Accessibility Resources in Canvas

• Accessibility Toolkit
• From Guidelines to Practice: Making Learning More Accessible in Canvas Through Templating
• Accessibility Considerations When Designing Canvas Courses Guidelines
• Course Accessibility Checker- This much-anticipated release is a course-level tool to identify, remediate, and validate accessibility issues in Canvas-created content at the course level. It is now available, enabled by default.

IgniteAI Announcements

• Ignite AI Features
  • Canvas will now have tiers of AI products, with some being paid features. Please see the information below on what features are included.
  • Ignite AI Tiers Website

Reach out to your CSM if you would like to request pricing information for upgraded tiers.

Canvas Release Notes and Product Updates

• Revised CLASS Document
• CLASS document
• Upcoming
• Canvas Collaborative Roadmap
• Deploy Notes
• Canvas Deploy Notes 8/12/26
• Release Notes
• Canvas Release Notes 8/15/26
• State-Wide Call
• Occurs every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Registration link to join monthly calls.

Supporting new teachers with NCSIS

Need training resources for new teachers? Check out this resource for links to Knowledge Base articles and videos, practice tasks to try, and professional development presentations. Link to training resource doc.

AI Strand at the NCED Connect Symposium

Join education leaders, educators, and support staff for three days focused on practical AI implementation in K–12 education. 

• Day 1, September 29, will feature leadership and vision workshops on developing or updating PSU AI guidelines and creating an AI implementation plan. 
• Day 2, September 30, will shift to implementation, including a morning Student AI Design Challenge and an afternoon PSU AI Implementation Expo and Student Showcase. 
• Your experience is needed at the PSU AI Implementation Expo!  Come share your AI implementation work, including policy and guidelines, custom tools, professional learning, classroom practices, community engagement, privacy and accessibility efforts, or student-led solutions with educators, leaders, and partners from across the state. ⭐Sign up to participate by 8.28.26!⭐

Throughout all three days, concurrent sessions will explore AI-related topics such as instruction, governance, cybersecurity, and emerging practices.

AI Professional Learning Opportunities

AI Literacy Canvas Courses | Piloting Now

• Human-Centered AI for Educators: Moving from Awareness to Fluency pilot is beginning this fall with selected PSUs and will be released for general use later this year.
• This course is the first in a three-course series. The next two courses will focus on school administrators and district leaders and will be released later this year.
• More information to come!

AI Literacy Webinars from Digital Learning & School Connectivity | Registration: go.ncdpi.gov/AIwebinar

• Weds 8/19/26 - What School is For: Same Mission, New Terrain with Meredith Ward Hill
• The purpose of school has not changed. For 2,500 years, the mission has been the same: prepare people to think, engage, and contribute to the society they live in. AI doesn't change that, it confirms it. As the jobs we prepare students for change faster than our curriculum can follow, the human development at the heart of that mission matters more than ever. This session is about leading from that mission with clarity, confidence, and optimism.
• Weds 9/2/26 - AI by Design: Matching AI Use to Learning Goals with the Friday Institute
• When does AI support learning, and when does it get in the way? Educators need to make evidence-informed decisions about when AI supports student thinking, when it may shortcut the learning, and how classroom use should connect to clear instructional goals. In this session, participants will examine examples of AI use and consider what makes each use meaningful, questionable, or worth redesigning. Together, we will explore ways to align AI use with learning goals, protect student thinking, and design classroom experiences that are intentional and grounded in what we know about teaching and learning.
• Weds 9/16/26 - Partnering with Families: Creating Shared Expectations for Learning in an AI World with the Friday Institute
• Strong partnerships between schools and families have always been essential to student success, but today's conversations about learning are becoming increasingly complex. Questions about artificial intelligence are now woven into broader discussions about homework, independence, critical thinking, creativity, and academic integrity. This session will explore practical approaches for building trust, creating shared expectations for learning, and engaging families in meaningful conversations that support students' growth both in and beyond the classroom.
• Weds 9/30/26 - One Conference, Many Schools: What NC Principals Learned at ISTE with Stacy Lovdahl and the North Carolina Principals of the Year
• This candid panel discussion will highlight the ideas, questions, and practices the NC Principals of the Year brought home from ISTE. Through a series of conversation rounds, panelists will share diverse perspectives on what stood out, what translates to North Carolina schools, and what school leaders should be considering as they navigate technology, innovation, and instructional change. The session will conclude with a lightning round highlighting one idea each principal wants fellow North Carolina school leaders to consider this year.

