This week, we presented to the House Ways and Means Committee as part of the ongoing effort to secure historic levels of funding and academic support for Indiana schools and students. Legislative committees are often referred to as the “workhorses” of the legislative process because they allow legislators to specialize and focus on a specific policy area, identify needs and opportunities, and vet ideas before moving on for consideration by the full legislature.
With your help, this week also marked an important milestone in the ongoing development of the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed performance dashboard - a resource that is constantly evolving (and improving!) in response to the needs of Indiana’s students, educators, schools, communities, and employers.
Following the initial release in December, just this Tuesday, we deployed the first round of enhancements to the dashboard. Users can now hit the “Explore” button to view overall student performance data over multiple years and then filter by key student populations, such as English learner, high ability, homeless, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic, and special education status. You continue to be a key part of the build out of Indiana GPS with feedback sessions, calls, etc.—and we heard loud and clear that Hoosiers want to see student population data, longitudinally…and be able to interact with the data sets. This is now possible for the first time ever! Check out the examples below:
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The below student photograph illustrates yet another reason why this is so important…this week, I received a message from Dr. Scot Croner, superintendent of Wa-Nee Community Schools. He shared a story about one of their fifth grade students, who moved to the U.S. less than one year ago from Ukraine. She did not speak any English prior to being at Wa-Nee schools.
Today, she is reading announcements to the entire school and even entered the school spelling bee last week! This is a shining example of how the work our educators and schools are leading is changing lives for our students. Indiana GPS provides a platform to showcase that work, past and present, as well as illuminate the progress we must continue making together. This includes our efforts to secure additional funding to support the growing costs associated with serving English learner student populations…in addition to several other legislative requests shared over the past couple of weeks.
Thank you for your continued feedback and collaboration, and thanks for all that you do for our students!
UPDATE: 2022-2023 Notice of Intent to Seek Performance Based Accreditation Submission Window
The submission window for non-public schools to submit a notice of intent to seek performance-based (state) accreditation is open and will close on Sunday, April 30. A notice of intent must be submitted prior to the school year for which accreditation would begin. This document serves as a notice of intent to seek state accreditation but does not constitute the final petition to be submitted. Once the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) receives this notice and verifies the applicant’s eligibility for accreditation, the applicant will be provided with a petition template, which must be completed and submitted to IDOE. The notice of intent does not need to be submitted by schools transitioning from freeway school accreditation. A notice of intent may be found here. Contact IDOE's Office of Accountability with any questions.
NEW: Official SAT Practice with Khan Academy Training Recording Available
College Board and Khan Academy hosted an Official SAT Practice webinar, and the recording is now available. Students can connect their College Board account to Khan Academy, generating customized practice experiences in the areas of greatest impact based on their most recent PSAT or SAT performance. Students who do not have previous scores may take a diagnostic test to provide a baseline. Some schools are utilizing this school-wide, while others have teachers or counselors using it as a resource with groups of students working to improve their SAT performance. Contact College Board with any additional questions.
NEW: ILEARN and I AM Released Items Repository (RIR) Refresh
The RIR refreshed with new ILEARN and I AM test items for the 2022-2023 school year on Tuesday, January 17. Students may access the RIR via the Indiana Assessment Portal to review past and new test items. Refer to the RIR Scoring Guides webpage and the RIR Quick Guide for additional information. Contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions.
REMINDER: ILEARN Handscoring Applications Open
Educators are invited to apply to score open-ended student responses for the ILEARN assessments this spring. This opportunity will be remote and will occur from Monday, April 17, through Friday, May 19, during the ILEARN handscoring window. Applications must be submitted by Thursday, March 16. More information can be found in the frequently asked questions document and webinar on the Indiana Assessment Portal. Contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions.
REMINDER: Nominations Open for Emerging Leaders Recognition
IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent is looking for confidential recommendations of leaders representing the very best educators in Indiana. These emerging leaders must have between five and 15 years of experience, demonstrate leadership beyond the classroom, and positively impact school culture and student achievement. Superintendents and principals may submit recommendations here. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, May 26. Contact Rebecca Estes 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.
REMINDER: 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 Friday, January 27. 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.
