial off on criteria for the writing collection.
b. If teachers feel a sample does not meet the criteria, it should not be included in the collection. Ask student to resubmit.
c. Teachers should remind students that writing should be their own work with no assistance, should not be copied from textbooks or reference material, and with no assistance from parents, peers, or teachers and ask students to submit a new sample.
Be on the lookout for the second email tomorrow that will address three more questions and the answers provided to us, Hope this helps, If you have any questions please feel free to send us an email at eptagrapevine@gmail,com. We will check to see if it is one of the questions that will be featured in one of the future emails. If not, we will pose that question to Steve Clay and get an answer for you as quickly as possible. You can also check our website at www.elpasoteachersassociation.org to find this information or share with your colleagues.
Thank you for everything that you are doing for our students under these very difficult circumstances. Stay safe, be healthy and keep the faith.
Sincerely,
Norma De La Rosa
El Paso Teachers Association/TSTA/NEA
www.elpasoteachersassociation,org
915-479-7867
There has been a lot of different information about when are writing samples due, when is scoring supposed to begin and what is the deadline date among other important questions. Answers to questions given by Steve Clay will be in italics and in blue.
Question #1 - What is the timeline/timeframe to collect and score writing samples?
Timeline/timeframe for TELPAS writing and collecting, timeline/timeframe for scoring samples
TEA set the dates and the Assessment Office has provided the information to CTCs. i. February 8, 2021: Samples can begin to be collected.
ii. Recommendation from Assessment Office is to frontload collection in the first 4 weeks of the window, as this population of students is mobile, but the window remains open to gather and rate collections through April 2, 2021.
iii. February 22, 2021: Samples may begin to be rated.
iv. Data entry of ratings must be completed by April 2, 2021 – local deadline March 31, 2021.
So what this means is this - if your principal or campus testing coordinator is telling you that collection of writing samples must be completed by a certain date - THEY ARE WRONG. If you are being told that the scoring of samples is a certain date sooner than March 31, 2021 (local deadline) with the TEA deadline of April 2, 2021 - they are wrong.
Question #2 - What instructions have been given to students who are virtual who need to turn in writing samples?
a. Writing sample prompts are determined by the teacher that meet one of the six categories. It is a classroom assignment. Students must submit 5 samples. Students may submit through Schoology as all other class assignments are submitted.
b. Teachers are guided by the requirements for writing samples provided in the 2020-2021 TELPAS Rater Manual (pages 23-28).
Students who are virtual are to basically follow the same rules in providing the writing samples and what they are supposed to write; they will need to provide the 5 writing samples and teachers are to use the prompts as given in the TELPAS Rater Manual.
Question #3 - What processes have been put in place to ensure that writing samples are the work of the student only?
a. As per TEA, teachers and verifiers must review the samples using the Writing Collection Verification Checklist and initial off on criteria for the writing collection.
b. If teachers feel a sample does not meet the criteria, it should not be included in the collection. Ask student to resubmit.
c. Teachers should remind students that writing should be their own work with no assistance, should not be copied from textbooks or reference material, and with no assistance from parents, peers, or teachers and ask students to submit a new sample.
Be on the lookout for the second email tomorrow that will address three more questions and the answers provided to us, Hope this helps, If you have any questions please feel free to send us an email at eptagrapevine@gmail,com. We will check to see if it is one of the questions that will be featured in one of the future emails. If not, we will pose that question to Steve Clay and get an answer for you as quickly as possible. You can also check our website at www.elpasoteachersassociation.org to find this information or share with your colleagues.
Thank you for everything that you are doing for our students under these very difficult circumstances. Stay safe, be healthy and keep the faith.
Sincerely,
Norma De La Rosa
El Paso Teachers Association/TSTA/NEA
www.elpasoteachersassociation,org
915-479-7867
STOP THE BULLYING
FULLY FUND OUR SCHOOLS!
Districts have extra funding needs now. They have expensive COVID-related costs such as personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies. And the virtual learning option has increased their expenditures on technology.
The deadly pandemic has been resurging in Texas, making virtual learning the safest option for educators and students. But the governor and the Texas Education Agency don’t require districts to provide virtual learning. Instead, they are forcing districts to keep buildings open for in-person instruction or risk losing state funding. This is political bullying, and it must stop.
School employees have responded heroically to this health crisis. At personal risk, we have protected students, kept them fed and reinvented teaching options, and this has cost school districts a lot of money. Texas’ economic recovery will depend on our public schools. They must receive reliable, stable funding for this entire school year.
This pandemic has shown how important our public schools are to our communities. Now is the time to fund our schools, not take money away from them. They must receive reliable, stable funding for this entire school year.
Take action NOW! Click on the link and send your message loud and clear to the Governor. Tell him to stop bullying school districts and threatening to withhold much needed funds! Your job depends on you taking this action NOW!
https://bit.ly/Abbottbully
El Paso Teachers Association/915-479-7867
FULLY FUND OUR SCHOOLS!
Districts have extra funding needs now. They have expensive COVID-related costs such as personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies. And the virtual learning option has increased their expenditures on technology.
The deadly pandemic has been resurging in Texas, making virtual learning the safest option for educators and students. But the governor and the Texas Education Agency don’t require districts to provide virtual learning. Instead, they are forcing districts to keep buildings open for in-person instruction or risk losing state funding. This is political bullying, and it must stop.
School employees have responded heroically to this health crisis. At personal risk, we have protected students, kept them fed and reinvented teaching options, and this has cost school districts a lot of money. Texas’ economic recovery will depend on our public schools. They must receive reliable, stable funding for this entire school year.
This pandemic has shown how important our public schools are to our communities. Now is the time to fund our schools, not take money away from them. They must receive reliable, stable funding for this entire school year.
Take action NOW! Click on the link and send your message loud and clear to the Governor. Tell him to stop bullying school districts and threatening to withhold much needed funds! Your job depends on you taking this action NOW!
https://bit.ly/Abbottbully
El Paso Teachers Association/915-479-7867
Tell the Governor to Stop the Bullying!
Did you hear TRS has increased our insurance. Click on the link above EPTA in Action then TRS Updates
Do you want to join the largest teacher association in El Paso?
Click on the link below and follow the easy steps.
tsta.org/about-tsta/join-tsta
Click on the link below and follow the easy steps.
tsta.org/about-tsta/join-tsta
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