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February 2021 Newsletter

Notices and Updates

 

Additional COVID-19 Relief Funding (ESSER II-CARES 2.0)
On December 27, 2020, Congress authorized ESSER II-CARES 2.0, a second round of COVID-19 related stimulus funding for K-12 education. IDOE has preliminary information and guidance for districts as they prepare for the increased funding amount. Please visit the IDOE ESSER II webpage for preliminary allocations, allowable activity information, and grant administration information. The specific application and final allocations are forthcoming. For questions, please reach out to Cole Dietrich
 
Test Administration Guidance for Spring Testing
Please review IDOE’s remote proctoring guidance as you plan for spring testing. All state summative assessments must be administered to students in person, including practice and operational tests. Please contact the OSA with questions about this guidance. Please contact the Office of Accountability with questions related to performance calculations and participation rates.

Each Test Security Coordinator should be receiving communication from IDOE regarding upcoming assessment windows and requirements for administration of all State of Indiana assessments. Contact INassessments@doe.in.gov if no one in your school is currently receiving communication.
 
Spring 2021 Count Date
The spring 2021 ADM count date of the eligible pupils enrolled in each school corporation and charter school was February 1, 2021. Both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 counts will be used in the FY 2021 State Tuition Support formula to determine Basic Grant distributions to public school corporations and charter schools. Contact IDOE Office of School Finance or STN Support with questions or concerns on your submission. 

State Matching Funds Available for Qualified Fiber Projects
IDOE is announcing its participation in the E-rate match program for special construction projects. This is available to any public school in Indiana and is in the 3rd year of a pilot program for FY2021 (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022). As described on the Universal Services Administration Company (USAC) web site: “If a state provides eligible schools and libraries with funding for special construction charges for high-speed broadband that meets the FCC's long-term connectivity targets, the E-rate Program will increase an applicant's discount rate for these charges up to an additional ten percent to match the state funding on a one-to-one dollar basis.” For more information, view the IDOE memo here
ICSB Website Update 
The Indiana Charter School Board's website has undergone a migration to a new content management service. Old URL links should automatically redirect to the new pages. Please contact nhornyak@icsb.in.gov, if you encounter any issues. 

ICSB Reporting Requirements 

Upcoming Due Dates
February / March
Due Date Required Documentation School Year Accountability Category
February Board Meeting Minutes from January 2021 Org. Compliance
02/15 Q2 Financial Report 2021 Financial Health
02/15 Board of Directors Roster (Updated) 2021 Org. Compliance
02/15 Staff Roster Report (Updated) 2021 All
02/28 Indiana Assessment Test Security Policy 2021 Academic Success

IMPORTANT
Beginning with Q2 2020-21 FY, ICSB will accept only Version 12.07.20 of the Financial Workbook. All submissions of any other versions of the Workbook will automatically be rejected. Updates include formatting and bug fixes. The Workbook is available for download here. 
Governing Board Requirements
All ICSB charter school governing boards must materially comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and all relevant provisions of the charter agreement relating to governance of the school by the governing board, including: 
  • Submitted Board Meeting Minutes for all meetings occurring during the year (four times a year).
  • An annual Economic and Conflict of Interest Report (by September 9).
  • Any amended governance documents (including, Articles, Bylaws, and Conflict of Interest policies, etc.) 
  • Notification to ICSB staff of changes to the Board, including Resumes and Conflict of Interest Forms for New Board Members
  • Ensuring that all ODL notice and access requirements are met
  • Ensuring that all state and federal law meeting requirements are met, including: i) quorum, ii) electronic participation, iii) conflict-of-interest, and iii) voting; 4) Ensure that minutes of each board meeting are kept, including, at a minimum: i) the date, time, and place of the meeting, ii) the members of the governing body recorded as either present or absent, including whether the member is participating electronically, iii) the general substance of all matters proposed, discussed, or decided, and iv) a record of all votes taken, by individual members if there is a roll call;
To read the full memo on Governing Board Requirements, click here
Student Opportunities

FAFSA, College Goal Sunday, Student Grants

FAFSA applications are due soon. Families and students with disabilities interested in attending college need to understand that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) could assist them with federal and state grants and/or loans and scholarships.

Filling out the FAFSA form—especially for first-time filers—can be complicated. Encourage students and families to participate in College Goal Sunday, which provides free FAFSA filing assistance to Hoosier families. This year's event will take place virtually on March 7, 2021.  Please see College Goal Sunday for full event information.

