Happy March! Spring is right around the corner, and probably like some of you, I am definitely ready for warmer temperatures and sunshine. Also this week is National Read Across America Day, which occurs each year on March 2. I had the opportunity to celebrate with students and teachers earlier this week at Rossville Elementary School in Clinton County, where I read one of my favorite books, “Maybe.” I enjoyed visiting with the teachers and many students, plus an unexpected surprise was that Principal Chad Dennison and Assistant Principal Mike Feagans are like characters right out of a storybook (you can see in the video that they also dress up like characters!).
Check out the video below to see some highlights from the visit.
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Our Indiana goal is to have 95% of third grade students demonstrating reading proficiency skills and passing IREAD by 2027. We know that students who pass IREAD by third grade are roughly 35% more likely to graduate high school. While we are all keenly aware that we have work to do, I appreciate schools in every region of our state that are leaning-in to science of reading and doing everything possible to ensure our students are reading proficiently. Also, several local school boards have passed resolutions affirming their shared commitment to Indiana’s 95% goal. Thank you to these school corporations (listed below), as well as the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) for encouraging local commitment to the reading goal.
- Charles A. Beard Memorial School Corporation
- Clarksville Community School Corporation
- Fort Wayne Community Schools
- Huntington County Community School Corporation
- Lafayette School Corporation
- Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township
- Pike County School Corporation
- Springs Valley School Corporation
- South Henry School Corporation
- South Putnam Community School Corporation
- South Vermillion Community School Corporation
- Tri-County School Corporation
- Tri-Creek School Corporation
We challenge ALL to elevate the importance of an all-hands-on-deck approach to making sure kids can read and to consider adopting this goal locally. Here is the template that others have used.
By continuing to work together, we can and must ensure every child is proficient in reading by the end of third grade. As always, thank you for all that you do for students!
NEW: SAT School Day Primary Testing Window Opens Monday, March 4
Schools must ensure that they are prepared to administer the SAT School Day to cohort 2025 students between Monday, March 4, and Friday, March 15. Review these tasks to assist in your preparation:
- Conduct a digital readiness check to familiarize students and staff with the testing platform.
- Add test staff and rooms to Test Day Toolkit (TDTK), finalize organization of testing rooms, and verify accommodations. Schools should assemble test day packets for proctors by room, including a roster and student sign-in tickets.
- Ensure review and distribution of the appropriate SAT School Day test manuals.
- Provide students with the link to the SAT Student Guide, allowing them to review the test format and guidelines before the test administration.
Detailed frequently asked questions can be found here, and other preparation materials can be found in College Board’s Indiana SAT School Day Google Drive. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with participation and policy questions and College Board with any technical questions.
NEW: SAT School Day & IREAD-3 Monitoring
IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment will conduct virtual and onsite monitoring visits during the SAT School Day and IREAD-3 Spring 2024 testing windows from Monday, March 4, through Friday, March 15, to ensure fidelity of test administration and test security requirements. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.
REMINDER: IREAD-3 Testing Window Opens Monday, March 4
The IREAD-3 Spring 2024 testing window is open Monday, March 4, through Friday, March 15. A few reminders:
- Ensure all students have participated in the practice test prior to operational testing.
- Additional orders for paper testing materials close Friday, March 8, for new or updated student accommodations.
- Ensure student data is accurate within the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE), including the Tested Grade setting for grade four and five students.
- Ensure that test administration materials are prepared, including the IREAD-3 Test Administrator’s Manual (TAM) and accommodated scripts, as needed.
Refer to the IREAD-3 2023-2024 Milestones for an overview of tasks. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.
REMINDER: Nominations Open for the Indiana History Teacher of the Year Award
In partnership with IDOE, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History awards the Indiana History Teacher of the Year title each year in its effort to promote the study and love of American history. State winners are then considered for the National History Teacher of the Year award. For more information about the nomination process and to nominate an Indiana history teacher, click here. Nominations must be submitted by Tuesday, April 30. Contact Anne Marie Milligan with any questions.
REMINDER: Nominations Open for Distinguished Educators Recognition
IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent is looking for confidential nominations of teachers who represent 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 24. 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. Contact Anne Marie Milligan with any questions or to submit an educator recognition opportunity not yet listed.
