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In this issue...
2019-20 Start of School Campaign
New
Reminders
Professional Development Opportunities
Dates to Remember
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2019-20 Start of School Campaign
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Now Available: 2019-20 Early Access to Students with Disabilities Qlik Application
OSSE’s Division of Data, Assessment, and Research (DAR) launched an updated version of the 2019-20 Early Access to Students with Disabilities Qlik application on Friday, April 26.
The updated application will provide LEA data managers, heads of school, principals, special education points of contact, and early childhood transition coordinators timely and appropriate access to information for students with disabilities, including eligibility and individualized education program (IEP) start and end dates, special education and related services details, dedicated aide and assistive technology needs, and transportation information. The updated application also flags when a student younger than age 6 had previously received Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C early intervention services.
Please visit the Start of School website for more information on the Early Access Qlik applications.
Now Available: 2019-20 Early Access to English Learners Qlik Application
OSSE’s Division of Data, Assessment, and Research (DAR) launched an updated version of the 2019-20 Early Access to English Learners Qlik application on Tuesday, April 30.
The updated application will enable LEA data managers, heads of school, principals, ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 coordinators, and ELL/LEP coordinators to identify newly enrolled English learners (ELs) and access critical information about them, such as prior ACCESS scores and EL proficiency level. The updated application provides additional information on Access Growth Target, re-identification of a student as EL, and if the student was ever EL.
Please visit the Start of School website for more information on the Early Access Qlik applications.
Transportation Online Tool for Education (TOTE) Training
To ensure that all students requiring transportation services are routed in a timely fashion, OSSE's Division of Student Transportation (DOT) will host training workshops on navigating the new Transportation Online Tool for Education (TOTE) platform.
This training is required for LEAs and special education transportation coordinators and is designed to provide information on entering school calendar information and transportation request forms (TRFs) into the TOTE system for students who require transportation for the 2019-20 school year.
Dates for the upcoming training sessions are listed below. All training sessions will be held at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, Fourth Floor, Room 442, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Register
- Friday, May 17, 2019
- Tuesday, May 21, 2019
- Thursday, May 23, 2019
- Monday, June 3, 2019
- Wednesday, June 5, 2019
- Wednesday, June 26, 2019
- Tuesday, July 9, 2019
- Tuesday, July 16, 2019
All attendees are asked to please bring laptops. If you or someone within your LEA requires assistance, please contact the TOTE Helpdesk at (202) 576-5520 or DOT.Data@dc.gov.
Register Now! 2019 Start of School Summit
To help ensure that all LEAs are able to plan for a smooth start to the 2019-20 school year, OSSE will hold this year’s LEA Start of School Summit on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University.
The 2019 summit will help critical LEA data managers and points of contact for English learners (ELs), enrollment audit, special education, and transportation gain the training and tools necessary to help their LEAs seamlessly transition from the end of the current school year to the beginning of the next. LEA-level staff should plan to attend to learn about key policies, training, and resources related to data connectivity, data troubleshooting, duplicative enrollment, ELs, enrollment audit, special education, and transportation.
LEA teams should consist of the LEA data manager and the main points of contact for ELs, enrollment audit, special education, and transportation. More details, including registration, can be found on the OSSE Start of School website.
For questions, please contact Annette Thacker-Bartlett at Annette.Thacker@dc.gov or Erin Garratt at Erin.Garratt@dc.gov.
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Early Childhood Requirements in ESSA Webinar
This webinar will discuss LEAs' early childhood requirements in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The webinar will focus on how to meet the ESSA early childhood coordination requirements for fiscal year 2019 (FY19) and beyond, and how to complete the required early childhood sections of the consolidated application for FY20 funds for ESSA Titles I-IV. Note that this will be the first in a series of webinars intended to support LEAs in completing and strategically using the FY20 consolidated application to improve student achievement. Additional webinars on multiple topics will occur between May and September and upcoming dates will be announced in the LEA Look Forward. Recordings and slides will be posted on OSSE's website.
Suggested audience: LEA early childhood transition coordinators and grant managers are encouraged to attend together.
This webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, from 10-11 a.m. Register
For questions, please contact Jonathan Elkin at Jonathan.Elkin@dc.gov.
Notice for Changes to IDEA Annual LEA Determinations: New IDEA Determinations Web-based Application
The Individual with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires OSSE to make annual determinations about each LEA’s implementation of Part B of the IDEA. In making local determinations, OSSE considers federally required elements, as well as other metrics relevant to the IDEA.
