In October, IDOE launched a new video series, known as Teachers Who Shaped Us, to celebrate Indiana’s teachers, shine a spotlight on the positive impact they make on students’ lives and on our state, and continue to elevate our educator profession.
For our first video in the series, we talked to Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, where we learned about her sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Pauline Magnuson from Vigo County, Indiana, who inspired her to become a doctor at such an early age.
Today, we continue this series by sitting down with another really special guest -- Indiana’s 51st governor -- Governor Eric J. Holcomb. In the brief video linked below, Governor Holcomb reflects on his most impactful teachers, stating “I certainly would not be sitting here doing this interview without my elementary, middle, and high school teachers for sure...that foundation, that opening of my eyes, the confidence that they gave me to pursue things that maybe I hadn't thought about....”
Governor Holcomb talks specifically about his time in Mr. Drescher’s (commercial business law), Mr. Green’s (literature), and Mrs. White’s (French) classrooms and the lasting impression they made during his formative years. The impact they made on his life at such a young age has now grown exponentially, and because of his service to our state is now reaching millions of Hoosiers each and every day.
View the video below to hear more about these outstanding educators, as well as another very special educator in Governor Holcomb’s life…his mother!
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This video is the second in a series, known as Teachers Who Shaped Us. In this video, Dr. Jenner sits down with Governor Eric J. Holcomb to learn more about the teachers who made a lasting impact on his life.
NEW: Fall 2021 ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment Test Window Opens Monday, November 29
Students who complete the high school biology course this fall should participate in the ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) during the upcoming test window from Monday, November 29, through Thursday, December 16. Schools must reference local course completion records to identify participating students, finalize local testing schedules, and prepare testing administrators and devices ahead of testing. Contact IDOE's Office of Student Assessment with questions.
NEW: Accessibility and Accommodations Information and Resources
The IDOE Office of Student Assessment (OSA) and the IDOE Office of Special Education (OSE) created the 2021-2022 Accessibility & Accommodations Information and Resources document outlining resources and guidance for accessibility and accommodations on statewide assessments. This document references training, webinars, and manuals for use to ensure that appropriate data is reflected for all students requiring accommodations. Please review the 2021-2022 Accessibility and Accommodations Information for Statewide Assessments document for more information. Contact IDOE's Office of Student Assessment with additional questions.
UPDATE: Data Exchange - October Data Certification Extended
The October certification period has been extended and includes the following data: Pupil Enrollment, Curricular Materials Reimbursement, Certified Employee (CE), English Learner, and Non-Certified Employee (NE). The certification window opened Monday, November 15 and will close Wednesday, November 24 at 5 p.m. Schools should verify if their Student Information System (SIS) vendor is equipped to sync staff information, otherwise, schools should plan to utilize the templates for reporting CE and NE. Guidance is available on the Knowledge Hub and is consistent with guidance provided for the 2020-2021 school year. Training is also available in the IDOE Moodle Data Exchange course. Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted through https://help.doe.in.gov/.
UPDATE: Data Exchange - SIS Vendor Badging Update
IDOE has added Fast Direct to the list of SIS vendors meeting all data requirements for August 2021. Sycamore has also met all data requirements for October 2021. The department is continually working with SIS vendors toward their Indiana Ed-Fi badging of specific data elements required for 2021-2022 reporting in Data Exchange. The 2022 Data Exchange Vendor Certification Status list is updated regularly for schools to check the status of SIS vendors. Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted through https://help.doe.in.gov/.
REMINDER: Accurate Daily Attendance Data for Each Student Needed at Least Weekly
Please remember that accurate daily attendance is key to reducing data errors and ensuring your funding is aligned with the type of instruction students receive. Additionally, accurate attendance data influences direct benefits your students may receive from the state, such as payments for missed school meals through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program administered by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). Please note, students without attendance data are excluded from counts. Please also note that complete attendance data will be required for the first semester of the 2021 school year in order to make any adjustments to student-level funding around the percentage of virtual instruction received. Complete attendance data for the entire year will be required in June for the final data certification of the 2021-2022 school year. Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted through https://help.doe.in.gov/.
REMINDER: Data Exchange - Data Reporting Source of Truth
The 2021-2022 school year establishes Data Exchange as the source of truth for all data reporting. Specific instructions for parallel submission with the STN Application Center will be provided as needed. For the current school year, all SPN/STN should continue to be created in the STN Application Center. Details regarding Data Exchange can be found in Moodle. Additional information and training regarding Data Exchange implementation can be found in the Data Exchange Training and Community course in Moodle (no enrollment key required). Questions about Data Exchange may be directed to https://help.doe.in.gov/.
