Good Afternoon.
We continue to thank you all for your patience and perseverance
in doing the data corrections with ISBE and Pearson staff. The number of schools
with correct data and “closed” is improving markedly, but we must
continue to work this project. We have pushed Pearson to triple the number
of phone staff and have instituted quality control measures with them to ensure
you receive accurate information. (On particularly difficult situations, you
may be referred back to ISBE staff so that you are given correct information.)
Also, we have told Pearson to establish a protocol so we receive real-time
information as schools complete this work, instead of having to wait until
the completion of a data run.
Again, we appreciate the ways you have continued to work
with us as we strive to get accurate School Report Cards out in as timely
a fashion as possible. I am aware many of you are under pressure to distribute
these at your upcoming parent-teacher conferences—and we may not make
that deadline for many of you, thus complicating your distribution of the
cards. But given the high-stakes nature of the data that will ultimately come
from this process, we have to do everything necessary to get it right.
A couple of highlights from this week’s State Board
of Education meeting centered around an informational presentation that was
given on middle grades certification as the Board continues to study this
issue. Also, we reported to the State Board our plan for the rules review
process. We will initially seek to remove rules for programs that are nonexistent
or no longer funded (and with no prospect of funding returning). Also, ISBE
Division Administrators are being directed to initiate a staff review of rules
around a series of guidelines we’ve proposed. Finally, we are looking
with interest at the ideas from you that are coming in on lessredtape@isbe.net to additionally guide
our thinking about priorities are we get this project underway.
I had a great opportunity to be with many of our state’s
principals at a couple of different meetings in conjunction with the IPA Conference
this past week in
Randy J. Dunn
State Superintendent of Education (Interim)
Also included in today’s message:
FY 2005 State & Federal Expenditure
Reports/Claims Due List
Please find the FY 2005 Expenditure
Reports and Claims Due listing by going to the underlined text or at http://www.isbe.net/funding/pdf/expend_reports_due.pdf
Please note that many claim programs (e.g., Special Education Personnel, Private
Facility and Summer School) have specific statutory dates. Fiscal related
questions can be directed to the staff listed in the document at 217-782-5256.
New Public School Calendar Inquiry
System
A Public School Calendar Inquiry System is now available
to the general public, the media and all external partners in education, beginning
with the 2004-05 school year. Information may be accessed alphabetically by
individual district name, region-county-district-type or by county name order.
Users can view all codes included in the legend for completion of the school
calendar, e.g., Pupil Attendance Days (X) or Days Not in Attendance (NIA).
All reports have print capability. The Public School
Calendar Inquiry System may be accessed by clicking on the underlined
text or at http://webprod1.isbe.net/SchCalInquiry/SchCalInquiry.aspx
Questions may be directed to Randy Johnson at 217-782-5256.
NAEP
Letters are being prepared to notify school principals
that their schools have been selected to participate in the 2005 National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessment. The NAEP is mandated
by the U.S. Congress and is the only nationally representative, continuing
assessment of what
Flu Vaccine Health Department Advisory
The Illinois Department of Public Health has asked for
ISBE’s assistance in disseminating information to prevent transmission
of influenza during this period of a flu vaccine shortage. Schools play a
vital role in the process to prevent disease within their communities. The
flu has caused high rates of absenteeism among students and staff in
IPDH is requesting schools to remind students to practice
healthy habits. Always remind students to:
A variety of materials are available for educators and
school administrators at www.cdc.gov/flu
Or www.cdc.gov/germstopper/home_work_school.htm
Learn And
Serve RFP Released
The Learn and Serve Program FY 2005 Request for Proposals
(RFP) has been released. School districts, Regional Offices of Education,
Intermediate Service Centers, and other eligible educational agencies may
apply for a grant to plan, implement, operate or expand a district-wide or
regional service-learning initiative. Service-learning is a teaching methodology
that promotes increased student interest, motivation, and learning by providing
opportunities for students to experience application of what they are learning
in the classroom to real-life problems. By working with community partners
on local service projects, students enhance their civic awareness and leadership
skills, and help to strengthen school and community relations. The RFP is
available online at http://www.isbe.net/curriculum/service_learning/html/projects.htm
The RFP can also be obtained by contacting Patricia Poole
in the Curriculum and Instruction Division at ppoole@isbe.net or 312/814-2220.