NEW: Reporting School Board Members
I.C. 20-23-8-22 requires schools to report the names and term information of their school board members to IDOE before August 1 of each year. Annually, security coordinators can report the following key contacts along with the beginning and end of the officer’s respective term:
- Board president
- Board vice president
- Board treasurer
- Board secretary
- Board member
In order to designate/report these key contacts, the security coordinator must request a School Personnel Number (SPN) from IDOE for each board member via the Ed-ID Portal. To be a key contact, each board member would also need an email address. A school-issued email address is preferred, but not required. If the school corporation has an Ed-Fi Student Information System (SIS) that can report these data to the state, then the school corporation may send the data via their SIS to Data Exchange, according to their vendor’s instructions. If the local SIS does not support adding these staff types, then the local security coordinator may report them manually via the LINK Portal. These are the only two ways to report this information to IDOE. For questions regarding reporting requirements under Indiana Code, contact legal@doe.in.gov. Security coordinators can direct questions to link@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: Your Input is Needed
IDOE and our partner, Resultant, are seeking educators, school administrators, and interventionists to complete a short survey regarding student performance data and how they are used locally. The information gathered via this survey will help IDOE in the development of an innovative Early Warning Indicator tool that can predict and identify students at risk of not graduating high school on time or achieving postsecondary success. You can access the survey here.
In addition to this survey, IDOE is hosting a series of virtual, one-hour focus groups throughout January. If you would like to participate, please sign up here. If you wish to participate but cannot make any of the scheduled times, please reach out to mthielmeyer@resultant.com to schedule a meeting.
REMINDER: State Ed-ID Portal Now Available for New Student Test Numbers (STN) and School Personnel Numbers (SPN)
The transition to the new Ed-ID portal is now complete. Ed-IDs for students (also known as STNs) as well as Ed-IDs for staff (also known as SPNs) can now be requested through the portal. This process replaces the old approach to generating IDs for educators and students and allows for more versatility in the generation and use of IDs. It will also improve the management of IDs through a centralized service. More information is available in this memo. Details are now posted on the Ed-ID website. Contact link@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: E-Rate Match for Fiber Construction Now Available
IDOE is participating in the E-Rate Match Program for special construction projects. Available to any Indiana public school for fiscal year (FY) 2023 (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024), the program increases the discount rate for special construction charges for high-speed broadband that meets the FCC's long-term connectivity targets up to an additional 10% 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: 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 that report course level data to IDOE. These updates are occurring to improve the completeness of academic records for each student, to support metrics on the Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard, 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: Financial Transparency Portal
Please remember to upload July to December 2022 financial transparency data into the portal. A presentation is available in Moodle finance for reference. Contact form9@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: February Membership Count Date
The spring membership count date of pupils enrolled in each school corporation and charter school is Wednesday, February 1. IDOE will use membership data to determine January to June 2023 Basic Grant distributions. Please refer to the Data Exchange for additional guidance concerning membership for enrollment and membership for adult learners. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Summer School Estimates
The window to submit the Estimated Cost Report for Summer School 2023 will open on Wednesday, February 1. Please read this memo and frequently asked questions (FAQ) document 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. Contact Teresa Hemmerle or Joe Engelstad.
REMINDER: Form 9 Financial Data Submission
Tuesday, January 31, is the deadline to submit Form 9 financial data for the period of July to December 2022. The Form 9 application can be accessed via the LINK Portal. Once in the portal, the financial administrator will navigate to the “Form 9 Financial Data” tile. Please review the Form 9 Overview for instructions. Additional guidance can be found in the Public School Finance Community on Moodle. Contact form9@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Full-Time Teacher Benefit Survey
Please read this memo regarding collection of full-time teacher benefit data between Friday, December 16, and Friday, February 17, for inclusion in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Full-Time Teacher Salary and Benefits Report. Contact IDOE’s Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Next Level Programs of Study (NLPS) Principles Courses
The 2023-2024 IDOE Course Titles and Descriptions includes updated course descriptions from the Governor's Workforce Cabinet's Office of Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the NLPS courses. Below is guidance regarding taking the Principles courses as electives:
- Schools are encouraged to only offer the Principles courses when students choose to continue in a pathway leading to the Concentrator A and B courses.
