Recently released statewide assessment results indicate that many students, including students with disabilities, students of color, students whose primary language is not English, and students from low-income households struggle with reading. In recent remarks regarding literacy, Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner said, “We know that students first learn to read, and then they read to learn.”

The State of Indiana is addressing the academic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic through a variety of means. The most recent investment of up to $111 million was announced on Thursday, August 18, in partnership with the Lilly Endowment Inc. to support Indiana’s largest-ever financial investment in literacy, expanding Indiana’s commitment to support literacy development for Hoosier students. By 2027, the goal is for 95% of Indiana third grade students to pass IREAD-3. Click here to read more on this new initiative from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE).

As of Friday, July 1, the Alternative Special Education License is available for applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree and are enrolled in a post-baccalaureate approved alternative preparation program for initial special education licensure. The Alternative Special Education License is also available as a special education addition to an existing license. Click here for the requirements and guidance.

Move-in Individualized Education Program (IEP) Meeting Reminders

As the school year begins, it is required that Case Conference Committee (CCC) meetings are held within ten instructional days of enrollment for a student who has been receiving special education in another state or corporation (Article 7: 511 IAC 7-42-5 ). Here are some reminders to help with the development of IEPs for new students:

1. Use Data: Students coming from other districts will have information from previous evaluations and IEPs within Indiana IEP (IIEP). Check the Documents section for previous years' IEPs and evaluation reports.
2. Review Previous Goals: Ensure that annual goals are skill-based and measurable. Transition IEPs must have postsecondary goals written as “I” statements.
3. Review Accommodations: Ensure that classroom and testing accommodations are up-to-date and aligned with the student’s needs.

1. Prioritize the “I” in IEP: Ensure the individualized needs of the student and/or their family are addressed in the development process.

September Training on Special Education Child Count and Other Data Collections

Join IDOE Special Education and Data Exchange staff for a joint training session during Data Exchange Office Hours on Tuesday, September 27, at 11 a.m. ET and Thursday, September 29, at 3 p.m. ET. These sessions will be geared toward local educational agency (LEA) data personnel, but special education directors may wish to attend to learn about the special education (SE) program record and the 2022 SE December 1 Child Count. Please remember that the SE, Special Education Initial Evaluation (EV), and Special Education Termination (TR) collections will all be collected through the SE program record and used to populate information in the statewide IIEP system. Training materials for the SE program record are available under “Reporting Special Education” in IDOE's Data Exchange Training and Community in Moodle.

Provide Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Feedback by Wednesday, September 16

IDOE’s Special Education Monitoring and Compliance team is working with the National Center for Systemic Improvement to examine Indiana's RDA system and implement the Leveraging General Supervision Systems to Improve Student Outcomes process.

As this process progresses, specific stakeholder feedback regarding the current RDA system is critical. IDOE requests that all special education stakeholders, including educators, administrators, and families, complete this survey by Wednesday, September 16. Please provide the survey link to other interested stakeholders and encourage them to share their thoughts.

Reminder: RDA 2022

RDA matrices will be shared with school corporations in November. Matrices will include information and scoring on multiple special education compliance and results indicators. Preliminary notice of noncompliance for all six compliance indicators are currently being sent to affected LEAs. Final notice of noncompliance and local determinations will be issued with RDA matrices in November once:

• Final compliance on Indicators 4, 9, and 10 are determined by file reviews conducted by the IDOE Office of Special Education with support from the Indiana Disproportionality Resource Center.
• Final compliance on Indicators 11 and 12 are determined by data confirmation conducted by the Office of Special Education.
• Final compliance on Indicator 13 are determined by IEP reviews conducted by the Office of Special Education with support from the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center.

Please monitor IDOE's Office of Special Education (OSE) communications via email and Moodle regarding 2022 RDA finalization.

