The Aug. 30, 2010, Weekly
Message from State Superintendent Christopher A. Koch is available online in
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format at
http://www.isbe.net/board/archivemessages/2010/message_083010.pdf.
A text-only version of the
message is below.
Also, all editions of the Weekly Message are archived on the Illinois State Board of Education's Web site at http://www.isbe.net/board/archivemessages/archivemessage.htm.
Message From State Superintendent Christopher A. Koch
The U.S. Department of Education is currently reviewing Illinois'
application for our $415 million share of the Education Jobs Fund. We submitted
the application on Aug. 17 and federal officials indicated they would need a
couple of weeks to review. Once their review is complete, I would anticipate
funds becoming available to districts shortly thereafter.
I know there are a number of questions about the Education Jobs Fund and
we hope that once we receive federal approval the answers will be more readily
available. We are scheduling a webinar at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 9 to go over details
associated with these funds. Registration information for the webinar is
available at
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/658702608. Additionally, we will be
releasing a Question and Answer document in the near future in response to the
questions we are collecting (to supplement the guidance already posted at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/educationjobsfund/applicant.html) and
will let you know when that is finalized.
I know that you are focused on the start of school but wanted you to be
aware of an initiative that we are working on with the Illinois Department on
Aging. We are co-hosting the First Illinois Summit on Aging and Education to
promote engagement between older adults and students throughout our schools. The
Sept. 20 summit at Illinois State University will highlight the best
intergenerational practices designed to improve student success.
I know there are many districts across the state that use retired
volunteers to supplement their staff and enrich the lives of their students and
community members. A school is all about community and engaging volunteers to
participate provides them with opportunities to share their life experience,
while at the same time providing students an opportunity to learn about and from
another generation.
We need more of these programs. Such work can be as simple as reading to
a first-grader or talking to a high school student during study hall. The extra
attention supports students and improves academic performance. Older adult
volunteers discover a new way to serve and interact with their community.
As students return to school, I hope more older adults will join them.
Have a great week.
Chris
Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
·
Last day to file an AYP status
appeal for 2010 - Sept. 1
·
Affidavit of School Treasurer
Bonds submitted by Regional Superintendents/Intermediate Service Centers -
Sept. 1
·
Before Sept. 1, the school board
must publish a notice of the school budget availability for public inspection
and hearing (105 ILCS Section 5/17-1)
·
The board for joint agreements must hold a public meeting to adopt the
joint agreement budget on or by Sept. 1 (105 ILCS Section 5/17-1)
·
Illinois ASPIRE
Middle School/High School RtI Summit in Collinsville - Sept. 27, 28
·
Illinois ASPIRE Middle School/High
School RtI Summit in East Peoria - Sept. 28, 29
·
Illinois ASPIRE Middle School/High
School RtI Summit in Naperville - Sept. 29, 30
·
The school board must hold a
public meeting to adopt the school budget on or before Sept. 30. (end of first
quarter) (105 ILCS 5/17-1) Within 30 days of adoption, and any subsequent
adoption, the annual budgets must be filed with the county clerk. (105 ILCS
5/17-1 and 35 ILCS 200/18-50)
·
Deadline to deliver the Annual
Financial Report (AFR) /Audit to the Regional Office of Education/ Intermediate
Service Center (Cook County) (with the exception of an extension of time granted
by the regional superintendent) (105 ILCS 5/3.7 and 105 ILCS 5/3-15.1) -
Oct. 15 (Dec. 15 with an approved extension)
·
Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation,
Recognition and Supervision) and Part 365 (Children's Low-cost Laptop Program)
- Public comment period ends Oct. 18
·
Annual budgets must be filed with
the county clerk within 30 days, Oct. 31, of adoption or any subsequent adoption
(105 ILCS 5/17-1 and 35 ILCS 200/18-50)
·
Annual Budgets must be submitted
to ISBE - Oct. 31, annually
·
Deadline for receipt of the Annual
Financial Report (AFR) / Audit to ISBE from the Regional Office of Education /
Intermediate Service Center (Cook County) (with the exception of an extension of
time granted by the regional superintendent) (105 ILCS 5/3.7 and 105 ILCS
5/3-15.1) - Nov. 15 (Dec. 15 with an approved extension)
·
Last day for filing the Annual
Statement of Affairs (ISBE form 50-37) to ISBE - Dec. 15
Funding and Disbursement Services
FY 2011 Funding for Children Requiring Special Education Services
Calculations
The final FY 2011 Funding for
Children Requiring Special Education Services district calculations have been
determined and can be accessed at
http://www.isbe.net/funding/pdf/sped_funding11.pdf.
