Search Results

Showing 321 results for "ESC13"

  • Resources

    The Teacher Toolkit

    This website was developed as a project of the ESC Region 13 Educator Certification Program (ECP) Transition to Teaching grant from the United States Department of Education. The idea for this site …

  • Resources

    Texas Sensory Support Network

    The Texas Sensory Support Network will ensure the provision of support to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with sensory impairments, their families, and the professionals who serve them, through…

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR Redesign

    As a result of House Bill (HB) 3906, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, the STAAR tests are undergoing a major redesign that will affect how students are assessed on the summative assessmen…

  • Services

    Sheltered Instruction

    Regardless of your program model, Sheltered Instruction is a necessary element to any strong program developed for English learners. With helpful strategies and student scenarios, we can cover any and…

  • Blog Posts

    Practice Self Care with these 7 Websites

    Self care is a crucial part of everyone’s mental health. It involves deliberate activities we practice in order to boost our mental, emotional, and physical health. While it might seem simple to…

  • Blog Posts

    The Need for Competent Interpreters

    The time has come to look more closely at interpretation as an “other duty as assigned.” Meaningful communication with students’ caregivers is needed to perform a Full Individual Evaluation, to constr…

  • Blog Posts

    Pflugerville ISD Wins Regional School Board Award

    Pflugerville ISD School Board has been named 2020 Regional Outstanding School Board of Trustees by Education Service Center Region 13 and Texas Association of School Administrators. Pflugerville ISD s…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Response to Intervention?

    Response to Intervention, otherwise known as RTI, is a critical and multi-tier way of identifying and supporting students with behavior or learning needs. As students struggle with learning a lesson o…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Social Emotional Learning?

    If you’ve been in education for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard the words “Social Emotional Learning” before. It’s not a new concept, Social Emotional Learning (or SEL for short), has been aro…

  • Blog Posts

    Top 5 Tips for Remote Learning for Students with Complex Disabilities

    Remote learning for students with complex disabilities might pose challenges beyond what other students might face. These students need more immersive sensory experiences that you might not be able to…

  • Blog Posts

    10 Mindfulness Activities for Kids and Students

    Often times our schools don’t have mindfulness activities for kids in mind when they’re creating their curriculum. However academic achievement and social emotional learning go hand-in-han…

  • Blog Posts

    What is ESSA?

    The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), enacted in 2015, builds upon the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. Above all, ESSA’s aim is to provide equitable educational experienc…

  • Blog Posts

    Why Blended Learning?

    With the influx of technology into schools over the last three years, it is more important than ever to consider how and why we use technology in the classroom. While the temptation may be to move com…

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR Redesign – Testing Calendar

    The STAAR redesign required by HB 3261 (2021) has implications for many aspects of STAAR administration beyond new item types, writing assessments, and online testing. The testing calendar itself is b…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Questions to help guide your PLC

    What do you think of when you hear PLCs? The idea of Professional Learning Communities in schools has been in practice for decades. The PLC teams focused on what students were learning, how they would…

  • Blog Posts

    Academic Growth in Accountability

    Academic Growth calculation is one of the big changes in the refreshed A-F Accountability System. TEA continues to evaluate growth in multiple ways. In this blog, we will take a look at navigating how…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Peer Mediation?

    Peer mediation is a process where trained students act as neutral mediators. These students work with their peers to uncover the root causes of their disputes and decide on fair ways of resolving a co…

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR Item Types

    HB 3906 (2019) and HB 3261 (2021) required that new item types be developed for the STAAR tests. HB 3261 changed §39.023 (c-8) to read, “Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, no more than 75 perce…

  • Blog Posts

    Personal Accounts: Trauma and SEL

    Today our specialist, Monica Kurtz gives us her thoughts on trauma and the importance of teaching Social Emotional Learning in our schools. School shootings. Outrage. Fear. Helplessness. My newsfeed i…

  • Blog Posts

    Active Listening in Peer Mediation

    The role of the mediator is to help others resolve their problems in a mutually agreeable way without getting bogged down in the problem themselves. Peer mediation adds value, directly impacts the cam…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Important Characteristics of TIL

    August brings a lot of excitement, as well as anticipation. Accountability rates are officially released in August, on what is, for many, the first week of school. This is cause for celebration or rel…

  • Blog Posts

    Engineering’s Role in the STEM Classroom

    Engineering provides a critical role in the STEM classroom. Through engineering, you can plan experiences where your students are engaged in authentic, relevant problems that affect their daily lives.…

  • Blog Posts

    Maximize Your Coaching Cycle

    As a practical principal and instructional leader, you’re consistently reflecting on the successes of your campus and determining the next steps to continue your students’ growth. When you think…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Restorative Discipline?

    You’ve likely heard the term “restorative discipline” or “restorative justice” used on your campus before. It’s a philosophy that’s been getting a lot of attention lately in the education world. But, …

  • Blog Posts

    Alternative Education Accountability Updates

    In an effort to enhance accountability and support dropout recovery schools (DRS), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has proposed a separate Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) Accountability Sy…

  • Blog Posts

    Back To School Time in the Library!

    It’s back-to-school time and that means looking forward and planning for great activities for our students whether we are in person, virtual, or a hybrid model. Check out some of my favorite res…

  • Blog Posts

    How Texas Teachers are Teaching During COVID-19

    COVID-19 has changed the way teachers around the world are teaching. In Texas we’ve seen a rise in both remote learning and blended learning, with many teachers being responsible for both in-person an…

  • Blog Posts

    What is a Restorative Conference?

    Your school or campus might already use conferences to deal with behavior issues, but restorative conferences are a bit different. In restorative conferences, victims, offenders, and their friends and…

  • Blog Posts

    Reflecting on Your Coaching Practice

    As the school year draws to a close, it’s important for instructional coaches to take time for self-reflection. Reflection allows you to recognize your successes, evaluate your areas for growth,…

  • Blog Posts

    Misconceptions About Being Blind/Blindness

    Summer Johnson, a student with a visual impairment in Region 13, shares some common misconceptions she has encountered through personal experience about being blind/blindness. The general population d…

  • Blog Posts

    What is a History Lab?

    A history lab is an inquiry based instructional approach which models the work of historians. During a history lab students do a lot of things. They investigate a compelling focus question with possib…

  • Blog Posts

    Why Strong School Leadership Matters

    Principals and assistant principals have complex jobs that get more and more complex every year. On top of the challenges school leaders face on a daily basis, they’ve also been dealing with the…

  • Blog Posts

    Working Digitally in Student Homes

    Every school year starts the same way. You set up your room to be the ideal learning environment. You create a space where students feel safe and families feel welcome. You think this will be the year…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Texas Instructional Leadership?

    A principal’s responsibilities are constantly evolving, but one thing that remains the same is their role as an instructional leader. By setting goals, aligning curriculum, analyzing student dat…

  • Blog Posts

    School Construction: Take Control

    “It’s not what you expect, it’s what you inspect.” This is what Casey Sledge, P.E., of Sledge Engineering, wants superintendents and school construction personnel to understand. “Construction fraud ha…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the PLAAFP?

    The Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance statement ( called the PLAAFP or “present levels”) is a key part of your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). PLAAFPs d…

  • Blog Posts

    Comprehensive Support and Identification

    The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state education agencies to determine low-performing schools. These low-performing schools are categorized under several names. These names include compr…

  • Blog Posts

    2024 Regional Teacher of the Year awards to Austin ISD’s Megan Vasquez and Samantha Marion

    Megan Vasquez, the Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Samantha Marion, the Secondary Teacher of the Year, both representing Austin Independent School District, received the awards from ESC Region 13 …

  • Blog Posts

    5 Questions for Professional Development Planning

    Professional development (PD) is an important way to help teachers grow. PD should be relevant, timely, and based on data. Otherwise, you risk assuming what teachers need, and will cause them to tune …

  • Blog Posts

    Affective Statements in Restorative Classrooms

    Restorative practices is an alternative discipline method that focuses on building healthy relationships between students and adults in educational settings to decrease recidivism and change harmful b…

  • Blog Posts

    What are HQIM and RBIS?

    Current research suggests that high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) together with an understanding of research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) can have a positive impact on student learni…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Project Based Learning?

    Project Based Learning is a method of instruction that encourages students to learn through the use of projects and problem solving. PBL projects are more than just engaging lessons, instead they incl…

  • Blog Posts

    Proportional Weighting in District Ratings

    Within the previous structure of the Texas school accountability system, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) reports that about 30% of district ratings were disconnected from their campuses’ rating…

  • Blog Posts

    What is an Academic Conversation?

