Bowser Administration Names Shana Young Interim State Superintendent
English Learner Support Strategies Guide for LEA EL Coordinators and Interest Form
OSSE Educator Licensure Virtual Office Hours
Release of OSSE’s Three-Year Roadmap for Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
IDEA Part B Resource Release: Overview of IDEA Part B Guidance Documents- Continuous Learning for Students with Disabilities in Washington, DC and Beyond
School Health and Safety Reopening Guidance Technical Assistance
Health and Safety Guidance Reminders (reminder)
2020-21 School Year Attendance Regulations, Updated Guidance, and FAQs (reminder)
October is Growing Healthy Schools Month (reminder)
Special Education Transportation Reminders in Preparation for Return to Service (reminder)
Important Immunization Reminder and Requirements for In-Person Learning (reminder)
Bowser Administration Names Shana Young Interim State Superintendent Last week, the Bowser Administration named Shana Young interim state superintendent to lead the(Office of the State Superintendent of Education) OSSE while the administration seeks a permanent replacement to Hanseul Kang, who stepped down from her role last week after serving as state superintendent since 2015.
Young had served as Kang's chief of staff since December 2015. Prior to that, she served as chief of staff at the Delaware Department of Education. Young will serve as interim state superintendent while the Bowser administration conducts a national search for the next leader of OSSE, the state education agency for the District of Columbia.
With a deep understanding of OSSE’s diverse work within the DC education landscape and strong relationships with partner agencies and organizations, Young looks forward to supporting a smooth transition and continued excellence in operations.
English Learner Support Strategies Guide for LEA EL Coordinators and Interest Form
Improving systems and practices that afford students who are English learners (ELs) high-quality, assets-driven instruction is especially critical this school year. To support LEAs’ efforts, OSSE is pleased to release a new guide, Eleven Actionable Strategies for LEAs to Support English Learners’ Success During the 2020-21 School Year, which draws on practices generated by DC’s EL coordinators, teachers and school leaders and the Deputy Mayor for Education’s EL response working group. For each strategy, tools and resources are provided to help spark action. LEA EL coordinators are invited to reflect on which strategies you are already leading the way on, and which areas you would like your LEA to grow.OSSE's Multilingual Education team would like to offer peer sharing and solution generating opportunities that address your top priorities. To give input on LEA EL coordinator sessions, please complete the DC LEA EL Coordinators Peer Sharing & Supports Interest Form by Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, 5 p.m.
The responses will be used to design LEA EL coordinator sessions that achieve two goals:
Elevating strong practices so others can learn from you; and
Providing a space to discuss common challenges, solutions and lessons learned.
Responses will be used only to provide supports and will not be shared publicly. For questions, please contact Dr. Jennifer Norton at Jennifer.Norton@dc.gov.
OSSE Educator Licensure Virtual Office Hours
OSSE'S Educator Licensure Team will host virtual office hours on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. for all licensure candidates. To enable OSSE to best prepare to serve you and your colleagues during these office hours, please complete this brief survey.
How to join office hours: To speak directly to an OSSE licensure team member during office hours, please select one of the five MS Teams virtual meeting links below that best corresponds to your area of interest, and use this link to join the virtual meeting room at any time between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020.
To learn more about OSSE's educator licensure requirements, or to apply for your DC educator credential at any time, please visit OSSE's website or contact OSSE.AskLicensure@dc.gov.
Release of OSSE’s Three-Year Roadmap for Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
OSSE is excited to share its three-year roadmap for improving outcomes for students with disabilities. OSSE’s 2019-2023 strategic plan made a commitment to accelerating academic outcomes for students with disabilities attending public schools in the District of Columbia. In 2019, we released a comprehensive landscape analysis highlighting that students with disabilities in DC – who make up one in five of our students – lag behind their peers in academic achievement, and that this gap has increased with time. We are now sharing our theory of action and priorities for how OSSE will strive over the next three years to help reduce this gap.
The six priorities include setting high expectations; strengthening educator and school leader capacity; promoting appropriate identification and placement; supporting access to information for families and educators; enabling school-wide systems of supports; and addressing recovery needs. OSSE developed the roadmap in collaboration with educators and school leaders, special education advocate organizations, families, and partners at DC Public Schools and the DC Public Charter School Board.