Per Section 14-7.02b of the School
Code [105 ILCS 5/14-7.02b], after the block grant allocation for Chicago
District 299 is subtracted from the final appropriation, all remaining funding
is distributed 85 percent on average daily attendance and 15 percent on poverty
as used in the calculation of General State Aid for each school district.
In addition, districts eligible for Hold Harmless have been calculated
per P.A. 95-0705 (effective Jan. 8, 2008).
The language added to Section 14-7.02b states that, for fiscal year 2008
and each fiscal year thereafter, individual school districts must not receive
payments under [Section 14-7.02b] totaling less than they received for fiscal
year 2007 (commonly referred to as a "hold harmless" provision). However, the
language further states that any "hold harmless" funding is to be "computed last
and shall be a separate calculation from any other calculation set forth in
[Section 14-7.02b]."
The "other calculation" referenced
in the new language is the existing split of the entire appropriation - 85
percent based on each district's average daily attendance and 15 percent on
poverty. The change amount between FY 07 and FY 11 has been calculated. A
district is eligible for Hold Harmless if the amount calculated is bracketed in
the final column on the spreadsheet. Currently, there is no supplemental
appropriation to pay the FY 11 Hold Harmless amount.
If you have questions regarding
these calculations you can contact Jodi Whitlow at
jwhitlow@isbe.net or 217-782-5256.
FY 2011 General State Aid Finalized
Fiscal Year 2011 General State Aid
(GSA) calculations have been finalized. Final computations and claim information
can be accessed in GSA Inquiry at
http://webprod1.isbe.net/gsainquiry/asp/default.asp. The foundation level of
$6,119 was utilized and per the schedule in statute, poverty hold harmless was
paid the greater of the district's FY 2011 Poverty Grant or 33 percent of the FY
2003 Poverty Grant. The Aug. 20 payment represents the amount that can be
expected for the rest of the fiscal year.
Please note that these calculations
and payment schedules DO NOT incorporate the $415 million in new federal
Education Jobs money that will be forthcoming.
If you have any questions about
General State Aid or the computations, contact Jim Mathes at
jmathes@isbe.net or phone 217-782-5256.
FY 2011 Allocations Available for NCLB Consolidated Application
Final FY11 NCLB allocations for all
eligible Local Education Agencies are complete and can be accessed at
http://www.isbe.net/funding/pdf/title_I_proj_fy11.pdf.
LEA allocations for Title IIA have not changed.
The allocations are also available on the NCLB Consolidated Grant
Application allotment page for each LEA.
If you have already received ISBE
approval for your NCLB Consolidated Application, you can amend your application
for the changes in allocation. Once your final FY10 expenditure reports have
been submitted, carryover funds may also be available to your district. If you
have not yet applied, or your application is still within the approval process
at the district level, you may apply for your additional funds at this time.
Please note that the latest date for original submission for NCLB and ARRA-NCLB
is Nov. 3, 2010.
Allocations for FY11 Title IID will
be made on a competitive basis. After your FY10 final expenditure report for
Title IID is submitted, and your LEA has carryover, your LEA must apply for such
carryover with an FY11 NCLB Consolidated Application for Title IID.
FY10 Title IID carryover cannot be used in conjunction with the FY11
Title IID competitive grant.
No Federal Title IV appropriation
was approved this year. Therefore, only Title IV carryover funds will be
available. After your FY10 final expenditure report for Title IV is submitted,
and IF your LEA has carryover, your LEA must apply for such carryover with an
FY11 NCLB Consolidated Application for the remaining Title IV allocation.
