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Information Regarding Dr. McCormick’s Webinar for School Leaders
Dr. McCormick will not be hosting a bi-weekly webinar on Tuesday, August 11. Continue to monitor this publication for the most recent updates. Please contact Holly Stachler with questions.
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Important Update Regarding the IN-CLASS Document
In an effort to streamline accurate and timely information, the IN-CLASS document has been archived as of July 31. This document will not continue to be updated. To find the latest guidance regarding health-related matters, please visit the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) website. Health-related questions should be directed to ISDH. For all other inquiries, please visit the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) website.
Reminder: IDOE Re-entry and COVID-19 Resources Now Available
IDOE has created two webpages hosting resources focused on re-entry to the 2020-2021 school year and providing supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. The re-entry resource webpage can be found here. The COVID-19 resource page can be found here.
Reminder: Additional COVID-19 Video Resources for Students
IDOE has created a video that can be shared with students to educate them on the basics of COVID-19. The presentation can be accessed here.
Reminder: Face Covering Guidance for Parents in English and Spanish
IDOE has created this Face Coverings English language guidance and this Spanish language guidance for schools to share with families. This guidance provides information on acclimating students to wearing face coverings and guidance regarding face covering maintenance.
New! State-Issued Face Masks for Students
Schools unable to use State-supplied face masks should contact IDOE for assistance in returning them. Please reach out to Stephen Balko with any questions.
Important: When Schools Receive Notice of a Positive Case of COVID-19
Once schools receive notice that a student or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, the school should immediately contact the local health department for verification of the positive case, and to coordinate the schools response. Detailed information regarding the procedures to follow when the school has a positive case can be found on the Indiana State Department of Health COVID-19 website. Schools should no longer report cases of COVID-19 to IDOE.
Important: When Schools Reach the 20 Percent Absentee Rate
Schools should be tracking their attendance rate and the reasons that students are absent. If any student (both online and in-person) is ill, and cannot participate, they should be counted as absent. If a student is being isolated or quarantined related to COVID-19, but they are still capable of meeting the requirements for online learning, the student should be counted as in attendance. If a school reaches the 20 percent absentee rate where students are ill and are unable to learn via in-person or online learning, schools are required to report this to the local health department and to IDOE by completing the report found here. Please contact Jolene Bracale for additional information.
IDOE continues to provide clear and timely guidance related to bills passed during the 2020 legislative session. Find a curation of all 2020 legislative guidance here.
All IDOE newsletters can be found in one convenient location. See August updates and past issues here.
New! Participation Survey: IREAD-3 Fall Assessment Due August 14
Per an Indiana State Board of Education resolution, an optional IREAD-3 window for grade 4 students in Fall 2020 is offered. The window for the fall IREAD-3 will be November 2-6. This optional test window is not connected to accountability measures and may not be used to retain students. All CTCs must complete this survey to indicate their intent to participate in the optional window no later than August 14.
New! Share with Educators! Projected Lexile® and Quantile® Measures Sessions Begin Wednesday
Educators are invited to join one of the Projected Lexile(R) and Quantile(R) Measures sessions, which begin on Wednesday, August 12. MetaMetrics will discuss how the projected measures were derived for each student and how schools can use the measures to help inform instruction. The same information is shared during each session, and a recording will be provided once available. Review this flyer for additional details.
New! Fall 2020 Webinar Series for New Teachers of Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
Please join IDOE and Project SUCCESS in a webinar series this fall for new teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities. The webinars will explore the following topics:
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The Indiana Resource Network (August 19)
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Unpacking the Content Connectors (September 16)
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Indiana Individualized Education Program (IIEP) Tips and Tricks (October 14)
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The I AM Assessment (November 18)
Please refer to this flyer for registration information and additional details regarding each session. Contact Stephanie Thompson with questions.
New! Designating Corporation Test Coordinator (CTC)
Superintendents and Nonpublic/Charter/Choice School Principals are asked to designate one person as the main point-of-contact to receive assessment-related information and updates annually. This staff member is known as the CTC. The CTC is the key to ensuring receipt of accurate, specific, and up-to-date details regarding Indiana assessment programs. CTC designations are due Friday, August 14. Click here for additional information on how to complete this request.
