1. WELCOME EDUCATORS TO THE 10TH ANNUAL
TEXAS STEM CONFERENCE
Session:
Individual Graduation Planning Mobile
Application and STEM Center of Excellence
Toolkit
Date: 1/19/2017
Time: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: The Baccarat Room (Ballroom
Level)

2. TxGradU8 High School
Degree Planning App
A mobile application for Texas 8th-12th
graders designed and developed to assist
high schoolers and their counselors build and
track their degree plan.
This is the first and only mobile app of its
kind designed for Texas students and
educators by students and educators.
Is compatible with both Apple and
Android products.

3. Students are able to, via any
mobile device, create a basic
profile that will allow them to
come back and add, revise or
check up on their progress.
A student may also check their progress at any time to see how many credits remain to be
accomplished to meet Foundation High School Program graduation requirements and how many
credits have been completed toward the endorsement of his/her choice.
Texas Education
Agency
The TxGradU8 mobile application meets TEA
graduation requirements and is also
compliant with House Bills 5 and 18
The app focuses on the Foundation High
School Program and covers the 5
endorsement areas of curriculum. This app
also recognizes and allows students to
participate in the Distinguished Achievement
Program

4. Language Preference
TxGradU8 allows students to choose English
or Spanish as their language of preference to
utilize the application
Currently, English and Spanish are
the only two languages this
application is offered.

5. Building Your Profile
Currently the application asks for the
simplest of identifying information from the
student.
I don’t know about you but I get frustrated
with all the new gadgets and gizmos on our
mobile devices that ask for your full history,
blood type, DNA sequencing and what your
favorite flavor of gum is before you can begin
accessing the app.

6. Explore and Choose an
Endorsement
Students can select an endorsement as part
of their degree plan.
Not sure what each endorsement is and
what careers, “traditional” and “non-
traditional” are within each endorsement;
not a problem.
Simply click on details and it will give you a
brief description of the endorsement,
occupations within the endorsement and
class credit requirements for each
endorsement.
Explore each
endorsement to find your
interest.
For details about the endorsement,
occupations within each
endorsement and class credit
requirements, check out the details
page.

7. Endorsement Details
Students can explore each endorsement.
See what occupations and associated fields
are included in the endorsement.
TEA endorsement course requirements are
noted below the description.
Endorsements can be revised, so if a student
changes course between 9th grade and 10th
grade. They can choose a new endorsement
and the app will figure the student’s progress
based on the new endorsement
requirements.

8. Progress to Graduation
As a student completes courses or plugs
courses in for the next semester, TxGradU8
calculates the progress the student is making
toward meeting graduation requirements.
There are over 400 courses to choose from
along with generic, “Other Course” options
allowing students and high schools that offer
different courses based on availability to be
typed in and counted.
Foundation and Endorsement
credits are tracked separately

9. TxGradU8 for your
Students
Meet Ethan, a high school Junior at Clyde
High School in Region 14 ESC.
He tracked his high school experience
starting from his 9th grade course work to the
classes he has in progress the Spring
semester of 2017.
Ethan chose Public Service as his
endorsement.
Viewing his progress, he has already covered
all the endorsement requirements to earn
the Public Service certification. He was
required to take 4 and will have completed 5.
He will have, by the end of his Junior
year,completed 17.5 of the 22 required
Foundation credits.

10. Always a Way Home
In the top left hand corner of each screen is
the “Home” icon that will allow the student
to access the
• courses page
• check their progress
• access other resources.
They can also go back to their profile and
edit the information to change the school
they may be transferring to, email address
and if they change endorsements.

11. Resources and a Portal
to Exploration
Students can share their progress with their
parents and assigned school counselor.
The student is able to send via e-mail, text
message, OneNote or save it to a Google
Drive folder.

12. Progress Report
Notification
When your student share’s their degree plan
progress with you via email this is what you
will receive.
It does time/date stamp it for you so that it
can be printed out and included in the
student file.
This can be updated and shared as often as
necessary.

13. Version 2.0 In The
Works
We are asking that schools and students use
the application and tell us how to make it
better for YOU!
Give us your feedback.
• Easy to navigate?
• Gives you the information you need?
• What can we add to help you and the
students?
• If you could create the perfect degree
planning application, what would you like
to see?

14. E3 Center of Excellence
Career
Career Exploration and Resource Hub.
Supports improved performance, encourages
curiosity and allow exploration into the world
of work, career pathways and college studies.

