Important Update

We regret to announce that effective February 19, 2025, the Southwest Comprehensive Center has lost its funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Consequently, website updates and maintenance are currently paused. We are committed to exploring all possible avenues to continue our support in the Southwest. We appreciate your understanding.

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Project: Texas Special Education Integration Teacher and Leader Modules

State
Texas
Areas of Work
Effective Instruction
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The Southwest Comprehensive Center (formerly the Region 14 Comprehensive Center 2019-2024) collaborated with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to create professional development courses based on evidence for local education agencies and teachers. These courses focus on effectively training for and sustainably implementing co-teaching and flexible grouping practices. The goal is to improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities in inclusive classroom settings.

 

The Need

The TEA initially conducted internal alignment work at the state level prior to beginning the project with the Southwest Comprehensive Center (Southwest CC). The result of the alignment work indicated that the TEA needed to develop professional development (PD) courses on co-teaching, and that flexible grouping practices build local education agency (LEA) and teacher capacity. This is necessary to implement evidence-based practices and improve results for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms.

 

Our Approach

Specially Designed Instruction

The TEA is working on the “Inclusion in Texas” initiative to provide specially designed instruction (SDI) to students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Southwest CC supports the TEA in developing necessary PD courses on co-teaching and flexible grouping to establish more inclusive classrooms conducive to SDI.

 

Intensive Capacity Building

The TEA PD courses on co-teaching and flexible grouping are digitized and available for use by LEAs and teachers across Texas. The courses are asynchronous and available on an open-source TEA platform for ease of accessibility.

PD course modules were completed and reviewed by state and national experts, in anticipation of all 19 modules for teachers and leaders being placed on the Canvas digital platform. State specialists met with TEA special education leaders to collaborate on and confirm module goals, objectives, and expectations.

Modules were built into the Canvas platform and launched in January 2025. The Southwest CC team discussed module maintenance with TEA, the plan to capture metrics related to use, and short- and long-term plans to make appropriate changes to modules based on feedback and intended outcomes.

 

Advancing Forward

Southwest CC concluded this work in December 2024 and continues to offer support to TEA as needs arise.

Disclaimer: This content was developed during the 2019-2024 cohort of the Comprehensive Centers Program as the Region 14 Comprehensive Center (now the Southwest Comprehensive Center 2024-2029). We are proud to continue service in our region as the Southwest Comprehensive Center, supporting educational outcomes in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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