An Update From the Indiana Department of Education for November 9, 2018

indiana department of education - doctor jennifer mccormick - superintendent of public instruction

IN the Know 

November 2018 State Tuition Support Monthly Distribution

 

The Office of School Finance will release an updated Form 54 Basic Grant Monthly Distribution payment detail in State Aid. Find additional information here.

Dr. Mac

Office of Assessment

NEW--Share with Educators! ILEARN Test Coordinator’s Manual (TCM) & ILEARN Biology ECA Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) – Now Posted

CTCs and STCs may download the ILEARN Test Coordinator Manual (TCM) and the ILEARN Biology ECA Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) from the ILEARN “CTC Resources” page of the Indiana Assessment Portal. Printed manuals will not be shipped to schools. The TCM and Biology TAM will be used for the duration of the 2018-2019 test windows.

NEW! Share with Educators! ILEARN Released Items Repository Scoring Guides Now Available

The ILEARN Released Items Repository Scoring Guides are now posted on our website. Each file contains answer keys and may include sample student responses for grade-specific content areas. Please contact our office with any questions.

The ISTEP+ Grade 10 Winter Retest Window is Open November 12 - December 11

  • Additional Materials Orders (AMOs) can be placed in PearsonAccessnext. The Test Materials Checklist is available here, for your reference.

  • AMOs placed for paper testing materials will not be approved except for students with formally documented paper testing accommodations.

  • The Indiana Online Testing Guide, Test Administrator Refresher Training recording, and other helpful resources can be found in the Indiana Resource Center. Contact the Pearson help desk at 866-683-6668 if additional assistance is needed.

 

Office of Workforce and STEM Alliances

2019-2020 K-6 STEM Acceleration Grant Awards

Please read the attached memo for a list of the 2019-2020 K-6 STEM Acceleration Grant Cohort 2 Awardees.

Important Information for Priority Liberal Arts Course Teachers

High school educators who are teaching priority liberal arts courses must now meet, or make plans to meet by 2022, the credentialing guidelines, as set forth by the Higher Learning Commission.

Do you need additional graduate credits in your discipline to be approved to teach dual credit? IDOE is funding up to 140 courses through Indiana University for teachers who have a graduate degree, but need additional graduate credits to meet the Higher Learning Commission's requirement. The list of online graduate courses available to teachers through Indiana University can be found here. For additional information, please contact Ben Carter.  

 

Become a STEM Certified School

STEM education encompasses four academic disciplines - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. STEM guides our vision of ensuring all K-12 Indiana students graduate with critical thinking skills. Indiana students must have access to a world-class STEM education necessary to compete in an innovation-driven economy. STEM will equip students with 21st Century skills, preparing future generations of Hoosiers to thrive in STEM-related businesses and industries.

An Indiana Department of Education (IDOE)-approved STEM Certification process and application for schools that want to be recognized as STEM Certified School is in place. IDOE hopes to continue creating a STEM school network promoting a collaboration of best practices to promote STEM Education.

Please click here and go to Becoming a STEM School for more information. Applications are due December 3.

 

CTE Awards for Excellence Nomination Deadline is November 30

The Indiana CTE Awards for Excellence program highlights the outstanding achievements of Career and Technical Education students, partners, programs, and career advisement programs. The IDOE Office of Career and Technical Education and the Indiana Association of Career and Technical Education Districts (IACTED) invite each Indiana secondary CTE district to select a nominee for each award. The deadline to submit a nominee is November 30. Award winners will be recognized during CTE Month in February. Please contact your district area CTE Director if you would like to recommend a nominee.

Work-Based Learning Coordinator Survey for School Leaders 

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development Office of Workforce Education and Training and the Indiana Department of Education Division of Workforce & STEM Alliances/Office of Career and Technical Education, are working collaboratively to identify high-performing Work-Based Learning Coordinators to be involved in a pilot program. The pilot program will use the expertise of practitioners to identify best practices in work-based learning and to develop a training program for coordinators to help improve the quality of work-based learning in Indiana. Please take a few moments to complete the survey to help us better understand how WBL is being implemented in your school and to highlight any staff member(s) who might be an ideal candidate for the pilot program. Please contact Beth Meguschar if you have any questions regarding the survey or pilot program.

 

 

Office of School Improvement

Updates on Alternative Courses to Algebra II for the Core 40 Diploma

HEA 1426 provided the opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to consider alternative courses to Algebra II for the Core 40 diploma. Per Indiana Code, any such course adopted must be at a level of difficulty that aligns to postsecondary standards. A committee of Indiana educators, both secondary and postsecondary, collaborated to produce these proposed standards. The course is titled analytical algebra. The committee agreed that two years of algebra was important for student success beyond high school. We are seeking public comment regarding the proposed analytical algebra standards. Please use this form to submit your comments. The SBOE has not yet approved this course. After a period of public feedback, the new proposed standards will be presented to the SBOE for approval. Comments will be accepted through November 26. Please email Dr. Jennifer Jensen with any questions about this course.

Important Information on Dyslexia Educator Requirements

Senate Enrolled Act 217 requires every school corporation or charter school employ an individual who has or is working toward successfully completing an IDOE-approved training program in dyslexia. School corporations and charter schools may choose to train a current employee or hire a new employee who has or is working toward successfully completing the training. Successful completion of a program must have occurred in 2010 or after. The list of IDOE approved training programs may be found on the Dyslexia Training Program page. Please direct specific questions about an approved training program to the contact information listed on the approved training program document. Questions about the legislation and its requirements can be directed here.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) and School Improvement Plan (SIP) Roadshow

The Office of School Improvement will be offering technical assistance in completing a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) and School Improvement plan (SIP). All schools identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) or Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) in the fall of 2018 will be required to complete a unified CNA/SIP for the 2019-2020 school year. Schools identified as CSI and TSI are strongly encouraged to attend one of these informational sessions. View this flyer for more information and to register. Please contact Robin LeClaire for questions.

 

SHAPE System Update

The School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System (SHAPE System) offers a virtual workspace for a school or district mental health team to document, track, and advance quality and sustainability improvement goals and assess trauma responsiveness. There is no limit to how many districts can participate in the SHAPE System, and districts can work in local teams to complete the assessments without IDOE assistance. This month, the Offices of School Improvement and Special Education would like to highlight the Warsaw Community Schools and their work with the SHAPE System.

 

Office of Educator Effectiveness

2018-2019 Teacher Appreciation Grant Allocations

Teacher Appreciation Grant allocation grants for the 2018-2019 school year have been finalized. Please find additional information here

 

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Weekly Updates

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