Texas Home Learning offers free access to optional, TEKS-aligned instructional materials.

Texas Home Learning (THL) includes print and online options developed specifically for Texas to provide continuity between remote and classroom environments. All THL instructional materials will undergo a rigorous review process with input from Texas teachers to confirm alignment with TEKS and quality standards.

THL Materials by Grade Level

THL Materials by Subject

How much will THL instructional materials cost? How long will they be available?

THL instructional materials will be available to districts at no cost. Length of availability will vary, depending on the specific vendor contract.

Who will be providing instructional materials?

TEA will contract with publishers to develop high-quality, TEKS-aligned instructional materials customized for Texas and designed for flexibility in this new learning environment.

Who is developing the scope and sequence of instructional materials?

All available THL Instructional Materials will include a scope and sequence developed by each publisher based on feedback from Texas teachers and other stakeholders.

Will a Year at a Glance be available and if so, when?

Upon release, all THL materials will include a scope and sequence for each course.

How are the instructional materials review teams composed and what do they do?

TEA has engaged with educators, teacher associations, and all Texas education service centers to compose THL review teams. These review teams provide feedback on THL instructional materials to inform continuous improvements to the products.

If you choose to adopt THL are you required to use it face-to-face and remotely?

All THL materials are completely optional for districts and schools. Use of the materials by teachers should be determined by the local decision-making process.

Where can I find recordings of the THL 3.0 instructional materials webinars?

All webinar recordings and slides can be found under the corresponding subject or grade level on texashomelearning.org.

Does a district have to adopt all portions of the THL program to participate? If they choose to adopt, are teachers obligated to use the portions their district has adopted?

Adoption of any and all THL resources is completely optional, and districts will not be locked into using the full suite of resources or even the full curriculum for a given subject/grade. Use of the materials by teachers should be determined by the local decision-making process.

Can parents use the Texas Home Learning 3.0 resources if their district chooses not to adopt them?

TTHL 3.0 instructional materials are designed to be used by educators, but all materials will be available to any Texan interested in using them.

Can parents use the Texas Home Learning 3.0 resources for homeschooling?

THL 3.0 instructional materials are designed to be used by educators, but all materials will be available to any Texan interested in using them.

How does Texas Home Learning fit into the synchronous/asynchronous plans?

The THL suite of resources is an option for districts creating synchronous or asynchronous plans for the 2020-21 school year. If choosing to use the resources, districts should identify THL resources intended to be used for instructional materials, technology, or professional development.

When should we expect full access to THL 3.0? Should we be planning to start school without it?

THL 3.0 instructional materials are currently being developed to meet the needs of the new learning environment. After feedback is gathered from Texas teachers, materials will be released on texashomelearning.org. First sets of materials are expected to be released in late August and early September followed by a staggered release of material throughout the fall. All instructional materials will be available by December 2020. Please continue to check the THL section of the TEA COVID Response webpage and for updates.

Who is developing the scope and sequence of instructional materials?

All available THL instructional materials will include a scope and sequence developed by each publisher based on feedback from Texas teachers and other stakeholders.

How do we access THL instructional materials?

THL instructional materials are available through the vendor website, through Schoology, or on another LMS through LTI integrations. The vast majority of the THL instructional materials require a computer with an internet connection, a web browser, and document viewing software such as PDF or Word viewers.

What type of technology do I need to use the THL instructional materials?

THL instructional materials are available through the vendor website, through Schoology, or on another LMS through LTI integrations. The vast majority of the THL instructional materials is a computer with an internet connection, a web browser, and document viewing software such as PDF or Word viewers.

Will TEA add additional providers and content later?

TEA is exploring potential options for additional content for THL based on district and teacher feedback and need.

Do instructional materials have to be used by an entire district, or can they be used by a single teacher or a single campus?

THL Instructional Materials can be used by any educator who finds them helpful. Districts and schools may adopt the materials within specific grade levels or classrooms or may choose to offer THL instructional materials as available options for teachers.

How are the instructional materials review teams composed and what do they do?

TEA has engaged with educators, teacher associations, and all Texas education service centers to compose THL review teams. These review teams provide feedback on THL instructional materials to inform continuous improvements to the products.

When will THL instructional materials be available?

Many THL instructional materials are currently available and accessible on texashomelearning.org. Additional materials will be released upon development.

Will all subjects and grades be available in Spanish?

All THL instructional materials in grades K–5 will be available in Spanish.

What are the TEKS coverage percentages for each prgoram for each grade level?

THL materials are being designed to ensure they are 100% aligned to the TEKS. Alignment with the TEKS is being reviewed as a part of this process with feedback being provided to the publishers.

Are the previous materials (THL 1.0 and 2.0) still available for use?

No, access to THL 1.0 and THL 2.0 materials has expired and is no longer available.

What is included in instructional materials?

Instructional materials will include resources for each grade level and subject, customized to Texas:

• Unit plans and daily lesson plans aligned to Texas standards
• Formative and summative unit assessments
• Built in progress monitoring
• Teacher, student, and family supports
• Digital format with printing capability
• Accessibility supports for all learners

What grades and subjects is TEA providing instructional materials for?

