Hello, educators! On November 18, we hosted an engaging session showcasing the new and refreshed Texas OnCourse Academy. THECB’s Jamie Bell and Samantha Gonzalez walked us through updated competencies, modules, and interactives, and shared helpful tips and resources to enhance your Academy experience.
The Academy Pilot Program was essential in developing the new and refreshed content in the Texas OnCourse Academy. Educators across the State of Texas reviewed new Academy content and provided feedback to our team which helped us revise the Academy and assess what additional content was needed: 79.38% of Academy Pilot participants were extremely satisfied with the new content; 95.05% of participants felt that the content provided an appropriate level of detail for their role. To all the educators who took part in the Academy Pilot Program, thank you. Your thoughtful feedback was essential in helping Texas OnCourse remain Texas’ go-to resource for college and career advising.
The New and Refreshed Texas OnCourse Academy:
The updated Texas OnCourse Academy features four refreshed content areas: Advising: Foundational Knowledge, Middle School Advising, High School Advising, and Postsecondary Advising. Updates were made to strengthen alignment across middle school, high school, and postsecondary pathways, highlight real-world advising strategies and student supports, and reflect current advising practices. The updates also introduced an improved learning experience, featuring a cleaner, more accessible layout, smoother navigation, and new interactive elements such as quizzes, scenarios, and clickable visuals. To support deeper learning, our team also developed a two-unit structure: Unit 1 focuses on key information and foundational concepts, while Unit 2 emphasizes implementation and practical strategies.
Texas OnCourse Academy Middle School Resources:
Middle School resources were also refreshed. There are three brand new modules for middle school educators which include Exploring Career Pathways – MS, Individual Student Planning – MS, and Fundamentals of Financial Aid and Literacy. Using a backward design approach, these modules help middle school educators support students as they start to explore their strengths and interests, make connections between their interest and possible career pathways, and build the skills they’ll need to adapt as their goals evolve. Each module features interactive elements, PDFs, and comics to support meaningful student engagement.
Texas OnCourse Academy Learning Community:
We are launching an exciting new initiative called the Texas OnCourse Academy Learning Community. This space is designed to connect educators and advance college and career readiness while using the Texas OnCourse Academy. Our goal is to foster connections among Texas educators to connect, collaborate, and grow collectively. Whether you're just getting started with the Texas OnCourse Academy or have been using it for years, the Learning Community is designed with you in mind.
Interested in joining? Complete the short interest form to become part of the Texas OnCourse Academy Learning Community and stay informed about upcoming activities, discussions, and opportunities to collaborate with peers statewide.
Join us for one of two live Q&A sessions on January 22 and January 29 to discover how we’ll work together to exchange insights, enhance advising practices, and help empower students on their journey to postsecondary success.
Professional Learning Series and Tiny Takes:
If you missed the session, you can view a recording of Fresh Tools: Insider Look into the Updated Texas OnCourse Academy. Mark your calendars—our next Professional Learning Series and Tiny Take sessions are coming your way in February 2026! We’ll kick things off on February 10 with an in-depth session on the Texas Transfer Framework, designed to help educators navigate the program and better understand field of study courses to support students in their academic journeys. Then, on February 19, join us for a quick, 30-minute Tiny Take exploring how the My Texas Future platform empowers adult learners to find educational pathways and training programs that align with their personal and professional goals. We look forward to seeing you there!