    Our days are jam-packed full of conversations. We talk about the weather, about sports, about album releases, politics, movies, TV shows we’ve watched, work, food, and so much more. Just the sam…

  • Blog Posts

    What are Alternative Certification Programs?

    Are you passionate about education but lack a traditional teaching or administrative certificate? Alternative certification programs offer a viable pathway for individuals to pursue careers in teachin…

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR 2023-24 Testing Dates

    As we find ourselves in the 2023-24 school year, students, educators, and parents alike are keenly interested in the schedule for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, commonly known a…

  • Blog Posts

    Region 13 Engineers Week Challenge

    Celebrate the 2024 Engineers Week by joining our fun Engineers Week Challenge and do some engineering design with your students! Preview some of the engineering practices embedded in the upcoming Scie…

  • Blog Posts

    Tips for Building Class Rosters

    This blog is part of The Practical Principal, a monthly series for today’s school leaders. We cover a variety of relevant topics and provide actionable tips straight from experts in the field. B…

  • Blog Posts

    How to “Marie Kondo” Your Classroom

    The guru of organizing, Marie Kondo, took America by storm when she came out with her Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo earlier this year. Her “KonMari Method” of simplifying and …

  • Blog Posts

    Making the transition to online teaching

    As teachers, our students come first. After all, our students spend more time in our classrooms than anywhere else. With the recent outbreak of Covid-19, students across the state and country are maki…

  • Blog Posts

    Classroom Setup During COVID: Setting Up an Outdoor Classroom Space

    Holding class outside has always been popular with students. While being a classroom favorite, there is also evidence that it has learning benefits. Some research studies have found that teaching outd…

  • Blog Posts

    Steps to Creating a History Lab

    A history lab is an inquiry based instructional approach which models the work of historians. Historical inquiry, whether done by historians or students in a history class, is propelled by a compellin…

  • Blog Posts

    How Scaffolded Supports Promote Student Success

    How would you teach a young child to ride a bike? Would you give them a regular bike and say, “Go for it!” or would you start them off on a bike with training wheels? Would you stand back and silently…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Tips for Effective School Leadership

    The new school year is always stressful, no matter how many years of education experience you have. School leaders are meeting new students, parents, and staff members and trying to make sure that eve…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.06: Challenging Behavior

    In this episode, host Jennifer Russell explores challenging classroom behavior: how it can leave you exhausted, the causes behind it, and how to better manage challenging classroom behavior. Audio Tra…

  • Blog Posts

    6 Great Resources for Talking about Coronavirus with Kids

    COVID-19 can be scary and difficult for younger kids to understand. Kids generally aren’t used to wearing masks, socially distancing, and spending long periods of time isolated from other kids. COVID-…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.04: Transition Planning

    In this episode host Jennifer Russell and education specialist, and transition expert, Elizabeth Danner, discuss the importance of transition planning for lifeskills teachers. Audio Transcript Downloa…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Tips for Organizing Preschool Classrooms

    Every classroom type is different and every classroom requires a unique approach to organization. However most classroom organization guides are targeted towards elementary, middle, or high school cla…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Effective Classroom Management Strategies for Better Classroom Behavior

    Finding classroom management strategies that improve classroom behavior can be difficult. We’ve written before about how to create efficient and effective classroom rules but building better cla…

  • Blog Posts

    What Is Universal Design for Learning?

    Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing your instruction based on principles that allow all of your students to have access to the general curriculum. Every classroom is full …

  • Blog Posts

    What is the Effective Schools Framework?

    The Effective Schools Framework (ESF) is a guide developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish a clear vision for districts and schools across the state. The ESF recognizes best practices…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Steps to Effective Coaching Feedback

    Coach. That one word alone will likely lead you to think about what? If you’re like me, something like sports or athletics comes to mind. Like coaches in sports, instructional coaches provide expertis…

  • Blog Posts

    Designing Personalized Playlists for the Classroom

    “I love it! I really love the playlists!” says Adriana Suazo, special education teacher in Dripping Springs, Texas. “It’s all about the personalized playlist. Once you have the template, it just works…

  • Blog Posts

    Every Child Deserves a Champion – Find an EPP that Champions You

    “Teaching and learning should bring joy. How powerful would our world be if we had kids who were not afraid to take risks, who were not afraid to think, and who had a champion? Every child deser…

  • Blog Posts

    Reinventing Classroom Culture Routines Mid-Year

    Start the semester off on the right track! Here are two steps to help reinvent classroom culture routines mid-year. Technique One: Create a Vision Start by writing down all the classroom routines you …

  • Blog Posts

    Optional Assessment Resources for 2022-2023

    Like past years, TEA Student Assessment offers optional assessment resources to districts and campuses for the 2022-2023 school year. These optional assessment resources are completely free and totall…

  • Blog Posts

    Preparing for the future Science TEKS

    When I taught fourth-grade science in July 2020, I discovered the classroom textbooks had copyright dates of 1992, almost two decades before my students were born! This realization led to the inevitab…

  • Blog Posts

    Understanding the Impact of SB 1365

    How the changes affect Consecutive Years and D Ratings The education system in Texas is constantly evolving to better serve its students. One change is the introduction of Senate Bill 1365, which incl…

  • Blog Posts

    The Value of Soft Skills for Students

    You’ve heard the term “soft skill” before but might still be curious as what it means. Hard skills are the skills we gain through education, training programs, certifications, and on…

  • Blog Posts

    Encouraging the Heart Like Leader, Ted Lasso

    If the title of this blog post caught your attention, it is probably because you’ve wondered if those you lead, influence, and work with really care about filling their buckets, or, perhaps, you’re a …

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Special Circumstances

    In general, the STAAR EOC participation requirements state that a student “should take the STAAR EOC assessments—Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History—as they are completin…

  • Blog Posts

    Leadership and Character Development: Schools of Thought

    Transitioning from a focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to Leadership and Character Development (LCD) entails a broader perspective, including reviewing alternative paths to schoolwide behav…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Provide Accommodations Remotely

    We know you’re working hard to deliver engaging lessons for all of your students during this time. But what about your students with disabilities? It’s important to provide accommodations set forth in…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Supplemental Aids for Science

    We’ve already written about supplemental aids generally, however this time we’re being more specific by giving you four supplemental aids you can use on the Science STAAR: Blank Graphic Or…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Types of Restorative Circles

    Restorative circles are restorative discipline strategies you can use in your classrooms to develop relationships, build communities, and respond to conflicts and problems that arise. With restorative…

  • Blog Posts

    Reading Comprehension Strategies for Parents

    Reading comprehension happens when your child extracts meaning from what they’ve read. It’s the primary goal of reading and a crucial part of your child’s longterm development. Even …

  • Blog Posts

    What Does STEM Integration Look Like?

    STEM activities integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math into lessons in order to teach students 21st century skills through problem solving. Let’s look at some of these components a…

  • Blog Posts

    TEKS Resource System Technology Platform Update

    Hey there, Texas educators! If you’ve been using the Texas Curriculum Management Program Cooperative (TCMPC) TEKS Resource System (TEKS RS) over the past decade, you understand its immense value…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Reasons Why Educational Coaching Matters

    When thinking about coaching, many people automatically think of the great sports coaches- Phil Jackson, Vince Lombardi, and Pat Summit- to name a few. But when it comes to education, coaching is stil…

  • Blog Posts

    How Universal Design for Learning Works

    We’ve written previously about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how it’s a framework that takes all of your diverse learners’ needs into account when creating a curriculum. However, designing a…

  • Blog Posts

    PLCs that Advance, Inspire and Engage

    It’s that time of year again when teachers are gathering together in Professional Learning Communities (PLC). The acronym “PLC“ has come to mean many different things in schools. The idea of professio…

  • Blog Posts

    Enrichment Activities During the Summer Break

    Now that school is over for the year, what are some ways to keep our students enriched and still learning during the summer break? What are some activities that do not involve digital screen use? Belo…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the Teacher Incentive Allotment?

    The Teacher Incentive Allotment is a big deal for Texas teachers and their students. Governor Abbott signed House Bill 3 into law in 2019. Included in this legislation is the Teacher Incentive Allotme…

  • Blog Posts

    Five Healthy Coping Skills for Children

    Raise your hand if this is you: It’s Saturday. You hop in the car. You turn on your ignition. Ten minutes later, you’re at the grocery store. But you don’t remember the road you took, the trees you sa…

  • Blog Posts

    Should I Become a School Principal?

