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As we welcome 2021, I want to wish all Indiana educators a happy and healthy New Year.
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Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) offices will be closed today, January 1 in recognition of New Year's Day.
All IDOE newsletters are located in one convenient location. Please find December updates and past issues here.
New! Additional COVID-19 Relief Funding for LEAs and Private Schools
With the signing of the new coronavirus relief bill on December 27, a considerable amount of new federal funding will be allocated to Indiana to support needs related to the pandemic and more. The bill provided further funding for both ESSER and GEER to support public and private schools at an amount much higher than the CARES Act of April 2020. IDOE will participate in an upcoming webinar with the U.S. Department of Education in early January to learn more about the next steps to acquire this money as quickly as possible. Additional information will be forthcoming. Please contact Cole Dietrich with any questions
New! Assessment and Accountability Update
On behalf of IDOE, Dr. Jennifer McCormick has submitted a letter to Governor Holcomb and Indiana’s legislative leadership, notifying them of a request made to the U.S. Department of Education to waive certain requirements pertaining to federal accountability for the 2020-2021 school year. IDOE has submitted this request for a targeted waiver pursuant to sec. 840(a), (20 U.S.C. 7861), of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Specifically, IDOE is requesting:
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No federal ratings assigned based on the 2020-2021 school year; and
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No new CSI/TSI identification based on the 2020-2021 school year.
Should the U.S. Department of Education grant this waiver, the Indiana General Assembly will want to be positioned legislatively to take advantage of extending these assessment and accountability waivers at the state level.
Reminder: 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 found here. The deadline to submit is January 31. 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. Any questions can be addressed 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 this month. Questions should be sent here.
Reminder: Object Code Changes
Starting today, January 1, there will be a few minor changes to object codes regarding supply versus capitalized equipment. Please see this presentation for additional information explaining the object code updates for 2021. All questions should be emailed here.
Reminder: Book Discussion on Planning Interventions and Extensions Coming Next Month
IDOE's Office of School Improvement is excited to launch our latest book discussion in collaboration with Mike Mattos, former administrator, presenter, and internationally recognized author of, "It’s About Time: Planning Interventions and Extensions." This is a great opportunity to learn together and share thoughts on this critical component of support for ALL students. Register here.
Reminder: Memo for Schools and School Safety Specialists: What Schools and Districts Should Do if a Home Visit is Needed
The health and wellness of students is our top priority and that includes their social, emotional, and physical health. There are many reasons a home visit may be necessary during this time. If the wellbeing of a student is unknown, schools and districts may decide to conduct a wellness check visit. This memo reviews best practices to follow before and during this visit.
New! Medicaid Billing Tool Kit Now Available
The latest edition of the Medicaid Billing Tool Kit, which summarizes requirements for public school corporations and charter schools to claim federal funds for covered IEP services, is now available. The information can be found under Manuals on IDOE's School-based Medicaid web page. Contact Tracy Brunner or Patrick Rhodes for additional information.
Updated: Indiana Resource Network (IRN) Partnership Spotlight
In addition to OSE, IRNs offer Indiana public schools free or low cost in-person and virtual professional development and technical assistance options. This includes PBIS Indiana which helps the state’s educators implement the PBIS framework and restorative practices in their schools. Please contact Kristan Sievers-Coffer with any questions.
Reminder: New Resource for Parents to Help with Academics Now Available
“Helping Your Child with Academics at Home” is the fourth video in a series designed for parents. This video was developed collaboratively by the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices (TIES Center) and the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO). Questions covered in the presentation include “Why is standards-based academic instruction important for my child?,” "What standards-based academic topics are my child learning?” The third topic is “How do I find the standards my child is working on?” Please contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
New! 2021 Social Studies Textbook Caravan
The 2021 Indiana Publishers Textbook Caravan for Social Studies has gone virtual. The event will take place on January 19 and 20 with the programming for each day being the same. Please select the date that suits your schedule the best. Please find the schedule and links to register for each session here. Once registered, you will receive an email from "Indiana Publishers Textbook Caravan via Crowdcast" with your customized access link. Please send all questions here and include "Indiana Textbook Caravan" in the subject line.
Update: New Courses Added
New courses have been added to the turnkey course catalog. Visit the website here to access courses and find updated information. Check back soon for additional resources for Google classrooms. Register for Digital Support Sessions held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. (EDT) here. Contact Jennifer Watson with any questions.
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. See this page for standards documents and a list of high school courses that satisfy the high school requirement. Contact Jake Koressel if you need assistance meeting this requirement.
Reminder: Digital Learning Toolkit
The Office of Teaching and Learning offers a continuously evolving Digital Learning Toolkit. This toolkit provides resources for educators to utilize as they seek support across the three Pillars of Digital Learning - Leadership, Teaching and Learning, and Community Engagement - and work toward a robust and highly-effective digital learning program. Contact Jennifer Watson for additional assistance.
Reminder: High Ability Identification Guidance Now Available
During hybrid and remote instructional platforms, please ensure the multifaceted assessment process that ensures equitable and inclusive High Ability identification continues. Please read the High Ability Identification Guidance and contact Whitney Coake with any questions.
Updated Information for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfers (P-EBT)
The Division of Family Resources (DFR) continues to partner with Indiana schools to provide Pandemic Electronic Benefits to Indiana families during this Public Health Emergency. This communication provides information regarding the data submission process, information that can be shared with parents, along with additional card issuance guidance. DFR has also updated the FAQs based on questions received from school personnel. Please read the guidance information here.
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