ARRA - Title I allocations that
remain available to districts are in the form of carryover from FY10 and must be
applied for separately in an FY11 ARRA-NCLB Consolidated Application. These
funds must be liquidated by Sept. 30, 2011.
Questions regarding the Title I,
IIA, and IV programs should be directed to staff in the Innovation and
Improvement Division at 217-524-4832.
For questions about the Title IID
Technology - Enhancing Education Through Technology formula grants, contact
Kathy Barnhart in the Division of Curriculum and Instruction at 217-557-7323 or
kbarnhar@isbe.net.
Extension of FY 2010 State Liquidation Period
Local Education Agencies (LEA) with
FY 2010 State funded projects that ended on June 30, or will end Aug. 31, may
have outstanding obligations that have not been paid due to the continued delay
of State funds from the Office of the Comptroller. Per our State and Federal
Fiscal Policy and Procedures, which can be accessed at
http://www.isbe.net/funding/pdf/fiscal_procedure_handbk.pdf, obligations
should be liquidated within 90 days from the end date of the project. However,
due to the current delay of state funds, the liquidation date will be extended
until Jan. 7, 2011, for FY 2010 projects that ended on June 30 or will end Aug.
31. The General Assembly passed legislation earlier this spring which allows the
Office of the Comptroller additional time to release FY 2010 funds by Dec. 31,
2010. The new liquidation date will allow all LEAs sufficient time to fulfill
their obligation payments once funds are released by the end of this calendar
year. The liquidation extension is only applicable for FY 2010 state projects
that have not submitted their final expenditure reports. If an LEA has submitted
their final expenditure report with no outstanding obligations, this extension
does not apply.
In addition, FY 2010 notices to
return unexpended state grant funds are being suspended until funds have been
distributed by the Office of the Comptroller. Once funds have been released,
refund due notices will resume. Upon
receipt of the notice, LEAs must return unexpended funds to the Illinois State
Board of Education within 45 days per requirements of Grant Funds Recovery Act
[30 ILCS 705/5]. Unexpended FY 2010 State funds cannot be carried over and used
for FY 2011 project grant activities.
If you have questions regarding these issues please contact Kim Lewis (klewis@isbe.net) or Sally Cray (scray@isbe.net) at 217-782-5256.
Interrupted School Days/Heat
The health and safety of students
are a primary concern for every school superintendent. Section 18-12, of the
School Code allows the use of Interrupted School Days for "adverse weather
conditions," including extreme heat as well as extreme cold. The Illinois State
Board of Education allows four options with regard to extreme heat:
If an Emergency Day is utilized it
is recommended that an Amended Calendar be submitted electronically through IWAS
to the Regional Office of Education (ROE) for approval, to assure that the most
up to date Public School Calendar is available online via the School Calendar
Inquiry. If an Interrupted Day is utilized an Amended Calendar must be submitted
electronically through IWAS, within 30 days of occurrence, to the ROE, who will
forward it to ISBE for approval as required by statute.
The Calendar Code for Emergency Day is ED. The Calendar Code for an
Interrupted Day is XID. When amending the calendar code to XID, Student
Attendance Time is required to verify a minimum of 1 instructional clock hour
was conducted as well as a brief explanation of why the day was interrupted.
ISBE's policy further states that if
the announcement is made in advance (i.e., on the previous day) that school will
be closing on any day or days after less than 5 clock hours because of heat, you
must use an emergency day(s). You cannot count that shortened day as a full-day
of attendance under those circumstances.
At this time, all 2010-11 Public
School Calendars should now have ROE approval, making the calendar available for
interested parties to view on the ISBE's School Calendar Inquiry. Per Section
10-19 of the School Code, any changes to the calendar must be approved by
completing and submitting an amended calendar via IWAS prior to the change
taking effect.
It is our hope that this information
is helpful for the upcoming school year. If you require technical assistance or
have further questions regarding the public school calendar please contact your
Regional Office of Education or Marj Beck at
mbeck@isbe.net or 217-782-5256.
