NCDPI Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates

Web Links:

Important Resources for Charter Schools: (Please Read)

Please click on each link.

Charter School Diabetes Memo

Charter School Epinephrine Memo

Professional Development Corner (PD)

Come and check out the happenings on our PD website!

https://www.smore.com/z7vg5

The Scoop with Coop

The Scoop with Coopis a newsletter that focuses on the North Carolina Charter School Renewal process.  In addition, this letter provides insight on a variety of charter school topics to assist our leaders and readers alike!  https://www.smore.com/8hcf9

Did You Know?   Epicenter Board Member Assistance   Board Member Update Certification was due September 20th in Epicenter. If you have not completed the task, please do so. Also, if you would like to better understand how to edit board member information in Epicenter, there are several resources. This link provides videos and step-by-step text instructions on updating the board member information: http://support.epicenternow.org/customer/portal/articles/2968430 and https://epicenternow.org/5.2/. If you need individual assistance, the support number is  855.889.1624.

Important Enrollment Increase Information!

Do you plan on requesting an enrollment increase above 30% for the 2020-21 school year? If so, those amendment requests must be submitted by November 1, 2019. Enrollment increase requests are brought to the CSAB in December each year and discussed and voted on by the SBE in January and February. Low-performing charter schools CANNOT increase enrollment greater than 20%.

Per NC General Statute 115C-218.7, the SBE shall not approve a material revision for enrollment growth of greater than 20% for a charter that is currently identified as low-performing. Enrollment growth of greater than 30% shall be considered a material revision of the charter for any charter school that is not identified as low-performing. The SBE may approve such additional enrollment growth of greater than 30% only if it finds all of the following:

1. The actual enrollment of the charter school is within ten percent (10%) of its maximum authorized     enrollment.
2. The charter school has commitments for ninety percent (90%) of the requested maximum growth.
3. The charter school is not currently identified as low-performing.
4. The charter school meets generally accepted standards of fiscal management.
5. The charter school is, at the time of the request for the enrollment increase, substantially in compliance

with State law, federal law, the charter school's own bylaws, and the provisions set forth in its charter

granted by the State Board.

Please contact Ashley Baquero at Ashley.baquero@dpi.nc.gov or 919-807-3979 if you plan on requesting an enrollment increase greater than 30%. You will also need to input this information into the CSADM system at the appropriate time.

NC ACCESS Program Information and Application Training Sessions Contact: NCACCESS@dpi.nc.gov   The second application cycle of the NC ACCESS Subgrant Program is coming soon! The NC ACCESS team is holding several in-person technical assistance information and application training sessions from October 2019-January 2020 to assist prospective applicants with the subgrant application process.   Please note that each 2-hour session will consists of two parts: hour one is an informational session outlining the NC ACCESS Subgrant Program and its requirements, and hour two is an in-depth application training. Sessions with no registrants will be cancelled 24 hours prior to the training.   Learn more and view the full training schedule on our website or register for a training here.

Board members from charter schools that are opening in 2020 are required to attend 5 face-to-face Planning Year Sessions from September to January.  The school leader and some of the board members are also required to attend the New Charter School Leaders Institute in June.  As a customer service, the Office of Charter Schools continues to open up these sessions to all charter schools.  If you have a new school leader and/or a new board member interested in attending any of the sessions, he or she must register to attend.  Please note the schedule below:

Registration is now open for the October session.  Registration ends on Sunday, October 20.  Please use this link to register: https://forms.gle/Y2U7gzpv2L7q2hKKA

For questions, please contact Dr. Kebbler Williams at kebbler.williams@dpi.nc.gov or 919-807-3920.

