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January 28, 2020

WHAT'S INSIDE2020 Census: Everyone CountsCareer & Technical EducationCurriculum & InstructionData CollectionEarly ChildhoodEd360Educator Effectiveness

Evidence-Based FundingFunding & Disbursement ServicesSafe & Healthy ClimateSchool BusinessSchool WellnessSpecial EducationIn Brief

Hello,

As educators, we must work together to prepare all students, from every background, for the future.I’ve seen firsthand the amazing things our schools are doing as they work to prepare students forcollege and career. Career and technical education (CTE) is a huge component in ensuring studentsuccess, providing opportunities to explore careers, develop marketable skills, and engage in lifelonglearning.

The reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act (“PerkinsV”) created an opportunity for all of us to rethink CTE. ISBE has been working with the Illinois

Community College Board (ICCB) to rework our state’s five-year plan. Perkins V requires the state, school districts, and community colleges toengage with stakeholders in their communities and create plans supporting innovation in the future of CTE. ISBE and ICCB held the first set ofengagement sessions last fall to collect feedback on the first draft of Illinois’ Perkins V plan. We have implemented your initial comments andare now ready for your review and feedback on the second draft of the plan to ensure it’s still on the right track. Therefore, ISBE and ICCB arehosting another series of regional events to share the state’s second draft Perkins V plan (/Documents/Perkins-V-State-Plan-for-IL-Draft-2.pdf) and get feedback from stakeholders:

Jan. 28 from 3-5 p.m. at ROE 9, ChampaignJan. 29 from 9-11 a.m. at East St. Louis Higher Education Center, East St. LouisJan. 29 from 2-4 p.m. at Continental Tire, Mount VernonJan. 30 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Bremen High School, Midlothian

We hope to see you at one of these events to give us your comments on draft two of the Illinois Perkins V plan and on the future of CTEprograms in our state. We encourage you to download and share the event flyer (/Documents/ISBE-CTERoadShow-Winter2020.pdf) witheducators, students, families, businesses, and community members. If you are unable to attend, please provide your feedback on draft two byemailing perkins@isbe.net (mailto:perkins@isbe.net).

I would also like to encourage you all to attend the Census EDU webinar from 3:30-5 p.m. on Feb. 3. The webinar will feature speakers fromschool districts and the U.S. Census Bureau. They will share ideas and best practices, as well as answer questions on strategies and tacticsfor how you can help ensure a complete count in your community. Registration is now available(https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5534255843267306755).

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Finally, I would like to give a shout-out to the 30 Illinois educators (https://www.goldenapple.org/celebration) who were named finalists for the2020 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Leadership. This award honors outstanding teachers for their roles in havinglasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities. Good luck to you all and congratulations on this remarkableaccomplishment!

Sincerely,

Carmen

DATES AND DEADLINES

Please note this is not a complete list of events, meetings, and deadlines. For more events and details, visit the ISBE Calendar page(https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ISBE-Meetings.aspx).

Jan.29

Data Dive into Summative Designations to Identify Next Steps for School Improvement (ROE 33,Macomb)

Jan.29-30

K-5 Next Generation Science Standards Leadership Conference- Springfield(https://www.imsa.edu/site_section/next-generation-science-standards/)

Jan.30

Data Dive into Summative Designations to Identify Next Steps for School Improvement (South CookISC)

Jan.31

Deadline to submit E-Rate State Matching Grant applications (https://www.isbe.net/broadband)

Jan.31

Data Dive into Summative Designations to Identify Next Steps for School Improvement (ROE 9,Champaign)

Jan.31

Deadline to submit Black History Curriculum Task Force Survey (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/black-history-study-survey.aspx)

Jan.31

Deadline to submit 2020 Illinois Teacher Leadership Summit project submissions(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyPraIDj2ITZCUOZu-HVjsLRy3eE3b9rcbKgCzT4RZ_PfXVw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2uAb9M7zimBJ9YGm-9K33f-inUiu32qQpGVDwBuIWAgNnx_SSuU62kFJs)

Feb.1

Deadline to submit feedback on Perkins CTE Program Quality Indicators and Performance Levels(http://www.isbe.net/perkinsfeedback)