REMINDER: P-EBT
With the first distribution of P-EBT coming later this fall, schools should continue to maintain accurate student addresses, attendance, and free/reduced lunch statuses for each student in the SIS so that this data can flow seamlessly to Data Exchange. The August to September data was pulled for initial distribution review on Monday, October 11 and was refreshed again on Monday, October 25, pending USDA program approval. Depending on the approved distribution date, there may be further data refreshes, but September attendance data should be reviewed as soon as possible to ensure the accuracy of initial distribution data. Additional information, including an FAQ for parents, is available on the FSSA Division of Family Resources P-EBT website. Questions about Data Exchange may be directed to https://help.doe.in.gov/.
NEW: School Year 2021-2022 Teacher Appreciation Grant Allocations
School Year 2021-2022 Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG) allocations have been finalized. Additional information, including allocation amounts, can be found here. Questions may be directed to Rebecca Estes.
NEW: Extra Yard for Teachers Summit
In partnership with the College Football Playoff Indianapolis Host Committee, IDOE invites Indiana teachers to sign up for an exclusive opportunity to participate in the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit on January 8, 2022. This annual event is designed to empower and inspire educators with guest speakers, giveaways, networking experiences, and professional development. Attendees will also enjoy food, music, drink, a prize bag, and a post-summit reception. Attendance is limited, so register early while tickets are still available! Questions may be directed to Rebecca Estes.
REMINDER: Deadline to Complete Nimble Applicant Tracking System Opt-In Form
All Indiana superintendents and/or HR directors are encouraged to review the information related to the Nimble Applicant Tracking System and statewide job board enhancements here. The deadline to complete the opt-in form is Wednesday, December 1. Questions may be directed to Rebecca Estes.
NEW: Release of Results Driven Accountability Data Matrices and Planning Tools
Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Data Matrices and Planning Tools, including determinations and levels of differentiated support and technical assistance, will be sent directly to local educational agencies no later than today, Friday, November 19. Level One of the RDA Data Matrices and Planning Tools includes corrective steps for non-compliance findings. Levels Two and Three provide differentiated support and planning resources to improve the delivery of high quality instruction and support for students with disabilities. The planning tool also includes information on the RDA Data Retreats. Please contact IDOE's Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: Guidance for Vendors of Dyslexia Characteristics Assessments
IDOE released guidance for vendors that provide assessments that support identification of or diagnostic data for students at risk for characteristics of dyslexia. The guidance includes an overview of the process to request approval from IDOE and the assessment evaluation rubric. Schools may share these documents with their program vendors as desired. Updated guidance for schools related to dyslexia programming for school year 2022-2023 will be published in January 2022. Contact IDOE's Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Digital Learning Speaker List
The Office of Digital Learning is creating a Digital Learning Speaker List to identify and connect talented presenters who can provide local expertise, primarily for the Summer of Learning conference series, but also for state and district professional development sessions. If you would like to be added to the speaker list, please complete this form before Wednesday, December 1. Contact IDOE's Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana Learning Lab Guest Presenter Submissions Open
Are you an educator with an interesting idea or engaging strategy that you would like to share with other educators? The Indiana Learning Lab is looking for guest presenters, and applications to share a 30-minute live workshop are now open! Please submit your idea using this form by Wednesday, December 1. Contact IDOE's Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: COVID-19 Vaccinations
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services sent a joint letter sharing opportunities for states, communities, and schools to work together to help accelerate vaccination among school-age children. Vaccination is the best tool we have to keep our students safe from COVID-19, maintain in-person learning, and prevent the closure of schools and cancellation of valued extracurricular activities. Vaccination, paired with prevention strategies that are layered and implemented correctly – such as masking, testing, tracing, distancing, and improving ventilation – can significantly limit COVID-19 transmission. Additional information regarding COVID-19 vaccination is available here. If you are interested in hosting a vaccine clinic locally, please reach out to your local health department or request a mobile vaccine unit here. For questions, please contact backtoschool@isdh.in.gov.
NEW FROM THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: Pen Pal Project
The U.S. Postal Service is partnering with WeAreTeachers to introduce The USPS Pen Pal Project, a free educational program for students in grades three through five. The USPS Pen Pal Project provides 25,000 classrooms across the country the opportunity to partner with matched classes to write one million letters, with the goal of building friendships and understanding diverse perspectives. More information is available here.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Request for Services
The Indiana Historical Society is seeking two individuals/agencies to develop education guides appropriate for use by grades six through 12 that support the organization’s publication of two new books: Best of Black History News & Notes, 2007 to 2017 and Hoosier Latinos. This includes current teachers, former teachers, university professors or faculty, media specialists, retired teachers, and/or those with related education and expertise. Interested candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and two sample lesson plans to Bethany Hrachovec, Director, Education and Engagement, by 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 5.
All Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) newsletters are located in one convenient location. Please find past issues here.
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