On Thursday, NCDPI Accountability Services staff will present the 2015-16 School Performance Grades along with other summary information about student testing in our annual accountability report to the State Board of Education. I know that these grades and measures are important to your staff and you.

Last week, we had very strong participation in two webinars provided to give school district personnel and news media background information about what the report will include and how the measures are assembled. Slides from this webinar as well as the 2016 READY Accountability Background Brief are online.

I expect the full report to be presented to the State Board around mid-morning and all the data will be available online simultaneous with the presentation. Also, we will share a draft of the state news release with you Wednesday to assist you with your local release. In discussing the data, I plan to remind reporters and others that these measures reflect student test scores and graduation rates – both important measures – but not the only measures of success for our schools.

As we continue to develop our state’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan for the upcoming school years, we have an opportunity to include measures that reflect more of the untested and yet very important work that happens in schools statewide. Thank you for you thinking about this and for sharing your ideas about other ways to reflect the full range of support that your teams and you offer students.

State Board of Education Meets This Week

The State Board of Education will meet this week, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, in the 7th Floor Board Room, Education Building, Raleigh. Action items include the 2015-16 Accountability, School Performance Grades, and Cohort Graduate Rate reports; Student Teaching Clinical Practice Requirement; Compliance Commission recommendations for Field Testing and Special Studies Appeals for the 2016-17 school year, 2016 Social Studies and Healthful Living Textbook Adoption, and an update to the Digital Learning Plan.

Discussion topics include a new policy that would allow adjunct faculty to teach Career and Technical Education courses, 2017-19 Biennial Expansion Budget requests, revision of licensure fees, collection and calculation method of charter school per pupil share, annual Charter Schools Performance Framework overview, and the implementation timeline for the Achievement School District.

The complete agenda as well as supporting executive summaries are available online by clicking on the Meetings tab. The meeting is audio streamed for those who cannot attend. To listen, please visit the above link and click on the live audio stream link to the right.

2016 Digital Teaching and Learning Reconnect Sessions Scheduled

NCDPI's Division of Digital Teaching and Learning is pleased to announce the 2016 Digital Teaching and Learning Reconnect sessions. District leaders responsible for decision making in areas of media programs, instructional technology and/or information technology are encouraged to attend. Districts may send two representatives and charter schools may send one representative.

Attendees will receive state-level updates, interspersed with corporate partner presentations, and collaboration/conversation time. Meeting dates and locations are as follows:

• Regions 7 and 8 (Northwest/West) – Sept. 6, Buncombe County Schools, 175
• Regions 5 and 6 (Piedmont-Triad/Southwest) – Sept. 7, Clarion Hotel, 415 S Swing Rd., Greensboro
• Regions 2 and 4 (Southeast/Sandhills) – Sept. 8, James Sprunt Community College, Williams Building, 133 James Sprunt Dr., Kenansville
• Regions 1 and 3 (Northeast/North Central) – Sept. 9, Johnston County Schools, AG Glenn Building, 211 E. Rose St., Smithfield

Please register online for this event. Registration ends Sept. 1.

NCDPI’s K-12 Mathematics Section Hosts Online Sessions in Support of the Revised High School Standards in NC Math 1, 2 and 3

As a reminder, on Friday you were sent an email regarding the Mathematics Online Sessions NCDPI mathematics staff are hosting in support of revised high school standards in Math 1, 2 and 3.

High school teachers, coaches, coordinators and other interested math instructional staff are encouraged to join the collaborative sessions listed below. Click on the session title to register.

*  Wednesday, Aug. 31, 3:15 – 4:45 p.m.
Using the Math Resources for Instruction
All NC Math 1, 2, 3 teachers, coaches, coordinators, leaders

*  Thursday, Sept. 8, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
NC Math 1 Teacher Share Session
Connecting NC Math 1 teachers through conversations and collaborations

*  Thursday, Sept. 15, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
NC Math 2 Teacher Share Session
Connecting NC Math 2 teachers through conversations and collaborations

*  Thursday, Sept. 22, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
NC Math 3 Teacher Share Session
Connecting NC Math 3 teachers through conversations and collaborations.

*  Thursday, Sept. 29, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

High School Math Leader, Coach, Coordinator Share Session

Connect with other math leaders around the state as we collaborate to support high school math teaching and learning.

Also, please note that all sessions will be recorded and posted on the mathematics wiki to view at your convenience. Please contact K-12 Math Section Chief Dr. Jennifer Curtis or Susan Hart with any questions.

