From Our Volunteers to Students' Ears in Record Time

by Cheri Nightingale

T.E.A. … more than just a drink with jam and bread

As a volunteer at Learning Ally, it is very likely that within the last three to four months you’ve heard us assign you a text, highlight the fact that it is a “T.E.A. book,” and let you know that we have to hurry to meet the deadlines. T.E.A. stands for Texas Education Agency and Learning Ally has had a recording relationship to produce the Texas state-adopted books for over 20 years. However, the last two contracts with the T.E.A. have required Learning Ally to produce the audio versions of these titles within 30 calendar days of an order request. Thirty calendar days is a tight turnaround time for any recording, but when you consider the books in this contract – primarily texts in the STEM subject areas of math and science as well as social studies and literature titles with loads of maps and other non-text elements – you begin to see why we’ve asked so much of you lately. All volunteer jobs have had a hand in helping us meet the deadlines, and we are so proud to say that we’ve not missed one! The simple truth is that all volunteer time and effort toward the T.E.A. texts have had a HUGE impact on Texas student success, as well as the success of Learning Ally itself! Between July 1st and October 30th of this year, Learning Ally volunteers have recorded a total of 89 T.E.A. titles (over double what we historically complete in a school year!), 21 of which were math titles, and garnered a collection of over $65,000 toward the contract. Most of the start of the school year T.E.A. orders are behind us, but you may see more requests for help throughout the year and again in January when the new semester starts up again. We are so thankful for all the help and support our volunteers have given us this year, and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Thank you for joining us in our mission to improve student success for all of our members! Thank you to all who participated in the production! Here’s a list of the TEA titles completed since July 1st:  Texas Algebra 2 The Americans: United States History Since 1877 United States History: Colonization through Reconstruction Pearson Texas History Grade 7 Big Ideas Math Algebra 1 Texas Edition textbook Houghton Mifflin Harcourt World Geography Texas Texas Glencoe Biology Student Edition Texas Integrated Physics and Chemistry Student Edition Texas Science Fusion Lab Manual Grade 8 Texas Science Fusion Lab Manual Grade 7 Texas Science Fusion Assessment Review and Practice Guide Grade 7 Texas Science Fusion Assessment Review and Practice Guide Grade 8 McGraw-Hill Texas History Glencoe Math Course 1 Volume 1 Texas Go Math Grade 5 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Texas Biology Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Texas Algebra 1 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Texas World History Precalculus with Limits Texas Go Math Grade 2 Volume 2 Texas Go Math Student Edition Volume 2 Grade 4 Texas Go Math Student Edition Volume 2 Grade 5 Texas MyWorld Social Studies We Are Texas, Pearson Texas World History Student Edition Texas Glencoe Math Student Edition Vol. 1, Course 2 Texas Glencoe Math Student Edition Vol. 2, Course 2 Texas My World Social Studies Building Our Nation Student Edition, Gr. 5 World Cultures and Geography Reading Essentials and Study Guide Student Workbook Texas Go Math Grade 2 Volume 1 Texas Go Math Grade 4 Texas Write Source, Gr 6 Holt McDougal Literature, Texas, British Literature, grade 12 Texas Go Math Student Edition Volume 1 Grade 1 Glencoe Math Course 1 Volume 2 Texas iScience Grade 6 Texas iScience Grade 6 Lab Manual Texas World Cultures and Geography Student Edition Physics Principles & Problems, TX Student Bundle Pearson Texas Algebra 1: Student Text and Homework Helper Texas Studies Weekly First Grade - booklet 2 Texas Studies Weekly First Grade - booklet 3 Texas Modern Chemistry Student Edition Texas World Geography Texas History, McGraw Hill Reading Essentials and Study Guide Big Ideas Math Algebra 2 Texas Edition textbook Texas iScience G7 Lab Manual Student Edition Wild Science: Learning from the Cheetah City Water Tunnel 3 Sculpting with Physical Properties What Happens Under the Hood? Energy on Demand: Making Electricity Rocket Science Conserving Earth's Resources Hurricane! A Sky Full of Stars Tiger Sharks in the Seagrass Exploring the Galapagos Islands How Do We Use Scientific Investigation and Reasoning? What Is the Engineering Process? What Is Matter? How Do We Use Forms of Energy? How Do We Generate and Use Electricity? What Makes Objects Move? Earth's Changing Surface and Natural Resources How Does the Water Cycle Affect Weather? What Are Patterns in Space? How Do Organisms Interact with Their Environment? How Do Plants and Animals Reproduce and Adapt? How Do We Use Scientific Investigation and Reasoning? What Is the Engineering Process? What Is Matter? How Do We Use Forms of Energy? How Do We Generate and Use Electricity? What Makes Objects Move? Earth's Changing Surface and Natural Resources How Does the Water Cycle Affect Weather? What Are Patterns in Space? How Do Organisms Interact with Their Environment? How Do Plants and Animals Reproduce and Adapt? Texas Studies Weekly First Grade - Booklet 4 Geography TX Guided Reading Workbook Texas Go Math Student Edition Volume 1 Grade 2 Texas Studies Weekly First Grade - Booklet 1 Glencoe Biology Texas Reading Essentials Student Edition Texas ScienceFusion Interactive Student Edition Grade 1 Texas Geometry McGraw-Hill - Student Edition Texas iScience Grade 7 Texas Math Assessment Masters. Course 2 Pearson Texas Geometry Homework Helper Cheri Nightingale is Learning Ally's Project Director, Operations, based in Austin, Texas.