 The Office of Innovation at NCDPI is interested in showcasing exemplars of the Portrait of a Graduate Competencies as an extension of the Promising Practices Clearinghouse, and we are hoping each of you will be able to assist us in collecting these exemplars.
As you know, the competencies include Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Empathy, Learner’s Mindset, and Personal Responsibility. We are seeking to spotlight these competencies from various perspectives, such as leaders being collaborative, teachers being critical thinkers, students being adaptable, etc. We are especially interested in student-based exemplars. We are collecting this information on the Portrait of a Graduate Exemplars Google form. Please direct any questions to Angie.Mullennix@dpi.nc.gov
NCDPI Spring Webinar for High School Leaders on the new National Student Clearinghouse data
Dear Secondary/High School Charter Leader,
NCDPI will be hosting a series of webinars in the spring for all our high school leaders (i.e. principals, assistant principals, counselors, dean of students) focused on understanding how to use a data set that is brand-new to North Carolina from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC).
We are providing three options for a webinar in the late spring to give an overview of a new (and exciting) data set for our state. Our goal is that representatives from every high school in our state participate in these webinars.
Come to this session to explore your high school's NSC StudentTracker Report and see how the data can be used to facilitate best practices and spur innovation.
The same webinar will be repeated three times to accommodate your schedules: Register Here
- Tues April 25 at 9am
- Wed April 26 at 11am
- Thurs April 27 at 3pm
NC has a new partnership with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) StudentTracker® for High Schools, funded through a new recurring budget item. This partnership provides reliable information on your high school graduates’ college transition rates that also allows you to compare your rates to those of similar schools across the country, including those serving low income and minority students and compare your high schools to national averages. For more information about NSC in NC please see our January 2023 presentation to the State Board of Education.
This data can help high schools and school districts more accurately gauge the college success of their graduates by answering such key questions such as:
- How many of our high school graduates enroll in college?
- Do they persist and graduate from college?
- How long does it take for them to get their degrees?
- Do they go in or out of state for college?
- Do they attend a two- or four-year school?
- Which colleges do they most commonly attend?
As a result of this partnership, each year, every North Carolina traditional and charter high school will receive a comprehensive StudentTracker report. This report will provide more than 30 color graphs and charts outlining the postsecondary enrollment and achievements of high school graduates.
Accessing your high school-level reports from NSC:
The StudentTracker report for each of your high schools was placed on the Accountability secure shell on October 11, 2022; The reports are located in the following folder - 2023 / Pickup folder. It is a zip file. Just right click to open the file. Your Accountability Director should have access to the files.
School Business
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The FBS website continues to be updated with information related to School Business and our ongoing operations. Please check the FBS homepage regularly for updates. Recent posts:
Governor's Budget Update
The attached document provides a brief update related to the Governor's Recommended Budget for the 2023-2025 biennium.
ESSER I and GEER Close Out Update
As you all are aware, the liquidation period for the ESSER I and GEER grants (PRCs 163-170) ended on January 28, 2023. Based on DPI’s cash calendar, the last day for PSUs to request funds from these PRCs was January 25, 2023 and the last day for DPI to draw funds from the US Department of Education G5 system was January 30, 2023. Any cash certifications received after this date are not eligible for payment. If you have submitted a cash certification since that date, please ensure that you cancel that out and return any funds received after the end of January; School Business staff will be reaching out to any PSUs with records of cash requests during this period to make sure that these situations are resolved.
This week School Business processed a reversion for the ESSER I and GEER PRCs to remove any remaining balances and to set the authority to draw for any PSU that did not have a federally-approved late liquidation request to $0. In the coming weeks, School Business will complete the final reversion process for these to verify that any spending during the liquidation period was for allowable encumbrances. Once final reversions are processed. PSUs should ensure that any negative balances are immediately resolved through the return of funds to DPI. The US Department of Education only provides a limited time window for the State to return funds to our accounts for the ESSER and GEER grants within the G5 system.
