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While most of our schools see students return in the first two weeks of August, we have some schools that have already started or are gearing up to start next week! Few things compare to the excitement about the first day of school…as friends are reunited,
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new friendships are formed, and we all get a fresh start. There can also be some anxiousness too. In fact, whether as a student, teacher, or school leader, I often lost sleep the night before school started, hoping that everything would go well!
As we begin the 2024-2025 school year, let’s continue to work together, keep improving together, and make this year a great one for Indiana students! Welcome back!
REMINDER: Implementation Guidance for Newly Enacted Education Laws
Following the close of each legislative session, IDOE immediately begins working to implement newly-enacted legislation impacting K-12 education, which includes compiling guidance for educators. Guidance is a product of robust cross-agency collaboration and partnership with countless stakeholders. Any future updates will be added to this comprehensive guidance document and shared via the weekly newsletter.
NEW: Metametrics’ Redesigned Lexile and Quantile Hub Updates
Metametrics’s Lexile and Quantile Hub will be updated in fall 2024. Refer to this flyer for important information about the upcoming changes to tools, resources, timing, and suggestions for how to prepare for the updates. Contact Mandie Bechard from Metametrics with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana Assessments Policy Manual and Accessibility & Accommodations Information Now Available
IDOE has released updated policy and informational resources to prepare schools for 2024-2025 school year assessments.
Corporation Test Coordinators (CTCs) must ensure that this guidance is reviewed and disseminated for staff assisting with testing in the upcoming school year. Refer to the 2024-2025 Assessment Windows and running assessment calendar for additional preparation. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.
REMINDER: Register Now - SAT Suite of Assessments Implementation & Orientation
College Board and IDOE will host in-person SAT Suite of Assessments Implementation and CTC Orientation workshops for the 2024-2025 PSAT and SAT administrations. CTCs, School Test Coordinators (STCs), Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Coordinators, and additional testing staff are encouraged to register. In-person workshops will occur Wednesday, August 7, through Thursday, August 15, from 9 to 11 a.m. local time. Register here for the following sessions:
- Wednesday, August 7: Valparaiso
- Thursday, August 8: Fort Wayne
- Friday, August 9: Indianapolis
- Wednesday, August 14: Sellersburg
- Thursday, August 15: Evansville
- Tuesday, August 20, from 10 to 11 a.m. ET: Virtual Workshop
Contact College Board with any questions.
NEW: 2025 Indiana Teacher of the Year (INTOY) Top 25 Finalists Announced
The INTOY Screening Committee is excited to announce the 2025 INTOY Top 25 Finalists. The Top 25 candidates will be considered by the selection committee as they select the Top 10 Finalists. Details on the top 25 finalists can be found here. For more information on the INTOY program, contact IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent.
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 the Office of Educator Talent.
REMINDER: Flexible Keys to Literacy Professional Development Options Available Now
Registration is now open for educators who hold an Indiana professional educator license to enroll in one of the new flexible professional development options outlined in this memo. Additional information can be found here and the registration form with all available options can be found here. Educators who previously registered are able to continue with their current enrollment and can use the registration form to confirm their plans to remain in the live cohort sessions or choose a different option. Please contact IDOE's Literacy Center with any additional questions.
REMINDER: Approval Process for 80 Hours of Professional Development to Support Early Literacy Endorsement Requirements and Praxis Voucher Request
Educators who plan to add Indiana’s Early Literacy Endorsement can follow the process outlined here to submit a request to verify completion of an approved 80 hours of professional development and request a Praxis Voucher. Contact IDOE's Literacy Center with any questions.
REMINDER: Early Literacy Endorsement Professional Development Verification
Verified programs that can be used to support the 80 hours of professional development needed for the early literacy endorsement can be found on this document. Training providers (including school districts) may request approval to certify which requirements are met through participation in the training by submitting this form with supporting evidence. The list of approved programs will be updated regularly. Contact IDOE's Literacy Center with any questions.
REMINDER: Staff Performance Evaluation Plan Submission
Senate Enrolled Act 486 (2023) requires each school corporation to develop or adopt a plan for annual performance evaluations for each certificate employee. Staff performance evaluation plans must be submitted via JotForm by Friday, September 13. For more information, click here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent with any questions.
