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This year, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and 135 Indiana schools and districts participated in the national Holiday Cards for Our Troops Challenge. This initiative collects student-made holiday greeting cards and distributes them to active-duty military stationed around the world. Once again, Indiana's schools displayed their generosity, compassion, and support for our military heroes by creating thousands of cards. Here is Indiana's 2020 Holiday Cards for Our Military Challenge photo album. Thank you to all who contributed to this initiative.
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All IDOE newsletters are located in one convenient location. Please find December updates and past issues here.
Reminder: Indiana Health Workforce Needs Request
The Indiana State Department of Health has developed health workforce- related resources available to all heath care providers should an urgent or emergency need for additional workers arise. Should your school require additional health care workers, a request can be submitted through the Indiana Healthcare Workforce Needs Request Form that is hosted on the State coronavirus homepage. All submissions are responded to within 24 hours and include a list of reserve workforce members available within the local community.
New! INview Update
The INview CMS Application and INview website will be down for maintenance/upgrade for several days beginning Friday, January 8. This upgrade will provide enhancements and bug fixes such as an enhanced display of grade 10 math/English proficiency, 2020 updates, and COVID-19 messaging. INview and INviewCMS are expected to be available again on Monday, January 11. Please email questions here.
New! Is Your School On-Track for Attendance Reporting in 2021? Take the Quiz
In order to sign-off on student attendance for the 2020-2021 school year at the end of this school year, each school is expected to report an attendance record for each day of a student’s enrollment (not just the number of days present). This attendance data will be submitted directly from your Student Information System (SIS) to IDOE's database through the Data Exchange. Answer the questions in this memo to assess your school’s readiness to submit attendance data. Please send all questions here.
New! Harmony SIS Now Ed-Fi Certified for Data Exchange 2020-2021
IDOE is excited to announce Harmony as an Indiana Ed-Fi Certified SIS Vendor for Data Exchange in the 2020-2021 school year. For those schools engaged with Harmony, IDOE will begin the onboarding process for Data Exchange. Additional guidance will be shared as it becomes available.
Also, IDOE is continuously working with vendors towards Indiana Ed-Fi certification, with specific data elements required for reporting in Data Exchange for the 2020-2021 school year. Certification involves development of a solution to meet Indiana reporting requirements and a rigorous testing process to ensure validity of the solution. Schools may check the status of SIS Vendors currently working toward certification on the Vendor Certification Status document. Please submit questions here.
New! Form 9 Financial Data Submission
Form 9 financial data for the period of July 1 through December 31, 2020, must be submitted electronically through the DOE Online upload program. The deadline to submit is January 31, 2021. The data may be in CSV or TXT format. Additional information about Form 9 data submissions can be found in the Public School Finance Community in Moodle, under the Form 9 folder. Questions can be submitted here.
New! Object Code Changes
Beginning January 1, there will be minor changes to object codes regarding supply vs capitalized equipment. Please see the presentation that further explains the object code updates for 2021. Questions can be submitted here.
Reminder: Supplemental Financial Reporting
As previously shared, this memo provides an overview of the new platform for school corporations and charter schools to upload financial data as well as a new Form 9 step in compliance with state transparency requirements outlined in IC 5-14-3.7-3. The Periodic Supplemental Data Upload of Expenditures and new Step Eight Fund Balance Detail are required beginning in January 2021. Any questions should be emailed here.
New! Prepare Now for the Fall 2020 ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Rescore Request Process
The rescore request window for the Fall 2020 ILEARN Biology ECA will occur January 11 through 22, 2021. Schools must communicate with parents preliminary results and details of the legislated ILEARN Rescore Request Process on behalf of students who tested during the current ILEARN Biology ECA test window. Be sure to review the optional, Request an Item Rescore module, accessible from the Indiana Assessment Portal for an overview of the process that principals will follow to manage rescore requests in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE). Please contact the Office of Student Assessment with any questions.
New! I AM Print and Large Print Accommodated Materials Deadline is Today
Cambium Assessment, Inc. (CAI) will ship print materials based on student accommodations noted in TIDE as of today, December 18. As a reminder, only one set of print materials will be shipped per grade per school. Additional print materials can be ordered through the Additional Orders window beginning March 29, 2021, but these materials must be approved by IDOE. Braille materials must be noted in Indiana IEP by January 28, 2021. There are no additional orders for braille forms. Questions about print accommodations can be communicated to Stephanie Thompson.
Reminder: Alternate Assessment Assurance and Justification Survey Due Today
Remember, corporations with more than 1 percent of that corporation’s students are identified to take I AM on April 29, 2020 must complete the Alternate Assessment Assurance and Justification Survey by the end of the day today. Corporations can confirm whether or not the survey is a requirement by referring to the 1 percent tab in the Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Planning Tool sent to special education directors and superintendents on Friday, November 13. Questions regarding this survey should be communicated to Stephanie Thompson or Sarah Mohr.
Reminder: Duty To Report Regarding Attendance
In response to inquiries from the field, and in collaboration with the Department of Child Service, schools are reminded to report educational neglect. Appropriate flexibility and open communication with families is encouraged, but if there are any concerns, please refer to this resource. Contact Lisa Truitt with any questions.
