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District Highlights	Getting Ready to Knock It Out of the PARCC: Next Generation Assessments Tips and Resources	Important Dates and Deadlines	Announcements
Funding Opportunities	Events

District Highlights

• DC Part B IDEA FFY 2015 Grant Application is Now Available for Public Comments
• District Releases Final 2014-2015 Student Enrollment Audit
• National School Breakfast Week Contest Ends Tomorrow
• Title V, Part B Dissemination Grant RFA Released

Getting Ready to Knock It Out of the PARCC: Next Generation Assessments Tips and Resources

• Resources for Schools
  • PARCC Parent Toolkit
  • 2015 DC PARCC Administrative Guidance on Timing and Cell Phones
  • DC PARCC Infrastructure Trial Guide
  • PARCC FAQs by LEAs (UPDATED)
  • NGA Ambassador Information
  • 2015 DC State Test Security Guidelines
• Resources for Parents/Community
  • PARCC Parent Resources
  • OSSE PARCC Parent Letter Available in Multiple Languages (NEW)
  • Want to see PARCC items in action?
  • Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Ideas for Parents
  • Guide to the New PARCC Assessment (For Parents)

>>>Learn More

Important Dates and Deadlines

Dates

• 2015 DC Assessment Timeline
• 3/18: LEA Special Education POC Monthly Webinar
• 3/25: NGSS 1.0 Introducing NGSS for LEAs and School Leaders
• 3/28: Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives Open House
• 3/31: State of the District Address
• 4/11: OSSE Adult College Completion Fair
• 4/22: DCSAA Workshop: Serving Student-Athletes with Disabilities

>>>View the OSSE calendar

Deadlines

• 3/20: Deadline to Submit Proposals for It Takes a City
• 4/1: PAEMST 2015 Award Nominations Open
• 4/3: DC PAY Grant Application Deadline
• 4/9: College, Credential, and Career Ready Summer Initiative NOFA Deadline
• 5/20: DC Free Summer Meals Sponsor Application Deadline
   

Announcements

New

FFY 2015 Draft State Grant Application Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Is Now Available for Public Comment

In order to receive a grant award under Part B of IDEA to support the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities, each state must complete an annual grant application to the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. To ensure an opportunity for the public to provide input, this application must be posted for 60 calendar days and open for public comment for 30 days within the same 60-day period.

OSSE’s FFY 2015 draft state application and spending plan for IDEA Part B will be posted for 60 days on the OSSE website beginning March 11, 2015. Members of the public will have the opportunity to make comments on the applications from March 10, 2014–May 11, 2015.

Individuals who wish to do so should direct their comments to Dr. Amy Maisterra, Interim State Superintendent, by email at [email protected].

Should you have questions regarding these applications or the public comment period, please direct them to the attention of Ms. Elisabeth Morse at (202) 727-8488.

Gearing Up for a Successful 2015-2016 Enrollment Audit Webinar

As we prepare for re-enrollment for School Year 2015-2016, the Office of Enrollment and Residency will host a webinar on March 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to provide timely information regarding the upcoming process. It will outline changes that have been made to the residency verification forms for the upcoming school year and review the six stages of enrollment. This webinar is a necessity for all Enrollment Audit and Data POCs for each LEA.  Register

For questions, please contact Sean Flora at (202) 727-7224.

DC School-Based STI/STD Screening Webinar for Middle and High Schools

OSSE, in collaboration with the DC Department of Health (DOH,) has developed a 25-minute on-demand training that illustrates the history and program by which LEAs and schools provide on-site counseling, education and testing for sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS in a discreet environment that is welcoming for all middle and high school aged students. This overview describes parental/guardian notification, the importance of screening youth in DC, and how DOH coordinates with schools to bring this program to their campuses.

Webinar link:  DC School-Based STI/STD Screening webinar for Middle and High Schools   

For questions, please contact [email protected].

Creating a Comprehensive School-Based Physical Activity Program Training  On-Demand Webinar

OSSE, in collaboration with the DC Department of Health, has developed an on-demand 50-minute training that illustrates a multi-component approach by which school districts and schools can use various opportunities for students to be physically active, meet the nationally-recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: quality physical education as the foundation; physical activity before, during, and after school; staff involvement; and in areas of family and community engagement.

Webinar link:  Creating a Comprehensive School-Based Physical Activity Program Training webinar   

For questions, please contact [email protected].

Training for New SLED Users

The Division of Data, Accountability and Research will host a training session for new users of the Statewide Longitudinal Education Data (SLED) System on Wednesday, March 18, from 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m. The training session will take place at OSSE, 810 First Street NE, in the third floor training lab. To register for the training sessions, please send an email message to [email protected].

Date: 3/18/2015

Time: 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m.

