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                                                       April 30-May 6, 2021



Reopening & Recovery
  • OSSE Expectations and Supports for 2021-22 School Year Planning (reminder)
  • Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Updates: LEA Assurances Due by May 7 and Application Support Tool Available
  • ESSER II-CRRSA Equivalent Funding
  • Outdoor Learning Resources (reminder)
  • OSSE Offering Zearn Math to Schools for Summer Learning: Apply Today (reminder)
Health & Wellness: Vaccination Updates
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Updates
  • Update: Charter Schools – How to Formally Request Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Student Testing from DC Health School Health Services Program (SHSP)
  • School Health and Safety Guidance Technical Assistance and Updates
  • Vaccine Safety Speaker's Bureau and Resource Library Now Available (reminder)
Important Announcements
  • Help OSSE Highlight Graduating Seniors for DC Decision Day
  • New Grants Newsletter Launching May 4
  • Strengthening School Behavioral Health Survey 2021
  • Support OST Programs This Tax Season
  • US Department of Education Approves OSSE’s Accountability Waiver Request (reminder)
  • US Green Ribbon Schools Honorees (reminder)
  • DC Special Education Cooperative: Good Trouble Social Justice Institute (reminder)
  • Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Election Timeline Change
  • OSSE Assessment Waiver Update Request Update (reminder)
  • Invitation to Comment - Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR): OSSE Educator Preparation Provider State Approval (reminder)
  • OSSE Home Language Survey: Important Reminders (reminder)
Professional Development, Leadership Opportunities & Events
  • The 2021 Multilingual Learner Conference: Unique Virtual Event Created By DC Educators, For DC Educators
  • Ahead of the Curve: Paving the Way Forward with Care, Equity and Innovation
  • Upcoming Virtual Professional Learning for DC Educators
Grants & Funding
  • Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC FY22 Grant Competition Application 
  • Help Your Students Get Up to $10,000 in DCTAG Funds  (reminder)
Important Dates & Deadlines to Remember
 
OSSE Exp ectations and Supports for 2021-22 School Year Planning (reminder) 
Schools are beginning to reopen for in-person learning, and the vaccination of our school staff is well underway. Mayor Bowser has stated that all public schools in Washington, DC will be open for in-person learning five days a week for all students when the 2021-22 school year begins, and DC Health has released new health guidance that will make this more feasible while still ensuring the health and safety of staff and students. 
 