Feb.1

Deadline to complete 2019-20 Teacher Salary Study in IWAS

Feb.1

Deadline to complete 2019-20 Noncertified Staff Salary Study in IWAS

Feb.3

ISBE Strategic Plan Stakeholder Meeting (Carbondale) (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/ISBE-Strategic-Plan-Meetings.pdf)

Feb.3

Census EDU Webinar

Feb.4

K-5 Next Generation Science Standards Leadership Conference - Matteson(https://www.imsa.edu/site_section/next-generation-science-standards/)

Feb.6

ISBE Stategic Plan Stakeholder Meeting (Wheaton) (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/ISBE-Strategic-Plan-Meetings.pdf)

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Feb.10-12

2020 ESSA Conference (http://www.thecenterweb.org/essa/)

Feb.12

ISBE offices closed for Lincoln’s Birthday

Feb.12

2020 Census Get Out the Count convening - Burr Ridge (https://myforefront.org/event/illinois-census-2020-gotc-convening/)

Feb.13

ISBE Strategic Plan Engagement Session (University Park) (https://www.isbe.net/strategicplansurvey)

Feb.14

FY 2020 Round 1 School Maintenance Project Grant application period closes(https://www.isbe.net/Pages/School-Maintenance-Project-Grant.aspx)

Feb.14

Deadline to submit Gifted Education Micro-Credential Pilot Scholarship application(https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Gifted-Microcredential-Flyer.pdf)

Feb.15

Deadline to sign up for the Summer Food Service Program training if participating in the SFSP(https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Summer-Food-Service-Program.aspx)

Feb.18

ACCESS for EL's English Language Development Assessment window closes(https://wida.wisc.edu/memberships/consortium/il)

Feb.19

Illinois State Board of Education meeting in Chicago(https://www.isbe.net/Lists/ISBECalendar/DisplayForm.aspx?ID=4485)

Feb.19-20

K-5 Next Generation Science Standards Leadership Conference – Marion(https://www.imsa.edu/site_section/next-generation-science-standards/)

Feb.24-25

ISBE School Wellness Conference (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/School-Wellness.aspx)

Feb.24

ISBE Stategic Plan Stakeholder Meeting (Springfield) (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/ISBE-Strategic-Plan-Meetings.pdf)

Mar.2-3

2020 Career Connections Conference – Chicago (http://ilcareerconnections.org/)

Mar.4-5

2020 Career Connections Conference – Springfield (http://ilcareerconnections.org/)

Mar.6-7

2020 Illinois Teacher Leadership Summit Powered by Teach to Lead(https://sites.google.com/view/ilteacherleadersummit/home)

Mar.9-10

2020 Career Connections Conference – Carbondale (http://ilcareerconnections.org/)

March16

ISBE Strategic Plan Engagement Session (Macomb) (https://www.isbe.net/strategicplansurvey)

March17-18

Illinois State Board of Education meeting in Macomb (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Illinois-State-Board-of-Education-Calendar.aspx)

Mar.23

FY 2021 Early Childhood Block Grant proposals due (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/RFPs.aspx)

2020 CENSUS: EVERYONE COUNTS

STATISTICS IN SCHOOLS RESOURCES

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The Statistics in Schools program provides high-quality and free curriculum materials for educators using Census Bureau data. This week’sresource for preschoolers helps kids learn why counting is important. Students will see how a complete count in their classroom helps themdetermine things like how many chairs are needed or how many crayons are needed. Learn more about this resource.(https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/2020census/2020-resources/pre-k/i-count-you-count.html)

UPCOMING CENSUS EDU WEBINAR – FEB. 3

Billions of dollars are at stake for Illinois in the 2020 Census, which also will determine the number of representatives Illinois will have in theU.S. Congress. Educators are trusted voices in communities and play a critical role in ensuring every Illinoisan is counted.

Join us for a Census EDU Webinar from 3:30-5 p.m. on Feb. 3. The webinar will feature speakers from school districts and the U.S. CensusBureau. Speakers will share ideas and best practices and answer questions on strategies and tactics for how you can help ensure a completecount in your community. Learn more about ISBE’s census efforts and register (http://www.isbe.net/census).

