NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates
From the Desk of Mr. Dave Machado, Director, Office of Charter Schools
At yesterday’s meeting, the State Board of Education made one
of their wisest decisions to date, they named Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith the new
State Board of Education Director of Operations and Policy.
Deanna has been in
the Office of Charter Schools for five years, serving as a Consultant, Lead
Consultant, and Assistant Director. Her knowledge of all things charter is
matched only by her commitment to our core values of Service, Teamwork,
Accuracy, Reliability, and Accountability.
While Deanna will be missed greatly
by our charter school community, I am thrilled for her and this great
opportunity. She has been a great teammate for me and I am so appreciative for
the support and guidance she gave me over the past twenty-two months. Deanna
will officially assume her new role May 1st with the May 7th
Charter School Advisory Board meeting being her last in her current role. I
know I speak for many of you when I say, “congratulations Deanna on a well
deserved promotion!”
2018 Performance
Framework – April Submissions
OCS collects evidence of
operational, financial, and academic compliance through the Charter School
Performance Framework (PF).
Please find the submission
criteria due on April 30, 2018.
Deadline- April 30, 2018- All
Schools
A1- School Report Card and Letter Grade
A1- Parent Letter (only for
schools receiving D/F in 2017)
A8- Grievance Policy
A9- Conflict of Interest Policy
A10- Nepotism Policy
A13- Evidence of Fire Inspection
A14-
Certificate of Occupancy
A15- Civil and Liability Insurance Certificate for 2017-18
A16- Criminal History Policy
A20- Evidence of Dissolution Funds (only for schools who participate in the
NC Retirement System)
A21- School Improvement Plan (only for
schools identified as Low-Performing and Continually
Low-Performing)
All schools must submit the required documents per the established
reporting timelines. Please submit
information into the SharePoint system in pdf format only using
previously established credentials.
For questions regarding the 2018
Charter School Performance Framework, please contact Ms. Stephenie Clark at
(919) 807-3492 or stephenie.clark@dpi.nc.gov.
For technical support, please contact the Help Desk
at (919) 807-4357.
A20-
Evidence of Dissolution Funds
This section outlines the
qualifications for schools to maintain the funds reserved for closure
proceedings as described in G.S.
115C-218.100(a).
Applies only to charters that are members of
the North Carolina Retirement System (TSERS) as specified below:
(1) New Charter Schools:
- Received approval
for the initial charter application on or after August 2014.
- Must have the
$50,000 dissolution funds if there was a request to participate in TSERS at the
initial application or within the first year.
- Schools that apply to TSERS after the initial year of operation are waived
from the closure funds requirement.
Applicable to schools that opened in 2015-16, 2016-17,
2017-18 and elected to participate
in the TSERS during the initial application or within the first year of
operation.
Q. How long must we have the dissolution
funds?
A. Each year
until the school receives a 10-year renewal.
(2) Renewal Schools:
- Received a renewal
of the charter on or after August 2014.
- Must have $50,000
dissolution funds if the school did not
receive a 10-year renewal.
- Schools that
received a 10-year renewal on or after August 2014 are waived from the closure funds requirement.
Applicable to schools that received a renewal in 2016 and
2017 that was less than 10-years.
Q. How long
must we have the dissolution funds?
A. Each year until the school receives a 10-year renewal.
Q. What if my
school received a renewal in 2018 and it was less than 10-years?
A. Schools receiving a renewal of
less than 10-years in 2018 will have until the 2019 Performance Framework
submissions to secure the $50,000 dissolution funds required.
Q. What if my
school is up for renewal in 2019?
A. If the school is applicable to
having the dissolution funds through the New
Charter School section, then the funds are required. When schools receive
renewal recommendation and State Board approval for 2019, that may determine
whether the school will need to secure the $50,000 dissolution funds required
by the 2020 Performance Framework.
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NC Charter Schools Advisory Board Meets April 9
The North Carolina Charter Schools Advisory Board will meet via
teleconference April 9 at 9 a.m. in the 7th Floor
Board Room, Education Building, 301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh.
The agendas are available on the State Board of Education’s website
under the Meetings tab. The meeting
will be audio streamed for
those who cannot attend.
Questions regarding this meeting should be directed to NCDPI
Communications at 919-807-3450.
NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates
Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Updates - Self Paced Modules for School
Improvement
NCDPI Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems has built supports for school
improvement. Charter schools have access to self paced modules to support
implementation of an MTSS. To access these modules listen to this video: How to Access PD through NCEES.
