An Update From the Indiana Department of Education for August 12, 2022

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A Message from Dr. Katie Jenner

Katie Jenner Headshot

First students learn to read…then students read to learn. As educators, we know this all too well. Most of us currently teaching or having taught upper grades have stories about a student entering our classroom who struggled with reading. Maybe they were able to listen and communicate back what they heard us speak in the classroom, but because they could not read and comprehend the written words on a page, their disadvantage was not only apparent in our classroom but was undoubtedly also impacting their entire life. 

As we have discussed before, this is one of the greatest challenges we face as educators, but with it comes an immense opportunity to be innovative in how we teach, and ultimately, change lives. When it comes to reading in particular, our challenge is that over the past decade, Indiana’s literacy rates have continued to fall (even before the pandemic). In fact, our highest literacy rate was in the 2012-2013 school year when 91% of 3rd graders passed IREAD-3. Today, we know from the data just released this week that while we had a slight increase in our IREAD-3 passage rate, almost one in five children are concluding third grade unable to read.

Now, let’s talk about solutions–this conversation (and action!) has already started in some schools across Indiana. This includes 54 elementary schools across our state that are implementing instructional coaches, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and University of Indianapolis Center for Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL), to specifically focus on empowering teachers with the support, tools, and newest best practice research on the Science of Reading, to double-down…and make sure all kids can read by the end of third grade. And while this is such an important first step, it is only the beginning of our collective work to increase literacy rates across Indiana. 

If there is anything I hope you’ll take away from this week’s newsletter…it is the role that each of us must play in order to move the literacy needle for students. Our schools and our educators, in partnership with community leaders and efforts, can absolutely set students on the best possible trajectory for their future...and it starts at a young age. Regardless of what role you serve in your community or school, I encourage you to take the following action steps:

  1. Look at your local data–what’s the overall student passage rate? And, then what’s the passage rate of the various student populations in your community?
  2. Now, pause a moment…reflect and consider what we know from research about each child who is not able to read in your school or community and what that means for their future ahead.
  3. Consider, how might you be part of the solution in doing everything possible (within our control) to make sure every child can read?

With this week’s announcement of IREAD-3 scores, it underlines the urgency and intentionality we must have in our work ahead…and very soon (stay tuned!) we will announce a major investment to further support schools in their literacy efforts. Thank you for all you do…and thank you for caring. Let’s work together to ensure all children can read!

Office of Student Assessment

NEW: Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) System Updates

Cambium Assessment, Inc.’s (CAI’s) TIDE system for ILEARN, IREAD-3, and I AM assessments is currently undergoing updates. Student data will not be updated via Data Exchange until Friday, September 19. Score results for newly-enrolled students can be found in Learning Connection. Please contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions. 

 

NEW: Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) Approves SAT Performance Levels and Cut Scores

On Wednesday, August 10, SBOE approved proficiency levels and cut scores for the SAT. The proficiency levels, cut scores, and further information regarding the process for establishment can be found in this memo. The graduation pathway requirements for the SAT were adopted at the college readiness benchmark established by College Board. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions. 

 

NEW: Spring and Summer 2022 IREAD-3 Final Results Now Available 

Final IREAD-3 results and reports are now available for permissioned corporation/school staff in the Online Reporting System (ORS). Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

 

NEW: SBOE Approves IREAD-3 Grade Two Proficiency Benchmarks and Cut Scores

On Wednesday, August 10, SBOE reviewed grade two proficiency levels and cut scores for IREAD-3. The proficiency levels, cut scores, and further information will be sent to schools who opted in to administer IREAD-3 to grade two students will be provided soon. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

 

REMINDER: 2022-2023 Assessment Guidance Available

IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment released the following resources as corporations and schools prepare for the new year of assessments.

SAT Milestones are now available with other assessment programs. 

Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

 

REMINDER: Required Screening for Learning Characteristics Related to Dyslexia

Indiana Code 20-35.5 outlines requirements for supporting students who may be at risk for learning characteristics related to dyslexia. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) published updated Dyslexia Programming Guidance for Schools to support the implementation of all requirements, including exceptions to the requirement and acceptable screener assessments. All students in kindergarten through grade two must be screened for learning characteristics related to dyslexia within the first 90 calendar days of school. Additional resources can be found on IDOE’s Dyslexia webpage. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment for support related to dyslexia screening. 

