Photo Courtesy of Education Blog Dallas Morning News

You have between now and February 3rd for your voices to be heard Texas.

One thing that has become abundantly clear is the Texas Educational Service Centers that brought CSCOPE to Texas have had absolutely no oversight by the TEA. To rectify that Commissioner of Education Michael Williams has proposed new rule in the Texas Register regarding Regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) – 

If you go to the Texas Register by clicking the link below.  Once at this website, click on Texas Education Agency.  In the body of the text, there is a reference to Figure: 19 TAC §53.1021(b) (.pdf).  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/January32014/index.html.

Commissioner Williams has proposed an ESC (Education Service Center) Performance Standards and Indicators Manual.  The manual is intended to provide clear expectations to ESCs and executive directors for programs, products, and services developed and provided to school districts and charter schools. The public comment period on the proposed rule goes through February 3rd. 

“Agency legal counsel has determined that the commissioner should take formal rule making action to place into the Texas Administrative Code procedures related to the regional education service center performance standards and indicators. The intent is to update, as needed, 19 TAC §53.1021 to refer to the most recently published Regional Education Service Center Performance Standards and Indicators Manual, which would be updated to remain current with applicable statutes and procedures.

Proposed new 19 TAC §53.1021 would adopt the Regional Education Service Center Performance Standards and Indicators Manual in rule as Figure: 19 TAC §53.1021(b), which would establish performance standards and indicators used in the evaluation of regional education service centers and executive directors. The manual would provide clear expectations to regional education service centers and executive directors for programs, products, and services developed and provided to school districts and charter schools. The manual would also provide clear expectations for ensuring compliance with statutory requirements.

The proposed new section would establish in rule the performance standards and indicators by which regional education service centers will be annually evaluated. The proposed new section would have no locally maintained paperwork requirements.

Julie Beisert-Smith, director of regional education service centers, has determined that for the first five-year period the new section is in effect there will be no additional costs for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the new section.

Ms. Beisert-Smith has determined that for each year of the first five years the new section is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing the new section would be to inform the public of the existence of annual manuals specifying regional education service center performance standards and indicators by including this rule in the Texas Administrative Code. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposed new section.

There is no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses and microbusinesses; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis, specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.

The public comment period on the proposal begins January 3, 2014, and ends February 3, 2014. Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez, Rulemaking, Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 475-1497. Comments may also be submitted electronically to rules@tea.state.tx.us or faxed to (512) 463-5337. A request for a public hearing on the proposal submitted under the Administrative Procedure Act must be received by the commissioner of education not more than 14 calendar days after notice of the proposal has been published in the Texas Register on January 3, 2014.

The new section is proposed under the Texas Education Code (TEC), §8.101, which authorizes the commissioner to establish performance standards and indicators for regional education service centers.

The new section implements the TEC, §8.101.

§53.1021.Regional Education Service Center Performance Standards and Indicators.

(a) In accordance with the Texas Education Code, §8.101, the commissioner of education shall establish performance standards and indicators for regional education service centers to be used in the annual evaluation of each regional education service center and executive director.

(b) The specific performance standards and indicators by which the commissioner shall evaluate each regional education service center and executive director are described in the Regional Education Service Center Performance Standards and Indicators Manual provided in this subsection.

Figure: 19 TAC §53.1021(b) (.pdf)

(c) The specific criteria used in the Regional Education Service Center Performance Standards and Indicators Manual are established by the commissioner and communicated to all regional education service centers and executive directors.

The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed the proposal and found it to be within the state agency’s legal authority to adopt.”

 Time is of the Essence to stop the “Fundamental Transformation” of education in America. It is time for parents and grandparents to give the “Gift of American Exceptionalism” back to their child or grandchild. To do this we must go into our children’s school and say…..

#CanISee WHAT you are teaching my child, #CanISee HOW you are teaching my child and #CanISee WHO is financially benefiting from the curriculum products my child’s teacher is being evaluated on.

To follow the movement building a coalition of parents and teacher to give the gift of ”American Exceptionalism” to the next generation follow the hashtag #CanISee on Twitter.

If you think it is important I do urge you to support Women On the Wall and our efforts to educate people. 

Stand with Texas Parents and Teachers who are fighting against the Federal Take Over of Education across our country.