September
26,
2012
If
you
know
someone
who
would
like
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be
on
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please
send
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address
to
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***PLEASE
NOTE:
Each
entry
in
this
Weekly
Update
features
the
email
address
of
at
least
one
contact
person,
department
or
website.
For
questions,
concerns
or
technical
assistance,
please
email
the
appropriate
contact(s)
directly.
Thanks!
***LINKS:
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users
might
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press
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CTRL
button
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a
hyperlink
in
this
document.
Archived
Race
to
the
Top
Weekly
Updates
are
available
here:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/rttt/updates/
NEW
THIS
WEEK
• IIS
Team
Establishes
SLI
Sandbox
Environment
• iPads
Compatible
with
NCTest
• Validation
Studies
for
New
Evaluation
Rubrics
• School
Administrators:
Register
for
Webinar
on
Measures
of
Student
Learning/Common
Exams
IN
CASE
YOU
MISSED
IT
• New
NC
Standard
Course
of
Study
Site
and
READY
FAQs
• NCTest
Online
Assessment
System
• October
Webinar
for
New
Local
RttT
Coordinators
• RttT
Evaluation
Team
Interest
in
Local
Progress
Reports
• NCTest
Online
Assessment
System
• Race
to
the
Top‐District
Competition
Assistance
from
NCDPI
• Race
to
the
Top
Progress
Report
to
the
General
Assembly
• 2012‐13
DSW
Amendment
Review
in
Process
NEW
THIS
WEEK
IIS
Team
Establishes
SLI
Sandbox
Environment
The
NCDPI
IIS
Team
was
successful
in
setting
up
the
Shared
Learning
Infrastructure
(SLI)
Sandbox
environment
and
completed
the
initial
test
load
of
the
first
data
group
containing
SEA,
LEA
and
School
data
entities.
The
SLI
is
a
data
integration
platform
that
has
potential
to
enable
vendors
to
more
easily
write
applications
that
use
agency
and
LEA
data,
enable
sharing
of
applications
and
content
across
LEAs
and
states,
and
has
potential
to
give
LEAs
greater
access
to
their
data.
North
Carolina
is
the
first
state
to
successfully
load
data
to
the
SLI
sandbox
environment.
MORE
INFO:
Ben
Comer,
IIS
Project
Manager,
Ben.Comer@dpi.nc.gov
Validation
Studies
for
New
Evaluation
Rubrics
Evaluation
rubric
validation
studies
will
begin
this
year
for
school
psychologists,
counselors,
social
workers,
library
media
coordinators
and
instructional
technology
facilitators.
All
NC
districts
are
invited
to
participate.
Due
to
the
large
size
of
some
of
our
districts,
it
may
not
be
necessary
for
all
staff
in
the
representative
areas
to
participate
in
the
pilot.
Our
aim
is
to
have
some
participants
from
every
district
in
all
five
studies.
Research
and
Evaluation
Associates
will
facilitate
the
validation
studies
led
by
Dr.
Jean
Williams.
All
Human
Resources
Directors
were
contacted
with
this
information
on
September
25.
HR
Directors
were
asked
to
respond
directly
to
Dr.
Williams
with
participant
information.
MORE
INFO:
Dr.
Jean
Williams,
Research
and
Evaluation
Associates,
jean@centurylink.net,
or
Dr.
Lynne
Johnson,
Director,
Educator
Recruitment
and
Development,
lynne.johnson@dpi.nc.gov
iPads
Compatible
with
NCTest
Effective
immediately,
iPads
now
may
be
used
to
administer
assessments
using
the
online
testing
system
(i.e.,
NCTest).
Schools
planning
to
use
iPads
must
review
the
technical
requirements
at
http://go.ncsu.edu/nct.
Schools
that
administer
an
online
assessment
but
do
not
meet
the
technical
requirements
are
at
risk
of
providing
students
items
that
cannot
be
manipulated
(e.g.,
technology‐enhanced
items),
items
that
do
not
display
with
associated
artwork
(e.g.,
tables,
graphs,
symbols),
and
items
that
do
not
fit
properly
on
the
screen.