Reminder of the Deadline to Submit Applications for Approval of ID Cards for Voting in 2020   This is a reminder the deadline to submit an application to have your Charter School Employee ID card approved is October 26, 2019.  Application forms are available at https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voter-ID under “FORMS” located on the right side of the webpage.  If you need further assistance with the approval process, contact Ted Fitzgerald at the State Board of Elections at (919)814-0761 or voterID@ncsbe.gov.    Beginning in 2020, voters in North Carolina will be asked to present photo identification to vote, though certain exceptions apply. Pursuant to Session Law 2018-144, as amended by Session Law 2019-22, preapproved student identification cards issued by North Carolina’s public or private universities and colleges (including community colleges), employee identification cards issued by public universities and colleges (including community colleges), and employee identification cards issued by state and local government entities or charter schools, may be presented as valid forms of photo identification to vote.    If you have any questions, please call 919-814-0761  Ted C. Fitzgerald | CERA   Chief Learning Officer NC State Board of Elections

NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates

Web Links:

ECATS Monday Message.

20191007MondayMessage.pdf

MEMO: Delayed Scoring for the 2019–20 School Year

Delayed Scoring_100919.pdf

Financial and Business Services Newsletter

Please click on the link below for important financial information

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs/

Application for 2019-2020 School Safety Grant Program

The application for the 2019-2020 School Safety Grant Program has been released. The application can be found on the CCIP grants management system: ccip.schools.nc.gov. Log into the system using your NCID, select your school system, then find the grant application under “Safe Schools.” In order to submit applications through the CCIP system you must not only have a valid NCID user account but also be “known” to CCIP. In LEAs, historically the Title I Funding Application contact is known in the system and has the ability to make “known” the person applying for the grant by assigning them an administrative role.

You may find a preview of the application here. The grant competition will open no later than September 25, 2019, at noon, and closes October 25, 2019 at 11:59pm. Make sure to begin the application process by reviewing Parts II and III of Session Law 2019-222 in addition to the FAQs for the grant program. These FAQs will be updated periodically. If either of these documents do not give direction to any question(s) you may have, you may email schoolsafetygrants@dpi.nc.gov with those questions.

NCEdCloud IAM Service MFA Rollout - Part 2

As a part of the continuing effort to enhance the security posture of statewide IT systems, and due to the access users with NCEdCloud IAM LEA Help Desk and LEA Student Help Desk roles have to employee and student account data, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be required for users with either of these roles.  NCDPI will be rolling out MFA for these privileged users statewide on Thursday, November 7, 2019.  This is the second step towards expanding security measures to educators and administrators with privileged access to staff and student data, and follows the rollout to users with LEA Administrator and LEA Data Auditor roles which was completed in May.  This will complete the MFA rollout to users with privileged roles in NCEdCloud. 

The following webinars have been scheduled in order to help prepare LEAs and charter schools for this transition within the NCEdCloud IAM Service:

Webinar 1: Tuesday, October 15th, from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

https://mcnc.zoom.us/j/425413299 OR

Phone Number:     +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) 

Meeting ID:  425 413 299

Webinar 2: Thursday, October 31th, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. 

https://mcnc.zoom.us/j/233199426 OR

Phone Number:     +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

Meeting ID:  233 199 426

As a part of this implementation, we encourage LEAs and charter schools to review the list of staff members that currently have LEA Help Desk or LEA Student Help Desk roles to ensure that these roles are still required.  Further information about the MFA rollout, as well as instructions on how to check for users with NCEdCloud Privileged Roles, can be found by visiting the NCEdCloud website at http://ncedcloud.mcnc.org/mfa.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience during this transition to making data in the NCEdCloud IAM Service more secure.

EC Directors and Data Managers, Indicator 11 Due October 16, 2019

This email serves as a reminder for your LEA/Charter to initiate and certify the 2018-2019 Indicator 11 Count submission in CECAS. Thank you to those who have already initiated the Indicator 11 submission! 

Please disregard if you have already completed your Indicator 11.

The 2018-2019 Indicator 11 Count live submission opened on October 1, 2019.  

The deadline to certify the Indicator 11 Count submission is by close of business on October 18, 2019. The Indicator 11 Count captures the percent of students for whom a referral was received, and placement determined within the ninety (90) day timeline. 

