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LEA Look Forward for February 5-12, 2015

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Let us know what you think about the new design. Email [email protected] with your feedback.

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PDF Version

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District Highlights Getting Ready: NGA Tips and Resources (PARCC, DC Science) Important Dates and Deadlines Announcements
Professional Development Event    

District Highlights

Getting Ready to Knock It Out of the PARCC: NGA Tips and Resources

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Important Dates and Deadlines

Date

>>>View the OSSE Calendar

Deadlines

Announcements

New

LEAs Must Submit the Names of Non-resident Students

This is a reminder that all non-resident students who attend public schools in the District of Columbia are required to pay tuition. OSSE now manages tuition collection for all public schools in DC. In addition, OSSE now collects all tuition from non-resident students. A school’s wait list must be vetted prior to non-resident consideration.  If you have not done so, please send a list of all non-resident students to [email protected] immediately. Please include each student’s parental contact information (name, email, home address, and telephone number). Ms. Baylor may also be reached at 202-741-5993.

Report Residency Fraud

LEAs are responsible for reporting all cases of suspected residency fraud. Tips may be reported through the Residency Fraud Prevention Hotline at 202-719-6500. Tips may also be submitted through the DC Residency Fraud Online Submission Form. Should you have further questions, please send an email to [email protected] or call 202-741-5993.

OSSE Celebrates School Bus Drivers and Attendants

Please join OSSE’s Division of Student Transportation (OSSE DOT) in recognizing the School Bus Drivers and Attendants of the Month for January 2015:

OSSE DOT Drivers of the Month

Kirk Crowder – 5th Street Terminal
Frantz Cadet – Adams Place Terminal
Thanh Huynh – New York Avenue Terminal
James E. Brown – Southwest Terminal

OSSE DOT Attendants of the Month

Shaun Whitfield – 5th Street Terminal
Lillian Wright – Adams Place Terminal
Barbara Spencer – New York Avenue Terminal
Robin J. Thomas – Southwest Terminal

Each month, OSSE DOT recognizes one exemplary bus driver and attendant from each of its four bus terminals in DC (5th Street, Adams Place, New York Avenue and Southwest) as part of the division’s Recognition Program for Bus Drivers and Attendants of Special Education Students.

The drivers and attendants have been identified by DC parents, students and teachers as outstanding stewards of the community. Since the program’s launch in May 2014, OSSE DOT has received over 600 online and mail-in nominations for DC bus drivers and attendants.

Resources from 2015 PARCC Test Coordinators Training Now on OSSE’s Website

On February 2 and 3, OSSE hosted its annual Test Coordinator Training for LEA Test Integrity Coordinators (LEA Assessment Leads), School Monitors (School Assessment Leads), and Technology Coordinators.  The day included presentations on Test Integrity, PARCC Administration, and PARCC Technical Training. Topics covered include the following:

  • School Security Plans
  • Test Integrity Violations, Reporting Procedures, Sanctions
  • Test Administration and Scheduling
  • Student Readiness
  • Accessibility Features & Accommodations
  • Management of Materials
  • Technology Readiness and Set-Up, Infrastructure Trials, and Tech Support
  • Pearson Access–Next

Resources from the training are now on OSSE’s website. A webinar version of the Test Integrity portion of the training will soon be available on this site.

For more informations, contact [email protected].

Final SY2014-2015 Enrollment Audit Dataset Uploaded to SLED

The final enrollment audit dataset for the SY 2014-2015 UPSFF Population and Child Count Population has  been uploaded into SLED for your viewing. Please note that this is the final dataset and no changes can be made. To view your data, please follow the instructions below.

Log into SLED; then click on Enrollment Audit and Child Count in the left navigation menu.

Click the Student Level tab to view the new data elements added to each of the listed displays.

Click on Enrollment Audit UPSFF Population to view your final data. Please be sure to sort by enrollment indicator=yes. Please note that according to the Enrollment Audit Handbook, in order to receive funding for students in Child Count, the student must be considered enrolled based on the audit findings.

