NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates

From the Desk of Mr. Dave Machado, Director, Office of Charter Schools

As usual, a lot is going on at the Office of Charter Schools. Ready to Open training just completed for the schools that will open in August 2017, Charter Schools Advisory Board (CSAB) is halfway through the new school application evaluation process, professional development is being ramped up with Monthly Audibles (webinars), Training Camps (PD for low performing schools), Regional Huddles (regional PD opportunities), and submissions to the Performance Framework is ongoing just to name a few. 

Are you planning to attend the CCSA conference in Greensboro on March 20-22? Register using this link: CCSA. We encourage all charter school to register and attend. Specifically, OCS is facilitating charter specific workshops and we look forward to seeing charter schools attend/participate. The topics covered for the sessions facilitated by OCS include:

• Charter Schools and The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS);

• Developing a Charter Specific Teacher Evaluation Tool; and 

• Friday Institute Digital Learning Initiative for Charter Schools. 

Please remember to use the schedule of submission for the Performance Framework or choose to upload all documents at once. Currently for the January submission 28 schools need to submit information to Ms. Honeycutt for evaluation. We celebrate and appreciate the 139 schools who made their January PF submissions. 

Please take time to complete the attached brief survey on school climate. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Thank you for all your hard work and if our office can assist you in anyway, please call or email.

Attachment:  School Climate Survey

Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Monthly Audible (Webinar) and NC School Jobs by PeopleAdmin   This month’s OCS Audible (webinar) will be held Tuesday, February 28 at 10:30 am. Webinar access information will be provided in next week’s newsletter. Wendy Hinson, Technology Support Specialist at NCDPI, will provide updates and training on the NC School Jobs by PeopleAdmin system.   Schools interested in utilizing the NC School Jobs by PeopleAdmin system must complete a quick workbook that will allow for a final system configuration. Please contact Mr. Craig Tucker at craig.tucker@dpi.nc.gov to get this workbook or if you have any questions or concerns. Please include NC School Jobs in the subject line.

Charter School Evaluation Tool Flexibility

All charter schools now have evaluation tool flexibility. Specifically, Charter schools are no longer obligated to use the NC Educator Evaluation System (NCEES) process. The charter school needs to have its chosen instrument approved by its board of directors and indicate what instrument they are using to evaluate their beginning teachers (BTs) to verify  the appropriate number of observations (and summative evaluation) are conducted using their indicated instrument.  As your board of directors make plans to change its evaluation process, please be sure to request an amendment to your charter through the established amendment process.

This flexibility does not eliminate the requirement for charters to have a Beginning Teacher Support Plan (BTSP). The BTSP should be submitted for approval to your regional coordinator and a copy provided to OCS for our records. Also, remember that charters should have an approved licensure plan on file to facilitate the process of renewing teacher licenses and adding years of experience each year.

Please contact Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith via email at deanna.townsend-smith@dpi.nc.gov with questions or concerns. 

Board Meeting Minutes Reviews   Beginning March 2017, the Office of Charter Schools (OCS) will resume its review of each school’s board meeting minutes monthly to provide operational support and monitoring.  For an efficient process, OCS strongly encourages all schools to post minutes on the school’s website. Meeting minutes should be available for all scheduled board meetings (can be draft form).  Please remember, board meeting dates, times, and location should also be posted on the website in accordance with Open Meetings Law.  If you have any questions about this review process, please contact Ms. Cande Honeycutt at cande.honeycutt@dpi.nc.gov or (919) 807-3493.

Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Launches Training Camps for Low-Performing and Continually Low-Performing Charter Schools- Save the Date

As part of our new professional development model, OCS is launching Training Camps. Training Camps are intended for schools categorized as low-performing or continually low-performing. 

Please see the OCS Training Camp dates below:

OCS Training Camp @ Henderson Collegiate (Henderson, NC)

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

OCS Training Camp @ Sugar Creek Charter School (Charlotte, NC)

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

To ensure a productive training camp for attendees, we will host a pre-camp webinar Wednesday, March 8 from 9:00-10:00 am. Please use the following link to register for these opportunities: Training Camp Registration Form. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Craig Tucker at craig.tucker@dpi.nc.gov.