New Charter Schools that opened in the 2019 - 2020 school year will not have documented student data in CECAS from the 7/1/2018 – 6/30/2019

reporting period; therefore, will not be required to submit the Indicator 11 Count this year.

Instructions on how to initiate and certify the Indicator 11 Count submission are listed below. 

INDICATOR 11 COUNT SUBMISSION - Review Reports (Special Ed Reports folder):

**The reports listed below are located in the Reports section of the left navigation menu. From the left navigation menu, click the Reports section to expand. Then, click the Special Ed section to expand.

• Review the Timely Placement Progress Report for the list of students that have not completed the referral process. Review the student records that display in this report to ensure the data entered is current. If the data in the student record is not current, be sure to update the student information prior to initiating and certifying the Indicator 11 submission.
• Review the Indicator 11 Periodic Count Preview Report for the list of students that will be counted in the Indicator 11 submission.

INDICATOR 11 COUNT SUBMISSION - Steps to initiate submission:

• The EC Director must login to CECAS to complete the submission.
• From the left menu bar, click the Data Exchange section.
• Click the Periodic Count link.
• Click the Periodic Count Submissions link to display the Periodic Count Submissions screen.
• Click New Submission button to display the New Periodic Count Submission Step #1 screen.
• Select Count Period Type: Indicator 11.
• Select your Region.
• Select your LEA/Charter School.
• Select Count Period: SY 2018-2019 Indicator 11 Count.
• Select Code Set Type: CECAS. (CECAS refers to daily users; Non-CECAS refers to Reporting LEAs).
• Select File Type: Student - Ind 11.
• Verify the correct email address.
• Click Next button to display the Periodic Request screen.
• Click Close button to display the Periodic Count Submissions screen.

**For Reporting LEAs, select Non-CECAS under Code Set Type. Select Student - Ind 11 under File Type. Verify/update the correct email address. Enter number in the Student Count field. Click the Next button to display the New Periodic Count Submission Step #2 screen. From the New Periodic Count Submission Step #2 screen, click Choose File to locate the XML file to be submitted. Once found, select the file and click Open. The file displays in the Input File field. Click the Submit button to display the Periodic Count Request screen. Click the Close button to display the Periodic Count Submissions screen.**

INDICATOR 11 COUNT SUBMISSION - Steps to certify submission:

• Once your submission has the status, Validation Completed or No Data, you may now certify the Periodic Count Submission.
• From the Periodic Count Submission screen, select the following:
• Select Count Period Type: Indicator 11.
• Select Count Period: SY 2018-2019 Indicator 11 Count. 
• DO NOT select File type.
• Select your Region.
• Select your LEA/Charter School.
• Click the Search button.
• The submission for the matching LEA/Charter School will display in the results list. You will then see the Certify button at the top right corner of the screen.
• Click the Certify button to display the Certification Confirmation Page. PRINT A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATION CONFIRMATION PAGE TO KEEP FOR RECORDS.

Training on using EVAAS

Please see the link below for more information and registration instructions for two upcoming training events from SAS in our region on using EVAAS. The first is on December 12 and the second is on January 9 (two different programs). Let me know if you have any questions.

https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/westernregionevaas/home

The work of school improvement can often seem overwhelming.  Therefore, the IABS Division encourages the use of a protocol in order to ensure a commonly understood instructional plan and methods for implementing, supporting and monitoring the plan.    Last month MTSS teams were introduced to and/or provided the opportunity to practice using a problem-solving protocol to examine the effectiveness of behavior, attendance, literacy and math core supports. This blank core problem-solving sheet represents the protocol that serves to organize conversations and document your plan.   If you are interested in more information about how the document can support problem-solving,  please contact your MTSS Consultant or email integratedsystems@dpi.nc.gov.

Summer Reading Camps State PRC 016

The last day to record eligible expenditures for Summer Reading Camps – State PRC 016 is Thursday, October 31, 2019.  The state funding is from carry over from July 1, 2019.  Any unexpended funds as of October 31, 2019, will revert to the State.