Board Services
Nominate Your School Board President for the Thomas Lay Burroughs Award
The Illinois State Board of
Education invites you to nominate your local board president for the Thomas Lay
Burroughs Award for the State's Outstanding School Board President.
This award was created in 1991 in
memory of the late ISBE chairman and is presented each November at the
IASB/IASA/IASBO conference in Chicago. This year, the conference will be held
Nov. 19-21 and the award will be presented on Sunday morning, Nov. 21.
Nominations should be submitted as
indicated below by the close of business on Oct. 15, 2010.
Send your nomination to Jean Ladage
via e-mail to jladage@isbe.net. Please put
"Burroughs Nomination" in the subject line of the e-mail. If you have questions,
call Jean Ladage or Marsha Moffett at 217-557-6626.
For nomination information and
format, go to
http://www.isbe.net/pdf/burroughs_award.pdf.
Curriculum and Instruction
National Suicide Prevention Week Scheduled for Sept. 5-11
National Suicide Prevention Week is
Sept. 5-11 with Sept. 9 as World Suicide Prevention Day. Every year, more than
5,000 youth die by suicide in the United States, which is the third leading
cause of death for individuals ages 10 to 24. In 2009, 13 percent of Illinois
teenagers reported having suicidal thoughts, and 7 percent of teenagers report
making a suicide attempt.
When struggling with a mental
illness, depression or suicidal ideations, individuals often don't seek help
because of the stigma associated with asking for help, limited access to
treatment, the shame they feel about having these thoughts and/or no one
recognizes their call for help.
The It Only Takes One suicide
prevention campaign was developed to create an Illinois where no one is touched
by suicide. Its vision is to reduce the stigma of suicide and increase the
public's awareness that mental health care is a critical part of health care and
a person's overall well-being.
Help promote suicide prevention in
your school, during the week of Sept. 5-11, and year-round by visiting
http://www.itonlytakesone.org and
learning about ways to get more involved in the cause.
It Only Takes One is supported and
funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health and operated by Mental Health
America of Illinois. To learn more, visit
http://www.itonlytakesone.org. For
help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Nutrition
Illinois Awarded Team Nutrition Training Grant
The USDA has notified the Illinois
State Board of Education that Illinois has been selected as a recipient of the
2010 Team Nutrition Training Grant. Illinois will receive approximately $315,000
for a two-year grant. Addressing the
overall health and well-being of Illinois children, the grant's three approved
initiatives are:
. The HealthierUS School Challenge
Webinar initiative will encourage Illinois elementary and secondary schools to
take the HealthierUS School Challenge and provide school staff with technical
assistance to meet Challenge criteria for a healthier school environment.
. The HUSSC Mini-Grants initiative
will assist 13 Illinois elementary and/or secondary schools to work toward
meeting the HUSSC criteria and submitting successful HUSSC applications by
providing the opportunity to be awarded competitive mini-grants of $3,500 and
HUSSC onsite training and technical assistance.
. The Teachers' eCourse initiative
will empower K-12 teachers to integrate into their classrooms fun and
interactive nutrition education and/or physical activity for students with new
educational technologies.
The Illinois Nutrition Education and
Training Program staff fulfills the grant responsibilities through ISBE. Watch
for upcoming grant opportunities in the "Grants, Awards, and Honors" section of
future The Outlook newsletters, located at
http://www.isbe.net/nutrition.
No Child Left Behind
Title I Schoolwide Plan Evaluation Required Annually
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
requires a school operating a schoolwide program to review and revise, as
necessary, the Title I Schoolwide Plan. The federal regulation is more explicit
in mandating that the evaluation occur annually. The purpose of the annual
review is to ensure that the program outlined in the Schoolwide Plan was
implemented as intended and that the implementation affected positive outcomes
related to student achievement.
The non-regulatory guidance document
released by the U.S. Department of Education further details a process for
meeting the annual evaluation. In brief, it suggests that the school should
identify the following:
ISBE recommends that the school file
the annual evaluation with the Title I Schoolwide Plan and make it readily
available for review by stakeholders and by the State Board's Division of
External Assurances.