REMINDER: Applications for Spanish Visiting Teacher Program
Details for the 2024-2025 school year Spanish Visiting Teacher Program can be found here, or to learn more about the responsibilities of being a host school please click here. Districts can express interest by completing the application form here. Priority will be given to applications completed by Sunday, March 31. Contact Anne Marie Milligan with any questions.
REMINDER: Free Cybersecurity Resources for Schools
The following cybersecurity tools are available to public schools at no cost through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) in Indiana.
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CrowdStrike Falcon Complete licenses for servers and faculty/staff workstations are being offered at no cost until January 31, 2026. Indicate your intent to participate here by Wednesday, March 13.
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Indiana Cybertrack, a partnership between Purdue University and Indiana University, provides free cybersecurity assessments for all schools.
- Access the KnowBe4 Diamond-level security awareness training in the School Cybersecurity Moodle Community by filling out the KnowBe4 request form. These licenses are available at no cost through November 2027.
- Coming soon: Udemy licenses for both mid-level cybersecurity training and non-cybersecurity professional development, available for free to all public schools. Please check here for updates on the application form.
Contact Brad Hagg with any questions.
REMINDER: 2024 Eclipse Guidance
As was shared in a memo on October 13, 2023, schools across Indiana will experience the eclipse differently, depending on their geographic location, with portions of central and southern Indiana in the path of totality. Any determinations regarding instruction on the day of the eclipse will be a local decision, and local planning should be occurring now. Some schools will be in-person and holding special events this day, others will have virtual learning, and others have already extended spring break so they are not in session on this day. As a reminder, per Indiana Code (IC) 20 -24.2-4-2, schools are required to meet a minimum instructional time threshold, and waivers will not be granted due to the eclipse. Contact IDOE’s Office of School Building Physical Safety and Security with any questions.
NEW: Fall 2024 Average Daily Membership (ADM) Estimate
School corporations and charter schools may submit a fall ADM estimate from Wednesday, March 6, through Friday, March 22. For more details, please read this memo. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Form 9 Financial Reporting for January to June 2024
Please read this memo regarding Form 9 accounting changes for January to June 2024. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Honors Expenditure Tracking Memo
Please read this memo regarding 2023-2024 Honors expenditure requirements. 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 2024 is now open. Please read this memo for information regarding eligible courses, important dates, and financial provisions. Detailed information about the summer school programs and how to report is included in this presentation. Contact Teresa Hemmerle or Alex Waite with any questions.
NEW: Next Generation School Improvement Grant (Next Gen SIG)
Applications for the Next Gen SIG are now open. This is a competitive multi-year, multi-million dollar grant, and must include a well-developed vision and intentional strategic plan to innovate or transform the educational experience for your students and their community. Eligibility for this grant extends to all schools currently identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) under Indiana’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. Interested school officials can read more about the grant program in this memo. A list of eligible schools can be found here. The NextGen SIG application will remain open through Friday, May 24. Please review the scoring rubric that will be used to evaluate the application before filling out the application. Contact IDOE's Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
NEW: 2023 Federal Accountability Notification Memos
All notification memos for CSI, Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), and TSI schools have been sent to schools that were identified based on 2023 assessment data. Contact IDOE's Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
REMINDER: Annual 1003 Flexibility Waivers
IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation is now accepting applications for 1003 flexibility waivers. Flexibility through waivers is offered to help support schools in their design efforts to improve student performance and outcomes, help to improve efficiency of school operations, and to help promote innovative educational approaches to student learning. Interested officials can read more about the opportunity in this memo and Flexibility Guide for Indiana's K-12 Schools. Applications are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis through Friday, April 5. Contact Georgia Watson with any questions.
NEW: 2024-2025 Locally Created Pathway (LCP) Application Opens Today, Friday, March 1
The application for new LCPs is open for any local educational agencies (LEAs) who seek approval for a new LCP beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. Additional information about LCPs can be found on the Graduation Pathways webpage. Contact IDOE's Student Pathways team with any questions.
