Organizing Your AP Exam Administration: A Workshop for AP Coordinators

Please forward to all Network Leaders, High School Principals, Counselors, Testing Coordinators, and AP Coordinators.

This FREE one-day workshop, endorsed by The College Board, provides new and experienced AP Coordinators a comprehensive understanding of topics, including ordering AP Exams, conducting a pre-administration session, training proctors, setting up off-site testing, administering exams to students with disabilities, navigating the AP Course Audit, administering exams that require audio or video equipment, managing exam security, handling irregularities and disruptions, arranging for late testing, returning AP Exams and calculating the school's invoice online.  Participants will also learn how to fill in the students' Answer Key properly if the student qualifies for the fee reduction or AP Test Fee Reimbursement for low-income students. 

To register go to:  AP Coordinator Workshop

Additional Text Complexity Research Released

Please forward to all ELA/Literacy, Science, and Social Studies Teachers and Supervisors.

The Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices recently released Supplemental Information for Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: New Research on Text Complexity at www.corestandards.org/resources.

Text complexity is central to the Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy (Reading Standard 10) and this document provides new research on the topic to support educators in implementing the standards. The research that informs this work was led by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, and Student Achievement Partners. Louisiana reviewed the final draft of the document and provided feedback.

The information on text complexity provided during the Summer Institute for ELA/literacy reflects this document and the recent text complexity research. Louisiana's involvement in the review indicates that we are serving as a "partner state" in this effort. As such, Louisiana teachers are at forefront of the shift to use complex text identified using the process described in the document. Please see the attachment for a summary of the research.

New Compass Evaluator Make-Up Training Schedule

Due to the recent cancellation of Compass Evaluator Make-Up Trainings resulting from Hurricane Isaac, a revised training schedule has been posted on the website and may be accessed here. If you were previously registered for one of these sessions during the week of August 27, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-REGISTER; your name will remain on the roster.  Should you need to cancel your registration, please log on to Coursewhere and click on the Modify/Unregister from Events link.

New Student Learning Target Exemplars Available

Additional SLT exemplars for elementary core subjects, career and technical education, special education, school counselors, and school leaders have been added to the LDOE's SLT exemplar library, available here. These exemplars are intended to serve as resources for teachers and leaders as they define their own vision for student achievement in the 2012-13 school year. The library will continue to grow in the coming weeks, so please check in regularly for updates.

Resources on Compass for Leaders

A recording of the Compass for School Leaders webinar, which was presented earlier this summer, is available on the LDOE website here. The Compass Leader Rubric can also be accessed on the LDOE website here. Information on Student Learning Targets for school leaders is available here. Training on Compass for Leaders will take place in October. 

HUMAN CAPITAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (HCIS) UPDATE

HCIS TRAINING FOR LEA SUPER USERS & HCIS ADMINISTRATORS 

Due to the recent cancellation of HCIS Super User Trainings resulting from Hurricane Isaac, a revised training schedule is attached.  If you were previously registered for one of these sessions during the week of Aug 27-30, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-REGISTER; your name will remain on the roster.  Should you need to cancel your registration, please log-in to Coursewhere http://www.solutionwhere.com/ldoe/cw/CourseByCateg.aspand click on the Modify/Unregister from Events link.  Also, open slots may be available for all make-up sessions, additional sessions have been added and will require registration.  LEA Super Users may register for the training via Coursewhere.  We strongly recommend that all LEA Super Users attend the same one-day training.  Additional Super User Trainings and Network Support will be ongoing.   

IMPORTANT NOTE: HCIS Super User Training is happening statewide.  Within the coming weeks, LEA HCIS Admins will begin the HCIS start-up activities and provide implementation guidance, training, support to their LEA and schools.  While we strongly encourage you to review all the resources and materials on our website, we ask that you please seek guidance and timelines for HCIS implementation from your LEA's HCIS Admin before logging into the system. 

For more information, please contact us at HCIS@la.gov or visit our website: http://www.louisianaschools.net/compass/hcis.html.   

The face-to-face session will be held on Thursday, September 6 in Baton Rouge in the North Dakota Room (1-155) of the Claiborne Building. Sign-in is from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and the session is from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This 2.5-hour orientation will 1) describe the LDC framework as a strategy for implementing the Common Core literacy standards across content areas, 2) identify connections between Louisiana's Five Core Elements and the LDC framework, and 3) explain conditions necessary to support successful implementation of LDC.

The session is being offered face-to-face and in webinar format at the same time. Face-to-face participants should register on Coursewhere at LDC Orientation Registration.

Participants unable to attend in person can access the session on the same date and at the same time by webinar (iMeeting link for day of webinar). If prompted, use Meeting Key: OYLPUTS4. Webinar participants will be expected to print the materials, which will be sent prior to the meeting. They are also encouraged to view the Webinar with colleagues.

Please contact Jill Slack at 225-342-6025 or Jill.Slack@la.gov, if you have any questions.

Transparency Act information for Perkins

Please forward to all Chief Financial Officers and CTE Supervisors.

The federal government requires all grantees and sub-grantees provide information regarding fiscal areas and individual compensation under Transparency Act. The Transparency Act requires grantees and sub-grantees to provide by their DUNS number: the names and total compensation of the five most highly compensated officers of the entity if the entity in the preceding fiscal year received 80 percent or more of its annual gross revenues in Federal awards; and $25,000,000 or more in annual gross revenues from Federal awards; and the public does not have access to this information about the compensation of the senior executives of the entity through periodic reports. 

Please complete both the survey and Transparency document by Friday, August 31, 2012. 

#1) The survey can be accessed online by visiting: Transparency Survey     

Race To The Top District Contest

Please forward to Superintendents, Federal Programs Directors.

