Civic Education Resources - Constitution Day, Guest Speakers and More
NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby is inviting NC public school units to join in celebrating Constitution Day on September 17, the anniversary of the formation and signing of the US Constitution. Resources for Constitution Day are available for schools, including speaker material, lesson plans and more. Constitution Day resources can be found here.
Additional instructional materials about our state’s Judicial Branch, including PowerPoint presentations, videos, fact sheets, word searches, coloring sheets and more, can be found here.
Guest speakers are also available to visit schools. These speakers include justices, judges, clerks of court, attorneys and other members of the statewide judicial community. The Judicial Branch Speakers Bureau is a free public service and speakers are available to speak to school classes and assemblies throughout the year. Visit the Judicial Branch Speakers Bureau to learn how to book a speaker.
Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) Annual Report
Beginning with the 2025 School Mental Health (SMH) Plans, all Public School Units (PSUs) are required to submit data for the Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) Annual Report. This is a new reporting requirement focusing on quantitative instances of student contacts related to referrals, interventions, and services provided by SISP, particularly concerning mental health and student wellness. A new guidance document for PSUs is available, along with an opportunity for open office hours.
Action required starting September 30, 2024.
Open Office Hours: September 17, 2024 | 12-1 p.m.
The state consultants for school counseling, school social work, and school psychology will host open office hours for PSU staff with additional questions. Please RSVP to attend the office hours and a link will be sent to you the day before the event.
Immigrant Headcount
An immigrant headcount refers to the process of accurately counting and documenting the number of immigrant students in your Public School Unit (PSU). For the purposes of education, the federal definition of an immigrant student is specific:
An immigrant student is defined as an individual who:
- Is aged 3 through 21
- Was not born in any State of the United States
- Has not been attending one or more schools in any one or more States for more than 3 full academic years
Conducting an immigrant headcount is crucial for several reasons:
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Resource Allocation: It helps schools and districts determine the resources needed to support immigrant students.
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Program Planning: Accurate data allows for the development of targeted programs and services.
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Funding: Many educational funding opportunities are based on the number of immigrant students served.
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Compliance: It ensures schools meet federal and state requirements for serving immigrant students
Immigrant Headcounts must be submitted by October 7th. We are offering Immigrant Headcount Review sessions.
The sessions will be recorded and made available by September 20, 2024.
School Attendance and Student Accounting (SASA) Manual UPDATE - Must have resource for attendance and enrollment/withdraw questions!
The SASA Manual was amended to implement pertinent legislation, funding in arrears, and the new Student Information System (SIS). Revisions include the admission of out-of-state and foreign exchange students to charter schools, withdrawing students from school, coding attendance on individual student make-up days, the class size waiver request process, guidance about eligibility for use of a modified school calendar, retention of digitized student records, and assignment of Student User Identification numbers. Information about the addition of Pre-K ADM to the K–13 ADM for purposes of school principal salary calculation was added as well; changes to the Principal Salary Schedule are effective January 2025 and will be brought before the Board in the fall for final approval.
2024 Updated SASA-Manual
School Business - September 12, 2024
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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. Please review the upcoming deadlines for due dates.
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Reminder: Federal Grants Ending on or Before Sept 30, 2024
Please be reminded that there are several federal grants that are now allocated and must be accounted for by grant year whose period of performance ends on or before September 30, 2024. The list of grants has also been posted to our What's New page. Please review your federal allotments to ensure you have expended those funds before those grants end. This includes ensuring you have recorded all expenditures and if needed eligible encumbrances to the appropriate grant year in your system.
Reminder: Grant year reporting means that expenditures and cash draws are all accounted by grant year for the federal grant funds. These must align. Please work with your software vendors if you are still unclear how to appropriately account for these funds using the new grant year code segment in the Chart of Accounts (COA).
Allotments Updates
Upcoming Allotments
The following items of interest are scheduled for allotment in the next 2 weeks:
- Allocations as determined by the Office of Digital Teaching and Learning:
- PRC 030 Digital Learning Initiative Grant
- PRC 078 DLI Digital Literacy Solution
- PRC 140 School Bus Safety Pilot Program FY23-24 Carryover Allotment
- PRC 017 CTE Program Improvement – Grant Year 2025 Initial Allotment
- Various Federal PRCs – Grant Year 2024 Reallocations of Unallotted Funds
New on the Web - All PSUs
The State Initial formula sheet and the IPS dollars per ADM have been published on the What’s New page.
