Across Indiana, the influence of great teachers is profound–teachers support us, inspire us, and empower the potential of our students, having a ripple effect throughout our communities.
That influence was on full display last week when we visited Grassy Creek Elementary in Johnson County and crashed a schoolwide convocation to surprise fourth grade math teacher Ms. Angela Fowler with the prestigious, nationally-recognized Milken Educator Award…and a $25,000 prize from the Milken Family Foundation!
Angela is someone who ignites a passion for learning in students. Through a focus on problem solving, and “number talks,” as she calls them, her students build more than just math skills – they build confidence! It’s something you have to see for yourself (jump to about 25 minutes into the full video here).
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Pictured from left to right: Dr. Jenner, Grassy Creek Elementary School Principal Trina Lake, Ms. Angela Fowler, Clark-Pleasant Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Pat Spray, IDOE’s Dr. Rebecca Estes, and Milken’s Jane Foley.
That day last week also reminded me of a cold day in Mishawaka last March, when we joined the Milken Family Foundation to present Indiana’s first Milken award in years to Walt Disney Elementary (Penn-Harris-Madison Schools) Principal Ryan Towner! For Ryan, education is the family business – his father was an Indiana school leader, too.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Ryan for a recent episode of Teachers Who Shaped Us to hear more about what inspired him to be an educator. He told me about his dad, but also about Mrs. Shelly Sierzputowski, his sixth grade teacher at Schmucker Middle School. Shelly recently retired, but years later, her influence continues to positively impact Ryan as well as the next generation of students. Check out the video of our conversation here.
Indiana teacher Angela Fowler and Principal Ryan Towner are excellent examples of the impactful work of Indiana educators. Thank you to these inspiring leaders and to each of you for all that you do for students!
This video is the ninth in a series, known as Teachers Who Shaped Us. In this video, Dr. Jenner sits down with Principal Ryan Towner to learn more about the teachers who made a lasting impact on his life.
NEW: Non-Public Schools Interested in Applying for the National Blue Ribbon Award
Assessment percentiles that can be used to assist non-public schools in the application process for the 2023 Blue Ribbon awards are available in the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) School Accountability & Accreditation Moodle Community (Awards > Blue Ribbon), using enrollment key “AccountabilityCommunity.” The Blue Ribbon award application process for non-public schools is administered through the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), and the deadline for application is January 13, 2023. Contact IDOE's Office of Accountability with any questions.
NEW: New Reporting Requirements for Good Cause Exemptions (GCEs)
Schools must now report all students who were granted a GCE from the IREAD-3 Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 administrations using the Good Cause Exemption Intervention Plan by March 6, 2023. This form replaces the previous IR data submission. IREAD-3 Spring 2023 and Summer 2023 GCEs should be submitted by September 1, 2023. GCEs may only be granted after either a Case Conference Committee convening or Individual Learning Plan committee meeting for students who did not pass and received a valid scale score in grade three. Grade two students who do not receive a passing score must retest in grade three and are not eligible to receive a GCE until after the grade three administration. For additional information, please review the Process and Considerations for Issuing A Good Cause Exemption. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.
NEW: Fall 2022 ILEARN Biology End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) Test Window Now Open
The paper-and-pencil testing window is open through Friday, December 9, and the online testing window is now open through Friday, December 16. Schools should review the ILEARN Biology ECA Checklist, ensure that Test Administrators (TAs) have completed the TA Certification Course, and verify they have the appropriate materials prior to student testing. Contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with technical questions and IDOE's Office of Student Assessment for assistance regarding policy and participation.
NEW: PSAT/NMSQT Scores Available on Monday, December 5
Students who participated in the recent October PSAT/NMSQT administration may access their individual score reports on Monday, December 5, using their College Board student account. Students who are unable to access their College Board accounts or whose accounts do not display their scores should contact College Board at 888-477-7728. School administrators with appropriate access to the K-12 Reporting Portal are also able to access this data for their students. Guidance regarding navigating the K-12 Reporting Portal can be found here. Contact your school’s data access manager or College Board with additional questions.
NEW: PSAT/NMSQT Invoicing Information Due Friday, December 9
Schools that participated in the PSAT/NMSQT should log in to College Board’s Test Ordering Site (TOS) to confirm their invoicing information by Friday, December 9. Schools should ensure that any misgrids are resolved to avoid billing issues. Additional guidance for this invoicing process can be found here. Contact College Board with additional questions.
