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Contents:
As Oklahoma witnesses a significant escalation in COVID-19 cases, it is critical for our children and families that schools remain open and safely offering face-to-face instruction to ensure the mental well-being of students and guard against any further learning loss.
Sensible COVID mitigation practices help in these efforts, and so school districts should be aware of new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding quarantine and isolation.
Specifically, the updated guidance has shortened the recommended periods of isolation (when an individual tests positive for COVID) and quarantine (when an individual has been in close contact with a positive exposure).
The guidance states:
“Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter…
“Additionally, CDC is updating the recommended quarantine period for anyone in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19. For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose … and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days.”—CDC (Dec. 27, 2021)
Hopefully this modified guidance can significantly reduce disruption to instruction and make it easier for districts to ensure a safe learning environment.
Moreover, the Oklahoma State Department of Education, in collaboration with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, has resources to help keep schools open safely. The Oklahoma Schools COVID-19 Prevention Project 723 provides free, in-school COVID testing to students. Participation is optional and is open for students with parental permission. Participating schools are also eligible to receive reimbursement for other supplies to implement COVID mitigation strategies.
The state’s COVID cases have nearly doubled since most students were last in the classroom in mid-December. Commonsense vigilance is helpful. By following CDC’s recommended guidance on isolation and quarantine, we can start 2022 on the right track for our students, families and staff.
 View the OSDE Reporting Requirements Calendar for upcoming deadlines and reporting details.
Each year, OSDE completes a report on the Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA) for the Oklahoma Legislature. Data from this report is used to determine what, if any, additional policies and/or resources are needed to ensure all students receive the reading instruction they need to be successful.
In order to provide valuable and accurate information for this report, we need the help of Oklahoma teachers and administrators. If you work with students in any grade(s) between kindergarten and fifth grade for reading instruction, please take a few moments to complete the survey below.
Access the survey here.
The survey is completely anonymous and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
The survey will remain open until close-of-business Jan. 14. Thank you for participating.
If you have questions, contact Ashley Moore at ashley.moore@sde.ok.gov.
The Office of Accountability opened the Enrollment Graduation Data Review process through the Accountability Reporting application in Single Sign-On on Dec. 14. The Enrollment Graduation Data Review process closes Jan. 17 at 5 p.m.
To prepare for this Enrollment Graduation Data Review process, the Office of Accountability has prepared a step-by-step guidance document to help navigate this report.
We greatly appreciate your attention to all graduation-related reports, as graduation rates serve as an essential measure of how well schools support all students in obtaining their diplomas.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Accountability at accountability@sde.ok.gov.
Districts must report data and migrant student records through the MIS 2000 System by Jan. 28.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Federal Programs at (405) 521-2846.
The Certified and Support Personnel Reports and the Online Directory are open for mid-year adjustments. All reports must be certified by Feb. 1.
Download the Mid-Year School Personnel Report letter for instructions, important mid-year requirements and other helpful personnel reporting information.
If you have questions, contact Heather Young at heather.young@sde.ok.gov.
Districts are required to consult with non-public schools prior to completing the packet. All districts must submit an FY23 Equitable Services Packet.
View and download the packet here.
Email completed packets by Feb. 4 to EquitableServicesPac@sde.ok.gov.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Federal Programs at (405) 521-2846.
TeleEDGE offers ongoing, virtual professional development to Oklahoma educators, who learn through case-based studies and rich discussions about how to use a system of assessment to move learning forward. TeleEDGE networks allow participants a real-time option to learn and share with fellow educators across the state. TeleEDGE will virtually meet the second Thursday of each month.
Connecting Lexile Scores to Move Learning Forward and Support Career Planning
Jan. 13, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Jane Scott from MetaMetrics® will share how Lexile scores on different assessments are connected, how to navigate the MetaMetrics® website to access free tools and how to connect Lexile scores with career planning.
Register here
Once registered, you will receive meeting details and the Zoom link.
 Oklahoma PTA has partnered with statewide education and parent organizations to plan Take Your Legislator to School Week, Jan. 24-28.
The goal of this outreach event is to foster connections between legislators and public schools by giving legislators the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time (3+ hours) in a school setting where they can see the challenges and triumphs of the average school day.
View suggested activities and a sample schedule here.
The FY22 revised allocations have been posted in GMS for the following Consolidated Application programs: Title I A-511, Title I A Neglected-518, Title IA Subpart 2 Delinquent-532, Title IIA-541 and Title IVA-552. All LEAs must create an amendment to budget the revised funds. Once the application has been approved, a new allocation notice will be created.
The FY22 ARP-ESSER III additional allocations have been posted in GMS. All LEAs must create an application amendment to update the budget.
The FY22 CRRSA-ESSER II additional allocations have been posted in GMS. LEAs do not have to create an application amendment. LEAs can locate the additional funds by opening and viewing the payment summary page in GMS.
If you need additional information, please contact Kay Townsend, Michelle Dunn or the LEA reviewer in the Office of Federal Programs at (405) 521-2846.
The English Language Proficiency (ELP) annual assessment window opens Jan. 10 and closes March 25.
Zoom Call
The Office of English Language Proficiency will host a webinar this Thursday from 10-11 a.m. to discuss important updates and reminders related to WIDA annual testing. District Testing Coordinator participation is strongly recommended.
Register here
More Information
View the recent English Learners newsletter for information and instructions regarding the following:
- Conflicts in the Accountability Reporting Application and how to correct them
- Test administration materials and delivery dates
- New enrollments during the testing window
- ELP assessment irregularity reporting
If you have questions, contact Janna Corn at janna.corn@sde.ok.gov or Yuseli Freire at yuseli.freire@sde.ok.gov.
Beginning Friday, the updated list of approved state textbooks/instructional materials for Elementary (Grades PK-5) English Language Arts (ELA) and PK-12 Computer Science and Technology Education will be available on the OSDE High-Quality Instructional Materials webpage.
The new state textbook/instructional material lists include evaluation rubrics completed by content area experts in the state. Districts can use these rubrics alongside their own data and local-level priorities to identify instructional materials appropriate for their district.
State-approved comprehensive materials are those with an overall rating of "Exemplifies Quality" or "Approaching Quality." All supplementary materials listed are considered state-approved and will not include a corresponding completed evaluation rubric. Supplementary materials should be reviewed by local textbook committees to ensure the materials support high-quality instruction and selected comprehensive materials.
To learn more about the new evaluation process for the State Textbook Committee, visit the Review Process webpage.
More Information
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Instructional Materials/Textbook Caravan: The Oklahoma Educational Publishers Association sponsors the annual textbook caravan, an event that allows educators to preview state-approved materials. Pre-registration is not required. The first scheduled date is Jan. 11. View the caravan schedule, or learn more about the caravan here.
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Secondary English Language Arts: The secondary (Grades 6-12) ELA and PK-12 World Languages Other Than English state review for SY 2023-24 is scheduled for this year. Districts that need to supplement secondary ELA for the 2022-23 school year can complete a waiver for textbook funding flexibility. Click here to download and complete the waiver as directed. The waiver request must be submitted before the end of the 2021-22 school year and approved by the State Board of Education.
- All instructional material resources are now located at https://sde.ok.gov/hqim. There is a webinar tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 19 to learn more about the instructional material review process. Additional details about the webinar will be provided at a later date.
If you have questions, contact Rebecca Morales at rebecca.morales@sde.ok.gov.
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