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Website Created to Assist Indiana Districts and Schools
The upcoming U.S. Census will determine the federal funds schools receive. Click here to access Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Census resources for superintendents, teachers, and families.
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Vaping Education and Prevention Initiative Announced
IDOE and the Indiana Department of Health have announced a vaping education and prevention initiative. Learn more here.
Winter 2020 ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Test Window Opens Monday
Students completing the high school biology course at second trimester must participate in the Winter 2020 Biology ECA test window (February 10-27). CTCs must report any formal accommodations via the Indiana IEP (IIEP), DOE-TA, and/or the Indiana ILP (IILP) before students begin testing. CTCs must place requests for any accommodated paper tests in TIDE via the Additional Order window, open now through Thursday, February 13. Contact the AIR Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions.
ILEARN Language Setting: Stacked Spanish Translation Systems Update - Share with Educators
Text-to-Speech (Accommodation) and Language (Designated Feature) cannot both be deployed within AIR’s Test Delivery System (TDS). Beginning with the ILEARN Winter Biology ECA test window, the Language setting will be viewable in the TA Interface, but no longer editable. Test Administrators must ensure students have the appropriate Language set in TIDE prior to testing. Contact AIR’s Indiana Assessment Help Desk by phone at 866-298-4256, or via email with any questions.
Spring 2020 ILEARN 3-8 TAM and Online Practice Test Scripts Available
Educators may download the online practice test scripts from the link in Appendix A of the ILEARN 3-8 Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) or directly from the Indiana Assessment Portal. Educators may choose from a single file containing all content area scripts or four individual scripts (one per content area). These scripts are updated to reflect educator feedback and lessons learned from the Spring 2019 ILEARN test administration. Please send all information here.
Share with Educators! Registration for I AM Q and A Sessions Available on I AM Portal
IDOE and AIR will be hosting two I AM Q and A sessions. These sessions will take place on March 26 from 8 – 8:30 a.m. ET and March 30 from 4 – 4:30 p.m. ET. The sessions are available to educators and administrators with questions regarding I AM. Questions will be submitted via the registration process. Registration is now available on the I AM Portal. Contact Stephanie Thompson with any questions.
Preschool Teachers and Administrators: Add ISPROUT to Your Program
ISPROUT is available to preschool programs without IEP students to add to their program for the cost of training. Registration for the spring session is available until March 1. Additional opportunities will be available during the summer and fall. Click here for registration and cost information. Questions regarding ISPROUT can be directed to Felecia Jordan.
Graduation Cohorts 2020 Through 2023 Particularities (Installment #4)
This week’s edition of Managing Your Graduation Rate focuses on the nuances which should be understood for each cohort. Because policies change during the four years of the cohort, it is critical for schools to understand the playbook for each cohort, especially relating to assessments, Graduation Pathways, and documentation requirements which may be subject to legislative and policy changes mid-cohort. Learn more here.
Form 9 Submission Period Open
The window to upload Form 9 financial data for the period of July to December 2019 is now open. Local education agencies (LEAs) may submit financial data in DOE Online until February 26. Email any questions here.
Curricular Material Reimbursement
The Office of School Finance plans to distribute curricular material reimbursement on February 14. The attached file includes estimated payment amounts for qualifying school corporations. Please use this email to share questions regarding the payment estimate.
FY 2021 Indirect Cost Rates
The Office of School Finance is accepting applications from local education agencies (LEAs) eligible to receive FY 2021 indirect cost rates. Entities, including school corporations and charter schools, that provided Form 9 financial information for FY 2019 are eligible to receive a restricted and an unrestricted indirect cost rate for FY 2021. New charter schools are eligible to apply but will be subject to the median rate. Application material is located in Moodle.
Subawards or Subcontracts?
Sarah Henry, IDOE Office of School Finance, and Eric Russell, Crowe, will present a webinar on subawards and subcontracts. The webinar will air on February 19 at 10 a.m. ET. Please email any questions you would like to see addressed here and reference “Webinar” in the subject line.
February 3 Membership Count
The second membership count date for the 2019-2020 school year was February 3. This is a required count for all public school corporations and charter schools. The data will be used to calculate January to June Basic Grant funds. Specific information regarding the layout can be found here. Please read the following memo for additional information regarding the count. If you have questions, please contact Amy Pattison or Melissa Ambre.
