LAPCS News

• LAPCS BRINGS ON NEW BOARD MEMBER: CURT EYSINK

Curt Eysink serves as executive director for the Louisiana Workforce Commission. He was appointed to the position in July 2009 by Gov. Bobby Jindal.  

Eysink joined LWC in March 2008 and most recently served as chief of staff and press secretary. In that role, he was responsible for the department's performance improvement activities and communications activities. He also worked with all sections of the agency on the development and implementation of initiatives to improve workforce development in the state.

Prior to joining LWC, Eysink served as director of marketing for Louisiana Health Care Review, Inc., a Baton Rouge-based healthcare improvement and medical management company serving federal and state clients. As a member of the company's leadership team, he was primarily responsible for all business development and communications.

• REGIONAL COLLABORATIVES: BATON ROUGE AND NORTH LOUISIANA
  February 5th (Baton Rouge) and February 12th (Monroe)

To better understand the challenges, successes, and needs of charter schools across Louisiana, LAPCS will introduce two new collaboratives for charter schools in Greater Baton Rouge and North Louisiana. These groups will convene on a quarterly basis and agendas will be driven by the respective collaborative members. For more information, please contact us!

•  8th ANNUAL ECCS TEACHERS FAIR EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION for LAPCS and ECCS MEMBER SCHOOLS

LDE News   

• A MESSAGE FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT WHITE

Dear Colleagues:

Louisiana is rich with natural resources. From gulf shores to piney woods, and along every mile of the Mis­sissippi River, our state teems with opportunity for our people to enjoy prosperous lives.

While most Louisiana jobs do not require a four-year college degree, the majority of them require education beyond high school. For years, however, an unfortunate stigma has often discouraged parents and students from pursuing career and technical education. What's more, for those students choosing career courses, too few have the option to study Louisiana's high-growth, high-wage careers. If we are to offer more Louisiana graduates a path to the middle class, we must overcome both this discouraging stigma and all barriers to career coursework and credentials.

Tonight I am launching the final of four statewide tours focused on career education. In these final meetings, we will discuss a policy draft for Jump Start, the state's new program for school districts, colleges, and businesses to collaborate in providing career courses and workplace experiences to high school students, certifying them for the career fields most likely to lead to high- wage jobs. 

Jump Start will be an elective path for students pursuing a university-preparatory diploma, while it will be a required path, after a transition period, for students pursuing a Career Diploma. While in high school, participating students will be provided more time in the school day and school year to achieve industry certificates or college credentials in addition to their high school diplomas. These credentials will qualify graduates to continue their studies after high school or to launch a career upon graduating. 

At the meetings this week and next week, we will discuss an overview of the program, called the Blueprint, as well as a set of detailed appendices on the specific policies entailed in the program. You can find the Blueprint and appendices that cover school accountability, graduation policy, and Jump Start program requirements on this page. I hope you'll take time to review them and to share your thoughts as part of this final public comment process. 

You can of course just call or email me your ideas. Alternately, you and your staff can email jumpstart@la.gov with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

Opportunity is growing in Louisiana. Among our responsibilities as educators is to make every opportunity in our state one our sons and daughters understand and can attain. I look forward to seeing you on the road 

As always, thank you for all you do for our children,

John White

Louisiana Department of Education

Twitter: @LouisianaSupe   

• OUTSTANDING SCHOOL SUPPORT EMPLOYEE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The Outstanding School Support Employee Awards Program provides an opportunity to honor an outstanding employee at the elementary, middle/junior high and high school levels who supports and provides leadership in the operation of non-instructional activities within the school year. The 2014 Outstanding School Support Employee Awards Program application is now available. Please find the application here. The deadline to submit nominations is April 9, 2014. Please send any questions about the program to dana.dauzat@la.gov. 

• GUIDANCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT 151 AND 291 FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The Louisiana Department of Education hosted a webinar on Monday, January 13 to provide an overview of Act 151 and 291, its impact on students with disabilities, the potential changes to their IEPs and resulting SER changes.  Additionally, LDOE provided specific timelines for IEP teams to make the necessary changes to students' IEPs.  Changes to SER are scheduled to be available early February.  To view the PowerPoint click here. Upcoming resources will be released over the next few weeks and will include the Act 151 FAQ and Non-diploma checklist.

