At UT Charter School, our Student Support Services are designed to complement the holistic care students receive from our partner facilities. In addition to this foundational support, our dedicated teachers and staff are highly trained in trauma-informed education practices and the Neurosequential Model in Education™. This dual approach ensures that every student is met with compassion, structure and the tools they need to thrive academically and emotionally.
More information to better understand our foundational approach:
Trauma-Informed Education
UT-UCS is committed to establishing and maintaining a trauma-invested culture and to providing accessible and effective educational services for vulnerable youth. As part of that process, the district educational staff are trained in and utilize best-practices in trauma-invested education and brain-based learning strategies. The Trauma-Informed Education and Support System (TIESS) is a comprehensive framework developed by the University of Texas Charter School System that combines teacher-facing Neurosequential Model in Education™ (NME) strategies with student-facing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to support trauma-impacted students.
Neurosequential Model in Education™
The Neurosequential Model in Education (NME™) draws upon NMT (a neurodevelopmentally-informed, biologically respectful perspective on human development and functioning) to help educators understand student behavior and performance. The goals of NME are to educate faculty and students in basic concepts of neurosequential development and then teach them how to apply this knowledge to the teaching and learning process. NME is a way to educate school staff about brain development and developmental trauma and then to further teach them how to apply that knowledge to their work with students, particularly those students with adverse childhood experiences.
For more information on NME: NME | NMnetwork (neurosequential.com)
Social and Emotional Learning
District teachers and staff implement evidence-based, trauma-informed social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, including Second Step® for elementary students and School-Connect® for secondary students. UT-UCS understands that working with students who have experienced trauma can have an impact on mental and physical wellbeing. In order to support the well-being of educational staff, adult-focused wellness supports are prioritized.
For more information on Second Step: Second Step Programs | Second Step
For more information on School-Connect: School-Connect 4.0 | School-Connect
Andrea Menchaca, LMSW, School Social Worker Coordinator
Andrea serves as the School Social Work Services Coordinator for the University of Texas Charter School System, overseeing social-emotional learning (SEL), mental health programming, and student support services across 23 campuses statewide. Andrea brings over a decade of leadership experience in trauma-informed education, school-based mental health, and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Prior to her current role, she served as Director of Schools and Educational Services at SAFE Alliance, leading educational programming for youth impacted by abuse and neglect. Her current work emphasizes sustainable, mission-driven practices that center student belonging, adult capacity-building, and systemic change through trauma-informed systems.