The 2022 NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey is Open! 

Dear Charter Leaders:

Superintendent Truitt’s goal for this year is 95% participation. OCS pushed really hard with the team to ensure appropriate representation and input from our charter educators.  Let your teacher’s voices be heard when the survey is released. 

OCR/CRDC - State Certification Progress Report - March 01, 2022

Please share with other staff as appropriate. 

Note:  PSUs which were not open in the school year 2020-2021 are not required to participate in this collection.

If your LEA has completed certification, please disregard this message.

To-date, 144 of 325 PSUs have certified the collection.

Attached is the most recent State Certification Progress Report.  The CRDC Submission End Date is March 11, 2022.

Please be aware that the Percent Complete column does not indicate the report has been functionally certified.  Use documentation provided by the federal Partner Support to complete the collection.

If you are unable to certify due to an incorrectly listed school, please contact Partner Support using the link located: https://crdc.communities.ed.gov/#program

Thank you,

Terra Lynne Dominguez
Business Systems Analyst
Education Technology and Data Services
School Research & Data Reporting
NC Department of Public Instruction
(W) (984) 236-2237
terra.dominguez@dpi.nc.gov

• NC Certification Progress Report-3_1_2022.xls

Important MEMOs:

• MEMO: Charter 2022 RtA Charter Specific 2/25/22
• MEMO - ACT Minimum Composite Score Update 12/13/21
• MEMO: Lawful Student Absence 11/8/2021
• MEMO: Legal Restrictions for Cancelling School Days for Students and Staff 10/29/2021
• Important Notice from Karl Logan: Senate Bill 654 and Drivers Ed
• Economically-Disadvantaged-Student Count Guidance from Karl Pond 12/9/21
• MEMO: PSU COVID Reporting 1/13/22

Charters & Medicaid

Psychological and counseling evaluation services: 

Division of Health Benefits (DHB) LEA Policy 10-C was updated on February 1, 2022, to expand the list of practitioners considered qualified by Medicaid/DHB to be reimbursed for psychological and counseling evaluation services. 

Section 6.0 Provider(s) Eligible to Bill for the Procedure, Product, or Service (page 20) now reads that all providers of psychological and counseling services “shall provide documentation of appropriate training and experience, which qualifies them to work with students in an educational setting. All providers shall function within the scope of practice of their state license and certification.” 

Charter Schools enrolling as Medicaid Providers, pursuant to SL-2021-180.105 9D.21: 

On Feb. 3, 2022, DHB posted a bulletin outlining enrollment requirements to begin participation in the LEA reimbursement program. This bulletin should be read carefully to understand DHB requirements and ensure efficient procedures for Charters who  participate in Medicaid reimbursement programs. To support charter school representatives as they begin, NCDPI will host:

• Four Medicaid overview webinars. Building administrators, EC coordinators, and school business/finance officers for charters should attend:
• Region 3 on March 9 @ 3:30-5p https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/j.php?MTID=m495534e35c7f1a28b37ff07c617b74e3, Password - DHB22
• Regions 5 & 7 on March 14 @ 3-4:30p https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/j.php?MTID=md1645312ffb4ea8d62e2b1d133bd0b76, Password - DHB22
• Regions 6 & 8 on March 16 @ 3-4:30p https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/j.php?MTID=m3fa9952326a8ec02cc8ffbb9c7a8c4b9, Password - DHB22
• Regions 1, 2 & 4 on March 17 @ 3-4:30p https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/j.php?MTID=m4b6c7afe64b642874442a5a409be9077 , Password - DHB22
• Medicaid office hours (open time for anyone to come and ask questions) will held on April 7, 11, 18, 25 from 3-4p at https://ncgov.webex.com/meet/lauren.holahan 

Please submit your questions for that time here

• A Medicaid in Education CANVAS course will be available in early March 

Meanwhile, charter schools are encouraged to investigate the resources at:  https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/classroom-resources/exceptional-children/program-and-fiscal-monitoring/medicaid-education. On-going technical assistance is available from Bill Hussey at william.hussey@dpi.nc.gov and Laurie Ray laurie.ray@dpi.nc.gov