If you have any questions, please contact John Keefer (John.Keefer@dpi.nc.gov).
Improper Payment Review – IDEA & ESF
This year’s U.S. Department of Education (USED) Improper Payment Review studies have started. North Carolina has been selected to participate in the IDEA and Education Stabilization Funds (ESF) studies. USED will be requesting NC DPI collect documentation that was used to validate payments for a sample of transactions from various PSUs. Each sample item selected represents a cash draw down and the entire amount must be substantiated. Note there is a tight timeline for this type of review.
We expect to receive a list of the sample items for the IDEA review by March 31, 2023. PSUs selected will be notified that they need to provide supporting documentation by April 20, 2023. PSU’s selected must submit a reconciliation of all payments and cash zero outs, if applicable, that make up the amount noted in the cash draw identified. We will publish the expected dates for the ESF study as soon as the dates are shared.
Applicant Tracking and Onboarding Systems Implementation Opportunities for Charter Schools
DPI is happy to announce we are ready to begin implementations once again for Applicant Tracking and Onboarding systems for PSUs through our Office of Systems Modernization. If you took advantage of this opportunity last year and implemented Applicant Tracking, you may want to implement Onboarding this year. The Onboarding system integrates with Applicant Tracking and allows you to send your newly hired candidate their onboarding or new hire ‘paperwork’ electronically using the Onboarding system. This frees up time in your office of someone having to sit with each new hire and have them complete forms in the office and then hand deliver them to the appropriate department or staff person. The Onboarding system not only allows you to create your forms in an electronic format, but also allows for the creation of workflows so that as forms are returned they are distributed through the designated workflow and delivered to the assigned staff.
If you haven’t taken advantage of Applicant Tracking yet, you may want to do so now before you are in the thick of hiring season for the 2023-2024 school year. This system comes to you setup with the basics of what you need, but allows you to setup your Candidate Portal individually for you school and allows for each PSU to review the items that have been setup in the base system and make changes to them to suit your needs. This system is integrated with the TeachNC SchoolSpring statewide job board for more visibility for your job postings to bring you more applicants. The training is a one-day virtual training session, materials and your session will be recorded so you can continue to use the recording as you work through your review and setup on your own.
Onboarding training is the same with a one-day virtual training, materials and recorded session and then you continue to work on your own.
Both of these systems are offered to you at no cost to your school.
If you are interested in implementing either of these systems, please email Wendy Hinson at wendy.hinson@dpi.nc.gov with the following information:
· Name of your school
· Assigned LEA #
· Which system you wish to implement (you can choose both) – Applicant Tracking or Onboarding
· Name of Primary Contact
· Email of Primary Contact
We are hoping to start our first training sessions in late March/early April so please get your information turned in as soon as possible. If your school has already contacted Wendy, there is no need to email again unless you have additional questions. Thank you!
Summer Bridge Camps and Read To Achieve Summer 2023
RtA Reading Camp funds will be provided in PRC 016. These funds should be available Spring 2023. PRC 016 funds are to be used for RtA Reading Camp only, per Legislation. If you have any RtA reading camp questions, feel free to reach out to Tonia.Parrish@dpi.nc.gov.
NCSTAR Spring 2023 Professional Development
The Office of District & Regional Support within the Division of District & School Support Services is excited to announce the Spring 2023 NCStar & School Improvement Planning Professional Development!
This two-day training will be offered in six different locations across the state during the months of March through May. These sessions will cover the same material and resources shared during the Fall 2022 sessions.
Day 1: Participants will learn about school improvement using NCStar and how to navigate the platform to assess, create and monitor school-based practices. Participants will also learn about the components of Set Direction in NCStar, including the use of Performance Measures to monitor the progress of school improvement goals.
