An Update From the Indiana Department of Education for December 20, 2019

indiana department of education - doctor jennifer mccormick - superintendent of public instruction
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Dr. Mac

Cards for Our Troops Holiday Challenge Photo Album

 

This year, Indiana joined the national Cards for Our Troops Holiday Challenge. During the holiday season, active duty American troops stationed around the world are receiving  holiday greetings created by Indiana students, eductors, and Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) staff. Ninety-five schools and school districts partnered with IDOE to make this project an overwhelming success. Please take a moment to view our statewide photo album.

 

On behalf of IDOE, have a wonderful holiday season.

 


Office of School Accountability

Critical Information Regarding Graduation Rates! Homeschool Withdrawals Guidance

This document provides further guidance for high schools regarding students and parents who choose to pursue a homeschool education and transfer from the high school. This information also reminds all schools of the importance of using the 2018 Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Nonpublic School form for all homeschool exits after July 1, 2018.

2019 Federal Accountability Ratings Available in Accountability Portal

The Office of Accountability is pleased to announce the final federal ratings for all public schools are now reflected on the federal report cards in the accountability portal. The federal accountability calculation results have also been verified by an independent third party for calculation accuracy. These results will be released publicly on both IDOE’s website on January 3, 2020 and on the INview portal in mid-January. Resources on the federal accountability system may be found in the “School Accountability & Accreditation” community on Moodle.

2019 Graduation Rates Available Following Close of 2019 Grad Rate Audit

Determinations from 2019 graduation rate audits have been mailed to principals and superintendents. The 2019 state and federal graduation rates will be published on or before December 31. Unless a school is actively working with us on an audit review, a school’s final 2019 graduation rate can be found in Learning Connection. The 2019 graduation rates will be used in accountability ratings in 2020. Questions can be directed here.

 

Office of Assessment

Item Writing Workshop

IDOE is seeking 13 educators for English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in grades 3 - 8 and High School (Biology) to write items for ILEARN assessments. A two-day workshop will be held in late February/early March. Educators will be trained on item-writing best practices to construct these items. Educators will be expected to develop approximately 10 items in a six-month time frame outside of the standard school day, and will be compensated for additional items written outside of the workshop. Assistance will be offered to educators during the development cycle. Interested participants should complete the following Jotform. A subset of applicants will be identified for a follow-up phone conversation to define the expectations for this process and to gather details about content and assessment expertise of the applicant. Final selections will be made by February 7, 2020.

Feedback Requested on Proposed Alternate Assessment Waiver - Review Period: Wednesday, December 18 - Friday, January 3

IDOE seeks public comment on its request for a waiver extension on the number of students who can be tested using an alternate assessment on annual statewide tests (e.g., 1 percent assessment). Indiana anticipates that approximately 1.14 percent of students will be assessed using the alternate assessment during the 2019-2020 school year. Because this exceeds the limit, Indiana must request a waiver extension to the 1 Percent Cap for one year (34 C.F.R. §200.6(c)(4)). For more information about this waiver, please refer to this memo. The proposed waiver extension request is available on IDOE’s website. Written comments will be accepted through January 3, 2020.

 

Office of Academics / Curriculum and Instruction

Early Learning Foundations Guidance

All eight content areas for the Early Learning Foundations Guidance are now available in the Online Tool. IDOE appreciates the support of our partners and work group members in the creation of these resources. Additionally, IDOE will be convening focus groups and work groups to review and provide feedback about the tool in its entirety as a “Phase 2." If you would like to participate in this process beginning in January, please email IDOE’s Early Learning Specialist, Krystal Robinson.

Math Newsletter

The December #INspirEDmath newsletter is now available here. This issue is full of resources and strategies support our students in developing mathematical arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others. Educators will also find several opportunities to continue their own professional learning.

2018-2019 Early Intervention Grant (EIG) Final Report of Expenditures

All schools participating in the Indiana Literacy Early Intervention Grant (EIG) for the 2018-2019 cycle, must complete this Final Report of Expenditures by December 31. Please send all questions here, or check the EIG webpage for more information here.

