Superintendents and other school administrators,

Below are messages from various offices at the State Department of Education. Please share with appropriate administrators and other staff members.

Contents:

• Child Nutrition Summer Programs and Seamless Summer Option
• Child Nutrition Equipment Grants
• Child Nutrition Community Eligibility Provision Videoconferences
• Science Assessments Spring 2014 Update and FAQ
  
• Oklahoma School Security Institute Training
• School Improvement Grants
• Safe Schools and Bullying Prevention Act Training

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Child Nutrition

Child Nutrition Summer Program and Seamless Summer Option

Even though school is currently in session, summer months are right around the corner. School districts need to consider how their students will enjoy nutritious meals when school is out of session. There are two options for feeding students in the summer:

• Summer Food Service Program: If your district wants to receive high reimbursement rates for the meals it serves this summer, consider participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Reimbursement rates are almost $1 higher for each meal type (breakfast, lunch/supper or snack), and the new meal pattern is NOT required. Therefore, meals cost a lot less, and the district receives more reimbursement! If you are interested in this, you must register for one of the videoconferences on the following dates:
  • March 5
  • March 12
  • March 26
  • March 27

  For more information, contact Linda Wren in the Child Nutrition office at (405) 521-3327.

• Seamless Summer Option: Although a district is required to follow the new meal pattern and the reimbursement is not as high as the Summer Food Service Program’s, the Seamless Summer Option is still a good alternative for feeding students in the summer. No videoconferences are required to participate. The Seamless Summer Option is basically an extension of the National School Lunch/School Breakfast Programs when school is not in session. Please contact Judy Smith in the Child Nutrition office at (405) 521-3327 for application access in the Child Nutrition eClaims System.

Child Nutrition Equipment Grants 

The Oklahoma State Department of Education has received a $352,630 grant for schools to use for the purchase of much needed kitchen equipment. As part of the award process, Child Nutrition Programs must make awards via a competitive grant process. School sites given priority will include schools in underserved areas, schools with limited access to other resources, and the age of current food service equipment. Schools where 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals are also a priority. Schools that received a previous Equipment Assistance grant award (e.g., ARRA and the FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act) will not be considered.

The Child Nutrition eClaims System will have a link to the left of the home page in the blue box. The link should go live sometime this week. The deadline to apply is May 15, with actual awards occurring after July 1, 2014. For more information, call the Child Nutrition office at (405) 521-3327. 

Child Nutrition Community Eligibility Provision Videoconferences

Mark your calendar now, and register for one of the upcoming videoconferences concerning the new Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) in Child Nutrition Programs. This new provision will rid schools of some very basic Child Nutrition paperwork. Come hear all about it during one of the videoconferences scheduled for the following dates:

• March 6
• March 7
• March 11

Register here: http://www.ok.gov/sde/events/event-categories/videoconference

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Science Assessments  

Superintendents, principals, district test coordinators, the Office of Accountability and Assessments provides this update on state science assessments and addresses some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Spring 2014 Update: 

Based upon feedback and recommendations from the Content Bias Review Committee, Biology Formula Reference Sheets will be included for the Spring 2014 Biology EOI for ALL students.  The reference sheet will be provided by CTB as a separate sheet of paper for both online testers and paper/pencil testers. The reference sheet is based upon page 48 of the Biology Test & Item Specifications. The provided formulas for calculating averages, population growth rates, probabilities, etc. are representative of formulas frequently encountered in biology instruction. 

Biology Formula Sheet: http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Biology_Formula_Sheet.pdf

Science Assessment FAQ: 

• Science assessments will continue to be aligned to the current Oklahoma Academic Standards (2011) in 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.
• The newly revised science standards are in draft form and have not been adopted yet. Assessments aligned to the new science standards are expected in 2016-2017. View the draft standards here: http://www.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/DRAFT_Science%20Standards-12-13-13e.pdf
• Science assessments will continue to be given for grades/subjects 5, 8, and Biology 1.
• Students might have a passage and questions on their Reading test (grades 6-8) or English II/III test in 2014-2015 that requires them to respond to an informational text about science. The literacy assessed on the English exam in 2014-2015 will only assess students’ literacy skills associated with informational text in science. The students will not be assessed on science content on the Reading/ English state assessments.