Please make sure that you use valid account codes to record your state expenditures.

If you have questions, please contact Roxane Bernard at roxane.bernard@dpi.nc.gov

IPT Training/Certification for PowerSchool Support - Update   IPT Training/Certification for PowerSchool Support - Update NCDPI is pleased to announce that a virtual session for the IPT certification course is now available for the week of Nov 18 - 22, 2019.  This is not a self-paced course. Training for this session will be held via a zoom meeting that you will be required to log into daily to attend. A link to a server will be provided by the trainer on the first day of training.    Registration for this option is now open via the Google Form. If you have previously registered for training and would like to modify your current registration to the virtual training in November, please contact Tessa Parker Hine to have your current registration updated.   Please note: In an effort to consolidate training locations and dates, we have canceled many scheduled training dates. If you were scheduled for one of the canceled sessions, you have been notified via email. If you are scheduled for a training date/location that has been canceled and you need to update your registration, please reach out to Tessa Parker Hine to have your registration updated.   DATES LOCATIONS October 7 - 11, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Lenoir County Professional Development Center 601 Cunningham Rd,  Kinston, NC 28501 October 7 - 11, 2019 - In Progress - registration closed American Renaissance School: Donovan Cook Center 132 E Broad St, Statesville, NC 28677 October 14 - 18, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Mills River Academy 96 School House Rd,  Mills River, NC 28759 October 14 - 18, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Washington County PLC Center 115 Middle St, Creswell, NC 27928 October 21 - 25, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Booker T. Washington Educational Resource Center 66 Booker T. Washington School Road, Clarkton, NC October 21 - 25, 2019  Olive Hill Resource Room  509 West Concord Street  Morganton, NC 28655 October 28 - November 1, 2019 West Campus Computer Lab 211 E. Rose St, Smithfield, NC 27577 October 28 - November 1, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 475 Corporate Drive Winston-Salem, NC 27150 November 4 - 8, 2019 Union County Public Schools Technology Services Center 721 Brewer Dr. Monroe, NC 28112 November 4 - 8, 2019 - Canceled due to low registration numbers Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center  1801 Nash St. Sanford, NC 27330 November 18 - 22, 2019 Virtual training held online via a zoom meeting November 18 - 22, 2019 Winston-Salem Forsyth  County Schools 475 Corporate Drive  Winston-Salem, NC 27150 December 2 - 6, 2019 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction 301 N Wilmington St,  Raleigh, NC 27601 December 16 - 20, 2019 Carolina Beach Road Complex 2814 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, NC 28412 If you prefer to submit a new registration via the link below instead of emailing, we will update your current registration with the newly submitted information. Please ensure you use the same email address. IPT Certification Registration

Military Recruitment Data Collection

The Military Recruitment Data Collection (student directory) deadline for inputs and outputs is Thursday, October 31.  The data pull will be based on two values:

1. The value of the 'No Military Recruitment' field in the student record - on the 'Other Information' page.
2. The value of the 'Release of Information' field.

NCDPI is requesting for the data to be set according to the above criteria BEFORE Nov. 1, 2019. The following QRD can assist in this work endeavor:  http://www.nc-sis.org/Documents/student_info/PS_QRD_Military_Recruitment_v2.pdf

ACTION REQUESTED: Recent OCS Public Records Request   EC Directors/Coordinators, On October 8, 2019, the EC Division was notified that a statewide public records request was made, to each LEA individually, by Disability Rights NC regarding students who may have or are currently participating on the Occupational Course of Study. We recognize that this creates immediate concerns regarding the work effort this request will require, particularly in light of current statewide initiatives. Therefore, representatives from the EC Division will be scheduling a phone conference with Disability Rights NC next week to discuss further. In order to adequately represent the challenges this request presents at the local level during the phone conference, we are requesting that EC Directors/Coordinators complete a feedback opportunity by accessing the following link: http://bit.ly/OCSPRR. We need you to voice your concerns, using the link provided by COB on Friday, October 11, 2019. Additional information will be provided upon receipt.