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN CTE

2020 Career Connections Conference – March 2-3 Chicago; March 4-5 Springfield; March 9-10 Carbondale

In a response to the growing needs for high-quality CTE programs, Career Connections 2020 will deliver three multi-disciplinary regionalconferences throughout the state focusing on three overarching goals:

1. Improvement of instruction2. Better alignment to core academics3. Enhanced connections to career and postsecondary opportunities

Integral features of the conference will include hands-on and innovative learning opportunities that highlight various components ofinterdisciplinary education accentuated through CTE, including exploratory sessions, networking opportunities, industry-led partnerships,student showcases, educator recognition, and apprenticeship programs. The conference will feature keynote speaker Andrew McPeak ofGrowing Leaders: Ready for Real Life. He will address the expectations, identity, and attitudes of Generation Z and how instructors can teachand empower the emerging generation. In addition, the conference will include breakout sessions regarding three main themes: equity,outreach, and integration of core academics. Registration and see full details (http://ilcareerconnections.org/).

IACTE New CTE Teacher Academy

ISBE and the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education (IACTE) will host a New CTE Academy in conjunction with IACTE'sannual conference on Feb. 13-14 at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Sessions are developed for first- andsecond-year teachers to provide dedicated time to collaborate with other new teachers and receive feedback from more experienced CTEteachers in the areas of engaging instruction, effective teaching, and topics specific to CTE (e.g., Individualized Education Programs/504Plans, CTE laboratory considerations, and developing and working with an advisory committee). This academy will have a separate strand ofsessions, but will participate in all IACTE Conference general sessions, meal functions, and networking. ISBE will cover the registration fee for50 first- and second-year teachers to attend this workshop. Travel expenses are not covered. All topics are listed in the flyer(https://files.constantcontact.com/56ff2371301/d416cdad-a07b-44c6-8ef3-9dfd0b0e4098.pdf). General information and registration for theevent can be found at the IACTE Conference registration conference website (https://www.iacte.org/cpages/iacte-annual-conference).

CTE Counselor Academy

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The CTE Counselor Academy provides comprehensive professional development for school counselors and academic advisers to supportunderstanding of the opportunities within CTE, the importance of nontraditional occupations, and strategies to support special populationlearners. This is a collaborative project between ISBE, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Center for SpecializedProfessional Support. This year, the focus is on Perkins V and the important role counselors/advisers have in the Perkins V implementation. Awebinar outlining the role of counselors/advisers in Perkins V was offered in the fall of 2019 and recorded for future viewing.

Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (Webinar) (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1010402110405097741) – Jan. 30 - 10-11 a.m.Who is in Your CTE Network (Webinar) (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3767586946239479821) – Feb. 13 - 10-11 a.m.Examples of Effective CTE Networks (Webinar) (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5485769577709253645) – Feb. 27 - 10-11a.m.Capstone Event (https://icsps.forms-db.com/view.php?id=126938) - Springfield – March 6 - 9 a.m. -3 p.m.

All webinars will be recorded and be available to view at a later date. If you have any questions, please email icsps@ilstu.edu(mailto:icsps@ilstu.edu).

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

VIRTUAL COURSE REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST

ISBE is pleased to announce available funds in fiscal year 2020 to provide partial reimbursements to districts that enroll students into virtualcourses that are part of the Illinois Virtual Course Catalog (IVCC).

ISBE will use each district’s FY 2020 local capacity percentage and IVCC courses completed between Jan. 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020, todetermine the amount of available reimbursement. Districts desiring reimbursements will enroll their students into courses provided through theIVCC and pay the registration fee directly to the course provider. A district can submit evidence of completion of the course and proof ofpayment, along with a request for partial reimbursement of course enrollment fees, to ISBE for student courses completed by June 30, 2020.

