February 7, 2017
In This Issue
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District Support
Assessment and Accountability
High School Opportunities
Talent
Special Education
Data
Finance
Federal Programs
Safe and Healthy Schools
Important Dates for School Systems
Upcoming events:
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Superintendents' Conference Call: February 8 at 10:30 a.m.
Accountability Commission: February 8 at 12:00 p.m.
District Planning Call: February 8 at 1:00 p.m.
Special Education Webinar: February 9 at 2:00 p.m.
Assessment and Accountability Call: February 14 at 1:00 p.m.
World Languages Professional Development: February 10 and 11
Louisiana College Goal Sunday: February 12
Believe and Prepare Community Meeting: February 13
Educational Technology Call: February 16 at 1:00 p.m.
Important deadlines:
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By February 17: Submit ACT-approved accommodations in the TAA system
By February 24: Complete Health, Physical Education and Vending Survey (extended)
By March 10: Order 2017 high school diplomas
February 7, 2017
District Support
New: Updated ESSA Framework Released
The Department released an updated ESSA framework for public comment on Monday. For details on how
the framework has been improved since it was first released last September, view this presentation.
Please email [email protected] with questions or to submit your feedback.
New: School Redesign Planning Grant Application
ESSA requires school systems with persistently struggling schools to develop plans to improve student
learning. The School Redesign Summit gave school systems the opportunity to meet with partners who
might help them in these efforts. Today, the Department is launching the School Redesign Planning Grant to
provide school systems with the opportunity to learn more about what a potential partner could offer to their
schools and students. To view a list of eligible schools and to access the application and additional
information, visit our School Redesign web page.
Update: Register for the Principal Institute for Implementing Eureka
The first three Principal Institutes for Implementing Eureka are full. Due to high demand, the
Department is hosting additional institutes. Registration for the newly added institute on April
26, 2017 in Baton Rouge is now in CourseWhere.
This institute will allow principals and other instructional leaders to dive deep into the things that matter most
in today's math classroom. Learning will spotlight the shifts in the mathematics standards, strategic lesson
planning, year-long planning, and key "look-fors" in a Eureka math classroom. The Curriculum
Implementation Scale will be used throughout the day to discuss concrete ways principals can improve
Eureka implementation in their schools.
Please email [email protected] with questions.
Reminder: Join the Superintendents' Conference Call
You are invited to participate in the Superintendents' Conference Call hosted by State Superintendent John
White on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. You may begin dialing into the call 15 minutes in
advance.
Superintendents' Conference Call: February 8, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.
• To join the meeting go to https://louisianaschools.adobeconnect.com/suptscall/
• Dial into the phone bridge: 877-475-0109
• When prompted, please give the meeting ID # 60514129
Please identify yourself in order to be placed into the meeting.
Reminder: Join the February District Planning Call
The district planning call for February will take place on Wednesday, February 8 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. The
following district supervisors should participate:
• Assessment
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Technology
• Early Childhood
• High School
February 7, 2017
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Career and Technical Education
Principal and Teacher Leader
District Planning Call: February 8, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
• Meeting Name: February District Planning Call
• To join the meeting go to https://louisianaschools.adobeconnect.com/dpc/
• Audio access via phone bridge:1-855-2402575; meeting room PIN # 89147656
Please email [email protected] with questions.
Reminder: 2017-2018 School System Planning Guide Released
The 2016-2017 School System Planning Guide is now available in the District Support Toolbox. The guide
serves as the primary planning tool for school systems in making academic and programmatic decisions for
the upcoming school year. School systems should use the guide in conversations with their network team to
reflect on the data from this past school year and implement necessary changes to ensure that they meet
both educator and student goals in 2017-2018.
Please contact [email protected] or your network leader with questions.
Assessment and Accountability
New: February Accountability Commission Meeting
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Meeting: Accountability Commission
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Thomas Jefferson Room 1-136, Claiborne Building, Baton Rouge
Watch the meeting live: https://livestream.com/LouisianaBelieves/accountability.
Update: District Test Coordinator and Accountability Contact Reminders
Assessment and Accountability Monthly Call: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 1:00 PM
• To join the webinar go to https://louisianaschools.adobeconnect.com/dtc/.
• Enter the meeting room as a guest and provide your name.
• Call in number: 646-307-1380; meeting room #951155484
Upcoming Deadlines:
• February 17, 2017: deadline to submit ACT-approved accommodations in the TAA system
• February 23, 2017: deadline for proctor caching and the other site readiness tasks for ACT
Online Pilot Participating Schools
• February 6–March 17, 2017: ELDA and LAA1 testing window
Please see the Assessment Month-by-Month Checklist for more information, or email [email protected]
for assistance.
Update: Technology Readiness
District test and technology coordinators should ensure TSMs are installed at all school sites that will be
used for spring assessments; all student devices used for assessments should have INSIGHT installed and
configured to the appropriate TSM.
Monthly Educational Technology Call: Tuesday, February 16, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.
• To join the call go to: https://louisianaschools.adobeconnect.com/edconnect/.
February 7, 2017
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Enter the meeting room as a guest and provide your name.