Day 2: Participants will continue to learn about school improvement using NCStar with a focus on the Continuous Improvement Cycle (Assess, Create, Monitor) to create robust school improvement plans. Participants will also learn about best practices for school improvement teams, including how to run an effective SIT meeting, effective forms of distributive leadership and the critical role that SIT leaders and committees play in moving the school achievement needle forward, and the evaluation of a school’s School Improvement Plan.
To register, please click here.
OCR/CRDC -SY2021-2022 - Collection Information Pending Federal Opening
Dear Coordinators,
Please share with other staff as appropriate.
The Office of Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) will be conducted in the 2022-2023 school year. Data for the collection is from the previous year (School Year 2021-2022). Note: PSUs which were not open in the school year 2021-2022 will not participate in this collection.
To date, the Federal government has not published an official start date or requirements for the collection. The information from the Federal government may be published as late as the summer of 2023. NCDPI will notify PSUs once an announcement has been made.
There is no need to run the CRDC Preview Report in PowerSchool.
PSUs can begin to prepare for the SY21-22 CRDC by:
- Verifying or updating the CRDC Coordinator contacts are recorded in EDDIE
- As a reminder, all PSUs must have at least one CRDC Coordinator contact in EDDIE
- Ensuring Section 504 data for SY 2021-2022 been recorded in the Special Programs section of PowerSchool.
- Use the Enrolling Students in a Special Program guide to add student records.
- PSUs using third party applications for Section 504 will be required submit Section 504 data to the CRDC on their own if a record is not added to PowerSchool.
- Section 504 Designation guidance is provided at the local level. Please contact the PSU 504 Coordinator with any questions.
PSUs will be required to gather and submit the following data for the CRDC:
Review and collect data using the SY2021-2022 CRDC School Form for the following survey questions:
- OFFN-5: Offenses -Number of Incidents Committed by School Staff
- OFFN-6: Offenses -Allegations Against School Staff (Resignation or Retirement)
- OFFN-7: Offenses -Allegations Against School Staff (Determined Responsible)
- OFFN-8: Offenses -Allegations Against School Staff (Determined Not Responsible)
- OFFN-9: Offenses -Allegations Against School Staff (Determination Pending)
- OFFN-10: Offenses -Allegations Against School Staff (Duty Reassignment)
Please email nc.ocr.crdc@dpi.nc.gov with any questions you may have.
Want information about the CRDC, but are not the CRDC Coordinator contact? Add your information here: 2122 CRDC – Info Only Contacts List
Advertising Upcoming Social Studies PD in Region 1
In Partnership with NCDPI, the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University will be hosting a one day seminar in Elizabeth City on Saturday March 25. This free professional learning session is open to all 6-12 Social Studies and ELA teachers who want to increase their content knowledge on the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies and who would like to earn 8 contact hours towards CEUs. The seminar and discussion will all be using primary documents to model best practices for students. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please see the registration linked. Please contact Tom Daugherty if you have any questions.
Important MEMOs:
Office of Charter Schools (OCS) Updates
The Office of Early Learning provides weekly updates on resources that OCS believes can be very helpful to Charter Schools. You can subscribe directly!
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Save the Date-
New Charter School Leadership Institute
When: June 7-8, 2023
What: RTO School Boards & New School Leaders will come together for learning and networking before launching their 2023-2024 SY
Day 1- Guest Speakers from NC DPI Share requirements for the Keys to a Successful 1st Year
Day 2- Guest Speakers from the Field, DPI, and OCS
Where: 8:15 AM -4:30 PM Room #150, 301 N Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Who: New Charter School Leaders and CS Board Chairpersons
Contact: natasha.norins@dpi.nc.gov
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Counselor Cohort Opportunity
School counselors are invited to fill out this Google Form indicating whether they'd like to be included in communication and professional development with other charter school counselors in the state and their local area:
Counselors that fill out the form will hear from our School Counselor Liaison, Brooklyn Winters via her email winters@longleafschool.com and you may email her with questions about this professional network. ----------------------------
OCS Office Hours Upcoming Events
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April 17th
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MTSS - Addressing Misconceptions – Ashley Springs + Rhonda Harrell (IABS)
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May 15th
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CTE Credentialing and Funding – Marty Tobey with CTE
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Take It Outside! conference at Pioneer Springs
When's the last time you climbed a tree? Stepped in a puddle? Stood in the rain? The connections between nature and cognitive growth, creativity, emotional balance, and overall wellness have been well documented but, despite this knowledge, school settings and many programs intended for children, adolescents, and young adults are still limited to traditional classroom settings. Take it Outside! at Pioneer Springs is a celebration of nature education and integration in K-12 and other public settings. The conference, led by educators for educators and nature enthusiasts, promotes the integration of nature as part of a whole child approach.