To support LEAs in preparing for students to return to the school building, OSSE has identified three priorities that we’re asking you to focus on as you plan for fall 2021:  
  • Safe Reopening: Ensure a safe reopening of school buildings for all students and staff 
  • Student & Staff Well-Being: Support the social-emotional and mental health of our school communities 
  • Accelerated Learning: Assess the impact of interrupted instruction and accelerate learning, at home and in person, for all students 
Our expectations for you 
The following items will require action from LEAs: 
  • Submit Federal Grant Applications (late spring and summer): There are now several federal grants for elementary and secondary schools to receive emergency funds to support schools in these priorities. More information on how to access the second and third grants is provided below. More details on these federal emergency grants and information about how to apply is available here
  • Submit New Continuous Education Plans (late June): To support LEAs in developing comprehensive plans for the fall and to build a shared understanding of what this will look like across the District, we will collect new continuous education plans for the 2021-22 school year from all LEAs. The questions will be available in mid-May, with plans due in late June. (Please note this updated timeline for release, as we are still finalizing key policy decisions.)
  • Submit Interim Assessment Information (late June): To better understand the ways in which students are being assessed and to obtain local information on the impact of interrupted instruction over the past year, we will collect information from LEAs about the locally administered assessments given in the 2020-21 school year, as well as the assessments you plan to administer in the 2021-22 school year. This request will be released in mid-May and will be due in mid-July.
How we will support you  
To help you realize these priorities, OSSE is taking the following steps this spring and summer:  
  • Update Guiding Principles (mid-May): We will update our guiding principles for continuous education and re-orient them around the three priorities identified above. The updated guiding principles will once again set clear expectations for what LEAs should be doing to ensure a safe reopening, support student and staff well-being, and accelerate learning for all students, especially students typically furthest from opportunity.  
  • Offer Targeted Technical Assistance (May-August): We will offer targeted technical assistance to help select LEAs develop their continuous education plans and align their various pots of local and federal funding to support them, as well as general support for all LEAs in completing strong plans. We will notify LEAs in mid-May of the technical assistance available. 
  • Make Available a Portfolio of Supports: We are also putting together a portfolio of supports from across the agency to support you in doing all of this. This will include new investments, such as making available consultative supports from external partners to inform the development of your continuous education plan, as well as expanding existing investments and curating existing resources.  
Please stay tuned for information in mid-May with more details on the supports above, which will also include the updated Guiding Principles and application questions for the continuous education plans.  
  • In the meantime, if you have questions about the guiding principles, continuous education plans, or technical assistance, please contact Deputy Chief of Staff Sarah Martin at Sarah.Martin@dc.gov.  
  • If you have questions about federal funding, please contact Director of Federal Programs and Strategic Funding Linda Sun at Linda.Sun1@dc.gov.  
  • If you have questions about the interim assessment collection, please contact Interim Assistant Superintendent of Data, Assessment, and Research Evan Kramer at Evan.Kramer@dc.gov.  
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Updates: LEA Assurances Due by May 7 and Application Support Tool Available (reminder)
OSSE recently received two-thirds of its state-level award for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) from the United States Department of Education (USED). As emergency funding, OSSE is required to make awards to LEA subgrantees within 60 days of receipt of funds. To receive your LEA’s initial Grant Award Notification (GAN) for two-thirds of your preliminary allocation amount, your LEA must review assurances and submit a signed copy by May 7, 2021 to OSSE.CARES@dc.gov.

Eligible LEAs must complete two application steps to receive ARP ESSER funds:
LEAs will be able to access the ARP ESSER application in EGMS this summer. All reimbursements for this grant program will be processed through EGMS and an approved EGMS application will allow LEAs to begin submitting reimbursements for the grant’s period of availability, March 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2024. LEAs are encouraged to leverage this funding to support safe reopening schools, sustaining safe and healthy operation in schools, and address the significant academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Additionally, the EGMS application for ESSER II funding, provided through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, will be released on May 7, 2021. To assist LEAs in preparing to complete that application, OSSE has created an ESSER II Application Tool. This tool replicates the ESSER II grant’s EGMS application in an Excel workbook to allow LEAs to preview application requirements and draft responses. If your LEA would like a copy of this tool, please email
OSSE.CARES@dc.gov.

For questions on ESSER grant programs, please contact OSSE.CARES@dc.gov.  

ESSER II-CRRSA Equivalent Funding
This winter, OSSE announced that it would provide emergency relief funding for non-Title I-A K-12, adult and early childhood LEAs not eligible for the second round ESSER Funding established under the CRRSA Act, 2021. The following outlines how your LEA can access these additional supports. 

Non-Title I-A K-12 LEAs
An application for ESSER II-CRRSA Equivalent funding will be available in the
Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) on May 7, 2021. The period of availability for this grant is March 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2023, so non-Title I-A K-12 LEAs may make commitments for allowable uses against these funds now and submit reimbursements post-award. Allocations for non-Title I-A K-12 LEAs can be accessed here. 

Adult and Early Childhood LEAs
ESSER II-CRRSA Equivalent funding will be distributed through the LEA’s existing Scholarship for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act Grant. LEAs will see an increase in their fiscal year 2021 (FY21) SOAR Formula Combined grant by May 7, 2021, and will need to submit an amendment in
EGMS by Sept. 30, 2021, to access these additional funds. The period of availability allows for reimbursement back to July 1, 2020, so LEAs may make commitments for allowable uses against these funds now and submit reimbursements after approval of its amendment. Allocations for adult and early childhood LEAs are available here

