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:   Date     Time     Location Topic         October 30, 2019 8:00 - 4:15 DPI: Room 150 Charter School Finance November 20, 2019 8:00 - 4:15 DPI: Room 150 Charter School Operations & Accountability December 18, 2019 8:00 - 4:30 DPI: Room 150 Meeting the Needs of All Students January 29, 2020 8:00 - 4:15 DPI: Room 150 Our School Opens in 7 Months!  Now What? June 9 - 10, 2020 8:00 - 5:00 DPI: Rooms 150, 224, 564 New Charter School Leaders Institute   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

We want the leaders of our Charter Schools in North Carolina to connect the latest research-based strategies for improving student success and for keeping our best teachers.    That is why we are so excited about participating in the 2020 NC TWC survey!  The latest research from more than 16 states, including North Carolina, shows the STRONG connection to leadership questions and student achievement.    By participating in the 2020 survey, our Charter school educators can share their voices on what they need to do their jobs well. Once the results are in, our charter schools will have access to a new toolkit designed to help individual schools analyze their own data, unique to their own charter school, as a school improvement strategy.   Help keep NC Charter Schools a leader in innovation by taking 20 minutes to complete the anonymous survey March 2-31!    If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Charter Schools at ocs@dpi.nc.gov

NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Updates

Web Link:

ECATS Monday Message.

20191014Monday Message.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.

Charter School SIS Modernization Survey is here

Charter School Directors,

The SIS Modernization Survey is here.

This fall, NCDPI is pleased to share with you our efforts to improve and modernize operations across the state in every district and school. This includes a plan to modernize the North Carolina Student Information System (SIS) into an integrated, next-generation, comprehensive, multi-module system.   The purpose of the survey is to better understand what works well with the current student information system (SIS) as well as the current challenges and pain points.  The survey is designed to obtain inputs to:

1. Identify areas for improvement.
2. Discover opportunities to better support your needs.

The inputs from the survey will be the backbone to further refine the principles and develop an action plan for the Modernization effort.   Please complete the survey and provide candid feedback, and encourage your teams to complete the survey as well. Survey results and next steps in the Modernization effort will be shared. 

Link to SIS Modernization Survey 

Options to respond to the survey:

1. The survey may be completed as an individual contributor.  Select the "Individual Response" option to proceed.
2. Public School Units (PSUs) may opt to complete the survey as a group and submit a single response.  Please download the excel workbook below for upload template.  The link to instructions for use is provided below.  When the feedback is ready for upload, please click the survey link in the email and select “Upload Response” option in the survey to upload the file.

The survey closes at midnight on October 29, 2019.  If you have any questions about this survey, please email us at - SISModernization@dpi.nc.gov

Thank you for assistance and continued support.

• SIS Bulk upload instructions.pdf
• SIS Survey template for bulk upload.xlsx

One very common challenge across most settings with the implementation of an MTSS is that educators are coming with preconceived ideas of what MTSS is and isn’t. Most often, one of the myths is that MTSS is about installing interventions for children who struggle. As a director, it is critical that you reinforce the idea that MTSS is simply a framework for school improvement that begins with these simple questions:      What is our school going to provide for ALL students?       Did we provide that?       How did it work?       What do we do if it didn’t lead to success for our students? As teams work through answering these questions for core instruction as well as supplemental instruction, documentation is necessary. This document was shared in the previous OCS  message as well as at a recent OCS Leadership meeting as a means of documenting conversations around these questions, which most school teams are calling  “core support”.   Please contact your MTSS Consultant or email integratedsystems@dpi.nc.gov if you are interested in additional guidance on this school improvement framework.

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

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

Celebrating International Education Week (IEW)   Join the NC Department of Public Instruction in celebrating International Education Week (IEW) November 4 - 8, 2019! IEW is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.  IEW is part of the effort to promote Global Education in North Carolina.     A variety of IEW events are planned, including free workshops, a Twitter chat, State Board of Education recognitions, and more!  See the list of events for more information.   Share the linked flyer with colleagues and celebrate with us!  Be sure to share how you’re celebrating IEW on social media using #NCIEW, #NCisGlobal, and @NCGlobalEd!   Celebrate International Education Week through our #NCisGlobal chat on Nov. 7 from 8-9 PM!  This chat is co-hosted by @NCGlobalEd, @isa_clacs, @unceurope, @uncnavigators, @UNC_CMEIS, @DukeMideast, @UNCAsiaCenter, and @UNCafrica and will follow the Q1/A1 format.   See the questions linked below. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CjxPH-bD779CxfHGamlNaQPrItihUeND/view?usp=sharing

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

Immunization and Health Assessment Compliance Reporting   Each year, all schools are required to report the immunization status of their kindergarten and 7th grade students, according to G.S. 130A-155(c) and G.S. 130A-440. The purpose of these reports is to ensure that all children enrolled in North Carolina schools are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases and to determine the number of children who meet state immunization requirements.  Additionally, all North Carolina public and public charter schools are required annually to report on the status of Health Assessments for those students who are enrolling for the first time in a North Carolina public or public charter school (G.S. 130A-441(c)).   Report submission can take place after the 30th calendar day from the school’s official first day.  A combined compliance report is available this year, by school name, and must be completed on-line at this link: Annual Health Assessment and Immunization Report. You may use the link to access instructions as well as worksheets to gather your responses prior to entering the online report.   Compliance reports are due no later than November 1, 2019 but may be completed at any time prior to that date.    Communication From The Consultant The Technical Assistance Summary provides valuable school health information.  School Health Coordinators and/or School Nurses are encouraged to review this quarterly circular so you can stay up-to-date with news and announcements from the Charter School Health Nurse Consultant.   Annette Darden Richardson, MSN, RN, NCSN Charter School Health Nurse Consultant Division of Public Health - Children and Youth Branch NC Department of Health and Human Services   Office: 252-339-3009

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