Wednesday February 25, 2009 - EdConnection - Weekly Update from Deborah S. Delisle, Superintendent of Public Instruction Feb. 24, 2009 Good morning: These are busy days for all of us. Columbus is definitely a hub of activity given that this is the time of year when testimony gets underway for all the departments and their budgets. Yesterday afternoon, the FY2010-11 Biennium Budget was introduced into the Ohio House of Representatives as House Bill 1 (HB 1). HB 1 outlines not only the state budget, including the education budget, but also contains further details about Gov. Strickland’s Education Reform Plan. The introduction of HB 1 begins the legislative process for the budget bill. During the next few months, the General Assembly will hold hearings, listen to testimony, draft amendments and eventually vote on HB 1. As this process continues to unfold, I will do my best to make you aware of any significant developments. In the mean time, ODE has updated the Education Reform Plan: 2010-11 Budget Information Web page to include a link to HB 1. I encourage you to check ODE’s page regularly, as information related to the budget will be updated as it becomes available. If the link above does not work, please paste http://www.education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=523 into your browser. I apologize for the delay in sending this week’s message, but thought it would be helpful for you to have the information about the introduction of HB 1. Please know I applaud the work you do every day to enhance the lives of our students and their families.
Sincerely, Deborah S. Delisle, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Here are several items that may be of interest to you:
Reminder about Calamity Days Apply now for Enhancing Education Through Technology grant Be sure DVAS account information is current Presentation proposals for teacher evaluation conference sought Free training sessions can help support children of those serving in the militaryWomen Making History eighth-grade essay contest entries due March 20
Reminder about Calamity Days Many schools throughout the state have exceeded the typical five “forgivable” calamity days as a result of the September wind storms, which caused power outages, and snow during the winter months. ODE does not have authority to provide districts with any additional days that do not have to be made up. State law says a school calendar must have at least 182 days in the school year. Two days may be used for professional development, which results in 180 days of instruction.
A school or district must notify ODE when it is closed due to a calamity, such as “disease epidemic, hazardous weather conditions, inoperability of school buses or other equipment necessary to the school’s operation, damage to a school building, or other temporary circumstances due to utility failure rendering the school building unfit for school use.” The form used to report this is referred to as a “calamity day waiver.” This form is only a reporting mechanism. The approval of a “waiver” has no effect on the minimum number of days the school or district must be in session.
Most districts develop calendars which allow them to use five calamity days that do not have to be made up. The typical calendar has 180 days of instruction, minus the 175 days required by law for participation in the foundation funding program, leaving five days which can be missed and not require make-up days. If a district’s calendar exceeds 180 days of instruction, then that district could have more than five calamity days that do not have to be made up.
If a school is closed for a reason other than those approved by law, or if the school or district would fall below the minimum 175 days in session established in law, the school or district must make up the day. In next week’s EdConnection, there will be an explanation of the options available to schools for making up days after using the five days that do not have to be made up.
Apply now for Enhancing Education Through Technology grant On Feb. 18, eTech Ohio released the list of new eligible school buildings and the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) grant. ODE and eTech Ohio are working together to administer and implement this program.
The primary goal is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in schools. The RFP calls for eligible K-8 buildings to participate in the implementation of Web-based curriculum management and instructional design tools that allow for Web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) off-the-shelf courses in English/language arts and mathematics. The deadline for the letters of intent for new and continuation applicants is March 27 at 11:30 a.m. Applications without letters of intent will not be accepted. The deadline for applications of EETT new and continuation grants and all additional documents is April 24 at 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
Be sure DVAS account information is current A few weeks ago, we asked you to encourage your District Value-Added Specialists to complete our Value-Added/District Value-Added Specialist (DVAS) survey. Responses thus far have been enlightening and we continue to ask all districts to provide input for this important improvement effort.
During this process, we have learned that many newer District Value-Added Specialists do not have current EVAAS log-in credentials. Although SAS very quickly responds EVAAS account updates, the process is not instantaneous. Thank you for assuring your EVAAS account information is up-to-date so DVAS can access their account when needed.
Presentation proposals for teacher evaluation conference sought ODE, in partnership with REL-Midwest at Learning Point Associates, is hosting a Teacher Evaluation: Sharing Resources and Best Practices conference on April 22. The conference will feature best practices from Ohio and other states, current challenges and research and innovation in teacher evaluation.
This work is an outgrowth of Senate Bill 2 (2004) requirements that the Ohio Board of Regents and the State Board of Education collaborate to establish guidelines for the evaluation of teachers and principals. Currently, ODE is seeking proposals for conference presentations that provide specific strategies for developing a comprehensive teacher evaluation system.