Funding for course enrollment fee reimbursements is limited; interested districts must complete and submit the Notice of Intent for VirtualCourses survey to ISBE no later than Friday, Feb. 7. The Notice of Intent survey enables the calculation of the reimbursement to your districtbased on your enrollment numbers, the course providers selected, and types of courses in which students are enrolled. The Notice of Intentcan be accessed at Notice of Intent for Virtual Courses (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hv5kA8ZJ9Eq1LDNameV30fS0MIoyHPREm5bxN954JphUNExHSU82UkEzVzIxUFJaUDdSMzVSS1E4Uy4u).

Contact Erich Grauke at egrauke@isbe.net (mailto:egrauke@isbe.net) or (217) 782-0354 with any questions.

SEEKING GIFTED EDUCATION MICRO-CREDENTIAL PILOT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS

ISBE is seeking scholarship applicants to complete and provide feedback on a gifted education micro-credential (/Documents/Gifted-Microcredential-Flyer.pdf). Eligible applicants must hold a valid Illinois Professional Educator License, complete the course within 30 weeksfrom start date, and provide feedback to ISBE and course developers regarding the course design and work. Completed applications(/Documents/Gifted-MC-Scholarship-App.pdf) should be emailed to Kimberly Johnson at kjohnson@isbe.net (mailto:kjohnson@isbe.net) nolater than Feb. 14. Ten recipients will be selected for to be part of the course pilot and notified via email.

DATA COLLECTION

REMINDER: 2019-20 TEACHER SALARY AND NONCERTIFIED STAFF SALARY STUDIES DUE FEB. 1

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Forms for the 2019-20 Teacher Salary Study and Noncertified Staff Salary Study, which both opened on Oct. 1, must be completed andsubmitted by Feb. 1.

In addition to completing the form, if your district has a new labor agreement in place, please email a copy of your salary schedule/policy andnegotiated agreement to datahelp@isbe.net (mailto:datahelp@isbe.net).

Please use the subject line: “TSS Schedule and Labor Agreement SY20 [District Name and Number]” if you are submitting teacher salaryinformation. Please use the subject line: “NCSS Schedule and Labor Agreement SY20 [District Name and Number]” if you are submittingnoncertified staff salary information.

We will not accept mailed submissions. Please note this is only necessary if the previously provided copies of your district’s schedule/policyand agreement are no longer in effect.

For further assistance, please contact the Data Strategies and Analytics Division at (312) 814-9192.

For technical assistance accessing IWAS, please contact the ISBE Help Desk at (217) 558-3600.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

ISBE NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDING FOR FY 2021

Proposals for Preschool for All, Preschool for All Expansion, and Prevention Initiative funding are due no later than 4 p.m. on March23

The Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) consists of three programs: Preschool for All, which provides half- or full-day education to 3- to 5-year-olds; Preschool for All Expansion, which provides full-day education to 3- to 5-year-olds, in addition to comprehensive health and social-emotional services for children and their families; and Prevention Initiative, which offers intensive, research-based supports for expectingparents and families with children from birth to age 3.

Eligible applicants for the ECBG include public school districts; university laboratory schools approved by ISBE; charter schools; areavocational centers; and public or private not-for-profit or for-profit entities with experience in providing educational, health, social, or childdevelopment services to young children and their families. Applications must receive a quality score of at least 60 to be eligible for funding.

ISBE will prioritize funding ECBG applications that propose to serve children in the geographic areas of Tier 1 or Tier 2 school districts, whichare those in the greatest need of additional resources.

Applicants may access the ECBG Request for Proposals (http://www.isbe.net/ecbg). An informational webinar for applicants is coming soon.

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Embedding Structured Teaching in the Inclusive Early Childhood Classroom – 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – Feb. 7 in Rockford

The purpose of this presentation is to describe instructional strategies for supporting young children with disabilities in inclusive early childhoodsettings. Registration information now available (http://starnet.org/home/events/embedding-structured-teaching-2/).

The YMCA Anti-bias Literacy Approach Webinar – 4-5:30 p.m. – Feb. 27

Using an anti-bias education framework to inform curricular choices helps teachers support young learners respect and embrace differencesand contribute to the world in peaceful ways. Registration information now available (http://www.eclearningil.org/).