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OCS Virtual Office Hours: ESSER Audit Findings Webinar - IPS Only
Reminder: On September 17, 2024, the Monitoring and Compliance section will be joining with the Office of Charter Schools to present findings from the construction and Davis-Bacon compliance reviews. The webinar will focus on compliance requirements related to construction and Davis-Bacon and will offer recommendations to remedy any noncompliance issues. All Charter Schools are encouraged to attend.
Please RSVP to receive the meeting link.
Athletic Funds Survey - All PSUs
The deadline for the athletic funds survey has been extended to Monday, September 30, 2024. The link
and a PDF of the survey have been posted to our What’s New webpage.
The survey applies to all high schools that participate in interscholastic athletics. Data is being collected for
FY2023-24 funds accounted for through the PSU's general ledger only. This would not include 3rd party
funds that do not flow through the PSU's general ledger.
From the Office of Exceptional Children - All PSUs
CHANGE IN PROCESS: Child Count Transfer - NCDPI School Allotment
During the August EC Administrators Webinar, information was shared regarding the change in this process (slide 10). As a reminder, previously the Child Count Transfer system was used to account for students with disabilities that moved between PSUs during the first 60 school days to ensure that funding followed students.
For this school year, NCDPI will utilize ECATS as the authoritative source for this purpose. No action is required from PSUs at this time other than the normal activities associated with enrolling students, requesting records, and implementing current IEPs.
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Deadline Reminders
ALL PSUs
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DUE DATE
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TOPIC
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NEWSLETTER
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09/30/2024
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Athletic Funds Survey
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08/29/2024
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11/01/2024
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Cleaner Classrooms for Carolina Kids Enrollment
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01/05/2024
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Beginning Teacher of the Year Nominations
As a reminder, all nominations for the NCCAT 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Beginning Teacher of the Year selection process are due by Tuesday, October 1st. If you have not already, please submit your nominee at this link. For award guidelines, the portfolio application, and other information you may visit www.nccat.org/btoy or contact Emily Langdon at emily.langdon@nccat.org with any questions.
Additionally, attached you will find a blank press release that you can use when announcing your BTOY nominee and the process for communicating with NCCAT’s Public Information Officer. We love being able to share your social media posts so please reach out to Todd Vinyard and todd.vinyard@nccat.org if you have any questions regarding social media. We will share an additional press release for the 27 finalists once they are announced in December.
 Beginning Teacher Badge at NCCAT Cullowhee:
Beginning teachers can earn an NCCAT Beginning Teacher Badge by completing all 4 sessions in the series. Please visit www.nccat.org to register. Dates: September 16 -19, 2024.
OCR_CRDC SY2324 Getting Started – Canvas Course
Note: PSUs that were not open in the school year 2023-24 are not required to participate in this collection.
NC CRDC SY 23-24 Canvas Course – Now Open
The NC CRDC SY 2023-24 Canvas Course is now open. The previous course was closed on Monday, September 9, 2024. Previous enrollees have been migrated to the new course, and an invitation was sent to each participant via the Canvas system.
The new course is divided into modules that build concepts step by step. It outlines the responsibilities of PSUs and explains how NCDPI assists with pre-populating data. The course must be completed in order during the first access, but afterward, users can navigate freely between modules. Quizzes are included to reinforce understanding and serve as verification—there are no penalties, but they help ensure participants stay on track.
Course Announcements will provide a less formal communication method, while official messages from NCDPI will still be sent directly to CRDC Coordinators.
NC-specific documentation for the CRDC process will be housed within the course. Examples include the CRDC Collection By Entity Excel document, which informs CRDC Coordinators and designees of the data NCDPI will pre-populate when the submission window opens, as well as presentations used during face-to-face and webinar sessions. Webinar recordings will also be available in the course. Additionally, the CRDC SY 2023-24 course provides more information on the error resolution process within the Federal Submission Tool and includes references to relevant federal source documentation for each topic.
A course calendar is available and will list key events such as conferences, webinar invites and the submission window time frame. Check the calendar frequently for updates.
SY2023-24 CRDC Federal Submission Window
The OCR has announced that the Federal Submission Tool will be open from December 9, 2024, through March 7, 2025. These dates are subject to change. The 2023-24 LEA and School forms have been published. For more information, visit the Civil Rights Data Collection Resource Center.
CRDC Support
Immunization and Health Assessment Compliance Reporting
Each year, all schools are required to report the immunization status of their kindergarten, 7th grade and 12th 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: 2024-2025 Annual K-12 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, 2024 but may be completed at any time prior to that date. Important Resources for Charter Schools: (Please Read)
Please click on each link.
