OCS Weekly Newsletter for March 28, 2023

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Office of Charter Schools

March 28, 2023

Some upcoming dates of note:

  • OCR/CRDC - SY2021-2022 CRDC Contacts and Section 504 Due April 1, 2023
  • Charter School Leaders | School Performance Grades webinar - April 3rd
  • SIS Charter Connect April 17th & April 18th
  • NCSTAR Spring 2023 Professional Development; May 2-3, 4-5, 8-9th.

NC PoG

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

POG Exemplar Flyer - Please Share!


SIS Charter Connect

Registration is now open for SIS Charter Connect!  

  • April 17 - Drury Inn & Suites Burlington, 1767 Glidewell Drive Burlington, NC 
  • April 18 - Fairfield by Marriott Kinston, 667 Sheffield Dr., Kinston, NC 28504

If interested, please register here.

 

charter connect

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

  • 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.

Survey for Federal Use of Funds

The Legislated Survey for Federal Use of Funds will be available Friday, March 31, 2023. All Finance Officers and Charter School Directors should receive an email from School Business on Friday, March 31, 2023, related to the survey reporting requirements on the use of federal grant funds and an FAQ sheet. The surveys sent are in accordance with legislation and to facilitate the compilation of more than 300 submissions. We are collecting data for PRCs 171 through 178. The survey structure and questions remain the same as in previous collection. Do not include any other PRCs except those listed.

If you do not receive this information or have additional questions, please contact Corey.Terry@dpi.nc.gov.

Did you know? You can find all School Business newsletters on the website, organized by year. 


OCR/CRDC - SY2021-2022 CRDC Contacts and Section 504 Due April 1, 2023

 

Dear Coordinators,  

Please share with other staff as appropriate. 

 

Please ensure the following two tasks are complete by April 1, 2023:

  1. Record or update the CRDC Coordinator contacts in EDDIE.

To-date, many PSUs have not submitted at least one CRDC contact in EDDIE. 

If these records are not recorded in EDDIE two things will occur:

·        PSUs will not receive timely communications from NCDPI, such as federal opening, the completion of the state level submission on behalf of NC PSUs and the federal close due date.

·        PSUs will be required contact the federal PSC to receive accounts to complete the collection, after the federal Submission Tool is open.

 

An updated CRDC Contact file is located on the recently updated NCDPI CRDC webpage under the NCDPI CRDC Files section.]

  1. Record Section 504 data for SY 2021-2022 in the Special Programs section of PowerSchool.

If Section 504 records are not recorded in PowerSchool, the PSU will be required submit Section 504 data to the CRDC on their own after NCDPI completes the state level submission.

 

Documentation

An updated document ‘Preparing for the CRDC’ has been published on the recently updated NCDPI CRDC webpage under the Resources section. The document outlines PSU and NCDPI responsibilities for this federally required data collection.

 

Reminders

There is no need to run the PowerSchool CRDC Preview Report for this collection.

There is no need to complete the CRDC setup screens in Power School for this collection.

 

More information will be provided on the collection as it is made available.   

 

Want information about the CRDC, but are not the CRDC Coordinator contact?  Add your information here:  2122 CRDC – Info Only Contacts List

 

Please email nc.ocr.crdc@dpi.nc.gov with any questions you may have. 


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!


Google Admin Bootcamps

 

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Digital Teaching and Learning is excited to offer Google Admin Bootcamps across the state this spring!  Through the Digital Learning Initiative, we are partnering with Amplified IT to offer Amplified Level 1 Certification to our public school units with Google Workspace.  Please refer to the Amplified Level 1 Certification information for the training description, appropriate audience, prerequisites, and outcomes.  Upon the completion of the bootcamp, participants will take the Google EDU Workspace Admin Level I Exam.

Registration, Attendance, and Costs:

  • PSUs may register one (1) participant through April 1, 2023 at bit.ly/GABRegistration.  
  • After April 1, 2023, PSUs may register for any open slots. 
  • The cost of the bootcamp and exam are provided by the Digital Learning Initiative.
  • Space is limited to 45 slots per date and location.
  • If someone registers, but does not cancel at least 2 days prior to the session, they will be responsible for a $120 “No Show” fee.
  • To cancel your registration, please visit bit.ly/GABCancelation.

Dates and Locations:

April 24

Beaufort County Schools EdTech Center

820 Bridge St

Washington, NC 27889

April 26

Rowan-Salisbury Schools Wallace Ed Forum

500 N Main St

Salisbury, NC 28144

April 27

Burke County Schools

509 W Concord St

Morganton, NC 28655

Other Information:  

  • The event will begin at 9:00 AM. It will not be catered, but we will have a working lunch.  Participants are encouraged to bring snacks, beverages, and lunch so that time can be optimized for the bootcamp and certification exam.  We hope to finish up the exam by 4:00 PM.

If you have any questions, please contact Jill.Darrough@dpi.nc.gov

If you need to cancel your registration, please visit https://bit.ly/GABCancelation


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.