We
suggest that you encourage each team member to complete the Module 1 series of
courses in the order listed below. The
easiest and most direct method of finding the course through the search feature
is to search by course number. They are
as follows:
- #8164
(MTSS Module 1.1 Establish Readiness)
- #8234
(MTSS Module 1.2 Essential Elements of Core Support)
- #8169
(MTSS Module 1.3 Analyze Core Support)
Modules 1 and 2 were released January 5th. Module 3 will be
released in September.
Questions?
Please contact us at integratedsystems@dpi.nc.gov.
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NCDPI
Dual Language/Immersion Update Webinar
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
10:00-11:00 a.m. via GoToWebinar
The focus for this webinar will be
on DL/I Evaluation and Support Highlights to Inform Next Steps. Special
guests are from Frank Porter Graham Elementary in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City
Schools. Other news, information and resources will be shared.
Registration
link for April 10 webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5146033658959447041
NCDPI Global Education Quarterly Webinar
Thursday, April 12, 2018
1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. via GoToWebinar
Meet some of North Carolina’s
Global Educator Digital Badge Completers with a focus on the Experience and
the Capstone Projects. Resources and Updates will be shared.
Registration
URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7473082949233291779
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Middle School Summit - Call for Proposals and Registration
Educator Support Services is pleased to
be able to offer a Middle School Summit! The free summit will be held at
Appalachian State University’s College of Education on June 22, 2018 from
8:30 am-3:00 pm.
Last year, over 200 individuals attended and we are expecting a big
crowd this year. Lunch will be on your own. The theme for the event is
“Celebrating Successful Schools for Young Adolescents.” The audience will be
teachers, administrators, and support staff.
We invite proposals
that address the following areas:
-
Middle Grades Organizational Structures - (e.g., teaming,
advisory, common planning time,
intramurals)
-
Developmentally Responsive Practices - activities that
address the social, emotional and
academic needs of students;
-
Instructional Practices and Effective Teaching Strategies -
develop a deeper understanding
of pedagogy to offer a rigorous and differentiated curriculum.
-
Leadership and Management Skills - supporting the leadership
of teachers and administrators
-
Content Area Understanding - activities and strategies to
enhance content understanding through
rigor.
-
Digital Teaching and Learning - activities and strategies
that support digital teaching and learning as well as technology
integration.
The
registration link is
https://goo.gl/forms/PUyG4dgmi25VTXBj2
Proposal Submission
Form:
https://goo.gl/forms/jKXhrNfOIydWMuu33
We
look forward to an exciting day with middle grades educators. Mark your
calendar and plan to participate.
Call for Proposals and Poster Displays for the 68th Conference for Exceptional Children
The Exceptional Children Division is pleased to
announce that the Call for Proposals for general conference instructional
sessions and poster displays for the 68th
Conference on Exceptional Children is now open through May 4, 2018. The Conference will be held November 14-16, 2018, at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.
Please
see the attached memo regarding the Call for Proposals for this year's
Conference on Exceptional Children. Proposals can be submitted between now and
May 4, 2018.
Questions
related to the instructional session proposals may be directed to ECConfProposals@dpi.nc.gov. Questions
related to the poster displays may be directed to crystal.patrick@dpi.nc.gov.
Attachment: EC_CallforProposals_2018
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NC Deaf-Blind Summer Learning Conference 2018
Please
see the attached flyer for the upcoming 2018 NC Deaf-Blind Summer Learning
Conference sponsored by the NC Dept. of Public Instruction, Exceptional
Children's Assistance Center and East Carolina University.
Registration
information is forthcoming.
If you
have any questions, please contact Dottie Snyder at dottie.snyder@dpi.nc.gov or (919)
807-3987.
Attachment: Save+the+Date+-+NCDB+Summer+Learning+Conference+2018.pdf
School Library Month
School Library Month has
been celebrated nationally since 1985. Recently, Governor Roy Cooper
declared April as Library
Appreciation Month. In addition, today our State Board of Education and
Superintendent Mark Johnson recognized April as School Library Month (see
proclamation attached). How are you celebrating school libraries'
contributions to student achievement and teacher effectiveness this month?
Consider sharing your celebrations via your communication channels and
social media throughout the month (#AASLslm; #SLM18). For ideas and materials
to promote School Library Month, visit AASL's
website.
Attachment: School Library Month
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Charter EC Leadership Institute (CECLI) 2018-19
Cohort
The Charter EC Leadership
Institute (CECLI) provides opportunities for Charter EC coordinators/directors to
develop knowledge and skills in each of six areas of competencies over a one-year
training cycle. The training cycle includes a hybrid of face-to-face and
webinar sessions totaling 70 hours. Also, the training consists
of research-based competencies which were developed by directors and grouped
into training modules. Upon completion of all sessions and program requirements, CEUs will be issued. Please see the attached for detailed information about CECLI.