The U.S. Department of Education has launched the $400 million Race to the Top competition for districts (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-district/index.html). Federal officials raised the maximum grant award amount for the largest districts to $40 million. In a nod to rural districts, the department lowered the number of students that must be served to 2,000 and is allowing a group of 10 districts to apply regardless of the number of students. According to final contest rules announced, awards will start at $5 million for the smallest districts up to the $40 million cap; the money comes from the federal fiscal 2012 budget. Applications are due Oct. 30 with 15 to 25 awards expected to be made in December.

Interested districts should contact Sheila Guidry by September 14, 2012, for additional information and resources for this District grant opportunity.

Teacher Exit Interview Deadline extended to September 10, 2012

The deadline for completing Teacher Exit Interview submissions has been extended to Monday, September 10.  District Human Resources personnel should log in to the Teach Louisiana web site (www.teachlouisiana.net), click "Human Resources," and click "Exit Interview."  Please contact Hall Morrison in the Division of Certification, Preparation and Recruitment for additional information or assistance.

eGMS 2010-2011 Preschool Allocations Updates

Please forward to IDEA Directors, Parish/City Schools Business Managers, Selected Organization Sponsors.

The following is an important update regarding the 2010/2011 Preschool Applications managed through eGMS.

eGMS has been updated to include a supplemental allocation for the FY 10/11 Preschool program. The addition of these funds has increased the amount available as rollover in your 2012/2013 application.  In order to ensure that all FY 10/11 funds are obligated by September 30, 2012, the Department has moved expenditures from FY 11/12 to FY 10/11, where applicable.  The balance for each grant can be viewed on the expenditure reports, which are available through the GAP system.

Should you have questions regarding this information, you may contact Benita Bacote at (225) 342-5468.

CTE Data Entry into the CATE Data System and Dual Enrollment into the STS System  

Please forward to all Professional School Counselors, Principals, District CTE Supervisors.

The CATE data system is currently open to report Career and Technical Education (CTE) data for the 2011-12 school year.  District and/or school personnel responsible for data entry must have access rights assigned through their District's IT Security Coordinator. Security Coordinators can contact Paul Theriot at paul.theriot@la.gov or 225-219-0489 for further information on establishing access rights. The deadline to enter data into the system is September 21, 2012.

Scholarship Webinar

Please forward to all SIS Coordinators.

On Tuesday, September 11, at 1:00 p.m., Data Management will present a Webinar on how Data Coordinators should handle scholarship students in SIS. This Webinar will cover:

• An overview of the procedures for handling the different student scenarios;
• A review of the new SIS entry and exit codes; and
• Guidance on the new SISR77 report and SISF08 extract on the scholarship students in your district.

A recording of this Webinar will be made available the week following the event. Look for instructions for joining the Webinar in next week's Superintendent's Newsletter. 

LEADS Portal Schedule

Please forward to all Data Coordinators.

2012 Calendar Submission

Please forward to all SPC and SIS Coordinators.

If you have not submitted any Calendars for 2012 OCT 1 MFP, please do so as soon as possible.

Many of you are still dealing with ongoing emergency situations. Please contact Annette Chelette via email (annette.chelette@la.gov) with your status, or if there's any way we can assist you.

Once you return to a normal instructional schedule, update your OCT 1 MFP and OCT 1 LEADS Calendars to reflect school closures your District has experienced due to Hurricane Isaac. In SPC, enter a Record Type 50 "Emergency Closure" showing the closure dates.  The Event should indicate it is related to Hurricane Isaac. If the closure spanned multiple days in one week you can enter one Record Type 50. If it extends into the following week enter a second Record Type 50 showing the remaining days.

After  entering  your Emergency Closures, check your Instructional Minutes and resubmit SIS. You must make sure the Total Instructional Minutes is at least 63,720 minutes.  It is important you resubmit any SIS records you submitted prior to your closures. This allows SIS to perform edit checks against the revised Calendar.  You may find you will need to adjust Discipline start and return dates.  

2012-2013 LASARD "Free" online Workgroups

Please forward to Special Education Supervisors, Principals, Counselors, Teachers, Para-Educators, and Related Service Providers. 

LASARD (Louisiana Autism Spectrum and Related Disabilities) project will provide its next online workgroup titled, How to Use "An Introduction to ASD and Effective Programming" DVD (11/2 hours) in Professional Development on Tuesday, September 4, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. This one hour workgroup will explain the DVD and how to use the slides, script, and handouts in providing professional development to your staff. 

LASARD (Louisiana Autism Spectrum and Related Disabilities) project is offering FREE one hour workgroups which are offered online using Microsoft Live Technology for the 2012-2013 school year. The purpose of the workgroups is to develop specific skills in one evidence based practice to support students with disabilities in their educational settings.  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded for participation.  The 2012-2013 LASARD Workgroup Schedule with dates, times, topics and registration information are located online at LASARD Workgroup Schedule.

National Institute of Health Study

"Trim Teens" is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study being conducted by the LSU Health Sciences Center and the Dillard University Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center.  The goal of the study is to establish community based prevention strategies; learn more about asthma, weight, and health among African American adolescent girls. African American girls 13-19 years of age qualify for this study, which proposes to enroll at least 440 adolescent girls over the next 5 years.

Please share this information with the families in your district if you believe they could benefit from participating in this study.  For more information, please contact trimteensinfo@lsuhsc.edu or (504) 568-5949.

Mission To Hear Foundation

Starkey Hearing Foundation is teaming up with Hearing Health Care of Louisiana and are asking for your assistance in finding any children with hearing loss.  Qualified recipients will receive brand new, top-of-the-line digital hearing aids customized to their hearing loss, as well as a supply of batteries to power them.