On-Demand Session for Supporting Student Literacy

A professional development (PD) course is now available in the Indiana Learning Lab for special educators supporting students with literacy-focused IEP goals. To access this course, Science of Reading: Supporting Special Education Students, log into your Learning Lab account, select “Learning” and “On-Demand” to view recorded sessions.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Part B Grant Application Forms and Instructions Due Friday, September 9

Please see the FY 2023 Part B Grants announcement, posted Sunday, August 7, in the OSE Moodle Community for details on completing and submitting FY 2023 Part B 611 and 619 Grant applications, which are due Friday, September 9. Application forms, instructions, and a completion checklist are available in the FY 2023 Grant Information folder under "Part B Grants for Special Education" in the OSE Moodle Community Fiscal section. Part B Grant technical assistance resources are also available under "Guidance Documents."

Part B Grant Office Hours for Questions About Special Education Grants

IDOE's OSE Fiscal Team will host Part B Office Hours in September to answer questions about completing the FY 2023 Part B Grant application or any other topic related to Part B Grants. These webinars will be informal question and answer sessions with no presentation. To join at any time during each session, click the corresponding link below:

• Wednesday, September 14, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET
• Friday, September 23, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET
• Wednesday, September 28, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET

Important Reminder: FY 2021 Part B Grant Period Closes Friday, September 30

Submit all FY 2021 IDEA Part B grant budget modification requests by Thursday, September 15, to allow adequate time for review and approval before this grant period closes on Friday, September 30. Please note that all FY 2021 Part B funds must be encumbered by Friday, September 30, and all FY 2021 Part B grant reimbursement requests must be submitted by Thursday, December 15. Please email questions to partbgrants@doe.in.gov.

Time and Effort Reporting Requirements for All Personnel Paid with Part B Funds

For information regarding federal Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) time and effort reporting requirements for personnel whose salary and benefits are funded, in whole or in part, with federal Part B 611 and 619 grant money, select "Part B Grants for Special Education" in the OSE Community in Moodle to access the descriptions and examples posted under Guidance Documents.

Reminder: Special Education Excess Costs (SEEC) Policy and Procedure Changes

IDOE and a group of stakeholders recently examined SEEC policies and procedures

to maximize the number of students receiving support through this limited annual state SEEC appropriation. This memo outlines new policies in effect for all SEEC applications. School personnel can access a recorded webinar and slides on this topic in addition to the updated SEEC application form and allowable costs document in the OSE Community in Moodle under Special Education Excess Costs. OSE will continue to hold SEEC Office Hours weekly through the end of November to support schools in navigating SEEC changes. Office Hours provide an opportunity to ask questions about recent SEEC program changes and specific case scenarios. To join any of these September sessions, click the corresponding link below at the designated start time.

• Wednesday, September 14, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET
• Wednesday, September 21, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET
• Wednesday, September 28, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET

Please email SEEC questions to Office of Special Education.

Correct Link for 2022-2023 IIEP Accommodations Course

The 2022-2023 IIEP Accommodations Course is available in Moodle for all IIEP users. This course includes videos and updates that all IIEP data managers and special educators must review to prepare for proper documentation in the 2022-2023 school year. The course describes how the IIEP system differentiates classroom accommodations from state assessment accommodations and where to access information on state assessment accommodations. Please note that an incorrect link to this course was included in Dr. Jenner's Weekly Update on Friday, August 5. Please use the following link to access the 2022-2023 IIEP Accommodations Course: https://moodle.doe.in.gov/course/view.php?id=430.

Important Reminder on Assessment Accommodation Requirements

LEAs must ensure that assessment accommodations are provided to students who have those accommodations detailed in their IEPs or Section 504 plans. LEAs cannot implement broad policies that would unilaterally modify IEPs and remove accommodations without a determination from the CCC regarding the student’s needs. While some accommodations that would invalidate the test results are not allowed on specific assessments, such as the NWEA, there are many accommodations that are permitted on such assessments and must be provided as required by the student's IEP or Section 504 plan.

Important Reminder to Update Schools' Notice of Procedural Safeguards (NOPS)

IDOE's Dispute Resolution Team (DRT) has been made aware that some versions of the special education Notice of Procedural Safeguards (NOPS) include outdated IDOE information and external resources. Please ensure that your NOPS is updated to reflect the information below, as well as contact information for IDOE, INSOURCE, and Indiana Disability Rights.