Please note, even if there is no change in CTC information from the previous school year, the CTC, Superintendent, or Nonpublic/Charter/Choice School Principal must:
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Login to DOE Online with the appropriate username/password.
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Click on the Test Coordinator Contact tab.
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Verify the CTC information in the CTC tab is correct.
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Review the Assurance Section.
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Click submit.
New! Save the Date for Training on Closing Educational Learning Gaps
Please join IDOE for an October 14 training webinar focused on closing learning gaps. Additional information is available here.
Reminder! Public School Transfers Date Collection Due Today, August 7
IC 20-26-11-32 requires public school corporations to report to IDOE the date by which requests to transfer must be received by the school corporation. If your school corporation accepts out of district students, please use this link to report school corporation name, corporation number, date by which requests to transfer must be received, and name and email of the person submitting the report. Please submit your information now if you have not already done so. The form has been reopened and is set to close today, August 7. IDOE will post the information on the Public School Transfers website. Please contact Lisa Truitt for additional information or to answer any questions.
New! Resource Created Answering Common Questions Related to Homebound and Home School Instruction for Students with Disabilities
There continue to be questions connected to Home School or Homebound Instruction for students with disabilities. A questions and answers resource has been created by the Office of Special Education (OSE) to answer many common concerns. Contact Dr. Nancy Holsapple with any questions.
New! Transition Re-entry Resources
OSE has developed a document that includes considerations and scenarios to assist schools and families in making decisions regarding site-based programming and worksites for this school year. OSE, in collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation and other stakeholders, have created a joint document titled, “Considerations for Transition Planning as Part of School Re-entry.” Contact Dr. Nancy Holsapple with any questions.
New! Attention Indiana School Administrators
IDOE is pleased to announce a FREE virtual opportunity for Indiana school administrators, led by Dr. Adam Saenz, titled, The Art and Science of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership. The Office of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness is accepting applications through August 14, to participate in one of two sessions. The morning session is from 8-9:30 (EDT). The afternoon session will be held from 3-4:30 (EDT). The sessions will take place August 24, 25, and 26. Additional information and an application are available here. To be eligible for this opportunity, administrators must be able to attend all three dates during the selected time.
New! Updates to High School Math Framework Released
Clarifying examples and digital resources are now available on the Math Framework for the following courses: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Analytical Algebra II, Precalculus: Algebra, and Precalculus: Trigonometry. Please email Robin Conti with questions.
Update! Upcoming Webinars - Teaching In a Digital World Series
IDOE's "Teaching In a Digital World" webinar series will continue during the next four weeks. Each week will cover a different topic related to the three pillars for digital learning: Leadership, Teaching and Learning, and Community Engagement.
August 11 - Episode 2: Student Centered Learning (click here to register)
August 18 - Episode 3: Student Engagement (click here to register)
August 25 - Episode 4: Check for Understanding (registration coming soon)
September 1 - Episode 5: Differentiation (registration coming soon)
Update! 2020-2021 Dyslexia Screening Information
IDOE has created the 2020-2021 Dyslexia Screener Guidance Memorandum. This document outlines items schools should consider when planning and implementing the dyslexia screener during the coming school year. The document also outlines how schools may consider giving the dyslexia screener for students who are attending school in-person, through a hybrid, or remote learning option are outlined in the memo. Please direct any questions about dyslexia screenings and intervention to Joe Risch.
Reminder: Building Capacity in Digital Learning
IDOE recognizes the need to build the capacity of teachers to deliver highly-effective digital learning. Utilizing a unique micro-credentialing program with built-in coaching, Digital Learning Capacity Building grants will be released in the next few weeks. To find out more about the intended program, please visit this website and sign up to attend one of the free live webinars. The first webinars will be held next week on Tuesday and Thursday. Please contact Jennifer Watson with any questions.
Reminder: Guidance on Indiana Tutoring Fellowship
IDOE has developed the Indiana Tutoring Fellowship, a unique opportunity for qualified high school juniors and seniors to support learning opportunities in math and ELA for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, to help prevent or slow the academic regression caused by COVID-19. Additional details are available here.
Upcoming Digital Learning Webinar - Accessibility for All Learners: In-Person and Virtual
Join IDOE at 4 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, August 13, as we partner with PATINS for another digital learning webinar. In this webinar, key elements of making your materials accessible and the importance of access to the curriculum for ALL learners, whether face-to-face or virtual. This webinar is intended for teachers of all grade levels. Click here to register.