    If you’re reading this blog post, chances are that you’ve thought about taking the leap from being a teacher to a school principal. But making a big career move, especially one that requir…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Analyze Student Data in Eduphoria

    One of the greatest challenges in education has been pulling data to make pedagogical decisions to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Now, in the ever-changing landscape of education…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, EP 05: Active Supervision

    In this episode, behavior specialist Angela Isenberg and Melinda Marquez discuss active supervision and the development of duty stations and how administrators and teachers can come together to create…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Social Media Ethics Reminders for Educators

    Social media can be a great tool in education. But it can also raise a lot of questions for educators in terms of social media ethics outside of the classroom. Here’s some best practices and thi…

  • Blog Posts

    Professional Development for Inspired Bilingual/ESL Educators

    In the ever-evolving Bilingual/ESL education landscape, educators must stay at the forefront of best practices and innovative approaches. While traditional professional development (PD) might conjure …

  • Blog Posts

    Dos and Don’ts for Teaching VI Students

    Summer Johnson, a high school student in Region 13, shares her perspective on navigating life with a visual impairment. She shares some dos and don’ts of teaching VI students. I am a high school…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, EP 02: Classroom Management

    In this episode of “I’ve Tried Everything” specialists Angela Isenberg and Melinda Marquez discuss classroom management and how teachers and administrators can work together to impro…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, Episode 01: Discipline Matrix

    In this episode, behavior specialist Angela Isenberg and Melinda Marquez discuss developing a solid discipline matrix that loops teachers and administrators into the larger discipline picture. Downloa…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.03: Evidence Based Practices

    In this episode, host Jennifer Russell explores Evidence Based Practices, or EBPs, that can transform your classroom. Audio Transcript Download the full audio transcript Jennifer Russell:Hey everybody…

  • Blog Posts

    What Are the Differences and Similarities Between PBL, STEM, and GT?

    Project-based learning… STEM… Gifted and Talented. What’s the difference really in these ideas? Do you know? If you saw a student working in class, could you tell the difference between a project, a S…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Tips for New Multilingual Directors/Coordinators

    Congratulations on your new role as a Multilingual Director/Coordinator! Your dedication to supporting Emergent Bilingual (EB) students has paid off. As you embark on this new journey, several key tip…

  • Blog Posts

    IBCs and Programs of Study

    In an effort to align Individual Graduation Committees (IBCs) and Programs of Study, while also phasing out sunsetting IBCs, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has explored multiple options for phase-in…

  • Blog Posts

    A-F Domain 1: Updating Cut Points

    By introducing the A-F system, TEA committed to keeping the same calculations and cut scores for up to five consecutive years. This allows for improved year-over-year performance comparisons. Cut scor…

  • Blog Posts

    What Does a School Principal Do?

    As the backbone of any educational institution, school principals play a crucial role in shaping the future of students, teachers, and the school community. They are the visionary leaders responsible …

  • Blog Posts

    What is a Low-Incidence Disability?

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines low-incidence disabilities as Section 1462(c): a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairments; a signific…

  • Blog Posts

    Navigating Education as a New Teacher

    Being a new teacher has its own challenges in the classroom. Add coaching responsibilities to the plate, and you have a recipe for exhaustion. Brittany Harley shares her experiences as a new teacher a…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.01: Welcome to Life Skills Radio

    We’re gonna be talking about strategies for self care because you are amazing and we don’t want you to burn out. Share stories about surviving those first few days, weeks and months of teaching which …

  • Blog Posts

    4 Tips for GT Training Requirements

    Everyone wants to do what’s best for students. It can feel overwhelming to meet the training requirements for the gifted and talented program. However, these are in place to support you as you m…

  • Blog Posts

    Drinking from the Firehose: Restorative Justice

    In episodes 6 and 7 of Drinking from the Firehose, Dr. Angela Ward, the founder and CEO of 2Ward Equity Consulting, joins Ellen on the podcast to share about the history of restorative justice, Multi-…

  • Blog Posts

    ESC Region 13 Wins Top Workplace 2020 Award

    THE AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN NAMES ESC REGION 13 A WINNER OF THE AUSTIN TOP WORKPLACES 2020 AWARD We’ve been awarded a Top Workplaces 2020 honor by The Austin American-Statesman. The list is ba…

  • Blog Posts

    Classroom Setup During COVID-19: Using Picture Visuals

    Hi there, friends. In the previous blog about setting up your classroom during Covid-19, we explored how to use floor tape to increase student understanding of visual boundaries and expectations. Reme…

  • Blog Posts

    Phonological Awareness vs Phonics: Are they the same?

    While my teacher preparation program introduced me to the concepts of phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics, it wasn’t until I ventured into my role as an instructional coach t…

  • Blog Posts

    Online Learning Strategies for Secondary Teachers

    Most of us are in uncharted territory as learning moves online quickly in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Texas Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, has advised superintendents and lawmakers …

  • Blog Posts

    The 5 Strands of Mathematical Proficiency

    What is Mathematical Proficiency? How do you define mathematical proficiency? Had I been asked this question early in my teaching career, I might have defined it as the ability to solve problems effic…

  • Blog Posts

    Student Interviews to Drive School Change

    Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to interview students from a school that we serve. The purpose was to learn more about how the school was developing and improving its systems to impact student…

  • Blog Posts

    The Why: Resetting the Accountability System

    In Texas, the accountability system serves as a vital tool for continuously improving student performance and eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Above all…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Encourage Empathy on Your Campus

    Empathy is a word that we hear a lot these days, especially in counseling circles. However, even with the rise in popularity and the buzzword that it’s become, there is still a lot of confusion around…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Become A Superintendent in Texas

    The role of a superintendent is complex. They are the face of a school district and serve as a liaison between their community and the staff in their schools. Also, they work with their school board t…

  • Blog Posts

    6 Things to Know About Generation Z

    Each generation has their own defining characteristics, whether it’s the self-sufficiency of Baby Boomers or the desire for meaningful work that Millennials crave. Generation Z is no exception. …

  • Blog Posts

    How to Become a Principal in Texas

    So you want to become a principal in Texas. That’s great! You’ve pursued leadership opportunities on your campus and talked with campus leaders you know about their experience. But with all the inform…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Characteristics of an Effective Turnaround Leader

    Turnaround schools are identified as underperforming schools that are in need of improvement. Being part of a turnaround program can feel a little daunting, but with the right leadership and supportin…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Job Opportunities with a Superintendent Certificate

    In the dynamic realm of education, the role of a superintendent holds a distinctive significance, influencing the trajectory of schools and districts. Attaining a superintendent certificate in Texas i…

  • Blog Posts

    Maximizing Your Digital Resources to Engage Readers

    School librarians play an essential role in developing literacy skills by creating an environment that values and encourages students to read for pleasure. In addition, school librarians are trained t…

  • Blog Posts

    Here’s how we’re responding to COVID-19

    ESC Region 13 will be open beginning March 23. However, our 5701 Springdale Road location will remain closed. Since we know that learning never stops, we’ll continue to provide professional developmen…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Connect Your Classroom with Social Media

    Social Media. Students love it, parents fear it, teachers compete with it, and administrators underestimate the power of it. Social media allows you to bring experts into your classroom, empower stude…

  • Blog Posts

    Announcing the Region 13 Teachers of the Year!

    Two Manor Independent School District school teachers have been named the 2021 Regional Teachers of the Year by Education Service Center Region 13. Paul Davies has earned the title of Secondary Region…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Create a Successful Root Cause Analysis

    Your program or initiative isn’t going well and you aren’t seeing the progress you were hoping for – what’s next? Conducting a root cause analysis (RCA) is a productive method to get to the real issue…

  • Blog Posts

    7 Principal Tips that All Principals Should Hear

    There’s not many jobs as difficult or rewarding as that of a principal. So we pulled together pieces of advice from some of our former principals at Region 13 to support those who are out leadin…

  • Blog Posts

    The Four Types of Leaders from Dr. Peter DeWitt

    We’ve been thinking a lot about leadership types and collaboration. Personally, we’ve always been strong proponents of collaboration in leadership roles. We believe everyone works best when leaders wo…

  • Blog Posts

    What is an aligned lesson in student learning?

    Every March I watch round after round of NCAA college basketball. A few inches can make the difference between a game-saving win or a loss. Players practice tirelessly to ensure they’re on target. Muc…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Tips for Promoting Kindness at Your School

    We’ve all heard that kindness is key, but this is especially true while our students are learning behaviors that will stick with them throughout their lives. In recent years, schools have shifte…

  • Blog Posts

    How can I Support Multilingual Students with STAAR?