REMINDER: Teacher Appreciation Grant (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 13, to be eligible to receive TAG funding. Contact tag@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana Educator Talent Marketplace Webinar
Learn more about using the Indiana Educator Talent Marketplace to find great candidates for open roles. This webinar will walk through the marketplace offering, share tips about how to attract the best talent, and answer your questions. Register below:
Contact IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana STEM Educator Expansion Program (I-STEM) Registration
IDOE is partnering with Educational Service Centers (ESCs) of Indiana to strengthen Indiana’s STEM educator pipeline. This is an excellent opportunity for Indiana classroom teachers to add a STEM subject area to their educator’s license via testing. Eligible STEM content areas are life science, chemistry, earth/space science, physics, physical science, computer science, technology education, and mathematics. Learn more and register here. Contact the Office of Educator Talent with any questions.
Webinar for School Attendance Officers
IDOE will host a webinar for school attendance officers on Wednesday, August 28, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. This webinar will provide information on attendance data, as well as an opportunity to discuss policies, procedures, and initiatives to increase and sustain student attendance. Please register for the webinar here. Contact Stephen Balko with any questions.
NEW: Public School Summer School Reimbursement
The window to submit final 2024 summer school costs is now open. Instructions for submitting summer school costs can be found in this memo. The deadline for submitting 2024 summer school costs is Sunday, September 15. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
NEW: Non-Public School Summer School Reimbursement
The window to submit final 2024 summer school costs is now open. Instructions for submitting summer school costs can be found in this memo. The deadline for submitting 2024 summer school costs is Sunday, September 15. Contact IDOE's Office of School Finance with any questions.
REMINDER: Form 9 Submission
Pursuant to IC 20-40-2-6, school corporations must submit their Form 9 financial data for January to June 2024 by Wednesday, July 31. To ensure that IDOE's Office of School Finance has adequate time to review your submission before finalizing the period, steps one through eight should be completed well before the deadline. 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. Form 9 submission guidance can be found in Moodle including the Form 9 Overview. Contact Form9@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: School Improvement Plan (SIP) Submissions Due Friday, October 4
IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation is accepting Comprehensive Need Assessment (CNA) and SIP submissions through Friday, October 4, on this JotForm. In accordance with IC 20-31-5-1, public and state-accredited non-public schools must develop a strategic and continuous three-year SIP, and review these plans annually. All schools identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), or Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) are required to submit SIPs and CNAs annually. All other schools must submit SIPs during the 2025-2026 school year. Use of IDOE’s ESSA-aligned SIP template is recommended, however, schools may use any template as long as all required portions are included. This memo provides additional information. Contact IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
NEW: School Year 2024-2025 Student Pathways and Opportunities Webinars
IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities will host webinars beginning in August to support district and school leaders. Webinars about alternative education, Graduation Pathways, high ability, and McKinney-Vento will take place each month on Microsoft Teams. Review the schedule for the 2024-2025 school year and find links to join each webinar here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities with any questions.
NEW: American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund for Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Encumbrance Deadline and Reimbursement
There are only 66 days remaining until the ARP-HCY I & II encumbrance deadline on Monday, September 30. Local educational agencies (LEAs) must encumber all funds by the deadline and request reimbursement monthly in order for IDOE to maintain accurate reporting of dollars spent and dollars available. An amendment request must be submitted to IDOE for any modifications to the approved budget in order to expend funds. LEAs must receive approval of their amendment from IDOE before the implementation of any changes. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities with any questions.
NEW: McKinney-Vento Subgrant Encumbrance Deadline and Reimbursement
There are only 66 days remaining until the 2023-2024 McKinney-Vento subgrant encumbrance deadline on Monday, September 30. LEAs must encumber all funds by the deadline and request reimbursement monthly in order for IDOE to maintain accurate reporting of dollars spent and dollars available. An amendment request must be submitted to IDOE for any modifications to the approved budget in order to expend funds. LEAs must receive approval of their amendment from IDOE before the implementation of any changes. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities with any questions.
NEW: 3E Grant Encumbrance Deadline and Reimbursement Requests
There are only 66 days remaining until the 3E Grant encumbrance deadline on Monday, September 30. All 3E Grantees must encumber all funds by the deadline and regularly submit reimbursement requests to IDOE. Reimbursement forms should be completed, signed by the preparer, and submitted to DOECares@doe.in.gov on the first and 15th of each month. Grantees must keep receipts, invoices, staff time and effort logs, and all other relevant grant expense documentation on file locally, in the case of an audit. These documents do not have to be submitted to IDOE when seeking reimbursement. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways and Opportunities with any questions.