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Family Engagement – 9 a.m.-3 p.m. – March 18 – Des Plaines

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Family engagement is a foundational component of high-quality early childhood programs. Registration information now available(https://www.starnetregionii.org/calendar/culturally-and-linguistically-responsive-family-engagement).

ED360

ED360 FINANCIAL DASHBOARD LAUNCH WEBINAR – JAN. 219

ISBE has launched the new Ed360 Financial Dashboard to help schools and districts strengthen the bridge between fiscal and academicteams. The Ed360 Financial Dashboard helps districts align resources to their student needs. Join the Ed360 Team for a webinar from 10-11a.m. on Jan. 29 to learn more about the dashboard. Registration is still available(https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8998091303871344385).

The data available in the new dashboard includes:

Annual Financial Report information, including revenues, expenditures, financial profile score, fund balances, and trends and peercomparisons for up to 10 years;Budget forecasting tool designed to assist districts in preparing various scenarios to forecast future budgets for planning purposes;Grant management information, including grant cycle, current status, and grant budgets;Program reimbursements, including allotments, budget, unexpended budget, expenditures, disbursements, and payment schedule; andEvidence-Based Funding, including adequacy level, local resources, state contribution, student population allocation, and trends and peercomparisons for up to 10 districts statewide.

Contact the Ed360 Outreach Team at ed360@isbe.net (mailto:ed360@isbe.net) for more information.

EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS

SEEKING PARTICIPANTS FOR LEADERSHIP FOR EQUITY MICRO-CREDENTIAL PILOT

The Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University still has spots available for the Leadership for Equity (LFE) Micro-Credential Pilot, which is available to principals and assistant principals.

Participation with the pilot requires the following:

You must be available to attend a face to face training at the Illinois ESSA Conference from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Feb. 12. Note: You must beavailable for the full time of the training. The purpose of the training is to introduce you to the content and requirements of the LFE Micro-Credential (MC) #1: Exploring and Deepening an Equity Mindset. You will be guided through the activities of the micro-credential duringthe training, but you will be responsible for uploading your materials and artifacts on the BloomBoard platform after the training. IllinoisAdministrators’ Academy (IAA) credit (or 30 professional development hours) for the LFE MC and recognition of completion on your Illinoislicense will be granted after submission and passage of the full micro-credential.You must participate in a follow-up Applying a Culturally Responsive Lens to a Data Cycle training via micro-credential and complete themicro-credential by Jan. 30, 2021. The participation in this micro-credential will be online and self-paced and will require working withschool staff to complete the micro-credential activities.

Participants in the pilot will receive the following:

Registration to Illinois ESSA Conference for Feb. 12. (Note: You do not need to register yourself. We will cover your registration for you.)Free access to Feb. 12 face-to-face training and access to Exploring and Deepening an Equity Mindset Micro-Credential.Free access to Applying a Culturally Responsive Lens to a Data Cycle Micro-Credential.

You will receive the following if you complete the pilot:

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Professional Development Credit (either one IAA per micro-credential or 30 professional development hours per micro-credential) Note:You could receive two IAA credits or 60 PD hours if you complete both micro-credentials.;Recognition of completion of two micro-credentials on Illinois educator license.Digital badges for two micro-credentials through BloomBoard.

If you can fulfill the above requirements, please register to participate with the pilot (https://forms.illinoisstate.edu/forms/lfemc_pilot). Anyquestions regarding the LFE MC Pilot can be directed to Erika Hunt at elhunt@ilstu.edu (mailto:elhunt@ilstu.edu) or (309) 438-2725 or (309)310-3941.

PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATOR PREPARATION: FIRST YEAR OF STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANNUAL PROGRAMREPORTING BEGINS

ISBE has embarked on a significant effort to advance the work of educator preparation programs statewide by strengthening data collection,sharing, and reporting. The Partnership for Educator Preparation (PEP), a steering committee consisting of a diverse team of stakeholdersrepresenting educators and higher education institutions as well as other experts throughout the state, has for more than three years beenguiding development ISBE’s revised accountability and program improvement system for teacher preparation.

