We are now through the last full week of January! Hopefully you are staying warm…and staying well! Despite the many challenges to start the semester, your continued work has kept the vast majority of Indiana students safely learning in-person – our most recent data shows that approximately 6% of Indiana’s students have been virtual due to COVID-19 during January 2022. Again, thank you for all you are doing to maximize in-person learning for students!
As we continue to recognize the important work happening in Indiana schools, today we launch another video in the Teachers Who Shaped Us series, designed to shine a spotlight on the positive impact educators make on our students’ lives and on our state.
Last month (December), we sat down with Quinn Buckner, current vice president of communications for Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Indiana sports legend, who shared about the educators and coaches who helped shape his life, including numerous educators in his own immediate family...his father, mother, brother, and two sisters!
Today, we continue this series by sitting down with America’s 12th U.S. Secretary of Education – Dr. Miguel Cardona.
When Secretary Cardona was recently in Indianapolis for the College Football Playoff Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers Summit, we had an opportunity to visit Decatur Central High School (DCHS) and see the good work happening for students. DCHS students really shined, as they shared very openly about the importance of co-curriculars to students’ learning and skill development (including athletics, the arts, FFA, academic clubs, etc.). After pandemic-related closures in spring 2020, they also emphasized that never in their lives had they appreciated or wanted to go to school as much as they do today (I think many of us have heard this from students!).
Following the tour, Secretary Cardona and I sat down to talk about the incredible impact of educators. In the brief video linked below, Secretary Cardona talks specifically about how his high school art teacher Ms. Ransom inspired him to pursue his own career in education.
View the video below to hear more about Ms. Ransom and the message of appreciation and encouragement Secretary Cardona has for all Indiana teachers.
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Video caption: This video is the fourth in a series, known as Teachers Who Shaped Us. In this video, Dr. Jenner sits down with U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona to learn more about the teachers who made a lasting impact on his life.
NEW: Opt-In - Early Indicator of Student Reading Proficiency
When it comes to the fundamentals, data shows that the roadmap of opportunity is endless for students who are literate by the end of grade three. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is committed to supporting early literacy by providing reading proficiency information earlier, allowing schools to respond quickly and provide targeted support for students who need it most. IDOE is offering the opportunity for schools to administer IREAD-3 to grade two students, beginning with the Spring 2022 IREAD-3 administration, as an optional administration by schools. Benefits here include -
- An early indicator of proficiency means earlier intervention and support for students.
- Early reading support leads to higher rates of reading success at grade three.
- Early reading support may lead to a reduced number of Good Cause Exemptions needed at grade three.
- Students who pass IREAD-3 in grade two have reduced testing requirements at grade three.
Additional details on this exciting opportunity can be found here. Submit this JotForm by Tuesday, March 1, to officially opt-in. Schools are invited (not required) to participate. Currently, 51 schools have opted in to participate. IDOE may reach out to additional schools to participate to ensure that there is a representative sample of student data for the “On Track'' cut score. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with questions.
NEW: Digital SAT Updates Coming in Spring 2024
On Tuesday, January 25, College Board announced a broad transition to digital testing across their entire SAT Suite of Assessments, along with related testing enhancements. This announcement does not impact what has been previously communicated to Indiana educators regarding the spring 2022 administration. Specifically, note that calculator usage rules and the test length/duration have not changed for this spring’s administrations. The new version of the digital SAT will roll out on PSAT-related assessments in the fall of 2023 and on the SAT School Day in the spring of 2024. Here is additional information about these upcoming changes to the digital SAT Suite of Assessments. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment regarding policy guidance for the Indiana SAT.
NEW: ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Winter 2022 Test Window Opens Monday, February 7
Students who complete the high school biology course in the second trimester should participate in the Winter 2022 ILEARN Biology ECA assessment window from Monday, February 7, through Thursday, February 24. All demographic and accommodation data for participating students must correctly reflect in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) prior to administering the practice and operational assessments. Test Administrators (TAs) should use the ILEARN Biology ECA Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) to administer the online practice and operational assessments. The ILEARN Biology ECA TAM with Spanish Scripted Instructions is also available for students, as needed. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with questions.
