I Miss Those Days…Before They Felt Like Prisons

I spent the last 14 years of my 29-year teaching career at McAllen High School.  I still remember pulling up to McHi one day last year, suddenly putting my foot on the brake, gripping the steering wheel, and staring.  What in the world?  Surrounding my beloved campus was a tall, wrought-iron fence.  My heart sank.

            First, full disclosure.  During my sixth-grade year, my school was taken hostage by a group that had robbed a local sporting goods store as they made a desperate attempt to evade arrest.  I can still close my eyes and see myself and my classmates sitting on the floor of our classroom.  I remember the fear, the sound of gunshots, the tears.  I remember the SWAT team lining the hallway and leading us outside to our terrified parents after police killed one of the gunmen and the others surrendered.  Last year when I took a concealed-carry class, the classroom portion was a breeze.  But when we walked into the shooting range, each time I heard a gunshot, my limps shook, and I wanted to cover my ears.  I didn’t realize until I got to my car that my body seemed to be remembering that day.

            I want to be clear.  I completely understand why McAllen ISD and school districts across the country have installed such fences. In fact, since I retired, I have visited a number of schools that have gates around their buildings that are completely locked. Visitors must pull up to a box with a keypad, like those you find outside a gated community, and push a button that rings the front office,.  Many schools have their front doors unlocked but then have a second set of doors that are locked and prevent people from entering the office area and school hallways without being buzzed in.

            So you might be wondering why I didn’t welcome the tall, wrought-iron fence surrounding McHi.  Because when I saw it, I wondered how I would flee the building if I were still teaching and a school shooting occurred.  To me, it was more about how I would escape than it was about keeping potential killers out.

            I contacted a couple of my friends who are still teaching at McHi to see how they felt about what felt like “prison walls” to me.  Both responded immediately, insisting the fence made them feel significantly safer.   Especially, they said, with a police officer on guard in the parking area once again.  (Budget cuts several years ago resulted in that position being cut.) 

            In the early 60s when the current McHi was built, district officials did not have to worry about school shootings.  Thus, having countless doors leading inside must have seemed like a convenience.  Today, those same doors scream danger.

            I can’t help but feel grateful that I retired because I know my need to plan an escape would be thwarted by those wrought-iron fences.  I am also grateful that McHi, schools across the Valley, and schools across the country have prioritized safety for our students and for school district employees. 

            But I sure do miss those days….

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

I Give Thanks

             One of the things I miss most about my childhood is Thanksgiving.  Growing up, we were fortunate enough to live two or three blocks from my Grandma and Grandpa Ardis.  Every day, we would ride our bikes, roller-skate, or walk to their house at least once.  We would go through the alley and then down the short, narrow walkway leading to the driveway, often finding Grandma and Grandpa swinging on the back porch.

            On Thanksgiving, after driving over to my other Grandma and Grandpa’s house to visit, we would go to Grandma and Grandpa Ardis’ for Thanksgiving dinner.  My eight brothers and sisters and I were their only grandchildren, and they loved our laughter and our chatter filling their home.  I still remember the kids’ card table and how we couldn’t wait until we reached grown-up status and could join the adults at the leaves-added-table that stretched through the living and dining rooms.  Perfectly browned turkey, the dark meat on one plate and the white on another, homemade macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, my grandma’s delicious applesauce Jello, melt-in-your-mouth dinner rolls, and more filled the table , leaving just enough room for our plates, glasses, and silverware. 

            My grandpa would normally say the prayer, often becoming emotional as he gave thanks for our blessings—a healthy family, food on the table, and so much love.  Throughout dinner, we talked and laughed as we savored the flavorful feast.  After dinner, my brothers, my dad, and my grandpa would make their way to the couch and chairs to watch football games while my sisters, my mom, and my grandma headed to the kitchen to wash, dry, and put away the dishes.  (My sisters often joke that I could never be found when it was time to do dishes, though my recollection is quite different.)  When the dinner dishes were done, we would serve the pie and wash and dry those dishes, and then we would join the boys to watch the games, head outside to play, or sit in the kitchen talking. 

            Oh what I would do to have all of my grandparents, my dad, my sister (Ann), and my brother (Tim) here again.  I don’t think I would ever want to leave.

