General Education Services
Reading Academies at ESC Region 12

HB3 Reading Academies

These academies are provided based on House Bill 3, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June of 2019. In accordance with this bill, all kindergarten through third grade teachers and principals must attend a teacher literacy achievement academy by the 2022-2023 school year.

For the 2023-2024 school year, HB3 Reading Academies will continue as a requirement for any new

teachers and administrators for K-3. 

 

ESC Region 12 is a TEA Authorized Provider of HB3 Reading Academies.

We are excited to offer these mandated academies to Region 12.

All additional information related to the HB 3 Reading Academies will be posted below as it becomes available.

For additional information and resources, please visit TEA's Reading Academies Website.

 

 

Have you already passed?Wondering if a new hire has HB3 Credit?

You can now check on the TEA website if you have HB3 Reading Academy Credit! 

READING ACADEMY SEARCH

 

ESC Region 12 Experience

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Contact Us

Katie Holcomb

254-297-1143

kholcomb@esc12.net

  • RA Participant Notebook
    Suggested Pacing Guide
    STR FAQs
    RA PLC Guides

  • Pre-Registration Information

    Pre-Registration is NOW OPEN!

    ESC Region 12 Session Pre-Registration 

    Link to ESC Works to Pre-Register

    How to Preregister - ESC Region 12

    FOR ESC REGION 12 Comprehensive Cohorts, pre-register through ESC Works!

     

    Watch Video on Loom

     

            How to Preregister - ESC Region 16 - Blended Admin Pathway       

    ESC Region 16 Reading Academies Banner

    ADMINISTRATOR BLENDED PATHWAY will be through ESC Region 16. Use the link below to pre-register! 

    LINK TO PRE-REGISTER

    NEW CHANGES for 2023-2024

    (Y4 of Implementation)

    Primary Implementation Model is Comprehensive

      All teacher pathways will be 

    STR Pathway 

    ESC Region 12 will offer the STR Pathway for learners who have proof of STR certification. 

    Cohort Start Month Options

    June 2023 (year 3 compliance & blended), July 2023, and June 2024. 

    Y4 Changes

  • Locally implementing? To hire a cohort leader, they will need to take and pass the screener

    Interested in becoming a cohort leader? You will first need to take and pass the screener to be qualified to be hired. 

    Cohort Leader Screening Windows for 2023-2024 have been announced by TEA.

    cohort leader screener dates

Katie Holcomb Headshot, ESC Region 12

Katie Holcomb
kholcomb@esc12.net

Brittany Thomas Headshot, ESC Region 12

Brittany Thomas
bthomas@esc12.net

Larissa Mezynski, Region 12, headshot

Larissa Mezynski
lmezynski@esc12.net

Diana Davis cohort leader picture

Diana Davis
diana.davis@esc12.net

Denetra Moore Headshot, ESC Region 12

Denetra Moore
dmoore@esc12.net

Ginger Rowe Headshot, ESC Region 12

Ginger Rowe
ginger.rowe@esc12.net

  • Starting the 2023-2024 Academic Year teachers and principals must have started the year-long Reading Academies before placement in a K-3 classroom or campus. This mean that K-3 teachers and principals new to this placement will need to be concurrently enrolled in Texas Reading Academies while being in their first year of placement.  A new teacher for the 2023 - 2024 school year can be enrolled in ANY cohort during this year. For Region 12, the two cohorts available are July 2023 or June 2024. This means that a first year teacher can enroll at the END of their first year (June 2024). A note:  All cohorts are comprehensive. Please be mindful of the dates of the face-to-face trainings. 

  • Yes. The HB 3 Reading Academies are written into state statute and are required for all teachers and principals in grades Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. A shortened version of the course has been created by TEA. You have to show proof of STR designation on your teaching certificate or passing the STR exam.

  • Districts can choose to implement through a blended or comprehensive model. 

    A comprehensive model includes:

    • Personalized coaching from a Cohort Leader
    • 10 face-to-face professional development sessions
    • Use Canvas for submission of artifacts and receive feedback from Cohort Leader
    • 11 months to complete coursework

     

    A blended model includes: 

    • Completely online professional development using Canvas 
    • Use Canvas for submission of artifacts and receive personalized feedback from Cohort Leader
    • 11 months to complete coursework
     

  • Districts that choose the local implementation option will pay an annual flat fee per Cohort Leader, and will not pay a separate fee per teacher or administrator. However, it is important to note that there is a limit on the number of people who can be in a cohort. 

