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Extended Deadline for the Application for Texas Reviewers for Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation Pilot

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October 23, 2018

TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:

SUBJECT: Extended Deadline for the Application for Texas Reviewers for Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation Pilot  

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently announced an opportunity for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to join the Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation (IMQE) pilot (reference the IMQE TAA for additional details). As a part of this pilot, TEA has contracted with Safal Partners to conduct an independent analysis of grade 3–8 English language arts and reading (ELAR) instructional materials to evaluate their quality through a review process. The aim of this review process is to support and inform LEAs’ own local review processes by providing clear, transparent, and user-friendly information about the quality of instructional materials.

This process will complement and augment the established State Board of Education’s (SBOE) TEKS-alignment process, designed to capture what percentage of standards are met. All materials reviewed for quality will also be reviewed through the SBOE’s TEKS alignment process, and the results of the SBOE process will be featured as a part of the quality reviews. 

As a part of this process, Safal Partner is seeking Texas educators to participate in the Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation (IMQE) pilot by becoming a reviewer. Pursuant to Safal Partners’ application requirements, ideal candidates will possess the following characteristics: 

  • Deep content knowledge and experience with English language arts and reading, including an understanding of the TEKS in ELAR
  • A proven track record of achieving ambitious results with students
  • Passion for increasing educator capacity to seek, develop, and demand the highest quality materials
  • Commitment to ensuring Texas students have access to high-quality instructional materials
  • The ability to participate in both in-person and virtual conferences and collaborate with fellow reviewers as often as once a week during the review cycle

Pursuant to Safal Partner’s reviewer description, selected reviewers will receive the following benefits:

  • Free, high-quality intensive training and ongoing professional development for which they will earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit
  • Receipt of a stipend upon successfully completing the review process for a set of instructional materials

Additional eligibility guidelines include:

  • Applicants are not eligible if they have received monetary or non-monetary benefits (within the past seven years) from education technology providers or products and/or curriculum developers or publishers, including authoring or co-authoring a textbook currently on the market.
  • Interested Texas educators are eligible to apply for this opportunity, regardless of their LEA’s participation in the IMQE pilot.
  • However, LEAs participating in the pilot will have the opportunity to nominate local educators who will receive preference in the rigorous selection process. LEAs applying to the pilot must submit nominations by October 22, 2018 (see additional information about the IMQE pilot here).

Please share the reviewer job description and reviewer initial application widely with all interested Texas educators. Applications will be reviewed until all positions are filled, but interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit the brief initial application by October 29, 2018. For more questions or information, please email <IMQE@safalpartners.com>.

Texas educators are a crucial part of this pilot program. With their support, the pilot program can help ensure teachers have access to the highest quality instructional materials so they can focus their time and energy on what matters most—bringing lessons to life for all students.

Questions regarding this communication can be sent to specialprojects@tea.texas.gov.

Link to reviewer job description: safalpartners.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180925_IMQE_Job_Description_-1.pdf 

Link to reviewer initial application: app.safalapps.com/IMQE_FORM1 

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