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Texas Comprehensive Center

Previous Work
October 2005 through September 2012

Overview

Texas

The Texas Comprehensive Center (TXCC) provided technical assistance, professional development, and support services to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) under grant number S283B050020 from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for 7 years. TXCC's work with TEA focused on educator quality and effectiveness; statewide systems of support; English language learners and other diverse students; literacy, mathematics, and science initiatives; early-warning data systems; college- and career-ready standards and aligned assessments; and support to facilitate implementation of and compliance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Early Warning Data System (EWDS)

In collaboration with the National High School Center (NHSC), the TXCC adapted the NHSC early warning system for use by Texas grant recipients. The resulting EWDS is a database application that collects data on research-based dropout indicators: academic performance, attendance, and behavior. Students who are identified as potential dropouts are flagged and provided with interventions that are also tracked in the database. To support implementation, the TXCC provides training around the state on using the EWDS, which is available free of charge to Texas schools and districts.

Project continued from prior grant:
Early Warning Data System (EWDS)

Previous Work Updates

November 2013

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the TXCC conducted a webinar on the Early Warning Data System (EWDS) on November 12, 2013. Two TXCC staff members and one TEA manager participated in the webinar at SEDL headquarters; two additional TEA staff members, with expertise in the studentGPS™ Dashboards, participated from off site. Seventeen of Texas’ education service centers (ESCs) either joined the webinar or viewed the recorded broadcast. TXCC staff provided access information for the updated EWDS training material, and several ESCs requested the updated materials on flash drives, which were sent within the week to the requestors. The TEA manager emphasized the need for ESCs to facilitate the transition from the EWDS to the studentGPS™ Dashboards to ensure a seamless change for districts and high schools.

October 2013

The TXCC and TEA are planning for a November webinar in which to share the EWDS and updated resources with education service center (ESC) staff. The TXCC personnel will be demonstrating features of the EWDS, an activity that ESC staff will replicate when meeting with school staff. The TXCC staff will also share updated resources designed for both a short overview session and for a longer, 3–6 hour hands-on session for ESCs to use for presentations. During the webinar, the TEA will be communicating expectations for ESCs in using EWDS. In addition, TEA staff will discuss the upcoming studentGPS™ Dashboards, a similar data tracking component that will align with the new Texas Student Data System.

September 2013

TXCC staff worked with the program manager of TEA's Division of Federal and State Education Policy and determined that an updated process is needed for ESCs to provide to high schools using the EWDS. A webinar during the fall of 2013 will give ESC staff an update of the EWDS process and materials; it will also include information about the Texas Student Data System to help ESCs begin planning for support of this new data-based early warning system. The EWDS materials and processes will be designed to facilitate multiple formats of presentation by the ESCs. Additional technical support for the various computer systems used by schools across the state will also be provided to allow for successful EWDS implementation.

March 2012

A representative from the education service center supporting the pilot of the updated Texas Early Warning Data System came to the TXCC offices to receive in-depth training on the process. This training will enable him to introduce the EWDS effectively and answer questions about it for the potential pilot district. The presentation was made in late March, and the TXCC is awaiting a decision about starting the pilot program.

February 2012

TXCC and TEA staff met and discussed results from the survey sent to the ESCs early in the month. The Early Warning Data System team planned how to communicate about the resources that were currently available to support ESCs in presenting information about the system to districts and schools. They also discussed additional supports that could be designed to help ESCs provide further information about the EWDS. The team identified a potential school district that would pilot the updated version of the system and planned a process to share needed information with the district staff.

January 2012

TXCC staff met with representatives from TEA to establish a timeline for sharing the updated version of the Texas Early Warning Data System. TEA staff were also interested in what kind of support the education service centers (ESCs) needed as they presented information about the Texas EWDS to districts and schools in their regions. TXCC and TEA jointly designed a survey to be sent to the ESCs to determine the level of support needed.

December 2011

A monthly planning meeting took place between TXCC and TEA to discuss the implementation of the current version of the EWDS and the plans for rolling out the updated version.

November 2011

TXCC staff met with staff from TEA to demonstrate the updated version of the EWDS. The meeting focused on identifying a school system willing to pilot the new system and work together with an education service center to provide the TXCC with feedback on the benefits and challenges of the system.

October 2011

TXCC staff continued to work on an update of the Texas Early Warning Data System that would provide school districts with the means to review summary data across the school district. Currently, the system is a stand-alone database within a school and includes specific student data to help school staff develop interventions targeted to groups of students with similar needs. The new system will not include information about individual students but will help a district make decisions about the kind of support schools will need to help students in need of assistance before they drop out.

 

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The contents of this site were developed under grant number S283B050020 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.