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NCAPCS Incubator Program
The NC Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) is dedicated to providing the support necessary to establish a strong foundation for the formation of new, innovative charter schools. Phase One of the NCAPCS Incubator Program's implementation will provide small grants ($1,000 maximum) to select planning year schools to assist in recruiting and marketing efforts. The Incubator Program committee will fund the schools with the strongest applications. Deadline to apply: March 31, 2023.
OPEN NOW: 2023 NC Charter Applications
The 2023 North Carolina Charter School Application is now open, as of Friday, January 27th at 5 pm. The 2023 charter application window will close on April 28, 2023 at 5pm. Applicants who are interested in opening a charter school in 2024 under the accelerated timeline, or in 2025 under the standard timeline must submit their charter applications on or before the April 28, 2023 application close date.
Both the online application and $1,000 application fee must be submitted on or before April 28, 2023 at 5pm.
For questions about the charter application process, please reach out to Melanie.Rackley@dpi.nc.gov.
Please forward
School leaders, we encourage you to forward this newsletter on to your staff so they can subscribe to DPI bulletins directly through this link. They will enter their email and then it will bring them to another page where they can select “Charter School Comms Contacts” and any other public listserv to sign up for.
HR Webinar Information - Licensure requirements, resources, and more for Charter School leaders
Once a month, Dr. Tom Tomberlin and his team provide State Board of Education and legislative updates to the human resources contacts in Public School Units (PSUs) across the state.
All sessions are 10:30-11:30AM
April 7
May 5
June 2
July 10 (Monday)
August 7 (Monday)
September 8
October 6
November 3
December 8
Link to Join:
Kim Evans' Personal Room
https://ncgov.webex.com/meet/kimberly.evans
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Simple, modern video meetings for everyone on the world's most popular and trusted collaboration platform.
ncgov.webex.com
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Join by phone
+1-415-655-0003 US Toll
Access code: 619 435 814
Kim Evans Program Coordinator, PEPSC Office of Educator Preparation and Licensure Division of Educator and Student Advancement NC Department of Public Instruction P: (984) 236-2116 M: (240) 498-5111 kimberly.evans@dpi.nc.gov
Save the Date July 14th for Office of Learning Recovery & Acceleration and The SAS Institute
We look forward to continuing our conversations from last summer and introducing you to the latest data available from The SAS EVAAS Team!
You will hear about innovative promising practices, evidence-based and data-supported strategies, as well as opportunities to network with colleagues from across the state, and much more!
Keep an eye on your email for updates from our office as the date approaches. So, remember to SAVE THE DATE 😊, & email me at: richard.lewis@dpi.nc.gov with any questions.
Richard W. Lewis, Ed.D.
Education Program Administrator I
Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration
Division of Standards, Accountability, and Research
NC Department of Public Instruction
Cohort 4 July 14th.pdf
Other Resources from DPI and beyond
Charter School Job Postings
If you have current teaching/leadership positions open and wish to share them in this newsletter, reach out to Joseph.Letterio@dpi.nc.gov and provide a link to the posting/s.
Whom Should I Contact at the Office of Charter Schools?
OCS Main Number: (984) 236-2700 / Email: ocs@dpi.nc.gov
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