    Multilingual students can feel overwhelmed when taking a standardized test because English is not their native language. This feeling may impact their confidence and performance on the test. If you ar…

  • Blog Posts

    Sorting Misconceptions vs. Reality for STAAR Automated Scoring

    The Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) announcement regarding the use of an Automated Scoring Engine (ASE) to score constructed response items on STAAR assessments has created many questions. Maybe you’ve…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, Season 2: New Behavioral Challenges

    One of the biggest challenges that teachers and administrators face is classroom behavior. And things have definitely not gotten easier since COVID irreparably changed the educational landscape. That&…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Strategies for Working with Newcomer EB Students

    Embarking on learning English as a Newcomer in the United States presents many challenges, especially when adjusting to a new school environment. However, as educators, we can support and guide these …

  • Blog Posts

    Roger Dees Wins Regional Superintendent of the Year

    Dees Wins Regional Superintendent of the Year Award Roger Dees, superintendent of Giddings ISD, has been named the 2020 Regional Superintendent of the Year by Education Service Center Region 13. Dees …

  • Blog Posts

    What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

    Career and Technical Education, often abbreviated as CTE, isn’t just an educational buzzword, it’s a vital part of setting up our students for success in and out of the classroom. It’…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Conduct an Intruder Assessment

    An intruder assessment is one of the most valuable things any school leader can do to assess the safety of their school. This process is one of the first things I do when I conduct a school safety aud…

  • Blog Posts

    Do You Know Your Gifted and Talented Program Goals?

    Gifted and Talented (GT) Programs vary across campuses, districts, and the state. Do you know your gifted and talented program goals? Are you meeting these goals? How do you measure the success of you…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Integrate Restorative Practices and MTSS

    Restorative practices (RP) is a framework that is grounded in the values of showing respect, taking responsibility, and strengthening relationships. Ted Wachtel, the founder of the International Insti…

  • Blog Posts

    Science Tools Within the New Science TEKS

    The new Science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for grades Kindergarten through 12th will be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year. In our previous blog, we outlined three key areas of …

  • Blog Posts

    What Does a School Behavior Coach Do?

    Behavior coaches are educational professionals who work with students, teachers, and administrators to help improve school climate and reduce problem behaviors. They provide individualized student sup…

  • Blog Posts

    Fostering Unity: Building a Strong Administrative Team

    Schools are highly complex environments, with numerous systems, stakeholders, and components interacting and impacting one another. It’s palpable when the school functions smoothly, and you can …

  • Blog Posts

    How to Become a Paraprofessional in Texas

    Are you considering a career in education? Becoming a paraprofessional, also known as an educational aide, can be a fulfilling and impactful way to contribute to students’ academic success. In Texas, …

  • Blog Posts

    How to Build PLCs in Rural Schools

    Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are crucial for advancing student learning. However, many teachers in rural schools are the only one in their grade level or subject area. This can make collab…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the Role of a Paraprofessional?

    The education system has countless unrecognized champions who dedicate themselves to the pursuit of student success. These unsung heroes include paraprofessionals, often called “paras,” who play an es…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Cyberbullying Tactics to Watch Out For

    Cyberbullying is a huge problem our students face daily. With the rise of smartphones and social media your students are communicating 24/7 with each other and others across the world. This means that…

  • Blog Posts

    Navigating the Weighting Tab in TIA Applications

    Determining the percentages for student growth and teacher observations in the Weighting Tab of your TIA application is a critical decision. Those percentages will significantly impact which designati…

  • Blog Posts

    Flexible Grouping Strategies for the Science Classroom

    Group work and the science classroom go together like peanut butter and jelly – or like hydrogen and oxygen. Whether it’s a lab, discussion, research, stations, partners, or interventions, there are m…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Support Students with Self-Regulation

    Self-regulation is a person’s ability to attain, sustain, and change alertness that is appropriate to the situation. In other words, self-regulation can prevent inappropriate behaviors. Dysregulation …

  • Blog Posts

    Leveraging T-TESS as a Coaching Tool

    As a school leader, you are in full swing, where you’re likely supporting teachers with finding success in their classrooms. This comes in the form of T-TESS or the teacher evaluation tool that your d…

  • Blog Posts

    Understanding the Role of a School Superintendent

    The role of a school superintendent is pivotal in shaping the educational landscape of a school district. They drive decision-making, policy implementation, and overall improvement of the district’s e…

  • Blog Posts

    Build a Classroom Management System Using STOIC

    No matter which classroom management system you choose to implement in your classroom, they all include these five key variables: Structure and Organization Teach Expectations Observe Student Behavior…

  • Blog Posts

    What Does an Ideal PBIS Team Look Like?

    Teamwork is important. We all do better work when we’ve got a great team supporting us. Positive Behavior Interventions and Support, or PBIS, involves the whole campus. To successfully implement PBIS …

  • Blog Posts

    STAAR: What Parents and Guardians Need to Know

    You may be familiar with the STAAR test. But what is it, and why is it important? STAAR is short for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The test is important because it shows what y…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Things to Do When Your New Student Has Multiple and Complex Disabilities

    Special Education Teachers work with students with a wide range of abilities. Sometimes teachers get a new student with multiple and complex disabilities. Often, that teacher doesn’t have any pr…

  • Blog Posts

    Help Struggling Writers Improve with Sentence Stems

    Sometimes our students struggle with communicating, especially when writing is involved. But we can still support our students and help them improve by using frameworks to nudge them along the writing…

  • Blog Posts

    25 End-of-Year Reflection Questions for Teachers

    As the school year comes to a close, it’s natural for teachers to reflect on their successes, challenges, and areas for growth. Taking the time to pause and reflect can help educators gain a dee…

  • Blog Posts

    Why is Digital Citizenship Not Required to Graduate?

    I have been asking this question for a few years now. I wish someone told me I could possibly not get a job or get fired from my current job because of my digital footprint. I had to figure that out o…

  • Blog Posts

    Ten Tips to Support Mental Health at Your School Today

    I remember being a young child watching Mr. Roger’s neighborhood on our family TV. We lived in a rural part of Texas and television reception was more of a process than an event. It might take over a …

  • Blog Posts

    Why Formative Assessment is a Valuable Teaching Tool

    Formative Assessment is a teacher tool that’s sometimes overlooked but incredibly powerful tool. Formative assessments are a valuable piece of the instructional process, but they can get a bad r…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Renew Your Principal Certificate in Texas

    When you get an email reminder from The Texas Education Agency (TEA) that your principal certificate is expiring soon, it can feel a little overwhelming. Maybe this is your first time to renew. Or may…

  • Blog Posts

    How Do You Build a Positive School Culture?

    You’ve seen it before. A routine planning time becomes a 30-minute team venting session about a student, and ends without creating any real or supportive solutions. You might have even noticed an epid…

  • Blog Posts

    Anxiety Strategies in the Time of COVID-19

    Anxiety. I think it’s safe to say that most people, if they’re being honest, would say that they’ve experienced some level of anxiety the last 5 months during the pandemic. School leaders are faced wi…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Utilize the Virtual T-TESS Rubric

    Who would have thought we would ever need a Virtual T-TESS Rubric? It’s become the cliché phrase of 2020 repeated across every setting. “Who would have ever thought….?” followed by a practice or prece…

  • Blog Posts

    Track Student Progress During COVID-19 in Eduphoria

    In our unusual school year, teachers and administrators have more data to track and analyze than ever before. With virtual, face-to-face, synchronous, and asynchronous class options, there’s a l…

  • Blog Posts

    Classroom Setup During Covid-19: Floor Tape is Your Friend!

    So, let’s be real for a second. We know that classroom setup during COVID-19 and that none of the instructional arrangements during COVID-19 are ideal and you might be feeling anxious, uncertain, and …

  • Blog Posts

    Team Building and Visioning for Staff PD Days

    As you know, it’s important for principals to build a sense of community on campus. Not only does a cohesive group achieve more together, but it also makes for a more enjoyable working environme…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.02: First Year Adventures in Teaching

    In this episode host Jennifer Russell talks with Katie Adams, educational specialist in PPCD, and Elizabeth Danner, Transition Specialist, as they discuss their first year adventures in teaching, navi…

  • Blog Posts

    What are the Qualities of a Great Lesson Plan?