            Thanksgiving is entirely different now that they are gone and I live so far away.  Although it isn’t the same at all for me these days, Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday.  I love the idea of a day set aside to give thanks for all of the blessings in my life.  I try to give thanks on a regular basis, but I don’t always succeed.  Thanksgiving grounds me and allows me to reflect on every one of God’s blessings in my life.

I am thankful for being raised in a family where love and faith--rather than money--were the foundation.

I am thankful for all of my brothers and sisters, their spouses, my nieces and nephews, and my great nieces and nephews.

I am thankful for the blessing of so many incredible friends—in Peoria, in Texas, in North Carolina, and in other cities and states.

I am thankful to have a home, a car, a warm, cozy bed, food in the fridge, plants in my garden, neighbors who look out for me, and the fuzzy slippers on my feet as I write this post.

I am thankful for the students I taught during my 29-year career, for my co-workers, and for the privilege of teaching.

I am thankful for the opportunity to work in fields outside of teaching now, for those who have given me these opportunities, and for the ability to expand my mind on a daily basis.

I am more thankful than I could ever express for my mom’s amazing brother, Dick, and her friends who all love her so much.

I am thankful for my health, for every breath I take, and for all of the other blessings, both simple and significant, in my life.

And, of course, I am eternally grateful to still have my mom.  As many of you know, my mom lives with Parkinson’s, and that isn’t easy.  Over the past few months, she has taken a number of bad falls and has reluctantly started using a walker.  Through it all, she continues to display her incredible sense of humor.  Through it all, she teaches us what true strength looks like.  Through it all, she keeps getting back up and stubbornly demanding her independence.  And through it all, she remains steadfast in her faith and in her devotion to God.

            For all of this, and for so much more, I give thanks.

            HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  I pray that each of you be as abundantly blessed!

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. 

Serious Concerns Remain Regarding Regressive Healthcare for Retired Public School Employees in Texas

Since the Teacher Retirement System of Texas held informational meetings two weeks ago regarding the dramatic healthcare changes that will take effect in January for all retired public school employees, I have received a number of emails and calls from people with countless questions and serious concerns about what is about to hit us.  I have written extensively about the bottom line, especially for those of us who are under the age of 65.  That bottom line about what the Texas Legislature has done to us includes:

·         The deductible for the individual retiree is increasing from $400 to $1500 in-network.

·         There will be no copay for healthcare or prescriptions until that deductible is met, meaning the retired employee will pay 100 percent (see only exception below—fifth bullet ) out of pocket.

·         The deductible for retirees who have a spouse/child on their insurance increasing to $3000, and not a penny will be paid (see only exception below—fifth bullet) until that is reached.  It will not be based on the individual but rather on the family unit.

·         The Maximum Out of Pocket will be $5,650 for the retiree and $11,300 for the family for in-network expenses.  For out-of-network expenses it will be $11,300 and $22,600, respectively.

·         This list of standard, generic drugs will be covered at 100 percent.

·         Some retired teachers under 65 still don’t know there are no longer three tiers of healthcare plans from which we can choose.  Now we have only one option—the high-deductible plan.

            I have also written extensively about how hard the Texas Retired Teachers Association fought for us. Their calls to action—and the overwhelming response from public school retirees across the state—played a significant role in making the changes a bit less devastating.  (Take, for example, that the Texas Legislature originally voted to increase the deductible for an individual retiree from $400 to $3000!)  Because “the sleeping giant” (aka retired educators who have a tendency to remain silent) awakened and bombarded Texas legislators with phone calls, emails, and visits to their offices, changes were made during the special session.  The $35 annual fee it costs to be a TRTA member is definitely money well spent.  And remember, the Texas Legislature meets again in 2019!  There is no time for silence! 

            It was TRTA that provided legislators and members with some startling facts, including…

·         During almost half of the 30-year history of TRS-Care, the State funded only 0.5% and the school districts contributed nothing.

·         TRS has more than 375,000 retirees with an average annuity of $1995 per month, while 105,000 retirees receive $1000 or LESS per month.

·         95% of public school employees do not pay into Social Security and the vast majority of retirees do not receive ANY SS benefits due to the GPO and WEP. TRS is their sole form of retirement security!