The Office of Enrollment and Residency continues to make updates to our enrollment processes and procedures. In an effort to do this, your feedback is necessary. Next week, we will release a quick electronic survey. Please give as much feedback as you can to assist in our planning for the next school year.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].

Guidelines on Unique Accommodations for Statewide Assessments

Requests for unique accommodations must be approved by OSSE prior to use on statewide assessments. Standard accommodations should be considered prior to requesting a nonstandard accommodation. Please review PARCC guidelines for selecting accessibility features and accommodations.  You can also access a presentation on selecting, using, and evaluating accessibility features and accommodations, including a SEDS-specific crosswalk.

To apply for a unique accommodation, please complete the PARCC Unique Accommodation Request Form and send to Imani Stutely. Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis, and should be submitted no later than 4 weeks prior to the week your test window opens. For schools that begin testing March 20 or earlier, please apply by COB on February 13. Please note: For schools that begin testing the week of March 2, OSSE will issue an approval or denial no later than 2 weeks before your test window opens.
    
2015 X-STEM Symposium

X-STEM, presented by MedImmune, is an extreme STEM symposium for middle through high school students featuring interactive presentations and workshops by an exclusive group of visionaries who aim to empower and inspire kids about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These top STEM role models and industry leaders are sure to ignite your students’ curiosity through storytelling and live demonstrations.

This all-day event will feature multiple presentation sessions covering a wide array of subject areas including space exploration, paleontology, bio-inspired robotics, marine biology, mathematics of origami, eco-friendly vehicle innovation and much, much more! Student attendees will have the opportunity to sit in on multiple engaging presentations, live demonstrations and hands-on workshops.

Date:               Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Time:               9:30 a.m.–2:30 p. m.
Location:         Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington DC 20001

Register

Districtwide Assessments: Test Integrity Training 2015 – Webinars for Public & Non-Public Schools

On Friday, February 20, OSSE will host two webinar trainings on test integrity:

Districtwide Assessments: Test Integrity Training for Public Schools (DCPS and Public Charter Schools)

February 20, 2015, 10 – 11 a.m.

Register

Districtwide Assessments: Test Integrity Training for Non-Public Schools

February 20, 2015, 12 – 1 p.m.

Register

Reminder

DC TAG Application Now Open

Applications for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DC TAG) are open until June 30. Eligible District students are encouraged to apply early at dconeapp.dc.gov. DC TAG funds provide the opportunity for students (up to 24 years old) to receive up to $10,000 in grant assistance at public four-year colleges and universities. Students interested in attending private colleges and universities in the District, HBCUs, and two-year colleges nationwide can apply for up to $2,500 in tuition assistance.

For more information, visit osse.dc.gov or call 202-727-2824.


NEW Test Security Guidelines

OSSE’s Test Security Guidelines set forth minimum requirements to ensure that LEAs and school personnel are able to maintain appropriate test security procedures during the administration of District-wide assessments.

Please ensure that all teachers and administrators review these guidelines, which will be circulated broadly and will also be addressed at the upcoming OSSE LEA Test Coordinator trainings on February 2 and 3, 2015.

February is FAFSA Completion Month!

This February OSSE is excited to announce the launch of the FAFSA Completion Initiative, which has brought together a wide array of District organizations that have committed to increase DC’s rate of FAFSA completion.

The initiative includes:

  • a District-wide campaign to encourage all students to complete their FAFSA through posters, postcards, flyers, and public service announcements;
  • an online web portal created in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Higher Education and the Kresge Foundation through which participating DCPS and Charter public high schools can access regularly updated student-level FAFSA completion data; and
  • four FAFSA Submission Events at community sites across the city in late February that will give students and their families the opportunity to receive additional FAFSA submission assistance.