Office of Charter Schools (OCS) at the Collaborative Conference on Student Achievement (CCSA)   If you’re planning to attend the Collaborative Conference on Student Achievement (March 20-22, 2017, Koury Convention Center, Greensboro), please make sure to join us for the “Moving Forward” focus session on Tuesday, March 21 from 8:00 - 11:30 am. This focus session will feature valuable information for charter schools. See the session information below:   Digital Learning Initiative for Charter Schools – Dr. Jeni Corn (Friday Institute) and Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin (NCDPI)   Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) – Amy Jablonski (NCDPI)   NAIP: A New and Improved Process to Teacher Evaluation – Jonathan Bryant, Tiffany Moceri, Kyle Pierce and Melissa Peterman (Lincoln Charter School)   If you’re interested in attending the conference and haven’t registered, please use the following link to learn more and register: CCSA

Disaster Recovery (Hurricane Matthew Oct 2016 / Wildfires Nov 2016) Reporting - Charter Schools - Past Due Reminder

The Disaster Recovery Act of 2016 (SL 2016-124 Section 5.7) provided flexibility to charter schools affected by Hurricane Matthew or wild fires on making up instructional days in 2016-17. The Bill requires charter schools to provide information to the Department of Public Instruction on the implementation of the legislation.

The survey link is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TVBR83N and is to be completed by each charter school. This survey was due by February 10, 2017. If you have questions, contact Gwendolyn Tucker at gwendolyn.tucker@dpi.nc.gov.

2017 Charter School Performance Framework Submission Dates   OCS collects evidence of operational, financial, and academic compliance through the Charter School Performance Framework (PF). January 2017 begins the collection process for the 2017 Charter School Performance Framework.    Based on feedback, submissions for the 2017 PF are staggered to allow extended periods of collection and review.  The 2017 Charter School Performance Framework document library is now open for submissions. Your school’s username for the 2017 SharePoint system is the same as your 2016 PF.        Deadline- February 28, 2017- All Schools                   A1- School Report Card and Letter Grade                 A1- Parent Letter (only for schools receiving D/F in 2016)                 A13- Evidence of Fire Inspection                 A15- Civil and Liability Insurance Certificate for 2016-17     Performance Framework Upload Center Instructions - How to Submit Performance Framework Documents     1.     Review Performance Framework Criteria under the “Criteria” section. Click the small triangle next           to each category to read the descriptions.   2.     Before uploading any documents ensure all files are prepared in PDF format using the naming          convention “SchoolName_MeasureName_YY”.   3.     Under “Upload Documents” section, click “Add Document”. Click “Choose File”, navigate to the          file’s location, and affirm your selection. Uncheck “Overwrite existing files”.   4.      Another dialog box will appear with required fields. Select the “LEA” and “Measure”. Enter            “Contact Name” and “Contact Email”. Click “Check-In” to complete upload process. The uploaded           documents will display under the “Upload Documents” section.   5.     Repeat Steps 1-5 for all documents. A confirmation email will be sent for each uploaded          document.   Please refer to the 2017 Charter School Performance Framework Resources for item specifics (included in the document list). To access the system, please go to https://leadpincgov.sharepoint.com/sites/lea/Pages/pfp.aspx.   For questions regarding the 2017 Charter School Performance Framework please contact Cande Honeycutt at (919)807-3493 or cande.honeycutt@dpi.nc.gov.    Moving forward we are asking that all Charter School requests for SharePoint assistance be requested through the Support Center by calling 919-807-4357 to help ensure you are getting the assistance you need as soon as possible.      Attachment:    PF Resources

NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates

Remedy Maintenance Weekend Scheduled to begin February 24, 2017

Remedy, NCDPI's official system used for logging tickets and tracking support issues, is scheduled for maintenance Friday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 p.m. through Monday, Feb. 27 - 6:00 a.m. EST.  During this time, the customer self-submit web portal will be unavailable for submitting or managing tickets. 

