An Update From the Indiana Department of Education for July 12, 2019

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Dr. Mac

Changes Ahead for Accessing all IDOE Systems- Update

 

IDOE is prepared to begin the rollout of Unified Access. For the past few weeks, public school corporations have submitted registration information. Superintendents in these registered corporations should expect an email in the coming week with directions to log in and identify their Data Security Coordinator. IDOE has collected domain information from 364 of the public corps/charters, 293 for Google G-Suite, and 70 for Microsoft 365. IDOE will be configuring these domains next week.

 

If your public school corporation has not yet registered domain information, please complete the process as soon as possible. Please see the attached memo for additional details regarding this process. 

If you have questions, please use this email.

 

Legislative Updates and Guidance

  • Please read this important information regarding radon in schools.

  • Please read this important information regarding threats to school safety.

  • Please read this important information regarding the school intergenerational safety pilot project. Please use this letter of interest template as a reference. Letters of interest are due by August 15.

Updated PSAT Guidance

The Office of Assessment has received questions about HEA 1426 (2018) as it relates to the college and career readiness exam. Please see this updated guidance for additional information.

 

Office of School Building Physical Security and Safety

Mandated Safety Drills

As a new school year begins, the Office of School Building Physical Security and Safety is sharing reminders on important deadlines, fire and active shooter drills, and resources. All the information can be found here.

 

Office of Assessment

ILEARN Rescore Request Window Opens Monday

The ILEARN Rescore Request window will be open in TIDE beginning Monday and continue through the end of the month (July 15-31). Principals should review this brief training module illustrating the mechanics of requesting item rescores. Schools must manage the rescore request process and communicate information about the process to all parents. An optional parent letter template is available for use by schools.

As emphasized in the training, once a rescore request is submitted, it cannot be reversed. Parents and guardians must sign this non-disclosure statement before reviewing secure test content. Schools must maintain locally any signed statements from this summer’s rescore request window. All rescore request resources are posted in the Indiana Assessment Portal

Email the AIR Help Desk or call 866-298-4256 with questions about designating “Principal” users and requesting rescores in TIDE. Contact the Office of Assessment with any policy-related questions.

IREAD-3 Summer Retest- Five Days Left

Students requiring the Summer Retest opportunity must be assessed prior to the end of the window on July 19.  

IREAD-3 Return Paper Book Materials- Five Days Remaining

Paper books and all other IREAD-3 materials must be returned for shipping by July 19. Return shipping directions were included in your box with the initial delivery. Please follow those instructions promptly so the scoring process can begin for all your paper books. Paper books shipped/postmarked after July 19 will not be scored.

 

Office of School Improvement

Dyslexia Professional Awareness

IC 20-35.5-6-2(B), as created by SEA 217 (2018), states the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) will ensure all teachers working for school corporations and charter schools receive professional awareness on dyslexia. This professional awareness will include information on the characteristics of dyslexia, evidence-based interventions, and evidence based accommodations for dyslexia. This professional awareness information is offered through IDOE’s Moodle course website. Please visit IDOE’s dyslexia page under the “Dyslexia Professional Awareness” tab for a link to the professional awareness course, and directions on how to set up and log into IDOE’s Moodle website.

Additional Resources Available for the Arkansas Rapid Automized Name Screener

IDOE has released new documents and videos to enhance schools’ knowledge and usability of the Arkansas Rapid Automized Name Screener (AR-RAN). IDOE has released a revised version of the screener, a tutorial video on how to give the AR-RAN, and a frequently asked question (FAQ) document for the screener. IDOE has also created a section in the FAQ document providing sample cut scores and explaining how to calculate cut scores for the AR-RAN. For additional clarity, IDOE has created a video showing how to calculate AR-RAN cut scores in Excel. Please visit IDOE’s Dyslexia website to access all of these resources under the “Dyslexia Screeners” tab.

Literacy Vocabulary Lists 

Elementary and Secondary Literacy Vocabulary Lists are available in the Literacy Framework found here. These lists are sorted by grade level and feature all vocabulary words found in the Literacy Framework. Educators should be utilizing these words during classroom instruction. Students do not need to master these words, but should be familiar with them.  

#INspirEDlit July Literacy Newsletter

Let's get ready, excited, and prepared for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year. Your IDOE literacy team has put together some tips for back-to-school night and a few great reads for setting yourself up for success. Check out this month's edition here

 

Office of Innovation

Required Principal Survey Reminder

Under Indiana Code, principals in each school corporation, including charter and virtual schools, must complete an annual survey for any teacher employed in their building, initially licensed in Indiana during the last two years. Additional information is available here.

HEA 1008 Career Ladders Grant Application

Per House Enrollment Act (HEA) 1008 (2019), the Office of Leadership and Innovation is pleased to announce the release of the Career Ladders Grant. The Career Ladders Grant focuses on supporting career pathways, which will offer high performing teachers opportunities to advance. Public and charter schools are eligible to apply. To learn more, click here.

One-Day Summer Engineering Opportunity for Students in Grades 7-9

Click here for information about an upcoming free event, hosted by Purdue University’s Women in Engineering Program. Engineering FYI: For Your Imagination is a FREE one-day on-campus event designed to increase interest in engineering among rising seventh-through-ninth-grade students (completed sixth through eighth grades by the summer of the event). The day will feature hands-on activities and interaction with current engineering students for participants and some activities for parents as well.

Contact Sue Bayley, Assistant Director, Women in Engineering Program, with questions.

 

Office of Title Grants and Support

Updated Information on Additional SIG Planning Grant Funding

Eligible Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools, who participated in the SIG planning grant during the 2018-2019 school year, have the opportunity to compete for additional implementation funds in the fall. Please see the attached memo for additional information. An eligible school list can be found here. A technical assistance webinar will be held on July 19 at 10:30 a.m. EST. The webinar will explain these options in greater detail and feature a question and answer session. The meeting link can be accessed here. The audio connection will be available at +1-415-655-0001 US Toll, Access code: 642- 958-875]

McKinney-Vento 2019-2022 Request for Proposals

The 2019-2022 McKinney-Vento request for proposals (RFP) is now available. The competitive grant proposals are due August 30. Please see the McKinney-Vento website for the RFP, rubric, budget, and required templates. In order to adjust to ESSA requirements, the structure of the McKinney-Vento grant has changed to promote coordination within regions and improved services for homeless children and youth.

A technical assistance webinar will be held on Wednesday, July 17, at 2:30 p.m. EST. Access audio at +1-415-655-0001 US Toll. The meeting number/access code is 640 246 980. The meeting link can be accessed here. Also, the webinar will be recorded. Questions may be sent to Valerie Beard or Nathan Williamson.

Make Sure School and District Contacts Are Current

IDOE is updating the 2019 McKinney-Vento School Corporation Liaison contact information. Currently identified LEA liaisons can be found here. Please use this link if the liaison at your LEA needs to be updated. If the current individual is correct, no update is required. Questions can be sent to Gina Woodward.

 

 

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Weekly Updates

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An Update from the Indiana Department of Education is created by the Office of Communications, and  is distributed every Friday.