WELCOME TO THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR
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A new Statewide School Improvement Team (SSIT) has been created to support Differentiated Accountability. The SSIT is made up of members from all Iowa AEAs and the DE. SSIT members will meet monthly to analyze healthy indicator data for districts, nonpublic schools, and AEAs; participate in focused site visits to support volunteer districts, nonpublic schools, and AEAs; and provide follow-up support to volunteers.
The first pre-pilot visits for the 2015-2016 school year are in Centerville, October 27-30 and Carroll, November 17-20. The SSIT will conduct the remaining visits during the spring semester of 2016. The SSIT members will work with districts during visits in an environment similar to a professional learning community and will engage in collaborative inquiry with district, nonpublic school, and AEA staff.
You made it through ALL this information?
WHAT'S NEW?
Support for Schools/ Districts In Need of Assistance
For many years, support for SINA/DINA has been in the form of an Iowa Support Team. With the adoption of the new Differentiated Accountability system, this support will be changing. Guidance for SINA/ DINA will be provided primarily through the Department of Education, beginning with a webinar scheduled for August 27. Administrators and Title I Personnel of Schools In Need of Assistance have received a link to join this informational session. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
Mentoring and Induction for 2015-16
Q: Will our district be receiving the $1300 per beginning educator this year to support mentoring and induction?
A: Yes. ALL districts will receive $1300 for each first or second year beginning educator, including districts with approved TLC plans. $1,000 of those funds is paid to the mentor and the remaining dollars can be used by the district to pay for related program costs, including FICA or IPERS.
Q: Since my district’s TLC plan was approved, we don’t need to follow our Mentoring and Induction Plan.
A: False. The Mentoring and Induction legislation is still current. It is an expectation for districts to continue the 2-year support to first and second year beginning educators Each educator in the first or second year of the profession enters into a two-year induction program that addresses personal and professional needs and focuses on Iowa’s eight Teaching Standards.
Q: Does my Mentoring and Induction Plan need to be updated each year?
A: Only if there are changes. If there are changes, a district needs to complete the Request for Plan Revision and send the revision to Marietta.Rives@iowa.gov GHAEA contact: crichardson@ghaea.org
Iowa Core State Science Standards
Members of the State Board of Education adopted new state standards for what Iowa students should know and be able to do in science from kindergarten through 12th grade. The board’s vote was based on a state review team’s recommendation that Iowa adopt the Next Generation Science Standards with some modifications. Follow the link to learn more.
Differentiated Accountability
Q: Will our district be receiving the $1300 per beginning educator this year to support mentoring and induction?
A: Yes. ALL districts will receive $1300 for each first or second year beginning educator, including districts with approved TLC plans. $1,000 of those funds is paid to the mentor and the remaining dollars can be used by the district to pay for related program costs, including FICA or IPERS.
Q: Since my district’s TLC plan was approved, we don’t need to follow our Mentoring and Induction Plan.
A: False. The Mentoring and Induction legislation is still current. It is an expectation for districts to continue the 2-year support to first and second year beginning educators Each educator in the first or second year of the profession enters into a two-year induction program that addresses personal and professional needs and focuses on Iowa’s eight Teaching Standards.
Q: Does my Mentoring and Induction Plan need to be updated each year?
A: Only if there are changes. If there are changes, a district needs to complete the Request for Plan Revision and send the revision to Marietta.Rives@iowa.gov GHAEA contact: crichardson@ghaea.org
Iowa Core State Science Standards
Members of the State Board of Education adopted new state standards for what Iowa students should know and be able to do in science from kindergarten through 12th grade. The board’s vote was based on a state review team’s recommendation that Iowa adopt the Next Generation Science Standards with some modifications. Follow the link to learn more.
Differentiated Accountability
Amy Williamson, Chief Bureau of School Improvement recently released this statement: The Iowa Department of Education is piloting a new Differentiated Accountability system during the 2015-2016 school year as part of the work of Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K), a partnership of the DE, AEAs, and LEAs in the state. Forty-eight districts, nonpublic schools and AEAs have volunteered to pilot continuous improvement processes in Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade literacy as part of the state’s single continuous improvement system. As the system grows, it will continue to parallel the work of C4K, creating a system of delivery for evidence-based practices across Iowa.
A new Statewide School Improvement Team (SSIT) has been created to support Differentiated Accountability. The SSIT is made up of members from all Iowa AEAs and the DE. SSIT members will meet monthly to analyze healthy indicator data for districts, nonpublic schools, and AEAs; participate in focused site visits to support volunteer districts, nonpublic schools, and AEAs; and provide follow-up support to volunteers.
The first pre-pilot visits for the 2015-2016 school year are in Centerville, October 27-30 and Carroll, November 17-20. The SSIT will conduct the remaining visits during the spring semester of 2016. The SSIT members will work with districts during visits in an environment similar to a professional learning community and will engage in collaborative inquiry with district, nonpublic school, and AEA staff.
WHAT'S DUE?
The following dates have been added to the H.E.L.P. calendar:
- August 28- Graduate Verification Certification deadline
- September 1- Certified Enrollment site opens
- September 15- CAR, SES, Transportation Reports due
- September 27- Certified Enrollment test site closes
You made it through ALL this information?
Consider yourself "in-the-know!"
See you back here in September!