    Have you ever had a defeated feeling after you taught a lesson you thought was perfection, only to be met with blank stares and confusion from your students? If we’re honest, most teachers are w…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Engage the Brain with Hands-On Activities

    Guest post by Dr. Marcia L. Tate. Posted originally on Developing Minds, Inc. as “20 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT ENGAGE THE BRAIN: #7 MANIPULATIVES, EXPERIMENTS, LABS, AND MODELS.” The use of the ha…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Ways to Check for Understanding With Your Students

    The success of your students depends on whether or not they are absorbing the information you’re teaching them. Often as educators we get bogged down in the process of creating lessons and designing c…

  • Blog Posts

    TED Tips: Meet the Transition and Employment Services Designee

    Since 2014, each school district must designate a Transition and Employment Services Designee, also called a “TED.” The requirements for TEDs are outlined in TEC §29.011: (b) The commissioner shall re…

  • Blog Posts

    What You Need to Know About Texas Principalship Changes

    There are new changes in the route to Texas principalship that will have a major impact on the internal leadership pipeline. Here’s everything you need to know. New Standards Back in 2016, TEA a…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Tips for First-year Secondary RLA Teachers

    Welcome to your first year as a Secondary Reading Language Arts teacher! Whether you just graduated from college with an education degree or you chose an alternative certification path – congrat…

  • Blog Posts

    Personal Accounts: PBIS from a Principal’s Perspective

    When I was a principal at a local elementary school, I found out about Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) during my training as a behavior coach with Albert Felts, of the Behavior Te…

  • Blog Posts

    Social and Emotional Learning: an Educational Renaissance

    Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are the cornerstone of successful, learner-centered, school environments. SEL programs are essential because specific social skills are the precursors of r…

  • Blog Posts

    Storytelling Tips for Children with Dr. Jean

    Stories and songs are one of the most powerful ways to put things in the brain and help students remember. Here are some simple storytelling techniques you can use with your students to help make teac…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Reasons Traditional In School Suspension Doesn’t Work

    In School Suspension model is broken and yet most schools still use it. Schools across Texas and throughout the country practice the traditional, punitive, method of ISS. In this model, students get i…

  • Blog Posts

    Nurturing a Growth Mindset in Math

    Some of the consistent difficulties that ALL educators are confronted with include challenging behaviors and decreased motivation. It can be overwhelming to think these issues can never change. Enter …

  • Landing Pages

    Instructional Leaders

    Supporting instructional best practices Schools are homes to a diverse range of instructional content: from exploring the science of planetary movements to building up literacy skills in our students…

  • Blog Posts

    Creating Consistency: The Importance of T-TESS Calibration

    The Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) is a comprehensive framework designed to assess and improve teaching practices in schools across Texas. T-TESS provides appraisers and teachers with …

  • Blog Posts

    How to Teach Social Skills Through Role-Playing

    According to an Education Advisory Board (EAB) survey, since 2018, educators have reported a significant jump in opposition and emotional disconnection among students. Those findings align with a May …

  • Blog Posts

    Understanding the Teacher Incentive Allotment: Teacher Designation Levels

    The public education system in Texas plays a critical role in shaping our children’s future. Dedicated, hardworking teachers are the backbone of this system. Because of this, Texas introduced th…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Tips to Create Great FBAs and BIPs

    We asked our education specialist, Amy Fanetti to give us a little bit of insight on how to write great functional behavioral assessments and behavior intervention plans. For newbies to the behavior w…

  • Blog Posts

    Teacher Certification Options: A Guide for HR Professionals

    When filling vacancies in your district, navigating the variety of teacher certification options and requirements can be challenging. Our Educator Certification Program is here to guide and support yo…

  • Blog Posts

    What are Reading Academies in House Bill 3?

    If you haven’t heard of House Bill 3 (HB3), it’s one of the most important and complex Texas education bills in the last several decades. It provides a significant sum of money to districts to i…

  • Blog Posts

    The Power of Expressive Arts Techniques in Counseling

    Expressive arts therapy techniques are a unique and innovative approach to mental health and wellness that utilizes various forms of artistic expression to explore emotions and experiences. Types of t…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Become a Designated Teacher Through TIA

    The Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program is designed to reward effective teachers. Any teacher in an 087 role can receive an allotment. However, those working in rural and/or high-needs cam…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Morning Group for Students with Disabilities? (BONUS Webinar on adapting Morning Group to Online Learning Environments)

    Morning group or morning meeting is a staple of classrooms with students with moderate to severe disabilities. It is a daily routine designed to orient them to place and time and prepare them for the …

  • Blog Posts

    Refine Systems to Regain Time for Instructional Leadership

    You’ve received your student achievement results from the past school year. Your leadership team and you reflected on the data and are in the process of setting goals for continued improvement this ye…

  • Blog Posts

    The Importance of Kari’s Law Compliance in Schools

    This guest post comes from Melinda Crockom, public education coordinator at the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications. Emergencies can happen anywhere and unfortunately; emergency situati…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Plan Back-to-School Professional Development

    The school year has ended; your teachers and students have left the building, and you’re closing out the year. As a proactive school principal, you know the work doesn’t stop. You likely have a lot on…

  • Blog Posts

    A-F Domain 3: Closing the Gaps

    During the A-F Reset made necessary by SB 1365, Domain 3: Closing the Gaps underwent the most significant changes out of all the domains. These changes aimed at narrowing the focus on underperforming …

  • Blog Posts

    6 Ethical Considerations for Virtual School Counseling

    As remote instruction continues due to COVID-19, more and more school counselors are going to be participating in virtual school counseling. Just like you would for in person counseling sessions, it’s…

  • Blog Posts

    Introducing “On the Plus Side” Podcast: Episode 1

    Hello, I am Paula Freeman with ESC Region 13 and this is On the Plus Side, a podcast dedicated to educators who are authentically finding wisdom, purpose, and happiness every day in their school commu…

  • Blog Posts

    What is a homeless liaison and what do they do?

    “Homeless Liaison” may be in your job description – but do you know what it means? By law, every local education agency (school district or charter school) must appoint a staff member to act as a liai…

  • Blog Posts

    Technology Applications TEKS Changes Coming for 2024-25 School Year

    In 2022, the State Board of Education (SBOE) gave final approval to the revised Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS ) for Technology Applications, sometimes referred to as “Tech Apps.R…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, EP 04: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

    In this episode of “I’ve Tried Everything” specialists Angela Isenberg and Melinda Marquez discuss implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support throughout your school. Download a ful…

  • Blog Posts

    Is Your District Ready for the Teacher Incentive Allotment?

    No matter what Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Cohort your district identifies with, or even if you are in the initial TIA discovery phase, there are 6 TIA Success Factors to guide your districtR…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, EP. 03: Classroom Interventions VS Classroom Consequences

    In this episode of “I’ve Tried Everything” specialists Angela Isenberg and Melinda Marquez discuss the differences between classroom interventions and classroom consequences. Downloa…

  • Blog Posts

    A Lesson On School Discipline, By Dr. Stuart Ablon

    Traditional school disciplinary strategies are guilty – guilty of being woefully ineffective and failing kids and educators alike. They aren’t needed for most of the students in our schools, and…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Ways to Make Your In School Suspension Program SMART

    In School Suspension (ISS) programs are founded on the principle that punishing students results in decreased behavior. SMART ISS is a program that flips that script; focusing instead on making in sch…

  • Blog Posts

    12+ Resources for Homeless Education Liaisons and students experiencing homelessness

    Students experiencing homelessness have the same rights to a free appropriate public education as their fellow classmates. They’re protected under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Protection Act, whi…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Address Learning Loss Due to COVID-19

    Educators know the difficulties of the summer slide⏤the phenomenon where students lose significant gains in math and reading over the summer months. But now, research is coming out on the devastating …

  • Blog Posts

    Five Key Action Items to Help You Prepare for TELPAS.

    The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment, known as TELPAS, plays a major role in evaluating the English language proficiency of emergent bilingual (EB) students in Texas. Aligned with the Tex…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Leverage Relationships in the New School Year

    Guest post from Fred Ende and Meghan Everette, authors of Forces of Influence: How Educators Can Leverage Relationships To Improve Practice. Every summer we talk about starting the school year off rig…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Build a Growth Mindset With Your Teachers

    Mindsets play an important role in our lives, especially when it comes to learning. A mindset is made up of the beliefs and thoughts that shape our habits and how we handle situations. The idea of gro…

  • Blog Posts

    Interview with Deirdre Doughty, 2020 Secondary Teacher of the Year

    In August, the 2020 Teachers of the Year for Region 13 were announced, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Dozens of talented and inspiring teachers from across our region were no…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Tips for Fostering Independent Work in the Classroom

    One of the most challenging tasks for teachers is figuring out how to foster and manage independent work in the classroom. We asked education specialist, Angela Isenberg, to give us some of her quick …

  • Blog Posts

    What are the Roles of a Coach, Mentor, and Supervisor?