NEW: Educator Recruitment and Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Indiana superintendents or human resources directors interested in the next opportunity to opt-in to the full Nimble ATS may complete this JotForm by January 27, 2023. This free upgrade for schools currently utilizing the job posting only feature is designed to significantly enhance local capabilities around educator recruitment. The initialization for new ATS users will take place in late February. Additional information about the statewide partnership with Nimble can be found here. Contact Rebecca Estes with any questions.
REMINDER: School Year 2022-2023 Teacher Appreciation Grant Allocations
School Year 2022-2023 Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG) allocations can be found here. Recipients can anticipate distribution of funds on Friday, December 2. To collect accurate information about the use of TAG funds, please complete this quick questionnaire by January 16, 2023. Contact TAG@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Nominations Open for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
PAEMST is the highest honor bestowed to educators by the U.S. government specifically for those teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to grades seven through 12. PAEMST was established by Congress in 1983 and the President may recognize up to 108 exemplary teachers each year. More information about the process can be found here. Nominations must be submitted by January 9, 2023. Contact Anne Marie Milligan with any questions.
REMINDER: Additional Opportunities to Recognize Indiana Educators
Throughout the year, numerous opportunities arise nationwide to acknowledge the incredible work of Indiana educators. IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent has developed this document which will be updated periodically with external opportunities to recognize educators. To submit an educator recognition opportunity not listed, contact Anne Marie Milligan.
NEW: Important Data Reporting Change - Student Academic Record Collection to Replace Course Completion Collection
These changes being implemented for reporting course enrollments and outcomes will impact all schools which report course level data to IDOE. These updates are occurring to improve the completeness of academic records for each student and to support metrics on Graduates Prepared to Succeed and to monitor progress on Graduation Pathways. The full memo is available here and the related frequently asked questions (FAQ) document is available here. Contact IDOE's Data Exchange Team with any questions.
NEW: IDOE Releases K-12 Enrollment and Public Corporation Transfer Report
This week, IDOE released data on K-12 enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year, as well as data on public corporation transfers during the 2022 spring and fall semesters. Statewide, enrollment in Indiana’s public and accredited non-public schools was stable at 1.12 million students. Enrollment and transfer data at the district and school level are posted here. Contact datarequests@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: December Certification for Special Education Data
The count date for special education reporting was Thursday, December 1. Schools should ensure all students receiving special education services for which they are managing are reported without error via Data Exchange. Certification for special education is Tuesday, December 6, through Tuesday, December 13, at 4 p.m. ET. The last auto-validation for special education data was completed on Tuesday, November 29. Wednesday, November 30, through Monday, December 5, schools have the ability to run validations by selecting the "Re-run Rules" button on the December validation tab. Tuesday, December 6, through Tuesday, December 13, at noon ET, validation runs will need to be requested by selecting the "Data Correction Request" button on the December certification tab. Contact IDOE's Data Exchange Team with any questions.
REMINDER: Student Test Numbers (STN) and School Personnel Numbers (SPN) Transition to State Ed-ID Portal
IDOE is excited to announce Ed-ID, a new system for generating IDs for students and educators. Ed-ID will provide IDs to educators from early childhood settings through secondary settings. This new approach will allow more versatility for the generation and use of IDs across a variety of state agencies involved in student learning and will improve the management of these IDs through a centralized service. The transition will begin on Wednesday, December 14, with the new Ed-ID portal up and running shortly afterwards. IDOE expects the upgrade to take one week to 10 days and will communicate when the new Ed-ID portal is available for use. More information may be found in this memo. Contact link@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Data Exchange Upgrade Planned for 2024
Data Exchange (DEX) will be moving to Ed-Fi ODS/API for Suite 3 v6.0 (Data Standard for Suite 3 v4.0a) for the 2023-2024 school year. This upgrade includes the latest technical updates provided by Ed-Fi, including enhanced data standards and security advancements. There will be minimal changes to the Data Exchange portal user interface. Additional information regarding project timelines, deliverables, and vendor certification will be provided at a later date. Contact IDOE's Data Exchange Team with any questions.