NEW: 2025 Cohort Now Available
The 2025 cohort has been created and is now available in Learning Connection. Schools are strongly encouraged to check their cohort reports at least monthly. Many cohort resources are available in the Accountability & Accreditation Community in Moodle (enrollment key: AccountabilityCommunity). Questions regarding the 2025 cohort should be sent to schoolaccountability@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: E-Rate Match for Fiber Construction Now Available
IDOE is participating in the E-Rate Match Program for special construction projects. This is available to any Indiana public school for fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). This program will increase an applicant's discount rate for special construction charges for high-speed broadband that meets the FCC's long-term connectivity targets up to an additional 10 percent to match the state funding on a one-to-one dollar basis. Full application details are available here. Contact Brad Hagg with any questions.
REMINDER: February Membership Count Date
Please read this memo regarding the Tuesday, February 1, membership count date. If you have questions, please email us at schoolfinance@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: Summer School Estimates
The window to submit the Estimated Cost Report for summer school 2022 will open on Wednesday, February 2. Please read this memo and FAQ for information regarding eligible courses, important dates, and financial provisions. Detailed information about the summer school program and how to report is included in this presentation. If you have questions, please contact Teresa Hemmerle or Joe Engelstad.
REMINDER: Financial Transparency Portal
Remember to submit financial transparency data for the period of July to December 2021 through the financial transparency portal. The portal may be accessed from the Form 9 dashboard. Please visit Moodle Finance for additional guidance. If you have questions regarding Form 9, please email form9@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: July to December 2021 Form 9 Financial Data
The window to submit Form 9 financial data for the period of July to December 2021 is open through Monday, January 31. Please visit Moodle Finance for additional guidance. If you have questions regarding Form 9, please email form9@doe.in.gov.
NEW: English Learner (EL) Office Hours Wednesday, February 9 - Family and Community Engagement
IDOE’s Office of English Learners and Migrant Education is hosting its second EL Office Hours on Wednesday, February 9, from 3 to 4 p.m. ET. Join IDOE virtually for a casual, welcoming environment where EL educators can ask questions, and share ideas. This week’s topic is EL family and community engagement. Submit any questions regarding this topic through the IDOE EL Office Hours Interest Survey. For more information about how to join the virtual meeting, visit the Indiana EL Professional Development Opportunities Calendar. No registration is required. Please contact Erica Sponberg with any questions.
NEW: Indiana Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) Frequently Asked Questions Resource Available
A new Indiana ILP Frequently Asked Questions document has been released to provide guidance to schools using the system. Indiana ILP is a statewide system for the creation of ELs’ individual learning plans and is free for Indiana schools to utilize. This guidance addresses questions regarding getting started with Indiana ILP, data flow, creating ILPs, translations for parents, and more. Please contact Adam Pitt with any questions.
REMINDER: Special Education Excess Cost Invoices
Invoices for Special Education Excess Cost (SEEC) are due monthly upon the execution of the LEA's SEEC contract. Final invoices are due within 60 days of the contract end date. Failure to submit in a timely manner may result in a financial impact on the LEA. Please contact Trennie Waddell for questions regarding SEEC invoices.
