February 11, 2021 MICIP Continuous Communication

Michigan Department of Education sent this bulletin at 02/11/2021 03:18 PM EST

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In this issue of MICIP Continuous Communication

This issue includes important information about MTSS resources and supports for MICIP, the new MICIP Collaboration document, a MICIP Platform bug fix, Integration with the Consolidated Application, and more!

Don't forget to check out our new Professional Learning Bites!

MTSS Resources and Supports for MICIP

The MiMTSS Technical Assistance (TA) Center has a number of resources that have been included in the MICIP Process Guide. These resources are helpful to districts regardless of partnership with the MiMTSS TA Center.

If you have districts engaged in, or considering engaging in, MTSS work and/or partnering with the MiMTSS TA Center, you may be interested to know that the MIMTSS TA Center has been working to align with MICIP. This includes creating resources to avoid duplication of efforts.

One example is a new reporting feature within the MiMTSS Data System allowing districts to download reports specific to MICIP, including a Behavior Data Set (PBIS), a Reading and Engagement Data Set, and a District Capacity Data Set.

The reports pull several MTSS data graphs and tables from the MiMTSS Data System into a single file that can be exported as a PDF and then uploaded into the MICIP Platform as data objects in the Whole Child Data Discovery section.

Additional resources are also available on the MTSS Supports for MICIP pages on the MiMTSS TA Center website.

New MICIP Resource – MICIP Collaboration Document

MICIP is a collaborative process; however, currently the platform does not allow multiple team members to type in the same space at the same time.

The MICIP Collaboration Document can be uploaded into the district Google site, thereby allowing team members to simultaneously collect and share information for transfer into MICIP.

When using this document, a district should follow the process and sequence – including considerations and guiding questions - outlined in the MICIP Process Guide.

Future versions of the MICIP platform will allow multiple users.

A bug fix is coming

At the start of any new software application there is always a settling-in period as the application meets the reality of how the application is used in the many contexts across the state.

We track these as “bugs” and MICIP has been fortunate in that these bugs have not caused any serious problems and are generally more nuisance issues.

However, there is one bug recently found that is causing difficulties in loading strategies from MiStrategyBank. You might experience delay in retrieving strategies. This may be short-lived (just a few minutes) or several minutes (up to a few hours).

A bug fix will be released at the end of the month with other platform enhancements, bug fixes, and new features.

Release information will be posted in the Continuous Communication newsletter on February 25 and changes will be implemented on February 26 after working hours.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused. If you have questions or concerns, please send your email to MDE-MICIP@michigan.org.

Your MICIP Questions Answered

Q&A Here are some answers to recently asked questions. You can find answers to more questions in the recently updated Spring 2021 MICIP FAQ document.

What’s the difference between qualitative data, an activity, and a task?

As a district creates plans, there is an opportunity to identify interim or end targets that help track progress on a goal. A district can use quantitative or qualitative data.
- Qualitative data is information that is expressed using words and includes things such as thoughts, experiences, opinions, descriptions, observations, interviews, or surveys with open-ended questions. For example, if a teacher is collecting data on student reading ability, the teacher would comment on fluency, intonation, missed words, or pronunciation without giving a grade. This narrative is used as a measure.
- An activity is an action that is necessary to accomplish a strategy. It is measured by whether it has been completed. Depending on what it is, an activity could be a short or long term.
- A task is typically a one-time action that might be needed to accomplish a goal. A task should be thought of as a milestone or benchmark without which a goal cannot be met. Examples of tasks might include passing a bond issue to provide funding for a building to support a new career education program or hiring a curriculum director prior to implementing new instructional programs that require instructional leadership. Tasks are frequently part of the district strategic plan.

Integration of MICIP and NexSys with the Consolidated Application

The Consolidated Application will be hosted in the NexSys platform and will take advantage of the integration between MICIP and NexSys.

This will allow districts to build their budgets using Strategies and Activities already entered in MICIP, without having to re-enter the information in the Consolidated Application.

How do districts manage local strategies in the MiStrategyBank?

A multi-tiered process has been developed for populating content in MiStrategyBank.
- Items with ESSA level 1 and 2 ratings have been imported from National Clearinghouses, like What Works.
- Over the past year, MDE and partner organizations have worked to curate strategies and add them to the statewide catalog.
- Additionally, Statewide educational organizations can work with MiStrategyBank to become Statewide Curators.
MiStrategyBank ISD Admin Users and ISD Leads can add and maintain strategies.
- ISD users can select how items they add will be viewed: regionally for the ISD and all LEAs, locally at the ISD only, or on behalf of a specific LEA in their service area.
Local districts will have the option of having an Admin User. Items added at a local school will only be seen by users within that district.

Training sessions for local district users will be scheduled in March.

This hierarchical curation structure will assist users in finding robust, effective strategies, help provide schools with resources for implementing strategies and reduce duplication of strategies within the MiStrategyBank.

Professional Learning Bites

The Professional Learning Bites have been collated from two popular segments of the 2020 issues of Continuous Communication: Getting Ready for Continuous Improvement and Engaging in Continuous Improvement.

Each chapter focuses on a single topic. They can be read altogether to understand the entire continuous improvement process, or they can be used one at a time as the user moves through each process component.

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Previous issues of MICIP Continuous Communication are available on the MICIP web page.

Feedback is Essential for Continuous Communication!

Have a question, an idea, a suggestion, or a compliment? The MICIP team is always eager to hear your feedback! Send us an email using the MICIP email address (mde-micip@michigan.gov).

The Michigan Integrated Continuous Improvement Process (MICIP) is a collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education, the Center for Educational Performance and Information, and the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators.

For more information visit the MICIP website at www.michigan.gov/mde-micip
or email mde-micip@michigan.gov.