If there is a delay in bringing up the system, users will be notified.

Questions concerning this maintenance may be addressed to the Home Base Support Center at (919) 807-4357 or through the Remedy Portal.

February Global Education and Dual Language/Immersion Webinar Registrations Available     There is still time to register for the following Quarterly Webinars. Register here for the Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) Quarterly Update Webinar on Tuesday, February 21, at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. The spotlight will be from Dr. Marjorie Ringler, East Carolina University, about what the research indicates on serving students with exceptional needs in DL/I programs.  There will also be reminders about resources and upcoming events, like the DL/I Seminar taking place on Saturday, February 25, at UNC-Wilmington.   Register here for the Global Education Quarterly Webinar on Thursday, February 23, at 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. The focus will be on new national resources for global education and a special presentation from one of our newly designated Global-Ready Schools, Harris Road Middle School in Concord, NC.   Any questions regarding these webinars and State Board of Education global education initiatives should be addressed to Helga Fasciano , Special Assistant for Global Education at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Driver Education Advisory Committee to Meet

The Driver Education Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., in Room 504, Education Building, 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh. The agenda is attached.

For those who cannot attend, you may listen to the meeting via GoToMeetings. You also can dial in using your phone (toll-free) 646.749.3112. The access code is 556-355-661. Please remember that meeting conversation is limited to advisory committee members.

For more information, please contact NCDPI Communications at 919.807.3450.

Attachment:     DEAC+Agenda+022117.docx

Workshop: Leading With Character  Do you want to change the climate and culture of your school? Are you seeking strategies to enhance your character development efforts? Join NCDPI for a FREE Workshop! Participants will: Learn how to use the 11 Principles of Effective Character Education as a tool to evaluate your school, district and/or community climate. Understand how State and National Schools of Character have implemented effective initiatives and practices.  Develop a "Plan of Action" for your school/district using the 11 Principles of Character.org. When: April 4-5, 2017 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m Where: 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Room 150 Register Now! The deadline to apply is March 31, 2017. Attendees will receive a certificate for 6 contact hours each day, which may be submitted for CEU credit. It's strongly encouraged that schools bring teams of educators from your school and/or district to develop your "Plan of Action." Please contact Justyn Knox at Justyn.Knox@dpi.nc.gov or 919-807-3835 for questions about this event.

Superintendent and Principal Announcements for Global Education

The 2016 – 2017 Global-Ready School  "Intent to Apply" is still open for schools that wish to submit their completed application by April 7, 2017. Interested applicants receive resources and updates to assist them through the application process. For additional information and to see who in North Carolina has already earned this State Board of Education designation, please visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/globaled/actions/item4-2  .

Reminder that if you have teachers and administrators pursuing their Global Educator Digital Badge (GEDB) that their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) must be turned in to  NCDPI.  Once the MOA is received the GEDB candidate will have access to the online management platform where they can access resources and any additional forms or information to assist them through the process. The MOA, Implementation Guide, April 2016 Webinar and other resources can be found here: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/globaled/actions/item1-2

The NC Education & Innovation Tour Coming to Mecklenburg County Mark Johnson to Visit Friday on Listening Tour Mark Johnson, the NC Superintendent of Public Instruction, will hold several events in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Friday, Feb. 17. The day will begin with a Love the Bus event at Ridge Road Middle School to recognize bus drivers and transportation staff during School Bus Driver Appreciation Week. Johnson will also visit West Charlotte High School in Mecklenburg County on Friday as part of his NC Education & Innovation Tour. Earlier this year, Johnson pledged to conduct a listening tour to hear directly from educators, parents, and community leaders across North Carolina. “West Charlotte is where I saw first-hand the challenges that educators and students face every day in the classroom,” said Johnson. “One of the reasons I wanted to serve as Superintendent was to seek out innovative ways we can help teachers, parents, and other educators to meet these challenges. I’ve already heard lots of good things about Project Lift, a great example of public private partnerships focused on increasing student outcomes. I look forward to learning more about it on Friday and hearing directly from key stakeholders in the community about what they think can best help advance the cause of education in our great state.” Johnson taught at West Charlotte High School in Charlotte while working with Teach for America. He will convene a media availability after his visit.   WHAT: Media Availability with Mark Johnson WHERE: West Charlotte High School Omni 2219 Senior Drive Charlotte, NC 28216 WHEN: Friday, February 17 at 3:15p.m. CONTACT: NCDPI Communication 919-807-3450