All District high school counselors will receive FAFSA Completion Initiative posters, FAFSA checklist postcards, and FAFSA Submission Event flyers in the coming weeks with assistance from the DC- College Access Program.

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Field Test Opportunity

WIDA is looking for more volunteers to participate in the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Field Test that is happening right now. Specifically, volunteers would administer a speaking activity for ELL students in grades 1–12 that will give these students the opportunity to practice using a microphone to electronically capture responses for the speaking component of the new, computerized ACCESS for ELLs. This opportunity to participate in the Field Test is only available for a short period of time and spaces are limited. Please email Katie Williams as soon as possible if you are interested.

Professional Development

New

PARCC Professional Development Series for Educators and Administrators
Unit:  Teaching and Learning

As a follow up to the LEA Institute on Next Generation Assessments, OSSE is offering a series of over 35 professional development sessions on PARCC entitled: “Preparing for Assessments with Strengthened Supports (P.A.S.S.) PARCC Trainings.”

This series is a combination of in-person trainings, webinar instruction, and webinar Q&A sessions, and is free to all educators and administrators in DC.  All webinars will be recorded and hosted on the OSSE and LearnDC websites. Learn more about these trainings, including registration links and dates. Trainings start in February and run through March.

For more information, contact Abreyon Moses at 202-478-5993.

February 2015 Next Generation Assessment Meeting

Date: 2/26/2015

Time: 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m.

Location: OSSE, 3rd Floor, Grand Hall

Contact: [email protected]

Reminder

SLED Trainings for New Users

The Division of Data, Accountability and Research will host training sessions for new users of the Statewide Longitudinal Education Data (SLED) System. To register, please send an email message to [email protected].

Dates:         February 10 and 11, 2015

Time:         1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Location:     810 First Street, NE
Third Floor Training Lab
Washington, DC 20002

Trauma Informed Care Training

Unit:  Teaching and Learning


OSSE, in collaboration with the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), will be facilitating trauma informed care training. This training will provide an overview on trauma system therapy (TST), an evidence-based treatment model that provides mental health services and support to children and adolescents with histories of exposure to traumatic events and who experience difficulties regulating their emotions and behaviors (both or either in the community or school).

Dates:              February 19 and February 20, 2015

Times:             9 a.m.–Noon and 1 p.m.–4 p.m.

Location:        Charles Sumner School
1201 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

Register

For questions, please contact [email protected].

Review Key Compliance Areas with the Nonpublic Compliance Monitoring Team
Unit:  QAM


ESSE’s Nonpublic compliance and monitoring team is conducting an informational webinar to review key areas of compliance in special education practice. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2015, 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

In this training, OSSE will cover the following regulatory areas:

  1. Restraint and seclusion implementation, documentation, and follow up
  2. Attendance and truancy notification
  3. Related services documentation

Each area will be covered in 45-minute sessions to enable school staff responsible for respective areas to attend only those sessions. The format of each session will include a:

  • Review of past findings of noncompliance (10 minutes)
  • Summary of relevant federal and District of Columbia regulations (10 minutes)
  • Facilitated Q&A discussion on demonstrating compliant practice (25 minutes)

Register

Event

New

LEA Institute II: “It Takes a City to Knock it Out of the PARCC!” Recap

On January 23, 2015, OSSE hosted its LEA Institute II: “It Takes a City to Knock it Out of the PARCC!” at Gallaudet University’s Kellogg Center.  This LEA Institute was focused on preparing and gearing up educators for Next Generation Assessments (NGA) including PARCC, NCSC, and NGSS.  OSSE invited national and local experts to provide pertinent information and to answer the most pressing questions in the following areas:

  • NGA Communication Strategies
  • Curriculum Alignment and Best Practices
  • Assessment Procedures and Technology Readiness
  • Assessment Considerations for Special Populations

Visit OSSE’s website to read a recap of the event and view copies of all the presentations. Save the date for OSSE’s next LEA Institute, which will be held on May 1 and 2, 2015, and will focus on best practices in education.