NCVPS and North Carolina
Final Exams

Starting with the 2016-17 school year, all students enrolled in NCVPS courses that administer the North Carolina Final Exam (NCFE) must take the NCFE at their local school. This includes NCVPS Occupational Course of Study courses that are taught jointly between the LEA and NCVPS. The following 28 courses have NCFEs:

• English 1, 3, 4
• American History: Civics, World History, American History 1 and 2
• Physical Science, Earth/Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics
• Math 2, Math 3, Advanced Functions and Modeling, Pre-Calculus

NCVPS and NCDPI Educator Human Capital Policy and Research staff will host two webinars to discuss changes in the NCFE as they pertain to NCVPS courses. Interested stakeholders should register for one of the follow dates (click the link to register).

• NCVPS & NCFE Webinar – Sept. 7, 10-11 a.m.
• NCVPS & NCFE Webinar – Sept. 8, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Multi-Tiered System of Support:
Sharing Tools and Plan

The Multi-Tiered System of Support’s (MTSS) cohort model allows like systems to share tools and plans. A district team participating in Cohort 1 developed the following questions as part of a communication plan:

• What are the key components of MTSS that need to be explained to our district partners?
• Why is it important for our system to implement an MTSS at the district level?
• What are our district's current initiatives that need to be braided with MTSS?
• Who are the key partners who need to be involved with this process?
• How will information on this communication plan be discussed? Where? When?

Thank you to Rockingham County Schools for sharing its MTSS communication plan in order to improve installation across the state. All districts, charter schools and state-operated programs have access to information regarding the school improvement framework online.

For questions about North Carolina’s Multi-Tiered System of Support, please contact Academic and Digital Learning’s Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems Consultant Amy Jablonski.

NC PAEMST Recipients Announced

Congratulations to the following four teachers who were recently named Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) recipients – the highest honor bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science teaching.

The 2014 recipients are:

*  Kayonna Pitchford, previously with Stoney Point Elementary, Cumberland County Schools, and now with The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Mathematics); and

*  Justin Osterstrom, Martin Middle School, Wake County Schools (Science)

The 2015 recipients are:

*  Lauren Baucom, Forest Hills High School, Union County Schools (Mathematics); and
*  Karen Newman, Durham Academy, Durham (Science)
Justin Osterstrom, Martin Middle School, Wake County Schools (Science)
 
In announcing the recipients, President Obama said, "The recipients of this award are integral to ensuring our students are equipped with critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are vital to our Nation’s success. As the United States continues to lead the way in the innovation that is shaping our future, these excellent teachers are preparing students from all corners of the country with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills that help keep us on the cutting-edge.”

The PAEMST program, which is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, recognizes outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country for their contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics and science.

A panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators select the winners following an initial selection process at the state level. Nomination years alternate between teachers in the kindergarten through 6th grade level, and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. This year’s recipients represent two nomination years, one of teachers in kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms, and the other in 7th through 12th grade classrooms.

Each recipient will receive a citation signed by President Obama and a $10,000 award from NSF to be used at their discretion. They also will travel to Washington, DC, for an awards ceremony to be held Sept. 8.

NC Arts Education Coordinators to Meet

Superintendents are asked to share the following information with appropriate central office staff.

The NC Arts Education Coordinators will meet Friday, Sept. 9, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Meredith College, Raleigh. The NC Arts Education Coordinators represent North Carolina school systems and meet twice a year to discuss issues impacting arts education in North Carolina public schools.

This group includes Arts Supervisors, Directors of Arts Education, Superintendents/Associate Superintendents, Lead Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, and others. Faculty from Institutes of Higher Education and leadership from statewide organizations also are invited to attend.

Often, meetings will include sharing of resources and professional development, as well as discussion of policies, legislation, and issues impacting arts education. Invitations and registration information is are available by clicking here.

If you have questions about the Coordinators Meeting, please contact Emily Howard.

Governor’s Page Program Targets Students of Military Families

Students of military families interested in learning more about government, politics and North Carolina may be interested in applying to be a Governor’s Page the week of Oct. 10-14.

This special week has been set aside for military family students who also will have the opportunity to meet Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Secretary Cornell Wilson, tour the State Capitol and Governor’s Mansion, and meet with other key government officials.

Students interested in being a page may apply online. Questions may be directed to the Page Coordinator at 919/814-2017 or govpage@nc.gov.