REMINDER: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 High Ability Cash Requests
Cash requests for the FY 2025 (2024-2025) High Ability Program Grant will be accepted until June 1, 2025. All relevant forms and deadlines may be found in the High Ability Grant Toolkit. Contact studentpathways_highability@doe.in.gov with any questions.
UPDATE: Free Sources of Strength (SoS) Curriculum for Kindergarten Through Sixth Grade
Thank you all that applied. The schools below have been selected to receive the SoS Curriculum for year four of the Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) grant.
- Lewis Cass Elementary (Lewis Cass)
- OJ Neighbours Elementary (Wabash City Schools)
- Veterans, Liberty and Joan Martin Elementary (School City of Hobart)
- Silver Creek Elementary (Silver Creek School Corp)
- Premier Arts Academy
- West Newton, Valley Mills, and Gold Elementary (MSD of Decatur Township)
- Goshen Intermediate School (Goshen Community School)
- Northwest Indiana Lighthouse (Gary Lighthouse Charter)
- Blue River Valley (Blue River Valley Schools)
- Hebron Elementary (MSD of Boone Township)
- Edgewood Intermediate (Richland Bean Blossom)
- Mays Community Academy (Northern Rush County Schools)
- West Crawford, South Crawford Elementary (Crawford County)
- Wadsworth Elementary (Griffith Public Schools)
- Calumet Christian (Calumet Christian School)
Contact Jason Murrey with any questions.
NEW: All Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Reimbursements
IDOE is currently compiling data for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), which must include all IDEA Part B expenses between June 30, 2023, and July 1, 2024. Schools must submit separate reimbursement requests for June and July to specialedpartb@doe.in.gov to avoid potential delay with your payment. Reimbursements are due on the first or 15th of the month. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education Part B Grants team with any questions.
NEW: Developing a Special Education Assessment Participation Plan
To support schools in improving special education student participation rates in statewide assessments, the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) published Developing an Assessment Participation Plan: A Tool for District Leaders. This tool provides guidance on how districts can develop an assessment participation action plan that can be customized to meet their needs. Contact NCEO or IDOE’s Office of Special Education with additional questions.
NEW: Certificate of Multilingual Proficiency (CoMP) Data Due Sunday, September 1
All school corporations or non-public schools that signed up to participate in Indiana’s CoMP for the 2023-2024 school year must submit end-of-year data regarding the seniors that earned the award. The CoMP Data Jotform must be completed by Sunday, September 1. For more information, see IDOE’s CoMP webpage. Contact IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education with any questions.
REMINDER: Accommodations Toolkit from NCEO
NCEO’s Accommodations Toolkit provides summaries of academic research literature and policy analyses on accommodations for students with disabilities. The toolkit is organized by accommodation (e.g., tactile graphics, braille, test breaks, extended time, etc.), with a research fact sheet for each. Although resources within the toolkit are designed to support state agencies, information may also be helpful to special education professionals and case conference committees (CCCs). Contact NCEO or IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
REMINDER: Paraprofessional Training Grant Reimbursements Due Wednesday, July 31
The deadline to submit the final reimbursement request for the 2023-2024 Paraprofessional Training Grant is Wednesday, July 31. Reimbursement requests should be submitted by email to para@doe.in.gov with “FY23-24 Para Grant Reimbursement Form” in the subject line. Requests submitted after Wednesday, July 31, will not be accepted. IDOE’s Office of Special Education with additional questions.
REMINDER: FY 2023 Part B Grant Proportionate Share Release (Waiver) Request Forms Available
The FY 2023 Part B 611 & 619 grant proportionate share release request forms are available in the Office of Special Education Moodle Community. Completed requests with supporting documentation must be submitted to IDOE’s Office of Special Education Part B Grants team by Friday, August 30. Following the acceptance of the release form, a Part B grant budget modification request must be completed by Monday, September 16, to transfer funds across budget scopes. Download the release request form and instructions from the Office of Special Education Moodle Community. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with questions.
REMINDER: 2025 General Education Provision Act (GEPA) Forms Due Wednesday, July 31
To comply with Section 427 of GEPA, LEAs requesting Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B funds must submit an approved GEPA statement of compliance by Wednesday, July 31. View IDOE’s training video within the Office of Special Education Moodle Community for additional support. All questions must be answered on the GEPA form. Once completed upload the form to the grant management system. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with additional questions.
