ARIN IU28 Curriculum Department

School improvement is not a mystery. Incremental, even dramatic improvement is not only possible but probable under the right conditions." -Michael J. Schmoker

A Theory of Action for School Improvement (PDF)

Essential Practices for LEAs (PDF)

Essential Practices for Schools and their Communities (PDF)

Four key conditions for a better approach to school improvement:

• Focusing on continuous improvement of instruction,
• Empowering leadership,
• Providing student-centered support systems, and
• Fostering high-quality professional learning for leaders, educators, and support staff

In the new school improvement process, Pennsylvania has set conditions that:

• Incentivize the right practices for teaching and learning,
• Ensure educators have meaningful voice in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of policies, and
• Support the agency’s overarching goals of equity, innovation, and transparency in every school, and across all zip codes.

January

• 01/10/19 - Guest Teacher Orientation - Day 1
• 01/11/19 - Guest Teacher Orientation - Day 2
• 01/14/19 - Opioid Threat in the Community
• 01/16/19 - Data Quality Network/PIMS

• 01/17/19 - PIIC Monthly Workshop
• 01/18/19 - Curriculum Council Meeting
• 01/23/19 - The Value of Classroom Diagnostic Tools
• 01/23/19 - Math and Science with PDE

• 01/25/19 - School Counselors Networking Session
• 01/28/19 - Project Based Learning Because It's a Project Based World! - TIW Day 3
• 01/29/19 - Induction Workshop Series: Meeting the Needs of Students with IEPs
• 01/30/19 - TDA Regional Cadre of Experts - Day 3

Act 158 of 2018 (sometimes referred to as SB 1095) established statewide graduation requirements that will go into effect with the class of 2021-2022. Specifically, Act 158 created minimum statewide graduation requirements and provides students multiple pathways through which to achieve those requirements. The changes made through Act 158 may require changes to local graduation policies. In accordance with Act 158, the Department will issue guidance related to the implementation of Act 158 in January, 2019. In the meantime, LEAs may continue to follow their currently enacted local graduation policies, but should consult their solicitors for specific guidance.

Senate Bill 1095

PSBA Summary of Senate Bill 1095

PDE Website

Employers participating in the program who are paid to supervise a student in an internship, externship, work study, co-op or similar programs are required to obtain clearances--a Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check, child abuse history certification, and a federal criminal history check. If the child interacts with other workers at the employer’s job site, only the assigned employer is required to have clearances and is responsible for the supervision of the student as the responsible adult (PA Department of Education, n.d.). If a job-shadow experience is less than 8 hours, the individual who is being shadowed may not need to obtain a clearance. School entities should review their policies with their local solicitor to determine if a background check is necessary, as well as review the FAQ for Employers Having Contract with Children at Keep Kids Safe PA website at the Department of Human Services.

As soon as NOCTI receives the benchmark list from Penn State (usually March) NOCTI updates their system and schools can start pulling reports. So, as long as schools complete their testing in the timeframe provided by Penn State, they should know the student’s score and if the student graduates. PDE does not receive the score until June.

Lori Rodgers, lrodgers@iu28.org

Misty Steele, msteele@iu28.org

Email: msteele@iu28.org
Website: https://www.iu28.org/
Location: 2895 W Pike, Indiana, PA 15701
Phone: (724) 463-5300
Facebook: facebook.com/ariniu28
Twitter: @ariniu28