           

            There are a few things I learned at the TRS session that at least provide a glimmer of light in this healthcare darkness.  Here is one of them:

·         We will have a service available to us called “Teladoc.”  This service will allow us to speak to a licensed doctor 24/7/365 via telephone, website, or mobile app in fewer than 10 minutes to treat such conditions as bronchitis, pink eye, skin infections, depression, and anxiety.  Their network includes over 3,100 licensed healthcare professionals, including physicians, dermatologists, and mental health therapists who average 20 years of experience.  They are able to provide us with short-term prescriptions.  Rather than paying the cost of a doctor’s visit or an urgent care facility (with no copay, remember), there will be a $40 consult fee if our deductible has not been met--and that fee goes toward the deductible--or an $8 fee if our deductible has been met. 

            More next week on other programs we should all know about as the clock keeps ticking to our new, regressive healthcare plan.

NOTE:  To wake up and get engaged, we should all be members of our local unit of TRTA, too!  Next Monday is the meeting for the McAllen/Mission-area chapter. Although lunch is available for purchase, it is not required.  Annual membership dues are just $10.

To find the unit nearest you, click here

SECOND NOTE:  Have you visited FamilyWize yet?  If you ever have prescriptions, please do!

THIRD NOTE:  If you were unable to attend the TRS sessions on our healthcare changes but want to know what they had to say, visit this page to watch the webinar.

FOURTH NOTE:  If you aren’t familiar with Texans for Public Education, I urge you to go to their website and/or to follow their threads on Facebook.  It’s about non-partisan block voting for candidates with a record of supporting public education. 

STAY AWAKE, FORMERLY SLEEPING GIANT!!

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

When Our Children Need Us Most

             I am taking a one-week hiatus from the ongoing discussion on retirees’ healthcare to talk about another matter of critical importance.  The idea came to me when I visited my ‘teaching alma mater,” McAllen High School, Monday. 

            As I walked to my car, I saw my friend, Michelle Cortez Gully.  I first met Michelle when her son, Ian, was a student at McHi.  Michelle and her husband, Jason, could often be found around the campus, helping wherever they were needed.  Now their daughter, Jae, goes to McHi, and it seems like whenever I stop by, Michelle is there, working on one project or another to help the school.

            Michelle and I stood outside talking for quite some time.  We talked about Project Celebration, the graduation-night party held as a way to keep graduates engaged in drug-and-alcohol-free celebrations, Jae and her fellow McHi cheerleaders, PTA, and other activities around the school where the help of parents is so desperately needed.

            I told Michelle about a speech I had read some years back that I saved because it was profound and, sadly, true.  I told her I would look for it and send it to her.  As soon as I got home, I started searching through my journals where I save quotations, speeches, and other written words that strike me, and I found it.  It is an excerpt from a speech by Dr. James P. Comer, the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine's Child Study Center.  Here it is:

            When our youngsters were in the elementary school, we lived in a community

            that greatly valued education.  When we went to an open house, we had to go

            very early or we couldn’t find a parking place.  It was just packed.

            When we went to an open house in middle school, we didn’t have to go early

            because there were plenty of spaces. When we went to the high school open house,

            there was an empty parking lot.

            At their point of greatest need in our complex society, we abandon our children.

I still get the chills every time I read it.  I think of how shocking it is for me when I look back on the last few years of my teaching career.  Remember that the campus had over 2000 students and yet there were but a handful of parents involved in the school’s PTA, a sharp and disturbing contrast from what you tend to see in the same type of organization at the elementary schools.  And McHi is by no means unique in this.  Unfortunately, the same can be said about schools across our area, our state, and our nation.  How can that be?   Dr. Comer is on point when he says, “At their point of greatest need in our complex society, we abandon our children.”

            I find it strange that so few parents of seniors work at Project Celebration.  Many expect the school administrators and teachers to plan it, prepare for it, and run it.  I respectfully disagree with this mentality.  It seems to me that the parents should do all of those things and that school personnel should chip in to help because they want to celebrate graduation night with the students they have taught and nurtured throughout their time in high school.

            Parents, I have to ask--How many of you are active, engaged members of your children’s academic or athletic booster clubs?  How many of you volunteer at your children’s schools, from elementary through high school?  How many of you help raise funds for your children’s schools, especially today when the Texas Legislature continues to cut much-needed funding?

            I loudly applaud parents like Michelle Cortez Gully and all of those who give tirelessly to their children’s schools, who wouldn’t dream of “abandoning” them “at their point of greatest need.” 

