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IN THIS EDITION
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PRESS RELEASE
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The class of 2015 posted an 81.9 percent graduation rate. Data also show gap closure as graduation rates for students of color continue to rise. Read February 22 press release.
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ACTION ITEMS
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The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) opened on January 4 and will be available until May 31, 2016. If you would like to receive district-level results by the end of May, all schools in your district need to complete the survey online AND before March 18. In order to complete the survey on or before March 18, schools must be registered by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 26.
If you have questions about the registration process, please contact Wilder Research at 651-280-2747 or mss@wilder.org. If you have other questions about the MSS, please contact the Minnesota Department of Education at 651-582-8488 or mde.studentsurvey@state.mn.us.
All MSS district contacts received an email on Thursday, December 3, with a registration link. If you did not receive this email, please check your junk folder for an email from notify@quickbase.com or contact Wilder Research at 651-280-2747 or mss@wilder.org to have it resent.
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When proficiency is calculated for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and the Multiple Measurements Rating (MMR), only 1 percent of the total number of student records contributing index points may come from students taking the MTAS. This limit is sometimes called the “one-percent cap.” When the percentage of district students being tested on the MTAS significantly exceeds 1 percent for a valid reason, the superintendent can submit a request to make an adjustment to the cap for the number of MTAS scores that can be included in the AYP and MMR calculations.
The window for districts to submit alternate assessment waivers through Test WES is from Tuesday, March 1, 2016, at 7 a.m., to Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at 4 p.m. Additional information and instructions for submitting a waiver are available on the Federal Accountability page of the MDE website and under the Help link in Test WES. View the Federal Accountability page on the MDE website (MDE > School Support > Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Waiver > Federal Accountability). If you have questions about the Alternate Assessment Waiver, please contact Eric Kloos at Eric.Kloos@state.mn.us or Michael Diedrich at Michael.Diedrich@state.mn.us.
Requests for a waiver can be entered by district staff in consultation with the director of special education, but must be formally authorized by the superintendent. Many superintendents already have a user ID and password for Test WES. View the Data Submissions page for information on accessing MDE systems (MDE > School Support > Data Submissions).
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In order to ensure data files are streamlined, up to date, and easier to understand, the department is planning to update the District and School Student Results (DSR/SSR). A new simplified DSR/SSR format is being proposed that will eventually replace the existing DSR/SSR format. The organization of the data has been revised in an effort to make the data more intuitive and easier to understand by grouping information into key categories.
The simplified format and details have been provided in the Assessment Update which is sent to District Assessment Coordinators.
Timeline of Implementation
Both the current and the new simplified DSR/SSR formats will be available June 27, 2016, in Excel and TAB delimited formats.
- For school years 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 reporting, both formats will continue to be provided.
- The current DSR/SSR format will remain available until September 1, 2017. After this point, DSR/SSR files will only be able to be accessed in the new format.
Feedback Requested
Please share these proposed versions with your Information Technology specialists and any other staff in your school or district who use the DSR/SSR. Please email any feedback to mde.testing@state.mn.us before March 28, 2016.
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GRANT OPPORTUNITY
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The Minnesota Department of Education, Special Education Division and Academic Standards Division, is soliciting applications from Minnesota public school districts serving K-12 students to track how the district actively increases fidelity of core and tiered instructional supports in a single content area in a minimum of two school sites but not more than five sites.
Applicants will pick a single content area (math or reading) for all school sites identified in their application and commit to measuring and documenting the process used to increase the effectiveness of core and at least one tier of intervention support for two to five years.
Federal 2015 funding from CFDA 84.027A, Special Education – Grants to States, in the amount of $200,000, is available for this initiative. It is our intent to fund four projects; three that focus on reading and one that focuses on math. Grant award maximums will not exceed $50,000 per district.
The initial funding period is anticipated to be May 2016 through September 30, 2017. Continuation awards may be an option.
A question and answer period is offered along with a webinar scheduled for March 14. Access the grant opportunity documents (https://w1.education.state.mn.us/EGMS/searchAllActiveGrants.do).
Applications must be received by (not postmarked by) March 31, 2016, 3:30 p.m., Central Daylight Time.
For further information, please contact Vicki Weinberg at vicki.weinberg@state.mn.us or 651-582-8245. Email is preferred.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
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Register Now! The Minnesota Department of Education School Safety Technical Assistance Center is partnering with the Legal Rights Center to offer the Restorative Practices in Schools training workshops, June 20-24, at Fair School, 3915 Adair Ave. N., Crystal.
A restorative school is centered on relationships, building community and repairing harm. Multiple practices provide multi-tiered levels of support for students, staff and family. Some of the June training workshops are designed for people new to restorative practices and other workshops are for those who have experience in the field. There are eight trainings to choose from and many of those allow you to register youth as well as adults. The week will end with the Circle Networking Day, open to restorative practitioners and all training participants. View a list of all the training workshops offered and register.
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The Library of Congress is now accepting applications for its FREE week-long summer institutes for K-12 educators. Held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this professional development opportunity provides educators with tools and resources to effectively integrate primary sources into K-12 classroom teaching, with an emphasis on student engagement, critical thinking, and construction of knowledge.
The Library is offering five programs this summer. Four of the programs are open to teachers and librarians across all content areas. One focuses on primary sources in science, technology and engineering. During each five-day institute, participants work with Library education specialists and subject-matter experts to learn effective practices for using primary sources in the classroom, while exploring some of the millions of digitized historical artifacts and documents available on the Library’s website.
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General Institutes – Open to K-12 educators across all content areas: June 27-July 1, July 11-15, July 18-22, July 25-29.
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Science, Technology, and Engineering Institute – Recommended for K-12 educators who teach science, technology, or engineering, or collaborate with those who do: June 20-24.
Tuition and materials are provided at no cost. Participants will be responsible for transportation to and from Washington, D.C., and any required overnight accommodations.
Applications are due February 29 and require a letter of recommendation. Read more and apply.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
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Next week, Minnesota high school principals will be invited to sign up their school for the state’s first statewide student mock election. Students Vote 2016 will be held this fall, sponsored by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. The Minnesota Department of Education encourages Minnesota high schools to sign up.
We know that getting civic habits started at an early age can support a lifetime of active citizenship. Students Vote 2016 is meant for students to get hands-on experience with the electoral process that they will soon become part of.
Each school will decide exactly how to hold their election—whether it happens in a classroom, in a mock polling place during lunch, or something different. Schools will receive all the election materials they need, including mock ballots, “I voted” stickers, and posters. The student election will be held in October, with results reported shortly before the actual General Election on November 8.
The Secretary of State’s Office will be emailing Minnesota high school principals next Tuesday, March 1 (precinct caucus day) with more details and a link to sign up. See additional information.
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The Minnesota Board of Teaching has taken the following licensure actions:
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Fairbanks, Priscilla (FF #284742) Ms. Fairbanks’ license was reinstated on February 18, 2016.
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Haynes, Barbara (FF #336110) Ms. Haynes' license was suspended on February 22, 2016, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 214.101, subdivision 1(b), until she meets requirements of the Board of Teaching.
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