NCDHHS/DPI       For those who couldn't join our March 1 call, click here to access the recording with integrated chat and transcript.    Additional links and resources referenced in the call: 3.1.22 DHHS Slide Deck - Weekly Top Ten - February 24, 2022 - NCDHHS Announces Upcoming Changes to Mask Guidance - Effective March 7 Superintendents, Charter Leaders, PIOs: Thursday Governor Cooper and Secretary Kinsley announced that NCDHHS will update their guidance on March 7th to focus on the most effective tools to reduce the risk of COVID-19. NCDHHS is announcing this now so that schools and school leaders have time to prepare. NCDHHS’ guidance below is effective March 7, 2022. Schools Promote vaccination for students and staff. Participate in the School Testing Program. Consider moving to voluntary masking, at the discretion of local authorities, as universal masking is a less important tool in lower risk settings like schools. Child Care Promote vaccination for students and staff. Consider moving to voluntary masking, at the discretion of local authorities, as universal masking is a less important tool in lower risk settings like childcare Individuals Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and booster. Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and stay away from others if you are sick or test positive, following isolation guidance. Get treatment early if you are at risk for severe illness. Wear a mask if you are at high risk for severe illness or if you want an added layer of protection. Wear a mask if you have a COVID infection or exposure. Wear a mask if you are not up-to-date on your vaccines.

NCCAT Charter School Conference

NC Colleagues,

Are you ready to grow your network of charter school educators and learn innovative strategies for your classrooms? If so, join NCCAT for our annual Charter School Connections Conference held March 7-9^th on our Cullowhee Campus. Come ready to share, collaborate, and grow new ideas for your school. Lodging and meals are provided for this event. Click here to apply.

We are excited to invite you to attend the Social Studies Leaders’ Institute. This year’s institute will consist of two half-day virtual sessions. The theme of the institute is Supporting the Implementation of the Social Studies Standards. It will take place from 9 AM - 1:30 PM on Tuesday, March 29, and 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Wednesday, March 30.  

The NCDPI Social Studies Leaders' Institute is a meaningful way to increase the capacity of social studies leaders to build strong curricula support. It is also an excellent opportunity for district leaders to network and interact with other leaders across the state.

The tentative program includes sessions focused on standards implementation, elementary social studies, civic literacy, and financial literacy. Please use the link below to register for the Institute. Once you get to the WebEx site, click on the link by Session Status (circled in the screenshot below) to register for the institute. 

Registration Link: https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/k2/j.php?MTID=t338b539ab449fdea76b490b55e770af2

Best, 

The NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Team

Tom Daugherty
K-12 Social Studies Education Consultant
Division of Academic Standards
NC Department of Public Instruction
(W) (984) 236-2824 
Thomas.Daugherty@dpi.nc.gov

NC Local AIG Plans 2022-2025

Stephanie Cyrus and Beth Cross, State Consultants in the Division of Advanced Learning and Gifted Education shared the process for writing a local AIG plan during the Office of Charter Schools Office Hours on Monday, February 21. You can find the recording from this session in Epicenter. 

If interested in revising a current local AIG plan or developing a local AIG plan for the first time, please complete the form at this link: https://ncdpi.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bgvIzLp4VPCOAke

This information will provide Stephanie and Beth what they need to be able to reach out and support your needs.

Compliance Forums for McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaisons in Charter Schools

Registration is now open for the annual NCHEP Compliance Forums for Charter Schools, which will take place during March 2022.  All charter school homeless liaisons are required by the State Coordinator to attend one Compliance Forum annually.  This year’s Compliance Forums have been structured by topic rather than by region.  Charter school liaisons may choose the forum which best suits their program’s needs.  All Compliance Forums will be held virtually and will run from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM on each designated date.

Please click here for dates and registration links.  Questions about the Compliance Forums should be directed to your Program Specialist, Tricia Lentz (336-681-7561).

EC Division

Please see the attached newsletters.