For questions, please contact Sarah Martin, deputy chief of staff, at Sarah.Martin@dc.gov.
IDEA Part B Resource Release: Overview of IDEA Part B Guidance Documents- Continuous Learning for Students with Disabilities in Washington, DC and Beyond
At the Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, Special Education Point of Contact Webinar, OSSE announced the agency’s partnership with The Ability Challenge (ABC) to convene and facilitate a special education Community of Practice (COP). The COP began to convene on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 and participating LEAs will collaboratively identify their most important challenges in delivering continuous education (distance learning instruction) for special education and work to identify, adapt, and implement solutions in their schools.
For more information or questions, please contact Victoria Glick at Victoria.Glick@dc.gov.
School Health and Safety Reopening Guidance Technical Assistance
OSSE's Health and Wellness Division is offering the following technical assistance:
Biweekly technical assistance calls led by OSSE and in partnership with DC Health, the Public Charter School Board, DCPS, and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education. The online calls provide support regarding the implementation of health and safety guidance during the reopening period. These Monday calls take place from 1-2 p.m. every other week. The next call is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2. Register for the upcoming calls.
Return to School Criteria decision tree guide to provide an overview of standard criteria for students and staff to return to school after symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19.
Office hours to provide one-on-one support and answer schools’ questions about OSSE's Health and Safety Re-Opening Guidance for Schools. Register for a time slot. OSSE's team will contact you via phone at your chosen time to answer your questions directly.
Question submission form which schools and LEAs may use to submit questions to OSSE regarding health and safety reopening guidance. Submit a question via this Google Form.
Health Form Requirements: All students must submit updated Universal Health Certificate (UHC) and Medication and Treatment Authorization Forms by Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. Oral Health Assessments must be submitted by Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021. Both the old and new versions of the health forms shall be accepted. Partial UHC's completed via telehealth visits shall also be accepted. Additionally, all students must continue to timely receive all necessary immunizations as required by District law.
Travel Order: Schools are encouraged to remind all staff, students, and families of the Mayor’s Travel Order in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. Individuals who have traveled to a high-risk state, country, or territory for non-essential activities are required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return. Travel to and from Maryland and Virginia is exempt from the Order. The high-risk state list is posted by DC Health every two weeks on coronavirus.dc.gov, and the high-risk country and territory list is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A negative COVID-19 test would not shorten the quarantine period of 14 days after non-essential travel.
2020-21 School Year Attendance Regulations, Updated Guidance, and FAQs (reminder)
Since the summer, OSSE has been working to update attendance collection policies to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic. LEAs submitted their attendance policies through their Continuous Education Plans and approved plans conform to our attendance policies. This week, we published updated documents related to attendance including:
2020-21 School Year Emergency and Proposed Attendance Regulations: The emergency and proposed attendance regulations have been published in the DC Register. The 30-day public comment period has begun and will last until Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Please email comments on the emergency and proposed regulations to OSSEcomments.Proposedregulations@dc.gov.
2020-21 School Year Attendance Guidance:This guidance has been updated from an earlier version and approved LEA Continuous Education Plans align with this guidance.
2020-21 School Year Attendance FAQs:This comprehensive document responds to frequently asked questions related to the 2020-21 school year attendance policy, attendance submission, and referrals.
For additional questions, please contact Justin Tooley, deputy chief of staff, at Justin.Tooley@dc.gov.
October is Growing Healthy Schools Month (reminder)
Growing Healthy Schools Month celebrates the health of students in public schools throughout the District. During the annual celebration, public schools collaborate with local community-based organizations, District government agencies, farmers, athletes, and chefs to coordinate inspiring activities aimed at engaging students with topics concerning nutrition, the environment, and being active.
To celebrate Growing Healthy Schools Month this year, OSSE is celebrating and promoting a different theme of the Healthy Schools Act each week in October: Farm to School, School Gardens, Environmental Literacy, and Physical Activity. Visit OSSE's website to find activities and resources related to each weekly theme. We encourage you to share how you’re celebrating Growing Healthy Schools Month on social media with the hashtag #HealthySchoolsDC.