Location: OSSE, 810 First Street NE, 3rd floor training lab

For questions, please email [email protected].

OSSE Thanks Students and Schools for Participating in 2015 NAEP

As we near the end of the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) testing window, OSSE would like to thank students, parents, and school staff for doing an excellent job representing the District of Columbia. The District successfully administered tests in reading, mathematics, and science to over 8,000 students within six weeks. The National, State, and TUDA district results will be released in the fall. In closing, a huge show of gratitude should go out to the School Coordinators and their support team for all their hard work and effort in preparing for the assessment.

Reminder

Reminder of Alternative Assessments Milestones and Deadlines

NCSC ELA/Mathematics

• March 9, 2015: Mandatory NCSC Test Administrator Training window begins

• March 13, 2015: NCSC ELA/Mathematics Special Request Forms submission deadline

• March 18, 2015: Student Enrollment window closes

• March 30, 2015: The NCSC ELA/Mathematics testing window begins

DC CAS Alt Science

Due to the city’s snow emergency and school closures on March 5 and March 6, Pearson has agreed to extend the DC CAS Alt Science deadlines to the following:

• Evidence Collection Window: Deadline extended from Friday, March 6, 2015 to Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
• Final Portfolio Pick-Up Date: Extended from Friday, March 13, 2015, to Tuesday, March 17, 2015. UPS must have the portfolios picked up by close of business on March 17, 2015.

For questions, please contact Imani Stutely at (202) 316-9789.

First Ever LGBTQ-Friendly Online College Fair

Hosted by the GLSEN and Campus Pride, the FREE online college fair will take place on Thursday, March 19, 2015, 9 a.m.–9p.m. ET, and will feature over 30 colleges from across the country. Students will learn about various colleges, speak to college representatives, and explore what life after high school can be like.

High School Students: Register now

Educators & GLSEN Friends: spread the word to students in your community.

For questions, email [email protected].

EGMS Funding Summary

EGMS features a convenient dashboard with a daily summary of the status of grants.

Upon logging in, Heads of Organizations with EGMS credentials will be able to access the Funding Summary. From the GMS Access/Select page view a listing of OSSE approved grants and the “monthly bank statement,” which includes Application Name, Total Funds Available, Last Approved Budget, Paid to Date, Amount Remaining.

Please note, the Funding Summary is updated daily for near real-time information about grants. Just go to your main dashboard page and left click on “Click to View Funding Summary” at the top of the page.    
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) Contest

OSSE, DC Hunger Solutions, and several other partner organizations ask for your support in growing and promoting the District’s school breakfast program through National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) at all D.C. public and D.C. public charter schools. Encourage students and their families to enter the School Breakfast Contest for a chance to win prizes for both the schools and students.

The contest will officially kick off on Monday, March 2, 2015, and continue until Friday, March 13, 2015.

All contest information can be found in both English and Spanish.  Print out the School Breakfast Contest flyer, make copies, and distribute to your students and families.

School breakfast is a critical, proven way to reduce hunger and improve wellness among school aged children.  Learn more about NSBW and the benefits of eating a school breakfast.

For additional information, please contact Alexandra Ashbrook, D.C. Hunger Solutions, at [email protected].

Funding Opportunities

New

Title V, Part B Dissemination Grant RFA Released

The Office of Public Charter School Financing and Support is pleased to announce the availability of Title V, Part B funding for the dissemination of high quality programs. A mandatory pre-application conference will be held at OSSE tomorrow, March 13, 2015, at 11 a.m.– Noon in room 806B for interested applicants. Please review the Request for Applications and contact Marie Hutchins with any questions.

Request for Applications: College, Credential, and Career Ready Summer Initiative

The C3 Ready Summer Initiative will support new or expanded summer programs that expose middle grades students to college and career pathways and get them ready for the high school transition. Eligible applicants are Local Education Agencies, community-based organizations, and accredited not-for-profit colleges and universities. The application opens in EGMS on March 23 and closes on April 9. Please see the Request for Applications for further information, or contact Chloe Woodward-Magrane.

Events

New

Celebrate Women’s History Month at the Charles Sumner School Open House

The Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives is hosting an Open House on Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tour the exciting exhibits celebrating the history and pride of DCPS. There will be special activities for all ages.  For more information, call 202-730-0478 or email [email protected].

Save the Date: March 31 - State of the District Address

Please join Mayor Muriel Bowser for her first State of the District Address. The Address will lay out where we stand on creating a fresh start, highlight our commitment to engagement and integrity and establish how we will create a pathway to the middle class.  It is time to work together to ensure that opportunity is available to all of our residents.

Join Mayor Bowser at the historic Lincoln Theatre on Tuesday, March 31st.  Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the program starts at 6:30 p.m. RSVP HERE.