• Monday Message 2.28.22.pdf
• SC DeafBlind Project Webinar.pdf
• Webpage Tip Sheet.pdf
• Summer Transition Program for DHH Students.pdf
• NC Inclusion Summit Register-Call for Proposals.pdf
• 2021-2022 Federal Personal Survey Memo Final.pdf
• Weekly_Updates2.23.22.pdf
• DB Census Directions.pdf
• Memo DB Census 1.24.22 FINAL.pdf
• DeafBlind SSP training 3.25.22.pdf

Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates

A Farewell Note from Dr. Shaunda Cooper As I prepare for the next phase of my career, allow me to say that it has been a pleasure working in the Office of Charter Schools for the last six years. This was a special group of people to work with who cares deeply about charters and their performance. I have also enjoyed working with awesome school leaders and stakeholders. For me this is a bittersweet goodbye, however one that will provide new and exciting challenges in which I’m looking forward to. With this being my final day in the office, I’m not going to be too far away and will be very much a part of education. Shout out to Dave for the support and growth opportunities through the years! Rock out OCS! https://www.superiorsolutionsed.com/ Coop-

Sharing News About Our Charter Schools:

Wayne Preparatory Academy Men's Varsity Basketball team won the state championship for the (CAA4SC) Carolina Athletic Association for Schools of Choice. Congratulations!

Chatham Charter Earns Heart Safe School Designation Press release

5 NC Charters Awarded the Purple Star Recognition

299 NC Schools Receive Recognition for Extraordinary Support of Military Students, Families

OCS Office Hours

Dear charter school leaders,

Effective March 1, 2022, Charter School Office Hours will be held on the 1^st and 4^th Mondays only!  The 4^th Monday remains dedicated to Dr. Stegall. 

OPEN NOW: 2022 NC Charter Applications

The 2022 North Carolina Charter School Application is now open, as of Friday, January 28^th at 5 pm. The 2022 charter application window will close on April 29, 2022 at 5pm. Applicants who are interested in opening a charter school in 2023 under the accelerated timeline, or in 2024 under the standard timeline must submit their charter applications on or before the April 29, 2022 application close date.

Both the online application and $1,000 application fee must be submitted on or before April 29, 2022 at 5pm.

The link to the 2022 NC Charter School application is posted on the NCDPI Charter Schools Application page found here. 

For questions about the charter application process, please reach out to Melanie.Rackley@dpi.nc.gov.

2022 NC OCS SECU PHP Scholarship Information

The 2022 North Carolina SECU People Helping People Scholarship Application is now Open!  Final submissions should be returned to Dr. Darian C. Jones, darian.jones@dpi.nc.gov no later than March 18^th, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. with all of the requested information.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Jones at the above email.

• 2022 NC OCS PHP Eligibility Criteria
• 2022 NC OCS PHP Consent Form
• 2022 NC OCS PHP Application

New Charter Leaders Institute 

OCS Consultant Sites:

• Ready to Open/Planning Year
• Performance Framework Companion Site
• Professional Learning 101

Increase Your Reach Webinar Series

In partnership with ImplementEd, the NC ACCESS Program is excited to facilitate a webinar series entitled Increase Your Reach. Each one-hour webinar in the series is designed to provide an opportunity for school leaders to share and discuss best practices on a variety of relevant topics. The current list of webinar offerings and registration links are included below.

During each webinar, we will highlight the NC ACCESS website Best Practices page targeting two featured strategies. School leaders representing the featured strategies will share details of its implementation and outcomes followed by a period of Q&A and an opportunity to hear additional ideas from all participants. Feel free to share these opportunities with others in your professional community.

Pre-register for any or all of these sessions to learn from and share with your colleagues.

Webinar 1: School Culture, Equity, and Engagement

March 9, 2022 | 10:00 – 11:00am

Learn how two schools used very different approaches to increase student engagement. Then participate in a discussion to ask questions and share additional ideas for optimizing student engagement.

REGISTER HERE for the School Culture, Equity, and Engagement webinar.

Webinar 2: The Families We Serve – Recruitment and Support

March 30, 2022 | 1:00 – 2:00pm

How can schools better connect with educationally disadvantaged families during and beyond the recruitment process? Hear from two school leaders who used very different approaches for providing support to the entire family resulting in improved student outcomes. Engage in an interactive dialogue to learn from each other during this webinar.

REGISTER HERE for The Families We Serve- Recruitment and Support webinar.

Webinar 3: In-School Student Support Communities

April 6, 2022 | 10:00 – 11:00am

How can schools address the ever increasing social, emotional needs of students during the traditional school day? Hear how two schools were able to add dedicated programming to meet the social, emotional needs of students. Then share your questions and ideas in an interactive dialogue with participants.