Each year, OSSE issues annual determinations to LEA representatives in the form of an email notification with supporting documents attached. Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, OSSE will provide each LEA its designated determinations assignment through a QuickBase application. This application will provide a more informative approach in ensuring LEAs are provided with the data and tools needed to understand their determination assignment.
The application will provide each LEA’s underlying data, scores for each determination element and the overall determination calculation and assignment (i.e., meets requirements, needs assistance, needs intervention). In addition, the application will facilitate and expedite the appeals process by allowing LEAs to submit evidence and review the status of OSSE’s review process in real-time.
The IDEA determinations application will be available in QuickBase and will be similar to the report LEAs access for their risk-based designation as part of Coordinated Risk Based Monitoring activities for K-12 federal grants.
OSSE will provide more details on the IDEA determinations web-based application during the Start of School Summit on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Also, upon the release of determinations in late July or early August, OSSE will conduct a webinar training on the application to ensure each LEA is knowledgeable about its determination assignment.
For more information about the QuickBase application, please contact Megan Williams at (202) 741-0477 or Megan.Williams@dc.gov.
Inspiring Voices Panel Series: Challenges and Resilience from Young Leaders in the Immigrant Community
Inspiring Voices is a panel series that takes place every Thursday in May where young leaders in the immigrant community share their stories of challenges and resilience. All are welcome to come listen to these students and support them as they courageously share their stories and experiences as immigrants. The weekly panel themes include:
- Thursday, May 16, 2019: Arriving and Adjusting to Life in the United States
- Thursday, May 23, 2019: Resilience and Accomplishments
- Thursday, May 30, 2019: Future Dreams and Aspirations
The panel series takes place from 5-7 p.m. each Thursday in May at Haydee’s Restaurant, 3102 Mount Pleasant St. NW. For more information visit the event website. For questions, please contact Elizabeth Barkley at Elizabeth.Barkley@dc.gov.
Opportunity to Establish a Peer Court Learning Group at Your School
OSSE is partnering with YouthJustice, Inc. to support schools that are interested in developing at their school a peer court program, or other exclusionary discipline reduction-based system. Schools will utilize the remainder of this academic year, as well as the summer, to preliminarily explore the YouthJustice Peer Court program, analyze its application within their school through a short series of test cases, and establish ongoing foundational aspects of their future Peer Court or other exclusionary discipline reduction-based system for the following academic year. Support is provided through the fostering of collaborative learning, group one-on-one coaching, and directed technical assistance.
Participating schools must:
- Have an already established content-free period or be willing to create a dedicated time for spring Peer Court Learning Group (PLG) meetings during the academic day.
- Be able to create a balanced PLG consisting of seven to 10 students and staff members.
- Secure participants who have an active desire to tackle disciplinary challenges within their school community and demonstrate a dedicated work ethic in order to ensure participant attendance and PLG quality.
- Be willing to support PLGs in the implementation of any school community advocacy project designed to obtain internal school discipline data points.
- Provide a physical meeting location for spring and summer PLG meetings.
- Be willing to assign an administrative member to serve as a liaison between participating schools and their PLG group. The designated liaison may also be a member of the PLG.
If your school is interested in participating, please contact Jessica Dulay, at Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov by Friday, May 24, 2019. OSSE will then schedule a brief phone interview where the school personnel, OSSE, and the YouthJustice team can further explore this opportunity.
Inform OSSE’s Special Education Priorities and Supports
If you have ideas about how OSSE can better serve students with disabilities, we want to hear from you. In the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan launched earlier this year, OSSE describes its commitment to “catalyze progress and dramatically shift the trajectory of growth for students with disabilities.” To help inform our development of resources and supports, OSSE is conducting focus groups to gather input from those working closest with our students on the needs and opportunities for accelerating their outcomes. We need educators from all grade levels to speak up!
If you are a general education teacher, special education teacher, special education coordinator, or special education director and would like to help us better support you and the students you serve, please participate in a 90-minute evening focus group.
- Special Education Teachers: Monday, June 3, 4-5:30 p.m.
- General Education Teachers: Wednesday, June 12, 4-5:30 p.m.
- Special Education Coordinators and Directors: Thursday, June 13, 4-5:30 p.m.
Please sign up and share with colleagues who may be interested. We look forward to hearing from you!
For questions, please contact Jennifer Carpenter at Jennifer.Carpenter@dc.gov.