NEW: School Forum FAQ Regarding January 2023 Subcategories and Object Codes
Please review the FAQ document covering questions raised during recent teacher salary discussions. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Form 9 Financial Data Reporting System
IDOE has modernized the Form 9 Financial Data system utilizing newer technologies. Please read this memo regarding the update. As a part of this upgrade, IDOE will release the new Form 9 system within the IDOE LINK Portal, which recognizes all local schools' Google G-Suite or Microsoft credentials. This increased security means that financial staff will no longer need an IDOE username/password for this site. Chief financial officers and business managers are encouraged to work with the local LINK security coordinator to make sure that the financial administrator LINK role is configured appropriately. Please note that most financial staff already have this role set, as it was used in conjunction with Data Certification for sign-off within the Data Exchange system. Upon login to LINK, a new tile entitled Form 9 Financial Data will be available on Wednesday, December 28. Contact IDOE’s Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Next Generation School Improvement Planning Grants
The Office of School Support and Transformation is now accepting applications for planning grants as part of the Next Generation School Improvement Grant (SIG) program. This is a competitive grant to aid in school transformation and eligibility extends to all schools currently identified as Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) and Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) under Indiana’s ESSA Plan. View the grant overview here and a list of eligible schools here. The Title 1 SIG Application will remain open through Monday, December 5. The scoring rubric that will be used to evaluate the application can be found here. Contact IDOE's Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
NEW: December Alternative Education Webinar
IDOE’s Student Pathways and Opportunities team will host the alternative education December webinar on Thursday, December 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. ET via Microsoft Teams. Please use this link to join. Contact Studentpathways_alted@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: December McKinney-Vento Liaison Webinar
IDOE’s Student Pathways and Opportunities team will host the December McKinney-Vento Liaison webinar on Tuesday, December 13, from 11 a.m. to noon ET via Microsoft Teams. Please use this link to join. Contact Mckinneyventopoc@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: December High Ability Network Webinar
IDOE’s Student Pathways and Opportunities team has partnered with the Education Service Centers of Indiana to host the December High Ability Network webinar, “Strategies for the Cluster Classroom,” with Dina Brulles on Wednesday, December 14, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. Please use this link to sign up. Contact Studentpathways_highability@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: December Graduation Pathways Webinar
IDOE’s Student Pathways and Opportunities team will host the Graduation Pathways December webinar on Thursday, December 15, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. ET via Microsoft Teams. Please use this link to join. Contact DOEGradPathways@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: Get Your Teach On Virtual Sessions for December
IDOE, in partnership with Get Your Teach On, continues to provide additional professional development opportunities to Indiana educators through free virtual workshop sessions in the Indiana Learning Lab. Register for December sessions by clicking "Learning" and selecting "Live" to access the calendar of events. All sessions are available on-demand following the live session. Upcoming sessions on Thursday, December 8, at 4 p.m. ET include:
- Strategies for Building Student Relationships: Lower-Elementary Educators
- Strategies for Building Student Relationships: Elementary Educators
- Strategies for Building Student Relationships: Middle School Educators
Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions.
NEW: Special Education Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Dashboard
School administrators will have access to EdData through the LINK Portal today, Friday, December 2. Special education administrators may use the Special Education RDA Dashboard User Guide and additional resources in the RDA dropdown of IDOE’s Special Education webpage to assist with navigating the new system. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: Stakeholders Needed for Special Education Excess Cost (SEEC) Fund Approval Process
IDOE is seeking superintendents, special education administrators, and school business officers/treasurers to participate in a stakeholder group to share feedback concerning changes that were made to the SEEC fund approval process in July. The group will discuss potential updates to the current processes as well as review allowable costs and a scoring rubric. Interested parties should complete this form by Friday, December 16. Participants will be selected and contacted in January with details for the initial meeting. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: RDA Dashboard Office Hours
IDOE’s Office of Special Education will hold open office hours regarding the RDA dashboard throughout December. Select the appropriate link below to join the session:
Friday, December 2 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET
Monday, December 5 from 9 to 10 a.m. ET
Monday, December 5 from 3:30 to 4 p.m. ET
Wednesday, December 7 from 10 to 10:30 a.m. ET
Wednesday, December 7 from 4 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Monday, December 12 from 9:30 to 10 a.m. ET
Monday, December 12 from 3:30 to 4 p.m. ET
Wednesday, December 14 from 10 to 10:30 a.m. ET
Wednesday, December 14 from 4 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: IDOE’s WIDA Standards Rollout Level III Session on Monday, December 12
Join IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education from 3 to 5 p.m. ET on Monday, December 12, for a collaborative virtual session focused on Level III of the WIDA Standards Rollout Plan: Expanding Implementation. Participants will discuss and practice numerous implementation methods of the updated 2020 Edition WIDA Standards. EL and content educators and administrators are invited. No registration is required, and more information can be found on the Indiana English Learner PD Opportunities Calendar. Contact IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education with any questions.