REGISTER HERE for the In-School Student Support Communities webinar.

Webinar 4: Educator Professional Learning About Equity

April 26, 2022 | 1:00 – 2:00pm

Learn different ways to support your staff to ensure they are equipped to successfully connect with all students, especially those from marginalized communities, opening their eyes to the many possibilities in their futures.

REGISTER HERE for the Educator Professional Learning About Equity webinar.

Upcoming Webinar: New EDS Self-Reporting Process

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | 1:00 – 2:00pm | REGISTER

Ensure your school’s economically disadvantaged student population is accurately reported to DPI. There is a new way for charter schools to self-report which students at your school qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch. This will ensure every student is correctly recorded, and DPI can accurately report those numbers publicly.

Join us for a 1-hour informational webinar to hear from school leaders and experts at DPI about how to accurately identify, document, and report your true EDS population. You can view this introductory webinar (use passcode: .!r1P.2D) from the NC Coalition for Charter Schools as a primer, then join us on March 15^th at 1pm for additional guidance and to get all your questions answered.

Other Resources from DPI:

• School Business – February 25, 2022

• DTL Insider - February 25, 2022
• NC SIS Weekly Email Bulletin
• Monthly ELD Standards Update -- 8th Issue
• March First Tuesday Science Update
• New Round of Grants for Digital Teaching and Learning Available for 2022-23
• ELA Professional Learning Opportunities
• AP/IB/CIE Bonus Reminder and Presidential Awards
• 2021-22 World Language Webinar Series
• TD Bank grant opportunity - TD 2021 Ready Challenge
• How to apply for a Transformational Scholarship from NC State
• Sponsors Needed to Help Provide Summer Meals

Leadership Opportunities:

• American Renaissance School - Spanish Teacher for K-5
• Bonnie Cone Classical Academy - Multiple Opportunities!
• Bradford Prep School - Executive Director
• Carolina Charter Academy - Multiple K-8 Opportunities!
• Chatham Charter - Secondary Administrator/Principal
• Charlotte Lab School - Head of Finance
• Classical Charter Schools of America – Multiple K-8 Opportunities!
• Clover Garden School - Assistant Principal
• Community Public Charter - K-7 Math/EC Interventionist and MS ELA Teacher

• KIPP North Carolina Public Schools – Multiple Opportunities!

• Lakeside Charter Academy - EC Teacher
• Mountain Discovery Charter School - Director
• NC Cyber Academy - Chief Academic Officer
• Old Main STREAM Academy - Multiple Opportunities!
• Oxford Preparatory School - Upper School Director
• Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy - Superintendent
• Pine Springs Prep Academy - 8th Grade Math Teacher
• Raleigh Charter High School - Multiple Opportunities!
• Rocky Mount Preparatory School - Multiple K-12 Opportunities
• Socrates Academy - Multiple Opportunities!
• Sterling Montessori Charter School - Executive Director
• Telra Institute - Multiple Opportunities!
• The Expedition School - Director of Business and Operations
• The Learning Center - MS EC Teacher
• The Mountain Community School - Executive Director
• Union Academy Charter School - Chief Financial Officer

Whom Should I Contact at the Office of Charter Schools?

Please note that response times to voicemails left on our phones will be much slower than usual due to the COVID-19 response efforts. Sending us an email is ideal.  Clicking the link on our names will bring up an automatic email prompt. Thank you!

OCS Main Number: (984) 236-2700 / Email: ocs@dpi.nc.gov

Dave Machado         984 236 2702
Director of the Office of Charter Schools

Claire Porter             984 236 2709
Consultant, Renewals, Planning Year & Ready to Open Process

Ashley Baquero        984 236 2708
Consultant, Amendments & Compliance

Joseph Letterio        984 236 2703
Consultant, Epicenter Tech Support & Performance Framework

Darian Jones            984 236 2705
Consultant, Stakeholder Support & Professional Develoment

Melanie Rackley       984 236 2712
Consultant, Charter Applications

Jay Whalen               984 236 2711
Program Administrator, NC ACCESS Program

Barbara O'Neal         984 236 2706
Program Coordinator, NC ACCESS Program

Davida Robinson      984 236 2878
NC ACCESS Subgrant Program Manager

Lakisha Robbins      984 236 2704
NC ACCESS Finance Administrator

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