http://www.tcta.org/ TCTA delivers up-to-the-minute news and information that is of interest to Texas classroom teachers. en-us (C) 2006 Texas Classroom Teachers Association. All Rights Reserved. 5 http://www.tcta.org/ http://www.tcta.org/images/tcta_logo1.gif 129 85 http://www.tcta.org/index.html#ReportCard Meetings are scheduled for Austin (Oct. 21), Harlingen (Oct. 22) and Lubbock (Oct. 29); details on upcoming meetings in Dallas and Houston will follow. http://www.tcta.org/about_us/documents/TCTAsupportsProp1.pdf The Texas Classroom Teachers Association announced support for AISD proposition 1, which recommends an increased tax rate to pay for a three percent tax salary increase for Austin public school teachers. http://www.tcta.org/politics_government/NewGPARules.htm The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has proposed rules requiring schools to use a uniform calculation when computing a student’s high school grade point average (GPA) for purposes of admission to institutions of higher education. http://www.tcta.org/publications/updates/100308eUpdate.htm#disd Trustees for the Dallas ISD took action last night to begin a process that may result in the layoff of nearly 1100 employees, including an estimated 550 teachers. The layoffs are the result of a reduction in force caused by a budget deficit originally predicted to be $64 million, grew to $84 million, and may be larger due to miscalculations of costs. TCTA had suggested to district trustees that some layoffs could potentially be averted. http://www.tcta.org/documents/DISD-RIF.pdf His plan calls for laying off over 1,200 employees, more than half of them teachers. http://www.tcta.org/edmatters/091808AccountabilityMtg.htm The purpose of the September 19 meeting was for committee members to identify their top priorities for a new accountability system. http://www.tcta.org/politics_government/TRShiresDeputyDirector.htm Though TCTA urged the TRS Board of Trustees to postpone major and controversial decisions such as the hiring of a deputy director, the Board today selected Brian Guthrie, a budget expert from Governor Perry’s office, to that position by a 5-4 vote. http://www.tcta.org/politics_government/TRSConfCall0908.htm TRS held its first membership-wide conference call Wednesday, Sept. 17. The agency had begun planning quarterly calls to be led by investments and benefits staff to address member questions, but sped up the process after the events in the financial markets this week led to great interest in TRS’ investments. TRS held its first membership-wide conference call Wednesday, Sept. 17. The agency had begun planning quarterly calls to be led by investments and benefits staff to address member questions, but sped up the process after the events in the financial markets this week led to great interest in TRS’ investments. http://www.tcta.org/edmatters/091808AccountabilityMtg.htm The Select Committee on Public School Accountability, with days numbered until a report is due to Legislature, held one of its last meetings September 19 in Austin, Texas.