For questions or additional information about ESSER II-CRRSA Equivalent funding, please contact
OSSE.ESSER@dc.gov

Outdoor Learning Resources (reminder)
OSSE’s Health and Safety Guidance for Schools encourages schools to use outdoor spaces for instruction and activities, as feasible and as weather permits. OSSE has created resources to assist LEAs’ use of outdoor areas as viable spaces for classroom instruction and other school activities. Please visit the
Outdoor Learning Spaces web page to find resources to assist schools with planning and creating outdoor spaces, best practices for working with students outdoors, and tips for distributing and serving meals outdoors. Submit any questions here or contact Grace Manubay, environmental literacy coordinator, Division of Health and Wellness, at OSSE.HYDT@dc.gov.

OSSE Offering Zearn Math to Schools for Summer Learning: Apply Today! (reminder)
OSSE is excited to provide
Zearn Math, a high-quality, digital math curriculum and intervention program, to schools that will offer summer programming to accelerate student learning in grades K-8. Zearn Math is a curated set of digital math lessons in a prioritized sequence to ensure a strong start to 2021-22 grade-level learning. Materials can be used flexibly across summer school models, tutoring programs, or targeted summer interventions. Zearn Math is an evidence-based curriculum, has been top-rated by EdReports and by state departments of education across the country, and is aligned to Eureka Math/EngageNY but also enhances all other math curricula. Learn more about Zearn’s approach.

Selected schools will receive a one-year subscription, beginning in summer 2021, that includes student-level account access, as well as dynamic digital lessons and resources for teachers and/or tutors to use in tandem with student access. OSSE will also provide up to 175 hardcopies of
Student Notes Workbooks for each selected school. These printed workbooks complement the digital lessons and are strongly encouraged for students in grades K-3. 

For additional details click
here. If interested, a school staff member must apply on behalf of the entire school using this online form by the deadline of Friday, May 14, 2021. School subscriptions are limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. For questions, please contact Tanaga Rodgers at Tanaga.Rodgers@dc.gov
 

COVID-19 Vaccination Updates
All District residents age 16 and older are eligible to receive the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in Washington, DC. 

Beginning on Saturday, May 1, the District will transition to the use of 11 high-capacity, walk-up, no-appointment-needed vaccination sites. Wednesday, April 28 was the last day pre-registrations were accepted through vaccinate.dc.gov. 
  • Walk-up sites are for first doses. When individuals receive their first dose, they will still make an appointment to get their second dose. 
  • The locations of the walk-up vaccination sites are:
    • Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW
    • Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie St. SE
    • Kenilworth Recreation Center, 4321 Ord St. NE
    • Lamond Recreation Center, 20 Tuckerman St. NE
    • Langdon Park Community Center, 2901 20th St. NE
    • Providence Health System, 1150 Varnum St. NE
    • Rosedale Recreation Center, 1701 Gales St. NE
    • Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE
    • University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave. NW
    • Walter E. Washington Convention Center (GW MFA), 801 Mt Vernon Place NW
    • MAY 1 ONLY: Entertainment and Sports Arena, 1100 Oak St. SE
    • AFTER MAY 1: RISE Demonstration Center, 2730 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
  • More information, including days, hours and available vaccines will be listed at vaccinefinder.org.
  • The walk-up sites will be in addition to pharmacies, clinics, and health care providers that are also administering the vaccines citywide, many of which can be found at vaccinefinder.org. These sites will operate their own scheduling systems. 
Residents who are age 16-17 will continue to get vaccinated through Children’s National Hospital. Please register at childrensnational.org.

For additional information on the COVID-19 vaccine in the District, please visit
vaccinate.dc.gov, see Mayor Bowser’s April 26 situational update, or contact OSSE.HealthandSafety@dc.gov

 
Update: Charter Schools – How to Formally Request Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Student Testing from DC Health School Health Services Program (SHSP)
As outlined in this memo dated April 22, 2021, DC Health is working to expand supports for school COVID-19 symptomatic and asymptomatic testing through its School Health Services Program (SHSP). Charter schools participating in SHSP and interested in COVID-19 testing services should submit a formal request to DC Health along with a COVID-19 Testing Protocol for review and approval. 
 
