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Secretary's Column
CANS

In This Issue:

New graduation requirements approved
South Dakota ranks 10th for academic achievement
Federal DOE grants forecast issued
Melmer invited to Washington for NCLB discussion
Health education standards and assessment training offered
Roll-out of new math standards continues
CTE workshops coming in January
Training to focus on sexual harassment and bullying prevention
DDN courses to address school nutrition, health

Secretary’s Column
By Dr. Rick Melmer, Secretary
South Dakota Department of Education

Readers are leaders

Years ago, as an elementary principal, we had an assembly presented by McDonald’s. As you can imagine, Ronald McDonald was there and his message was that “Readers were leaders.” That phrase stuck with me, and I found myself revisiting it over the last few days.

Since I have accepted this position in the state department, I have had the opportunity to travel more. As I travel, it has given me a chance to do more reading, which has been a real treat to say the least. I have rediscovered the blessings of books and magazines and the assistance they can provide as we lead our organizations. As you can imagine, there is a wealth of information contained in the multitude of books on leadership. Two books in particular have caused me to think about how I handle my leadership responsibilities.

The book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins reminds me that an organization can always get better. It also restates the obvious: That our organizations will only be as good as the people in them. That we need to get the right people “on the bus” and make sure they are doing the right jobs. Collins also encourages the reader to focus on the goal (hedgehog concept) and not be deterred by other areas of less importance. Finally, he discusses the importance of facing the truth about our work and dealing with the “brutal facts.”

Another book that has caused me to think about the world around us is “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell discusses the moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like a fire. He reviews how Hush Puppies shoes jumped from 30,000 sales one year to over 400,000 the next.  He forwards theories on how epidemics develop and also suggests how you can deal with situations that you think are beyond repair by applying the “Broken Window Theory.” As I read this book, I saw hundreds of “tipping points” around me each day.

My point in sharing this information with you is to encourage you to read as much as you can. Our jobs are busy, and we need to take the time to sharpen our leadership skills. Books provide us with that opportunity. Try to carve time out of your day to read. Decide to turn the TV off a bit earlier or get up a bit earlier in the morning and delve into a good book. As you do that, you will discover what I have found – that Ronald McDonald had it right many, many years ago.

Migrant children eligibility for free meals

The Department of Education has received several questions concerning the new free meal eligibility for migrant children. The questions have to do with families that have moved for a job in agriculture, which meets a very general definition of “migrant” but may not meet the income level requirement.

Families that meet the definition of “migrant” should be notified that they are eligible for free meals, as instructed in NSLP numbered memo NSLP 75.1 “Categorical Eligibility – Homeless, Migrant & Runaway Children” (available online at www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/CANS/Forms/index.htm). 

If the family advises the school that they are over income and wish to continue paying for their meals, it is acceptable to do that. Schools should keep a written record that shows the family was contacted, the name of the person who declined free meals, and the date they declined. Be sure that the meals are then claimed in the paid category. 

Questions concerning who should be considered migrant children can be directed to Jerry Meendering, Department of Education, at (605) 773-4437. 

Verification deadline for free and reduced lunch approaches

On Sept. 11, 2003, a final rule entitled “Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals in Schools – Verification Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements” was published. 

The new rule requires school food authorities (SFAs) to report their verification activity and results to their respective State agencies. Additionally, beginning in school year 2004-05, State agencies must report the SFA level data to the federal Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). Submission of this data on a SFA basis will enable State agencies and FNS to better understand certification errors and to improve oversight and technical assistance activities. This will help ensure that free and reduced price subsidized meals are provided only to eligible children.

Verification of free and reduced price meals for the 2004-05 school year is to be completed based on the number of applications on file as of Oct. 31. The deadline for local SFAs to finish this process is Dec. 15.

The verification summary report, now called Form 742SD, is due to Child and Adult Nutrition Services no later than March 1, 2005.

Due to these changes, NSLP Memo 51.1 was developed and mailed this fall. Please refer to that memo (available at www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/CANS/Forms/index.htm) for further details.

National teleseminar offered by American Dietetic Association

A national teleseminar, Welcome to Wellness: Putting New School Nutrition Legislation into Practice, will be offered Feb. 17, 2005. The seminar is hosted by the American Dietetic Association in conjunction with the School Nutrition Association. In the seminar, participants will:

• Review Section 204 of the recent Child Nutrition Authorization Act, which amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require a local wellness policy.
• Understand the components and requirements of the local wellness policy that must be in effect in each local education agency that operates school meal programs, no later than the first day of the 2006-2007 school year.
• Use examples of state and local policies that have been implemented to develop a local wellness policy that supports all components of a coordinated school health program.
• Form collaborative and cooperative teams to integrate nutrition initiatives for the future health and wellness of our youth.

For information, call 1-800-877-1600 and ask about the Welcome to Wellness teleseminar.

Back to Top

New graduation requirements approved

At its November meeting, the South Dakota Board of Education voted to accept the proposed high school graduation requirements, pending final approval of the administrative rules. The first class to be impacted by the new requirements will be those students who begin 9th grade in 2006. Implementation of the rules was delayed until fall of 2006, in order to give schools time to prepare for the changes.

In response to testimony by educators, the board asked the Department of Education to consider options for expanding the "Required Offerings" list and to review the names of the three graduation paths. The department will make recommendations on these issues at the board's meeting in January.

The new graduation requirements call for three curriculum paths – currently referred to as Standard, Advanced and Distinguished.

• The Standard course of study includes raising the math requirement to three units, adding ½ unit of Physical Education or Health, ½ unit of World History, and ½ unit of Economics or Personal Finance. In addition, students will take two units of any combination of World Language, Computer Studies or Career and Technical Education courses.

