Reading Academies and Math Academies
April 13, 2017
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
SUBJECT: Reading Academies and Math Academies
Reading Academies
Senate Bill (SB) 925, 84th Texas Legislature, 2015, established literacy achievement academies for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at the kindergarten or first, second, or third grade level. SB 972, 84th Texas Legislature, 2015, established reading-to-learn academies for teachers who provide reading comprehension instruction to students at the fourth or fifth grade level.
Math Academies
SB 934, 84th Texas Legislature, 2015 established mathematics achievement academies for teachers who provide mathematics instruction to students at the kindergarten or first, second, or third grade level.
The agency is pleased to announce the following plans for the 2017 implementation of the academies.
The Texas Legislature has appropriated funding to pay stipends to eligible teachers who successfully complete academies. The agency is required to grant priority for academy participation and stipend eligibility to teachers employed at campuses at which 50% or more of the students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged (eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program). A teacher who successfully completes an academy will be eligible to receive a $350 stipend, minus applicable payroll and income taxes.
Following the 2016 implementation of grade 2 and 3 mathematics achievement academies and kindergarten and grade 1 literacy achievement academies, 2017 academies will be made available by education service centers (ESCs) throughout the state as follows:
| Grade 2 Literacy Achievement Grade 3 Literacy Achievement Grade 4 Reading to Learn Grade 5 Reading to Learn Kindergarten/Grade 1 Mathematics Achievement |
Lists of priority campuses by ESC region are posted at www.tea.texas.gov/Curriculum/Academies. Teachers at campuses listed on the 2016 list, the 2017 list, or both will be eligible to attend academies in summer 2017. The agency does not anticipate that funding will be sufficient to allow all teachers at all priority campuses to attend an academy this summer. Consequently, additional prioritization will occur to allow teachers from as many priority campuses as possible to attend academies. ESC staff will contact district administrators with instructions regarding registration of teachers for the summer 2017 academies.
Additional information regarding the academies is posted at www.tea.texas.gov/Curriculum/Academies.
For questions regarding the academies, please contact the Curriculum and Student Support Division, by telephone at (512) 463-9581 or by email at curriculum@tea.texas.gov.
Sincerely,
Monica Martinez
Associate Commissioner
Standards and Support Services