If you have any questions about the application process, please
contact the Regional Consultant for your area, Mr. Kevin Allen (919) 807-3995 or Mr. Rob McOuat (336) 416-1695.
Attachment: Charter
EC Leadership Institute (CECLI)
Every Child Accountability Tracking System
What you need to
know about the April pilot and the July rollout of the new ECATS system
The changeover of the
statewide tracking system for Exceptional Children is under way. The new
system – which will satisfy federal requirements under the Every Student
Succeeds Act – will encompass special education case management,
services documentation, Multi-Tiered System of Support for student support
and planning, and data analysis and reporting.
In preparation for the July
2018 statewide rollout of the new system, called the Every Child
Accountability Tracking System (ECATS), as well as the contemporaneous
sunsetting of CECAS, DPI is initiating a pilot involving 16 LEAs in the
coming weeks.
We will continue to keep
superintendents informed about the pilot and the overall transition. The
ECATS delivery team has established a resources page on DPI’s website that
includes a continually updated FAQ document that can answer many questions
about the transition, the new system, and the sunsetting of CECAS.
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Student Perception Surveys
The student survey window will soon close. Many districts/charters have opted in, but for those who have not, there is still the opportunity for
individual teachers in your LEA or charter to survey their students and gain valuable
feedback on their instructional practices. Please share the attached
document with your teachers.
Attachment: Teacher+Requesting+Feedback.docx
Other News
NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Updates
The
Annual Charter School Health Report will open May 1st and must be
completed no later than June 1st, 2018. A preparation
worksheet is provided with the reporting criteria. All schools are
encouraged to download the worksheet and mark the appropriate responses before
beginning the online report survey. You may click here to access the worksheet. Once you have
prepared your responses, save the document to your local computer. This
worksheet cannot be accepted as your report requirements. You will use it as a
tool to enter your information into the online survey system once the report
opens.
North Carolina’s charter
schools are required to comply with the Care of Students with Diabetes and with
the School Supply of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors laws. Annually, charter schools
report on compliance with each law, providing information that identifies staff
educational and support needs related to compliance and student safety.
The Charter School
Health Report is designed to assist schools in addressing the healthcare
needs of students. Responses will be used to inform future training
topics and to report on compliance with required legislation and policies such
as Care of Students with Diabetes (§ 115C-375.3.) and School Supply of
Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (§ 115C-375.2A ). The summary will
open May 1, 2018 and be completed no later than June 1, 2018.
Please
contact Ms. Kristin Wike at kristin.wike@dhhs.nc.gov with
questions or concerns.
NC Homeless Education
Program (NCHEP) Updates
McKinney-Vento data
submission is due June 15, 2018.
Data collection training materials have been updated and are now posted on
the NCHEP data collection web page.
Reminders:
- Review “Requested LEA Actions”
found on data collection page.
- Preschool and out-of-school
siblings of identified students should be captured in your data collection
as soon as possible to avoid conflict with any pre-enrollments for the
coming school year.
- Siblings with multiple program
school identifications (McKinney-Vento, CECAS, migrant) can be captured in
all relevant programs. Consult data collection FAQs (Multiple Program
Identification (CECAS or Migrant) or contact your program specialist with
questions.
- If your LEA’s last school day
occurs after June 15th, and you have not already notified your program
specialist, please provide written notification as soon as possible.
Please include:
- Name of Homeless Liaison with
phone number and email address
- LEA, charter school or lab
school name with LEA code
- Date of your last school day
within the current academic school year
- Data submissions are currently
blocked until May 1, 2018.
Program specialist contact
information:
Email Paullett Wall or
phone (336) 315-7407 (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4)
Email Patricia Lentz or phone (336) 315-7402 (Regions 5, 6,
7, 8)
LEA Website Posting – Updated
Information
As mentioned in the Fall
Regional Compliance Forums, all LEAs are required under ESSA to have
McKinney-Vento information posted to your website.
Regular LEAs can visit the NCHEP website to find the McKinney-Vento website information details.
Charter schools should note that due to smaller student populations, there
is no requirement to post specific data counts to your website.
Instead, charter schools should post a link to the NCHEP Profile web page (https://hepnc.uncg.edu/about/)
In addition to this link, please provide the following:
- Homeless liaison name (first
& last)
- Homeless liaison contact
information (phone and email)
- State Coordinator’s name and
phone number: Lisa Phillips – 337-315-7491
- NCHEP website ( https://hepnc.uncg.edu/)
- Definition of “homeless” from
McKinney-Vento Act
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