Special Education Transportation Reminders in Preparation for Return to Service(reminder)
OSSE's Division of Student Transportation (OSSE DOT) is providing transportation services for the 2020-21 school year, for schools offering “hybrid” (combination of distance and in-person) or “in-person” learning. While we recognize and appreciate the updates we have received for school calendars to reflect a model that includes in-person services, we wanted to remind you of our timeline for submitting your school calendars, to include the day you will begin in-person learning and the associated Transportation Request Forms (TRFs) for your eligible students who will use transportation services.
According to our Special Education Transportation Policy, OSSE DOT has 10 business days to process transportation requests. However, given the higher volume of requests at the start of the school year along with the need for data verification, staff notifications, and various other preparation activities, DOT requests that all calendar updates and TRFs be submitted no less than 20 business days (four weeks) prior to your first day of in-person learning for the applicable student group to ensure transportation services are provided. Once services begin, requests will be processed on a rolling basis according to our policy.
OSSE DOT has made several changes based on federal and local health guidance to ensure the protection, safety and well-being of our students, staff, and the school communities we serve. As a part of our reopening plan, we will provide families with information regarding the internal measures OSSE DOT will be taking to create a safe transportation environment with student-specific routing information prior to the first day of service. LEAs and schools can access this information on OSSE's website and are welcome to share it with families as well. Additionally, all school buses are now named, “District of Columbia Student Transportation,” to be more inclusive of all educational programs supported by transportation services.
It is our goal to make the transition to school-based learning as safe and seamless as possible for the families and schools we serve. For additional questions or concerns, please contact our TOTE Support Line at (202) 576-5520 or DOT.Data@dc.gov.
Important Immunization Reminder and Requirements for In-Person Learning (reminder)
As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, District physicians have recorded an extremely low rate of pediatric immunization administrations this year. According to DC Health, the rate of pediatric immunization administrations has dropped by 70 percent in the District as families have avoided or not had access to well-child care during the emergency period. Due to this, many children in the District are not fully immunized, creating a high risk for an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable infectious disease such as measles among our students. DC Health has advised that such an outbreak of another infectious disease could be as much, or even more, of a public health risk for school communities than COVID-19 itself, and would add another complex obstacle for school operations this year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of protecting children against contagious diseases. Now, more than ever, families should make appointments and receive their necessary immunizations and flu shots. DC Health is prepared to support schools and families by providing more information on the importance of immunizations and details on where to access immunizations in the District. A list of health providers and locations offering pediatric immunizations is available on the DC Health website. Health providers are prepared to continue accepting appointments for administering immunizations throughout the duration of the health emergency and are taking protective measures to ensure safety of patients.
Due to the dangerously low pediatric immunization compliance and in an effort to protect the health and safety of all students, DC Health and OSSE have advised that all schools are to adopt the Immunization Policy for In-Person Attendance beginning in the 2020-21 school year. This includes notifying and potentially removing non-compliant students from in-person instruction after a 20-school day period due to the public health risks of in-person congregation without up-to-date immunizations. We request your assistance with communicating immunization requirements to all families now to give them as much time as possible to make appointments with their health care providers before the start of school.
OSSE's website has resources, training and information available for schools and families to support meeting immunization requirements. For questions about the Immunization Policy for In-Person Attendance, please contact OSSE.SchoolHealth@dc.gov. For questions about immunization information, data, and locations where families can receive immunizations, schools can contact DC Health at SHS.Program@dc.gov or visit the DC Health Immunization Program webpage.
Upcoming Virtual PD Sessions for DC Educators
OSSE's Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) is pleased to announce the release of their Fall 2020 PD Catalog, which includes a robust offering of professional learning opportunities that are now open for registration. All OSSE TAL PD trainings are listed within the OSSE Training Registration application. In addition to the catalog, educators can stay informed of PD opportunities by viewing the October 2020 TAL PD Bulletin. For questions, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.
Teacher Self-Care: Reducing Burn-out as a Lead Educator
Teachers instinctively place their students' wellness over their own self-care, resulting in stress, potential burn-out, and even retention concerns. Leaders are in a complex position, attempting to reduce the burden on teachers while at the same time ensuring rigorous learning and improvement can happen. Join Lauren Vargas (MEdL) from EdConnective for a short 30-minute workshop as she shares practical advice for school and district leaders to support teacher self-care so that students can experience joyful and rigorous learning every day. Most benefit will be for those in leadership positions (Superintendents, Principals, Directors of Curriculum and Instruction, Lead Teachers and Assistant Principals), however teachers are welcome too! Workshop will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, 2-2:30 p.m. Unable to join? Please register anyway and we will share a recording after the session. For questions, please contact Branch Feagans at Branch@EdConnective.io.