Charter School Epinephrine Memo
Charter School Diabetes Memo
North Carolina Foster Care Education Program
Updating Contact Information for Foster Care Point of Contact
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires all LEAs to appoint a local foster care point of contact (POC) to support the educational needs of their students in foster care. To ensure that your charter’s foster care POC is receiving communications from our office please review the NC Foster Care Local POC Directory. If the contact information is incorrect, the NC Foster Care Local POC Form should be completed as soon as possible.
New State Coordinator for the Foster Care Education Program
Join us in congratulating Dr. Yatisha Q. Blythe as she begins her new position as North Carolina’s State Coordinator for the Education of Children and Youth in Foster Care. Dr. Blythe’s 20-year career in education has been dedicated to supporting and advocating for children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness and involvement with child welfare agencies.
Serving as the state technical assistance center, the NCFCEP remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring state policies align with federal law. This is manifested through our provision of comprehensive technical assistance and guidance to local foster care education POCs, and efforts to disseminate informational and awareness materials to educators and various community stakeholders across North Carolina. For any inquiries, suggestions, or feedback, please contact Dr. Blythe at yqblythe@serve.org.
NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) is offering free Digital Transition professional development webinars for educators during the month of September:
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September 12th at 4:00 pm - Finding and Creating Captions Everyone Can Use
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September 18th at 5:00 pm - AI SERIES: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Your Daily Lessons
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September 19th at 4:00 pm - Science Labs in a Digital World
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September 24th at 7:00 pm - WORLD LANGUAGE: Building Cultural Competence in the World Language Classroom
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September 26th at 4:00 pm - Personalized Learning in Canvas
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September 30th at 5:00 pm - CTE SERIES: Behavior Management in Career & Technical Education
CEUs are available. Visit the NCVPS Digital Transitions website for registration links and archived recordings of sessions!
EVAAS Training announcement
In collaboration with NCDPI, EVAAS is pleased to announce an exciting new training event: EVAAS University.
This in-depth learning opportunity will enable educators to build capacity in school districts across NC. Attendees will be selected from an applicant pool, prioritizing participants who can serve as leaders for data-informed education in their districts.
Find additional information about EVAAS University here: https://ncdpi.sas.com/support/NC-EVAAS-U-Flyer.pdf
We look forward to seeing you soon!
 Start With Hello Week
Sept. 16-20 is Start With Hello Week, which is dedicated to making new social connections and creating a sense of belonging among youth. The Start With Hello program teaches students to be more socially inclusive and connected to one another and empowers them to end social isolation.
The Center for Safer Schools will have posts on its social media channels in support of Start With Hello Week. Public school units are encouraged to share posts using the hashtags #StartWithHello and #StartWithHelloWeek.
Click here for more information on the Start With Hello program and to register your PSU for Start With Hello Week. -
SRP/SRM Workshop
The Center for Safer Schools will host a Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Method Train the Trainer Workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The training, held in partnership with the I Love U Guys Foundation, will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the James Garner Center, 211 Burnette St., Troy, N.C.
SRP and SRM are used for crisis response and post-crisis reunification. The Train the Trainer Workshop introduces participants to the history, concepts and functionality of SRP and SRM and how to train the programs internally.
After learning about the five actions of the Standard Response Protocol, and their associated directives, participants will be able to implement the program and enhance their school safety plans.
Participants also will gain an understanding of the methods for planning, practicing and achieving a successful reunification using the Standard Reunification Method. They will have the ability to organize a reunification team in their school and create a reunification plan.
The workshop is open to school safety directors and support staff. Safety directors and their respective “think partners” (school administrators, law enforcement, etc.) are encouraged to attend together.
Click here to register. If you have questions, send an email to cfss@dpi.nc.gov. -
Peer-to-Peer Support
The Center for Safer Schools is providing a guidance document designed to assist public school units with the creation, adoption and implementation of peer-to-peer programming, in accordance with Session Law 2023-78/House Bill 605. The document is a tool for PSUs to help support their peer-to-peer programming processes and understand the program opportunities offered by the CFSS. This guide provides a framework and resources for PSUs while emphasizing the importance of local adaptation and legal compliance. This guidance should be adapted based on specific needs, legal advice and evolving best practices particular to each district or charter school.
The guide also provides resources for specialized instructional. The CFSS is providing resources to implement Mental Health First Aid, SAVE Promise Club, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System and Start With Hello.
The guidance document is available here. For more information, email cfss@dpi.nc.gov. -
Executive Director Tours
Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley is touring North Carolina school districts and charter schools and would like to see anything they want to showcase regarding school safety. For school districts, this includes stops at an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. She also would like to take time to talk with a small group of students.
To schedule a tour, send an email to cfss@dpi.nc.gov. Tours requested but not completed during the 2023-2024 school year will get priority this school year.