If you have questions or need additional information, contact your IDEA point of contact. 

• BELIEVE AND PREPARE - EDUCATOR PREPARATION INNOVATION GRANTS

Our future educators must enter Louisiana's schools prepared to ensure students achieve college and career readiness. These future educators will be more likely to achieve this success if Louisiana schools and districts, in partnership with higher education institutions, have the opportunity to train and support them.  To empower schools and districts to take a greater role in educator preparation, the Department is announcing Believe and Prepare: Educator Preparation Innovation Grants.    

Educator Preparation Innovation Grants will provide up to $150,000 in funding to support schools and districts who want to design and pilot school-based educator preparation programs. Schools or districts can apply independently or in partnership with a preparation program.   

Informational webinars have been scheduled for Thursday, February 6 at 4:00 pm.  Click here to access the Believe and Prepare application and for webinar information. 

Please send any questions about Believe and Prepare grants to julie.stephenson@la.gov.

 Grant, Scholarship, and Fundraising Opportunities

• A MESSAGE FROM COSTCO

Greetings,

We're excited to join the New Orleans community! As part of our ongoing commitment to the communities we serve, Costco is launching an easy-to-use fundraising program for your school.

Starting Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014, New Orleans schools can fundraise by selling Costco memberships.  For each $55 Costco Membership Activation Certificate sold by your school, a $10 donation will be made to your school. Certificates are purchased online and are easily redeemed for memberships at the New Orleans Costco.

Here's how it works:

1. Visit www.costcofundraising.com and set up a fundraising page, goal and

kickoff date.

2. Invite parents, faculty and friends of the school to join your fundraising team.

3. The team promotes the site to parents, faculty and friends, selling Costco

memberships to raise money. Every $55 Costco Membership Activation

Certificate sold results in a $10 donation. Watch your donations come in.

4. Thank your supporters.

Your school receives the funds quickly, pays nothing to participate and also can host multiple fundraisers: for example, one for a school field trip, another for new sports equipment and another for special programs. It's a simple and efficient way to fundraise. We hope this helps your school raise more money, faster.

• ENTER FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A REGIONS RIDING FORWARDŽ SCHOLARSHIP!

In the past two years, Regions has awarded $245,000 in scholarship money to 57 deserving high school and college students through the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest. In honor of Black History Month, Regions is proud to announce the scholarship Contest for a third time.

High School Seniors

Regions will award sixteen $5,000 scholarships to high school seniors from states with Regions branches who will attend college in the fall of 2014. To enter, write a 500-word essay about an African-American whose contributions inspire and motivate you.

College Students

Regions will award sixteen $2,500 scholarships to college freshmen, sophomores and/or juniors from, or currently attending college in, states with Regions branches. To enter, write a 500-word essay about an African-American whose contributions inspired you and influenced your college career.

Enter online January 20, 2014 through February 27, 2014, and click here to view the 2013 Riding Forward Scholarship winners.

National News

• LANDRIEU DIRECTS $1.33B TO EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ENCOURAGES EDUCATION INNOVATION AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT    WASHINGTON - U.S. 
  
  Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., secured $1.33 billion for educational priorities and programs that strengthen student achievement and improve teacher effectiveness in the bill that funds the government for FY2014. Provisions by Sen. Landrieu support and highlight the importance of charter schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, educator recruitment, access to quality education and focuses on cost-effective and result-driven innovations.  The bill passed the House and Senate this week and now goes to the President for his signature. 

