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January 24, 2022
Updates in this email:
School COVID-19 Testing Program Grant Funding
In fall 2021, public school districts, charter schools and tribal schools were eligible to apply for grant funding to support creating and maintaining a school COVID-19 testing program. These funds come from the Epidemiology Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Reopening Schools Grant supported through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Schools are encouraged to use these funds immediately as the state continues to see high levels of COVID-19. These funds will only be available through June 30, 2022. View the list of schools that have accepted funds.
The following are allowable expenses for the grants:
- Personnel
- Test kits, collection supplies, other necessary supplies
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Contracts with academic institutions, private laboratories, other non-commercial healthcare entities, and/or commercial entities that may provide all or part of the screening testing needs
- Testing events that may also involve other mitigation activities
- Expenses associated with outreach and assistance to establish or promote testing programs
Public schools that are Cooperative Purchasing Venture (CPV) Members can use one of the 11 COVID-19 testing vendors on the state contract to use their funds. Schools can find instructions on how to make purchases off the state contracts on the COVID-19 Testing Master Contract Program web page.
Questions about school testing programs can be emailed to COVIDtesting.MDE@state.mn.us.
Second Orders for BinaxNOW OTC Now Accepted
Schools can now place secondary orders for BinaxNOW OTC COVID-19 tests. The State of Minnesota is making these rapid, antigen tests available for use by students at no cost. For second orders schools can request 50% of their fall 2020 enrollment for a total of 150% of their fall 2020 student enrollment.
These tests must be administered by families outside of the school building. BinaxNOW OTC resources are available on the Abbott website, including instructional videos for families in English and Spanish. Learn more about BinaxNOW OTC, including how to order them in the overview document.
When temporary shifts to online learning take place, districts and charter schools are expected to continue to provide meals and ensure an in-person option (including transportation) remains available in order to count the days as instructional days. Meals could be picked up from designated sites or delivered to homes.
School leaders, administrators and educators interested in COMPASS programming may also be interested in upcoming related professional development opportunities.
School Climate and Mental Health: Data-based Continuous Improvement Webisode
This webisode will explore the critical role data-based decision-making plays in ensuring support delivered to students is tailored and designed with their holistic needs in mind, including academic and social-emotional development. This webisode is scheduled for January 25 at 1 p.m. Learn more and register.
Math: Catalyzing Change for Mathematics in Minnesota
During this session from the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) participants will reflect and analyze the systems and structures that support success in mathematics. Teams will be able to determine action steps to create and sustain equitable structures in mathematics for our students. The webinar will be held on February 10, 2022 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. There is a registration fee of $25.
The 2022 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) will open on Tuesday, January 18 and remain open until Friday, June 10. District Assessment Coordinators (or other identified staff) received an email on December 1, 2021 with registration information. While schools can register at any point, we encourage early registration so schools have the most time to prepare. If you need additional help with registration, please contact mss@wilder.org.
As part of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must provide parents or guardians with notification of their plans to administer the MSS. Read about action items related to PPRA. You may download and share an MSS Infographic to communicate with staff or families, if desired.
In order to receive updates on the MSS, please subscribe to the MSS bulletin. You may email mde.studentsurvey@state.mn.us with any questions.
Governor Walz has proclaimed this week, January 24–30, 2022 as Paraprofessional Recognition Week.
Paraprofessionals have stepped up in so many ways during the pandemic—supporting school-age care, assisting with virtual learning, helping deliver meals for students and more. We are so grateful for their commitment to meeting the needs of students. Read the full memo from Commissioner Mueller, including ideas for how to recognize and celebrate paraprofessionals next week. Use this signed certificate from Governor Walz to honor each of the paraprofessionals in your school community.
Enrolling in Public Kindergarten FAQ
Share the new Enrolling in Public Kindergarten FAQ downloadable flyer with families of kindergarten eligible children. The flyer is available in English, Hmong, Karen, Somali and Spanish. The flyer is located on the Students and Families Kindergarten page.
Bilingual and Multilingual Seals Awards
The Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program is an excellent tool to recognize our multilingual learners’ linguistic and cultural assets. It provides an opportunity to earn credit at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, making college pathway as a realistic goal for many of our multilingual learners. The Minnesota Bilingual Seals assessments in Amharic, Dakota, Hmong, Karen, Ojibwe, Oromo, Somali, and Vietnamese are available through Extempore. Districts or schools who plan to administer these assessments should register for one of the training webinars. Other languages such as Arabic, Chinese, German, French, Japanese, Spanish, please visit ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages or AVANT STAMP4S. If your districts or schools are new to this, please consider attending or encouraging staff to attend one of the Bilingual Seals Overview Webinars.