• The Advanced path includes all of the changes noted above, but it designates that the three units of math must include Algebra 1, Algebra II and Geometry. It also increases the science requirement from two to three units, which must include Biology and Chemistry or Physics.

• The third path, called the Distinguished path, follows the course requirements that students need in order to be eligible for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship.

A document highlighting the new requirements can be found at http://www.state.sd.us/deca/gradrequirements/index.asp.

Work to devise standards for the newly added requirements now will begin. Department of Education staff also will work with school counselors to assist with informing students about the new requirements.

South Dakota ranks 10th in nation for academic achievement

South Dakota ranks 10th in the nation for academic achievement, according to the 2004 Report Card on American Education, published by the American Legislative Exchange Council. The study focuses on primary and secondary education. 

The Report Card on American Education uses average scores on three widely used assessments – the SAT, ACT and NAEP – as a basis for its rankings. South Dakota students scored above the national average on all three assessments.

A small percentage (4 percent) of South Dakota students take the SAT, with an average composite score of 1176 for 2003, compared to the national average of 1026. A much larger group of South Dakota students (70 percent) take the ACT, with an average composite score of 21.4 in 2003, compared to the national average of 20.8. On the 8th grade mathematics portion of the NAEP – the only portion considered in this study – South Dakota students scored 285 in 2003, compared to a national average of 276.

Other top ranking states include: Minnesota (#1), Wisconsin (#2), Massachusetts (#3), New Hampshire (#4), and Iowa (#5).

In addition to ranking the 50 states and District of Columbia, the study looks at measures of correlation between public investment and student performance.

Federal DOE grants forecast issued

The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) recently released its grants forecast for fiscal year 2005, which began Oct. 1. See the following link for a list of programs and competitions for which USDOE plans to invite applications for awards. http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html

While some deadlines have passed, many of the programs listed are annual. The lists are organized according to principal program offices and will be updated regularly. Please note that the document is advisory only and is not an official application notice of the USDOE. Contact names and numbers are listed with most programs.

Health education standards and assessment training offered

A training focusing on health education standards and assessment will be held Dec. 15-16, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Ramkota in Pierre. The interactive session will provide sound background for implementing the new health education graduation requirement.

The target audience for this training includes elementary teachers, curriculum directors, health education teachers, administrators, school counselors and school nurses.

Participants will gain an understanding of South Dakota’s health education standards, including the core concepts and skill categories. They will learn to align standards, assessment and instructional activities, and they will practice scoring student work.

The training is free; however, participants will be responsible for graduate and renewal credits. To register, see our online brochure and registration form at www.state.sd.us/deca/cscf/schoolhealth/training/docs/Standards_Training_Dec_04.doc

The training is sponsored by the Coordinated School Health Program. For information, contact Beth Davis, Department of Education, at (605) 773-6808. beth.davis@state.sd.us

Roll-out of new math standards continues

The second in a series of five courses addressing the new mathematics content standards will take place Jan. 10-13 across South Dakota. The focus will be on number sense.

Mathematics Standards -- Number Sense Strand will take place Jan. 10 at the Ramkota in Rapid City; Jan. 11 at the Holiday Inn Express in Fort Pierre; Jan. 12 at the Ramkota in Aberdeen; and Jan. 13 at the Oaks Hotel in Sioux Falls. Sessions run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

More than 130 K-12 educators attended the first part of the series – the statistics strand – held in November.

Recently, the Department of Education also released mid-year and end-of-year assessments for use in Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry. The tests are aligned to the revised math content standards. Schools may use them to help with curriculum alignment and assessment of student performance. Tests have been sent to school test coordinators. Their use is optional.

For information about the new mathematics standards, the upcoming workshops or the new assessments, contact Anne Thompson, Department of Education, at (605) 773-3247. anne.thompson@state.sd.us.

To register online for Mathematics Standards -- Number Sense Strand, visit www.southdakotapd.com.

 CTE workshops coming in January

Career and technical education instructors should plan to attend a regional workshop, hosted by the department’s Office of Career and Technical Education, in January.

Workshops will be held in three locations: Jan. 19 at Southeast Technical Institute, Mickelson Building, in Sioux Falls; Jan. 20 at Mitchell Technical Institute, Auditorium; Jan. 26 at Western Dakota Technical Institute in Rapid City. All workshops run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The major objective of the workshops is to answer questions concerning Perkins applications and data collection and use. There also will be opportunities for networking. All teachers seeking approval for their programs in 2005 are expected to attend one of the three workshops.

Participants should bring strategic plans from their last review, along with their last follow-up report, to the workshop. For information, contact Gary M. Grey at (605) 773-4726. gary.grey@state.sd.us

Training to focus on sexual harassment and bullying prevention

To assist schools in creating positive school climates, the Office of Career and Technical Education will sponsor a sexual harassment and bullying prevention training session. The session will be held Jan. 25-26, 2005, in Pierre at the Kneip Building, 700 Governors Drive, Conference Room 3. The workshop will run 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

School administrators and Title IX coordinators are invited to attend the workshop. Participants will receive hands-on training on topics such as bullying prevention, sexual harassment, school climate, and Title IX. They also will develop school safety plans to implement in their schools. Training will be provided by Colorado State University’s Interwest Equity Assistance Center.

The training is limited to 50 participants. Cost is $30 per person, which pays for supplies, materials, breaks and a working lunch both days. Checks should be made payable to CTE Resource Center.

To obtain a registration form, visit www.state.sd.us/deca/DWCP/training/index.htm or call the Office of Career and Technical Education at (605) 773-3423. The pre-registration deadline is Jan. 14, 2005.

The training is cosponsored by the Interwest Equity Assistance Center, Denver, Colo., and the Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education.

DDN courses to address school nutrition, health