NEW: February Professional Development (PD) with IDOE
IDOE wants to share the love of learning in the Learning Lab each Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. Join us for the first PD session of February, AEMing for Achievement with PATINS, presented by guest speaker Daniel McNulty, State Director for the PATINS Project. Information on this session can be found here. To register for upcoming workshops, create a free Learning Lab account by visiting the LINK Portal or the Indiana Learning Lab website directly and using your school email to log in. You may also suggest a topic for future PD with IDOE sessions by completing this form. Please contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: February PD Playbook – Providing High Quality Feedback
IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning’s second installment of the PD Playbook is now available in the Indiana Learning Lab. February’s PD Playbook - Providing High Quality Feedback focuses on the importance of feedback and the different forms that teachers can use within their classroom. These resources can be used in staff sessions, as a resource to teachers interested in the topic, or to further individualized learning. Please contact the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: IDOE Frameworks Available in the Learning Lab
Locate all of the IDOE Frameworks in the Indiana Learning Lab. This collection houses K-12 frameworks for all content areas for your convenience. Be sure to bookmark this link for easy access. If you haven’t visited the Learning Lab yet, you will be prompted to create a free account using your corporation email, or use a single sign on with your Google credentials. It is a simple, fast way to locate all the resources you need to better assist you in your planning and teaching. Please reach out to the Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Grade Six Civics Standards Open for Public Comment
IDOE welcomes public feedback on the proposed grade six civics standards through Friday, February 11. In accordance with Indiana Code 20-19-2-14.7, IDOE worked in conjunction with an educator committee to develop a semester-long civics course for middle school students, which will be introduced during the 2023-2024 school year. The course is proposed to occur during the second semester of students’ grade six year, building upon citizenship standards learned by Indiana students in earlier grades. You can access the standards and provide feedback here. Contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Applications Open for Governor’s 2022 STEM Team
Gov. Eric. J. Holcomb, Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner, and Treasurer of State Kelly Mitchell invite Indiana high school students to apply for the 2022 Governor’s STEM Team. This program honors four outstanding high school students for their exceptional efforts and accomplishments in one of the STEM disciplines. Winning students each receive a $1,000 deposit into an Indiana CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings plan and letterman jackets identifying them as members of the Governor’s STEM Team. Applications may be submitted via this JotForm through Friday, February 4. Please contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with questions.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION (ICASE): Education as a Critical Infrastructure - A Leadership Development Series
The Spring ICASE 2022 Conference will be held virtually from Monday, February 14 through Thursday, February 17. The conference will focus on how directors can prepare, retain, and attract talent while becoming the best leaders in education. ICASE recommends that central office personnel, administrators, and human resources staff engage as a team in the practical strategies that will be shared at this conference. Complete schedule and registration information can be found here.
REMINDER FROM THE INDIANA HEAD START STATE COLLABORATION OFFICE: Feedback Requested from K-12 Head Start Collaborators
The Indiana Head Start State Collaboration Office distributes an annual needs assessment, as federally required. Anyone in K-12 education who works with Head Start is encouraged to complete the survey in order to help the office better understand successes and challenges with collaboration and transition. Complete the 10-minute survey here by Friday, February 11 to promote collaboration that supports Hoosier families and children. Please contact Tonia Carriger with questions.
REMINDER FROM THE NATIONAL COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION: Computer Science Professional Development Week 2022
As part of IDOE’s continued work to bring computer science opportunities to Indiana students, Indiana K-12 teachers are invited to convene from Monday, June 27, to Friday, July 1, to learn, network, create community, and continue to expand high-quality, rigorous computer science education at CSPDWeek 2022. The application and workshop catalogue are now available, and applications can be completed here. Please contact in.cspdweek@gmail.com with questions.
REMINDER FROM THE PATINS PROJECT: Tech Expo 2022 with IN*SOURCE on Thursday, April 14
The PATINS Project and IN*SOURCE are collaborating for the PATINS Tech Expo 2022 with IN*SOURCE on Thursday, April 14. Participants will have the opportunity to review assistive and accessible technologies and services, meet with vendors and experts for resources designed to promote inclusion and comply with federal and state mandates, and learn about accessibility and technology support for all students and families. The expo is open to all interested Indiana administrators, teachers, family members, students, and pre-service/grad students. Register at no-cost by Wednesday, April 6. Please contact Jen Conti, events manager for the PATINS Project, with any questions.
All Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) newsletters are located in one convenient location. Please find past issues here.
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