            The night of open house, your child’s choir concert, his/her track meet, the school’s beautification event, Project Celebration….is YOUR car in the parking lot because YOU’RE there to help? 

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

Texas Legislators—How Could You?

As I walked out of the Hynes Event Center in Mercedes Monday, October 23, I felt sick.  Literally.  I also felt angry….and sad…and worried.  How could Texas legislators do this to public school employees who spent years teaching our state’s children, caring for their physical and emotional needs, feeding them, keeping the facilities clean, answering the phone and greeting parents and community members, and doing everything else school district employees do?

            I had just left a Texas Teacher Retirement System session about the changes to our healthcare plans, compliments of the 85^th Texas Legislature.  For those of us who are under 65, our plan is called a “High Deductible Health Plan.”  Healthcare.gov describes an HDHP like this:  “A plan with a higher deductible than a traditional insurance plan. The monthly premium is usually lower, but you pay more health care costs yourself before the insurance company starts to pay its share (your deductible).”  Perfect description.

            I already knew the 85^th Texas Legislature raised our deductible from $400 to $1500.  I also knew I would no longer have a co-pay.  What does that mean?  It means that now when I go to the doctor or pharmacy (That’s right!  I no longer have a pharmacy co-pay, either.), instead of paying approximately $25, I will pay the full bill until I reach my $1500 deductible.  No problem.  As a wealthy retiree, $1500 is chump change.  Oh, wait!  I am a retired teacher.  Fifteen hundred dollars is a lot of money.

            Once I reach my $1500 deductible, Aetna will pay 80 percent of my medical bills and prescription drugs, if I use an in-network doctor.  When I have paid $5650 out of pocket to in-network facilities, physicians, and pharmacies, Aetna will pay 100 percent of my in-network medical costs.

            The more the presenter talked, the sicker I felt.  I couldn’t imagine how retired public school employees whose spouse is covered under their TRS healthcare must have been feeling.  For them, grim couldn’t even begin to describe their situation.  The deductible for public school retirees with two or more family members on their healthcare plan is $3000.  You would think that means $1500 for the retiree and $1500 for the spouse, but that’s not the case.  Thanks to our Texas legislators, those retirees must pay 100 percent of their medical and prescription costs until they have spent $3000 out of pocket.  So even if the retiree has already paid $1500 for medical and pharmaceutical bills, he/she has to keep paying until $3000 has been spent.  However, when it comes to the family’s maximum-out-of-pocket, that is figured on an individual basis rather than by family.  Go figure.

            Texas Legislators, how well do you know the statistics?  According to the Texas Retired Teachers Association, TRS has more than 375,000 retirees whose average monthly pension is $2035.  But what’s even worse…much worse…is that 30 percent of TRS retirees, roughly 105,000, receive $1000 or less per month.  How in the world do they expect these dedicated public school retirees to afford the healthcare they have subjected us to? 

            But why should they worry?  After all, remember--they kept all other state employees, whose healthcare is covered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas rather than by TRS, at a $0 deductible.  And don’t forget—that includes retired legislators who have served at least eight years.  So I served the children of this state for 29 years, and I have a $1500 deductible with no co-pay, and they can serve eight years and pay a $0 deductible?

            Texas Legislators, how could you?

(Note:  Last week, Eloise Montemayor, community relations/public sector associate with United Way of South Texas shared information with me about FamilyWize, a United Way partner that reduces the cost of prescription medicine through agreements with pharmacies nationwide.  FamilyWize is for individuals with and without insurance, there is no cost to use FamilyWize, and there are no income qualifications.  Go to familywize.org and print out a card or download the app.  For any prescription medication you need to purchase, visit their site and find the local pharmacy that will give you the best deal.  When you go to pick up your prescription, show them your card.  At this point, every penny counts.)

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

Attention Texas Retired Public School Employees!

This week, I decided to write about changes/sessions/organizations my fellow public school retirees should know about:

1.         As you should know by now, the Texas Legislature worked diligently during the 2017 legislative session to turn our healthcare upside down.  For those of us under 65, our deductible is going from $400 to $1500.  We will no longer have a co-pay for prescriptions.  Instead, we will pay 100 percent of our prescription drug cost until we reach the $1500 medical deductible. After that, the plan will pay 80/20.  The exception to this?  A list of standard, generic medications that will be completely covered by our new-and-significantly-reduced healthcare plan. (Find that list by clicking here.)  To learn more about all of our prescription drug coverage changes, click here. 