Register Today! 2019 Strawberries and Salad Greens Day
Since 2011, schools and other educational sites across the District have used Strawberries and Salad Greens Day as a way to showcase locally grown produce in school meals and educate students about the many benefits of eating foods grown in or near the District. In addition to serving locally grown strawberries and salad greens as a part of the National School Lunch Program, many schools also choose to incorporate hands-on learning activities into their event. In past years, schools have hosted educational stations in the cafeteria during lunch, activities in the classroom during the school day, or special celebrations as a part of after-school programming. A 2018 post-event survey of registrants found that 87 percent of participating schools indicate they are “very likely” to participate again in the future events.
Whether you are new to the event or a long-time participant, we hope you will join schools across the District in this year’s Strawberries and Salad Greens Day on Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Register for Strawberries and Salad Greens Day.
For more information or questions, please visit OSSE's website or contact Elysia DiCamillo at Elysia.DiCamillo@dc.gov.
Summer 2019 Learn24 Network Conference: Empower and Encourage
Join the Institute for Youth Development on Friday, June 7, 2019, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for the Summer 2019 Learn24 Network Conference. This conference is designed to provide youth development professionals with essential training on best practices, evidence-based research, innovative ideas, and more. Come learn, grow, and network with awesome peers and youth development professionals at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives, 1201 17th St. NW.
Register early as space is limited.
For more information or questions, please contact Alex Brown at Alex.Brown@dc.gov.
OSSE Data Validation – Key Upcoming Dates
OSSE’s Data Validation process gives LEAs the opportunity to review and make updates to the student-level data used for analysis and reporting, including the DC School Report Card and STAR Framework. Once certified by heads of school, these data are authoritative for the 2018-19 school year.
Key upcoming dates are:
- June 7 – deadline to submit tickets for student demographic, enrollment, assessment, and assessment participation data
- June 21 – certification date for student demographic, enrollment, assessment, and assessment participation data
- June 28 – deadline to submit OSSE Support Tool (OST) tickets for attendance, graduation cohort, and additional data needed for the STAR Framework or the DC School Report Card
- July 12 – certification date for attendance, graduation cohort, and additional data needed for the STAR Framework or the DC School Report Card (please note that extended-year LEAs have a certification date of Aug. 2)
OSSE encourages LEA Data Managers to review data using the the 2018-19 school year Data Validation Qlik application well in advance of the deadlines. To stay on track, OSSE recommends scheduling a monthly (or more frequent) meeting with your DAR Liaison and attending all offered training sessions. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask your DAR liaison.
Join the June 2019 Power of Data Teacher Workshop
Attention DC area middle and high school teachers! Are you interested in helping students use mapping to understand, analyze, and interpret data? Or argue from geospatial evidence? Join the June 2019 Power of Data Teacher Workshop on Monday, June 24-Friday, June 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 200 I St. SE (closest Metro: Navy Yard on the green line).
This is a 35-hour paid professional development opportunity to learn to effectively integrate geospatial technologies (GIS) to enhance student learning in existing lessons. This opportunity is open to all teachers of grades 6-12 in the DC area, including teachers at public, charter, and private schools.
Benefits: High quality professional learning experience, $500 stipend for participating, up to $450 additional stipend for implementing lessons, and instructional and technical support as you implement lessons.
Register by Friday, May 31 as space is limited.
For more information or questions, please contact Amanda Huron of the University of the District of Columbia at Amanda.Huron@udc.edu and Eva Reid of the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer at Eva.Reid@dc.gov.
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Register Today for OSSE’s Multilingual Learner Conference: Empowering Success Through Language Learning
OSSE will host its first Multilingual Learner Conference, Empowering Success Through Language Learning, on Friday and Saturday, June 7-8, 2019 at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University. This conference will bring together hundreds of pre-K through grade 12 dual language and/or English language program teachers, leaders, and service providers from all DC schools for two days of professional development events.
Friday, June 7, 2019, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. will focus on English Language Programming and Saturday, June 8, 2019, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. will focus on Dual Language Programming. Participants may register for one or both days and will receive six OSSE professional learning units (PLUs) for each day of attendance. Register
Priority will be given to educators and staff serving in public and public charter schools in DC. For details, please view the conference website. For questions, please contact Jennifer Norton at Jennifer.Norton@dc.gov.
Charter Board Partners and PAVE Present: Building Strong Boards: Elevating Parent Voices
Is your public charter school board grappling with best practices for family engagement - specifically, relationships and communications between your board and the families you serve?
Join Charter Board Partners and PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education) for an informative training where parent trustees and board chairs will leave with greater understanding of their roles to ensure organizational success. The training will address governance challenges and solutions to overcome them. Attendees will collaborate and learn alongside board members from a number of DC charter LEAs.
