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.

 

 

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.

ESC Region 12 Experience

0:00 / 0:00

Contact Us

Katie Holcomb

254-297-1143

kholcomb@esc12.net

  • 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. 

     

  • Pre-Registration Information

     

    Pre-Registration is NOW OPEN!

    Reading Academy Pre-Registration Sessions 

    Link to ESC Works to Pre-Register

    As a reminder:  The last year for current teachers and administrators to complete the HB3 Reading Academy requirement is 2022-2023. TEA Website

    Districts should plan for all staff to be enrolled by the 2022-2023 school year.

    How to Preregister

    NEW CHANGES for 2022-2023

    (Y3 of Implementation)

     

    STR Pathway 

    ESC Region 12 will offer the STR Pathway for learners who have proof of STR certification. We are offering this cohort in October 2022. You can currently pre-register for this cohort in ESC Works Session #290900. Pre-registration will close on September 20, 2022. 

    Demonstrated Proficiency Option

      If you are interested in this pathway, please reach out to Katie Holcomb directly (kholcomb@esc12.net).

    Cohort Start Month Options

    For the final year of compliance with House Bill 3, TEA has approved the following months for learners to begin the HB3 Reading Academy Content: June 2022, July 2023, August 2022, September 2022, October 2022 (STR), January 2023, AND June 2023. 

    Please note that June 2023 was added by TEA to accommodate learners for this final year of implementation. Take into consideration first year teachers using this as an option!

    NEW Blended + Option! 

    Learners pre-register in a blended cohort and then ESC Region 12 will work with district leaders to contract and schedule coaching days to support HB3 Reading Academy content.

    Contact us today to make a customized plan for your leaners through our Blended+ Option!  

    Katie Holcomb - kholcomb@esc12.net

    What does this mean? 

    • Learners in an ESC Blended Cohort
    • Cohort Leader will provide face to face coaching (6 days max)

    How does this benefit our district? 

    • Learners have face to face support from cohort leader
    • Face to Face Observation and Coaching
    • Investment in Reading Academy Implementation
Katie Holcomb Headshot, ESC Region 12

Katie Holcomb - Assistant
kholcomb@esc12.net

Brittany Thomas Headshot, ESC Region 12

Brittany Thomas
bthomas@esc12.net

Dayna Patzke Headshot, ESC Region 12

Dayna Patzke
dpatzke@esc12.net

Ginger Rowe Headshot, ESC Region 12

Ginger Rowe
ginger.rowe@esc12.net

Red Orange Reading Academy Logo for Region 12
Denetra Moore Headshot, ESC Region 12

Denetra Moore
dmoore@esc12.net

Larissa Mezynski, Region 12, headshot

Larissa Mezynski
lmezynski@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.    

  • 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

  • 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.

     
  • Yes – School leaders should choose the best model or combination of models for their individual teachers’ needs.  Both the Comprehensive and the Blended models will cover the same content using the same LMS (Canvas) and require submission of the same artifacts.  Both models are expected to take the same amount of training time and should be completed in 11 months.  The Comprehensive model also includes individual coaching support for teachers.
  • 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.

  • We fully anticipate that the artifacts will be graded using rubrics that will be available for reference by participants during module completion. 

    It is likely that multiple raters will be used for grading each artifact, and that the Cohort Leader would be one of those raters. 

    More information is expected on this question as the artifacts are finalized.

     
  • 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. Cohort leaders can lead either a comprehensive cohort or up to three blended cohorts, but not both.
  • That decision would be made by the district.  If the district was serving as the Authorized Provider or implementing locally, this would likely not cost additional money.  However, if the district was using an Authorized Provider and determined the need to switch models, the Authorized Provider would likely charge additional funds. 
  • At this time, all of the Reading Academies timelines we have previously communicated and committed to, are still in effect. 
  • No, you do not have to begin the course on July 13. You will have access to the course beginning on that day. The blended cohort through ESC Region 12 will begin on July 13. 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 July 13 and must finish it before June 13, 2021. 

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.

 

 

 

  • 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.

  • Full-Time Cohort Leader 


    Must have the capacity to serve up to the following:

    • Three blended Cohorts

    -OR- 

    • One Comprehensive Cohort

     

    Part-Time Cohort Leader 


    Must have the capacity to serve up to the following:

    • One blended Cohort
      (12-13 hours per week)

    -OR- 

    • Two Blended Cohorts
      (24-26 hours per week)
    Planning 1.1
    Content Knowledge and Expertise 2.2
    Differentiation 2.4
    Classroom Environment, Routines and Procedures 3.1
    Planning 1.1
    Content Knowledge and Expertise 2.2
    Differentiation 2.4
    Classroom Environment, Routines and Procedures 3.1

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.