            For those who are 65 and over, you will still have a co-pay through your Medicare prescription drug plan.  You can click on the link above, too, to learn more about the changes taking effect January 1.

2.         Why did the Texas Legislature increase our deductible to $1500 and significantly increase our premiums over the next four years while continuing to provide healthcare to all other state employees (INCLUDING retired legislators) at a $0 deductible and $0 premium?  I believe what many others have said—because Texas teachers have been a proverbial sleeping giant, many not voting during state elections and most not involved in organizations fighting for our benefits like other groups--like police officers and firefighters--do. 

            One of the first things I recommend is joining the Texas Retired Teachers Association.  The annual membership fee is just $35, and TRTA worked tirelessly to restore what the Texas Legislature did to us during the regular session.  (They originally increased our deductible to $3000. After “the sleeping giant” awakened, they reduced it to $1500 during the special session, still $1100 more than we paid previously and not restoring our prescription drug coverage.)  Imagine if TRTA and some of our teachers’ associations hadn’t gotten involved!  To learn more about TRTA and to join, go here.

            TRTA also has local units that meet on a monthly basis and work to get more public school retirees involved in educating other retirees, networking, getting out the vote, and lobbying on our behalf.  Local membership is $10 per year.  Getting involved in my local unit is a commitment I made because of what the Texas Legislature has done.  To find the local unit nearest you, click here.

3.         In case you haven’t heard, TRS is currently holding informational sessions about all of the changes we can expect to our healthcare plans.  You must register to attend.  For more information on sessions near you and to register, click here.

            If you live in McAllen, one morning session in McAllen has been added.  It will be held October 25.  If you prefer to attend the McAllen session but already registered for one of the sessions in Weslaco/Mercedes, be sure to cancel that registration and register in McAllen.  Don’t wait or you will miss out.

4.         Become a member of Texans for Public Education.  This membership is free, and this is how the group is described on the TfPE website:  We're a group of people who are sick of what the politicians are doing with our school system, so we're taking it back using something they understand very well. We're block voting, and that's a very personal decision with which we want every member comfortable. 

            TfPE is non-partisan.  A research crew is diligently combing through the voting records, campaign contributors, media releases, and other critical information of each elected state official (House, Senate, and State Board of Education).  Once opponents join the races, they will also be thoroughly researched.  The committee then votes to move each candidate to “friendly” or “unfriendly” status.  Members are then provided with the rating and the research to back up that rating, and there is a process to challenge the rating.  I strongly urge you to not only visit the TfPE website but to become a member of the closed group on Facebook.

            When election time rolls around, TfPE members will work tirelessly to get fellow Texans who support public education to block vote according to the candidates’ final status.  This group is not only about public school employee benefits.  It’s about supporting public education in our state.

5.         Finally, on a much lighter note, for those retirees who live in the Rio Grande Valley and who want to get informed on a wide range of health topics, join us for monthly DHR Retired Professionals Committee meetings.  The meetings are held the first or second Friday of each month, depending on the availability of the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. Lunch is provided.  For more information about this group, which is actually open to all retirees, not only those of us who retired from the public school system, please send an email to me at cardis1022@aol.com

            Throughout the year, I will be updating retirees on important news.  AWAKEN, SLEEPING GIANT!

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

Are YOU a Survivor?

TIM

CODY

I am.  I have been a survivor since July 29, 2002, when I lost my 30-year-old brother, Tim, to suicide.

            Many of you know about Tim—my family’s only blond, blue-eyed child, a former high school and college football stand-out—a son, a grandson, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle, and a friend.  I miss him every single day of my life. 

            I am the survivor of another loss, as well.  October 17, 2013, I lost my former student, Senior Airman Cody Hooks, to suicide.  Like Tim, Cody had a smile that spread across his face and a personality that drew people to him.  Like Tim, Cody hid his suffering.

            Saturday, November 18, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day Rio Grande Valley will take place at the McAllen Public Library, 4001 N. 23^rd Street, from 9:45 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  Although last year was the first time the event was held in the Rio Grande Valley, it began in 1999 after Sen. Harry Reid, who lost his father to suicide in 1972, introduced a resolution to the U.S. Congress.  Originally, the event was named National Survivors for Prevention of Suicide Day; later, other countries followed suit, and the name was eventually changed to International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day.  The event is held each year the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

            International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is a day where those who have lost a parent, a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, an aunt, an uncle, a niece, a nephew, a cousin, a friend, a student, or another loved one to suicide come together to learn how to cope, to learn how to hope, to meet other survivors, and to discover peace.  For many, it brings the realization, for the first time, that they are not alone.