ScholarTrack.IN.gov can also guide students and families through the process of applying for additional financial assistance and scholarships. Other information and deadlines: 

Cybersecurity Competition

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security encourages high school students to register for the CyberStart America competition, a cybersecurity skills-based game competition designed to help students understand the many learning and career opportunities in cyber fields. Interested students can find out more about CyberStart America and register through February 28 at cyberstartamerica.org.

Civics Education Essay Contest

The National Center for State Courts is sponsoring a Law Day civics education essay contest for students in grades 3-12 with the theme of “Advancing the Rule of Law Now.” The deadline is February 26. What does the rule of law mean to you? See more information

Indiana Digital Humanities Initiative

The Indiana Digital Humanities Initiative (INDHI) promotes scholarship from across the state that applies digital technologies to humanities questions. INDHI also serves as a clearinghouse for information about DH-related student opportunities, funding sources, and activities. To learn more visit IndianaHumanities.org/INDHI

Upcoming Events
Black Lives and the Legacy of George Floyd: A Conversation
Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. CST
Tune in for a special Black History Month event from Indiana University Northwest’s Department of Minority studies featuring Nyle Fort, from Princeton’s Department of Religious Studies, and George Floyd’s aunt and uncle. RSVP for the virtual conversation on Feb. 9.
EL Leadership Meeting
Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST
The third EL Leadership meeting of the school year will be held on Wednesday, February 10. All EL leaders across the state are encouraged to attend as IDOE's EL team will share news and updates, and participants will be able to collaborate with peers and give feedback on key EL topics. Meeting access links will be found in the Indiana English Learner PD Opportunities Calendar. For questions, please contact Emma Everson.
History Walking Tour: Martindale-Brightwood Neighborhood
Feb. 13 at 12 p.m. EST
Join BlackSpace Indianapolis and Through2Eyes Indiana for a guided history tour of the historically Black neighborhood Martindale-Brightwood on Feb. 13 at 12 p.m. EST.  Learn more here. 
Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT)
February 16 - March 25 
From February to March, INSTRC and IN*SOURCE will be holding a series of webinars on FEAT. To learn more and register go to the IN*SOURCE FEAT information and registration page. Please contact Michelle Oja with any questions or concerns
Lincoln Collection Educator Tours
Feb. 20, 2021; 1-3 p.m.
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites holds one of the world’s most comprehensive collection of Lincoln artifacts, the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection. Learn about the history of the collection and the objects within on a behind-the-scenes tour with our chief curator and researcher. Then, stroll through our galleries for key points of interest with a museum educator. Open to all Indiana educators. Reservations are required. Call Krystle Mangan at 317.509.7679 or email kmangan@indianamuseum.org.
Digital Learning Day
Feb. 25
IDOE is partnering with organizations and educators to provide multiple training opportunities. The focus is on strengthening student learning experiences with the effective use of technology in a blended learning environment. Check out the Indiana Digital Learning Month website for details on upcoming events, and follow the #INDLmonth hashtag where IDOE will share resources and invite educators to connect with one another. Contact Meri Carnahan with  questions
Indiana Humanities: Grant Opportunities Deadlines
Feb. 28 Deadline
Indiana Humanities offers a number of grant opportunities each year. The standard annual grants include the Action Grant, Historic Preservation Education Grant, INcommon Grant, Innovation Grant and Collaboration Grant. More information can be found here.
ILEARN Spring 2021 Educator Scoring Application Window Now Open 

The application window for educators interested in scoring open-ended ILEARN items has opened and continues through March 17. Please share this flyer and related FAQ with your educators so they can access the online application link and other key details related to this process. Please contact the Indiana Assessment Help Desk with any questions.
Virtual Tech Expo 2021
April 15, 2021, from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm EST
Join the PATINS Project and IN*SOURCE for the second virtual Tech Expo 2021Register here (Registration closes April 12, 2021)
Reminder: Special Education Support Services Available
The PATINS Project specialists can help problem-solve issues surrounding accessibility, assistive technology, accessible educational materials, and implementing Universal Design for Learning. Educators can reach contact the PATINS Project through their open office hours at 10 a.m. (EDT) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through October. PATINS Project Specialists will be available during the Open Office Hours via Zoom. Please contact Daniel McNulty with any questions.
Miscellaneous
Ensure you have access to IDOE announcements, including school financials, student assessments and more via Moodle:https://moodle.doe.in.gov/ 
To download the Moodle App, click here.
IDOE Weekly Update Archive.

Subscribe to IDOE Updates here.
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