A Dynamic Partnership that Equals Student Online Success:

Houston ISD and Texas Connections Academy @ Houston

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Lea Ann Lockard

Executive Director & Founding Principal

Texas Connections Academy @ Houston

llockard@connectionseducation.com

@LeaAnnLockard

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Harrison Peters

School Support Officer

Houston ISD

hpeters@houstonisd.org @HarrisonPeters

Peter Robertson

Senior Vice President of School Operations

Connections Education, LLC

probertson@connectionseducation.com

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Houston ISD Profile

• Nation’s 7th largest school district

• Texas’ largest district• 280 Schools• A Leader in Public School

Choice

• 217,000 students– Hispanic 62%– Black 25%– White 8%– Asian 4%– Other 2%

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Houston ISD’s Desire to Pursue Online School Options

• Influenced by Disrupting Class• TEA offered an online school pilot program in 2009

• matched HISD’s philosophy of “choice schools”• TCAH approved HISD as pilot on Dec 18, 2009

• regulatory cap of 100• TCAH is now a Texas Online School administered through

the Texas Administrative Code

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School Profile

3rd -12th Grade Students; 60 students in 2009 to 4,800 in 2016

Students are not physically present for instruction; instruction is 100% virtual

Students are physically present for state assessment with secure test materials and processes

State funding based on students meeting promotion requirements/successful course completion

184 teachers work from home across Texas with traditional teaching hours with responsibility to administer state testing, conduct field studies, and outreach

Executive Director and a Program Manager coordinate the partnership

Executive Director, Principals, Managers and Administrative Assistants work in a teaching center, 25 employees

Authorization is based off of new legislation that is pushing education reform

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Truly a Dynamic Partnership for Education Reform

First EMO-ISD partnership for a Texas Online School and most tenured in Texas

First Texas Online School to meet state standards in the state’s new accountability system; First TOLS to receive a Distinction in the state accountability system

Executive Director and Founding Principal received the United States Distance Learning Award for Leadership by an Individual in the Field of Distance Learning in 2014

The school has been featured in over a dozen publications including the New York Times, Education Week, Texas Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle as well as local television and radio

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Students Served by Full-time Virtual Schools

• Average/Gifted Students

• Student Athletes

• Students in the Visual and Performing Arts

• Medically Homebound Students

• Special Needs Students

• Struggling Students

• Bullied Students

• Families in Need of Flexibility

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Top Five Reasons Texas Families Need TCAH

BASED ON FAMILIES’ RESPONSES DURING 2014-2015 ENROLLMENT PROCESS.**

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High Quality Teaching

14 Average years experience

51% Advanced Degrees

100% Highly Qualified

61% Highly Effective

100+ Average # of training hours annually

100% in PLCs with subject specific SMART Goals

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TCAH Highlights 2014-2015

TCAH students passing STAAR surpassedthe State and HISD averages in4th – 8th Reading & English EOC I & II7th Grade Writing6th – 7th Grade Math

Based on the Houston ISD website, 2012 School Profiles

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Contributions to District Accountability

TCAH students

scored above HISD students in student achievement and

closing performance gaps; at the same level for student progress

Based on Texas Education Agency’s AEIS Report for Texas Connections Academy @ Houston

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Curriculum Model

Pre-planned, asynchronous curriculum with 24 hour access

Comparable to a “flipped classroom model”

Embedded and engaging instructional tools

Personalization for individual student needsHigh quality interventions for RtI

Parents have full access and ability to preview curriculum

Teacher Model

Grade Level Teams are established at every grade level

LiveLessons® for synchronous small group and one-on-one instruction

Interventionist and special populations teachers (Special Education and ELL) are on each team

Professional Learning Communities followed with fidelityProfessional development and training on protocols

Parents have the role of the Learning Coach to provide a triad of support for students (parent, teacher, EMS)

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Student Leadership, Clubs & Activities

• TCAH is part of a national network of clubs, activities, talent networks and service organizations

• Monthly Grade Level Guidance Lessons with artifacts for college readiness

• National and National Junior Honor Societies

• Monthly Student Spotlight for each grade level

• Students heavily engaged in faith based service, community and student leadership organizations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yyXssTxWzCs

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Parental Involvement

• State wide field trips

• TCAH Parent University

• The TCAH “Homeroom Mom/Dad”: Community Coordinators

• Parent-to-Parent

• Informal Facebook Meet Up

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Partnership

• Compliance

• Support

• Advocate

• Thought Partner

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Partnership

Remove Barriers:• Dual Credit• ELL• Special Needs• State Accountability

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• Socialization• Personalization

On the Horizon

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Created by

Harrison Peters and Lea Ann Lockard