            The Rio Grande Valley event is under the direction of Missy Garcia Moreno.  Missy lost her brother, Father Ricardo Garcia, a beloved priest in Brownsville, to suicide in February of 2011.  Missy’s friend, Melissa Hinojosa-Zamora, asked Missy to chair the event.  Melissa brought the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to the Rio Grande Valley and was instrumental in the formation of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention South Texas chapter.  She is also a survivor, having lost her father to suicide.

            Missy enlisted the help of a group of dedicated volunteers to organize last year’s event.  That same group, along with a few additional volunteers, has been working on this year’s program, which includes the screening of The Journey:  A Story of Healing and Hope, a documentary produced by AFSP that traces the grief and healing journey of a diverse group of suicide loss survivors.  AFSP describes the documentary like this:  The film shows how those left behind navigate the aftermath of their loved one’s suicide to find meaning and even joy and takes an intimate look at how their healing journey evolves over time.  More information on this year’s schedule will be released soon.

            The event is limited to 80 people, and pre-registration is required.  You can register now at afsp.org/survivor_day/mcallen-texas.  This year, teens (13-17 years old) are welcome if accompanied by an adult, and there will be sessions geared specifically to them.

            For more information about International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day Rio Grande Valley, contact Missy at afsprgvsurvivorday@gmail.com or by calling 956-821-6539.  You can find the event page (2nd Annual International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day) on Facebook.

            I am a survivor.  At the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, I have the opportunity to share Tim and Cody with others who understand.

           

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

Texas Education Code and Lesson Plans - Part II

           I received a message after last week’s blog post from a former teacher who expressed that she had no idea Texas has had a Paperwork Reduction Act on the books since 1997. Funny, I thought; it seems there are countless administrators in the state who don’t know, either.  (Shout out to those who do and who follow it!)

            In Part I on this topic, I addressed the 2015 Ysleta ISD. v. Porter, et al. case heard by the Texas Court of Appeals and the analysis of the case by attorney Martha P. Owen, who also serves as general counsel for Texas AFT.

            The three teachers involved in the case, Edith Porter, Jennifer Adams, and Rita Vasquez, argued that the list of components required on their lesson plans—TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) objectives, TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, the state’s standardized test, which has since been replaced by the STAAR) objectives, lesson objectives, lesson activities and strategies, assessment and cognitive level, differentiated activities and/or modifications for special populations, and homework—went well beyond the Paperwork Reduction Act’s requirement that high school lesson plans consist of a “brief and general outline.”  (Originally, the teachers had to write out every TEKS objective, but later, the district decided they only had to write the number of the objective, which weakened this argument.)  Owen wrote in her analysis about the Court of Appeals’ decision that “…it determined that a school district may only require that a teacher write a plan that ‘outlines the information presented, which by definition includes what is taught and the activities used to teach the lesson.’”   Thus, the teachers based their second argument in their appeal on the fact that some lesson plan components administrators required them to include did not meet the standard of “information presented.”

            Owen explained that the teachers lost their first argument because their lesson plan template was electronic, allowing them to “cut and paste” some required elements.  The court also rejected the teachers’ argument that proper interpretation of the state statute regarding the Paperwork Reduction Act (TEC Sec. 11.164 ) indicates that teachers should decide what goes in the lesson plan, not administrators, and that the district could not require them to use a template.

            However, the Court of Appeals sided with the teachers regarding some of their required lesson plan components.  Owen’s analysis explained the court’s ruling that TEKS and TAKS objectives could be required “because there was evidence that these objectives were taught to the students.”  Resources the teachers needed for the activities could also be required.

            The components the district could not require, the Court of Appeals ruled, because they do not meet the standard of “information presented” were assessments, differentiated activities and/or modifications for special populations, and cognitive level.