K-12 Math Book Study

Join IDOE's math specialists for an eight-week virtual book study around Jo Boaler’s Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers beginning January 9, 2020. Sign up here today! Contact Emily Bruning for more information.

Analytical Algebra II Support

Register for the Analytical Algebra II spring learning and collaboration meeting in Indianapolis, Jasper, or Warsaw by clicking on the location.  Participants will engage in model lessons, discuss resources/strategies, develop lessons and activities collaboratively, and continue to build community. Contact Robin Conti with questions.

Disciplinary Literacy Book Study

IDOE’s literacy team is excited to announce a great professional learning opportunity for all K-12 educators of any subject! The team is hosting a book study over The Writing Revolution. The purpose of the book study is to provide educators with strategies that, when explicitly taught, improve students’ writing abilities across all subjects and grades. The study will last from January 20-March-20. Please sign up for the course at Moodle using the enrollment key TWR2020. Please email Kelly Waller with questions. We look forward to collaborating with so many great Indiana educators.

Coming Soon! Purple Star School Designation

The Indiana Purple Star School Designation honors schools that have displayed a significant commitment to service members, veterans, and students and families connected to our nation’s military. IDOE will honor the first cohort of schools earning this designation in the Fall of 2020. Additional information and an application will be made available in March 2020 here.

 

Office of Academics / Title Grants and Support

Charter School Program Cohort 4 Quality Counts Grant Request for Proposal

In an effort to support and demand high-quality charter schools, IDOE’s Office of Charter Schools and Special Programs is announcing the release of the request for proposal (RFP) for Cohort 4 of the federal Charter School Program—Quality Counts Grant. The RFP is soliciting applications to start a new high-quality charter school, or expand or replicate a high-quality model. Please visit IDOE’s Charter School Program website and navigate to the Cohort 4 drop down menu for grant materials and guidance documents. Please reach out to Amreen Vora and Bea Pacheco for additional information.

The application due date is July 31, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. ET.

 

Office of Academics / Workforce and Innovation

Digital Learning / Community Advisory Grant Opportunity

IDOE is excited to launch the 2019-2020 Digital Learning / Community Advisory Grant. Funding will be made available on a competitive basis for districts to strategically develop a technology integration plan into the classroom. Additional information can be found here. Please contact Ben Carter with any questions.   

 

Office of Academics / Special Education

December Newsletter

The Office of Special Education’s "From the Director" newsletter for December is now available. Click here to read the newsletter.

 

Office of School Finance

Form 9 Financial Data Submission- January 2020

As part of the July to December 2019 Form 9 financial data submission process in January, IDOE will implement additional steps in the Form 9 upload process to comply with federal reporting and documentation requirements and state transparency requirements. Three additional steps added to the Form 9 financial data submission process are expected to provide sufficient documentation of the appropriate use of object codes for federal reporting purposes and the calculation of indirect cost rates. Additional information is available in this memo first released in November. The deadline is January 31, 2020.

2019-2021 Public School Digest

The Public School Digest for the 2019-2021 biennium is available. The digest provides an overview of the primary sources of funding for Indiana public school corporations, charter schools, and choice schools. If you have any questions regarding the digest, please contact Melissa Ambre.

IN K-12 State Tuition Support Annual Report 2019

The Office of School Finance has released an updated IN K-12 State Tuition Support Annual Report 2019. The report provides an overview of the state tuition support formula from FY 2014 through FY 2019 and can be found in Moodle Finance under Reports. If you have any questions regarding the report, please contact Melissa Ambre

 

Office of Information Technology

Release Date Finalized for School Building Level Report

This update includes details of the public release of the School Building Level Reports which schools have reviewed for three weeks and shares additional information about the upcoming release of per/pupil spending data on INview along with a mock-up of what the data will look like on the INview site. Read the full report here.

 

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