     

    Districts will need to employ enough qualified Cohort Leaders to provide training to their teachers by 2022, and they will pay the flat fee per Cohort Leader annually.

     
  • No. The only pathway for learners beginning in 2023 will be the comprehensive model. Administrators will be eligible for the blended pathway.
  • The HB3 reading academies are required for all K-3 teachers, including special education teachers.  TEA plans to propose temporary exemptions for certain special area teachers – Art, Music, and PE. 
  • Teachers and administrators who are enrolled in the Comprehensive model of the reading academies will still have access to the online materials through Canvas, so they will be able to work with their Cohort Leader and make up the content that they missed. Exact procedures for this type of scenario are still being developed.
  • Users will register through register.TEAlearn.com, which will open on or after June 1, 2020.  This URL will take users to a Canvas Catalog registration portal.  Before registering through register.TEAlearn.com, users must identify their TEAL Unique ID. 
  • There are two payment options available – credit card payment and purchase order payment. 
  • When teachers and administrators register for HB3 Reading Academies through the Canvas Catalog registration portal, the funds will go directly to the Authorized Provider.  Funds will not pass through TEA. Purchase orders should be made to ESC Region 12.

  • Once enrolled in the HB3 reading academy course, participants will be able to access one of three different pathways appropriate to their learning needs:

    • Bilingual general education and bilingual special education teachers
    • General education and special education teachers
    • Administrators
     

  • The content for the reading academies is still under development.  The reading academies are using current research on literacy and language development in addition to solid research from the past that is still relevant for teachers and administrators.  The content is reflective of the characteristics and needs of today’s learners.  There will be 12 modules covered:

    • Introduction
    • The Science of Teaching Reading
    • Establishing Literacy Communities
    • Using Assessment Data to Inform Instruction
    • Oral Language and Vocabulary 
    • Phonological Awareness 
    • Alphabet Knowledge 
    • Decoding, Encoding, and Word Study
    • Reading Fluency
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Composition
    • Tiered Supports
     
  • The artifacts that will be required are still under consideration by TEA.
  • All artifacts are graded by a single entity grader. This single entity grader will assign a score based on a rubric. The learner does have access to this rubric in the course. If the learner does not make an 80 or above on the artifact, the learner does have opportunity to resubmit until the grade is 80 or above. The cohort leader is responsible for grading resubmissions.
  • Administrators will be provided with the same content as teachers, but they will have a specific pathway within each module that will address their needs as an administrator.  If an administrator is enrolled in the same course as their teachers (not admin only cohort), the administrator will have the same content as the teachers. 
  • No, you do not have to begin the course open date. You will have access to the course beginning on that day. The course will run for 11 months. You must complete and pass the course within those 11 months. You can access the information anytime after the open date and until the last day of learner access.

Cohort Leader Information

 

Process:

  • Successfully complete screener
  • Demonstrate proficiency with artifacts
  • Review & evaluate sample artifacts effectively
  • Secure employment with Authorized Provider or district
  •  

If you are a teacher and are interested in this opportunity, talk with your school, district and regional leadership.

Link to TEA Screener - https://tea.texas.gov/academics/early-childhood-education/reading/reading-academies-cohort-leader-screener-registration

 

  • Authorized Provider will arrange registration for virtual training.
  • Only hired Cohort Leaders will attend training dates.
  • All cohort leaders must attend mandatory training and complete the work as assigned.

Please navigate through the prompts below to troubleshoot using the TEALearn.com website.

 

  • FIX - It looks like you already have an account and will need to log in before you enroll. 

    (These next steps work best if you are on a computer and not a phone.) 

    • Click the cohort link that was emailed to you. 
    • In the top right corner, you should see the word 'login' in blue. Click this and it should take you to the blue TEA Learn screen. 
    • Enter your login information. This should take you to the screen where you see that you have been enrolled in the passport to canvas course. 
    • Come back to this email and click your cohort link again.
    • Instead of login in the top right, it should say your name. 
    • Now, click on the $400 enroll / enroll button and you should be able to continue the registration process. 
     
  • Under the promotion code box, there is a button that says ‘proceed to payment’. Click this button. You should be able to enter a PO number at the next screen. 
Press ENTER key to focus on the active panel