Science Supplies Warning
Recently, legislation was signed to enact the following
prohibition about the purchase of mercury and mercury-added products (such
as thermometers, barometers, etc.). The legislation does not prohibit the
possession of such products at this time. However, prudent choices at the
school and classroom levels are moving away significantly from the use of
this highly toxic material. The pertinent wording that you should understand
is 415 ILCS 5/22.23b (new):
Sec. 22.23b. Mercury and mercury-added products.
(a) Beginning July 1, 2005, no person
shall purchase or accept, for use in a primary or secondary school classroom,
bulk elemental mercury, chemicals containing mercury compounds, or instructional
euipment or materials containing mercury added during their manufacture. This
subsection (a)does not apply to: (i) other products containing mercury added
during their manufacture that are used in schools and (ii) measuring devices
used as teaching aids, including, but not limited to, barometers, manometers,
and thermometers, if no adequate mercury-free substitute exists.
The language prohibiting the purchase of mercury in schools
and a link to the legislation is found at: http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=093-0964.
More resources will be provided for examining local use and policies soon
from ISBE.
Professional Development Needs Assessment
Survey - Reminder
Please encourage all teachers of mathematics and science
from kindergarten through high school to contribute to the statewide needs
assessment survey for professional development. The survey will close on November
1. We need to have as many teachers as possible to respond to this survey.
It takes less than ten minutes and will have great bearing of future possibilities
for our teachers. It is found at in the announcements section. We need this
vital information.
Reminder to District Superintendents: Please complete the mathematics and science
survey distributed through the regional superintendents and intermediate service
center directors. The survey asks five questions about dedicated science and
mathematics professional development, materials/supplies budgets at the district
level and the districts' graduation requirements. This information is vital
to the planning for science and mathematics teaching and learning in
Mental Health Policy Reminder
Several districts have not submitted the mental health
policy which was due on August 31. Please submit this to the Accountability
Division as soon as possible. For more information contact Tom Rosene at 217/782-2948.
PSAE/Graduation - Reminder
Superintendents of unit and high school
districts should have received a memo from the Student Assessment Division
that will provide guidance for implementing Public Act 93-857 – Prairie
State Achievement Examination as a Condition for Graduation for 2004-05 school
year.
Please make sure that principals and guidance
counselors receive this memo as well.
This guidance will also be posted at www.isbe.net/assessment. If you have
any questions, please call Student Assessment at 217-782-4823.
Spring Testing Dates
for 2005
- Reminder
The dates, grades and content areas that
will be tested in spring of 2005 can be found at http://www.isbe.net/assessment/Chart2005.htm.
The testing sessions for ISAT can be found at http://www.isbe.net/assessment/isatschedule05.htm
The checklist of dates for 2005 PSAE spring
testing can be found on the PSAE Web page (www.isbe.net/assessment/psae.htm
under Information for PSAE Test Supervisors/Accommodations Coordinators) –
please refer to it for critical milestone dates. The revised School Schedule
and Site Options document is also posted there – the link to the off-site
request form is http://www.isbe.net/assessment/pdfPSAE05offsite.htm
Physicians and Health Experts Available
for Career Fairs
The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP) wants
to encourage high school students to investigate careers in family medicine.
If your school is interested in having an IAFP physician or representative
at your high schools’ career fairs, please contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com
or call 630-435-0356, extension 118.
She will contact family physicians and health care providers in your community
to attend and provide information at your school’s event. IAFP is a
not-for-profit organization with a membership of over 2200 family physicians
in
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