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Students may take NLPS courses as electives, inclusive of the Principles courses if a meeting is held with a school counselor to determine if seats are available. For example, if a student is in another non-CTE pathway that does not require a Principles course for completion, but the student has an opening in his schedule and an interest in taking the Principles course as an elective, this may be permitted. It is not recommended that a school offer this course, or any NLPS courses to all students when it does not lead to a CTE concentrator completion.
Contact IDOE's Office of Student Pathways with any questions.
REMINDER: January Graduation Pathways Webinar
IDOE’s Student Pathways and Opportunities team will host the Graduation Pathways January webinar on Thursday, January 26, 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: Monthly Technical Assistance Office Hours
IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility will host Technical Assistance Office Hours from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET on the first Thursday of each month for targeted support on a need or issue. Sessions begin Thursday, February 2. The first 20 minutes will cover a relevant topic of choice, and remaining time will be available for questions and discussion. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions
NEW: Information for School Corporations Claiming Medicaid Reimbursement for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Services
IDOE’s Office of Special Education received clarification from the state Medicaid agency confirming that the following policy statement is no longer applicable to schools’ claims for Medicaid-covered ABA services required per an eligible student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Please disregard the following outdated ABA coverage policy statement: “Medicaid will only reimburse for one-on-one intervention. Reimbursement is not available for group instruction.” This ABA coverage limitation is no longer in effect and has been removed from Chapter 4 of the Medicaid Billing Tool Kit. Access the revised Medicaid Billing Tool Kit on IDOE’s School Medicaid Claiming webpage. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
REMINDER: Office of Student Support and Accessibility Moodle Community Now Available
IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility Community is now available on Moodle. The community will feature resources for all special populations including special education and English learning (EL), PD opportunities, and technical assistance (TA) resources. Sign up and enroll in the Office of Student Support and Accessibility Community in Moodle here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions.
NEW: Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant Now Available
IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning launched the Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant to eligible entities providing PK-12 professional development in computer science. See this memo for grant guidelines and complete the online application here. The application deadline is Friday, February 3. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Kindergarten Readiness Community Coming to the Learning Lab
The Kindergarten Readiness Community will launch in the Indiana Learning Lab on Wednesday, February 1. This group will support educators and administrators in preparing children birth to age five in all domains of early learning. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with any questions.
NEW: Parent and Family Resources in the Learning Lab
The Indiana Learning Lab is a fantastic tool for parents and families. This flyer can be sent to parents and families to support their students with literacy, mathematics, digital tools, and more. A Spanish version is also available. Educators fielding questions from parents and families can also access vetted resources to share. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
UPDATE: Learning Characteristics Related to Dyslexia Frequently Asked Questions
The following frequently asked questions document has been updated to reflect that while only a licensed medical professional can diagnose individuals with dyslexia, a medical diagnosis is not required to determine eligibility for special education and related services for students exhibiting characteristics of dyslexia. It is the position of the Indiana Association of School Psychologists that school psychologists and educational teams may use diagnosis or related terminology in psychoeducational evaluation reports, including those determined and provided by school psychologists. This includes terms such as dyslexia. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
UPDATE: Indiana Course Access Portal (iCAP) Reimbursement
IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning is offering an opportunity for schools to receive reimbursement for students enrolling in the Indiana Course Access Portal (iCAP) for the 2023-2024 school year. Indiana Code 20-30-16 currently offers over 180 course options from seven course providers. Applications are open through Friday, March 3. Please see this memo for more information. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Week of the Young Child (WOYC) Public Visual Photography and Artwork Display
In recognition of the WOYC Saturday, April 1, through Friday, April 7, IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness is organizing a public, visual display at the Indiana Statehouse reflecting the work of early learning educators and students across the state. Find out more about participating here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with any questions.
REMINDER: #INLovesReading Through Purposeful Play
Join IDOE in the Indiana Learning Lab for #INLovesReading Through Purposeful Play, a kindergarten readiness series from January through March. The next session is Tuesday, January 17, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. This series will explore principles for the science of reading through purposeful play in early learning environments. A full schedule can be found in the Indiana Learning Lab. Please plan to join us live to learn more about the brain, comprehension, phonics, vocabulary, writing, and diverse learners and their families. All sessions will be recorded for later viewing. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with any questions.