REMINDER: High Ability Grant Application Early Release
The Student Pathways & Opportunities High Ability team would like to announce the early release of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 High Ability Program Grant. The FY 2025 High Ability Program Grant application will be open to all public and public charter LEAs on Monday, April 15, and will close at the end of the day on Wednesday, May 1. The early release will expedite approvals and allow LEAs to request awarded funding sooner. Attend the High Ability webinars or join High Ability Office Hours for more information. Contact IDOE's High Ability team with any questions.
REMINDER: Early Release of the 2024-2025 McKinney-Vento Subgrant Application
The Student Pathways & Opportunities McKinney-Vento team would like to announce the early release of the 2024-25 McKinney-Vento Subgrant Application. The 2024-2025 McKinney-Vento Subgrant Application will be open to all LEAs on Friday, March 15, and will close at the end of the day on Friday, April 26. The McKinney-Vento subgrant application will have an early release to assist LEAs with homeless children and youth program planning for the 2024-2025 school year. The early release will also assist to ensure that LEAs receive their subgrant funding award by the contract start date of October 1, 2024. The McKinney-Vento subgrant contract dates are October 1 through September 30 annually. Please contact McKinney-Vento team for support.
REMINDER: Diploma Seals Order Form
The online form to order diploma seals for the 2024 Cohort is now live. Please see this memo for additional information. Contact IDOE's Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities with any questions.
NEW: March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month
The Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities (GCPD) will host a series of free webinars in March to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still face in connecting to their communities. Learn more about March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and view the webinars here. Contact GCPD with additional questions.
NEW: Part B Verification - FY 2025 Federal Grant
LEAs will soon receive an email from IDOE regarding all counts for the federal funding formula and determination of proportionate share as the Part B data verification process for the FY 2024 federal grant begins. LEAs may verify these counts and request any changes at this time prior to performing grant calculations. Any parentally-placed non-public students identified but not receiving services must be reported at this time. Emails will include a verification template that will be submitted via IDOE’s Grant Management platform. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: Special Education Data Exchange Office Hours
Join IDOE on Tuesday, March 12, to receive support on the Evaluation (EV)/Transportation (TR)/Homebound (HB) special education data certifications for this coming July. These office hours will review the training video that will be posted to the Data Exchange Knowledge Hub the prior week and allow for additional questions. Access the office hours link and other upcoming events here. More information can be found in the Office of Special Education Community in Moodle. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency (CoMP) Webinar
Indiana’s CoMP benefits secondary multilingual students by validating their fluency across multiple languages. Join IDOE to learn more on Thursday, March 7, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. Registration is not required, and the access link can be found on the Indiana EL Professional Development Opportunities Calendar. More information can be found on the IDOE CoMP webpage. Contact IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education with any questions.
NEW: Social Studies Frameworks for Grades 3-5 Now Available
IDOE developed new Social Studies Frameworks for grades three through five in alignment with the streamlined 2023 Indiana Academic Standards to support educators in standards implementation and providing key areas of focus such as academic vocabulary, clarification statements, and instructional resources. Access these resources from the 2023 Social Studies Frameworks collection in the Indiana Learning Lab. Frameworks for remaining grade levels and courses will become available in the coming weeks. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant Application Now Available
IDOE launched the Designing for Impact Next Level Computer Science Grant to eligible entities providing PreK-12 professional development in computer science. Review the grant guidelines here and complete the online application by Friday, March 29, at noon ET. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: IDOE’s Updated Digital Learning Speaker List
IDOE's Office of Digital Learning is pleased to provide the Digital Learning Speaker list of presenters who can provide local expertise, primarily for the Summer of Learning conference series, but also for state and district professional development sessions. Complete this form to apply to be included on this list of experts. If you are planning a professional development opportunity, you can view the speaker's list to get connected with presenters. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: March Professional Development (PD) with IDOE - User Request Addition
March PD with IDOE sessions are focused on Indiana Learning Lab user requests. Next week on Wednesday, March 6, at 4 p.m. ET, IDOE’s Technical Assistance Specialist, Maggie Hampton will present Strategies to Support Elementary Students with Disabilities. View a full list of March sessions here. To register for workshops or view on demand sessions, create a free account by visiting the LINK Portal or the Indiana Learning Lab directly and use your school email address to log in. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: Guidance for Using Title I Funds to Support High-Quality Preschool
The U.S. Department of Education released guidance for how states, LEAs, and schools can use Title I funds to expand access to high-quality preschool for three and four year olds in a range of quality settings, including schools, Head Start, and community-based organizations. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with additional questions.