For additional information, please
review the ISBE website on Schoolwide Programs, available at
http://www.isbe.net/grants/html/title1.htm and the U.S. Department of
Education's Non-Regulatory Guidance on Designing Schoolwide Programs available
at
http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/designingswpguid.doc.
ARRA
Renewal of D-U-N-S Numbers With Central Contractor Registration
Section 1512 federal reporting
requirements under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) state that
each local education agency (LEA) that receives ARRA funds must register their 9
digit Data Universal Numbering System (D-U-N-S) number with the Central
Contractor Registration (CCR) site. CCR is the primary registrant database for
the U.S. Federal Government.
Each LEA is responsible for keeping
their D-U-N-S number and account current with CCR. CCR notifies the account
owner of registration expiration. The e-mail message from CCR will look like
this:
Dear CCR Registrant:
Renewal Notification for DUNS Number: 123456789
Your registration in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is due to expire on
DATE.
To
maintain active status in CCR and to ensure continued payments on existing
contracts, you must renew your registration. The maintenance and renewal of your
registration is your responsibility.
It is critical that your LEA
maintains active registration of your LEA's D-U-N-S number with CCR to prevent
suspension of ARRA funds. This is especially critical as new funds will be
coming soon for the new Education Funds Jobs program.
The Illinois State Board of
Education cannot assist you with registration or renewal. You must register or
renew with CCR online at http://www.ccr.gov or
call the CCR help desk at 866-606 8220 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Central Time if
you need assistance.
Special Education Services
School Mental Health Conference Slated for Nov. 9-10 in
Springfield
Join school mental health colleagues
from across the state November 9-10, 2010, at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel and
Conference Center in Springfield for "School Mental Health: Strengthening
Schools, Supporting Students," the first statewide interdisciplinary conference
committed to advancing school based mental health.
Keynote speakers will be Sandra
Keenan from Associates in Research and Dr. Marc Atkins from the University of
Illinois-Chicago, Institute for Juvenile Research.
This conference will provide an
opportunity for educators, family members, school counselors, psychologists,
social workers and community mental health providers to come together and
discover exciting new approaches to furthering school based mental health.
To register for the conference, go
to the following link:
https://events.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e2y2ki200660f09c&oseq=a001g9zqdxhi.
For more information or for
questions about the event or how to register, e-mail
akirk@voices4kids.org.
Space Available for Middle School and High School RtI Summit
This is a reminder that Illinois
ASPIRE is conducting a two-day Middle School/High School Response to
Intervention (RtI) Summit in September, with Dr. Kevin Feldman and Dr. George
Batsche as featured presenters.
Batsche's presentation will build and expand upon content he covered in his
October 2009 workshops in Illinois. The summit is being held at the following
locations:
Although the Naperville location is
full, space is available in Collinsville and East Peoria. Details about the
summit and online registration can be accessed at
http://tworivers.pdaonline.org/WorkshopQuery.php?type=ASPIRE.
Registration is open to school teams
of up to five people, with a limit of one team per school. It is recommended
that teams be comprised of one or more administrators, teaching staff and
related services staff. Registrants must be able to attend both days of the
summit. The registration deadline is Sept. 10, 2010, and the registration fee is
$20 per participant for both days.
Questions can be directed to Rhonda Mooberry at
rmooberry@peoriaroe48.net or
309-673-1040.
2010-11 Planning Calendar for Special Education Directors Online
The Illinois State Board of
Education's Special Education Services and Supports Division is pleased to
announce the release of the 2010-11 Planning Calendar for Special Education
Directors. This resource was developed by ISBE, in collaboration with Dr. Gineen
O'Neil, Director of Southwest Cook County Association for Special Education.
We hope that this resource will
assist administrators by raising awareness of the various data reporting and
submission requirements related to IDEA. This document does not replace any
official notifications of deadlines and requirements. Instead, it is intended to
be used as an additional resource to assist district and Special Education
cooperative administrators. Several web-based resources are listed on the last
page of this document to provide links to the official up-to-date information
regarding deadlines/requirements across the agency.