Read to Achieve (RTA)

The Read to Achieve (RTA) legislation allows third-grade students an option to demonstrate reading proficiency through the administration of an alternative assessment of reading comprehension that has been approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). At the October 3, 2019, meeting of the SBE, the Board amended the list of alternative assessments that may be used for this purpose during the 2019–20 school year. The chart containing the approved assessments is part of the forwarded message above.

All students, including students with disabilities, should participate in state-mandated assessments. Determinations about a student’s ability to access assessments should be made by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, based on a student’s present level of performance, and documented in the student’s IEP. The chart of approved assessments contains a range of administration and response methods accessible to most students with disabilities, including refreshable braille and paper/pencil materials that can be brailed. In the rare case the IEP team determines that the student is unable to access an assessment on the approved list, the student’s literacy skills should be assessed with a validated measure of early reading that is accessible to the student. Selection of what alternate assessments to use should be determined by the Local Education Agency (LEA) in consultation with local Exceptional Children (EC) staff.

If your LEA has questions, please contact Sherry Thomas (sherry.thomas@dpi.nc.gov) or Matt Hoskins (matt.hoskins@dpi.nc.gov)

RtA Alternative Assessments_DS-TH_100719.pdf

Other News

North Carolina Homeless Education Program   Regional Compliance Forums   NCHEP Regional Compliance Forums will be held during October and November for liaisons in all NC LEAs and charter schools. The appointed homeless liaison in a charter school and in an LEA is required to attend the compliance forum per U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(F)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Act. Dates, locations and registration information are available on the NCHEP website. Additional questions should be directed to your Program Specialist.   Disaster Tracking Reminder   Any LEA which had students displaced or has received students who were displaced from any US or Bahama location by Hurricane Dorian will not only need to track those identifications in PowerSchool, but will also need to maintain a list using the “LEA Disaster Tracking Log” provided by NCHEP. This form, along with other disaster preparation and response resources, can be accessed on the NCHEP website.   REMINDER:  DON'T FORGET   Data Collection: The homeless module in PowerSchool has not opened yet. As soon as the 2019-2020SY collection has been opened, NCHEP will notify LEAs through Listserv and will post the opening on the NCHEP website. In the interim, please continue to log identifications into your local tracking tool. Data collection resources and training materials are available on the NCHEP data collection webpage.  Liaison Updates: Changes in homeless liaison contact information or changes in liaison designations should be made through the following portal as soon as possible to ensure that pertinent NCHEP communications reach you and to ensure that our website listing of liaisons is up to date. McKinney-Vento Web Posting: All liaisons should ensure that their LEA McKinney-Vento web posting link is still active and accurate within the liaison listing on the NCHEP website. Updated web links can be provided through the following portal. New Homeless Liaison Training Resources: Resources from these fall trainings are now posted on the New Homeless Liaison Compliance Training web page. 2019 NAEHCY Conference: Registration is still open for the 2019 NAEHCY (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth) Conference to be held in Washington, DC. Details of the conference can be found on the NAEHCY website.     Higher Education News   The 2020-2021 FAFSA application is now open! Access the electronic form at Federal Student Aid. Visit the NCHEP “Accessing Higher Education” web page for the current SPOC (Single Point of Contact) list, as well as other additional higher education resources, such as the UHY verification letter template. SchoolHouse Connection has released a resource document to help guide liaisons and other LEA staff supporting students experiencing homelessness toward pursing higher education. The document is titled, “Four Things You Can Do To Help Homeless and Foster Youth”. SchoolHouse Connection’s 2019 scholarship application is currently open through their Youth Leadership and Scholarship Program. The application deadline is November 10, 2019, 11:59 pm PST.    Lisa Phillips State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth  NC Department of Public Instruction Office of the Deputy State Superintendent of Innovation  Federal Program Monitoring and Support Division The SERVE Center at UNCG 336-315-7491

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – 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