The PEP hit an important milestone at the end of 2019 by completing the pilot phase and has now moved into the first full year of statewideimplementation of the new Annual Program Report system. All institutions of higher education with educator, administrator and school supportpreparation programs statewide will share data on more than 7,000 program completers. The year 2020 will be spent refining this newreporting system and preparing for a public release of the information in the fall.

The goal of Annual Program Reporting and the detailed reporting process is to ensure all new Illinois teachers are learner-ready on day one inthe classroom, and that data is used as a tool for continuous improvement to strengthen teacher preparation statewide in the long term. Viewthe 2019 Progress Report (/Documents/PEP-Fall-2019-Progress-Report.pdf) to learn more.

More information on Annual Program Reporting can be found on the website (/Pages/Annual-Program-Reporting.aspx).

2020 ILLINOIS TEACHER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE EXTENDED - JAN. 31

The 2020 Illinois Teacher Leadership Summit Powered by Teach to Lead is a teacher leadership summit designed in partnership with Teach toLead, the Illinois State Teachers of the Year organization, and Delta Kappa Gamma Illinois. Build a team of educators to incubate promisingideas which address challenges in your school or district!

Teams will network and get feedback from other teacher leaders and experts to create action plans, outlining concrete, outcomes-basedsolutions that are brought back to their schools. Over the course of two days, teams will collaborate and learn targeted skills in breakoutsessions designed to increase project success. These breakout sessions will spotlight groundbreaking work currently being done in schoolsacross Illinois.

The project submission deadline has been extended to Jan. 31. The summit will be held March 6-7 in Bloomington. Team and individualapplication information is available on the Teach to Lead Summit webpage (https://sites.google.com/view/ilteacherleadersummit/home).

EVIDENCE-BASED FUNDING

DEADLINE TO ANNOUNCE INTENT TO CHANGE FROM HALF-DAY TO FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN - MARCH 1

The Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula creates an Adequacy Target for each district based on total average student enrollment andEnglish Learner and low-income enrollment populations. Kindergarten students are assigned a value of 0.5 if they attend a half day and a valueof 1.0 if they attend a full day. Per the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act, a school district may inform the State Board of

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Education of its intent to change from half-day to full-day kindergarten. Taking this action will convert kindergarten attendance to full day forpurposes of calculating EBF in the following year. The deadline to report this information is March 1, 2020.

Any school district that wishes to make this change for the 2020-21 school year must provide ISBE with a board resolution expressing theintent to make the change for the next school year, as well as the minutes from the meeting when this was approved. School districts maysubmit these documents to Ethelene Ferdinand at ISBE at eferdina@isbe.net (mailto:eferdina@isbe.net). If you have questions, please call theState Funding and Forecasting Division at (217) 782-0249 or email your questions to eferdina@isbe.net (mailto:eferdina@isbe.net).

FUNDING & DISBURSEMENT SERVICES

CENSUS ESTIMATES AFFECTING FY 2021 TITLE I FOR 2018 INCOME YEAR

The U.S. Department of Education has released the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for income year 2018. These estimates will beused to calculate FY 2021 Title I allocations. A file of 2018 Poverty Data by Local Education Agency (LEA) is provided including Poverty Count,5-17 Population, and Poverty Percentage in the FY 2021 Preliminary Eligibility. Note that this preliminary data does not include other non-census information, such as foster, neglected, or delinquent counts, that will be included to calculate actual Title I allocations.

LEAs can use this data to determine their potential eligibility for the various funding streams of Title I -- Basic, Concentration, Targeted, andEducation Finance Incentive Grants (EFIG).

Basic Grant eligibility: An LEA must have at least 10 poverty children and the number of poverty children must be greater than 2 percentof the LEA population of children ages 5-17.Concentration Grant eligibility: An LEA must have at least 6,500 poverty children or the number of those children exceeds 15 percent ofthe total 5-17 population.Targeted Grant and EFIG eligibility: An LEA must have at least 10 poverty children and that number must be at least 5 percent of the 5-17population.

Superintendents, business managers, and Title I directors should carefully examine the data for their LEA, as this will be the first indication asto whether your LEA may be gaining or losing in eligibility for Title I funds in FY 2021. ISBE neither controls nor generates the data.