Reminder: STEM School Certification and Recertification Process and Evaluation Rubric
A webinar explaining the STEM School Certification application process is available here. Applications for certification or recertification are due October 30. Access the 2020-2021 STEM School Certification Guide here, and updated rubric here. Contact Shannon Dick with any questions.
NEW! CARES Act Funding Requests
Schools can apply/receive funds from the CARES Act that were awarded to state and local governments (CRF Funds) to pay for pandemic-related, unbudgeted costs (such as costs for remote learning), even though these same costs are eligible under other CARES funding streams, such as ESSER/GEER. Additional details can be found here.
21st Century Community Learning Center Cohort 10 Request for Proposal Due August 12
The 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) Cohort 10 Request for Proposal is due Wednesday, August 12, by 11:59 p.m. (EDT), via this link. Additional information on the 21st CCLC program and the Cohort 10 Request for Proposal can be found here. Please submit all questions here.
Reminder: Evaluation Guidance Memo and Best Practices for Conducting Observations and Evaluations in Remote and Hybrid Learning Environments Webinar
Please see the Evaluation Guidance memo here. Building and district leaders are invited to register here for a webinar on August 10, from 4-5:30 p.m. (EDT), covering HEA 1002 updates for evaluation and guidance for conducting evaluations during remote/hybrid teaching and learning.
New! Important Information Regarding Potential Loss of School Funding
This letter was distributed by President Tempore Bray on Thursday, August 6. Superintendents received this correspondence through the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS). All districts and schools need to read the letter carefully, as it counters earlier guidance shared by IDOE. Any questions or concerns should be sent to this email address.
Reminder: Form 9
Please read the following memo regarding updates for the July to December 2020 Form 9 financial data submission. The due date for the financial data is January 31, 2021. If you have questions, please email us at Form 9 and include your four digit school corporation in the subject line.
Reminder: CARES Act Fund Numbers
The Office of School Finance has added new fund numbers for reporting CARES Act expenditures. Please read this memo for details, and send any questions here.
Reminder: Summer School
The window to submit the Final Instructional Costs Report for Summer School 2020 is open. In order to be eligible to receive a summer school payment, the report must be submitted, or re-submitted as often as necessary, on or before the submission deadline of September 11. The link to access the report is posted in the Summer School folder in Moodle Finance and on IDOE's website. If you have additional questions about the Final Instructional Costs Report for Summer School 2020, please contact Kathryn Roth or Teresa Hemmerle. The submission deadline is September 11.
Reminder: Annual Financial Report
I.C. 5-3-1-3 requires the secretary of each public school corporation to publish an Annual Financial Report (AFR). The Report must be published one time annually, not earlier than August 1 or later than August 15 of each year. The statute also requires IDOE to develop guidelines for the preparation of and format of the AFR. The guidelines can be found in MOODLE Finance. The report submission deadline is August 15.
New! Higher Learning Commission Extends Deadline for Dual Credit Instructors
In light of the impact of COVID-19, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education requested in May that the deadline for dual credit instructors to hold a master’s degree, and at least 18 credit hours in the content area in which they teach, be extended. The deadline has now been extended by one year – to September 1, 2023 – allowing faculty to have more time to earn the required credentials. The extension will not negatively impact students participating in dual credit programs. Additional details can be found here.
New! COVID-19 School Administrator Call Center
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has a new help line for school nurses and administrators to provide quick answers to your questions as we work together to open school safely. This line is intended for school personnel and not parents. The help line number is 1-800-745-7487, and the center is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EDT), Monday through Friday.
Important: Health-Related COVID-19 School Resources from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH)
ISDH has would like to share the following resources with schools.
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ISDH has developed and released this document regarding how to handle a positive case of COVID-19 in schools.
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ISDH is offering “Back to School and COVID-19” webcasts for school personnel every Friday at 10 a.m. These webcasts can be accessed here. All webcasts (since July 3) have been recorded and can be reviewed here. The slide decks can be found through the following two links.
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COVID-19 resources developed for schools by ISDH can be found here. (Look under “Back to School Resources)Schools are encouraged to check this site frequently to ensure they have the most current information and to access new guidance documents as they are created.
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Please direct school health-related questions to ISDH by clicking here.
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