NC Virtual Public School Advisory Council Schedules Meeting

The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Advisory Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., in the Spring Board Conference Room 205, Poulton Innovation Center, NCSU Centennial Campus, 1021 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh.

Agenda items include the election of a new vice-chair, credit recovery program, an overview of ethics and conflicts of interest, strategic plan update, and new committees.

The draft agenda is available online. Questions regarding this meeting should be directed to NCVPS at 919.513.8550.

NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Math 1 Intervention Co-Teaching Course Information Webinars Please see the attached information regarding upcoming webinars for Math 1 Intervention. If you have any questions, please contact mia.murphy@ncpublicschools.org.   Attachment:     NCVPS+Math+1+Intervention+.pdf

Legislative Updates

Please see the links below for recent Legislative Update.  

Attachments:     Relevant2017Legislation.pdf

                               LegislativeUpdate-2.10.17.pdf

HOME BASE SYMPOSIUM REMINDER   Since all LEAs and many charter schools in North Carolina now use Home Base to support instructional improvement, this year’s Home Base Symposium provides an opportunity to PLUG IN & CONNECT with Home Base users across the state.    As a reminder, the Symposium will be held at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center from February 22-24, 2017. Please see the attached document for session and registration details.     Attachment:      Home Base Symposium Letter

Charter School High School (HS) Math Summit

We have secured a date, time and place for the Charter School HS Math Summit. It will occur during the CCSA conference Greensboro, and charters will have a separate (free) registration. 
 
Please use registration link below to register for this specific session and see the information below for the training specifics. 
 
Tuesday, March 21 10:00 - 4:00
10 a.m. - 12:00 pm morning sessions
12:00 pm - 1:30 lunch on your own
1:30pm -3:30 pm afternoon sessions
 
 
Registration Link:     https://www.research.net/r/Charterhsmathsummit

Principal’s Monthly Report (PMR) Submission Reminder   As we near the end of the collection period for current Principal’s Monthly Report collection, please make sure you have submitted your PMR within the collection time frame determined by your PMR interval calendar.  If you have missed your submission end date, you need to request to have the report unapproved by submitting a remedy ticket to the support center. Please check the PMR for the following:   Fatal errors - Make sure all fatal errors have been cleared and if you are unable to clear the fatal exceptions, log a remedy ticket with the support center immediately.   Exceptions - Review all remaining exceptions to confirm you are submitting the data you intend to report for the LEA/charter.   Average Daily Membership (ADM) - Use the ADM column on your PMR as a guide to determine if you have reported all students correctly.  Please note  -  the ADM column on your PMR report is an unofficial count until the data has been verified by NCDPI.     Please do not request an unapproval of your PMR report if it does not require any corrections. Multiple late submissions could result in a governance noncompliance for your school. If you have any l questions regarding submitting your Principals Monthly report, contact Ozella Wiggins via email at ozella.wiggins@dpi.nc.gov.

NCDPI Newsletters   Feb. 13, 2017 Superintendents' Weekly Message     Hoke County Public Schools Receives “Green Ribbon” Award

Charter Schools in the News   Attached is a picture of Meghan Sauer  of Voyager Academy, receiving the Teacher of the Year award from the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.   Additional articles of Charter Schools in the News are listed below:   ONE NC CHARTER SCHOOL’S GUIDE TO REVITALIZATION   NEW WAKE CHARTER SCHOOL HELPING TEEN PARENTS SUCCEED IN CLASS

Other News

Bill Would Change Funding System for Schools

North Carolina legislators are looking for a new way to budget public school dollars.