See the school-level steps outlined below if interested in participating:
  1. Develop a COVID-19 Testing Protocol. For guidance, refer to DC Health’s recently-released template to develop and implement policies at the school.
  2. Formally request COVID-19 testing services by first submitting a request for access to the online submission form in the SHSP request portal at: dchealth.force.com/studenthealthservices/s/ 
  3. Finally, review and submit protocols to DC Health SHSP to initiate the coordination process.
In addition to following school-level reopening plans for traditional in-person health services, health suite personnel at schools requesting and receiving COVID-19 testing services from SHSP must follow DC Health’s additional COVID-19 safety protocols that extend beyond guidance from OSSE.
 
For more information, see the DC Health memorandum to school administrators “Information on protocols for COVID-19 Testing.” For questions, please contact SHSP at SHS.Program@dc.gov

School Health and Safety Guidance Technical Assistance and Updates
DC Health released K-12 and Adult Education Commencement Guidance on April 7. The guidance is intended for schools serving pre-K-Grade 12 and adult education students that are considering holding in-person graduation ceremonies during spring 2021. In-person graduation ceremonies will be allowed to occur with strong safeguards and physical distancing in place. Access the guidance here.


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, PCSB, 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 COVID-19 recovery period. These Monday calls take place from 1-2 p.m. every other week. The next call is scheduled for May 3, and will include several key health and safety updates and a deep dive on the routine pediatric immunization requirements for students. Register here for this and all upcoming calls. Register here for this and all upcoming calls.
For more information or to submit questions to OSSE regarding health and safety guidance, please contact OSSE.HealthandSafety@dc.gov.  

Vaccine Safety Speaker's Bureau and Resource Library Now Available (reminder)
Educators eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine may have questions about how the vaccines work and vaccine safety. OSSE can coordinate professionals from the medical community to speak with staff at LEAs and child care providers to address common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. 
 
For speaking requests more than a month away, DC Health is able to coordinate a speaker. Please 
visit this site and fill out the form for your request. Email the completed form to Ronald.King@dc.gov, Robert.Mayfield@dc.gov, or Ivan.Torres@dc.gov
 
For speaking requests within the next month, please
submit your request via this form.
 
Also available is a 
new COVID-19 vaccine resource library with curated written and video information on vaccine safety from a variety of reputable sources as well as upcoming events open to the public. The library will be updated regularly, so continue to check back for new links. 

 

Help OSSE Highlight Graduating Seniors for DC Decision Day
DC Decision Day is May 7, 2021! DC Decision Day recognizes high school seniors for their postsecondary plans and encourages younger students and families to prepare for postsecondary planning. OSSE’s College and Career Readiness Team, in the Division of Postsecondary and Career Education, is looking for LEAs that are interested in highlighting a selection of their 12th grade students in the DC Decision Day video.  

The DC Decision Day video is a photo montage of 12th grade students who have declared their intentions for a postsecondary plan (college, military, postsecondary training, etc.) LEAs can choose up to three students to showcase in the video. To participate, LEAs must:
  • Register your Decision Day event with OSSE here;
  • Once you register your Decision Day event, you will receive the link to submit student information to showcase in the video, including:
    • Students names, declared postsecondary plans; and 
    • Student photographs.
All information and materials must be submitted to OSSE’s College and Career Readiness Team by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4. For more information and questions please contact Joi Jones at Joi.Jones@dc.gov.  