The 2010-11 Planning Calendar for
Special Education Directors is available under the "What's New" section at
http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed.
Educator and School Development
Physical Education Exemption Report No Longer Required to be Submitted
Effective 8/3/10, PA 96-1423
repealed section 105 ILCS 5/2-3.97 of the School Code and as a result the PE
Exemption report is no longer required to be submitted.
If you have any questions about this new legislation contact Patrick
Murphy in the Educator and School Development Division at 217-782-2948 or
pmurphy@isbe.net.
Legal
Registration Guidance for the 2010-11 School Year
Visit
http://www.isbe.net/pdf/guidance_reg.pdf for registration guidance
for the 2010-11 school year and take time to review four areas that
traditionally have generated confusion: Residency; Immigrant Pupils; Homeless
Pupils; and School Fees and Waivers.
Rules and Waivers
Notice of Completed Rulemaking
Please be advised that a set of
emergency amendments recently adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education
is now in effect. These rules have been posted on the agency's Web site at
http://www.isbe.net/rules. Please choose
"Rules Currently in Effect" and scroll to Part 365. The emergency amendments are
posted separately, just below the main document.
Part 365 (Children's Low-cost Laptop
Program)
Sets forth the requirements for
applying for and criteria for review of proposals submitted for grants under the
Children's Low-cost Laptop Act [105 ILCS 65].
Affected Sections: 365.10, 365.20, 365.30,
365.40, 365.50, and 365.60
Effective Date: August 17, 2010, for a
maximum of 150 days
Invitation to Comment on Rules
Two proposed rulemakings recently
reviewed by the Illinois State Board of Education are available for public
comment. The proposals have been posted on the agency's Web site at
http://www.isbe.net/rules; choose
"Proposed Rules and Amendments." Please submit any comments or suggestions to
rules@isbe.net.
Part 1 (Public Schools Evaluation,
Recognition and Supervision)
Defines "grade 11" for the purposes
of the administration of the Prairie State Achievement Examination or the
Illinois Alternate Assessment, as applicable, and deletes language specific to
the consumer education proficiency examination, which was eliminated by P.A.
96-1061, effective July 14, 2010.
Deadline for Public Comment: Oct. 18
Part 365 (Code of Ethics for Illinois
Educators)
Sets forth the requirements for
applying for and criteria for review of proposals submitted for grants under the
Children's Low-cost Laptop Act [105 ILCS 65].
Deadline for Public Comment: Oct. 18
Classroom Opportunities
Webcast on the U.S. Constitution Scheduled for Friday, Sept. 17
Publishing company Hough Mifflin
Harcourt and the History Channel will present a webcast for Constitution Day on
Sept. 17. "We the People LIVE: A Constitution Day Webcast" will air from
11-11:45 a.m. that Friday.
The 45-minute long free program will
air from the Newseum in Washington, D.C., and will include leaders from
government, news and entertainment with a series of readings, narrative and a Q
& A with students.
Congress passed legislation in 2005
that requires all schools receiving federal money to teach about the U.S.
Constitution on Constitution Day, which is celebrated annually on Sept. 17.
Educators can sign up for the free
Constitution Day webcast at
http://bit.ly/constitutionday. The site also features links to additional
free classroom resources.
Illinois Attorney General
Internet Safety Training Program Available Online
Attorney General Lisa Madigan and
the Illinois State Board of Education have launched an Internet safety training
program for Illinois schools, previewing the program's new training modules.
Educators throughout Illinois
participated in the attorney general's first-of-its-kind webinar last week to
introduce educators to the benefits of the training program. Those interested
can access the webinar and modules on the attorney general's Web site at
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov by clicking on the "Internet
Safety" icon.
The attorney general's office
created the training modules to provide teachers resources to educate and inform
students on Internet safety information aimed at three different grade-level
groupings: grades 3-5; grades 6-8; and grades 9-12. Each grouping covers topics
that young people face online everyday: Online exploitation, cyberbullying,
sexting and piracy. The modules include videos, activities and worksheets to
assist educators with their Internet safety education efforts.