            Last year, a teacher sent an email to me asking if her school/district could require her to write the ELPS (English Language Proficiency Standards for English Language Learners) in her lesson plans.  I contact Texas AFT for an answer to this, and received a response from Jamie Womack, later confirmed by Owen.  Jamie wrote that because “ELPS are considered part of the TEKS,” they could be required. Owen agreed, though she wrote, “…it does seem like a fairly close question, and I can understand the argument going both ways.  However, I go back to the core holding in the lawsuit, which is that the district may not require the inclusion of information that is neither taught nor describes the activities that will be used to teach the subject matter. So, as Jamie said, since ELPS are part of the required curriculum, it seems like, on balance, a challenge to the ELPS inclusion requirement would likely not succeed.”

            In the final analysis, according to the court decision, what can and cannot be required in a Texas teacher’s lesson plan?  Remember the standard:  Is it presented/taught to the students in class and/or is it an activity used to teach the students in class?

TEKS and STAAR (the TAKS replacement) objectives?  Yes

Lesson activities, strategies, and resources?  Yes

Assessment and cognitive level?  No

Differentiated activities and/or modifications for special populations?  No

Homework?  The court did not address this in it’s decision; however, I would say it does not meet the standard of “information presented.”  Thus, I would say NO!

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)

Texas Education Code and Lesson Plans - Part I

Texas Education Code and Lesson Plans

Part I

            Keeping with the theme of ‘new-school-year review,’ it’s important that we go over the Texas Education Code regarding lesson plans. 

            For the first 20 years or so that I taught, my administrators understood that my lesson plans were for me.  My plans served as an outline to organize what I would teach and what materials I would need to carry out each lesson.  However, things got crazy after that.  Suddenly, lesson plans morphed into time-consuming, complicated forms that did nothing to make a lesson, or a teacher, better.  In many schools today, lesson plans produce senseless stress and rob teachers of precious time that could be used actually preparing the lesson.  This, despite the fact that these forms completely defy the Texas Education Code.

            TEC Sec. 11.164 is titled “Restricting Written Information.”  It is a result of the Texas Legislature’s Paper Reduction Act.   It reads:  (a) The board of trustees of each school district shall limit redundant requests for information and the number and length of written reports that a classroom teacher is required to prepare.  A classroom teacher may not be required to prepare any written information other than….

            Ten items are listed, but today we will focus only on number 6:  a unit or weekly lesson plan that outlines, in a brief and general manner, the information to be presented during each period at the secondary level or in each subject or topic at the elementary level.

            It is critical that we note several things:

1.  The legislature has given the board of trustees the responsibility to see that school administrators are abiding by this code.

2.  This code has been in place by 1997, so why are so many districts still failing to abide by it?

3.  Key words in the code:  (secondary) outlines, brief, general; (elementary) subject, topic

            Like with planning periods, there is case law regarding lesson plans.  In 2015, the case of Ysleta ISD v. Porter was heard by the Texas Court of Appeals.  I read about it, in detail, in a letter written by attorney Martha B. Owen.  Ysleta ISD required teachers to use a lesson plan template that included TEKS objectives (originally written out and later identified by their number), TAKS objectives, lesson objectives, lesson activities and strategies, the assessment and cognitive level, differentiated instruction and/or modifications/accommodations for special populations, and homework.
            Three teachers in the district filed a grievance.  Among other evidentiary items, the teachers provided proof that the plans took anywhere from 50 minutes to two hours to complete. When the district denied their grievance, they appealed it to then Texas commissioner of education Robert Scott.  He upheld the district’s decision in Jennifer Adams, Rita Vasquez, and Edith Porter v. Ysleta Independent School District, Docket No. 043-R8-0306.  The teachers appealed the decision to district court and received a split decision.  According to Owen, “the district court upheld the requirements as to TEKS and TAKS objectives, lesson objectives, and lesson activities and strategies but reversed the Commissioner’s decision as to the validity of the requirement that teachers include the assessments, cognitive level, differentiated activities and modifications for special populations.”  Both sides appealed, and the split decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

            In Owen’s letter, she writes, “It is an important decision because it is one of the few cases interpreting the Paperwork Reduction Act and affirms some key principles of the statute, both in general and applied specifically to lesson plans.”
            Owen continues, “…it determined that a school district may only require that a teacher write a plan that ‘outlines the information presented, which by definition includes what is taught and the activities used to teach the lesson.’”

            There is more to this story, so we will pick up here next week. 

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now helps companies with business communications, editing, and social media and works as a sales coordinator for Tony Roma's and Macaroni Grill. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Sarina Manahan)