New Grants Newsletter Launching May 4
OSSE’s Division of Systems and Supports, K-12 will begin distributing a bi-weekly Grants Newsletter to LEA grant managers on May 4. This communication will support grant managers by summarizing all K-12 upcoming grant opportunities, as well as application timelines, due dates and training events. The following grant programs will be represented in this communication: 
  • 21st Century Community Learning Centers;
  • Charter Schools Program (CSP);
  • Community Schools Incentive Initiative; 
  • Consolidated Application (ConApp) - Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title I-A, Title II-A, Title III-A, Title IV-A;
  • Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund grants I-III;
  • ESSER Equivalent (I-III);
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
  • Investment in Schools (IIS);
  • McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant (MKV);
  • Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) – Academic Quality, Early Childhood, Facilities, Teacher Pipeline, and Third Party;
  • Special Education Enhancement Fund (SEEF);
  • Title I, Part D.
The OSSE Division of Systems and Supports, K-12 Grants Newsletter will be distributed to LEA staff assigned to the role of “LEA Finance/Grants Manager” in eSchoolPLUS. Please ensure your eSchoolPLUS points of contact are up to date, so your grant managers receive this new communication. 

We look forward to sharing the first issue of the newsletter with your teams on May 4. If you have any questions about the newsletter, please contact Cassie Lynott at
Cassie.Lynott@dc.gov

Strengthening School Behavioral Health Survey 2021
The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) has partnered with Child Trends, a nonprofit research organization, to learn about school behavioral health services and supports at all public and public charter schools in DC. From May 10 through June 4, schools will be asked to administer brief, online surveys of students, parents and school staff about their perceptions of school behavioral health services.

Schools should submit their plan by May 7 using this link:
forms.office.com/r/xSAStL8gjm

Based on the survey data collected, each school will receive a report that can be used to help them complete their School Strengthening Workplans and monitor delivery of school behavioral health supports. More information about the surveys and next steps can be found here: bit.ly/3atgLil 

Support OST Programs This Tax Season
Consider supporting out-of-school-time (OST) programs this tax season by making a Contribution to Taxpayer Support for Afterschool Programs for At-Risk Students on your DC individual income tax form, under the contributions section on Schedule U part II, line 2. These funds will support grants to help bring safe and meaningful opportunities to at-risk youth in the District of Columbia beyond the school day.

More information about making a contribution is available
here.

For questions or concerns, please contact Alex Brown at
alex.brown@dc.gov.

US Department of Education Approves OSSE’s Accountability Waiver Request (reminder)
On April 21, the US Department of Education (USED) approved OSSE’s waiver request to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Consolidated State Plan for accountability, school identification, and reporting requirements in Section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) and 1111(d)(2)(C)-(D) and selected report card provisions in Section 1111(h) based on data from the 2020-21 school year as specified in the Department’s Accountability Waiver template. In short, the waiver asked to suspend the calculation of new STAR ratings for the 2020-21 school year and new school designations for comprehensive and targeted improvements. You can read the letter from USED
here.  

US Green Ribbon Schools Honorees (reminder)
On April 22, the US Department of Education announced the recipients of the 2021 US Green Ribbon Schools recognition. Two schools in the District, Francis Scott Key Elementary and DC Bilingual Public Charter School have been recognized for their efforts to make school-wide improvements and changes centered around the program’s three pillars of environmental impact of facilities, health and wellness of students and staff, and environmental and sustainability education. Learn more about the schools in the
highlights report.

DC Special Education Cooperative: Good Trouble Social Justice Institute
The DC Special Education Cooperative is proud to present the Good Trouble Social Justice Institute. The Good Trouble Social Justice Institute is a two-day engaging, innovative and collective knowledge-building program. This immersive experience is designed to serve and support young people of color and their advocacy at the intersections of disability, race and gender. All programming will occur on Saturday, May 8, and Saturday, May 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The institute is aligned thematically to the idea of unlearning and healing. The approach allows for everyone to check their biases and understanding of these intersections of race, gender and disability to begin the healing needed to move forward in solidarity. The institute will include yoga instructors, workshop facilitators, speakers, including a keynote speech from environmental justice organizer
Daphne Frias

All participants for the Good Trouble Social Justice Institute must meet the following requirements:
  • Ages 14-19  or enrolled in Grades 8-12;
  • Have a documented disability (individualized education program or 504 Plan);
  • Enrolled at a DC Public Charter school; and
  • Current Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Client or have electronically submitted the RSA Intake Form.
Participants can earn up to 10 hours toward community service requirements.

