An Update From the Indiana Department of Education for August 9, 2019

indiana department of education - doctor jennifer mccormick - superintendent of public instruction
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Teacher Leaders Bootcamp Applications Due August 16

Dr. Mac

 

The Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE) Office of Innovation and Office of School Improvement are committed to the recruitment, retention, and development of excellent educators across the state of Indiana. As such, we are pleased to announce the 2019-2020 Teacher Leaders Bootcamp.

 

The 2019-2020 Teacher Leaders Bootcamp is an opportunity for Indiana teachers to engage in innovative and relevant professional development in order to grow as teacher leaders. This experience will allow participating teachers to support teacher leadership development and implementation in their schools and districts. The Bootcamp offers the opportunity to become engaged in a statewide network of teacher leaders to promote and strengthen teacher leadership in Indiana. For more information, click here.

Legislative Updates and Guidance

Please read this important information regarding collective bargaining requirements.

 

Top 30 Teacher of the Year Candidates Announced

IDOE has announced the Top 30 Candidates for the annual Teacher of the Year Award. Find the list of 30 finalists here.

Indiana's Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Finalists Announced

IDOE has announced the six Indiana finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Learn more here.

 

Office of School Building Physical Security and Safety

Required Drill and Other Safety Deadlines Coming

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.

Stop the Bleed Questionnaire

IDOE is working with stakeholders to develop guidance materials regarding the implementation of House Enrolled Act 1063 (School Safety Equipment). In order to develop a process that will direct school corporations and charter schools to resources for obtaining bleeding control kits and/or staff training, IDOE and its community partners are asking schools to provide data regarding the current status of these items in their schools via a short questionnaire. Please see the attached memo for more information.

 

Indiana-Themed Ornaments Needed for National Christmas Tree

The U.S. Department of Education is asking middle and high schools to decorate 24 Indiana-themed ornaments for the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. Any schools interested in participating in this project must contact IDOE Director of Communications, Holly Stachler no later than Thursday, September 5. The selected school will have until Friday, October 25 to submit completed ornaments to IDOE. 

 

Office of School Finance

Summer School

The window for public and charter schools to submit the Final Instructional Costs Report for Summer School 2019 opened on July 29. Eligible schools are posted in this memo. The link to access the report is posted on our website or it can be accessed directly by clicking on this link. If you have additional questions about the Final Instructional Costs Report for Summer School 2019, please contact Kathryn Roth or Melissa Ambre.

Annual Financial Report

Each public school corporation, excluding charter schools, must submit a copy of the Annual Financial Report to IDOE. The report can be found in the Moodle Public Finance Community. The Annual Financial Report and proof of publication should be provided as a scanned document in a single PDF file on or before August 31 to AFR. If you have questions regarding the report, please email Skii Ficklin.  

 

Office of Assessment

I AM Reports Available in ORS on Thursday, August 15

Schools can download and print I AM reports in the Online Reporting System (ORS), which can be accessed from the Indiana Portal on Thursday, August 15. As a reminder, Individual Student Reports (ISRs) for I AM will not be mailed home to families. This sample interpretive guide can be shared with parents along with student reports. Educators can also download this interpretive guide directly from ORS.

ILEARN Results Available in ORS on Thursday, August 15

Schools will have access to ILEARN results and reports in the Online Reporting System on Thursday, August 15. Schools can access an interpretive guide from ORS to accompany each ISR as they communicate student results to parents. Please contact the AIR Help Desk for assistance navigating the ORS. Lexile and Quantile measures are discussed in more detail on our website and may provide helpful context for schools and families. Due to strict student privacy laws, IDOE cannot communicate student results to parents. Aggregated results are embargoed until September 4. 

Interpreting Summative Data and Reports Webinar Series: Resources Available - Share with Educators!

Thanks to all educators and administrators who participated in this summer’s Interpreting Summative Data and Reports webinar series! We hope you found this training helpful. The slides and additional resources are posted at the bottom of the ILEARN and I AM “Sample Items and Scoring” pages of our website. Please contact the Office of Student Assessment you have any questions.

I AM Test Blueprints

Please review the attached memo for information regarding the I AM test blueprints and 2018-2019 deployment. Any questions should be communicated to Kristine David.

ISPROUT Informational Onboarding Webinar

Join us on August 15 at 2 p.m. for a webinar designed for key stakeholders that will lead the coordination and implementation of ISPROUT, the new early learning assessment for Indiana replacing ISTAR-KR for OSEP reporting. This webinar will provide an overview of ISPROUT and some related logistics. Please contact Felecia Jordan with any questions.

 

Office of Accountability

State Accountability

For 2018-2019, schools will receive an A-F grade based on the domains of performance, growth, and multiple measures. State A-F grades will be calculated in the same manner as they have for the past three cycles. Additional information on Indiana’s State accountability system may be found here.

The proposed timeline for State accountability is below. This timeline is dependent upon the timely receipt of data from third-party vendors and may be amended to accommodate any changes in the delivery date of such third party vendor data.

  • October 2:                               SBOE placement of adult high schools for 2018-2019

  • October 11:                             Preliminary release of A-F grades in embargoed state to schools

  • October 11-28:                      A-F audit & appeal window

  • November 6:                          SBOE placement of K-12 schools for 2018-2019

  • November 6:                          Second A-F appeal window opens

Federal Accountability

For 2018-2019, schools will receive a Federal rating of either exceeds expectations, meets expectations, approaches expectations, or does not meet expectations based on all applicable indicators. Schools will not receive an A-F grade for Federal purposes. For additional information on the Federal accountability ratings, please participate in our Moodle course on Federal accountability found here (course title: ESSA Accountability; course enrollment key: ESSAaccountability) and review resources available in our School Accountability and Accreditation Community in Moodle (School Accountability and Accreditation Community). 