• IDOE Special Education Dispute Resolution webpage

Use the following address and contact information:

Indiana Department of Education

Office of Special Education

Indiana Government Center North 9th Floor

100 N. Senate Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: 317-232-0570 Fax: 317-232-0589 Toll-free: 1-877-851-4106

https://www.in.gov/doe/students/special-education/

INSOURCE

701 N. Niles Ave, Suite 110

South Bend, IN 46613-1036

https://insource.org/

Telephone: 574-234-7101 Fax: 574-234-7279

Toll-free 1-800 332-4433

Indiana Disability Rights

4755 Kingsway Dr, Suite 100

Indianapolis, IN 46205

https://www.in.gov/idr/

Telephone: 317-722-5555 Fax: 317-722-5564

Toll-free: 1-800-622-4845 (Voice) Toll-free: 1-800-838-1131 (TTY)

Accessibility Advisory Group Participation Requested

IDOE invites interested educators with knowledge of specific populations utilizing accommodations to participate in the Accessibility Advisory Group for the 2022-2023 school year. The purpose of this group is to provide input regarding accommodations and accessibility features to students requiring additional support for statewide assessments. To apply, interested educators should complete this JotForm by Thursday, September 29. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

Assessment Accommodation Updates

Please refer to this document for updated information pertaining to statewide assessment accommodations for the 2022-2023 school year. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

Assessment Accommodation Webinars

IDOE has released a webinar series regarding assessment accommodations for the 2022-2023 school year. This series includes separate webinars for I AM, ILEARN, and IREAD-3 assessments. Each video identifies new and notable accommodations available for the assessment, tutorials for how those accommodations appear in IIEP, and frequently asked questions and issues related to assessment accommodations.

September PD from IN*SOURCE

Join IDOE Special Education Attorney and Dispute Resolution Supervisor Dana Long on Thursday, September 15, at 1:30 p.m. ET for a discussion of informal and formal dispute resolution options to consider when encountering disagreements on how to best address a student’s special education needs. For a link to register online, visit the IN*SOURCE training calendar.

Upcoming Indiana IEP Resource Center (IEPRC) Webinars

To register for learning opportunities with IEPRC, click the links below:

• Tuesday, September 13 – School Improvement Plan (SIP) Session

• Wednesday, September 21 – Beyond Treats and Timeouts: Support for Challenging Behaviors

Please contact Marcee.Wilburn@indstate.edu with questions regarding IEPRC professional development sessions.

October Vision Conference

A vision conference for teachers of those who are blind or have low vision will be held Tuesday October 25, and Wednesday, October 26, in Plainfield, IN. Registration is now open. Visit https://passprojectisu.org/ and select “Trainings and Events” to register, and email Jennifer.mesanovic@indstate.edu with any questions.

Access to Education Conference

Register for Access to Education 2022 with the PATINS Project on Wednesday, November 2, and Thursday, November 3, at the Historic Crowne Plaza in Indianapolis. Presenters will share on topics such as Assistive Technology, the Universal Design for Learning framework, and/or Accessible Educational Materials (AEM). The registration deadline is Tuesday, October 25, and the cost is $125 for a single day ticket or $250 for a two-day conference ticket. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions.

Loan Forgiveness Reminder for Education Personnel at All Levels

On Wednesday, August 31, the U.S. Department of Education announced an Action Day to remind educators, school personnel, administrators, professors, and other education employees that the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Limited Waiver ends Monday, October 31. During this time, federal student loan borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Under the waiver:

• Borrowers who have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), Perkins loans, or other federal student loans can consolidate their loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan and receive PSLF credit for periods of repayment prior to consolidation. Periods of repayment on Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) loans are not eligible under the limited PSLF waiver. Before consolidating, borrowers should check to see if they work for a qualifying employer using the PSLF Help Tool.
• If borrowers received Teacher Loan Forgiveness, the period of service that led to the eligibility can count toward PSLF if PSLF employment is certified for that period.
• Past periods of repayment will now count toward PSLF regardless of whether a borrower made a payment, or made that payment on time, either for the full amount due or on a qualifying repayment plan.

• Some borrowers will need to consolidate and/or submit a PSLF form—the single application used for a review of employment certification, payment counts, and processing of forgiveness—on or before Monday, October 31, to have previously ineligible payments counted. After the deadline, normal PSLF rules will apply. For PSLF updates and resources,

visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Limited PSLF Waiver Resources webpage.