If you are a current board member at a DC public charter school, please RSVP by Thursday, May 16. For more information or question about this event, please contact PAVE’s Director of School Engagement and Partnerships Marielys García, at Marielys.Garcia@dcpave.org.
Upcoming Communication to Families of Students with Disabilities Missing Transportation Forms
OSSE is working to ensure timely transportation services for eligible students with disabilities. In pursuit of that goal, this year the OSSE Division of Student Transportation will send communication directly to families for whom we do not have a complete Transportation Request Form (TRF) following the TRF deadlines for both the extended school year (ESY) and the 2019-20 school year. The communication will inform parents and guardians of students eligible for transportation services that OSSE has not received a TRF for the upcoming term (either ESY or the 2019-20 school year) and will ask families to contact their school to ensure that the appropriate school liaison has the accurate information in order to submit a TRF. As a reminder, the deadline for ESY TRFs was Monday, May 6, and for the 2019-20 school year the deadline is Monday, June 3.
For questions about communication to parents, contact our Parent Resource Center at (202) 576-5000. For questions about the TOTE system, please contact our TOTE Support Line at (202) 576-5520.
Training Opportunity: Preventing and Managing Sexual Abuse in Schools
Registration is open for the DC Public Charter School Board’s (PCSB) upcoming conference on preventing and managing sexual abuse in schools. The conference will be held on Tuesday, May 28, from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University. Safe Shores, Praesidium and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) will lead three workshops on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training, Creating a Safe Environment in Schools and Creating Safer Schools through Education and Awareness.
The conference is free and open to all levels of school staff from public and public charter schools in the District. For more information about the workshops and to register, please visit the event website. For questions, please contact Jiselle O’Neal at (202) 330-4056 or Joneal@dcpcsb.org.
Title IV, Part B – 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Competition Now Open: Applications Due June 21
OSSE is soliciting grant proposals from eligible DC organizations for the Title IV, Part B - 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant competition. Eligible agencies include LEAs, community-based organizations, other public or private entities, or consortia of two or more of such agencies or organizations. Organizations that are scheduled to receive a 21st CCLC continuation grant award in fiscal year 2020 are ineligible to apply at this time.
The 21st CCLC Request for Applications and application submission guidance are available on OSSE’s website. Organizations interested in applying must do so through the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS). Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 21, 2019 at 3 p.m. in order to be eligible for review.
OSSE will provide four pre-application technical assistance sessions to share an overview of the 21st CCLC grant program, competition, and online application submission process, and provide technical assistance for grant competition inquiries.
Potential applicants may register for web-based sessions on May 9 or May 15 or in-person sessions on May 14 or 22. Please note that seating for in-person training is limited so please register three or fewer staff per organization.
For questions, please contact OSSE at 21stcclc.info@dc.gov or (202) 442-3255.
Save the Date: OSSE and College Board Advanced Placement Symposium for Teachers, Coordinators and Administrators Confirmed for Aug. 20
OSSE and the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Symposium will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE, First Floor, Eleanor Holmes Norton I and II (Rooms 108/109). This symposium will bring together DC public and public charter school staff to:
- Hear from College Board executive-level leadership about the background behind the many changes to AP;
- Participate in hands-on sessions with College Board staff to use the new systems that will launch in August; and
- Offer the opportunity for teachers from different schools to collaborate and share best practices from their schools, by content.
The target audience for this training is AP teachers, coordinators and administrators.
To RSVP, please email Nicoisa Jones at Nicoisa.Jones@dc.gov with your name, school, role (AP teacher including course taught, coordinator, or administrator) by Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. For questions, please contact Nicoisa Jones at Nicoisa.Jones@dc.gov or (202) 899-6103.
Announcing a Change of Date for the 2019 Secondary Transition Institute: Now Oct. 18, 2019
In response to feedback from special education leaders and teachers and in order to ensure that all interested stakeholders have the opportunity to participate, this year’s Secondary Transition Institute has been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 (originally planned for Tuesday, June 4, 2019). We apologize for any inconvenience the change of date might cause and look forward to seeing you in October.
Registration for the October event will open in August 2019. Individuals who already registered for the June date have been notified of the change directly. For questions, please contact Jennifer Carpenter at Jennifer.Carpenter@dc.gov.
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Professional Development Opportunities
(Unless stated otherwise, all trainings are held at OSSE, 1050 First St. NE)
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Harnessing Student Collaboration for Discipline Policies and Implementation
Student-led restorative practices are an effective and powerful way to incorporate restorative efforts into school culture. This workshop series provides participants with strategies to implement youth voice into their school restorative practices and policies.
