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Superintendent's Message
Dear Colleagues:
Our state's five-year, gradual transition to new, competitive standards moves forward everyday. Last week the state released letter grades for schools and for districts. It was an important release in two ways. First, letter grades continued to improve, with more A and B rated schools, and with fewer failing schools than ever before. At the same time, the state awarded points only for students at or above grade level on LEAP, iLEAP and End of Course tests, ensuring that communities receive a more accurate assessment of readiness for college and career.
This shift in expectations positions our state well for moving to more rigorous assessments. Keeping with the state's five-year transition plan, the state will assess the Common Core State Standards spring 2014. In doing this, we must be sure not to denigrate schools, humiliate educators, or punish students just because our expectations have increased. To that end, earlier this year the Department proposed a set of elementary and middle school transition policies at the Superintendents' Advisory Committee and at the Accountability Commission. In the months since, the Department has received feedback on issues like student promotion, educator evaluation, school letter grades, and technology preparedness, such that BESE will consider a revised proposal at its December meeting. The board will then take up high school policy at subsequent meetings.
If you have thoughts on transition policy, I'd welcome them. It's critical we provide schools, families, educators, and students time to learn the new expectations, just as we sustain our commitment to accountability for results.
As always, thank you for all you do for our children,
John
John White
Louisiana Department of Education
Twitter: @LouisianaSupe |
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Compass
Goal Setting for All Educators
Teachers and leaders have been hard at work setting rigorous goals for their students.While each district's and school's process for setting student learning targets will look different, the student learning target process guide and exemplars can be used to support teachers in establishing ambitious, yet attainable goals. Statewide, 46 percent of all teachers and 28 percent of all leaders have student learning targets (SLTs) entered into the Compass Information System. Congratulations to the following districts that have entered SLTs for over 90 percent of their teachers thus far: - Beauregard
- Bossier
- Jefferson Davis
- West Baton Rouge
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Content
Course Choice Year Two Provider RFA
During the second year of Course Choice implementation, the Department is seeking to attract applications from course providers who can provide innovative courses and services to students of all interests and abilities for example:
- Expanded Opportunities for Career-Oriented Students: Innovative ways to expand access to high-value CTE training courses (construction crafts, advanced manufacturing, transportation, energy, healthcare) for students in more remote school districts;
- ELA and Math Skills-Based Content;
- Student Services: Supporting students through their school experience through counseling, rehabilitative services, test prep.
The RFA process entails: 1) on-line applications 2) in-person or virtual interviews 3) independent panel reviews and 4) BESE review. The deadline for applications is November 1, 2013.
For more information go to www.louisianabelieves.com/courses/course-choice or email coursechioce@la.gov.
TOPS Core and TOPS Weighted GPA Webinar
Recent TOPS legislation ensures that students going to four-year colleges have taken a college preparatory curriculum while in high school and have every chance possible to receive TOPS. Additionally, it creates incentives for students to take more rigorous AP, IB, GT, and dual enrollment courses by giving courses approved by the state additional weight in the calculation of the TOPS GPA. Information relative to the new TOPS requirements, eligible courses, and weighted GPA calculations webinar to be held on November 14th from 3 to 4 p.m. can be found below. This new legislation takes effect with the class of 2018 (students entering 9th grade in fall 2014).
Webinar log in information:
- Click here to login
- Toll Free: 877-411-9748 / Meeting key (if prompted): 2527299#
- Event Number: 82527299
For additional information, please contact Ken.Bradford@la.gov.
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Accountability
Accountability Results Follow-up
Please forward to district accountability contacts. To assist districts and schools in analyzing the letter grade results from last week, the Department created a set of resources:
If districts wish to appeal a school result, please use this form. Per Bulletin 111, data corrections shall not be grounds for appeal or waiver requests. All data corrections should have been submitted during the appropriate data certification periods.
The Department also will host a webinar for district accountability contacts on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at noon.
Webinar log in information:
- Click here to login
- Toll free:(877) 336-1829
- Access Code: 9725937#
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Policy
Task Force Meeting Schedule
Please see below for a list of dates and times for upcoming task force meetings.
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Meeting:
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When/Where:
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MFP Task Force
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November 21, 2013
10:00 am
Iowa Room (1-153)
Claiborne Building
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Data
Data Submissions Deadline
The opportunity for corrections of submissions and counts will close on Thursday, October 31st. Please make sure your data is complete as soon as possible so that the systems management team can provide any needed feedback prior to the systems closing.
System Maintenance
Beginning at 5:00 pm on Friday, November 8th, the following systems will be unavailable while the servers housing their data are being updated. By the afternoon of Saturday, November 9th, we hope to have everything up and running. We will post notices on the LEADS portal and the Insight portal indicating the status of the systems.
If you have any questions contact kim.nesmith@la.gov
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Main Systems
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Federal Programs Systems
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Curriculum
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CUR
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Title I, Part A
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TIA
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LEADS
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LIQ, LRS
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Title I, Part D
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TID
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Louisiana Educational Data Repository
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LEDRS
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Title I, School Improvement
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TIS
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Non-Public Schools
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NPS
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Transportation Ridership Survey
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TRS
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Official Transcript System
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OTS
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Profile Of Educational Personnel
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PEP
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School Calendar System
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SPC
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Special Education Records
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SER
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Sponsor-Site
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SPS
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Survey Administration System
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SRA
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Survey System
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SRV
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Student Information System
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SIS
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Student Transcript System
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STS
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Financial Systems
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Teacher Systems
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Annual Financial Report
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AFR
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Curriculum Verification and Results Reporting Portal
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CVR
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Grants Award Program
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GAP
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Compass Information System
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CIS
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Teacher Assessment Program
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TAP
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Teacher Certification Management
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TCM
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Teach Louisiana
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TEACH
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Louisiana Textbook System
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LTS
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Prekindergarten Student Performance Checklist
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PKP
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Technology Proficiency Assessment
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TPA
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Student Programs
Global Positioning System Tracking Devices in Public Schools
House Concurrent Resolution 128 of the 2013 Legislative Session asked the Department to study issues related to the possession by students of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices at school and on school buses. As part of the study, the Louisiana Department of Education is surveying local education agencies to determine if they have policies that allow or prohibit the possession of GPS devices by students. Please complete the survey found at this link by December 6, 2013. We appreciate your participation as we study this important issue. If you have any questions or comments, please email lillie.burns@la.gov.
Health, Physical Education and Vending Survey
In response to Senate Resolution 5 of the 2013 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the Department of Education needs your assistance in completing the annual health and physical education survey. The Department is required to monitor and evaluate health and physical education, vending machine policies and School Health Advisory Council activities and provide an annual report to the Legislature. Please have only one person complete this survey by November 8, 2013. If your district does not complete the survey you will be listed in the Department's report to the legislature as a non-respondent. If you have any questions about your district's status please contact Michael.Comeaux@la.gov.
Title I, Part A - Annual Comparability Report
Please forward to superintendents and federal program directors. Comparability requires that local education agencies (LEAs) be able to document that the services provided with State and local funds in Title I schools are comparable to those provided in non-Title I schools in the district. Click here for Comparability instructions. Click here to complete and submit the Comparability Report via email to your NCLB point of contact, by Friday, November 15, 2013. |
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October 29, 2013