ODE must receive all proposals by e-mail by March 12. Presenters will be notified by March 25. For more information about the Request for Proposal, including the working draft of the teacher evaluation guidelines and application, click here and select Events, then Teacher Evaluation Conference. Future issues of EdConnection will provide registration and conference details. Free training sessions can help support children of those serving in the military
The sessions are free, but participants who wish to receive continuing education or graduate credits will be required to pay a fee. To register online, click here and select the appropriate program from the Upcoming Trainings listings for Ohio. Women Making History eighth-grade essay contest entries due March 20 Eighth-grade teachers can commemorate Women’s History Month in March by encouraging their students to enter the 2009 Women Making History Essay Contest. The deadline for entries is March 20. The competition is sponsored by the Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach and the Ohio Interagency Council on Women and Girls.
Essays of 400 to 600 words should focus on a woman who has made, or is making, history. Recognition for writers of winning and honorable mention essays in five categories will include lunch with First Lady Frances Strickland, participation in Women in State Government Day and Web posting of essays. To view contest details and related resources, click here and search for keywords: women making history. For more information, contact Stefanie Skaggs at (614) 466-3555, or women.policy@governor.ohio.gov.
Note: You also may find this document online at http://education.ohio.gov. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about this weekly e-mail, please feel free to contact me at superintendent@ode.state.oh.us Tuesday February 24, 2009 - (OEC-LS) Medicaid in Schools Program Update, Ohio CASE Winter Conference, Revised IEP & ETR Forms MEDICAID SCHOOL PROGRAM (MSP) Provider Application Contact Number The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently has received a number of inquiries from local school districts and Educational Service Centers (ESCs) about the status as providers in the Medicaid School Program (MSP). ODE is unable to verify whether a Medicaid provider application has been received by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) or whether the provider application has been approved to participate in MSP.
ODJFS has advised that inquiries can be made by contacting the ODJFS provider enrollment unit (1-800-686-1516). You will need your National Provider Identifier (NPI) to use this resource. Once into the system you will be asked for your National Provider Identifier (NPI) and then required to set-up a pin number.
If the ODJFS Interactive Voice Response Unit does not recognize your NPI, that means that your provider application either has not been received or it has not been processed yet.
February 28, 2009 Deadline ODJFS has clarified that the February 28 deadline for MSP means that the provider application mailed to ODJFS must be stamp dated by that date in order for the school district, ESC, or community school to be potentially eligible for the back claiming of services provided after the Community Alternative Funding System (CAFS) ended on July 1, 2005. A Medicaid provider application can be submitted to ODJFS at any time for current reimbursement of services.
If the school district did not maintain service documentation required under CAFS after the CAFS program ended, it is unlikely that it would be eligible for back claiming.
OCASE Fall Conference
Note: This is not an ODE Sponsored Event. Please see the attached flyer for additional information. Presents OCASE Annual Winter Conference Thursday, March 19, 2009 1:00-5:00 Friday, March 20, 2009 8:00-4:00 Quest Conference Center (Near Polaris Fashion Mall) 8405 Pulsar Place Quest Business Centers Wingate Inn Columbus, OH 43240
Revised IEP and ETR Forms
Earlier today you received an email announcing the posting of the Guidance Document and the revised IEP and ETR Forms. Please note, in order to access and utilize all the functions of the revised IEP and ETR documents (the dynamic versions) you must use Adobe 9. Adobe 9 is a free download at www.adobe.com.
The revised forms can be found at www.edresourcesohio.org. Tuesday February 24, 2009 - Secondary Transition for Children with Disabilities Secondary Transition for Children with Disabilities Areas covered during this presentation will be what ages you should start to think about transition and the minimum requirements for transition. There will also be discussion of the best practices for transition planning and the use of the “Transition Planning Tool.” Tuesday February 24, 2009 - Community School E-Newsletter All: Please see February's 2009 Community School E-Newsletter on ODE's website at community.schools@ode.state.oh.us If you have any suggestions or questions contact Paul Preston at paul.preston@ode.state.oh.us or 614-644-8396. Thank you. LeeAuna TaylorAdministrative Assistant ODE, Office of Community Schools 25 S. Front Street Mail Stop 615 Columbus, Ohio 43215 Tuesday February 24, 2009 - (OEC-LS) Guidance Document and revised IEP and ETR forms are now online Colleagues: I am pleased to announce that the Procedures and Guidance for Ohio Educational Agencies Serving Children with Disabilities, lovingly called the “Guidance Document”, is back on line. The Guidance Document contains the new ETR and IEP forms. Developing this tool was truly a team effort and we are grateful to all of you who wrote, reviewed or took the time to provide the 700 plus comments to make the Guidance Document and new forms come alive. Thank you for your patience, comments and assistance with this monumental task and hope that you will find it useful. When you go to www.edresourcesohio.org you will find:
New IEP PR-07 Form The IEP form has been revised to incorporate the "standards based IEP" requirement of the modified assessment process. Annotations for the IEP have been developed to assist IEP team members with the development of the IEP. Training on the use of the new IEP form will be provided by the state support teams (SSTs) to districts in their regions.