    In the world of school leadership, there’s a dance we do. It’s the dance along the continuum of supervising, mentoring, and coaching. This is a good thing. With our ability to shift our dance moves fr…

  • Blog Posts

    Three Things School Leaders Can Do to Support Special Education

    Leading change and ensuring students on campus have what they need to be successful learners during the pandemic is a challenging charge. Within our student body, we support and include all students, …

  • Blog Posts

    How to Use Virtual Field Trips in Your Classroom

    Field trips are a great way to bring learning to life for our students. But what if you don’t have the opportunity or budget to bring a group of students to Rome to see the Colosseum or across t…

  • Blog Posts

    Maintaining FERPA Compliance while working from home

    Educators are used to maintaining the confidentiality of student data. Under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) it’s required that schools and districts protect the privacy of their…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Ideas for Engaging Your Preschool Child

    Engaging your preschool child in learning activities at home isn’t as challenging as it might seem. In fact, if you ask an early childhood educator what they enjoy most about teaching young children, …

  • Blog Posts

    4 Speaking and Writing Strategies for English Learners

    We really know something when we can teach it, right? English learners (ELs) at the beginning level of English proficiency struggle to explain their thinking in an academic setting. After all, they ar…

  • Blog Posts

    10 Reminders for a Better Digital Faculty Meeting

    Keeping your staff connected and motivated has never been more important. But transitioning from face-to-face to online staff meetings may feel like a daunting task. It’s hard to “read the room” durin…

  • Blog Posts

    The Transformative Power of Team-Building for School Leaders

    Let’s face it: being a school leader is one of the most challenging and dynamic careers out there. Effective leadership is essential for fostering a supportive and thriving school community. As …

  • Blog Posts

    5 Ways to Grow Your Questioning Skills When Coaching

    Questioning is one of those skills that most, if not all, know is an important catalyst for learning and growth. Yet, with the fast-paced nature of our schools and the multiple demands for our time an…

  • Blog Posts

    Top Apps for Dyslexic Students to Enhance Literacy Skills this Summer

    Harnessing Technology to Empower Dyslexic Learners During the Summer Summer break is an ideal time for students to relax, rejuvenate, and engage in activities that promote personal growth and skill de…

  • Blog Posts

    Life Skills Radio Ep.05: Teacher Burnout and Self-Care

    In this episode, host Jennifer Russell and guest Darcy Schiller discuss teacher burnout: how to avoid it, and the importance of self-care for special education teachers. Audio Transcript Download the …

  • Blog Posts

    5 Free School Safety Tips you Can Implement Now

    School safety doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or involve a campus-wide push for new buildings, policies, and procedures. In fact, some of the best things you can do to improve your school safety, …

  • Blog Posts

    Strategies for an Effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meeting

    Preparation is the foundation of an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. The special education process consists of three main players: parents, school agents, and students. Oftent…

  • Blog Posts

    21 Questions to Guide Your End-of-Year PLC Team Reflection

    As the school year draws to a close, it’s a great time for Professional Learning Communities (PLC) teams to reflect on their collective achievements, growth areas, and improvement opportunities.…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL)?

    In educational leadership, aspiring principals in Texas undergo rigorous assessments to prove their readiness for the pivotal role they would like to take on. The ETS® Performance Assessment for Schoo…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the Principal as Instructional Leader (268) Exam?

    In the realm of educational leadership, the role of a principal is multifaceted and demanding. Principals are not just administrators; they are instructional leaders responsible for shaping the academ…

  • Blog Posts

    What is an LSSP and What Do They Do?

    You’ve likely heard about LSSPs before, but maybe aren’t 100% what they are. LSSP stands for Licensed Specialists in School Psychology, and they’re one of the foundations to a functional and healthy s…

  • Blog Posts

    Interview with Keri Swanson, 2020 Elementary Teacher of the Year

    In August, the 2020 Teachers of the Year for Region 13 were announced, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Dozens of talented and inspiring teachers from across our region were nominate…

  • Blog Posts

    6 Remote Learning Strategies to Successfully Check for Your Students’ Understanding

    Remote learning is the new norm for fall instruction, and with this new norm there’s going to be some growing pains. We’ve previously written about how important checking for your students…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Plan and Establish Student Routines for School Reopenings

    District and campus leaders who are planning for when campuses reopen are facing unprecedented challenges. All the student routines we established to create an orderly environment that maximized learn…

  • Blog Posts

    5 Calming, Relaxing, and Mindfulness Apps for Kids and Students

    Technology is one of the many languages today’s kids and adolescents are fluent in! However, while our students are fluent in technology, they might not be as fluent in creating calmer responses, lowe…

  • Blog Posts

    Classroom Set-up During Covid-19: Creating and Implementing Routines

    This morning I woke up, turned on the pre-loaded coffee maker, splashed water on my face, brushed my teeth, put on my exercise clothes, arranged the furniture so that I would have space to do all of t…

  • Blog Posts

    Why You Should Start Your Class With Behavior Check-Ins

    Good educators know that each and every day is a new experience for your students, and a new chance to build relationships. Just like in their academic work, students need consistency and regular rout…

  • Blog Posts

    Drinking from the Firehose Podcast: Culturally Responsive Schools

    Creating a culturally responsive school takes work⏤from disrupting traditional leadership pipelines to building equity in student resources. In episode 2 of our Drinking from the Firehose podcast, pri…

  • Blog Posts

    4 Types of Supplemental Aids For Social Studies

    We’ve previously written about supplemental aids in relationship to the STAAR test, but only generally. In this post, we’ll be offering you 4 types of aids you can use specifically for the…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Questions to Help You Manage Aggression in Classrooms

    There’s an unfortunate reality about teaching that you’ll eventually comes across: you’ll eventually end up angry at one of your students or your students will be angry or aggressive towards you. It’s…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Build STEM Awareness in your Elementary Students

    The greatest gift we can give our students is to drive their curiosity and instill a love of learning. Building STEM awareness and practicing STEM skills are the foundation for student success through…

  • Blog Posts

    I’ve Tried Everything, Episode 06: Creating a Positive School Culture and Climate

    In this episode, behavior specialist Angela Isenberg, and guest specialist Melinda Marquez, talk about creating a positive school culture and climate for your campuses and schools. Download the full t…

  • Blog Posts

    How to make the switch to online teaching

    Recently I attended #ALTSXSWedu, a grassroots conference led by local educational technology leader, Carl Hooker, and put together by educators from around the United States, Hong Kong, China, Brazil,…

  • Blog Posts

    Uncovering the Link Between Literacy and Social Studies

    Elementary teachers lay the foundation for instilling a lifelong love of learning and a deep understanding of foundational skills about the world around us. The task is huge and comes with a substanti…

  • Blog Posts

    What is a Letter Wall and Why is it One of the Most Important Features of the Room?

    Letter walls are really simple to create and are an important part of early childhood classrooms. To make a letter wall pick a wall, cork board, or whiteboard in your classroom that you’ll jazz …

  • Blog Posts

    What Principal Mentors Should Know About PASL

    If you’re a principal mentor, there’s some new changes in the certification process that you need to know about. There are now three performance assessments an aspiring principal must comp…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Access Food Resources in Texas During COVID-19

    Schools in Texas are temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic for the foreseeable future. Much is still unknown about the continuing impact this will have on schooling in the coming weeks a…

  • Blog Posts

    Classroom Rules for Efficient and Effective Classrooms

    Establishing classroom rules is the hardest part of starting any new school year, or even a new semester. Efficient and effective classrooms can be difficult to create because what works for one group…

  • Blog Posts

    Designing for All: Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom

    Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers all students a variety of ways to engage with the content you’re teaching. Today’s students enter classrooms with a wide range of skills, needs, and in…

  • Blog Posts

    Make a Game Plan for End-of-Year Teacher Conferences

    A high-speed roller coaster is a metaphor for the academic school year, with all its twists, turns, surprise drops, and even the ultimate upside-down spins. While this roller coaster spins inexorably …

  • Blog Posts

    Drinking from the Firehose Podcast: Culturally Responsive and Affirming Schools

    In episodes 3 and 4 of Drinking from the Firehose, Mera Dougherty, a central Texas principal, delves into culturally responsive schools, shedding light on ways to celebrate and affirm students and sta…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Build a Positive School Culture with Active Listening

    Think about how much information you get every day from listening. Your boss, your colleagues, and your students communicate with you often. How much of what all these people say do you pay attention …

  • Blog Posts

    What are the Benefits of the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA)?