15. Everyone Starts
Somewhere
Whether you have students that aspire to
pursue a career in a technical field requiring
a certificate OR 4 year degree is their path –
We have provided a space where resources
are at the ready to explore, ask questions,
and engage with students, educators,
colleges and industry experts in your own
backyard or across the state.

16. TxGradU8 and the
Center
The E3 Center and the mobile app are
complimentary pieces.
Mobile App helps with the degree planning.
The E3 Center helps with the career
exploration, investigating the traditional and
non-traditional occupations found within
each endorsement.
It also offers up some helpful hints and
resources for college readiness, scholarships,
college comparisons and student testimony
videos about “What they wish they had
known going into the college planning”.
There are tons of sites, resources and good
information out there. We are choosing the
best of the best and bringing it under one
roof.

17. Student Resource
Pages
Immerse yourself in the World of Work. Take
assessments to learn more about your skills
and interests.
Find tips and tools to jumpstart our potential
career.
There are endless opportunities.
START PLANNING!
Texas High School Graduation Endorsements
Career & College Resource Links
Interview & Resume Writing
Student Internships
Scholarships

18. Career Planning
Resume writing isn’t just for those of us that
have held paying jobs.
How do I write an effective resume to
highlight my skills and knowledge when I’ve
only ever been a teacher/office aide or
helped in volunteer positions?
Interviewing isn’t just for jobs. It’s also good
practice if you are competing for limited
seats in a program of study, such as nursing,
where your application, grades, and
interview can decide if you “Get In”.

19. What I Wish I Had
Known When
Attending College
What would you tell your younger self about
college knowing what you know now?
Admissions
Testing
Financial aid
Choosing A Major
We give multiple pathways in which to
explore your career opportunities and maybe
some you haven’t even thought about.

20. Interviews, Internships,
and Scholarships OH
MY!
If you have student internship programs that
you want to highlight are are interested in
starting an internship program; here is the
place to check for best practices.
The Center will also have multiple locations
to access scholarship opportunities. Some
scholarship opportunities, we at the
Consortium administer.
There are some sites that are good choices to
access scholarships.

21. What Does A Baker
Really Do On The Job?
We have several different groups that are
working on “Career Videos”.
We will continue to comb the web and find
those sites that are legitimate, helpful and
will provide your students with a “day-in-the-
life-of” real world tours.

22. Endorsements!
It’s all about the endorsement.
Is S.T.E.M just for doctors and engineers?
NO!
Download these information resources to
have those career discussions in your
classroom.

23. Resources for
Educators
We cover resources focusing on S.T.E.M and
CTE learning.
No matter what your students choose to do
they MUST know how to read and write.
Language arts resources will include written
and oral presentations. How to research,
write and document effectively.
Teacher Externship experiences will be
included.

24. Subject Pages
Each of our subject pages will include 3
sections:
1) 2 topic relevant videos that may be
helpful to you or can be shown in your
classroom as a supplement.

25. Subject Pages
Each of our subject pages will include 3
sections:
1) 2 topic relevant videos that may be
helpful to you or can be shown in your
classroom as a supplement.
2) Projects & Labs that meet TEKS
standards and can be economically
replicated in the classroom.
These are broken down K-5, 6-8, 9-12

26. Subject Pages
Each of our subject pages will include 3
sections:
1) 2 topic relevant videos that may be
helpful to you or can be shown in your
classroom as a supplement.
2) Projects & Labs that meet TEKS
standards and can be economically
replicated in the classroom.
These are broken down K-5, 6-8, 9-12
3) Resource Links will contain hyper links to
sites that are specific to subject and will
range in lesson plans, videos, PBLs, etc.

27. Looking for
Professional
Development
We have combed the “Inter’web” for all
State and National webinars, conferences
and workshops to include on one site, one
location.
Do you have local events that teachers from
outside your region are welcome to attend?
Consider including your events here. Build
the network.

28. You are all Experts!
Share you knowledge, broaden your circle of
influence.
Do you have tried and true lesson plans?
Have you figured out how to do more with
less……A LOT less?
We want this Texas site to be about all the
great resources that Texas teachers have to
offer.
COMING SOON!
Teacher Forum Page
Submit Your Lesson, PBL or Lab to be
published on this Texas Center of Excellence.

29. Contact Information
Katherine E. Stokes
Executive Director
West Texas Energy Consortium
500 Chestnut Street, Ste 1200
Abilene, Texas 79602
325-795-4206
Katherine@wtxec.org
www.wtxec.org
www.e3stem.org