Contact: mde.worldlang@state.mn.us.
Free Financial Aid Events Available to Minnesota Students and Families in February
The series, called “Ready, Set, FAFSA”, is an MDE collaboration with Minnesota Office of Higher Education, ECMC The College Place and Minnesota Goes to College.
Running February 8 through March 1, five virtual sessions will cover general financial aid information, details on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented students, and other ways to pay for college. All sessions will have simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. Participants will be eligible to win a $500 scholarship. Registration is open now for families.
Join MDE staff for informational webinar about the series and promotional materials available for schools in multiple languages on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 10 a.m. Register to attend these financial aid events.
Please contact Beth Barsness for more information.
Introduction to Teaching Concurrent Enrollment Competitive Grants
Supporting programs that will increase and diversify Minnesota’s teacher workforce.
The documentation for the Introduction to Teaching Concurrent Enrollment Grant Opportunity including the instructions, application, and budget documentation are now available on MDE’s grant opportunity site.
Grant funds are available to eligible applicants to develop or expand Introduction to Teaching Concurrent Enrollment Programs that encourage secondary school students, especially American Indian and students of color, to pursue teaching, by developing and offering dual-credit postsecondary course options in schools for “Introduction to Teaching” or “Introduction to Education” courses. Please see the grant instructions for the specific, allowable outcomes for this grant program.
Register and join MDE staff for an Informational Webinar on Monday, January 31, 2022, at 10 a.m. Please contact Beth Barsness at beth.barsness@state.mn.us for further information.
Making OSTL Data Meaningful
Making Meaning with Multiple Data Sets (M3) is a continuous improvement framework to guide out of school time learning (OSTL) programs in collecting and using data to intentionally design, deliver, and improve OSTL programming. It is a participatory process that can engage program managers, staff, volunteers, students, parents, and other stakeholders to reflect on successes and challenges. Looking at information from a program's monitoring and evaluation efforts, and reflecting on the findings from a variety of perspectives puts the power of data in the hands of the people most impacted by it and able to utilize it.
A key touchstone in the M3 process is the M3 Huddle, a facilitated workshop assisting OSTL program teams to intentionally make meaning of Fall 2021 program data and plan action steps for improvements in Spring 2022.
2022 M3 Huddle locations and dates:
- Paul (hosted by Sprockets): January 26
- Minneapolis (hosted by the Youth Coordinating Board): February 4
- Iron Range (hosted by Itasca Network for Youth and U of MN Extension): February 11
- Southeast Minnesota (Hosted by Rochester Public Schools): February 17
- Northwest Minnesota (Hosted by Stephen-Argyle Central and U of MN Extension): February 22
- Central Minnesota (hosted by United Way of Central Minnesota): March 1
- Other possible local workshops in Richfield, Rice County, and Red Wing
Please contact Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner for registration information for these M3 Huddles or to inquire about an M3 workshop in your area.
M3 is partially funded with a Technical Assistance grant from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) using federal funding, CFDA 84.287 Title IV (B) – Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers. This program does not necessarily represent the policy of the federal Department of Education or MDE and you should not assume endorsement by the federal or state government.
Register today for Ignite Afterschool’s 2022 Summer Virtual Learning Series!
Jump into Summer: Planning for Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Summer Programming is a virtual training series designed to help your summer program coordinator get the most out impact from summer programming. This training series is designed to focus on effective practices in summer program design with Covid-19 relief funds for comprehensive, evidence-based summer learning. Over the course of three sessions, participants will learn about Summer Learning Effective Practices, how to take a deeper dive into program design and partnerships, and how to build engagement and reflection into staff training.
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January 31, 1-2 p.m.: Effective Practices 101—Learn the basics of Summer Learning Effective Practices and how to incorporate them into your summer program planning
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February 14, 1-2:30 p.m.: Deeper Dive: Partnerships and Program Design—Take a closer look at program design and how to build intentionally designed summer programs
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February 28, 1-2:30 p.m.: Engagement and Reflection—Learn how to build in staff training, reflection, and continuous program improvement into your summer programming
Register for Ignite Afterschool!
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