Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

6307 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6307  

Weekly Newsletter- January 15, 2021

Important information for your annual audits

Charter Leaders,

Our office has received multiple inquiries concerning the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) and the NC Statute concerning the indebtedness clause. DPI leadership has determined that the indebtedness clause is required by law. We realize that federal PPP application forms cannot be modified and suggest that the indebtedness clause be included via an addendum to the loan documents provided by your lending institution. Please reach out to Dave Machado if you have any questions.

Please be sure to keep EDDIE up to date!

• OCS Guidance on Title IX-New Compliance Requirements
• OCS Guidance SB199 Sex Trafficking Prevention Training and SB476 Mental Health Plans
• OCS Guidance for Charter Schools SB681/Session Law 2020-78 Enrollment Priorities, Assessments Memo, and CARES Act additional funds available 7/17/2020 
• OCS Guidance for Charter Schools House Bill 1043 / Session Law 2020-4 Summer Learning Program and Supplemental Grants 6/2 revised 6/8/2020

Upcoming Events and Reminders!

Save the Date!

• JumpStart Report Clarification and PRC167 Grant Deadline

After careful consideration, the agency decided to disregard the data pull and deadline originally communicated in late December 2020 to allow districts an opportunity to better ascertain the impact of the Jumpstart Program. Please be on the lookout for an update to the Jumpstart Report that will be communicated later this week with a more feasible deadline to allow districts to more holistically respond.

Also the grant is due Jan 15. The application is located in CCIP.

PRC 167 Grant Application

The application for CARES Act – ESSERF- Exceptional Children Grant (PRC 167) opened in the NC CCIP platform on Friday, December 11, 2020.  The due date for the completed application submission is January 15, 2021.

• Charter Leader Check-In
  Thursday, January 21, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

LOGIN INFORMATION     

Join Zoom Meeting

https://ncvps.zoom.us/j/91686135661

Meeting ID: 916 8613 5661

• Please note our next communications leaders’ biweekly call will be held Tuesday, January 26 at 8:00 a.m.  We will send a reminder and topic preview next week.

   

  Jessica B. Swencki | District & Regional Support-Sandhills Region

  N.C. Department of Public Instruction-Sandhills RST

  jessica.swencki@dpi.nc.gov | 910-524-7020 | @JessicaBSwencki

Planning Year Session Three: Charter School Accountability & Operations

• Registration opened November 1st and is now closed. Please direct any questions to claire.porter@dpi.nc.gov
• Agenda

COVID TOP TEN:

To help recap important news of the week, we are pleased to bring you the NCDPI COVID-19 WEEKLY TOP TEN.   The link does not change.  New content is added to the top of the document weekly.  

*Note, due to the holiday, there will not be a Top Ten issued next week.

Here’s a preview:

10. Center for Mental Health in Schools and Student/Learning Supports-Resources
9. Even before the pandemic, students were struggling with mental health challenges. (EdNC)
8.  myFutureNC launches NC First in FAFSA
7.  NC Early Learning Inventory (NC ELI) Checkpoints-Due January 22, 2021
6. Duke, UNC study finds low rates of in-school COVID transmission (ABC11)
5. Public School Forum Hosts 7th Annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast (Virtual)
4. Legislative preview | Advocates hope early learning issues, on full display from pandemic, gain traction in long session (EdNC)
3. Tw0 NC Public School Nationally Recognized for Academic Achievement in 2020!
2. Possible SBE Policy Amendments due to COVID-19
1. View State Employees’ Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance Program online at noon Friday, January 15

Please note that the state COVID WEEKLY TOP TEN is not compiled with charter schools primarily in mind, or written by OCS. Charter schools retain flexibility by law, including but not limited to the issuance of emergency leave. If you ever have any uncertainty about a requirement, please reach out to the Office of Charter Schools.

High school principals, please read:

NCDPI is considering presenting to the State Board of Education some temporary relief for the following policies, based on LEA/Charter requests due to COVID-19:

1. CPR Graduation Requirement, even though this is typically taught in Grade 8, there are some seniors who still may not have been able to participate in these requirements due to COVID-19.  This would apply only to graduating seniors in Spring 2021.  (GRAD-004)
2. Occupational Course of Study Work Hours.  Lessen those hours for this year’s graduating class like last year.  This would apply only to graduating seniors in Spring 2021. (GRAD-004)
3. Driver’s Education Eligibility:  Eliminate the need for passing of at least 70% of possible courses to be eligible for driver’s education but keep “making progress towards graduation…which means… meet promotion standards established by the LEA.”  (DRIV-004)

Please use the google form below for feedback.  If we do not hear from you, we will take that as you support these changes. 

NCDPI plans on taking these possible policy changes to the State Board of Education in February, depending on your feedback.

Jan2021 Policy feedback

Follow-Up-Communications Leaders' Biweekly Call-12.15.20

  Click here to access the recording with integrated chat and transcript.  

A very special thanks to our guests Katie Test Davis, Lauren Empson, and Ashley Peterson-Deluca, Haley Pittman, and Rebecca Planchard.  Also a big thanks to Ken Derksen and Freebird McKinney for moderating and Dr. Stegall joining the call and closing us out for 2020.

Additional resources referenced in the call:

12.15.20 Master Slide Deck (with DHHS slides)

Forthright Advising-Slide Deck
 DPI Enrollment Webinar_FINAL.pdf

TeachNC Slide Deck and Resources (Attached)

IMPORTANT: Please see the attached memo regarding changes with automation of GPA and Grade-Scale beginning with the 2021-22 school year.

Please send the attached memo, Summer Programs 2020–21, from Dr. David Stegall and Dr. Tammy Howard to all Charter School Directors.

Important Info Update from the School Financial Reporting Section

What’s New – FY 20-21

Please check out the What’s New section of DPI’s website at https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/financial-and-business-services.  It will provide you the latest information about the COVID funding and Teacher and Instructional Support Bonus.

COVID Funding

Review the COVID Allotment Policy manual 2020-21, which reflects which COVID PRCs charters are eligible.

If you have COVID funding questions, please contact Sue Holly at susan.holly@dpi.nc.gov.

Superintendents and Charter School Directors,

Please see attached memo regarding Beginning Teacher Support Programs.

Thank you.

Dr. Beverly R. Emory, Executive Director of Leandro Support

Dr. Thomas R. Tomberlin, Director, Educator Recruitment and Support

Dr. Cynthia M. Martin, Director, District and Regional Support

• BTSP_Memo_121720.pdf

• Indicator 17 Parent Letter Preschool.English-01.12.2021.pdf
• Indicator 17 Parent Letter School-Age.Spanish-01.12.2021.pdf
• Indicator 17 Parent Letter Preschool.Spanish-01.12.2021.pdf
• Indicator 17 Parent Letter School-Age.English 01.12.2021.pdf
• 01.06.21 comentarios públicos.pdf
• 01.06.21 Public Comment Requested.pdf

School Business News

NC SIS Weekly Email Bulletin

AP/IB/CIE January 2021 Update

NC SEL Newsletter

Digital Learning Standards Course for 2021

Advancing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as a Lever for Equity and Excellence - Equity Insights Report

DL/I Discourse: IHE- Strategies for Online Academic Language Learning for DL/I

Summer Nutrition Programs Offer Meals for Children at No Cost While School Is Out

NCDPI Arts Education Newsletter - January 15, 2021

Global Education Newsletter-- January 2021