REMINDER: Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Part B Reimbursement Requests Due Thursday, December 15
The last day to submit FY 2021 611 and 619 Part B grant reimbursement requests is Thursday, December 15. Reimbursement requests will be honored for approved expenditures that occurred through Friday, September 30. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education Part B Grant team with any questions.
REMINDER: PATINS Project Opportunities and Resources for Indiana Educators
The PATINS Project offers the below opportunities and resources for educators across the state and you can find opportunities and resources listed here. Contact the PATINS Project or IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions.
REMINDER: Up to $1,000 Per Student Available to Support Math, Reading Tutoring Through Indiana Learns
Indiana Learns is now providing eligible families demonstrating both financial and academic need with access to up to $1,000 to spend on math and reading high-dosage tutoring and approved out-of-school academic programs. When a school commits to matching funds, funding per student doubles from $500 to $1,000. Learn more about matching funds and resources schools can share with families here. Please contact Seana Murphy from Indiana Learns with any questions.
NEW: Indiana STEM and Literacy Cadre - Year Two Interest Session
IDOE and implementation partners are currently recruiting interested schools to join the second year of the Indiana STEM and Literacy Cadres. Participating schools will receive professional development and support to implement a collaborative instructional coaching model centered around the science of reaching or integrated STEM pedagogical practices. Schools and corporations interested in learning more can join an information session on Monday, December 5, at 10 a.m. ET. Register to attend here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Computer Science (CS) Educator Hub Community Launches Today, Friday, December 2
Are you ready to increase the size of your computer science teacher network with just a few clicks? The CS Educator Hub Community is now live in the Indiana Learning Lab. Click here to join the community and start connecting with computer science educators and valuable resources. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Summer of Learning Grant Recipients Announced
IDOE is excited to announce that twelve school corporations have been awarded the 2022-2023 Summer of Learning Grant. This grant will support a series of conferences that will take place from June to August 2023. These conferences will offer professional development for educators specific to digital learning, science of reading, STEM integration, and more. See this memo for the full list of grant recipients. Conference dates and registration information will be announced in spring 2023. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: December Professional Development (PD) with IDOE
There are new sessions scheduled for PD with IDOE in the month of December that will take a deeper look at the recent synchronous virtual learning research that was released to support high-quality virtual instruction specific to asynchronous and synchronous strategies. Sessions begin with Beyond Consuming: Interaction in Synchronous and Asynchronous Environments. View a full list of the December sessions for more details. 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. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: Participants Needed for Indiana Early Learning Foundations Prioritization Committees
Pursuant to Indiana Code 20-31-3-1, IDOE seeks qualified individuals to participate in the advisory committees to determine the prioritization of Indiana Early Learning Foundations. These committees will meet in February and March 2023 to complete this critical work. Interested educators and community members are encouraged to apply. More information can be found here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with any questions.
UPDATE: 2022-2023 Digital Learning Parent and Family Support Grant Due Today, Friday, December 2
The 2022-2023 Digital Learning Parent and Family Support Grant application closes at 5 p.m. ET today, Friday, December 2. The grant allows schools/corporations to design a support plan for parents on topics related to educational technology and blended/virtual learning environments. See this memo for additional information. A recording of the grant support session is now available in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
UPDATE: Public Comment for Indiana Academic Standards for Fine Arts Closes Friday, December 16
The Indiana Academic Standards for Fine Arts are available for public comment now through Friday, December 16. Click here to access links to the public comment forms for specific grade levels, grade bands, and content areas. IDOE invites all stakeholders to share their feedback during this time. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Transition to Kindergarten Virtual Summit Held Today, Friday, December 2
IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness and the Family and Social Services Administration's (FSSA's) Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning invite administrators from elementary schools, community-based preschools, and Head Start programs to attend a virtual summit dedicated to the success of early transition experiences. The Transition to Kindergarten Virtual Summit will be held online from 10 to 11:30 a.m. ET today, Friday, December 2, and registration can be found here. For those not able to attend live, please register, and a link to a recording will be sent after. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with any questions.