REMINDER: English Learner (EL) Exit Criteria Changes Guidance and Training
The U.S. Department of Education has approved Indiana’s state Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan amendment to adjust Indiana’s criteria for students to exit EL status beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. The change is detailed in the Indiana EL Exit Criteria Change Memo and specific guidance for its implementation in the Indiana EL Exit Criteria Guidance. Both documents are found on IDOE’s English Learning & Migrant Education webpage. IDOE’s EL team will provide technical assistance will via virtual office hours on Thursday, August 1, at 3 p.m. ET. Details can be found on the EL PD Opportunities Calendar. Please contact IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education with questions.
REMINDER: August EL Directors Meetings
The dates and times for the Annual EL Directors Meetings for the upcoming school year have been set, incorporating a different format than in previous years. Meetings for new EL directors will be held on Thursday, August 8, covering the basics of compliance, grants, and programming. Meetings for all directors, both new and returning, will be held the following week on Thursday, August 15, covering timely EL topics and updates for the upcoming school year. Both meetings will be held virtually. Visit the IDOE EL PD Opportunities Calendar for details on times and links to join. Contact IDOE’s Office of English Learning and Migrant Education with questions.
NEW: August Professional Development (PD) with IDOE
PD with IDOE returns from its summer break on Wednesday, August 7, for grantees to share their experiences in Digital Learning Grant Parent and Family Support Grant Success Stories. View a full list of August sessions here. To register for workshops, or view on-demand sessions, create a free Indiana Learning Lab 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: 2024-2025 Digital Learning Parent and Family Support Grant
Applications for the 2024-2025 Digital Learning Parent and Family Support Grant are now open through Friday, September 6. This grant allows school corporations to design a plan to support parents with topics related to educational technology and blended/virtual learning environments. See this memo for additional information and to apply. Join the grant information session on Thursday, August 8, at 11 a.m. ET for additional information and support. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resources
In April, IDOE released AI Guidance, presenting key considerations related to AI and education. Indiana Learning Lab collections aligned to this guidance are now available, offering resources and recorded workshops to support educators and school leaders.
Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Letter of Intent Form Now Available - Providers of High-Quality Curricular Materials
Guidance is now available for prospective curriculum providers to apply for inclusion on IDOE’s advisory lists of high-quality curricular materials for Early Learning (Infant/Toddler, Preschool, and Mixed Age Groups) aligned with the Indiana Early Learning Standards, as well as core materials aligned with the Indiana Academic Standards for a variety of grade levels and content areas (i.e., K-12 Science, K-12 Technology [Computer Science], K-12 Engineering, K-12 Mathematics, and K-8 Literacy aligned with science of reading).
Prospective vendors must submit the letter of intent form indicating intent to apply by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 12. The vendor submission guide, evaluation tools, and other key resources are now available on IDOE’s High-Quality Curricular Materials Advisory Lists webpage. Contact IDOE with any questions.
REMINDER: Social Studies Frameworks for Geography and History of the World and World History and Civilization Now Available
IDOE developed new frameworks in alignment with the streamlined 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for World History and Civilization and Geography and History of the World. Frameworks are designed to support educators in standards implementation, providing key areas of focus such as academic vocabulary, and instructional resources. Access these resources from the 2023 Social Studies Frameworks collection in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Updates to 2023 Indiana Academic Standards (IAS) Frameworks
Resources and tools pertaining to universal supports for all learners and assessment considerations have been added to the 2023 IAS Frameworks in all content areas, accessible through the 2023 Frameworks Collection in the Indiana Learning Lab. Frameworks are iterative documents designed to support educators in standards implementation. Additional resources will continue to be added to the framework documents. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Assessing Current Transition to Kindergarten Practices
Join Purdue University's Center for Early Learning and IDOE in the Indiana Learning Lab on Wednesday, July 31, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the assessment of current transition to kindergarten practices. Learn about IDOE's new Kindergarten Transition Model and self-assessment tool developed to assist early learning programs and schools in measuring their current transition to kindergarten practices. These resources were built using kindergarten transition and input collected from families, educators, and communities. Register for this session here. Contact IDOE's Office of Kindergarten Readiness with questions.
NEW: ESSER III American Rescue Plan (ARP) Fiscal Waiver-Consolidated Admin
IDOE will apply for a fiscal waiver to consolidate ESSER III ARP Administrative Funds to provide funding for activities related to closing out ESF ESSER grants until March 2026. This waiver will also allow IDOE and LEAs to more effectively encumber federal financial year (FFY) 2022 federal funds. Specifically, IDOE is requesting the following requirement be waived:
Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to extend the period of availability of FFY22 funds for programs in which your SEA participates under its approved consolidated State plan until September 30, 2025 (GEPA waiver is not applicable to ESSER III SEA reserve or mandatory subgrant funds).