 

REMINDER: Indiana’s Assessment Implementation Advisory Group (AIAG) Nomination Form Now Open

AIAG is composed of educators across the state and serves to provide classroom, school, and corporation-level input and feedback regarding testing policies and procedures. AIAG meets monthly via Microsoft Teams, and the agenda for each meeting includes current and future statewide assessment programs. IDOE is seeking teachers, counselors, principals, central office personnel, corporation test coordinators (CTCs), and school test coordinators (STCs) who are interested in being considered for AIAG. Please complete this form by Friday, August 26, to indicate interest in serving on Indiana’s AIAG. Educators will be selected to form a representative sample from across the state. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions. 

Office of Communications and External Affairs

REMINDER: Requirements for Indiana School Psychologists Practicing Telehealth

Recently enacted legislation allows for Indiana school psychologists to practice via telehealth. Indiana school psychologists residing in Indiana may practice telehealth within Indiana with no additional documentation as long as they are in compliance with IC 25-1-9.5. Indiana school psychologists residing outside Indiana and practicing telehealth within Indiana will need additional documentation to comply with Indiana law per IC 25-1-9.5-9. If you believe your school (public/charter, non-public, or other) employs a licensed Indiana school psychologist who resides out of state and will be practicing telehealth in Indiana, please fill out this Jotform. Contact Emily Black or Courtney Hott with any questions. 

Office of Educator Licensing

REMINDER: Adjunct Teacher Permit Reporting Requirements

Local governing bodies may hire adjunct teachers and issue adjunct teacher permits under IC 20-28-5-27. School corporations hiring adjunct teachers on locally-issued adjunct teacher permits are required to report certain information to IDOE at the time of employment using this form. To be included in statewide educator workforce data, each adjunct permit holder must create an account in the Licensing Verification and Information System (LVIS) if they do not already have one. Each permit holder must also have a school personnel number (SPN). If the permit holder does not already have an SPN, one can be requested through the STN Application Center. Contact Risa Regnier with any questions.

Office of Educator Talent

REMINDER: Staff Performance Evaluation Plan Submission

Legal Standard 12 requires each public school corporation to provide a copy of its staff performance evaluation plan to IDOE. School corporations must also submit their staff performance evaluation plan to IDOE for approval in order to qualify for any grant funding related to IC 20-28-11.5-8(d). This includes the Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG). Staff performance evaluation plans must be submitted via JotForm by Friday, September 16. For more information, click here. Contact Rebecca Estes with questions.

 

REMINDER: TAG Policy Submission Required

Information regarding the TAG policy submission can be found here. Local educational agencies (including charter and virtual charter schools) must submit the TAG policy for approval via JotForm by Friday, September 16, to be eligible to receive TAG funding. Contact Rebecca Estes with questions.

Office of Information Technology

New: SIS Vendor Status Update

JupiterEd and Infinite Campus have been badged for the August 2022 requirements. A complete list of vendors working to become Indiana Ed-Fi certified can be found on the Data Exchange website.

 

New: School Office Hours Schedule

Below is a list of topics that will be covered during School Office Hours and the corresponding dates. This list is also posted on Moodle in the mid-week announcements:

  • Tuesday, August 16, and Thursday, August 18, focus: Membership
  • Tuesday, August 23, and Thursday, August 25, focus: Multilingual Learners (formerly LM)
  • Tuesday, August 30, and Thursday, September 1, focus: Graduate and Pupil Enrollment
  • Tuesday, September 13, and Thursday, September 15, focus: Curricular Materials Assistance
  • Tuesday, September 20, and Thursday, September 22, focus: TBD
  • Tuesday, September 27, and Thursday, September 29, focus: Special Education

 

REMINDER: Cybersecurity Resources Available for 2022-2023 School Year

Cybersecurity attacks against schools have risen by over 16% in the past year. In Indiana, the top two categories of attacks have been business email compromise and ransomware attacks. Both of these threats are best mitigated by training users to recognize threat attempts and by adding validation checks. IDOE has free resources available to schools to assist with improving their cybersecurity in these areas. Licenses of KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training, Diamond-Level, and PhishER are free and available to all traditional public and non-public schools. This platform allows your team to create training campaigns using the included video content, allows for the creation of artificial phishing campaigns, and provides spot training based on end-user performance. Current subscriptions may be used this school year. If your school does not have a subscription, licenses may be requested in the School Cybersecurity Moodle Community. Invitations to join were sent out to the lead technology leader in each school and additional access may be requested by emailing Brad Hagg

 

REMINDER: Data Exchange - The Data Reporting Source of Truth

The 2022-2023 school year establishes Data Exchange as the source of truth for all data reporting. IDOE will transition identities as the source of truth to Data Exchange in late fall/early winter. At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, all school personnel numbers (SPN) and student test numbers (STN) will continue to be created in the STN Application Center and will be available in Data Exchange the following day. Data Exchange resources:

  • Data Exchange webpage
  • Data Exchange training can be found in the Data Exchange Training and Community course in Moodle (no enrollment key required). 
  • Data Exchange Knowledge Hub is for those completing manual upload templates, rather than connecting via a student information system (SIS).

Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted here.

 

REMINDER: School Actions to Complete SIS Setup for 2022-2023

Schools with an Indiana Ed-Fi Certified SIS Vendor will need to establish a connection between their SIS and Data Exchange. At the beginning of the school year, schools should be actively validating and reviewing data in Data Exchange for accuracy in preparation for the first September certification window.

  • A SIS vendor certification status list can be found here
  • Schools changing SIS vendors should send vendor changes to link@doe.in.gov

Additional information on implementation of Data Exchange can be found on the Data Exchange webpage. Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted here.

 

REMINDER: Designation of Security Coordinators

The LINK Portal is able to recognize all public, charter, and accredited non-public schools’ local Google G-Suite or Microsoft 365 accounts. IDOE configures the organization’s leader as the first account, and then this person logs in to designate up to two security coordinators, who are responsible for overseeing the setup of roles for others in the organization. All superintendents and leaders of non-public schools should log in to the LINK Portal and review/update their security coordinator information.

  • Instructions for organization leaders on how to designate/update the security coordinators can be found here
  • New public and Choice schools setup of the LINK Portal can be found here
  • If you are a new superintendent or the organization leader of a non-public school and need the first account configured, please email link@doe.in.gov.

 

REMINDER: Designation of Key Contacts

Security coordinators for all traditional public, charter, and accredited non-public schools are responsible for making sure that their organization’s key contacts for the 2022-2023 school year are set. These include contacts such as principal, superintendent, financial contact, special education director, and Data Exchange contact, among others. 

  • Security coordinator instructions can be found here
  • INview displays the superintendent for corporations/charters as well as the principal of each school.
  • ICHAMP (Indiana Complaint, Hearings, and Mediation Process) will utilize the following LINK Portal key contacts: superintendent and special education director. It is essential that these two key contacts are reviewed by security coordinators and updated based on any necessary changes. 
  • The corporation test coordinator official designation remains within DOEOnline for the 2022-2023 school year. 

Questions may be directed to link@doe.in.gov.

 

REMINDER: Graduation Rate

As a reminder, graduation rates for the 2022 school year will be based on data certified by schools in July 2022 and October 2022. Some schools expressed concern about the graduation data in the Data Exchange July certification window, which just closed. The graduation rate will be compiled from the graduate data submitted through Data Exchange for the 2021-2022 school year (July 2022 certification) and the graduate data submitted through Data Exchange for the October 2022 certification. Schools will be able to update their graduation records through the end of September 2022. This means any students who were not submitted as graduates by the July 2022 certification can be submitted in the 2023 school year (October 2022). IDOE understands the critical nature of a school’s graduation rate and is offering this as an additional clarification. Questions about Data Exchange may be submitted here.

 

REMINDER: SIS Vendor Changes

IDOE-issued Data Exchange credentials (key and secret) are tied to the supporting SIS vendor. If your corporation will be changing or adding an SIS vendor for the 2022-2023 school year, please email link@doe.in.gov with these changes. Your organization will receive a new set of credentials for your new vendor.

Office of School Building Physical Security and Safety

REMINDER: Emergency Preparedness Plans Certification

Within the first 60 calendar days of each school year, superintendents shall certify to IDOE that the emergency preparedness plans for the school corporation and each school in the corporation have been reviewed and revised if necessary. Certification can be completed here. Contact Stephen Balko with any questions.

 

REMINDER: Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy

Certified school safety specialists can now register for the Fall 2022 Advanced Training. The training will be held in Indianapolis on Monday, September 26, and Tuesday, September 27. Registration and additional information can be found here. Contact Stephen Balko with any questions.

Office of School Finance

REMINDER: Full-time Teacher Benefit Survey

Today, Friday, August 12,  is the last day to submit the full-time teacher benefit survey. Please read this memo regarding the survey. Upon completion of the survey, please email the Excel template to IDOE's Office of School Finance.