    The Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) program is an innovative and exciting initiative that offers Texas school districts the opportunity to reward and retain their most effective teachers. While some…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Use STEM Choice Boards to Promote Critical Thinking

    STEM education is a method of hands-on teaching and learning where students learn to apply academic content by creatively solving real-world problems with innovative design-based thinking. Let’s…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Tips for Setting Up Classrooms to Improve Classroom Management

    When we talk about classroom management, we often lean on theory but forget the practical steps you can take. One of the best things you can do for your classroom, is learn how to physically set up yo…

  • Blog Posts

    Lago Vista ISD’s Darren Webb Wins 2023 Regional Superintendent of the Year Award

    Darren Webb, superintendent of Lago Vista ISD, has been named the 2023 Regional Superintendent of the Year by Education Service Center Region 13. Webb garners the respect and admiration of Lago Vista …

  • Blog Posts

    Who Are Tough Kids and Why Are They Hard to Handle?

    As a teacher, you’ve likely encountered your fair share of difficult students. Students have all sorts of different behaviors and personalities. Some are aggressive, others are reserved, some never fo…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the difference between reinforcement and punishment?

    One question I get asked when I teach my classroom management class is, “What is the best punishment for a student?” I reply, “There is none.” I’m sure the participants wonder why I’m qualified to tea…

  • Blog Posts

    What is Bullying and Why is it Harmful?

    Bullying is all around us. It’s easy to do. A bully approaches someone else and pressures them to do something they don’t want to do, or never wanted to do in the first place. Bullies can tease, hurt,…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Reasons Why Behavior Charts are Not Effective

    Plenty of schools use behavior charts to track their students’ behavior. Behavior charts come in all shapes and sizes and are used primarily to motivate students to behave better while in class. At th…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Key Areas of Change to the Science TEKS

    Did you know Texas has brand new Science standards? The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for grades Kindergarten through 12th have been revised, approved by the State Board of Education, an…

  • Blog Posts

    How a Digital Portfolio Can Help Your Child Stand Out in College Admissions

    This guest post was written by Adam Metcalf of the free app ZeeMee. Your child is more than a test score. As parents, we all know this to be true. Our kids are way more than their test scores, their g…

  • Blog Posts

    6 Supplemental Aids Allowed on Your Math STAAR Tests

    Supplemental aids are paper-based resources that assist a student in recalling information. Here are 6 supplemental aids your student can use on the STAAR math tests. Blank Graphic Organizers Mnemonic…

  • Blog Posts

    Boost Staff Morale During COVID-19 With These 5 Tips

    Being a campus leader during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult, to say the least. Now, more than ever, your staff, students, and families are looking to you for leadership during this strange and str…

  • Blog Posts

    Dr. Stuart Ablon On Rethinking Our Approach to Youth Mental Health Care

    KEY POINTS As the new year begins, we find ourselves in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, the likes of which we have not seen in the last half-century or more. I am afraid the ripple effects …

  • Blog Posts

    Resource Roundup: Strategies for Online Teaching Related to COVID-19 School Closures

    With the spread of the COVID-19 virus (aka coronavirus) many schools across the country have already started to disrupt their normal activities like physically attending school. Now’s a good tim…

  • Landing Pages

    Region 13 Recognition

    Educational excellence Recognizing our educational staff is not just about acknowledging their hard work and commitment; it's about valuing their profound impact on our community and the lives of the…

  • Landing Pages

    Performance Support

    It takes a lot to ensure a school succeeds, from hard working administration and teachers, to top notch counselors, success is a team effort. Whether you're following the guidelines set out in the A-F…

  • Landing Pages

    Technology Support

    Connecting educators to high-quality technology Our campuses and districts rely on technology to ensure that all of their students and staff members are successful. Having efficient and effective tec…

  • Blog Posts

    A Step-by-Step Guide to Alternative Teacher Certification in Texas

    Are you considering a career change and want to become a teacher in Texas? Alternative certification is an excellent option for those who want to transition into teaching without returning to school f…

  • Blog Posts

    Personal Accounts: The Need for Integrated Decoding and Phonics Skill-Building

    In 2019 I’ll be celebrating thirty years as an educator with fourteen years of that time in a high school English classroom. Although perhaps celebrating is the wrong verb, I often think I should go b…

  • Landing Pages

    Early Childhood

    We develop quality early childhood teachers, classrooms, and systems by providing professional development and customized services for educators like you whether you're from a public or private school…

  • Landing Pages

    Business and Finance

    Effective school operations School districts and campuses are home to dozens of working professionals, including administrative staff, teachers, custodians, nurses, coaches, and so much more. Campus …

  • Landing Pages

    School Wellness

    Our schools are diverse communities that provide our students with access to more than just academic support. Schools not only provide meals but can represent a safe space, both physically and mentall…

  • Landing Pages

    Instructional Support

    Strong schools have strong instructional supports available to all of their students, teachers, and staff members. Whether you're looking for the help of a knowledgeable instructional coach, a seasone…

  • Blog Posts

    What is the School Progress Domain and how is it Calculated?

    The School Progress Domain measures your campus progress in two areas: the number of students that academically grew by at least one year, and the achievement of all students with economically disadva…

  • Blog Posts

    8 Ways to Help Students Deal with Bullying

    While every issue a student might describe as “bullying” does not equate to the standard definition, all reports should be taken seriously, and appropriate support should be provided to th…

  • Blog Posts

    Changes to Assessment Policy from the 86th Texas Legislature Session

    During the 86th Texas Legislature session in 2019, multiple bills were passed that affect assessment policy in Texas. House Bill 3, House Bill 3906, House Bill 1244, and Senate Bill 213 all provide up…

  • Blog Posts

    Announcing Whiteboard 13: Support for Parents, Teachers, and Coaches

    I still remember the moment I learned that my children’s school would be closed for two weeks due to COVID-19. I should have seen it coming; schools were closing all around the country. But, still it …

  • Blog Posts

    What Educators Have Learned One Year Into a Pandemic

    Let’s be honest, it’s been a really hard year for most of us, and an exceptionally hard school year for educators. Educators have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, helping their students through…

  • Blog Posts

    3 Writing Frames to Help You Practice Writing in All Subject Areas

    Finding time for student writing in an ELAR class is hard, but it’s especially challenging in non ELAR classes. However, we know that the key to improving our students’ writing is giving t…

  • Blog Posts

    6 Big Mistakes You Might Be Making with Reinforcers

    Reinforcement is a powerful evidence-based practice that helps students with autism and developmental disabilities. Reinforcement, or a positive consequence for a specific behavior, helps with academi…

  • Blog Posts

    The Migrant Education Program Takes Students to Washington D.C. for Leadership Program

    The Migrant Education Program is federally funded. As part of Program-Specific Assurances and the e-grant application, the program must provide and coordinate leadership and mentoring programs for mig…

  • Blog Posts

    Top 3 Strategies for Dealing with Challenging Behavior in a Preschool Classroom

    1. Understand and Identify the Student’s Positive Reinforcers Every teacher knows that each and every student in their class is unique. Each student has a different upbringing, has different cul…

  • Blog Posts

    How to Create a Digital Token Board Using Google Slides

    Token boards are an essential tool for managing challenging behaviors for students with autism or developmental disabilities. However, providing a token board for students in an online learning enviro…

  • Blog Posts

    Remote Learning for Life Skills Students: Planning for All Learners

    Providing remote learning opportunities to students with cognitive, sensory and physical challenges can be a daunting task. Interactions that rely on physical proximity and the experience of having a …

  • Blog Posts

    Remote Learning for Life Skills Students: Setting up Your Online Environment

    Providing remote learning opportunities to students with cognitive, sensory, and physical challenges can be a daunting task. Interactions that rely on physical proximity and the experience of having a…

  • Events

    Principal As Instructional Leader Certification Assessment (268) Test Prep

    This 268 Test Prep training provides students in approved Texas Preparation Programs an opportunity to prime their test-taking skills for the 268 assessment. The ONLINE session will allow principal pr…

