Human Resources Advisory Council

December 18, 2014

Facilitated byMelissa Aguero Ramirez

HR Director Region One ESC

Welcome, Introductions & Announcements

Educator Preparation Programs

NCLB 2014-2015 Timeline• Campus Reporting of Highly Qualified Teacher

Compliance Report as of September 16, 2014(2014-2015 Highly Qualified Teacher Data)—Due Date November 17, 2014

• LEA Public Reporting of Progress in Meeting Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements(2014-2015 Highly Qualified Teacher Data)—Due Date December 15, 2014

• Principal’s Attestation of Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements (2014-2015 Highly Qualified Teacher Data)—Due Date December 15, 2014

• Randomly selected• 3 separate processes

– Teacher Status Validation • TEA validates LEA’s determination of HQ status • Starts in October

– Principal Attestation Validation• LEA will submit principal’s attestation(s) as requested• Starts after 12/15/14

– Parent Notification Validation• LEA will submit copies of letter to parents notifying them that child

was taught for 4 or more weeks by a teacher that wasn’t HQ• Starts in late September

Validation

No Child Left Behind reminders….

• Update info “prn”

• June 15 – end of year “snapshot”• What ECOS says……

Certification• Core Subject Exam EC-6 and 4-8

• Start administration January 6, 2015• How register?

• Call ETS 1-800-205-2626• Cost?

• During data collection period, FREE and $60 per retake exam• Otherwise $120 then $60 per retake exam

• 45 day retake waiting period applies• No breaks during test• Scores available within 7 days from test date

Core Content continued…

See Score Report Sample Scenarios

Eliminated exams• Last administration 8/31/15:

– Generalist EC-6 (191)– Generalist 4-8 (111)– Bilingual Generalist EC-6 (192)– Bilingual Generalist 4-8 (119)– ESL/Generalist EC-6 (193)– ESL/Generalist 4-8 (120)

• All certification must be complete by 8/31/17

• Must apply by 10/30/17

Resources for BTLPT Candidates

• Spanish Content Vocabulary: Academic Vocabulary for Fifth- to Seventh-Grade English Language Learners in Texas http://elltx.org/docs/AcademicVocabulary.pdf

• Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in Spanish: Spanish Language Arts and Reading, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147493469

• Spanish Writing: Real Academia Española: Diccionario panhispánico de dudas; Accent information http://lema.rae.es/dpd

• Bilingual Education Resources in Spanish, Region One Education Service Center:Lectura en Español y estrategias con recursos, materiales, apoyo y sugerencias (LEER MAS) http://www.esc1.net/projecttesoro

• Bilingual Review Session

NEW TEA website and email addresses

• New TEA website: http://tea.texas.gov/

• Beginning Dec. 15, 2014, TEA email addresses will transition from the current format of Firstname.Lastname@tea.state.tx.us to the shorter Firstname.Lastname@tea.texas.gov

• both the old email format and new email format will still but encourage changing to the new and shorter format as soon as possible

• In addition, please alert your IT department of this transition to allow the new domain of “@tea.texas.gov” through any spam filters your district may have.

• If you have any questions or concerns regarding the email transition (or have comments regarding the new agency website), please feel free to contact TEA Communications at teainfo@tea.state.tx.us (through Dec. 14), teainfo@tea.texas.gov (beginning Dec. 15) or calling (512) 463-9000

Principal Survey• Principals receive CPEs for filling out

• March 3rd – system opens to HR– (add/move/delete teachers)– Webinar scheduled this week

• March 16th – system opens to Principals– Webinar forthcoming

• Due Mid June

• Effective this year results will impact EPP accountability ratings

Evaluation Systems

• What do they look like?

• Implementation Timeline?

• Objectives of New Systems

Insurance Plan Responsibilities◦ Dependents up to age 26◦ Pre-existing conditions for children ◦ No cost preventive care◦ Prohibition on lifetime coverage limits

State◦ Insurance Exchange

Employee Responsibilities◦ Individual mandate

Employer Responsibilities◦ Shared responsibility◦ Non-discrimination ◦ Administrative

ACA - Who has to do what?