 

REMINDER: Annual Financial Report

The deadline for schools to publish an Annual Financial Report is Monday, August 15. Guidelines are available here and can also be found in Moodle Finance. All AFRs must be emailed to the department by Wednesday, August 31. Contact AFR@doe.in.gov with any questions.

Office of School Support and Transformation

REMINDER: School Improvement Plans

IDOE is accepting Comprehensive Needs Assessment/School Improvement Plans (CNA/SIP) through Friday, October 7. Use of the template fulfills all school improvement plan requirements under state law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), as well as requirements for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), Additional Targeted Support schools (ASTI), and CNA requirements for Title I Schoolwide Programs. This memo provides additional information. The SIP template can be downloaded here. Please contact IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.

Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities

NEW: High Ability Network Regional Coordinator Workshops

IDOE’s Student Pathways team will provide in-person workshops for high ability coordinators at each of the Educational Service Centers to review the required criterion for high ability programs and provide updates on IDOE guidance in student identification. Please come ready to share ideas and build relationships with coordinators in your region. All high ability coordinators or delegates are to attend. Register for the regional location near you. Contact StudentPathways_HighAbility@doe.in.gov with any questions.

 

NEW: Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program (AP-TIP) New Cohort Application

AP-TIP at the University of Notre Dame will soon be accepting applications to join Cohort 11. If your school is looking to grow or strengthen its AP programming, learn more about AP-TIP. Any questions should be sent to StudentPathways_HighAbility@doe.in.gov.

 

NEW: AP-TIP Regional Collaboratives

AP-TIP at the University of Notre Dame will host Remote Teacher Collaboratives on Wednesday, August 24, to provide a live, online discussion space for AP teachers. Learn more about AP-TIP's collaboratives and see the updated list of topics here. Contact StudentPathways_HighAbility@doe.in.gov with any questions.

 

REMINDER: Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Subsidy

The AP exam subsidy covers the exam fees for English, capstone, mathematics, science, and computer science AP exams taken by Indiana students in grades nine through 12 who are enrolled in an accredited public or non-public school. Read the 2022 AP Exam Subsidy Guidance memo for additional information. Contact studentpathways_highability@doe.in.gov with any questions.

 

REMINDER: McKinney-Vento Competitive Grant Released

Through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, IDOE must release funds through a competitive grant to schools for the establishment of projects which promote the enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children and youth, PK-12. This competitive grant is now open in JotForm. Please review the overview slides and instructions for the Consortium Application and Individual School Application. All applications must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. ET, Wednesday, August 24. Contact McKinneyVentoPOC@doe.in.gov with any questions.

Office of Student Support and Accessibility/Special Education

NEW: Feedback Requested on Current Results Driven Accountability (RDA) System

IDOE’s Office of Special Education monitoring and compliance team has been working with the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) to examine the RDA system. IDOE has implemented the Leveraging General Supervision Systems to Improve Student Outcomes process for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B. IDOE requests critical feedback from educators, administrators, and families on the current RDA system via this survey by Friday, September 16. Please distribute this survey to stakeholders within your school/corporation. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education monitoring and compliance team with any questions.  

 

NEW: Part B Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Now Available

Part B 611 and 619 grant applications for FY 2023 are now available in the Office of Special Education Community in Moodle, and submissions must be received in the IDOE Grant Management System by Friday, September 9. Application workbooks for FY 2023 include a checklist to address common errors, and separate documents with instructions for each budget category are also available in Moodle with applications. New charter schools that open for the 2022-2023 school year will be eligible for Part B funding in January 2023 and IDOE will contact them at that time. Contact partbgrants@doe.in.gov with any questions.

 

NEW: Data Exchange and the Indiana Individualized Education Program (IIEP)

IDOE’s Data Exchange began receiving current student school association (enrollment) data for the 2022-2023 school year on Friday, July 1, and schools should continue to submit updates. Records received before 4 p.m. ET will be queried and submitted to Public Consulting Group (PCG), IIEP’s vendor, at that time. Once PCG imports the data into IIEP, corporations that have received new students into their school(s) and submitted new students via Data Exchange using the student school association field will be able to request the IEP for the new student from the previous school. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with questions. 

 

NEW: Literacy Interventions for Students with Disabilities

A new resource is now available in the Indiana Learning Lab for special educators who work with students who have IEP literacy goals. To access the recorded Wednesday PD with IDOE: Science of Reading and Supporting Special Education Students, navigate to the “On Demand” under “Learning” once logged in. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with questions. 

