Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA)

1. Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA) Deborah Reed University of Texas-Austin, Meadows Center for the Prevention of Education Risk Dr. Muffet Livaudais Texas Education Agency

2. Texas Adolescent Literacy Academies (TALA)(HB 2237, Section 4) • Teachers in grades 6-8 • ELA Academy for English and reading teachers • Content Area Academy for teachers of mathematics, science, and social studies • Requirement for teachers at Academically Unacceptable campuses • Teacher stipend for completion • Teachers in grade 6 – Summer 2008 • Teachers in grades 7-8 – Summer 2009

3. Schoolwide Approach to Middle School Reading Intervention (RtI Model) Tier III Students with severe reading difficulties Intensive Intervention Tier II Students with reading difficulties that cannot be addressed in Tier I Strategic Intervention Content Area Comprehension and Vocabulary Instructional Routines All students Tier I Safe and Positive School Climate; Instructional Leadership; Effective Instruction

4. Content Area Academy • Math, science, social studies teachers, including ESL and special education teachers • A total of 1.5 days face-to-face training and a half-day practicum follow-up with online documentation • Content-based academic literacy strategies • $250 stipend (½ upon completion of face-to-face session, ½ upon completion of follow-up)

5. ELA Academy • English and reading teachers, including ESL and special education teachers • A total of 3 days face-to-face training and a 1-day practicum follow-up with online documentation • Content-based academic literacy strategies • Intensive intervention strategies • Progress monitoring assessment to inform instruction/intervention • $500 stipend (½ upon completion of face-to-face session, ½ upon completion of follow-up)

6. TALA Attendance Summer 2008 – Grade 6 # = number of teachers NOTE: All 20 ESCs are conducting fall TALA sessions for teachers who did not or could not attend the summer sessions. Those numbers will be added in November after all fall sessions have been completed.

7. Middle School Progress Monitoring System • HB 2237, Section 6 states that districts are to • administer assessment to students in grade 7 (scale score below 2100 on grade 6 TAKS Reading) who did not demonstrate reading proficiency • provide intensive instruction and intervention to these students based on the results of the assessment • Instrument is also validated for use with students in grades 6 and 8 • TALA ELA Academy will provide training on administration and use of this assessment

8. This assessment is known as the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA)

9. Number Trained on TMSFA August/September 2008 NOTE: Some ESCs are conducting additional sessions in October. Those numbers will be added in November after all fall sessions have been completed.

10. TALA Contacts Deborah Reed 512-471-8045 dreed@mail.utexas.edu Dr. Muffet Livaudais 512-463-2717 muffet.livaudais@tea.state.tx.us www.tea.state.tx.us/tala

11. ESC TALA Contacts

12. ESC TALA Contacts