Microcredentials | More information: https://go.ncdpi.gov/MCHandbook 

• For Teachers: 
  • AI for Educators: Introduces educators to how AI works and supports the use of AI in their daily workflows
  • Teaching Basic AI Literacy in the Classroom: Available by grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). Teaches educators how to design age-appropriate learning experiences, introducing AI concepts that foster critical thinking and develop digital literacy.
  • Data Privacy: Helps educators understand data privacy laws, evaluate digital tools, protect student information, and foster a culture of digital responsibility

• For Students:
  • AI Literacy and Ethics
  • K-2: Exploring AI in Everyday Life Safely
  • 3-5: Building Responsibility with AI
  • 6-8: Safe Use of AI Tools
  • 9-12: Career Ready Use of AI

Leaders of School Libraries – join us for our gathering + a BOGO special for NCEdConnect

• DL&SC Library Leaders Gathering is set for September 28 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, from 2pm-4pm. Registration is open using this direct invitation link on Eventbrite.
• Want to help shape this meeting? Give input here or email Mollee
• There will be a virtual option the following week, October 8 for those who cannot travel on Sept. 28 
• The intended audience for this gathering is district-level Librarians/leaders of school librarians. 
• You do NOT need to be registered for the NCEd Connect Symposium to attend the Library Leaders Gathering on Monday afternoon
• NCED Connect Symposium Media Leader Package: Buy 1 individual registration, get 1 SLMC registration for free! This offer ends Aug 28; Use BOGOBOOKBUDDY in the promo code box and hit apply to get the BOGO deal when registering and plan to enter info for both people at the same time. If you need help or shift registered SLMC name at a different time, email Mollee.Holloman@dpi.nc.gov

What's New in NCEES?

• What’s New In NCEES for 2026-2027! 

SPECIAL NOTE: During its July meeting, the State Board of Education approved revisions to Policy EVAL‑004, now titled the North Carolina Educator Evaluation Process, with changes effective immediately. The updates respond to LEA feedback, clarify evaluation expectations, and ensure alignment with current statute and administrative code.

• NC SBE Policy EVAL-004 Amendments (7.9.26)

• View Policy EVAL-004: North Carolina Educator Evaluation Process

NCEES 2025-2026 End of Year (EOY) Process was completed on 6/30/2026

The 2025-2026 plans have been archived and can no longer be edited.

Number of Plans Archived, Complete or Incomplete: 216,984

• Abbreviated 46,703 Archived (44,997 Complete | 1,706 Incomplete)
• Comprehensive 22,262 Archived (20,744 Complete | 1,518 Incomplete)
• Standard 33,037 Archived (31,114 Complete | 1,923 Incomplete)
• Late Hire 1,286 Archived (1,090 Complete | 196 Incomplete)
• Professional Development Plans 104,215 Archived (99,998 Complete | 4,217 Incomplete)
• Principal/AP 7,630 Archived  (5,052 Complete | 2,578 Incomplete)
• Central Office 424 Archived  (207 Complete | 217 Incomplete)
• Nurse/OT/PT/SLP 1,426 Archived  (1,129 Complete | 297 Incomplete)

Staff may view their archived plans by navigating to:

• My Evaluation > Archived Evaluations  (Staff remaining at the same location)

• My Evaluation > Deactivated Evaluations (Staff new in the district; their previous district's archived plans are located here)

Administrators with access to plans can view past-year plans by navigating to Staff Evaluations and in the Evaluation Participation Dashboard, clicking the three stacked lines beside All plans for Evaluation. Scroll to Archived plans and select the plan type/year to view.

