I was able to get this working using a modified version of the code here http://dropbucket.org/node/204

The adjustments I made were to allow my table to be an element on a parent form and to repopulate the from my variables array...
//TODO bubble checked boxes to top
			
		$rows = array();
		$row_elements = array();
		$data=array();
		//$shared['articleFields'] values stored in variables table -- loaded in parent form 
		//$key is name of my parent form this gets attached to
		
		$cc=-10; //default weights starting at -10
		//field machine names with titles 
        $articleFields = array(
		  'title'=>t('Headline'),
		  'field_news_categories'=>t('News Categories'),
		  'field_text_2'=>t('Subheading'),
		  'field_photo_caption_1'=>t('Featured Photo'),
		  'body'=>t('Copy'),
		  'field_text_4'=>t('Featured Quote'),
		  'field_keywords'=>t('Keywords'),
		  'field_websites'=>t('Related Links'),
		  'field_images'=>t('Additional Images'),
		  'field_slideshow'=>t('Slideshow'),
		  'field_video'=>t('Video'),
		  'scheduler_settings'=>t('Scheduler'),
		  'group_alternates'=>t('Alternates'),
		  'field_text_1'=>t('Alternate Headline'),
		  'field_text_3'=>t('Alternate Subheading'),
		  'field_photo_caption_2'=>t('Alternate Photo'),
	      'field_longtext_1'=>t('Alternate Copy'),
	    );
		 
		foreach ($articleFields as $k =>$v) {
			// Build the table rows.
			$dv="";
			$dv2="";
			
			//if no values are defined use default weights from -10 up
			if(isset($shared['articleFields']['elements'][$k]['weight'])){
				$dv=$shared['articleFields']['elements'][$k]['weight'];
			}
			else $dv=$cc++;
			
			//if no value is defined use 0 for enabled value (unchecked) 
			if(isset($shared['articleFields']['elements'][$k]['enabled'])){
				$dv2=$shared['articleFields']['elements'][$k]['enabled'];
			}
			else $dv2=0;
			$rows[$k] = array(
				'data' => array(
					// Cell for the cross drag&drop element.
					array('class' => array('entry-cross')),
					// Weight item for the tabledrag.
					array('data' => array(
							'#type' => 'weight',
							'#title' => t('Weight'),
							'#title_display' => 'invisible',
							'#default_value' => $dv,
							'#attributes' => array(
								'class' => array('entry-order-weight'),
							),
						)),
					// Enabled checkbox.
					array('data' => array(
							'#type' => 'checkbox',
							'#title' => t('Enable'),
							'#title_display' => 'invisible',
							'#default_value' => t($dv2),
						)),
		
					// Name textfield.
					array('data' => array(
							'#type' => 'textfield',
							'#size' => 50,
							'#disabled' => TRUE,
							'#title' => t('Field'),
							'#title_display' => 'invisible',
							'#default_value' => t($v),
		
						)),
		
				),
				'class' => array('draggable'),
			);
			
			
			// Build rows of the form elements in the table.
			$row_elements[$k] = array(
				'weight' => &$rows[$k]['data'][1]['data'],
				'enabled' => &$rows[$k]['data'][2]['data'],
				'field' => &$rows[$k]['data'][3]['data'],
			);
		}
		 //sort both the rows and the row elements on the weight value 
		 	
		 	uasort($rows, function($a, $b) {
		    	return $a['data'][1]['data']['#default_value'] <=> $b['data'][1]['data']['#default_value'];
			});
			
		  
		    uasort($row_elements, function($a, $b) {
		    	return $a['weight']['#default_value'] <=> $b['weight']['#default_value'];
			});
			
		
		
		$id=str_replace("shared_", "", $key);
		$id="form-item-shared-".$id."-articleFields";
		
		// add this to parrent form 
		$form[$key]['articleFields'] = array(
			'#prefix'=>'<div class='.$id.'>',
			'#theme' => 'table',
			// The row form elements need to be processed and build,
			// therefore pass them as element children.
			'elements' => $row_elements,
			'#header' => array(
				// We need two empty columns for the weigth field and the cross.
				array('data' => NULL, 'colspan' => 2),
				t('Enabled'),
				t('Field'),
			),
			'#rows' => $rows,
			'#empty' => t('There are no entries available.'),
			'#attributes' => array('id' => 'entry-order'),
			'#sufix'=>'</div>',
		);
		drupal_add_tabledrag('entry-order', 'order', 'sibling', 'entry-order-weight');
		
		
[![enter image description here][1]][1]


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/rkWNp.png