Thank you for your patience as she does what she can to get to as many public school units as possible.
Honors regional PD opportunities open to all PSUs
In this session, participants will delve into the components of the new honors policy and learn how to evaluate current honors-level courses to ensure they meet the required depth and complexity. They will explore the Honors Level Course Development and Evaluation Tool and other resources while receiving guidance on policy implementation. Additionally, participants will deepen their knowledge of advanced learning indicators and engage with best-practice instructional strategies that support honors-level coursework.
Bring a team of 4-5 people who are involved with overseeing honors implementation in the district. Consider the roles of CAOs, Instructional coaches, high school principals and APs, lead teachers, etc. This PD is a “train-the-trainer” model.
Flyer & Registration Link:
New Homeless Liaison Training
The North Carolina Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) will be hosting the New Homeless Liaison Training for Charter Schools on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. This training will be held in-person on the UNCG campus in the Elliott University Center. Homeless liaisons with two-years or less experience should attend this required training.
Prerequisites for Participation:
Note: It is vital for this resource to be reviewed otherwise, effective participation in the training session will be limited.
Registration for the training is required. REGISTER HERE
If you have questions about registration or this training, please contact their EHCY Program Administrator, Savannah Gay.
New Pilot Program – NC College Connect – Launches to Increase College Access for North Carolina Students
Today, the University of North Carolina System introduced NC College Connect, a simplified college application process for North Carolina public high school students in their senior year. The new program will enable qualifying students to bypass the traditional application process into participating colleges.
NC College Connect creates a simple, easy way for students to apply to participating UNC System and North Carolina Community College System institutions across the state. North Carolina public high school students who close their junior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above will qualify for the pilot program. Qualifying students must maintain a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to meeting the state’s graduation requirements as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and UNC System minimum requirements. ...
'It’s well known that one of the major barriers to students pursuing college is the application process,' said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt. 'NC College Connect removes this hurdle, offering a streamlined and simplified way for our state’s future workforce to pursue their degree.'”
Read the full press release to learn more.
*NEW* 24-25 Office of Academic Standards Statewide Supports Document
The Office of Academic Standards is excited to share a yearlong look of upcoming webinars, resources, and leaders’ meetings. This link will stay live and will be periodically updated. The date in the footer will indicate the latest update. Please share!
Regional Standards PD/Direct Admissions Dates and Registration
A new school year is on the horizon and wishing each of you a successful 2024-25 school year as you lead school counselors in their work! Below you will find the registration links for the regional professional development sessions for the new NC Student Success Standards. Again, we will train district leadership and/or designated appointees by the districts, utilizing a "train the trainer" model. We ask that all districts send one designated designee for each grade level (elementary, middle, and high school) who will be responsible for training their district school counselors for that level. District leaders are also able to join this session if you are not already the designee. Please sign up for dates that are for your region due to limited facility capacities.
In addition, we will provide afternoon sessions for the new admission initiative for NC that will begin its roll out phase in the fall on the same day. Be prepared for a full day, from 9-3pm of training.
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DATE
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REGION
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LOCATION
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September 17th
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Northwest
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Olive Hill Resource Center
509 W. Concord St.
Morganton 28655
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September 18th
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West
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Western RESA
200 Ridgefield Ct. Suite 206
Asheville, NC 28806
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September 24th
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Southwest
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Mooresville Intermediate School
1438 Coddle Creek Hwy
Mooresville, NC 28115
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September 25th
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Piedmont-Triad
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JB & Claire Davis Corporate Training Center at Randolph Community College
413 Industrial Park Ave, Asheboro, NC 27205
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October 1st
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Northcentral
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North Carolina Department Public Instruction
301 N. Wilmington Street, Raleigh NC
Room 150
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October 2nd
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Southeast
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Spencer Board Room
New Hanover County Schools
Dale K. Spencer Building
1802 South 15th Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
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Continue have a wonderful week!
Kisha Bryant, Ed.D.
School Counseling Consultant
Healthy Schools and Specialized Instructional Support
Office of Academic Standards
NC Department of Public Instruction
P: (984) 236-2820
kisha.bryant@dpi.nc.gov
North Carolina Public Schools Exceptional Children Information for Parents Update
Human Capital Monthly Webinars held by the Office of Licensure and Educator Preparation
Hosted by Dr. Tom Tomberlin, Senior Director, Educator Preparation, Licensure, and Performance, NCDPI
Dates:
October 4
November 8
December 6
Time: 10:30-11:30am
Virtual Link:
Kim Evans' Personal Room
Important MEMOs:
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