Call-In Information: 646-307-1380; meeting room # 951155484
High School Opportunities
New: Order 2017 High School Diplomas
Please use the Diploma Order Form to submit an order for 2017 graduates and reissued high school
diplomas. The Department will cover the costs for the initial order and distribution. Only one order form
should be submitted for each public school system. Please email completed order forms to
[email protected] by March 10, 2017. School systems will be billed directly by State Printing for
orders made after March 10, 2017.
Please direct questions related to diplomas to [email protected].
Reminder: Register for a Webinar on CLEP Success in Louisiana High Schools
District and school site administrators and testing coordinators are encouraged to participate in one of these
CLEP Success webinars:
• Monday, February 13, 2017 from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, February 16, 2017 from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.
For more information, please email [email protected].
Talent
New: Believe and Prepare Educator Blog
Tomorrow’s Teacher: A Believe and Prepare Educator Blog was created to share how residencies are
honoring and professionalizing teaching and educator leadership. Please visit the blog to hear from and
collaborate with educators across the state. New blog posts will be made on the first and third Tuesday of the
month.
For more information please contact [email protected].
Reminder: Sign up for the Believe and Prepare Newsletter
In case you missed it, the Department launched the new Believe and Prepare Newsletter last month to
provide preparation program and school system leaders with information about grant opportunities,
meetings, and tools. If you would like to receive the Believe and Prepare newsletter each month, sign up
here by February 17, 2017.
Please email [email protected] with questions.
Special Education
New: Join the Special Education Leader Webinar
The Department will hold its monthly webinar for school system directors, supervisors, and coordinators of
special education on Thursday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. Topics will include upcoming deadlines, updates,
guidance, and training opportunities.
February 7, 2017
Special Education Policy Webinar: Thursday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m.
• To join the webinar go to: https://louisianaschools.adobeconnect.com/sped/
• Enter the meeting room as a guest and provide your name.
• Select the “listen only: mode.
• To join by phone only dial 1-855-240-2575 and enter participant PIN: 17428453.
Once you log into the conference site, you can download the presentation. It will also be available in the
Special Education Library after the event.
Please email [email protected] with questions.
Data
New: Quarterly Home Study Reports
Please supply this information to superintendents, child welfare/attendance office, home study
personnel, and data management FTP coordinators.
The Quarterly Home Study Report, “LEACode_LEA_Jan2017QuarterlyHomeStudy,” will be provided on the
Data Management FTP site (with user names ending in @datamgmt) this week and will remain on the FTP
until March 6, 2017. The zipped file contains the following:
• Cover letter
• Statewide enrollment numbers of SBESE-approved home study students
• Detailed list of students from your school system enrolled in home study program
• Each student’s home study approval notification letter
• Statewide enrollment numbers of registered nonpublic schools and student enrollment
• Detailed list of registered schools and student enrollment from your school system
Please email [email protected] for assistance.
New: Title III AMAO Status and Student Rosters
Title III AMAO calculations are available on the data management FTP with the file name “LEA Code_LEA
Name_2015-16_Student Roster AMAO Status.” An explanation of how measures were calculated can be
found on a worksheet within the file under the Calculations tab. See the Federal Programs entry in this
newsletter for more information. Each FTP coordinator should locate the file for their LEA and provide to
local Title III Directors/Coordinators.
Reminder: Data File Released—Economically Disadvantaged Students
The Department released the October 2016 data file of economically disadvantaged students for each school
system on January 31. The single Excel file, "LEA Code LEAName Oct 2016 Economically Disadvantaged,"
will be available through March 3, 2017 on the Data Management FTP site. Each FTP coordinator should
locate their individual district file and share it with their federal program and finance staff. The "economically
disadvantaged" data include students eligible for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and those that are limited English
proficient (LEP), homeless, migrant, awaiting foster care, or incarcerated. These data will be used by the
Department to inform grants, federal funding, and subgroup determinations.
Please email [email protected] with questions.
February 7, 2017
Finance
New: FY2016-17 General Fund Budgets Approved
The LDOE budgets library has been updated with a listing of charter schools and city parish school districts
with approved budgets. If your school system is not included in the lists, you should have received an email
regarding the status of your budget. For more information about this process, please see the attached
Approval of FY2016-17 General Fund Budgets memorandum.
Federal Programs
New: See 2015-2016 AMAO Status and Student Rosters
Please forward to Title III Directors/Coordinators.
2015-2016 calculations for Title III Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) 1 and
2 have been loaded to the data management FTP site. These calculations will assist school
systems in evaluating the effectiveness of programs to increase the language proficiency of its
English language learners (ELs).
No parental notification of 2015-2015 AMAO 1 and 2 results or Title Ill improvement plans based on 20152016 determinations are required. However, if your LEA has a current improvement plan, you are strongly
encouraged to look at current determinations as a strong measure of the effectiveness of this plan and to
make any applicable changes needed. Please reach out to either your POC or email
[email protected] if you have any questions or need further guidance.
Safe and Healthy Schools
Update: Health, Physical Education and Vending Survey—deadline extended
The deadline for completing the annual health and physical education survey has been extended. Your
participation is critical for providing quality, accurate data to the Senate and House Committees on Health
and Welfare. Data is analyzed and disseminated collectively and not by individual district.
Please have one person complete the survey by February 24, 2017.