This form is a dynamic PDF file that will change format as the data is entered. Input fields expand to accommodate content. Some sections may be duplicated as needed. Some sections may be omitted based on user responses. Fields such as names and dates are linked to reduce duplication of entry. The resulting file with data may be saved for future use. Although the data is stored in an electronic form this is not be itself an "electronic IEP." Data is stored only within the individual files. Users must be careful to establish a file naming system, an organized storage system and a method of addressing the security of the data files.
This form may be printed and filled in.
The new IEP PR-07 form will no longer be used for the Services Plan. A new Services Plan form has been developed by ODE/OEC and will be available by February 27.
We recognize that changes may need to be made and have built in a systematic plan to make revisions on a quarterly basis. If you sign up to receive alerts from the edresourcesohio.org website, you will be notified of all revisions. Thanks again for all you do to make the education of children with disabilities the best it can be! Sincerely, Kathe Kathe Shelby, Ph.D. Director, Office for Exceptional Children Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - Summer Adventures for All Kids Expo 2009 Task Force Members:
Because the flyer could not be attached please contact Sue Bitsko directly at the number above. Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - Subject: Concept 2009 Science and Engineering Fair
A message from OCQE President, Ron F. Adler The annual CONSEF Science and Engineering Fair is an important event for all public community schools and their students. This March 28th event is shaping up to be one of the best. I encourage you to participate. * Sentate President Bill Harris has strongly endorsed CONSEF 2009.
* House Minority Leader William G. Batchelder will attend and speak.
* Former State Representative and former State Board of Education member Colleen Grady will participate as a judge of student entries.
* Department heads of Cleveland State University will also participate.
* Concept Schools will provide transportation for you and your students. For details email: auslu@conceptschools.org
* All registration materials must be received no later than March 6, 2009. Application forms, guidelines and details can be downloaded from the CONSEF website: www.consef.org
I hope to see you there! CONSEF 6th Annual Science & Engineering Fair For Public Community Schools
Hosted by Cleveland State University Organized by Concept Schools & Horizon Science Academies
Thursday, February 12, 2009 - Targeted Academic RtI Training Announcement MEMO
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - Federal Funds Guidance Letter Located On ODE's Website Please see the attached letter concerning procurement for community schools. Please contact your OCS consultant with any questions you may have. This guidance will also be located on the Advisory Letters page of ODE's website. Thank you. Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 2009 Ohio Statewide Testing Program Rules Book Now Available The February 2009 version of the Ohio Statewide Testing Program Rules Book has been posted on the ODE Web site (www.education.ohio.gov). You may access the Rules Book here: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=9&ContentID=43712&Content=62944 You may also access this by using the keyword search: Rules Book. Pages 27 – 35 address topics related to Students with Disabilities (Participation, Exemptions, Accommodations and Alternate Assessments) Appendix I, pages 83 – 86 provides guidance for scribes and transcribers. **Please note: The Statewide Testing Accommodations guidance document continues to be accessed at this site: You may also access testing accommodations by using the keyword search: Accommodations Tuesday, February 4, 2009 - "...What's For Lunch" Monthly Newsletter The February issue of "...what's for lunch?" is now available. This Month's Headlines Include: -Help Your School "Go Green" by Striving for Waste-Free Lunches At FSS, we strive to make each issue of the "what's for lunch"
e-newsletter as enjoyable as it is informative. We'd love to hear your
feedback/reaction to this month's editorial content. If you have any suggestions
for articles that you'd be interesting in reading about in future issues,
we'd love to hear that as well. Tuesday, February 4, 2009 - All County TF/PPD Mtg Reminder All County Task Force Colleagues, Wednesday, February 4, 2009 - RtI Course Available MEMO TO: District and Building Leaders
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