SPEDTalk

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam, John, and Amy come face to face with excellence in practice while dropping in to visit with the Frisco ISD Special Education Leadership Team. This Dream Team of Four consists of Traci Cartas (Executive Director), and her three fabulous Directors, Garrett Jackson, Christine Davis, and Dr. Coral Wilkens. Their efforts to develop organizational capacity at all levels can best be described as the Intersection between Innovation and Education. The Special Education Leadership Academy they have developed to build SPED Knowledge District wide combines just  the right mix of empathetic planning and strategic implementation. Utilizing a co-design process, the cohort model of professional learning opportunities developed provides prescriptive PD customized to the needs and interests of their staff. It really is exciting to see potential and possibility transform into practices in action. Frisco ISD is re-imagining what special education can be by developing leadership at all levels!  

Frisco ISD SPED 

@spedtalk2020

Big Changes

SPEDTalk Dashboard

ARD Buddy

SPED Leadership Academy

Principal Dashboard

Budget Buddy Dashboard

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John are joined by two of our favorite folks. We are excited to sit down with Jam Page, Director of SPED at ESC Region 15 and Tammy Utter, Field Service Agent (and former ESC SPED Liaison Extraordinaire) also from ESC Region 15 to learn all about the new Small and Rural Schools Network (SRSN). The SRSN includes representatives from each of the 20 Regional Education Service Centers, along with Network Leads, Jam and Tammy. This Network is designed to meet the educational challenges unique to small and rural school's in Texas. 

Jam and Tammy are super excited to be sharing information about the purpose, mission, services, activities, and opportunities schools can expect from this new Statewide Leadership Network. With a goal of supporting increasingly equitable services to students with disabilities in small and rural LEAs, the SRSN Small & Rural School Connection Conferences are a great opportunity for SPED Directors and support staff to come together for shared learning and networking. While these conferences are designed to focus on the unique needs of small and rural schools, everyone is invited to attend. If you're interested in attending, check out the flyer link below.

SRSN Small & Rural School Connection Conference Flyer

@spedtalk2020

Big Changes

SPEDTalk Dashboard

ARD Buddy

SPED Leadership Academy

Principal Dashboard

Budget Buddy Dashboard

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John discuss what it means to be an effective SPED Administrator, Shifting from Compliance to Outcomes, and the Importance of Student Self-Determination with the Director of Special Education at Connally ISD (Laurie Tresl) and the Director of Special  Populations at China Spring ISD (Lisa Howard.) The common denominator between us being that we intentionally plan to come together monthly to discuss, explore, and share ideas, information , and resources as an Extended Professional Learning Community of Special Education Leaders in Central Texas. Together, we are developing our own leadership qualities  through our investments in each other because we know the smartest person in the room is the room. 

SPED Leadership Academy <------Promo Link

@spedtalk2020   <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

SPEDTalk Dashboard <------Dashboard Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Dashboard <------Dashboard Link  

Budget Buddy Dashboard <------Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam, John, and Amy head on out to Aggie Land to learn all about A&Ms Aggie ACHIEVE Program from a couple of Aggie Students, Lexi and Miguel. Joining them to talk all about this unique to Texas four year college experience are... 

Carly B. Gilson, Ph.D.

and 

Olivia R. Hester, Ph.D.

Aggie ACHIEVE (Academic Courses in Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences) is a four-year inclusive post-secondary opportunity for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who have exited high school. Aggie ACHIEVE provides an inclusive and immersive college education and equips students for employment in the community. Aggie ACHIEVE aligns coursework, internship opportunities, and extracurricular activities with each student’s academic interests and employment goals. Students reside in Texas A&M residence halls and have access to all campus-related activities.

Aggie ACHIEVE <------Program Link

@spedtalk2020   <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

SPEDTalk Dashboard <------Dashboard Link 

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Dashboard <------Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In Unity there is Power! In this episode of SPEDTalk with Pam & John, get up to speed on a few of the changes occurring within the State Education Agency (TEA) in the Department of Special Education through the efforts of the Review and Support Division. Listen in as Ramonda Olaloye and Jacob Klett, Review & Support Managers, discuss the Differentiated Monitoring System (DMS), Results Driven Accountability (RDA), and the new Self-Assessment Process and Platform. You're gonna be glad you caught this episode. 

TEA Review and Support Division  <-----Website Link

Differentiated Monitoring System <------DMS Link

TEA Webinars  <------Registration Links

@spedtalk2020   <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Dashboard <------Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam, John, and Amy connect with Lisa Kirby and Kelly Joseph from ESC Region 20 in San Antonio, Texas. Lisa and Kelly have developed an impressive catalog of online webinars for administrators in addition to a web page on the Region 20 website designed to support campus leaders in their efforts to administer effective special education services. Closing out this episode are reflections on the first season of SPEDTalk and projections of amazing things yet to come in the upcoming second season of SPEDTalk. 

Campus Admin Resource Page <------ ESC 20 Web Page Link 

SPED Series for Administrators <------SPED for Campus Admin Webinar Link

Results Driven Accountability <------RDA Info Link

TCASE  <-----Website Link

@spedtalk2020  <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Navigation Station <-----Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John sit down with fellow Liaison, Evan Heckmann from ESC Region 10 to discuss resources and reflect on the evolution of the special education liaison role in Texas. In his first three videos in a series called "10 Minutes Til," Evan covers The Manifestation Determination Meeting, Child Find, and Behavior Situations. Be sure to check these out and share these resources with campus administrators in support of their efforts to administer effective special education services on their campuses. 

Results Driven Accountability <------RDA Info Link

@spedtalk2020  <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Navigation Station <-----Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John celebrate the amazing work of The Student-Centered Transitions Network (SCTN).  Listen in as Dr. Vickie Mitchell (Sam Houston State), Susie May (TEA), Kayla Daniel (ESC Region 12), Townsley Tayebianpour (ESC Region 4), and Corinna Cole (Sam Houston State) share their insights into the evolution of how we define Transition in Texas.  SCTN is designed to build collaborative infrastructures among students, families, schools, districts, and communities to equip all students with disabilities to be actively involved in planning, communicating, and evaluating progress in meeting their transition goals from early childhood through high school graduation and post-secondary readiness. 

Results Driven Accountability <------RDA Info Link

@spedtalk2020  <------Twitter Link

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Navigation Station <-----Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~

In this Live & Interactive Special Edition Episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John sit down with passionate educators from across the state of Texas to discuss the shift from a compliance heavy system to the Results Driven Accountability that has been adopted by the USDE and TEA. Listen in as problems are framed as possibilities and constraints lead to creativity. 

Results Driven Accountability <------RDA Info Link

TCASE  <-----Website Link 

TCASE Interactive <------Conference Registration

@spedtalk2020  <------Twitter Link 

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

Principal Navigation Station <-----Dashboard Link

~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~ 

In this episode of SPEDTalk, Pam and John sit down with Lorraine Klim, ESC Region 4 Special Education Liaison. Listen as Lorraine shares her passion for improving services for students with autism. Her efforts to create an Exemplar Autism Continuum speaks to a growing need in schools across Texas. 

 TEACCH Autism <------Training Link

@spedtalk2020   <------Twitter Link 

Big Changes <-----Transition App Link

ARD Buddy <-----Dashboard Link

SPED Leadership Academy <-----Dashboard Link

 ~Courage Creates Culture & Kindness Keeps Us Connected~