HB 3 Implementation

HB 3 amends statute to include multiple reading initiatives with new requirements that LEAs adopt K-3 phonics curriculum that uses systematic direct instruction, incorporate the use of integrated reading instruments, and prioritize the placement of highly effective teachers in K-2. A key new requirement in HB 3 is that LEAs are responsible to ensure that all K-3 teachers and principals in Texas will need to have completed the Reading Academies by the 2021-2022 school year. Visit TEA’s website for additional information about the upcoming Reading Academies.

In addition to the Reading Academies hosted by TEA, consider the CLI Engage professional development resources to supplement teacher training:

• Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines Online Training: CLI Engage hosts a series of online courses on the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines (published 2015). These video-based courses cover all ten learning domains of the revised 2015 guidelines: Social and Emotional Development, Language and Communication, Emergent Literacy, Reading Emergent Literacy, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts, Physical Development, and Technology. Child outcomes and specific instructional strategies are explored through extensive documentary-style video filmed in real Texas preK classrooms. Video commentary guides the viewer in what to look for. Each subdomain also links to video lessons in the Circle Activity Collection that support the child skills discussed.
• eCircle Professional Development: The eCircle Professional Development Program includes 16 courses (73.5 hours) for teachers and administrators serving children three to six years of age. These courses include extensive video-based demonstrations of effective instructional practices, as well as application-based assignments and activities. eCircle is well-aligned to the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, covering a broad range of topics including language and literacy, social and emotional development, science, and mathematics.

Additionally, we strongly encourage principals to sign-up for the Principal’s Primer, our regular newsletter with customized information for school administrators. In each edition, we feature tools and resources on CLI Engage to specifically support principals.

HB 3 requires school boards to adopt detailed plans developed by their management teams that achieve goals in two key areas:

• Early childhood literacy and mathematics (EC-LM) proficiency
• College, career, and military readiness (CCMR) Texas Education Code (TEC), Sections 11.185 and 11.186

While 3rd grade is the only grade required for HB 3 goal setting, it is best practice that plans include progress measures for PreK-2nd grade to understand growth toward 3rd grade reading proficiency. This also aligns with the HB 3 mandate that districts use integrated assessments for PreK-3rd grade to diagnose reading development and comprehension.

CLI Engage updated our data uploading and exporting tools to include additional student demographics to align with HB 3 requirements. These updates included amending the Universal Roster Upload template and Student Bulk Upload template to include additional demographic fields for Special Education, English Learner, Economic Disadvantaged, Dyslexia, and Enrollment Status (date enrolled and date withdrawn). The ethnicity designations were already optional fields for student upload. These updates occurred during the February 2020 system deployment.

When using the new templates, be sure to follow instructions to prevent data errors and duplicates.

Once student data is uploaded in CLI Engage, district administrators can export and view these demographics by using the Circle Progress Monitoring for PreK and/or TX-KEA assessment data reports. The Student Results Export Report provides raw data including the new subpopulation demographics that can be filtered or sorted as needed. These additional demographic fields enable districts to generate reports directly from CLI Engage for strategizing goals to monitor student proficiency in early childhood literacy and mathematics.

Sign up for our newsletter to be notified when additional updates are available on CLI Engage. Visit TEA’s website for more information.

The changes to kindergarten through grade 2 diagnostics include requiring the commissioner to adopt by rule a single kindergarten instrument that addresses the three developmental domains, including reading. The commissioner must determine the performance of the reading instrument adopted, and results of the reading instrument must be reported by districts and charter schools to parents in writing no later than the 60th calendar after the administration of the instrument. The commissioner must further ensure that a kindergarten through grade 2 reading instrument is made available to districts at no cost. Visit TEA’s website for additional information.

View our overview webinar for additional information, or view the presentation slides.

Kindergarten

The Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA), hosted on CLI Engage, includes a literacy screener to be conducted at BOY. Available at no cost to Texas school districts and charter schools, this new literacy screener embedded in TX-KEA satisfies the requirements of HB 3. Review TEA’s guidance on K-2 diagnostic screeners for additional information.

CLI concluded a pilot of the literacy screener in Spring 2020, collecting data to inform benchmarks and teacher feedback that was used to refine the final screener.

Additionally, we will launch a checklist related to dyslexia, intended to support teachers at EOY to determine students who may need additional assessment. Review the content of the checklist now, launching on CLI Engage in Spring 2021.

Grades 1 & 2

TPRI and Tejas LEE launched on CLI Engage in August 2020, available at no cost to Texas school districts and charter schools.

Additionally, we launched a checklist related to dyslexia for MOY in November 2020, intended to support teachers to determine students who may need additional assessment. Review the content of the checklist now, or login and view the digital resource.

HB 3 requires all prekindergarten services be offered to eligible 4-year-old students be full-day, and that the prekindergarten services meet the high quality requirements adopted by the Texas Legislature 4 years ago:

• Curriculum
• Student Progress Monitoring
• Teacher Qualifications
• Family Engagement Plan
• Data Reporting

Please review the CLI Engage alignment to the high quality prekindergarten program components: High Quality Prekindergarten (Rider 78 and HB4)

Visit TEA’s website for additional information.

As part of HB 3 implementation, TEA announced a new optional grant opportunity to support new teacher mentoring in the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. Learn more about this opportunity on TEA’s website.

CLI Engage features free access to many tools and resources that your school district or charter school can use to support mentoring and coaching. View information about these resources on Teacher Coaching:

• Competencies for effective coaching
• Classroom Observation and Goal-Setting Tools
• Circle Classroom Environment Checklist (CEC)

Additionally, CLI Engage includes several professional development resources dedicated to supporting high quality coaching delivery, including our Effective Mentoring eCircle online course and the new Coaching Micro-Credential.