The proposed timeline for Federal accountability is below. This timeline is dependent upon timely receipt of data from third party vendors and may be amended to accommodate any changes in the delivery date of such third party vendor data.

  • November 20:                       Preliminary release of Federal ratings in embargoed state to schools

  • November 20-27:                 Data audit window (Attendance and English learner data sources only)

  • November 27:                       Publication of Federal accountability ratings & school improvement statuses for 2018-2019

Questions may be directed to the Office of School Accountability.

 

Office of School Improvement

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Trainings Open to All Schools

Join IDOE for a day of training on how MTSS can be implemented in your school and/or district. Districts are encouraged to come in teams of two-to-four educators (administrators, general education teachers, student services, and/or special education teachers). Please register at this link for the date and location that works for your team. If you have any questions, please contact Christy Berger.

Upcoming School Improvement Conference: ”Sailing Toward Proficiency”

The Inaugural School Improvement Conference, “Sailing Toward Proficiency," will be held on Thursday, September 5, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Indianapolis. This conference will feature keynote speaker Gerry Brooks and numerous breakout sessions presented by the Office of School Improvement staff. Register here, as space is limited for this free event. There will be sessions on cultural competency, chronic absenteeism, dyslexia, literacy, math, alternative education, the Opportunity Myth, Root Cause Analysis, and much more. Contact Melissa Blossom with any questions.

Elementary Literacy Family Guides

IDOE's literacy team has created Literacy Family Guides for each elementary grade level K-5. These guides share grade level skills and ideas for how parents can get involved in their child's education. Spanish translations are coming soon.

Literacy Program Newsletter Now Available

The Back to School edition of the literacy newsletter features book suggestions, conference and professional development opportunities, and program updates.

 

Office of Title Grants and Support

English Learner Teacher of Record Requirements

IDOE has issued new guidance for Indiana schools as they meet federal requirements for ensuring the qualifications of teachers serving English learners (EL), including a three-year timeline for implementation and various resources to help schools as they comply with these expectations. IDOE’s EL team will discuss this in depth at the annual EL Directors’ meeting to be held at MSD Lawrence Township Schools on August 14. All Indiana LEAs are encouraged to send a representative to learn more about these changes. More information and meeting registration for the meeting is located on our website.

 

Office of Innovation

UPDATE: HEA 1008 Career Ladders Grant Application - Deadline Extended

Per House Enrollment Act (HEA) 1008, the Office of Leadership and Innovation has released the Career Ladders Grant Application. The application deadline originally set for August 23 has been extended to December 2. Please click here the grant application. Informational meetings to provide additional clarification and support to the field are currently being scheduled and will be communicated as soon as finalized.

Argument-Driven Workshops

Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc. (HASTI) is sponsoring two, one-day workshops (September 23 and 24) to be held at the ETHOS Innovation Center in Elkhart. These two, one-day workshops will introduce the Argument-Driven Inquiry Instructional Model for educators. Elementary educators click here and Secondary educators click here. Sign up for these workshops by September 16 to reserve your spot. Additional questions can be sent to HASTI Executive Director Carolyn Hayes.

Updated STEM School Certification Process and Evaluation Rubric

Members of IDOE’s Department of Workforce and Innovation have been working with the State’s STEM Leadership Cadre to update the STEM School Certification process, including the STEM School Evaluation Rubric. This work has been undertaken in order to more closely align the STEM Certification process with the Indiana STEM Six-Year Strategic Plan and to make the process more rigorous and objective. Access the 2019-2020 STEM School Certification Guide here and the updated rubric available in Google SheetsExcel. Contact Dr. Christy Hilton, STEM Specialist, with questions. A webinar explaining the application process is available here.

Computer Science Honor Society

Interested in encouraging secondary students’ enthusiasm for computer science, honoring academic excellence, and promoting service? Consider starting a Computer Science Honor Society at your school. Visit the Computer Science Teachers Association website for more information.

Registration is Now Open for Indiana’s Third Annual K-12 Computer Science Education Conference

Indiana’s Third Annual Flipping the Switch conference will take place on September 16-17. Register for the event here. Session proposals can be submitted here. Direct questions to Michele Roberts, Director of Computing Outreach for IU School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering.

Career Awareness and Career Development Requirement

By November 1, each school is required to complete the appropriate grade level form linked below. Additional information can be found in this memo.  

Girls Who Code

The beginning of a new school year is upon us, and that means it is time to start thinking about renewing your school’s existing club or consider starting a new club. Click here for more information and contact Jake Koressel with questions.

Celebrate Science Indiana

Indiana’s premier science festival, is a public event featuring interactive activities demonstrating the importance of studying science and the joy of discovery, the economic value of science, and its significance to society. This event aims to encourage young Hoosiers to pursue exciting, rewarding careers in science. Prominent participants at the event include local and national science-based industries and businesses, federal agencies, educational institutions, and public institutions that have a major emphasis on science or science education, such as the Indiana State Museum and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. In 2019, Celebrate Science Indiana will be held in Indianapolis at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in the Elements Blue Ribbon Pavilion from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 5.

 

 

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