REMINDER: 2024 Digital Learning Grant Application Open
Applications for the 2024 Digital Learning Grant are now open through Friday, March 15, at 5 p.m. ET. This competitive grant opportunity is available to all public school corporations and charter schools who have completed the 2023 School Tech Plan Survey. Refer to this memo for more detailed information regarding grant priorities and important dates. To view previous grant projects and implementations, view our Digital Learning Grant Success Stories session in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Establishing On-site Childcare for School Employees Webinar
Explore the logistics involved in bringing on-site childcare to fruition for school employees on Wednesday, March 6, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET in the Indiana Learning Lab. From planning to budgeting, staffing, and enrollment, this session provides insights into how one Indiana school district is making this supportive initiative a reality. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with additional questions.
REMINDER: Registration Open for Early Learning Standards Workshop
Join the Future-Focused Learning Series for the Early Learning workshop on Thursday, March 7, to explore the 2023 Early Learning Standards. This full-day workshop will include hands-on activities demonstrating the standards in action and a chance to talk with other early childhood providers. Register for free here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Kindergarten Readiness with additional questions.
NEW: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Cohort 12 RFP
The RFP for Cohort 12 of the 21st CCLC (Title IV) launched on Monday, February 26. 21st CCLC competitive grants are awarded to public, private, and charter schools, and community based organizations to implement high-quality out of school time programming. Learn more and access the RFP here. Contact Katie Lehman with any questions.
NEW FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (IDOH): Emergency Preparedness for Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may experience heightened risk when considering emergency alert signals and directions during an unplanned event. IDOH's Laura Leffler shared a presentation that outlines the steps to take before, during, and after an emergency to increase safety for deaf and hard of hearing students. Contact Laura Leffler with any questions regarding this resource.
NEW FROM INDIANA ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (INAEYC): 2024 Indiana Early Childhood Conference
Kick off the 2024 Week of the Young Child with the 2024 Indiana Early Childhood Conference on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, at the Indiana Convention Center. Staff involved in a program that is state-licensed, registered, or certified, may qualify for a scholarship to attend. Details are available on the registration page. Contact INAEYC's Stefanie Brooks with any questions.
REMINDER FROM NEXTECH: Universal Design of Inclusive K-12 Computer Science Instruction Workshop
In this two-day professional development opportunity, educators will learn various pedagogies and practices to equip themselves with tools to help bring computer science education to all students. Learn strategies to design and build an accessible learning environment to impact both teacher and student experience while learning computer science. This workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 6, and Thursday, March 7, and will be facilitated by Dr. Maya Israel and Dr. Joanne Barrett from the University of Florida College of Education. Learn more about this free professional development opportunity and register here. Contact Nextech with any questions.
REMINDER FROM ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEACHER INVESTMENT PROGRAM (AP-TIP): AP Summer Institute
The 2024 AP Summer Institute sponsored by AP-TIP will be from Tuesday, July 9, through Friday, July 12, in Indianapolis. Training in a wide array of subjects across disciplines will be offered. AP Capstone sessions, Research, Seminar, and Seminar ELA, will be available at this location as well. Learn more about this College Board-endorsed event and register here.
REMINDER FROM AP-TIP: 2024 Mock Exam
AP-TIP will host the 2024 Mock Exam in Indianapolis on Thursday, March 7, Friday, March 8, and Friday, April 12. The Mock Exam is AP-TIP’s highest-rated professional event and provides full-length practice exams (using previously released AP Exams from the College Board) to implement training on scoring in a format similar to an AP Reading. The Mock Exam reflects the full workload of the AP Exam, giving students an idea of the pacing and endurance required for the AP Exam, offering each student practice with testing mechanics, and providing teachers with information on student strengths and areas of growth. Registration is now open. Learn more, review the dates and logistics by subject, and register here.
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