Summer School Estimates
The window to submit the Estimated Instructional Costs Report and List of Courses for Summer School 2020 opened February 5. Please see this memo for information regarding eligible courses, important dates, and financial provisions. Detailed information about the summer school program and how to report is included in Summer School 101. If you have questions, please contact Kathryn Roth or Melissa Ambre.
Special Dietary Needs Training Set
During this March 3 training session, attendees will hear about the role of food service, school nurses, and the 504 coordinator. Participants will learn about special dietary needs best practices, school implementation, and resources. There will also be an opportunity to have questions answered. Click here for more information and to register.
Regional Meetings on Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Scheduled
The Office of Special Education is hosting regional roadshows to discuss RDA. Roadshows will be held throughout February. Learn about dates, locations, and how to register here.
Confirm Student Accommodations in the Indiana IEP - Share with Educators
The Office of Special Education has important information regarding errors in IEPs and Service Plans. Learn more here.
Save the Date: 2020 School Improvement Summit
The Office of School Improvement is hosting a School Improvement Summit on March 10 in Greenwood from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held at the Indiana-Kentucky-Ohio-Regional Council of Carpenters, 771 Greenwood Springs Dr., Greenwood, IN 46143. The Summit will support the development of partnerships between Technical Assistance Partners and Indiana educational leaders, resulting in improved educational outcomes through locally-driven school improvement initiatives. Additional details will be shared in coming weeks.
Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) Leaders Asked to Complete Cultural Competency Initiative
On January 28, IDOE hosted a webinar on a new initiative with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis: Cultural Competency: Leading Radical Change. TSI leaders are asked to indicate interest in participating by completing a short survey. If you did not participate in the live webinar, you will need to view the recorded version, power point, and paper version of the interest survey. By completing the survey, you will help IDOE understand which LEAs and schools are interested in participating. Please submit your completed survey by February 14.
Journalism Standards Call Out Meeting
IDOE is looking for educators in the journalism field to review and update the standards for Mass Media and Student Publications. The review meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 26, from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST, in Indianapolis. Please indicate your interest by Wednesday, February 19, using this jot form. All participants will earn up to 10 PGPs. If you have any questions regarding this work please contact Kelly Waller at IDOE.
IDOE and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Early Share Childhood Learning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
FSSA and IDOE have created this FAQ for issues related to the intersection of non-public (private) schools and early childhood programs serving children under the age of five.
Join the SEBW Team and REL Midwest For a Webinar on Educator SEL on February 26
In this webinar, presenters will showcase how educators can engage in social and emotional learning practices to support their professional development, self-care, and the implementation of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) across learning settings. Presenters will highlight and discuss key strategies educators can immediately implement to improve their SEL approach. Register here.
Webinar Set to Support First-Year Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools (CSI)
First-year Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools based on the 2018-2019 federal accountability have been awarded $50,000 to develop a comprehensive needs assessment (CNA) and school improvement plan (SIP) aligning to federal metrics. Individual LEAs have been notified of this funding and technical assistance through a webinar (Password: IDOE) on February 11 at 9 a.m. ET (+1-415-655-0001, Code 859 795 646). Needed materials include the Planning Grant Application and Reviewer Guidance Checklist. Immediate questions can be sent to Nathan Williamson or Melissa Blossom.
INtelligrants Roll-Out and Ongoing Support
IDOE has begun releasing short videos regarding the roll-out of INtelligrants, the new grants management system housing all funding streams through IDOE. A few grants are being piloted now. The next to utilize the system are Titles I, II, III, IV, RLIS, and immigrant influx. Additional resources will be posted to the INtelligrants landing page. The first video, regarding the Pre-Application, can be found here along with an accompanying resource.
Additional Coursework Funding for Teachers Seeking English Learner, Dual Language, or High Ability Licensure
Please review this memo for teachers wanting to participate in additional coursework in the licensure areas of English learners, dual language, or high ability. The deadline for an LEA representative to submit the form on the behalf of teachers within the district or charter school is March 9. Questions can be sent to Nathan Williamson.