REMINDER: 2023-2024 Course Titles and Descriptions Now Available
The 2023-2024 Course Titles and Descriptions provide important guidance as school leaders prepare their school’s course and content offerings for the upcoming year. In addition to core content and general elective course updates, the 2023-2024 Course Titles and Descriptions include updates specific to career and technical education course offerings as transitions occur for the Next Level Programs of Study (NLPS). Codes listed before each program/course title and descriptions will be used for IDOE data reporting. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Return to In-Person Instruction Plans
Return to in-person instruction plan reviews are due no later than Saturday, December 24. Any changes must be posted on school websites and if a new URL is used, it must be submitted to your federal grants specialist. Contact TitleI@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: ESSER I (CARES) and GEER Liquidation Deadline
The ESSER I (CARES) and GEER Liquidation deadline is Thursday, December 15. The final expenditure report (annual expenditure report), which is completed in the Title I App Center, is due on Friday, December 30. When submitting the final expenditure report, ensure 2020 is selected for the report year. The ESSER report is listed as the 18003 Education Stabilization Relief Fund with GEER listed as 18002 Governor Emergency Education Relief Fund in the App Center. Contact ESSER@doe.in.gov with any questions.
UPDATE: Title Con 2023 Hotel Reservations
Title Con 2023: Drafting a Blueprint for the Unknown will be held April 11-12, 2023 in Plainfield. Hotel reservations are available at the Embassy Suites-Plainfield. The information used to reserve a room in the hotel block has been updated. If booking a reservation online, please use the room block code: CESDOE. If booking a reservation via a phone call, please state that the reservation is for the conference with the Indiana Department of Education (not IDOE). The room block is limited, so attendees requiring a room should book soon. Contact titlei@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Title Con 2023 - Call for Proposals
The Title grants and support team is excited to announce the return of Title Con, April 11-12, 2023, in Plainfield. Title Con 2023 will bring together hundreds of Indiana educators and school officials from across the state to collectively learn and build stronger federal programs for student growth and achievement. The Title Con team is looking for dynamic presentations on topics related to Title grants and federal funding that align with the theme of “Drafting a Blueprint for the Unknown.” Please review the call for proposal form for more information. All submissions are due by Friday, December 16. Contact Brittany Kronmiller with any questions.
NEW FROM INDIANA UINVERSITY: Well-Rounded Course Access Participation Opportunities
IDOE has partnered with Indiana University to develop free K-12 virtual courses for students throughout Indiana through the Well-Rounded Course Access (WRCA) initiative. There are two ways to get involved:
- Join the Network of Schools. Collaborate to share and maximize resources, identify courses, and develop long-term funding and cost recovery models.
- Nominate a teacher. 100 K-12 teachers are needed to participate in the virtual course design process. Participants will receive Professional Growth Points (PGPs) and a $4,500 stipend for completing course design of one of the approved WRCA courses. If interested, complete the WRCA Teacher Participation Form by Monday, December 5.
For more information on WRCA, contact Mark Conrad from Indiana University.
NEW FROM COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK (CSEdWeek): CSEdWeek Begins Monday, December 5
CSEdWeek is an annual call to action to inspire K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field. Click here for resources to celebrate computer science or here to highlight the CS heroes promoting progress and advancements in making computer science accessible to all learners. Contact the CSEdWeek team with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE DISTRESSED UNIT APPEAL BOARD (DUAB): Fiscal Indicators Dashboard Updated
The Distressed Unit Appeals Board has refreshed the data on its fiscal indicators dashboard. All superintendents (or their designee) are required by IC 5-13-7-8 to submit a written report to their local board of finance during their annual meeting in January assessing the financial condition of the school corporation based on these indicators. Contact indicators@duab.in.gov with any questions.
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