There is a challenge period for LEAs to review the 2018 poverty and population data for certain non-statistical errors, which include errors theCensus Bureau may have made in processing input data or in running the estimation models/programs or preparing or processing informationto define geographic boundaries (i.e., school district boundaries). This challenge period ends on March 11, 2020. Please contact the SmallArea Estimates Branch of the U.S. Census Bureau at (301) 763-3193 or email sehsd.saipe@census.gov (mailto:sehsd.saipe@census.gov) toobtain information on the process to challenge the data. If you have questions, please contact Beth Minder in Funding and Disbursements ateminder@isbe.net (mailto:eminder@isbe.net) or (217) 782-5256.

FINAL 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR MANDATED CATEGORICAL PRORATIONS NOW CALCULATED

Final prorations and payments have been calculated for all 2018-19 school year categorical programs.

2018-19 school year programs reimbursed in FY 2020:

Special Education Private Facility – 80 percentSpecial Education Transportation – 83 percentRegular/Vocational Transportation – 84 percent

2018-19 school year programs reimbursed in FY 2019:

Special Education Orphanage – 100 percentRegular Orphanage – 100 percent

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Illinois Free Lunch/Breakfast – 31 percent

If you have questions regarding this information, contact Funding and Disbursements at (217) 782-5256.

SAFE & HEALTHY CLIMATE

DEADLINE EXTENDED! COMPLETE THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES SURVEY BY FEB. 14

Healthy Schools Campaign (https://healthyschoolscampaign.org/) is conducting a statewide survey for school districts to assess the currentlandscape of school health services across Illinois and identify current challenges and opportunities with providing critical health services tostudents. Completing this survey will provide valuable information regarding how school health services are currently being delivered andfunded in Illinois. The results of this survey will inform recommendations to the state supporting policies and programs to expand access to andprovide resources for school health services in schools. Your district’s participation will help ensure the individual needs of your district areincluded and addressed in these recommendations.

The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to Friday, February 14, 2020. Please visit the Illinois school survey webpage tolearn more, access the survey, and register for the webinar.

SCHOOL BUSINESS

FY 2020 ROUND 1 SCHOOL MAINTENANCE PROJECT GRANT

Open for Applications Until Feb. 14, 2020

The FY 2020 Round 1 School Maintenance Project Grant (SMPG) application period is open in IWAS until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. Allapplications must be submitted in IWAS (https://sec1.isbe.net/iwas/asp/login.asp?js=true) to the Regional Office of Education by 5 p.m. Friday,February 14, 2020, no exceptions.

There is approximately $44 million available for the FY 2020 Round 1 School Maintenance Project Grant. Grants will be approved up to theamount released by the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Future application cycles will be open when funds are released.

The School Maintenance Project Grant is a dollar-for-dollar state matching grant program providing awards up to $50,000 to granteesexclusively for the maintenance or upkeep of buildings or structures for educational purposes. Ongoing operational costs, including in-houselabor for SMPG projects not contracted out, cannot be included for any School Maintenance Project Grant. A project may involve differenttypes of work on a single building or structure or may involve a single type of work (e.g., new roofing or windows) on several buildings orstructures. There is no limit to the cost of a project; however, grant awards shall not exceed $50,000 per grant award, and applicants shallprovide a match from local funds equal to the grant amount requested. An applicant must not obligate funds or begin work on any of theprojects listed on the application prior to submission of the application in IWAS. However, submission of the application does not guarantee agrant will be approved or awarded. All project activities must be expended or legally obligated within two years of disbursement by the state.The grantee will have 90 calendar days to liquidate funds that have been obligated but not fully expended two years after disbursement.

Eligible Applicants: Any school district, cooperative high school, Type 40 area vocational center, or special education cooperative may applyfor the grant.

All applicants must submit a SMPG GATA Risk Assessment (found under Grants) and SMPG Application (found under Surveys)through the IWAS (https://sec1.isbe.net/iwas/asp/login.asp?js=true) System. Access to these systems are granted to districtadministrators. If another staff member will be completing the application, the district administrator will have to give authorizationthrough IWAS.