Feedback will be accepted through this Jotform until 11:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 24. ontact Frank Chiki with any questions.
NEW: Charter School Program (CSP) Quality Counts II Cohort 2 Application
The CSP Quality Counts II Cohort 2 application will be released on Wednesday, July 31. Learn more here. Contact Frank Chiki with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana’s ARP-ESSER Plan Amendment Posted for Public Comment
Indiana’s ARP-ESSER Plan Amendment has been posted on IDOE’s website for public comment. Comments will be accepted here through Monday, August 12. Contact Frank Chiki with any questions.
REMINDER: Indiana Program Administrator Leadership Institute (INPALI) Mentor and Mentee Applications Open
This no-cost program offers additional support in partnership with INPALI mentors and IDOE’s federal grants team. The program includes a one-day, in-person orientation, along with quarterly virtual check-in meetings and monthly communication with IDOE staff. Mentors are available for phone calls, e-mails, and video conferencing as needed. Mentors are provided a stipend to connect, support, and meet with new program administrators. Mentors must have a minimum of five years of experience working with Title I. Preferred experience in Title I and other federal grants. Mentees must be new program administrators, defined as having fewer than three years of experience working with Title I.
REMINDER: FY 2025 Pre-Application Virtual Help Desk
IDOE’s Office of Title Grants and Support will host Pre-App Help Desk each Thursday through Thursday, August 22. Participants can ask any questions to IDOE’s Title I, II, III, and IV specialists and will be answered on a first come first serve basis. Contact TitleI@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Cohort 12 Applications Due Friday, August 16
21st CCLC Cohort 12 applications must be submitted via Jotform by Friday, August 16. The 21st CCLC grant is a competitive grant that funds out of school time programs across the state of Indiana. Learn more here and contact IDOE’s Out of School Time (OST) team with any questions.
REMINDER FROM BALL STATE UNIVERSITY: Transition to Teaching Program
A new program at Ball State University for early learning professionals seeking their teaching license is now available. All courses are available online and designed to prepare students to apply for the Indiana pre-kindergarten through grade three educator license. The program takes four semesters, two courses per semester, and funding is available to assist qualifying individuals in paying for the coursework. Applications are due Wednesday, July 31. Contact Ball State University’s Christina VanOsdol with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY: Field Trip Opportunity - Indy Autonomous Challenge
Educators are invited to bring their high school students to the Innovation Showcase at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, September 6. This free event, held in conjunction with the Indy Autonomous Challenge, will provide students with the unique opportunity to learn more about STEM and the innovations behind autonomous vehicles up close, followed by a unique opportunity to watch these cars zoom around the famous oval track - without drivers! Click here to learn more about the Indy Autonomous Challenge. Click here to learn more and to register for free tickets. Contact IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE LILLY ENDOWMENT: Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program (TCFP) 2025
Lilly Endowment is pleased to announce its 2025 TCFP. This program supports educators throughout Indiana by providing resources for them to take time for meaningful renewal. Endowment staff will host virtual informational sessions on Thursday, August 8, and Tuesday, August 13, to review the TCFP application process and answer questions from interested educators. Click here to learn more and register for one of the virtual informational sessions.
REMINDER FROM TEACHER INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES IN INDIANA (TIE-IN): Embark on an Exploratory Journey
Elevate your teaching and ignite your creativity with TIE-IN, an initiative designed to bridge the classroom with the dynamic world of industry. This program, brought to life through a partnership with IDOE and Central Indiana Educational Service Center’s Keep Indiana Learning team, is open to all licensed Indiana educators, including prekindergarten through grade 12 classroom teachers, counselors, media specialists, and instructional coaches. Learn more and register here. Contact Dr.Christy Hilton with any questions.
REMINDER FROM INDIANA UNIVERSITY’S (IU’S) OFFICE OF SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS: PK-12 Education Summit Registration Open
IU’s Office of School Partnerships invites prekindergarten (PK) through grade 12 district and school leaders to register for the Annual PK-12 Education Summit at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis on Friday, August 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is free, but space is limited. Gather with PK-12 leadership and IU staff and faculty who are engaged in or have interest in IU partnerships.
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