- Workshop 1: Harnessing Student Collaboration in Creating and Amending Discipline Policy
- Workshop 2: Harnessing Student Collaboration in Discipline Implementation
School leaders and behavior support staff serving students in grades 6-12 in public and public charter schools in DC are invited to attend. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to attend both sessions. Workshop 1 will take place on Thursday, May 30, 2019, 1:30-3:30 p.m. [Register] Workshop 2 will take place on Friday, June 7, 2019, 1:30-3:30 p.m. [Register] Both sessions will be held at OSSE, Fifth Floor, Nannie Helen Burroughs (Room 523).
For questions, please contact Jessica Dulay at Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
Developing High-Quality Transition Plans for Middle School Learners
District regulations require that the first IEP in effect after a child with a disability reaches 14 years of age includes transition assessments and services. This introductory training will prepare special education teachers and leaders serving middle school students to develop high-quality, age-appropriate transition plans that meet these requirements.
This training was developed for special education teachers and leaders serving students in grades 6 through 9. The training will be offered on Thursday, June 13, 2019, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at OSSE, First Floor, Eleanor Holmes Norton II (Room 109), and repeated on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at OSSE, Sixth Floor, Charles Drew (Room 622). Register for one of the sessions. Please bring a fully charged laptop or tablet to the session.
For questions, please contact Jennifer Carpenter at Jennifer.Carpenter@dc.gov.
Unpacking the Common Core Early Learning Standards
In this session, participants will learn how to analyze and unpack the DC Common Core Early Learning Standards, build lessons that teach across the standards for maximum impact, and analyze student work samples and video evidence in comparison to standards. This training is open to educators serving students in Pre-K3 through grade 1 in public schools, public charter schools, Head Start Agencies, and community-based organizations in the District of Columbia, with an aim toward increasing coordination between early childhood educators across all sectors through joint professional development.
This full-day training will take place on Friday, June 21, 2019, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at OSSE, Fifth Floor, Nannie Helen Burroughs (Room 523). Participants will receive six OSSE professional learning units (PLUs). Registration is now open in the DC Early Learning Professional Development Information System (PDIS). As a reminder, all LEA staff serving pre-K3 through grade 3 may now create an account in PDIS and register for any relevant early childhood trainings available. Instructions for creating an account, as well as a list of upcoming training opportunities, were announced in the May 1-7, 2019 LEA Look Forward.
For questions about this training, please contact Jenye Fletcher at Jenye.Fletcher@dc.gov. For questions about registering in PDIS, please contact the OSSE Early Childhood Education Help Desk at (202) 478-5903 or DCPDIS@dc.gov.
Reminder: To help children transition from Head Start and other early childhood programs, Title I LEAs have signed a citywide coordination agreement. Title I LEAs have committed to participating in at least two early childhood joint professional development events per year. Several trainings available in PDIS, including the one listed above, can help LEAs fulfill this requirement. For more information on ESSA early learning coordination, please visit OSSE's website.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) CORE Competencies Training (reminder)
OSSE, in collaboration with One Common Unity, will host a social and emotional literacy training designed for educators and school teams. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
In this full-day workshop, participants will learn will learn about the five SEL Core Competencies (self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making and relationship skills) developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning’s (CASEL). Together, participants will brainstorm methods to incorporate SEL into their classrooms, schools and communities. SEL is a deeply ingrained part of the way students and adults interact both in the classroom and out of it, and helps provide children with equitable, supportive, and welcoming learning environments.
This training is open to educators and leaders serving DC students and will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at OSSE, Fifth Floor, Nannie Helen Burroughs (Room 523). Register
For questions, please contact Jessica Dulay at Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
DC Teen Writers: Submit Your Writing and Meet with Author Nafissa Thompson-Spires (reminder)
DC Public Library is pleased to announce a teen-focused program for DC Reads, a one city, one book reading program. The 2019 DC Reads book is Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires. DC teens are invited to submit a piece of original writing in response to a story from Heads of the Colored People. Teen writers who submit their writing will be invited to a workshop with the author on Friday, May 31, 2019, 4-5:30 p.m. at Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library, 3955 Benning Road NE. Invited teens will have a chance to ask questions about the book and receive writing advice. All writing submissions must be sent to Philip Espe at Philip.Espe@dc.gov by Tuesday, May 21, 2019.
More information about DC Reads programs around the District, including the author talk, "An Evening with Nafissa Thompson-Spires," on Friday, May 31, 2019, 7-9 p.m. at THEARC can be found at dclibrary.org/dcreads. For questions, contact Philip Espe at Philip.Espe@dc.gov.
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