 Welcome to the Office of System and School Improvement Newsletter!
May 2021
By Jason Boatwright, Multiple Pathways Dual Credit Program Supervisor, OSPI
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Kim Reykdal, Program Supervisor Lead Secondary School Counseling, OSPI
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Over the past six months, OSPI has supported two rounds of the Building Equitable, Sustainable Dual Credit Program grant. Over these two rounds, we reviewed over 50 applications and gained insight into what districts and schools think would improve their enrollment by underserved student groups.
In addition to being able to fund some exciting proposals that we believe will work to systematically reduce opportunity gaps in dual credit participation and completion, we learned a lot about how educators think about these challenges. Across both rounds of grant review, we noticed some approaches to dual credit growth based on long held believes about “what works”. There are a variety of reasons students choose not to take dual credit, but the myths and assumptions reflected in these grant applications should be reevaluated in the spirit of ensuring equity and continual improvement.
Below are the top myths and assumptions we saw within these statewide grant applications. Since we believe continued adherence to these ideas could perpetuate the existing inequities in participation by underserved students, we’ve tried to reframe each myth to shift toward more equitable practices. We have also provided some initial system analysis questions to assist staff in planning and building access to dual credit courses for all students. Continue reading here...
AP, IB and CI Test Fee Waiver Program
If you have students who qualify for FRPL, OSPI will pay 100% of the test fee for AP, IB and Cambridge International School exams. If you are offering AP exams, all you need to do is to let College Board know who qualifies. They will bill us directly for these students. If you are offering the IB exam, please apply for form package 848 within iGrants. If you are offering CI exams, you will use form package 849 in iGrants. If you have any questions, please see OSPI’s Dual Credit Website or contact Jason Boatwright.
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Additional Funding Source for Dual Credit
Are you a school that is identified for improvement through WISF? If so, you may be eligible to use some of your OSSI Continuous School Improvement funds for dual credit program expenditures. All expenditures need to be allocated to allowable activity categories as listed on the profile page of your OSSI iGrant while supporting equitable expansion of dual credit programs. For more information contact Mary Adams or Jason Boatwright.
Changes to the Law
A new bill, Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1113 – Concerning School Attendance, was signed into law on April 26, 2021. The law has immediate impacts on the truancy process as defined in Chapter 28A.225 RCW. The primary changes impacting districts are:
- Districts must now file truancy petitions no earlier than 7 unexcused absences in a month and no later than 15 unexcused absences in a school year; effective April 26, 2021.
- Community Truancy Board is renamed to Community Engagement Board; effective August 1, 2021.
New Timeline is Effective Immediately
This change to file petitions no earlier than 7 unexcused absences in a month or 15 in a year is effective immediately, due to an emergency clause in the bill. Districts will need to change their truancy letters, data systems, and other processes that rely on specific thresholds of unexcused absences to comply with this change.
Timeline Only Applies to In-person Absences
The change in this timeline for filing truancy petitions only applies to absences from in-person learning for the 2020–21 school year. The non-truancy remote learning absence in OSPI emergency rule (WAC 392-401A) is still in effect for all remote learning absences through the end of the school year.
Resources
For More Information
OSPI will publish a formal bulletin soon. Please contact Krissy Johnson at krissy.johnson@k12.wa.us with any questions.
Correction: the OSSI newsflash sent on Friday stated “no later than 7 unexcused”. This has been corrected here to no earlier than 7 unexcused.
As schools and districts work to develop Recovery Plans, the High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a key element of the future educational journey of each secondary-level student. Ensuring the provision of this framework for academic and career/college exploration and preparation is key to directing students toward making informed decisions to meet their credit and graduation pathway requirements and prepare for a first post-high school step that can meet their interests and goals.
Each year, in partnership with students and their families, school staff have the chance to provide activities and opportunities that guide students toward preparing for their future. The guiding questions in this systems-analysis guide is a starting point to help schools and districts assess their current HSBP implementation and consider changes that can increase student, staff, and family engagement in the learning and future preparation of every student.
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Improvement Science Summit
Coming Monday–Tuesday, June 21-22
Learn how Improvement Science strategies can address gaps in your learning system, promote continuous improvement, and re-energize the work of your teams by attending the Improvement Science Summit. Sessions will offer insight for both beginning and experienced participants seeking to better understand how improvement science supports the work of individual teachers, PLCs, Principals, and District Leadership Teams. For more information, click here.
Concepts & Tools for Improved Engagement 201 Training
For a variety of reasons, educators and social workers regularly struggle to engage families effectively. In this three-part training series, we will explore:
- How to engage our families in a manner that is real and honest, that builds trust and relationships
- How our privilege and power as professionals can be a barrier to engagement
- The perspective and experience of the families as their own honest truth
Audience: Any school or district staff who are directly supporting youth and families. Participation in the 101 is not required; If you missed the 101, you are encouraged to join!
When: Tues., May 18th (2–4:30pm), Wed., May 19th (2–4:30pm),
Tues., June 1st (2–4pm)
Register: pdEnroller
Leading through the Master
Schedule from OSPI and
Always Be Learning
Learn about
- The three most important factors that predict college and career readiness.
- Current ALE initiatives and practices around CCR.
- Ideas and opportunities for improving ALE programs, including identifying key barriers that may block success.
- ALE scenarios that show a range of possibilities for improving ALE schools within existing resources.
Session 3: Exploring Innovative ALE School Designs and Possibilities: Monday, May 24, 2021, 9:00 am–10:30 am
Register Here -Leading Through the Master Schedule registration
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May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.
June is Awareness Month for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can affect all ages, children through to seniors.
Career and College Readiness Survey Opportunity
Looking for help with providing quality career and college readiness supports for your students? Inform the topics for next year's OSPI-WSAC Webinar series by taking this short survey. This opportunity ends May 31st. Your needs will guide our webinar series development, and your feedback is much appreciated!
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 Want to know if the Botvin LifeSkills Middle School Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum is a good fit for your school?
Apply for Form Package 962
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PlanYourPathWA Student Video Contest deadline is now 5/5
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