• Integrated Prekindergarten
• Math: grades K–12
• English Language Arts and Reading: grades K–12
• Spanish Language Arts and Reading: grades K–5
• Spanish Language Arts and Reading Skills: grades K–2
• Science: grades K–5
• Social Studies: grades K–5

How were the instructional materials developed? Were they designed around any standards or guidelines?

THL instructional materials are being developed specifically for Texas schools in this new learning environment. All materials will undergo a rigorous review process involving Texas teachers to confirm alignment with TEKS and quality standards.

What accommodations and modifications will be provided?

THL 3.0 materials include embedded accessibility supports for special populations including English Learners, students with disabilities, and students who are gifted and talented. THL instructinoal materials include:

• Linguistic supports for English learners
• Progress monitoring tools for academic, social, and linguistic progress
• 508 accessibility (e.g., accessible design, multiple navigation options, closed captioning, screen reader capability)
• A variety of developmentally appropriate, multimodal instructional strategies; multiple types of practices; and guidance on flexible grouping
• Enrichment activities for all levels of learners
• Lesson extensions for students who have mastered the content
• Guidance, scaffolds, and academic supports for students who have not yet mastered the content

Will instructional materials include instructional videos?

Some instructional materials include instructional videos, including both the K–5 and 6–12 math offerings.

Will Pre-K materials and associated technology (e.g., LMS) be developmentally appropriate for 4–5 year olds?

The pre-k product will not require students to interact with a learning management system (LMS) or digital product but will include digital communication tools for parents and teachers.

What math courses are included for high school?

High School math courses included in THL will include Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.

Will instructional materials be interactive online?

Yes, instructional materials will be available in digitized or digitally native formats, depending on the subject area and grade level.

Will instructional materials be available for printing?

All THL instructional materials are available in both online and printable form. If a district decides to print materials, they may print on their own or seek a service to print the materials for them.

Are printing costs covered by TEA funding?

TEA is unable to provide funding for printing services. Districts may choose to print on their own or to partner with a printing service of their choice to meet printing needs.

What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

A learning management system brings together everything districts and families need to keep students on track, especially with remote learning. It is the toolbox that integrates all of the tools districts and families use.

• Instructional tools: host courses, curriculum, Texas Home Learning resources, accessibility features, quiz and gamification tools
• Communication and collaboration: calendar management, grading and feedback tools, staff and student collaboration tools, parent and staff communications
• Assessment management: assessment item banks, interim assessments, assessment management
• Systems management: single sign on for resources, automated attendance recording, integration with student information systems, Google and G Suite integrations
• Data analytics: TEKS progress monitoring, student growth tracking, school and district trends

Why do I need an LMS?

An LMS helps schools, students, and families to keep learning on track, even in a remote environment. An LMS can:

• Bring together teachers, students, parents, and administrators in one platform that provies easy access to classes, assignments, grades, and more
• Allow administrators to take a heavy burden off of teachers and staff, saving time and money
• Help to simply measuring student engagement for asynchronous learning plans

What LMS did TEA choose?

TEA has partnered with Schoology by PowerSchool to deliver a world-class LMS for two years at no cost to Texas local education agencies.

Does Schoology provide progress monitoring that would suffice for asynchronous tracking?

Schoology provides tools for monitoring and documenting student engagement during remote asynchronous learning and enables teachers to:

• Track student engagement at the individual, course, school, and district levels
• Monitor progress on pre-assigned work
• View a time stamp to see when student work was submitted

Why did TEA only procure one LMS?

TEA chose one LMS vendor for participation in Texas Home Learning to maximize the benefit of the agreement to both school districts and taxpayers.

Why did TEA choose Schoology by PowerSchool?

Schoology was chosen as part of a competitive solicitation because it offered the best price for value, is a proven product that can support the scale of Texas, already had over 1 million Texas users, and included a number of features and integrations beneficial to the needs of the current learning environment.

Is the TEA contract for basic Schoology or does it include Performance Matters or SIS?

The TEA contract covers the Schoology Enterprise package. PowerSchool SIS or PowerSchool Performance Matters would be considered add-ons that districts may decide to pay for.

Is Schoology also available for private schools and districts?

Schoology is available for private schools and districts, but they are not eligible to receive Schoology at no cost through this partnership.

What should I consider before adapting or adopting Schoology or continuing to use my current LMS?

Technology needs depend on districts current investments, including investments in training and support. Additional information on thinking through technology is in the TEA Planning Guidebook and the TEA Reflection Tool.

How do I sign-up for Schoology?

Districts may visit powerschool.com/texas to learn more about Schoology, including demo videos, customer stories, and training webinars.

If I sign up for Schoology this year, is there any commitment to using Schoology beyond the two years covered by TEA?

There is no commitment to use Schoology now or beyond the two-year license covered by TEA. Schoology is solely being provided as an option for school districts.