Schools
should
periodically
review
the
technical
requirements
at
http://go.ncsu.edu/nct/
for
updates.
Communication
among
district‐level
staff
and
school‐level
staff
is
extremely
important
when
planning
online
test
administrations
and
all
facets
of
the
process
should
be
discussed
as
early
as
possible.
MORE
INFO:
Kayla
Siler,
kayla.siler@dpi.nc.gov
or
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/
School
Administrators:
Register
for
Webinar
on
Measures
of
Student
Learning/Common
Exams
On
October
10,
NCPAPA
and
NCDPI
are
hosting
a
webinar
to
provide
updates
and
answer
questions
on
the
Measures
of
Student
Learning/Common
Exams.
During
the
hour‐long
webinar,
NCDPI
staff
will
provide
information
aligned
to
frequently
asked
questions
and
also
provide
an
opportunity
for
additional
questions.
We
hope
you
will
join
us!
Please
visit
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/142460961
to
register
for
the
webinar.
MORE
INFO:
Jennifer
Preston,
RttT
Coordinator
for
Teacher
and
Leader
Effectiveness,
jennifer.preston@dpi.nc.gov,
or
Emily
Doyle,
NCPAPA,
edoyle@ncasa.net.
IN
CASE
YOU
MISSED
IT
New
NC
Standard
Course
of
Study
Site
and
READY
FAQs
NCDPI
wants
educators
and
public
school
supporters
to
have
access
to
the
answers
they
need
surrounding
the
many
changes
occurring
this
year
in
our
schools.
To
that
end,
we
have
developed
a
new
website
that
features
a
wealth
of
information
on
the
new
NC
Standard
Course
of
Study,
including
a
thorough
overview
of
the
new
standards,
plus
a
menu
of
resources
for
educators
to
explore.
It
can
be
found
here:
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/.
MORE
INFO:
Dr.
Maria
Pitre‐Martin,
Maria.pitremartin@dpi.nc.gov
NCDPI
staff
members
also
have
been
synthesizing
and
researching
the
answers
to
a
multitude
of
questions
received
from
READY
meetings
earlier
this
year,
along
with
a
number
of
questions
that
have
been
submitted
via
our
website
and
email.
The
categories
posted
on
the
READY
website
thus
far
are
Accountability,
Assessments
and
Educator
Effectiveness.
These
FAQs
may
be
found
at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ready/faq/.
MORE
INFO:
Michael
Yarbrough,
Michael.yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov
October
Webinar
for
New
Local
RttT
Coordinators
NCDPI’s
RttT
Program
Management
team
will
host
a
webinar
in
October
to
provide
new
local
RttT
Coordinators
with
an
overview
of
the
RttT
Program,
particularly
requirements
and
procedures
for
managing
local
plans.
New
Superintendents,
Finance
Officers,
and
other
local
staff
are
also
welcome
to
attend.
To
accommodate
busy
schedules,
the
webinar
will
be
offered
at
two
different
times:
Wednesday,
October
24
from
3:00
‐
4:30
pm,
and
Thursday,
October
25
from
9:00
‐
10:30
am.
Content,
which
will
be
identical
in
both
sessions,
will
include
goals
of
RttT,
the
role
and
responsibilities
of
the
local
RttT
Coordinator,
the
DSW
and
BUD
processes,
and
procurement
guidelines.
Please
submit
any
questions
by
September
28
to
your
NCDPI
Regional
Lead,
and
we
will
try
to
ensure
they
are
covered
in
the
webinar.
Time
will
also
be
set
aside
in
each
session
for
discussion
of
questions
from
the
audience.
MORE
INFO:
Michael
Hickman,
michael.hickman@dpi.nc.gov
RttT
Evaluation
Team
Interest
in
Local
Progress
Reports
LEAs
and
charter
schools
soon
will
receive
a
communication
from
the
RttT
Evaluation
Team
explaining
how
they
will
incorporate
information
contained
in
the
annual
local
progress
reports
as
part
of
the
various
ongoing
studies
of
NC’s
RttT
implementation.