Youth Mental Health First Aid – Virtual Workshop
Youth Mental Health First Aid USA is a public education program that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.
This blended-learning course teaches participants the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, disruptive behavior disorders, and substance use disorder.
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. [Register] Participants are required to complete a two-hour self-paced intro course prior to attending the virtual training. All pre-work and virtual details will be provided to participants one week prior to their training date.
Mandatory Youth Behavioral Health Training for Administrators and Educators
OSSE collaborates with the Department of Behavioral Health to monitor DC public and public charter school staff completion of the Support DC Youth behavioral health training. This is a reminder that all new and returning building administrators and teachers who completed prior to Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, must complete the three required modules by Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. Those who completed the modules in calendar year 2020 do not need to retake this fall.
Compliance tracking is the responsibility of building administrators, who should review their school’s compliance report monthly to ensure the school achieves 100 percent completion by Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. For questions regarding your school’s compliance, please contact Support@Kognito.com.
REAL Family Engagement: High-Quality Academic Partnering Meetings (reminder)
Flamboyan champions academic partnering meetings between educators and families as a critical component of REAL Family Engagement. Academic partnering meetings can take many forms: parent-teacher conferences (PTCs), Academic Parent-Teacher Team (APTT) meetings, or student-led conferences (SLCs). Regardless of the format, the time families and educators spend discussing and collaborating with their students is an opportunity that should be maximized. During this session, hosted by OSSE in partnership with Flamboyan, teachers and school leaders will learn about practices, tips, and tools to make the most out of academic partnering with families, even from a distance.
Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from a parent regarding their testimony and experience being academic partners with their child’s teacher. By the end of our presentation, educators will understand the foundational components of academic partnering meetings through the planning stages, high-quality delivery, and follow-up communication. This webinar will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, 3:30-4:30 p.m. [Register] For questions, please contact Jessica Dulay at Jessica.Dulay@dc.gov.
Foundations of Online Instructional Coaching (reminder)
Are you coaching from a distance? Working behind a screen to support teacher growth? Join OSSE for a four-part series entitled, Foundations in Online Instructional Coaching. Leaders and instructional coaches will explore practical ways to create an effective online presence, investigate frameworks for structuring a 30-minute online coaching session, determine how to maintain connections through micro learnings and discuss best practices for online feedback. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions and will receive five professional learning units for their full participation and attendance. Register for the first session to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 1-2:15 p.m. View here for more information. For questions, please contact Tanaga Rodgers at Tanaga.Rodgers@dc.gov.
SOAR FFY20 Academic Quality / Facilities/ Early Childhood / CARES Equivalent Application to Open Oct. 28, 2020
The SOAR Academic Quality/Facilities, Early Childhood, and CARES Equivalent formula grants applications will be available for eligible charter LEAs to complete in the Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Applications are due by 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Funds allocated to LEAs that do not submit an application in EGMS by the due date will be reallocated to eligible LEAs that meet the deadline. OSSE will begin its review of applications as they are received and anticipates completing all reviews by Monday, Dec. 14, 2020.
Final federal fiscal year 2020 (FFY20) SOAR allocations are available in EGMS and on OSSE’s website. There have been no changes since they were shared initially on Aug. 10. This SOAR application reflects amendments to the SOAR grant to address the current needs of LEAs. This includes funding to provide CARES Equivalent allocations for LEAs not eligible for Title I funding, including adult and early childhood charter LEAs, and additional flexible formula funding for facilities, including virtual school infrastructure.
Applicants are invited to participate in a suggested pre-application webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, from 2-3 p.m. [Register] The webinar will be recorded and made available on the OSSE’s website.
For questions or need support on SOAR grants, please contact Ronda Lasko at Ronda.Lasko@dc.gov.
OSSE will continue to update and redistribute these resources quarterly. If you have a question not addressed in these resources, please contact OSSE Communications at OSSE.Communications@dc.gov.
Subscribe to LEA Look Forward
To subscribe to OSSE's LEA Look Forward, please contact OSSE Communications at OSSE.Communications@dc.gov and provide your first name, last name, and email address.