REMINDER: January Professional Development (PD) with IDOE
January PD with IDOE concludes for the month on Wednesday, January 25, with New Year, New You: Tech Tips for 2023. Join the team and vote for your favorite tech tool for the new year! View previous January sessions on-demand in the Indiana Learning Lab. To register for workshops, create a free Learning Lab account by visiting the LINK Portal or the Indiana Learning Lab directly and use your school email to log in. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Title Con 2023 - Requests for Questions from the Field
One of Title Con’s keynote sessions will include a moderated discussion and those planning to attend Title Con are encouraged to submit questions they have for IDOE in areas such as academics, finance, student pathways and opportunities, and technology. The Title Con planning committee will include a selection of these questions for the moderated discussion. Please submit questions to titlei@doe.in.gov.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION: Application Deadline for Teacher Scholarships Approaching
Students in high school or college who are planning to teach or work in school administration in the state of Indiana have until Tuesday, January 31, to apply for three scholarships – Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Scholarship for Minorities, and Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is encouraging students to act quickly, as there is limited funding available. All three financial aid opportunities can be applied for at ScholarTrack.IN.gov. For questions about state financial aid, students can contact the Indiana Commission for Higher Education by phone at 888-528-4719 or via email at awards@che.in.gov.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (IDOH): COVID-19 Test Kits Available
IDOH’s partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home test kits to schools has been extended for the spring 2023 semester. Email notifications with details explaining how to order these test kits were sent to school nurses on Thursday, January 19. If your school corporation did not receive the communication and you are interested in providing over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home test kits to your students and staff, please email IDOH Chief Nurse Consultant Lorrie Ramsey at backtoschool@isdh.in.gov.
NEW 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 to help the office better understand successes and challenges with collaboration and transition. Complete the brief survey here by Friday, February 10, to promote collaboration that supports Hoosier families and children. Please contact Tonia Carriger with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration with any questions.
NEW FROM TEACH INDY: 2023 Educators Conference
To ensure high-quality educators continue to receive the support and recognition they deserve, Teach Indy is proud to present the 3rd Annual Teach Indy's Educators Conference taking place Saturday, February 25, at Butler University from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET. The past few years have transformed education in many ways, and it is essential for educators to have the space to collaborate, learn, grow and bring real-world solutions back to their classrooms. Leaders in education across Indianapolis will be joining together at #TeachIndyEdCon23 to discuss the future of #IndyEducation. Learn more about #TeachIndyEdCon23 here. Contact Sara Marshall at Teach Indy with any questions.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA LIBRARY FEDERATION: Young Hoosier Book Award Winners
The 2022-2023 Young Hoosier Book Award winners have been released. The Young Hoosier Book Award Program encourages self-selected reading among K-12 students across Indiana. These books are categorized in three categories: picture books, intermediate (grades three through five), and middle grades (grades six through eight). This year’s winners can be found on the Indiana Library Federation website, as well as access to resource guides and activity sheets for each book. Contact the Indiana Library Federation with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE INDIANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Work-Based Learning IMPACT Summit
Attend the inaugural Work-Based Learning IMPACT Summit, including the 17th Annual IMPACT Awards! The summit is a convening of best practices and sharing of ideas toward growth and partnership within workforce and education. It will take place Tuesday, February 21. The 17th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon will be held as part of the Summit. Those who are interested can register to attend the entire summit or register for only the IMPACT Awards program, which will celebrate Hoosier interns, internship supervisors, employers, and career development professionals. Contact the Indiana Chamber with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEACHER INVESTMENT PROGRAM (AP-TIP): Remote Teacher Collaboratives
The Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program (AP-TIP) at the University of Notre Dame invites AP teachers to attend the next round of Remote Teacher Collaboratives on Thursday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET. These one-hour, online sessions offer a convenient space for AP math, science, computer science, English, and history teachers to connect, share, and learn from AP leaders. Learn more, see the full schedule, and register online here. Contact AP-TIP with any questions.
REMINDER FROM DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY: 2023 Black College Tour
The 36th annual Black College Tour sponsored by the Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is open to college bound high school students. Students will have the opportunity to tour nine colleges and universities and meet with administrators, admissions officers, current students, faculty, and staff. The application, including essays, photo, transcript, and academic teacher recommendation form can be found here. The application deadline is today, Friday, January 20. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Contact bct2@dstiac.org with any questions.
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