It
is
very
important
to
note
that
the
Evaluation
Team’s
consideration
of
the
progress
reports
is
not
the
same
as
the
monitoring
review
conducted
by
the
NCDPI
Regional
Leads,
nor
is
this
an
“audit.”
The
Evaluation
Team
simply
seeks
to
be
able
to
consider
all
available
information
when
describing
the
progress
made
by
the
State
and
local
entities
on
various
RttT
initiatives.
MORE
INFO:
Trip
Stallings,
dtstalli@ncsu.edu
NCTest
Online
Assessment
System
End‐of‐Course
(EOC)
assessments
have
been
available
online
since
2007.
For
the
2012‐13
school
year,
the
EOC
assessments
will
continue
to
be
available
online
along
with
end‐of‐grade
(EOG)
science
and
all
NCEXTEND2
assessments.
The
following
assessments
will
be
available
through
the
NCTest
online
assessment
system:
Algebra
I/
Integrated
I
EOC
Biology
EOC
English
II
EOC
Grades
5
and
8
Science
EOG
NCEXTEND2
(EOC
assessments
in
Biology,
English
II,
Algebra
I/Integrated
I,
and
EOG
assessments
in
English
Language
Arts,
Mathematics,
and
Grades
5
and
8
Science)
Paper‐and‐pencil
versions
of
these
assessments
will
be
available
for
order,
but
the
NCDPI
strongly
encourages
administering
these
assessments
online.
MORE
INFO:
Kayla
Siler,
kayla.siler@dpi.nc.gov
or
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/
Race
to
the
Top‐District
Competition
Assistance
from
NCDPI
A
number
of
local
school
districts
have
inquired
about
how
NCDPI
will
assist
them
in
meeting
the
“state
review”
requirement
for
applications
for
the
Race
to
the
Top‐District
(RttT‐D)
competition.
Attached
to
the
same
email
that
delivered
this
Update
is
a
letter
that
explains
our
process
for
review.
The
letter
was
sent
recently
to
Superintendents,
regional
leaders
and
charter
school
leaders.
We
look
forward
to
receiving
your
RttT‐D
applications
and/or
questions.
MORE
INFO:
Adam
Levinson,
adam.levinson@dpi.nc.gov
Race
to
the
Top
Progress
Report
to
the
General
Assembly
State
legislation
requires
that
NCDPI
is
to
submit
four
semi‐annual
reports
outlining
Progress
toward
Implementing
the
state‐level
Race
to
the
Top
Initiative.
The
first
of
these
reports
was
submitted
last
week,
and
it
is
attached
to
the
same
email
that
delivered
this
Update.
The
report
outlines
progress
around
Transition
to
the
New
Standards,
the
Instructional
Improvement
System,
NC
Education
Cloud,
Educator
Evaluation,
Performance
Incentives,
Regional
Leadership
Academies,
Teacher
Recruitment,
Virtual
Schools,
Professional
Development,
District
and
School
Transformation
and
STEM.
MORE
INFO:
Adam
Levinson,
adam.levinson@dpi.nc.gov
2012‐13
DSW
Amendment
Review
in
Process
NCDPI
has
received
a
great
number
of
LEA/Charter
RttT
Detailed
Scopes
of
Work
(DSW)
amendments
over
the
past
several
weeks.
In
addition
to
reviewing
the
amendments,
we
are
fielding
many
questions
regarding
various
ARRA
and
OERI
requirements.
Our
staff
members
are
working
diligently
to
review
the
amended
DSWs
and
to
ensure
that
any
questions
are
answered
clearly
and
completely.
We
greatly
appreciate
your
patience
in
awaiting
review
results
and
answers
to
your
questions
during
this
high‐volume
period.
MORE
INFO:
Eric
Thanos,
eric.thanos@dpi.nc.gov