Insurance Exchange◦ To be created by 1/1/14

◦ For individuals and small businesses to find prices on insurance coverage

State Responsibilities

Aka “Individual Mandate”Effective 1/1/14Insurance for self / dependantsMonthly penalty if don’t acquireExemptions◦ Affordability◦ Categories of individuals

Employee Responsibilities

◦ Offer insurance** to all FT employees Effective 1/1/14 or fiscal year

Assessment if Fail to offer insurance to all FT employees 1 or more FT employee gets insurance through Exchange

AND Receives premium credit

Assessment = $2,000 x (# FT employees – 30)

Employer Responsibilities

• Automatic enrollment for FT employees– Effective 2015*

• Nondiscrimination– Effective approx. 9/1/15*– Can’t discriminate in favor of “highly compensated

employees”• Five highest paid officers• 25% highest paid employees

– Excess premiums = taxable income– Penalty = $100 per day x # employees not

discriminated against

Employer Responsibilities contd.

Employer Responsibilities contd.

Affordable Care Act• TRS has clarified that employees, including substitutes, who are reasonably

expected to work 10 or more hours per week are eligible to enroll in TRS-ActiveCare.

• Substitute teacher health insurance eligibility letter (TASB sample)

• The letter describes enrollment eligibility, outlines the process for payment of premiums, and explains the conditions for continuing eligibility

FACT Clearinghouse

• “creates a single system to receive, search, adjudicate, subscribe and unsubscribe to applicant/licensee criminal history record information”

• Features:– Work list – a list of an agency’s applicants– Applicant search – to search for a specific applicant– Response Type Icons – Hit/No Hit/Rejct– Subscription Status – if agency is subscribed or not to a person

• FBI Rap Back feature starting Summer/Fall 2015

• Support http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/pages/FACTClearinghouse.pdf OR

Charlene Cain at Charlene.Cain@dps.texas.gov or 512-424-2090

Work-Site Postings • Revised Notice to Employees required by the Texas Hazard

Communication Act

• Effective date of the required notice from the Texas Department of State Health Services Division for Regulatory Services was March 2014

• The revised posters may be ordered online through the TASB

Store or by calling 800.580.8272 ext. 2290

• Please contact HR Services at hrservices@tasb.org or 800-580-7782 if you have any questions.

Lessons Learned (as per Law Dawg)

• Garces vs. La Joya ISD– When the legislature changed the timeline from 45 to 10 days,

we assumed a case like this would arise….

• Vazquez v. Williams (Los Fresnos CISD)– Teachers are entitled to cross-examine adverse witnesses at a

nonrenewal hearing

• Aleman vs. Edcouch Elsa ISD– The free speech rights of superintendents are not the same as

the free speech rights of custodians/cafeteria workers

* Latest additions * Give & Take workshop– San Benito CISD January 8, 2015– Jim Hogg CISD 9 - 4– Rio Hondo ISD Workshop #

Substitute Teacher Certification Academy

8-5 first day and 8-12 second day•1/13 and 1/14 #43618 / Willacy room•1/16 and 1/17 #workshop TBD at Lyford CISD•6/15 and 6/16 #43619 /Willacy room

For more information: http://www.esc1.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&ModuleInstanceID=549&ViewID=047E6BE3-6D87-4130-8424-D8E4E9ED6C2A&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=2251&PageID=1

Upcoming Events & Announcements• HR 101

– January 30, 2015 – workshop # 43636

• TxBESS Mentor teacher training – February 11, 2015 -workshop #43635

• Walsh Anderson HR Symposium– February 12, 2015 - workshop #44037

• ParaEducator Conference– February 13, 2015 - workshop # 42267

• Conference for Administrative Professionals– April 17, 2015 - workshop#42467

Job Fairs

• March 31st – UTSA• April 8th – Texas A&M Corpus Christi• April 9th – UTB/TSC• April 23rd – Texas A&M Intl. Laredo• June 2nd – Region One ESC

Human Resources Advisory Council Meeting Dates

• All will be held in the Starr Room from 9-12

–February 20 – workshop #43630

–April 21 –workshop #43631

–August 28 – workshop #43632

TASPA News

• New members / committees served

• TASPA Summer Law Conference – July 15, 2015

• TASPA Summer Conference – July 15 – 17, 2015

Questions, Concerns, & Solutions• Region One Salary survey

• Employee Voluntary Savings Plans– La Joya– Lyford– Mercedes– Rio Grande City – presentation on how theirs works

– PSJA