Thank you for the successful completion of the 2025-2026 School Year in NCEES!

The NCEES Team

Fall 2026 NCEES Face-to-Face Training for New Administrators

The NCDPI NCEES Team is pleased to share an opportunity for new administrators to participate in face-to-face NCEES training sessions in their regions this October. These sessions are designed to support principals and assistant principals in strengthening their understanding and use of the evaluation system.

Session Title: NCEES Training: Educator Evaluations for School Admins

Presented by: NCDPI Regional Education Facilitators (REFs) and NCEES Team

Session Description: In this in-person session, principals, assistant principals, and NCEES site administrators will explore critical NCEES policies and best practices to streamline leadership workflows and elevate the evaluation process. 

Participants will gain practical skills to:

• Provide targeted, growth-oriented feedback using rubric-based language.
• Efficiently manage user access rights and assign evaluation plans.
• Navigate the staff evaluation dashboard and generate reports.
• Identify and resolve common NCEES pain points and technical hurdles.

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Lesson Plans

Click on the TEACHERS RESOURCES DATABASE and explore various Lesson Plans on topics such as: Biology, Environmental Science, Math, and History. There are 19 topics to choose from.

EBSCO Webinars 2026-27

These sessions provide opportunities for educators and staff to learn more about EBSCO resources, explore helpful features and tools, and discover ways to support teaching and learning. Be sure to check out the 2026-27 EBSCO webinar information for upcoming sessions and details.

Digital Accessibility: Building Accessibility Into Everyday Work

Accessibility is part of the work, not an extra step. The NCDPI Digital Accessibility webpage is being reorganized and updated to make information easier to find and to reflect current compliance timelines, resources and supports. Staff are encouraged to visit the updated page and check back as additional guidance and resources are added.

The page includes information to help staff and Public School Units create accessible digital content, coordinate accessibility work, purchase or manage digital technology, understand related laws and standards, and find additional learning opportunities.

Learn More: NCDIT A11y Community of Practice

The N.C. Department of Information Technology hosts a monthly Digital Accessibility Community of Practice, also known as the A11y CoP. This group is open to anyone interested in learning more about digital accessibility, whether they are new to the topic or already working in this area.

The next meeting will be held Tuesday, August 25, from 11 a.m. to noon. This month’s presentation will focus on creating accessible tables, including practical considerations for making tables easier to understand, navigate and use.

Please consider joining the NCDIT A11y Community of Practice and sharing this opportunity with colleagues who create, review, purchase or share digital content.

Try This Accessibility Habit: Write Better Alt Text

Alternative text, or alt text, helps people understand the purpose of an image when they cannot see it or when the image does not load. Good alt text is not just a description of every visible detail. It should communicate what the image means in context.

Before writing alt text, ask: What would someone miss if this image were not described?

For example, a decorative image may not need detailed alt text. A chart, screenshot or instructional image may need enough description to communicate the key information. A photo used to tell a story or create connection may need more than a simple label.

Less helpful: Image of students.

More helpful: Students working together at a table during a hands-on science activity.

When adding images to documents, presentations, Canvas pages, websites or newsletters, take a moment to write alt text that helps the reader understand why the image is included.

If you would like to take a deeper dive into Alt Text read this article by Dax Castro: Beyond the Veil When Good Alt Text Breaks the Rules

Resource Spotlight: NCADEMI

The National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction, or NCADEMI (pronounced “N-cademy”), offers resources to support accessible digital educational materials and instruction in PreK–12 settings.

This work connects directly to broader digital accessibility efforts. Accessible Educational Materials and ADA Title II digital accessibility requirements are not the same thing, but they share an important goal: making sure people with disabilities can access, use and participate in digital learning, information, programs and services.

When staff build accessibility into instructional materials, documents, presentations, websites, forms and digital tools from the beginning, it reduces barriers for students, families, educators and community members. It also helps create stronger habits and systems that support Title II readiness over time.

Staff who create or support digital learning materials are encouraged to explore NCADEMI as a resource for learning more about accessible digital educational materials and instruction