Additional information on the
dangers of cyberbullying is available at
http://ebully411.com. The Stop Cyberbullying website includes the news and
statistics, frequently asked questions and a quiz to test online users'
knowledge about cyberbullying. It also features an E-Info Hotline, which is a
phone- and Web-based resource staffed by the attorney general's internet safety
specialists. More information is available by calling the Hotline at
1-888-414-7678 or by e-mailing
info@atg.state.il.us.
U.S. Department of Education
National Alliance of Black School Educators Conference Coming Up
Staff from the U.S. Department of
Education will be attending and presenting at the National Alliance of Black
School Educators annual conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 17-21. At this
event, NABSE (http://www.nabse.org/) will be
hosting a Parents Day Summit, among other activities, that may be useful, in
particular, for parents of Title I students seeking to improve their child's
achievement and to participate more effectively in their child's school.
Districts are encouraged to permit
parents of Title I students to participate. Please know that a district may use
Title I, Part A funds to support parent participation at such events if the
costs are reasonable and necessary for the implementation of Title I, Part A
programs. In general, the Department of Education encourages parents to attend
local or regionally based training opportunities, such as workshops or
conferences, when they are the same or similar as those being held out-of-State.
Upon return from any workshop or
conference that is not available to all interested parents, attendees should
provide information and, if possible, training on the conference topics to other
parents of children enrolled in Title I, Part A programs. Paying travel and
other costs associated with attendance at out-of-State conferences and workshops
may also be allowable in more limited cases if those conferences and workshops
provide training and information that cannot be obtained locally.
For more information on parent
involvement under Title I, please see the nonregulatory guidance available at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleipartalparentinvguid.pdf.
NAEP
National Assessment Governing Board Seeking Nominations
The National Assessment Governing
Board invites nominations of qualified individuals to serve as members of the
Governing Board, established by Congress to set policy for the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - also known as The Nation's Report
Card. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will appoint the members from a list of
finalists submitted by the Governing Board.
The Board is seeking the broadest
representation to fill positions in six categories: Testing & Measurement
Expert; Local School Superintendent; 12th Grade Teacher; Curriculum Specialist
(2 openings); Chief State School Officer; and State School Board Member. The
term for each of the seven positions is Oct. 1, 2011, to Sept. 30, 2015.
For more information, visit http://www.nagb.org. The deadline for receiving nominations is Sept. 30, 2010. Nominations can be submitted via mail to Dr. Mary Crovo, Deputy Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board, 800 N. Capitol St., NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20002-4233. Or fax to 202-357-6945 or e-mail mary.crovo@ed.gov.
Field Trips
New Exhibit Set to Open Oct. 14 at Lincoln Museum in Springfield
An original letter written by
newly-inaugurated President Abraham Lincoln to an 8-year-old schoolboy is one of
the highlights of a new exhibit coming to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Museum in Springfield.
George Patton of New York and his
father met Lincoln while traveling to Springfield shortly after he won the
Republican nomination for president. His schoolmates didn't believe he had met
the president-to-be, so his teacher wrote Lincoln to determine the truth.
Lincoln responded with a short letter, which is now on loan from a private
collector to be part of the Team of Rivals exhibit.
The exhibit opens Oct. 14, just
prior to the 150th anniversaries of Lincoln's election as president in November,
the farewell address to Springfield in February and the start of the Civil War
in April. The new exhibit is named after the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning
author and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
For more information about the
exhibit and the museum, visit
http://www.presidentlincoln.org/ or call 800-610-2094 or 217-782-5764. There
are special admission rates for school groups.
Employment Opportunities
ISBE External Vacancy List
An External Vacancy List for the Illinois State Board of Education is available at
http://www.isbe.net/hr/Default.htm.
In the News
Weekly News Clips
ISBE has posted highlights from last week's education news clips at http://www.isbe.net/news/2010/newsclips/100830.htm.
You can access Illinois
State Board of Education web site at :
http://www.isbe.net/
