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Texas News
CISD welcomes Orozco as new superintendent, Sotelo retires
Charlotte ISD welcomes Jon Orozco as their new superintendent as the spring semester begins. Orozco comes to Charlotte from Waelder ISD in what is his 30th year as a school administrator. He first started his administrative career down the road in Pearsall where he served as an assistant principal under outgoing CISD Superintendent, Mario Sotelo.

“It’s pretty neat coming back full circle, because I get to replace somebody who was influential in my career early on,” said Orozco of Sotelo.
Plano ISD plans K-5 virtual learning academy for 2022-23 school year
A virtual academy for students in grades K-5 will be offered in Plano ISD during the 2022-23 school year.

The district is accepting applications for the program through Jan. 29.

Eligible students must be entering kindergarten through fifth grade in the 2022-2023 school year and reside within the Plano ISD area. Students who do not live within the district are not eligible to apply.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott introduces ‘Parental Bill of Rights’ targeting state education system
The governor proposed a bill that would allow parents to decide if their children had to repeat failed courses and potentially place teachers on a ‘do not hire’ list for providing students with materials deemed ‘obscene’ by the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday evening plans to amend the Texas Constitution with a Parent Bill of Rights if he is re-elected. The proposal follows Abbott’s introduction of a Taxpayer Bill of Rights this week. 
Are Right-Wing School Boards Running Off Highly Respected Superintendents?
A superintendent’s job is always high-pressure, however, the pandemic made it an even more stressful environment. With the increasing political heat around mask mandates and critical race theory and the ongoing fight with angry parents who are out on the hunt, the climate has reached a level of toxicity that might be the root for many of the recent resignations and retirements. 

According to WFAA, since November 2021 eight superintendents from eight local school districts have announced they are resigning or retiring from their leadership positions – three happened on the same day, Jan. 13, 2022. 
Director Eva Longoria Bastón Opens Sundance With ‘La Guerra Civil’
For the Corpus Christi native, the story of the 1996 championship bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Julio César Chávez was also her story.

It’s no surprise that La Guerra Civil was chosen as one of the Sundance Film Festival’s opening night premieres. The documentary delivers two of the qualities that make Sundance Sundance: cultural relevance, along with glamorous celebrities to walk the red carpet in Park City, Utah, thanks to director Eva Longoria Bastón and Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya.
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National News
Black, Latino Students Disproportionately Taught by Inexperienced, Uncertified Teachers, New Research Shows
Black and Latino students nationwide are disproportionately learning from inexperienced and uncertified teachers, according to new research. 

Across the country, schools serving predominantly Black students have 5 percent more novice teachers than schools with fewer Black students, according to analysis from education advocacy nonprofit The Education Trust.
Meet the 4 Finalists for the 2022 National Teacher of the Year
Amid all the challenges associated with teaching in a pandemic, there have been bright spots in classrooms across the country. The four finalists for the 2022 National Teacher of the Year award are being recognized for their creativity in the classroom and dedication to student learning.

The Council of Chief State Schools Officers announced on Wednesday the finalists for the national award, which honors teachers for their work inside and outside the classroom. The teacher who receives the national honor will be granted a yearlong sabbatical to represent the profession and advocate for an issue of choice.
In the aftermath of climate disasters, America’s vulnerable students struggle to recover
The GAO found that two-thirds of all public school students lived in counties that experienced major disasters from 2017 to 2019.

With climate change increasing the severity of natural disasters across the U.S., the consequences for communities in the paths of hurricanes and wildfires are far-reaching — and the effects on essential services like education are only beginning to be understood.
I’m a Former Migrant Student. Schools Need to Hire More Educators Who Look Like Me.
When I first began attending school, my teachers often seated me in the back of the classroom. My parents immigrated from Mexico and were farm workers who lived in Florida and migrated around the country based on the season. That meant I didn’t just attend school in Florida, but also in the states that we traveled to, such as Indiana and Michigan.

At the time, I could not speak English, so it was easy for me to be overlooked by my peers and teachers. It was such a challenge to not be able to communicate and relate to anyone. I had no Hispanic/Latino teachers and no one could speak Spanish. I had to learn at a very young age how to adapt. Fortunately, I did.
A Radical Approach to Who Gets In
Report by NACAC and NASFAA calls for major changes in the systems used to admit and award aid to students. Failure to do so, the report says, will perpetuate racial inequity.

The admissions system should be totally overhauled to make it more fair, especially for students of color, said a report issued Wednesday by the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Las Tienditas
This Week’s Featured Sponsor
TALAS sponsors make this newsletter and other TALAS activities possible. Please support them. Click on the logo to learn more!
At Imagine Learning, we believe every child deserves the chance to enjoy learning and the right to fulfill their unique potential.

For more than fifteen years, our foundation has been helping students acquire, develop, and strengthen the language skills necessary to fully participate in academic settings and prepare for college and careers.

Today, we provide a complete suite of adaptive digital curriculum and assessment solutions for PreK–8 that delivers unmatched excellence in language development—accelerating learning across subjects for all students.

Imagine Learning is passionate about igniting engagement, maximizing personal relevance, amplifying confidence and inspiring breakthroughs for students and educators.

David Webb – Regional Partnership Director, Texas – 214.883.2880