For more information, contact the Office of Accountability and Assessments at (405) 521-3341.

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Oklahoma School Security Institute Training

The Oklahoma School Security Institute is offering the following training, including the new executive course for superintendents, school board members and principals. There is a class in Norman next week, and Tulsa and Atoka the following week.

You can register for the Executive Course on the website, www.schoolsecurity.ok.gov

• Executive Course
  A four-hour training course designed for superintendents, principals, school board members and key staff to give them the information to oversee their safety and security program. Gives a brief overview of the School Security Assessment program, the School Emergency Operation Plan Course and other courses offered.
  • March 04, Moore-Norman Technology Center, 4701 12^th Ave NW, Room B, Seminar Center; 12:30 to 4:30 pm
  • March 11, Tulsa Police Department Training Center, 6066 E 66^th Street North; 12:30 to 4:30 pm
  • March 13, Kiamichi Technology Center, 1301 Liberty Road, 12:30 to 4:30 pm
• School Security Assessment Program
  Free for schools. Members of the Oklahoma School Security Institute will assist you this process.
• School Emergency Operation Plan Course;  (Available after March 15, 2014) (8-hours CLEET Credit)
  An eight-course designed for school staff members. This course will teach them how to look at their current emergency operations plan and expand it to ensure it covers multi-hazard emergencies.
• School Response to Active Shooter Course
  A four-hour course designed to train faculty and staff, at all levels, to properly prepare and respond to an attack at their school.
• School Bus Drivers Course
  A four-hour course designed to train school bus drivers on security issues.  School bus drivers are often the first and last school employees to see students each day, and must manage threats to safety on board their buses.
• Course for police officers/deputies- learn how to partner with schools (8-hours CLEET Credit)
  An eight-hour course designed to train police officers who are not assigned as school resource officers on how to make their school safer with the limited time they have to spend at the school.

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School Improvement Grants

The Oklahoma State Department of Education has been granted the opportunity to award $4.9 million dollars in School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds from the United States Department of Education. This competitive grant requires selected schools to implement one of four intervention models. Only Priority schools qualify to apply.

For more information on the School Improvement Grant (SIG), visit the SIG Webpage at:  http://ok.gov/sde/school-improvement-grant-sig or contact Iva Owens at (405) 522-3263 or via email at Iva.Owens@sde.ok.gov.

Oklahoma was one of nine states chosen to receive more than $71 million to continue efforts to turn around persistently lowest-achieving schools through awards from the Department's School Improvement Grants (SIG) program.

School Improvement Grants are awarded to State Educational Agencies (SEAs) that then make competitive subgrants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for the funds and the strongest commitment to provide adequate resources to substantially raise student achievement in their lowest-performing schools.

The SIG program has invested up to $2 million per school at more than 1,500 of the country's lowest-performing schools. The USDE reports early findings that show positive momentum and progress in many SIG schools. Findings also show that many schools receiving SIG grants are improving, and some of the greatest gains have been in small towns and rural communities.

States and their grant amounts are:

• Connecticut, $3,880,600
• Florida, $25,969,574
• Idaho, $2,016,193
• Iowa, $3,028,749
• New Jersey, $9,485,864 
• Ohio, $19,157,881
• Oklahoma, $4,951,025
• South Dakota, $1,440,238
• Wyoming, $1,129,417     

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Safe Schools and Bullying Prevention Act Training

The Oklahoma State Department of Education in collaboration with the Oklahoma PTA will present, “ Safe Schools and Bullying Prevention Act” training on the OSDE Videoconference Sites from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Monday, March 10, 2014.

See attached agenda for the videoconference.

Use link below to register.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/safe-schools-bullying-prevention-act-training-tickets-10687303011

• VIDEOCONFERENCE+March+10+2014+Safe+Schools+and+Bullying+Prevention+Act.doc