What kind of implementation support will be provided for the LMS and who will provide it?

District staff will have access to onboarding and implementation support from Schoology and education service centers (ESCs). Districts will receive the same standard implementation as any new district coming on board to Schoology learning: Regional training sessions will be held virtually, and each district will receive 3 attendee seats. Additional training: Schoology will also provide each district access to the "Getting Started with Schoology" self-paced course. Additional training may be purchased by the district from Schoology, and additional training will be available from Texas ESCs.

Do teachers have access to the Schoology support team?

Three (3) technical contacts designated by the local education agency will have direct access to the Schoology technical team in an effort to expedite response time and to support consistency in local implementation decisions.

Will TEA provide financial support to districts that already have a different LMS?

TEA is unable to provide financial support for districts using an LMS other than Schoology.

If a district is signed up for Schoology, will they receive funding through a reimbursement, or is payment provided directly to PowerSchool, Schoology's parent company?

TEA has contracted directly with PowerSchool and will pay them directly for the two-year license to Schoology.

What do I do if I already have a Schoology contract?

Existing Schoology customers are eligible to receive the same LMS funding benefit that other Texas local education agencies are receiving from the THL 3.0 program. PowerSchool will "pause" your existing Schoology LMS subscription and contract, allowing TEA to fund the subscription for the next 24 months and applying any payments on the account or open invoices to the continuation of your term in 2022. Additional services, such as premium support and Schoology AMP, will still be paid by the LEA, but TEA will fund your core Schoology LMS subscription. Reach out to your Schoology Education Impact Consultant or fill out the form at www.powerschool.com/texas to initiate the move to the TEA contract.

What do I do if I already have a contract with a different LMS provider?

If a district has a different LMS and is happy with their provider, they likely stay with this option. If a district has a different LMS and is not happy, they should consider adopting Schoology.

Where can I find more information about Schoology?

Districts may visit powerschool.com/texas to learn more about Schoology, including demo videos, customer stories, and training webinars.

Can I add content from a different LMS into Schoology?

Yes, content can be exported from your current LMS and imported into a Schoology course.

Will Schoology work with my existing tools (e.g., Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, student information system, etc.)?

Schoology Learning integrates with the majority of the student information systems (including PowerSchool SIS, eSchoolPlus SIS, Skyward, and TxEIS) on the market. Integration with student information systems means that rostering information from the SIS (student information, class schedules, etc.) are pushed and synced with the SIS. For some SIS platforms Schoology Learning supports grade passback, where grades from the LMS are pushed back into the SIS. As you enter the implementation process, check with your onboarding specialist around questions regarding SIS integration.

How will Schoology integrate with TxEIS (soon to be Ascender)?

Schoology and the TxEIS team offer the following solutions for integration between the two systems:

• Short term: Immediately Schoology can “integrate” with TXeis/Ascender via SFTP. The limitation with this solution is that files from each district could potentially be different and grade passback is not possible.
• Medium term: Scripts are being developed to “standardize” the integration file between Schoology and TXeis/Ascender. The limitation with this solution is that grade passback will still not be possible.
• Long term: API development is underway to fully integrate Schoology and TXeis/Ascender. This will also permit the availability of grade passback. The goal of the API connection is to allow for both data provisioning and grade passback. Further details will be released throughout the fall of 2020 and there is no target date commitment at this point, but this will not be available in 2020.

Will ESCs receive their own license under the Schoology agreement?

Yes, education service centers (ESCs) will receive a two year license for Schoology at no cost to the ESC.

Is TEA working with Schoology to address customer service delays?

Given the demand for this offer and the first-come, first-served nature of implementation support, Schoology is experiencing at least a 30-day onboarding timeline. Districts should continue to provide feedback to TEA and Schoology as we will continue to improve customer onboarding processes.

Does Schoology support grade pass backs with TxEIS?

Schoology’s integration with an SIS comes with two main pieces:

• Rostering: All integrations between an LMS and SIS include the automated creation of courses as well as rostering of students within the LMS. This way, when a teacher logs in on the first day, all of his/her classes are already there and all the students are members. This information is flowing from the SIS into the LMS.
• Grade passback: Certain integrations also include grade passback. This means that when a teacher enters a grade into the Schoology grade book, it also flows into the SIS gradebook. Not all integrations with SIS include grade passback.
• For TxEIS, our integration includes automatic rostering, but not grade passback.

How much is Schoology costing the state of Texas?

The statewide license to Schoology is about $18.6 million and is paid for through CARES Act funding. TEA is providing this critical, high-quality remote learning software system free for every Texas school system, saving school systems up to $40 million out of their local budgets over two years. And by using the purchasing power of the state, TEA was able to bring prices down that ultimately save the taxpayer up to $22 million over two years.

The THL Webinar Library is for district, school, and ESC leaders who want an overview of all available THL Webinars.

The THL Webinar Library can be used to easily find, access, and view all available THL webinars in one place.

https://texashomelearning.org/library