STARS Connections
The official newsletter for SD-STARS - February 2022
Top 10 most used SD-STARS reports
The top 10 list is a staple of sports, activities, and other areas. The SD-STARS team compiled a top 10 list of our most utilized reports for 2021. Read more...
New Data in SD-STARS
- Assessment Reports
- Special Education Reports
- Enrollment Reports
- CTE Reports
- Accountability Reports
Read more...
Updated Data Interpretation Guides (DIGs)
The SD-STARS team has been busy making changes to Data Interpretation Guides, or DIGs. When there is a new report, or when reports change, the SD-STARS team creates or updates a DIG. DIGs are created to support the user when using the STARS report. Read more...
Encore Presentation: Perkins Report Card Permissions
By popular demand, we are republishing an article from the December 2021 STARS Connection newsletter. This article covers how users can get access to the Perkins report card. Read more...
For more information about the Perkins-ARC or Improve22 webinars, contact kim.roth@state.sd.us. Need more information or have questions for SD-STARS? Please contact STARSHelp@state.sd.us.
Department to offer summer data use courses for educators
Since 2013, the South Dakota Department of Education has offered data use courses for educators during the summer. This summer, we will off the Fundamentals of Using Data for Educators. Read more...
Power User trainings available
With the success of the pilot, the SD-STARS team will train Power Users in three locations across South Dakota this spring. Find out who makes a good candidate to be a Power User. Read more...
Monthly SD-STARS Webinars
February Webinar: Got ideas?
March Webinar: Attendance impacts
Recording: Intro to Reports
Cybersecurity Notice from U.S. Department of Ed
Attention K-12 Leaders, Tech Directors, and School-Based IT Professionals
Please take time to familiarize yourselves with the “log4j/log4shell” vulnerability that may impact enterprise services, websites, and applications your district and schools are currently using. This vulnerability has been rated the highest level of criticality (10/10) in terms of how exploitable it is. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and partners are working to address the critical remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) affecting Apache Log4j software library with a new webpage dedicated to the topic: https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/apache-log4j-vulnerability-guidance. Refer to the CISA webpage for up-to-date information, including any available patches.
Federal resources regarding student data and privacy
Flyers for FERPA
The U.S. Department of Education Privacy Technical Assistance Center has created eight flyers for schools and education stakeholders to use to help share the message to protect student data. You can access all flyers in PDF form at https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/flyers-ferpa. This makes it easy for schools to print and hang them in high-traffic areas staff frequent, like the staff lounges and printer/copier areas.
This month we feature a flyer about FERPA.
STARS Certified Trainers
About us
South Dakota STARS Connections is a publication for South Dakota administrators and teachers, produced by the South Dakota Department of Education. This publication is intended to communicate news and events regarding the South Dakota Student Teacher Accountability and Reporting System (SD-STARS), our Statewide Longitudinal Data System.
Contact us with story ideas or questions.
CONTACTS
General Mailbox, for the quickest response to any question
Jay Lamb, Support Lead
(605) 295-7260
Sara Kock, Team Lead
(605) 220-6548
Kim Carlson, Project Manager
(605) 773-8062
Email: STARSHelp@state.sd.us
Website: doe.sd.gov/sdstars
Location: 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD, USA
Facebook: facebook.com/sddoe
Twitter: @sddoe