The provision, authored by Sen. Landrieu, provides $248 million for the Charter Schools Program directing:
ˇ         $45 million to replicate and expand high performing charter schools that have a proven track record through the Charter Management Organization (CMO) competition

ˇ         $169 million for states to grant to newly created charter school programs 

ˇ         $11 million to keep charter schools accountable through authorization and oversight, ultimately prioritizing student achievement

"As a long standing advocate for education reform, I have fought for funding to support the expansion of high-quality charter schools," Sen. Landrieu said. "Charter schools are specifically designed to have the freedom and flexibility to implement new strategies in order to increase student achievement while still being held accountable. I have seen firsthand that high-quality charter schools can literally transform a neighborhood, community, or city and I look forward to fighting for this funding again next year and making excellent education accessible for all of Louisiana's children. "

The bill allocates $50 million for recruitment and training of educators in high need areas, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Organizations like Teach For America, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the National Writing Project will be eligible to compete. The $50 million is 2 percent set aside from Title II funding for Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED).

"To improve our children's education and their chance at a successful future, we must provide them with quality teachers. That's one of most effective and promising ways we can better our education system," Sen. Landrieu said. "This $50 million will go to developing and recruiting quality teachers that can provide a well-rounded education in subject areas that are vital to our state's economy and future, like science, technology, engineering and math. Programs like Teach for America have demonstrated how effective teachers can turnaround a school system. I will continue to fight to provide Louisiana's teachers with the resources they need to continue serving children and our communities."

Sen. Landrieu also helped secure:

 ˇ         $224 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Read more here. 
 ˇ         $288 million for teacher and leader incentives: Effective teachers are critical to student achievement. Research says that the difference between an ineffective teacher and an effective teacher could be up to a year's worth of learning. This funding will support comprehensive strategies for strengthening the educator workforce and drive improvements in teacher effectiveness by rewarding principals, teachers and other personnel who raise student achievement, close the achievement gap and work in hard-to-staff schools. 
ˇ         $158 million for combatting illiteracy: Pervasive low literacy achievement is detrimental to the social and economic wellbeing of our nation.  At least 93 million adults function at low literacy levels that inhibit their ability to succeed in college or the workforce.  The Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program is a widespread approach to promoting literacy for children, from birth through 12th grade.  It is the only targeted federal funding stream for statewide, research-based literacy instruction and interventions supporting students from early childhood through high school. 
ˇ         $141 million to develop and expand student achievement through Investing in Innovation (i3). To improve student outcomes, i3 develops and validates new practices, strategies and programs. Additionally, i3 supportsexpanding and innovating practices, strategies, or programs with a demonstrated record of success in improving student achievement. 
ˇ         $75 million to give more students an opportunity to attend college.  First in the World will support an evidence-based grant competition, which would apply the lessons of the successful Investing in Innovation program for K-12 to the challenge of improving college attainment and productivity.
ˇ         $145 million to make smart investments through evaluations: Evaluations accurately identify which federal education programs are best educating students and making smart, effective use of taxpayer dollars. Enabling the Department of Education to: evaluate diverse approaches, grantees and initiatives; build the evidence base of which effective interventions; identify policies that limit opportunity for innovation and continuous improvement; and drive funds to results driven programs and policies that give the highest return on taxpayer investment and ultimately allow congress to gauge program effectiveness to make fact-based policy and funding decisions.
ˇ         Enables more foster youth to find college scholarships: Sen. Landrieu successfully included language in the bill to assist current and former foster youth in securing scholarships and educational grants. A provision she authored will add a box on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, allowing a student to indicate if he or she is currently or was once in foster care.  Funding for grants and scholarships already available to foster youth will now be shared directly with these students who may have otherwise not known about the financial aid. 

"There are a number of barriers that all children face to earn a college degree, including paying for that degree.  Congress has created specific scholarship opportunities for former foster children, but too many of these youth have no idea that such resources exist.  How can we expect foster youth to take advantage of financial aid if they don't know it's out there? By giving students the ability to indicate that they are foster youth on the FAFSA form, they are more likely to be aware and take advantage of scholarships and educational grants already available to them," said Sen. Landrieu. 

• BROOKINGS LISTS THE RSD AS THE TOP SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR CHOICE AND COMPETITION

The Brown Center on Education Policy's annual Education Choice and Competition Index (ECCI) scores the 100+ largest school districts in America across 13 rubrics of policy and practice to provide "information on the extent to which parents can choose schools for their children and the degree to which the procedures for school choice promote competition within large school districts."  

Check out this interactive web application to see how the RSD was ranked.