ACC expands free college readiness program for adults
Austin Community College is expanding its Transitions Program, an adult college preparation course. Transitions helps high school graduates and GED earners develop and reinforce skills in reading, writing, and math, so they can successfully complete freshman-level college courses. The free program also includes career counseling and guides students through the ACC admissions and financial aid processes. Funded through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Transitions program pays for Texas Higher Education Assessment exam fees and textbooks. Students who complete the program receive a $100 stipend; those who go on to complete an ACC credit course with a grade of C or better receive a $250 stipend and become eligible for a $1,000 ACC scholarship. The next 10-week Transitions courses begin May 28; classes will meet Monday through Thursday at Eastview Campus in Austin. Students can sign up for either the daytime class or the evening course. Students must be U.S. citizens and 18 or older, with a GED or high school diploma. Applicants must participate in a brief interview prior to enrolling and maintain a 75 percent attendance rate for the course. To sign up, contact Charlene Gill at (512) 223-5122 or cgill@austincc.edu.
Parents can now view CSOPE lessons
As part of the ongoing mandate by the Texas legislature to increase transparency, the Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative (TESCCC) is working with its technology provider to provide public access to CSCOPE lessons. The TESCCC started uploading lessons to a public website for viewing in April; they are the same lessons provided to districts. The only exceptions are materials used for grading, student assessment and answer keys. One caveat noted by TESCCC is that the public posting of CSCOPE lessons does not necessarily provide parents with the actual lesson content or instructional material being used in individual classrooms. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher or school for information regarding specific content or material used in the classroom. The TESCCC is working with the State Board of Education for a review of Social Studies lessons, which will be based on the timeline set by the State Board of Education for the review. The link to see the CSOPE lessons is www.public.mycscope.us.
Skateboard demonstration for people with disabilities
Texas Ski Ranch will hold a free adaptive skateboard demonstration at 3 p.m. May 4 and an adaptive skateboard clinic 11-2 p.m. ($20 registration fee) May 5 in New Braunfels. Put on by the Therapeutic Recreation students of Texas State University, the event goal is to bring awareness to the community and allow individuals with disabilities to participate in skateboarding. Coaches Oscar Loreto, assisted by coaches Justin Beachesne and Jon Comer, will conduct the clinic and demonstration.