Top 10 by 20 UPDATE: ESEA Flexibility Waiver Approved

AUGUST 2012

Video Message from Commissioner of Education

Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro talks about Missouri's ESEA flexibility waiver approval, the School Administrators Conference and the new Missouri School Breakfast Challenge. View video via YouTube or webstream.

In This Issue

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ESEA Flexibility Waiver Approved
The U.S. Department of Education approved Missouri's Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver giving the state flexibility from burdensome No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements. The waiver allows Missouri to use its own accountability system to more effectively identify struggling schools, to efficiently direct resources to struggling schools and to recognize schools achieving exemplary results. Missouri's ESEA waiver also: implements higher academic standards, creates one state system of accountability, allows more flexible Title I spending for schools, focuses on school improvement and improves the teacher evaluation system. Read more

Missouri School Breakfast Challenge
The Department and the Midwest Dairy Council are partnering on a new initiative, called the Missouri School Breakfast Challenge, to increase student breakfast participation in school districts across the state. All public, charter and private school districts are automatically included in the challenge and will be categorized into four tiers based on enrollment. Schools will be eligible for cash prizes if they have a 20 percent breakfast participation increase from the 2011-2012 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. The top three school districts in each of the four tiers with the highest increase in breakfast participation will win a cash prize!

Pictured left to right, back row: State Board of Education President Peter F. Herschend, Russell V. Thompson and Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro. Pictured left to right, front row: Martha Fennewald and Frankie Muse Freeman.
State Officials Honor Pioneers in Education
Four individuals were honored at the School Administrators Conference in July as Pioneers in Education for their commitment and contribution to public education in Missouri. The 2012 Pioneers in Education are: William H. Danforth, St. Louis; Martha Fennewald, Westphalia; Frankie Muse Freeman, St. Louis; and Russell V. Thompson, Columbia. Read more

School Administrator's Conference a Success
More than 750 superintendents, principals and other school leaders throughout Missouri attended the School Administrators Conference held July 29-31 in Columbia. Top international education advisor, Andreas Schleicher, and leading education researcher, Robert Marzano, were the featured speakers at the event. The conference also included sessions about Missouri's new model Educator Evaluation System, the Missouri School Improvement Program, the Missouri Comprehensive Data System, early childhood education and other education-related topics. Presentation material, videos and photos from the conference have been posted to the Department's website.

Goal #1 - All Missouri students will graduate college and career ready.

New Model Curriculum Units Available for Missouri Educators
Missouri is taking its first steps toward offering comprehensive curriculum aligned with state and national standards with the release of new online model curriculum. The Department released model curriculum as a state-level resource for mathematics and English language arts educators in Missouri. The units available represent the first phase of the Department's curriculum project with the ultimate goal of developing a curriculum in all content areas that align with state and national standards. Read more

School and Student Data to be Released
The Department will be releasing 2011-2012 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) student data and Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP) fourth cycle Annual Performance Reports (APR) for public schools on August 14. The MAP is a series of assessments designed to see if students in Missouri are meeting the Show-Me Standards. The APR serves as the report card to the public on how well school districts and charter schools are meeting state standards for academic performance. The data will be made available to the public through Missouri's Comprehensive Data System.

Goal #2 - All Missouri children will enter kindergarten prepared to be successful in school.

Early Childhood Assessment Pilot Training
Preschool and kindergarten teachers gathered in Kansas City and St. Louis the first week in August to be trained on an assessment tool, which will be used as part of the Department's early childhood assessment pilot during the 2012-2013 school year. The pilot begins in September and will provide teachers with information about how to help their children learn better.

Parents as Teachers Professional Development Opportunities
The Early Learning section will offer Parents as Teachers (PAT) training opportunities in September. Participating individuals will learn more about new curriculum, Department requirements and information on choosing the right path for your own program. Registration information will be posted to the Department's website soon.

The Department is also hosting free Health, Hearing & Vision trainings, as well as Ages & Stages Questionnaires and Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional trainings, across the state for new parent educators in October. Dates, locations and registration information are available on the Department's website.

Goal #3 - Missouri will prepare, develop and support effective educators.

Educator Evaluation System Webinars in August
The Office of Educator Quality is offering a series of webinars in August regarding the new Educator Evaluation System. Participating individuals will learn more about the upcoming pilot and will have the opportunity to ask questions. If you are unable to participate in one of the webinars, they will be recorded and available on the Department's website.

State Board to Vote on Revised Educator Preparation Program Standards
The State Board of Education will vote this month on whether or not the Missouri Standards for Professional Educators (MoSPE) will be approved to enter the rule making process. The standards focus on the development of educators and the revised process for approving and accrediting educator preparation programs. Another major component is the development of a multi-dimensional Annual Performance Review (APR) for educator preparation programs, which will be piloted this fall.

Goal #4 - The Department will improve efficiency and operational effectiveness.

We Want Your Feedback!
We'd like to hear from you about our Top 10 by 20 UPDATE. Please take a minute to give us your feedback about our e-newsletter and how we can make it better for you.

Missouri's Top 10 by 20 Initiative
Become a Supporter!

Let us know you support Missouri's Top 10 by 20 initiative! Individuals can sign on as supporters, and organizations can sign on as partners in this effort. We invite your ideas for helping Missouri reach this important goal. Send us a note, or better yet, send a letter to the State Board of Education and/or adopt a resolution at your next meeting. Samples are provided to help you get started.

- More information about the Top 10 by 20 strategic plan
- Information and materials for supporters

Questions? Contact Us!
Please contact the Department with any questions or suggestions you may have about the Top 10 by 20 initiative or how you can become involved. Contact the Communications Office at 573-751-3469 or email communications@dese.mo.gov. For more information about the Department visit www.dese.mo.gov.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to Department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by persons with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Office of the General Counsel, Coordinator - Civil Rights Compliance (Title VI/Title IX/504/ADA/Age Act), 6th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480; telephone number 573-526-4757 or TTY 800-735-2966; fax number 573-522-4883; email civilrights@dese.mo.gov.