A bill filed in both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly would create a task force to study new ways to distribute money among the state’s 115 public school systems and 148 public charter schools. Should the bill pass, the task force would move the state toward a weighted student-funding model — a concept being adopted by school districts and states around nationwide.

Under that model, the task force would set a new base amount of money to be distributed per student, then identify characteristics of both students and school systems that would be considered for weighted funding. Characteristics could include such things as disability status, family income level and a school system’s size.

State Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, said the state’s current funding system is outdated and favors larger, wealthier school systems. Legislators are looking for a model that would distribute money more equitably, Horn said.

“Anytime you’ve been using the same formula or the same method for more than 30 years, you need to rethink it,” he said. “The state is not the same it was 30 years ago. Student needs are not the same as they were 30 years ago.”

House Bill 6 would create a task force of 18 members, nine each from the House and Senate.

The bill tasks the group with studying various types of weighted-funding models, including those in other states. Pennsylvania, Florida and Rhode Island are among the states that have adopted such models.

The changes could also affect the way in which money is distributed among schools within a school system and how those dollars flow into public charter schools. It would likely result in more money following students to whatever school they choose.

“There’s reason to believe charter school students are not receiving a fair level of funding support from the state,” Horn said. “But people make all kinds of claims and allegations. Let’s hear the facts.”

The proposal stems from a report released last year by the General Assembly’s program evaluation division that identified numerous problems with the current funding model. The report did not look at funding levels but instead the system for distributing money.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Herron, A. "Bill would change funding system for schools."" The Winston-Salem Journal. 2/15/17.

NCSU, UNC to Offer Online Program for Teacher Licensure

N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill are teaming up to offer a new online teacher licensure program for lateral entry hires.

Lateral entry hires are those who have degrees or training in a particular subject but lack the full teacher certification to be able to work in the classroom.

The program aims to help the state address a growing teacher shortage by providing a new entry path to the profession. The accelerated program, offered online only, is expected to take a year or 18 months to complete. It will cost less than $5,000, according to the announcement Thursday by the two universities.

The program was designed to be online so that working adults could take advantage of the training without leaving their jobs. It will start this fall with 50 students.

North Carolina employs more than 4,300 lateral-entry teachers, according to a 2015 report by the State Board of Education. But they tend to leave the profession at a rate 79 percent greater than other teachers, suggesting that they need better preparation for the classroom.

Faculty from the two campuses will teach the courses, in mathematics, science, English/language arts and social studies, and eventually special education. Students will have mentors. The courses will be designed so that students achieve targets and show their mastery of skills. The competency-based approach, which can move students through more quickly, was awarded a $148,000 grant from the UNC system’s General Administration.

For more information on the program, go to nando.com/lateralentry.

To continue reading the complete press release, click here.

Excerpt from:

Stancill, J. "NCSU, UNC to offer online program for teacher licensure." The News & Observer. 2/9/17. 

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Accepting Applications for Student Science Enrichment Program

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund has opened its application for the 2017 Student Science Enrichment Program (SSEP) grant awards. SSEP supports diverse programs with a common goal: to enable primary and secondary students to participate in creative, hands-on scientific activities for K-12 students and pursue inquiry-based exploration in BWF's home state of North Carolina. These awards provide up to $60,000 per year for three years. The application deadline is April 18, 2017.

For more information or to access the application, visit http://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/science-education/student-science-enrichment-program

NC STEM Center

Did you know that the NC STEM Center has a STEM calendar of events across North Carolina? The NC STEM Center’s goal is to be the first stop for parents and educators to gain information about STEM programming across the state. By collaborating with other nonprofits, this online portal helps introduce parents and educators to STEM organizations in North Carolina. 

IMPORTANT REMINDER – EDDIE is the authoritative source for NC public school numbers and demographic information, is used by multiple NCDPI technology systems including; Accountability, PowerSchool, NC School Report Cards, and is used to meet federal reporting requirements.  LEAs and charter schools are responsible for ensuring their data in EDDIE are complete, accurate, and current.  EDDIE is located at: http://apps.schools.nc.gov/eddie