Apply today:
tinyurl.com/UMOJA2021

For more information on the Good Trouble School Justice Institute, please reach out to David Fridie at dfridie@specialedcoop.org by Friday, April 30.

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Election Timeline Change
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the CEP timeline for the 2021-22 school year per
this memo. The new timeline for CEP elections for the 2021-22 school year in the District of Columbia is as follows:

June 30, 2021: OSSE notifies LEAs of CEP eligibility
OSSE will send each LEA that is eligible or near eligible for CEP an eligibility notification and data to elect CEP.
 
TBD (estimated between Aug. 15 - Sept. 15, 2021): LEAs must submit CEP election decisions to OSSE for the 2021-22 school year
LEAs must submit CEP election decisions to OSSE for the 2021-22 school year. The federal due date for this is Sept. 30, 2021. OSSE is awaiting additional federal guidance to determine a due date for DC that aligns with the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) application due date.
 
We understand that time is of the essence and plan to provide meal service guidance for the 2021-22 school year as soon as federal guidance is available. Please continue to reach out to
OSSE’s nutrition programs team with questions.

OSSE Assessment Waiver Request Update (reminder)
The US Department of Education has officially granted the District of Columbia a one-year waiver from the following statutory requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA):
  • Statewide assessment requirements in Section 1111(b)(2) to administer required statewide assessments in English language arts/literacy, mathematics, science, and alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities; and
  • Statewide assessment participation requirements in Section 1111(c)(4)(E).         
Our final waiver request and the US Department of Education’s official response have been posted on the OSSE website
 
We will soon share additional information regarding the waiver and associated next steps. We anticipate hearing from the department of education shortly on the status of our accountability waiver request.
 
Please reach out to Danielle Branson, director of assessments, at
Danielle.Branson@dc.gov for questions related to statewide testing and to Donna Johnson, director of accountability, at DonnaR.Johnson@dc.gov for questions related to accountability.

Invitation to Comment - Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR): OSSE Educator Preparation Provider State Approval (reminder)
OSSE invites all interested stakeholders to review its proposed Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) State Approval regulations. These proposed regulations will establish the requirements that enable operation of EPPs and subject area programs that prepare candidates eligible to earn an educator credential in the District of Columbia. These proposed regulations will apply to all EPPs and subject area programs, including traditional EPPs operating in Institutions of Higher Education and Alternate Route Organizations and Institutions operating in Institutions of Higher Education and independently.  

This ANPR includes proposed regulations regarding:
  • Authority and Purpose;
  • General Provisions and Applicability;
  • Needs Assessment;
  • Application for Initial State Approval and Renewal of State Approval;
  • Approval Status;
  • Denial, Probation, Suspension, and Revocation of State Approval; 
  • Administrative Review; 
  • Data Collection;
  • Prohibited Activities and Representations; 
  • Requirements for Loss of State Approval and Voluntary Closure;
  • Fees and Waivers; and
  • Definitions.
The ANPR is available here and will be open for public comment through Saturday, May 1, 2021. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Ross at Elizabeth.Ross@dc.gov

OSSE Home Language Survey: Important Reminders (reminder)
For LEA enrollment coordinators and English learner coordinators:
Schools must administer the
OSSE Home Language Survey for all students enrolling in a DC school for the first time to determine if the student is eligible to take an English language proficiency screener. An updated OSSE Home Language Survey was released in 2019 that features new questions, updated instructions, and a fillable PDF format. Make sure your LEA uses the correct version, linked here.

The OSSE Home Language Survey should not be administered to a student who is re-enrolling in a DC school. For transfer students, LEAs should use the
Early Access to EL Data Application to find out if the student has been previously identified as an English learner in a DC school.

