WEBINAR
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Time: 10 a.m.-noon
Access link: Attend the Webinar for District and Charter Staff 2018 North Star Accountability Release
The Minnesota Department of Education will hold an important webinar on August 15 to provide district and charter school staff with an overview of the upcoming August 30 public release of North Star accountability data. The session will include overviews of:
- How North Star and our equity commitments are important to Minnesotans.
- How North Star connects the state’s plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and World’s Best Workforce requirements to enable MDE to identify schools and districts for support.
- How North Star allows us to recognize schools whose work in supporting students deserves commendations.
We will also outline the timeline of release, and logistics relating to the district embargo on August 27 and media embargo that begins August 28. This webinar is for charter and district leadership and staff, especially superintendents and communications or public relations staff. Questions about the webinar or the upcoming release of data may be directed to Josh Collins, director of communications, at 651-582-8205.
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ACTION ITEMS
The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) will be administered between January and May 2019. School districts who participate are obligated to notify families of the upcoming survey administration under the Protection of Pupils Rights Amendment (PPRA). There are two steps you must follow:
- Notification of your district’s planned participation in the 2019 MSS must be included in your district’s annual PPRA notification.
- Prior to administration of the MSS, you must distribute a more comprehensive notification letter to parents and guardians. Sample letters will be provided no later than October 15, 2018.
Additional information about the MSS will be coming later this month. If you have immediate questions, please contact Raihana Zeerak at 651-582-8587.
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Each year, information regarding schools and districts is updated in the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) master database for organizations that validates sites for all major MDE reporting systems such as MARSS, STAR, UFARS, Assessments, etc. In previous years we asked you to formally identify a single point person as the site verification coordinator for your district. This person has access to request and certify school configuration changes and update other essential contact information for all sites within the district through a secure website. The list of site verification coordinators by district is available in the MDE Organization Reference Glossary in contact lists.
As explained in the site verification memorandum, the District and School Site Verification System is an easy to use review system that remains open all year for any changes. The system is a one-stop shop for contacts in your district such as the identified official with authority, district assessment coordinator, superintendent, principals, district communications/media contact, etc. Some contacts, such as the MARSS or STAR coordinator are brought in directly from security access accounts. For all contacts at the district including superintendent, executive director or business manager, it is critical to have the district/school staff contact list current to make sure the right staff are contacted for a number of MDE initiatives.
We ask that you review your district and school sites along with the contacts you can update and make changes for the FY19 school year. To ensure data collections, payments, and reports are correct, district and school site information and contacts for the FY19 school year must be reviewed and certified by August 31, 2018.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is considering changes to the immunization rules, Minnesota Administrative Rules Chapter 4604. Below is information that provides the rationale that supports the need for the change. Healthy students make better learners.
The changes would help align the law with current medical practice standards and simplify implementation. This will ensure MDH can respond quickly and confidently to disease outbreaks in Minnesota schools and child care facilities. No additional immunizations are being added to the immunization requirements.
The changes being considered are:
- Provide explicit language that the commissioner of health has authority to exclude susceptible individuals from school or child care if the individuals have been exposed to a disease identified in the school and child care immunization law. This proposed change focuses on diseases that are easily transmitted in school and child care settings.
- Change the age limits for the pneumococcal and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines for children who attend child care and early childhood programs to be consistent with national medical standards.
- Remove an outdated signature requirement for varicella and pneumococcal vaccines.
The first step in the rulemaking process is a request for comments. This was published Monday, August 6, 2018, in the Minnesota State Register. Comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 1, 2018. You may submit a comment by email, phone, fax, or mail.
- Email: Health.immrule@state.mn.us
- Phone: 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414
- Fax: 651-201-5501
- Patricia Segal Freeman
Minnesota Department of Health
PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
MDH will also be holding public meetings on the rules. Information about these meetings, the rulemaking process, and a sign up to receive email alerts throughout the process can be found at Proposed Revisions, Chapter 4604 Minnesota Immunization Rule.
We look forward to your partnership on this important issue. If you have additional questions, contact Patricia Segal Freeman at 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414.
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