Federal Grant Funds Designated For High-Quality Indiana Charter Schools
The United States Department of Education has desingated $22 million in federal grant funds available for high-quality Indiana charter schools. Click here for eligibility and for more information under Cohort 4.
HEA 1008 Career Ladders Planning Grant Application
Per House Enrollment Act (HEA) 1008 (2019), the Office of Leadership and Innovation announced the release of the Career Ladders Grant in July. The grant supports career pathways, offering high performing teachers opportunities to advance. Approval has been granted to provide educators with the opportunity to apply for a planning grant to establish a plan for creating a career ladder. All applications received will be reviewed in a competitive process. Funding up to the amount of the total allocation ($353,520.00) will be distributed. The deadline for public and charter schools to apply is March 2. To learn more, click here.
Fostering Equity in STEM Programming Webinar
Girls Who Code is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, February 12 from 4 - 5:00 p.m. The webinar will cover fostering an inclusive environment within STEM programs, increasing female role model representation, creating holistic STEM programming for building important life skills, and accessing free and customizable Girls Who Code Clubs curriculum and resources (like easy mini-grants of $300 per semester) for third through grade 12 students of all genders. Click here to register.
Girls Go CyberStart
Girls Go CyberStart is a fun and interactive online program composed of digital challenges to introduce high school girls to cybersecurity. The registration deadline for this year’s program has been extended to February 14. View this flyer for more information.
Digital Course Curation Training Opportunity
IDOE is offering a two-day training to build the capacity of instructional leaders in digital course curation. The training is open to one person per district and will take place at Ball State University April 15-16. Space is limited and participants will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please register here. Contact Jennifer Watson for additional information.
The Indiana 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. The memo can be found here.
February is Indiana Digital Learning Month
Indiana Digital Learning Month 2020 offers many opportunities throughout February to learn about strengthening student learning experiences with the effective use of technology in instructional practices. This is an opportunity for educators to share their digital learning stories. Visit the Digital Learning Day website and register your local events. Check out Indiana Digital Learning Month events here.
Book Club
All educators in the state of Indiana are invited to join the conversation. We will be reading Don't Ditch That Tech by Indiana educators Matt Miller, Nate Ridgway, and Angelia Ridgway beginning February 17. Visit DOE's Moodle home, search for the course Don't Ditch That Tech, log into your Moodle account (or create one if you don't have one), and use the enrollment key dontditch to join the course. Contact Meri Carnahan for additional information.
Call for K-5 Computer Science Teachers
IDOE is working to bring a diverse team of Indiana K-5 computer science educators together to develop a standards-aligned computer science scope and sequence, complete with scaffolded activities for each standard at each grade level within the K-2 and 3-5 grade bands. Complete this form by Monday, February 17, to indicate interest. Contact Jake Koressel with questions.
Locally Created Pathways
The window to apply for a new Locally Created Pathway will open on Monday, March 2. Additional details regarding Locally Created Pathways can be found here.
Driving K-12 Innovation- Hurdles, Accelerators and Enablers Seminar
This seminar focuses on driving innovation and how to redefine career readiness and better prepare students for the future. On February 20, the Indiana CTO Council and the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents are offering this seminar to Indiana school districts. Visit the Indiana CTO Council website for more information and to register.
Applications for Spanish Visiting Teacher Program
Applications for the SY 2020-2021 Spanish Visiting Teacher Program can be found here. The application deadline is March 20.
The Indiana Department of Transportation Announces Unique Art Contest for Middle and High Schools
The Indiana Department of Transportation is sponsoring its annual “Paint the Plow” program for middle and high school art students. Learn more here.
Work-Based Learning with the Indiana Department of Education Webinar Set for March 12
A March 12 webinar for high school counselors, administrators, and work-based learning coordinators will focus on utilizing IDOE's Work-Based Learning Guidebook for schools. The webinar will also include the state's Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeships with information on how it can help schools strengthen their work-based learning programs. The webinar is from 10:30-11:30 ET. Please register here.
Fitness Center Opportunity - Applications Now Available
Governor Holcomb and fitness icon Jake Steinfeld are pleased to announce that nominations are open for Indiana schools to apply for a $100,000 DON’T QUIT!® fitness center from the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC). Read more information here. The nomination form can be found here.
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