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A summary of the steps that are necessary to fully execute the FY 2020 Round 1 SMPG are as follows:

1. Complete and submit the SMPG Grant Application via IWAS. Local board approval is required for completion of this step. (A boardresolution is NOT required.

2. Complete and submit the SMPG GATA Risk Assessment via IWAS. (This is different from the GATA Risk Assessment that is completedfor other grants.)

3. Review and approval by regional superintendent (ROE).4. Review and approval by ISBE School Business Services Department.

For detailed information, go to ISBE School Maintenance Project Grant Website (/Pages/School-Maintenance-Project-Grant.aspx) or contactTiana Mathis or Michelle Hemberger with the School Business Services Department at (217) 785-8779 or at SMPG@isbe.net(mailto:SMPG@isbe.net).

SCHOOL WELLNESS

ANNOUNCING ISBE’S SCHOOL WELLNESS CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

ISBE’s Wellness and Nutrition Department staff are excited to announce that Dr. Tami West (https://www.tamiwest.com/), the author of “TheStress Club” and “Life Without the Monsters,” will be the keynote speaker at the ISBE School Wellness Conference on Feb. 25.

The free training opportunity includes two pre-conference session options on Feb. 24 and a full-day conference on Feb. 25 in Bloomington.Registration is under way (/Pages/School-Wellness-Conference.aspx) for the conference, which is presented by ISBE’s Wellness and Nutritiondepartments.

Physical education teachers, school nurses, school social workers, school nutrition professionals, and others dedicated to the well-being ofIllinois schoolchildren are encouraged to attend the upcoming ISBE School Wellness Conference.

The conference will feature three session tracks: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Social Emotional Health. Attendees can receive up to fiveContinuing Education Units on the Feb. 25 conference day with additional hours available at the Feb. 24 pre-conference. Pre-conferencesessions (/Documents/Wellness-Conference-Pre-Conference-Sessions.pdf) include one on “Mental Health Technology Transfer CenterNational School Mental Health Curriculum: Guidance and Best Practices for School Districts” and a Local Wellness Policy Workshop.

Visit the ISBE School Wellness Conference webpage (/Pages/School-Wellness-Conference.aspx) for the agenda, registration, pre-conferencesession details, and hotel information.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

ILLINOIS MTSS NETWORK: MTSS FOR EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE CONFERENCE – APRIL 21

Improve your Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to make a lasting impact on each and every one of your students at the MTSS for Equityand Excellence Conference. Be inspired by keynote speakers Amy McCart, Ph.D., and Dawn Miller, Ph.D., authors of “Leading Equity-BasedMTSS for All Students,” and by breakout sessions that will support you in:

Leading Equity-Based MTSSData Analysis for Children with DisabilitiesSpecial Education Supports in MTSSMTSS and the Illinois Quality FrameworkEarly Childhood MTSSAttendance/Chronic Absenteeism

NEW

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Learning Partner Case StudiesFamily Engagement

Learn how to establish a culture of teaching and learning that demonstrates high achievement of academic, behavioral, and social-emotionaloutcomes. This conference will take place from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on April 21 at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and ConferenceCenter. Lunch will be provided. Register and see full details about this conference (https://ilmtss.net/conference/profile/2020-mtss-for-equity-and-excellence).

IN BRIEF

EDUCATOR RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching recognizes those teachers who have both deep contentknowledge of the subjects they teach and the ability to motivate and enable students to be successful in those areas. This year's awardswill honor science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers working in grades K-6. Nominations close onMarch 1. Find out more information about the nomination and application process (https://www.paemst.org/home/view).

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Applications for the Girls Go CyberStart Challenge are now open to high schoolers. Find more information and test your skills today(https://www.girlsgocyberstart.org/)!

ISBE FEATURED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Learn more and apply for the below career opportunities at ISBE!Program Compliance Monitor - Multilingual Department (/Lists/ISBECareers/CareerDisplayForm.aspx?ID=364)Special Education Private Facility Per Diem Rate Setting - Funding & Disbursements Department(/Lists/ISBECareers/CareerDisplayForm.aspx?ID=360)

View all open positions at ISBE (/Pages/Careers-at-ISBE.aspx).