  • Services

    Multilingual Cooperative

    Students served in bilingual, dual language, and ESL programs need additional support throughout their academic journey. Region 13’s Multilingual Cooperative provides member districts with deeply disc…

  • Events

    Constructed Response Deep-Dive

    Come “construct with us” in a safe and supportive learning environment that will provide you with strategies to increase your confidence on how to approach the four Constructed Response (CR) items on …

  • Resources

    TEI - STAAR Question Types Guidance Document

    Beginning with the spring 2023 STAAR administration, students who test online will interact with a variety of new question types in addition to traditional multiple-choice questions. This guidance doc…

  • Services

    Bilingual/ESL Cooperative

    Our bilingual and English as a second language learners need additional support throughout their academic journey. Our bilingual/ESL cooperative for districts improves the quality of instruction provi…

  • Services

    Newcomer Support

    English learners who are new to the country often need specialized support through newcomer programs to help them acquire and understand the English language while they adjust socially and culturally …

  • Services

    English Learner Program Support: Compliance and Enhancement

    Supporting all of our multilingual students in bilingual and ESL programs across the region is one of our primary goals, and that starts with supporting you with your programs. The foundation of this …

  • Services

    Discovery Education: Your Daily Learning Platform

    Create A Lasting Educational Impact Discovery Education provides over 200,000 high-quality, developmentally appropriate, and TEKS-aligned resources to give your educators everything they need to fa…

  • Services

    TexQuest

    TexQuest is a statewide digital resources program that provides anytime, anywhere access to high quality, authoritative digital resources to all educators, students, and students' immediate families i…

  • Services

    Instructional Coaching for Teachers of English Learners

    Our bilingual/ESL specialists provide your teachers and staff support through an EL instructional coach. We use research driven strategies and methods to improve the outcomes of all your English Learn…

  • Services

    Bilingual and ESL Teachers: Custom PD

    Our specialists collaborate with your district to develop specialized professional development workshops for ESL teachers and bilingual teachers that target the specific needs of your school community…

  • Events

    Biliteracy Full Institute for Kinder-2nd: Online

    This online, self-guided, full institute provides in-depth training on how to support students in K-2nd grade through biliteracy education. You will get the opportunity to explore all four language …

  • Events

    Biliteracy Full Institute for 3rd-5th: Online

    This online, self-guided, full institute provides in-depth training on how to support students in 3rd-5th grade through biliteracy education. You will get the opportunity to explore all four languag…

  • Events

    ESL Academy Online

    This self directed online course provides a foundation for understanding language acquisition and explores best practices in ESL instruction while preparing participants for the TExES exam #154: Engli…

  • Resources

    STAAR FAQs

    Welcome to the STAAR FAQ document. Here we answer the questions you’ve asked about STAAR. All questions are answered by the ESC Region 13 STAAR Team. To submit a question, email us at staar@esc1…

  • Pages

    Website Terms of Service

    1. Terms By accessing the website at https://www.esc13.net/, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms of service, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compli…

  • Pages

    Privacy Policy

    Effective date: September 6, 2019 Region 13 Education Service Center ("us", "we", or "our") operates the https://esc13.net/ website (the "Service"). This page informs you of our policies regarding t…

  • Resources

    Bilingual/ESL School Board Report Presentation Template

    Each year districts must provide a presentation of their Bilingual/ESL program evaluation to the school board. We have created this Powerpoint template to support districts in meeting this requirement…

  • Landing Pages

    E-campus

    Our E-campus course catalog houses all of the professional development workshops, online courses, conferences, and events our specialists offer year-round. It also serves as the hub for your transcrip…

  • Resources

    Title III Parent Literacy Series

    The following videos are meant to provide school districts with a means for sharing information and tips for parents to support their child’s literacy development.Los siguientes videos proven a cualqu…

  • Resources

    TEI - STAAR Question Types Video Series

    State and federal laws require a redesign of the STAAR that will ensure it is more aligned with how students are learning in the classroom. Beginning with the spring 2023 STAAR administration, student…

  • Resources

    Programs and Services Information for Parents of Spanish Speaking ELs

    The following videos are meant to provide the school district with a means of communicating important information regarding the services they provide Spanish-speaking ELs to their parents, guardians, …

  • Pages

    Service Record Request

    This service record request is for current and former ESC Region 13 employees only. Please complete the online form to request your service record. Allow a minimum of 30 working days from the date of …

  • Resources

    STAAR Blueprint Breakdowns & Response Rubrics

    These Blueprint Breakdowns provide insight into the construction of STAAR tests. Each Breakdown lists the number of questions, possible points, number of assessed standards, and a student expectation …

  • Pages

    Terms and Conditions

    Information about our terms and conditions for customers, partners, and suppliers. Standard Terms and Conditions - Products/GoodsStandard Terms and Conditions - ServicesWebsite Terms of Service…

  • Resources

    STAAR Writing ASE Misconceptions and Facts Chart

    Welcome to ESC Region 13's guide on the STAAR Automated Scoring Engine (ASE) for Constructed Response Scoring. Here, we address common misconceptions and provide clear insights into the scoring proc…

  • Resources

    Accommodation Central

    We want all of our students to learn and succeed. With the appropriate, successfully implemented accommodations, students can reach their fullest potential. However, finding current information about …

  • Pages

    Public Information Request

    …

  • Landing Pages

    Distance and Digital Learning

    Our world is always connected⏤ conversations happen online, social policies are managed through tweets, and our students' learning is extended online, not just crafted in the classroom. Distance and …

  • Events

    Step Out of the Storm: Understanding Crisis

    Have you ever experienced a time when a student became upset, and you were not sure what to do? It happens all too frequently. When students are under pressure, their emotions can become heightened, a…

  • Landing Pages

    Child Find

    What is Child Find? Child Find is a legally required, important first step to locating and evaluating children from birth to 21 years of age with disabilities or suspected disabilities and their poss…

  • Resources

    5 Great Home Engagement Ideas

    This 5 part video series will help you engage your preschool child at home during everyday activities! Engaging your preschool child in learning activities at home isn’t as challenging as it might se…

  • Events

    Establishing Structures for Success

    Like building a house, you start on the structure after you pour the foundation. This course is all about developing your classroom management plan. This plan comprises your goals, rules, managing stu…

  • Events

    Best Practices in Classroom Management

    In this online course, we will navigate through best practices in classroom management. The course is intended for you to develop a deeper understanding on the importance of relationships, establish a…

  • Resources

    CCMR Tracking Sheet

    We’ve created a free tool, an excel spreadsheet, to visually monitor the achievements of your students at your campus by cohort. Our Tracking Tool can be downloaded to your desktop for immediate use. …

  • Products

    TExGUIDE

    TExGUIDE provides teachers with a bridge between curriculum, aligned resources, and instructional planning. This increases the efficiency and quality of lesson planning for teachers, which directly im…

  • Events

    Math: Manipulatives for Middle School

    By using manipulatives, students can make connections between concrete objects and abstract mathematical concepts, which can make math more accessible and engaging. Manipulatives can help students…

  • Products

    Old School Smarts T-Shirt (Unisex) Navy

    Your smarts might be old school. But you’re certainly not. Show off your “old school” knowledge with this throwback tee. It feels soft and lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. It's comfortab…

  • Events

    2024 Vendor Fair Un-Conference

    The Vendor Fair Un-Conference provides LEA and ESC personnel with the inspiration, knowledge, and resources they need to be successful in identifying resources for their federal grant responsibilities…

  • Events

    Creating a Positive Classroom Climate

    Establishing a positive classroom environment is an important component to the success of your classroom. You can not control student behavior, but you can control your classroom environment. In this …

  • Products

    Old School Smarts T-Shirt (Unisex) Brown

    Your smarts might be old school. But you’re certainly not. Show off your “old school” knowledge with this throwback tee. It feels soft and lightweight, with the right amount of stretch. It's comfortab…

  • Products

    Aspire to Inspire T-Shirt (Unisex) Heather Mint

    Remind yourself, your fellow teachers, and your students to aspire to inspire others every day (or at least on Friday’s when you can wear this comfy heather tee). It feels soft and lightweight, with t…

  • Products

    Super Teacher T-Shirt (Unisex) Red

    Talking during your lesson, morning duty, and broken pencils might be your kryptonite- but we won’t tell. To us, and your students, you are the ultimate superhero. You are a super teacher. Leave the c…

  • Events

    Forming Site Based Decision Making Committees

    The main objective of this course is to provide detailed information related to forming your Site-Based Decision-Making committees. Site-Based Decision-Making committees are not only instrumental…