New! IIEP December 2020 Updates
Important updates to the Indiana IEP (IIEP) system will be released in the evening on December 18. To view these releases, click “Release Notes December 2020." These releases are also available on the Office of Special Education’s Moodle page under “December 2020 Release Notes” in the “Upcoming Releases” folder. For additional information please contact Reva Weiss.
New! Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA) Hosts PATINS for a New Assistive Technology (AT) Webinar
Join INDATA and PATINS for a webinar, "Assistive Technology Tools and Supports for Remote Learning," on January 19, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (EST). This free training will inform participants about assistive technology tools that can increase the independence of individuals with disabilities during online learning. Individuals with disabilities, educators, parents, students, and professionals can benefit from this training content. Register here for "Assistive Technology Tools and Supports for Remote Learning." Contact Kristan Sievers-Coffer with any questions.
Update: Continuation of EdPlan Connect Parent Portal
IDOE is pleased to announce the continuation of EdPlan Connect through September 30, 2021. As a reminder, EdPlan Connect allows parents/guardians to have a centralized, secure place to access student records online, sign certain documents electronically, and stay up to date with student progress. Individuals can opt-in to EdPlan Connect through this contact. Additional information about the portal is available by contacting Reva Weiss.
Reminder: Resource for Parents to Help Your Child with Communication at Home Now Available
Please share this informative video (which is the third in a series) with parents titled, "Helping Your Child with Communication at Home." This video focuses on three key questions, including "Why is it important to promote and model communication skills for my child at home?" "How might augmentative and alternative communication methods (AAC) support my child’s communication at home?" "What support can I ask for from my child’s school?" Please contact Sarah Mohr with additional questions.
New! Continuous Learning Challenges Winter Edition
IDOE's Continuous Learning Challenges Winter Edition is now available. Winter-themed challenges for students in grades K-12 will make this break a time to make memories. Please share with families to continue learning over winter break in a fun and engaging way. Contact Emily Bruning with questions.
New! Updates to Media Courses for 2021-2022 School Year
Based on recommendations from the standards review committee, IDOE has updated all Indiana Academic Standards documents titled "Mass Media" to reflect the title change of Digital Media. The standards have now been aligned to English/Language Arts Indiana Academic Standards and can count towards English/Language Arts credits. These changes will be reflected in the 2021-2022 Course Titles and Description document. Please send all questions to Robin Conti.
Update: New Courses Added to IU Turnkey Courses for High School
Indiana University’s high school courses are now available for download on the website. As many schools are transitioning to remote learning, consider how these courses might help provide high quality continuity of learning. These courses can be adapted and adjusted, as needed, by Indiana educators. Also register here to participate in office hours every Monday and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) where educators can ask questions about the materials and implementation. Contact Jennifer Watson with any questions. Continue to watch for more information on continuous improvements coming with Phase 2 as new courses are being added weekly.
Reminder: Computer Science Course Requirements
IC 20-30-5-23 requires that, after June 30, 2021, all public and public charter schools include computer science in the curriculum for students in grades K-12. This involves standards-based instruction for students in grades K-8. For high schools to be in compliance, at least one computer science course must be offered as an elective each year. Refer to this page for a list of high school courses that satisfy this requirement. Contact Jake Koressel with questions.
Reminder: Supporting Productive Struggle Professional Learning Opportunity
Join the IDOE math team to reflect on productive math struggle and engage in rich conversation to reinvigorate your work. Experience activities from John Sangiovanni’s 2020 book, "Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance," for seamless integration into your own classroom. The meeting will take place Tuesday, December 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (EST). Sign up here. Please contact either Emily Bruning with questions.
New! Methodology Guidance Offered
The Office of Federal Grants and Support has released the "Title I, Part A Methodology Requirement for Desktop/Onsite Fiscal Monitoring" memo. The memo provides guidance on what will be reviewed during desktop or onsite fiscal monitoring. Please contact your assigned Title I Federal Grants Specialist with any questions.
Reminder: Charter School Program – The Quality Counts Grant RFP is Now Available
IDOE’s Office of Charter Schools and Special Programs has released the request for proposal (RFP) for Cohort 5 of the Charter School Program - Quality Counts Grant. Please visit IDOE’s Charter School Program website and navigate to the Cohort 5 dropdown menu for grant materials and guidance documents. Applications are due by July 30, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. (EST). Please contact either Amreen Vora or Bea Pacheco for additional information.
Reminder: Title IV Annual Performance Report (APR) for School Year 2019-2020 Deadline is January 15
The Title IV, Part A annual performance report is now open. The report may be submitted here. The APR is used for statewide reporting to US DOE. The APR is due January 15, 2021. Please contact your assigned Title IV Specialists Laura Blaydes or Lacey Bohlen with any questions.
Reminder: Department of Workforce Development Needs Assessment for Training
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has received technical assistance funding from the US Department of Labor to conduct a needs assessment and develop a training plan to help implement a systems approach to workforce development, of which high schools are a key component. DWD is asking principals and superintendents to consider completing this survey to help in identifying learning objectives and key priorities for a statewide training plan. Contact Nancy Davisson, DWD Director of Employer Engagement, with questions. The deadline to complete the survey is December 31.
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