NCStar23

Exceptional Children Logo

 


Important MEMOs:


ACCESS

Office of Charter Schools and NC ACCESS Sponsored Training on Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students

On March 16, 2023, the Office of Charter Schools and the NC ACCESS grant held it’s 7th Fellowship Institute at NCDPI.  Over 100 participants had an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and training from Dr. Dawn Miller, one of the co-authors of Leading Equity-Based MTSS for all Students. The other co-author Amy McCart joined by ZOOM.

The presentation  provided participants with resources and ideas as to how any school, without requiring additional resources, can implement multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) that engage each and every student, including students with significant disabilities, language differences, and those at risk for a variety of reasons.  An equity-based MTSS helps school teams engage all students across the full range of learning needs. MTSS ensures that the vision of equity for every student is achieved, with high expectations and quality instruction, while not straining a school’s budget or personnel. 

 

Amy McCart and Dawn Miller seek to transform education so that it benefits educators, students, their families, and ultimately the communities in which they live. The authors do this by providing tools and methods to implement equity-based MTSS to improve academic, behavior and social outcomes for all students. This strategy-filled session taught participants how to: (1) engage all students in learning through an equity-based approach, (2) analyze and utilize your resources, (3) apply strengths and evidence-based principles for implementation, and (4) incorporate effective tools to systematize MTSS.

 

ACCESS bookACCESS Pic
OCS

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!

2023 Yass & STOP Prizes in Education

Competition launched Thursday, including $20M in grants

 

On Thursday afternoon, the Yass Foundation for Education announced the launch of the 2023 Yass and STOP prizes in education. The competition includes 64 education awards, providing over $20 million in grants. See the press release about the 2023 awards launch here.

 

The 2023 application is now open, and the deadline to apply is July 15. Apply for the 2023 awards here.

 

Semifinalists will be announced in the fall, while finalists will be revealed in December. Read more about the 2022 award winners or about the Yass Prize and Foundation.

 

Here's the summary from the Yass Foundation about the prizes:

Each year, the Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative recognizes the nation’s top education innovators who outperform for underserved students. In addition to the grand prize, finalists receive $500,000 and quarter- and semi-finalists will vie for $100,000 and $200,000 awards, respectively.  

 

The Yass Prize is sector agnostic, meaning that there is no preference for any type of education other than it be Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless.  

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.

New Charter School Leadership Institute

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

-
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
April 17th  

11:00 AM 

MTSS - Addressing Misconceptions – Ashley Springs + Rhonda Harrell (IABS) 

May 15th  

11:00 AM 

CTE Credentialing and Funding – Marty Tobey with CTE 

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. 

PSCS Outside

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.


CFSS 10yr

Center for Safer Schools marks 10 years

State and local education officials from around North Carolina gathered Friday, March 17 as the Center for Safer Schools marked its 10th anniversary (March 19) at the Education Building in Raleigh. The meeting recognized the accomplishments of the CFSS while also keeping the focus on the importance of safer schools.

During the anniversary meeting, officials praised the work of the CFSS – past, present and future.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt stressed the importance of keeping parents engaged in school safety initiatives. The CFSS plans to add a parent engagement section, which Truitt said will complement the Parent Advisory Commission she created in June.

“Parents are their children’s first teachers and foundation for success in school and life,” she said.

CFSS Executive Director Karen W. Fairley thanked the General Assembly – in particular Rep. John Torbett and former Rep. Jamie Boles – for their longstanding support of the CFSS.

Fairley stressed that it’s vital for the CFSS to support school districts.

“We respect educators,” Fairley said. “It’s the Center’s job to help them do better.”

[Rep. John Torbett (left), State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley and former Rep. Jamie Boles (DPI photo)]


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

 | 619435814 

Join by phone

+1-415-655-0003 US Toll

Access code: 619 435 814

Kim EvansProgram Coordinator, PEPSCOffice of Educator Preparation and LicensureDivision of Educator and Student AdvancementNC Department of Public InstructionP: (984) 236-2116M: (240) 498-5111kimberly.evans@dpi.nc.gov

Save the Date July 14th for Office of Learning Recovery & Acceleration and The SAS Institute

Greetings, 

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 IOffice of Learning Recovery and AccelerationDivision of Standards, Accountability, and ResearchNC 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

Name

Email

Phone

Workflow

Ashley Baquero

Ashley.Baquero@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2708

Director

Anita Holbrook

anita.holbrook@dpi.nc.gov

984-236-2753

Executive Assistant/Communications

Joseph Letterio M.

Joseph.Letterio@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2703

Performance Framework/ Comms&Data

Natasha Norins

natasha.norins@dpi.nc.gov

(984) 236-2702

RTO/Planning Year

Davida Robinson

Davida.robinson@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2878

NC ACCESS Program Manager

Barbara O’Neal

Barbara.ONeal@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2706

NC ACCESS Program Administrator

Jenna Cook

Jenna.Cook@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2707

Renewals

Darian Jones

darian.jones@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2705

Prof. Dev./Stakeholder Support

Melanie Rackley

Melanie.Rackley@dpi.nc.gov

984.236.2712

Applications

Nicky Niewinski

nicole.niewinski@dpi.nc.gov

984-236-2709

SBE/CSAB and Amendments