 

REMINDER: Alternate Route Special Education License

The Alternate Route Special Education License is available for initial special education licensure or for a special education addition to an existing license. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree and be enrolled in a post-baccalaureate approved alternative preparation program. More information can be found in this memo and guidance. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with questions. 

 

REMINDER: FY 2021 Part B Grant Period Closes Friday, September 30

All FY 2021 Part B grant funds must be encumbered by the close of the grant period on Friday, September 30. All FY 2021 Part B grant reimbursement requests must be submitted by Thursday, December 15. The last day to submit completed FY 2021 Part B Grant Proportionate Share Waiver Requests is Tuesday, August 16. Contact partbgrants@doe.in.gov with any questions.

Office of Teaching and Learning/Digital Learning

NEW: Indiana Learning Lab Session on Thursday, August 18: K-8 STEM Certification: What’s New 

Join IDOE’s STEM specialists in the Indiana Learning Lab for K-8 STEM Certification: What’s New at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 18. K-8 STEM Certification has been revised with the launch of Secondary STEM Certification, and in this session, IDOE will provide an overview of the updated application process. This session provides strong guidance for schools applying for certification this year or considering applying in the future, and an opportunity for questions will be held near the end of the session. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.

 

NEW: K-8 Science Standards Frameworks Now Available

The 2022 Science Frameworks for K-8 are available in the Indiana Learning Lab. Each framework includes evidence statements to guide instructional design as well as the popular “Looking Back & Looking Ahead” section to highlight K-12 learning progressions for the disciplinary core ideas for each standard. Academic vocabulary and unit resources are included to support educators as they transition to using the 2022 Science Standards. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with questions.

 

NEW: Secondary STEM Certification Resource Collection Now Available

Secondary STEM Certification support is now conveniently located in the 2022-2023 Secondary STEM Certification Resource collection in the Indiana Learning Lab. This collection includes general guidance, webinars exploring each section of the application process, and a spotlight session with a current Indiana Secondary STEM Certified School. The deadline to apply for STEM Certification is Friday, October 28. Contact the Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.

 

NEW: Transition to Kindergarten: Lunch and Learn in the Indiana Learning Lab

The transition to kindergarten is often one of the biggest changes in an early learner's young life. Join IDOE as we explore how educators can support families and students before, during, and after this major transition. If you’re a kindergarten teacher or an administrator serving kindergarteners, register in the Indiana Learning Lab for the lunch and learn session at noon ET on Monday, August 22. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.

 

NEW: 2022-2023 Early Intervention Grant Recipients Notified

Schools that submitted an Early Intervention Grant application for the 2022-2023 school year were notified via email last Thursday, August 4, of their grant award amount and directions for obtaining the funds. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.

 

NEW: Summer of Learning Encore LIVE in the Indiana Learning Lab

IDOE’s Summer of Learning conferences may have ended, but the learning has not. Throughout September and October, each conference will share favorite sessions in the Indiana Learning Lab during Summer of Learning Encore LIVE. More details will be available soon. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.

 

UPDATE: August Professional Development (PD) with IDOE

Wednesday PD with IDOE continues next week in the Indiana Learning Lab with Civics Standards and Resources led by IDOE Social Studies Specialist, Adam McMickle. View the August flyer for a complete list of sessions for the month. To register for workshops, create a free Learning Lab account by visiting the LINK Portal or the Indiana Learning Lab website directly and use your school email to log in. If you have missed the first few August sessions, they are available on demand in the Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.

 

REMINDER: 2022-2023 STEM Integration Grant Deadline Approaching

The application window for the 2022-2023 STEM Integration Grant closes at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 17. More information on eligibility, grant strands, and application sections can be found here. Additional guidance for completing sections of the application is included in this on-demand support session in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.

 

REMINDER: Fall 2022 Digital Learning Grant Deadline Approaching

The application for the fall 2022 Digital Learning Grant closes at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 17. This competitive grant opportunity is available to all public school corporations in Indiana that did not receive the Digital Learning Grant awarded in April 2022. See this memo for specific information on grant strands and how to apply. IDOE hosted a grant writing support session in the Indiana Learning Lab that can be viewed here as you prepare to submit grant applications. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions

Office of Title Grants and Support

REMINDER: Request for Class Size Reduction Using Title II-A Funds

Schools interested in implementing class size reduction methods can use Title II-A funds for the FFY2022 school year. Please submit the request to begin the approval process. After the request is submitted, the school’s assigned federal grant specialist will send follow-up documentation. Please refer to the resources in the Title Grants and Support Moodle page for more information. Contact Gina Romano with any questions.