Why must the Home Language Survey be provided to all families enrolling in a DC school for the first time? The Home Language Survey used to determine if the student is eligible to take an English language proficiency screener. The screener score determines if the student is identified as an English learner or not an English learner. Students who are identified as English learners have the right to participate in the English language instructional program at school. Federal law requires schools to offer eligible students an English language instructional program so they may attain English language proficiency and achieve academic success.

Please refer to
OSSE Home Language Survey Frequently Asked Questions and contact Jennifer Norton at Jennifer.Norton@dc.gov for more details and technical assistance.

The 2021 Multilingual Learner Conference: Unique Virtual Event Created By DC Educators, For DC Educators
OSSE is pleased to announce its multilingual learner conference, “
Strengthening Teaching Practices for Multilingual Learners Together,” held virtually on May 25-26, 2021, 2:30-4 p.m. each day. This virtual conference will feature educators sharing their programs and practices for English learners and multilingual learners in both English language and dual language programs. This convening is geared toward all DC educators who work with students who are English learners in in-person, distance learning, and hybrid learning environments. Visit the event website to check out the agenda and to register today.

For questions, contact Santiago Sanchez at
Santiago.Sanchez@dc.gov

Ahead of the Curve: Paving the Way Forward with Care, Equity, and Innovation
Registration is now open for the virtual Ahead of the Curve conference taking place on Wednesday, May 26 from 9:25 a.m.-3:30 p.m. This year’s professional development conference, hosted by the DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB), will focus on helping schools navigate the many facets of reopening and share ideas for what the future in this “new norm” of educating can look like. A few workshops included in the agenda are: 
  • Utilizing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports Framework to Advance the Mental Health of Faculty and Staff 
  • Liberated Education: Moving Past the Boundaries of Equity
  • Engaging and Supporting LGBTQ Students During COVID and Beyond
  • Taking the Best Parts of Virtual Learning into Your school building
  • And much more
The conference is free, and PCSB encourages all levels of school staff from public charter and DCPS schools to attend. Find more information about the workshops and register here. If you have questions, contact Jiselle O’Neal at (202) 330-4056 or joneal@dcpcsb.org.

Upcoming Virtual Professional Learning for DC Educators
OSSE's Division of Teaching and Learning (TAL) has a robust offering of professional learning opportunities that are now open for registration, including live virtual sessions, multi-session series, and asynchronous modules. Upcoming sessions include:
Educators can stay informed of PD opportunities by viewing the list of upcoming PD sorted by category in the April 2021 TAL PD Bulletin and can access registration links via the OSSE Training Registration application. For questions, please contact the relevant member of the TAL PD Team.
 

Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC FY22 Grant Competition Application 
The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) fiscal year 2022 (FY22) grant provides academic and enrichment activities for students and families during out of school time. Details about the CCLC program are available on OSSE’s website. The FY22 21st CCLC competition application was made available in
EGMS on April 30, 2021, and are due by June 14, 2021, at 3 p.m. 

OSSE will provide three pre-application technical assistance webinars on May 5, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., May 6, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and May 11, 1-3 p.m. The same webinar will be offered three times. Each session will provide an overview of the 21st CCLC grant program and application submission process and address inquiries related to the grant competition. Potential applicants may register to attend
here.  Questions about the competition may be submitted to 21stCCLC.info@dc.gov by May 18, 2021, and OSSE will publish answers in a Q&A document by June 1, 2021. 

For questions or additional information about the 21st CCLC grant program, please contact
21stCCLC.info@dc.gov or (202) 531-2792. 

Help Your Students Get Up to $10,000 in DCTAG Funds  (reminder)
Did you know that OSSE's DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) provides up to $10,000 in tuition assistance to eligible DC residents attending out-of-state public institutions of higher education? Eligible students attending private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and select private local institutions are eligible for up to $2,500. The DCTAG application is now open! Apply today at dconeapp.dc.gov. Don’t miss this funding opportunity that is available to only residents of the District of Columbia! Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021.

For more information, please visit the DCTAG website.
 
April
May
OSSE Leadership Team and OSSE Contact Resources

OSSE Key Points of Contact for LEAs
OSSE Organizational Chart

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.


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