State of Indiana and Lilly Endowment Invest in Early Literacy Support for Students

In August, Governor Eric J. Holcomb and Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner joined Lilly Endowment, Inc. to announce the state’s largest-ever financial investment in literacy, expanding Indiana’s commitment to support literacy development for Hoosier students. Click here to read the entire announcement.

This combined investment of up to $111 million will support early literacy development using proven teaching strategies aligned with the Science of Reading.

The state will:

• Support the deployment of instructional coaches to schools throughout Indiana;
• Offer stipends to teachers who participate in professional development focused on the Science of Reading;
• Provide targeted support for students who need the most help in improving their reading skills; and
• Create a literacy center focused on Science of Reading strategies.

To support the state’s goal of 95 percent of Indiana’s students passing IREAD-3 by 2007, Lilly Endowment has approved a grant of up to $60 million for this effort. Lilly Endowment’s grant, in addition to IDOE's investment of approximately $26 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) II funds, aims to provide Science of Reading focused instructional support for educators in partnership with the University of Indianapolis’ Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) and the Hunt Institute.

Register by Monday, September 19: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) JumpStart Program for New and Early-Career Special Educators

To help those new to the field meet the challenges of navigating special education during their first few years, CEC offers the JumpStart Program for New & Early-Career Special Educators. Designed to help special educators overcome common challenges in the classroom, develop their teaching practices and leadership skills, and expand their professional networks, JumpStart sessions for the fall 2022 cohort will be held between Tuesday, September 27, and early November. This online program includes a mix of live and on-demand learning to equip new special educators with critical information, strategies, resources, a peer network, and expert guidance to prepare for success in the 2022-2023 school year. Online registration closes Monday, September 19.

Monthly Saturday Morning Professional Learning Opportunities for School Personnel

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP) and the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) have organized a year of monthly, low-cost, PD webinars for paraeducators, teachers, administrators, and other instructional staff. For details and a link to register for any or all of twelve webinars held on the second Saturday of each month, visit Saturday Mornings with NRCP.

Live and Virtual Learning Opportunities through IDOE Partnership with Get Your Teach On

For educators and administrators unable to attend the live conferences offered through IDOE and Get Your Teach On partnership, the Indiana Learning Lab is hosting live and on-demand virtual opportunities providing interactive PD and support to educators across the state. This partnership offers free access to professional learning designed to ignite educators’ passion for teaching and promote positive educational outcomes for students.

Project Success Virtual Learning for Educators of Students with Significant Disabilities

Beginning in September, Public Consulting Group’s (PCG’s) Project Success Resource Center offers a variety of quality virtual PD opportunities throughout the school year to help schools boost retention among teachers and paraprofessionals who serve students with significant disabilities. Registration is now open for:

• Teacher Webinar Series, School Year 2022-2023
• School Year 2022-2023: Paraprofessional Webinar Series
• Project Success Playbook
• New Teacher Jump Start (free with Playbook)

For more details about these learning opportunities, select this link to view a video, or email Kristan Sievers-Coffer.

HANDS in Autism® One-Day Intensive Workshop

Join the HANDS in Autism® Team for a one-day intensive workshop for paraprofessionals, assistants, and support personnel. This workshop focuses on providing hands-on experience and coaching in a simulated setting to help increase knowledge and skills to support students with varying levels of disability and need. Learn more and register at https://handsinautism.iupui.edu/services/1-day-para/.

Free Online Tutoring Available for Indiana Students
A partnership between IDOE and Schoolhouse.world provides support for students in grades eight through 12 with free tutoring for SAT preparation, mathematics courses, and advanced placement (AP) courses. The nonprofit connects students with live, small-group tutoring through Zoom at no cost. Tutoring currently focuses on SAT reading, writing, and mathematics, with a mathematics focus on pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, and statistics. Support is also available for AP courses including AP calculus, AP statistics, AP chemistry, AP biology, AP physics, and AP computer science. More information on free tutoring services through Schoolhouse.world is available here.

IDOE encourages you to share this newsletter with special education colleagues. To receive this newsletter via email, email an email distribution request to specialeducation@doe.in.gov.