News From Our Partners

NEW FROM THE INDIANA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION (ISBA): Adjunct Teacher Frequently Asked Questions

The Indiana General Assembly recently passed legislation giving school boards an option to license and hire adjunct teachers effective Friday, July 1. The law allows adjunct teachers to be used to fill vacant teaching positions, offer a new program or a new class, or supplement a current program. A document with frequently asked questions and guidance can be found here. Contact ISBA Senior Counsel and Director of Policy Services, Julie Slavens, with any questions. 

 

NEW FROM THE INDIANA SUPREME COURT: Speakers Bureau Now Available

In celebration of Constitution Day on September 17, local judges across the state are available to speak to students about the U.S. Constitution and their role in the judicial system. View a list of available judges and their contact information here. Contact Jennifer Bauer with any questions. 

 

NEW FROM THE INDIANA COMMISSION ON IMPROVING THE STATUS OF CHILDREN (CISC) IN INDIANA: Impact Evaluation 

The Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana is seeking feedback on its reach, impact, and usefulness to youth-serving organizations across Indiana. This survey should take five to 10 minutes and is available to complete through Friday, August 19. Complete the survey here. Contact CISC with any questions.

 

NEW FROM THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (FSSA): Apply for the Workgroup to Review Child Care Licensing Regulations

FSSA's Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is establishing a workgroup to evaluate Indiana’s current child care regulatory requirements for licensed facilities and make recommendations for change in support of increased access, equity, and quality for Hoosier families. FSSA is seeking a variety of provider types statewide, including licensed, school-based programs. Participating providers will receive a stipend of $5,000 for their involvement and spaces are limited. Additional information can be found here. Apply here by Friday, August 19. Contact oecoslproviderinquiry@fssa.in.gov with questions.

 

NEW FROM THE DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION (DHMA): Children’s Mental Health Wraparound (CMHW) Program Access Site

DHMA is transitioning the access site process for the CMHW program which provides services to support youth with behavioral health needs. Student support staff and community members may be accustomed to contacting the local community mental health centers (CMHCs) to make referrals to this program. This referral process has changed and the transition to the statewide access site is occurring in three phases. Child advocates will be providing this service. Please refer to this memo for more detailed information about this transition. Contact DMHAyouthservices@fssa.in.gov with any questions.

 

NEW FROM FOSTER SUCCESS: Educator’s Conference

Join Foster Success for the first annual Educator’s Conference, Changing the Story: Improving Education Outcomes for Students in Foster Care. When students experiencing foster care are able to maintain enrollment in the same school, a classroom and school building are often the most constant things in their lives. As educators work to support students in foster care, it is important to make sure they know about the many resources available to them, their colleagues, and the students they are supporting. The 2022 Educator's Conference will be held Thursday, September 8, from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Indianapolis Marriott East and is free to attend. More information can be found here. Contact Gina Woodward, conference coordinator, with any questions.

 

NEW FROM THE POETRY SOCIETY OF INDIANA: Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest

The Young Voices Annual Poetry Contest is open statewide to Indiana students grades three through 12. Submissions of original, unpublished work must be received by Thursday, September 15. Full guidelines may be found here. All poems, submission forms, and questions should be sent to poetrysoceityofindiana@gmail.com.

 

UPDATE FROM THE INLEARNING PARTNERSHIP: Parent Picnic

The INLearning Partnership August event will be Parent Picnic: A Basket of Support for Parents and Families, with live events from Monday, August 22, through Friday, August 26. Each live event will be held at noon ET in the Indiana Learning Lab. View each topic and register for sessions here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.

 

REMINDER FROM THE INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS (IAPSS): Aspiring Superintendents Encouraged to Apply to the Indiana Aspiring Superintendent Academy (IASA)

IASA is an interactive opportunity for educators who aspire to become a superintendent and utilizes American Association of School Administrators (AASA) curriculum along with a blended learning approach, including face-to-face and virtual sessions. Cohort 3 will begin this August, and Cohort 4 will take place during the spring semester of the 2022-2023 school year. IASA Cohort 3 will consist of six sessions: Wednesday, August 31, through Wednesday, December 14. Each member is assigned a current superintendent as a mentor. Aspiring superintendents can learn more or apply here. Contact Deb Lecklider with any questions.


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