Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
Weekly Message + State Superintendent June Atkinson
North Carolina Public Schools <NCPublicSchools@public.govdelivery.com>
Mon 10/26/2015 4:37 PM
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To: Lynda
Fuller <Lynda.Fuller@dpi.nc.gov>;
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Oct. 26, 2015
Today I participated in a press conference and panel discussion
sponsored by the Council of the Great City Schools at the National
Press Club.
The topic for the event was a two-year study on student testing that
the Council has undertaken. This study, believed to be the most
comprehensive ever undertaken to gauge the extent of mandatory
testing in the nation’s schools, focused on the need to review the
amount of time that students and teachers spend on mandated
testing.
The national study results are similar to those we found when our
Financial and Business Services’ research interns did an extensive
study about North Carolina testing. The report’s findings also
served as a backdrop to our Proof of Concept Study underway this
year with about 9,000 students.
We all share in this overload, as testing is mandated at the federal, state and local levels. My statement
in this event was that testing time and type should be based on the purpose of the assessment, and we
should strive to be efficient and balanced so that testing provides meaningful information to teachers,
students and parents.
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Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
I look forward to seeing all of you on Dec. 4 at the Superintendents’ Quarterly meeting at the Grandover
Resort in Greensboro (see more details in the item below) to give you more information about this event
and its outcomes.
NAEP 2015 Math and Reading Scores to be Released Oct. 28
The 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math and reading scores will be
released at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and will be available online. North Carolina’s press
release about the 2015 NAEP results as well as state snapshots will be posted by 9 a.m. on the
Department’s website under “News.”
Please remember that only national- and state-level data are available because the NAEP is given to a
sample of students in each state. The NAEP assessments are conducted in reading, mathematics,
science, writing, civics, economics, geography, U.S. history and the arts. Reading and mathematics are
assessed every two years. For more information or to view North Carolina’s previous NAEP scores, visit
Accountability Services’ NAEP web page.
ACA Reporting Services and IRS Reporting Requirements
Superintendents should be aware that their human resource directors and finance officers will be
receiving a communication today about IRS reporting requirements.
The State Health Plan (SHP) recently announced its decision to cover the ACA reporting services for
LEAs and charter schools for the 2015 year. LEAs and charters would be responsible for covering the
postage costs for the reporting services, however. The SHP has alerted DPI that there are a number of
districts and charters that have not responded to its request concerning which service option the
employing agency wishes to receive.
Please note that the deadline for making this choice is 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28. Employing
agencies that do not select an option will be responsible for completing the tax forms (1095 and 1094-C)
for their active and retired employees.
Multi-Tiered System of Support:
Teaming Up
The NCDPI MTSS team is currently working with district MTSS
teams. District MTSS teams are charged with guiding
implementation at each school.
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Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
Each district MTSS team in Cohort 1 is participating in professional learning through a blended learning
approach. The district MTSS team has four primary goals:
- serve as a direct link to district and school leadership teams;
- build capacity of unique skill sets in key district personnel;
- enhance practice of communication plan between district and school leadership teams; and
- draft, implement and evaluate plans.
Additional information on leadership teams, including suggested membership, is available online. Follow
us on Twitter @ncmtss.
Webinar Focuses on State Charter
School Funding
Dissecting State Charter School Funding, a one-hour webinar, will
explain the state charter school allotment calculation and follow the
funds from the State Public School Fund appropriations to the local
education agency allotments to the charter school base per student
allocation. The component parts of what is included in the charter
school funds also will be illustrated.
The webinar will be held on two dates but you only need to register for one:
- Thursday, Oct. 29, at 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 3 p.m.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Winter Superintendents’ Leadership
Conference Scheduled
The North Carolina School Superintendents Association’s Winter
Superintendents’ Leadership Conference will be held Dec. 3 - 4 at
the Grandover Resort and Conference Center in Greensboro.
In conjunction with the conference, the NC Association of School Administrators will sponsor a
complimentary pre-conference finance symposium for superintendents, conducted by School Efficiency
Consultants, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Dec. 2. Networking opportunities will follow the symposium
beginning at 1 p.m. followed by a reception at 6 p.m.
Call the Grandover Resort (336.294.1800) to reserve a room. Please indicate that you will be attending
the NC School Superintendents Association Winter Conference. The room rate is $169 until Nov. 2 and
includes parking and Internet access.
Observation Calibration Training – It Works!
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Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
NCDPI staff will provide school administrators with an online platform to improve their skills as a
classroom observer using the NCEES rubric. Participants will be able to watch classroom videos,
observe instruction, rate teachers and receive immediate feedback as to the recommended ratings.
When piloted, school administrators across the state showed significant improvement in observation
skills from the beginning to the end. The more lessons observers completed, the more their scoring
improved.
For a complete description of this exciting professional opportunity for school administrators, please
visit the Observation Calibration Training website. Questions may be directed to Kimberly Simmons.
This is the Final Week of
“Connected Educator Month”
This is the final week of “Connected Educator Month.” Please remember that it is never too late to get
connected. Most of the resources shared during this month can be accessed and utilized for your
purpose, at your point of need.
Educators may want to review the suggested activities for the last week of “Connected Educators
Month” including a Twitter Chat with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan tonight from 8-9 p.m., and on
Tuesday, a webinar entitled, Building the Human Capacity for a Digital Leap.
Latest Messages Online
Oct. 22, 2015 Teachers Biweekly Message
Oct. 26, 2015 Finance Officers’ Newsletter
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Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
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Weekly Message - State Superintendent June Atkinson - Lynda Fuller
10/26/15 4:48 PM
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