- Secretary's Column:
- Special education teachers need to meet
highly qualified requirements
- Kids for Katrina Relief raises big bucks
- NAEP results show South Dakota above national average
- Online tools provide in-depth Dakota STEP data
- Outstanding educators recognized
- 2006 School Health Profiles coming your way
- American Education Week coming up
- Upcoming Events
Secretary's Column
The world is flat – even in South Dakota!
It seems that everyone in a leadership position has
been discussing Thomas Friedman’s book, “The World is
Flat.” I recently had a “flattening” experience that I
would like to share with you.
In late October, our son was participating in the State
Cross Country meet in Rapid City. It was a beautiful day
to run, and the AA race featured about 120 runners. We
noticed that before the race, each runner was equipped
with two computer chips that were to be worn on each
shoe. They were attached by having the runner run the
chip through a shoelace on each shoe. That allowed the
runners to be timed as they began the race and also
allowed a computer to record their finishing times as
they crossed the finish line. I knew that our world was
changing when I no longer saw the coaches and volunteers
standing around the finish line with stop watches,
eating sunflower seeds and telling lies!
The real revelation came after the race. As we were
waiting for the team results, a few Pierre parents were
debating whether our team was going to finish 5th or
6th. We knew that we were in a close competition with
Sioux Falls Roosevelt for 5th place. About that time, a
brother of one of the parents called her from Omaha,
Neb. He told her that he was watching the Web site and
that Pierre had lost the tiebreaker to Sioux Falls and
had in fact finished 6th in the team competition. We all
found it a bit amusing (and amazing) that someone in
Omaha would know the results of a race before those of
us standing at the finish line in Rapid City!
What does this story tell us? It tells us that the world
our young people are growing up in is dramatically
different than the world we lived in years ago. My son,
who is 16, is not at all amazed with much of the
technology that surrounds him. Why? Because he doesn’t
know the way things used to be – he wasn’t alive in 1975
to experience what I experienced. Our customers – the
students in our schools – will expect technology to be
available in all facets of their education.
South Dakota has positioned itself well for advancing
our technology uses in the future. Many superintendents
seem eager to take the next step and initiate major
technology purchases in their districts. I applaud these
efforts and hope that the state can partner with
districts as we attempt to flatten the world for our
students.
Special education teachers need to meet highly qualified
requirements
Special education teachers nationwide are required to be
highly qualified by the end of the 2005-06 school year. The
requirement is mandated by two federal laws: the No Child
Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the recently revised Individuals
with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).
Both NCLB and IDEA link the highly qualified requirement to
core content. This seems to be the challenge for many of
South Dakota’s special education teachers, who hold special
education majors as opposed to content-area majors.
This article addresses some of the questions surrounding the
issue of highly qualified special education teachers.
Who is impacted?
The requirements for highly qualified special
education teachers apply only to those who are providing
direct instruction in core-content areas. A quick litmus
test: If the special education teacher is the one giving the
grade, he or she is involved in direct instruction. In
addition, the requirements apply only to those teaching in
public schools.
New rules allow for a single test
Under NCLB, each state was allowed to develop
“HOUSSE rules” to establish a system for the state’s
teachers to become highly qualified. If the state decided to
have a separate set of HOUSSE rules for special education
teachers, that set of rules had to meet the same standard as
those for general education teachers.
In developing its HOUSSE rules, South Dakota chose to have a
separate set of HOUSSE rules for special education teachers.
In South Dakota, general education teachers have to prove
competency in each core-content area that they teach.
By federal mandate, special education teachers also have to
prove competency in each of the core areas they teach. By
developing a separate, yet still high-quality standard,
South Dakota was able to allow special education teachers to
take just one test that covers the gamut of subjects taught.
That one test is the multi-subject Middle School Content
Test (#0146) or the Elementary School Content Test (#0014).
Those teaching at the high school level would need to pursue
the Middle School Content Test.
Other avenues to reach competency
In addition to the test option, special education
teachers who are fully authorized in special education and
have a bachelor’s degree have other options to achieve
competency.
For example, many special education teachers already have
middle school endorsements (e.g., language arts, math,
science and social science) on their teaching certificates.
If the teacher has three years of teaching experience, these endorsements are acceptable ways to prove competency
- just like the HOUSSE rules for general education teachers.
A major in a specific content area also is an acceptable way
to prove competency. An endorsement, plus three total years
of teaching experience, makes the teacher highly qualified to teach in that
particular area. As assignments change, however, highly
qualified status can change, too.
At the elementary level, a teacher who is fully authorized
in both special education and elementary education and has
three years of teaching experience is considered highly
qualified to teach at that level.
In short, the question of highly qualified goes back to core
content. The federal law now requires any teacher – special
or general education – providing direct instruction in a
core-content area, to prove competency in that area.
Free resources available to prepare for tests
The South Dakota Department of Education
understands the challenges involved for individual teachers
under these new requirements. To assist the state’s special
education teachers in meeting the demands of these laws, the
department is providing a number of free resources.
Special education teachers who are planning to take a Praxis
II test can attend free study sessions across the state. The
sessions will be held on the dates below – all of which are
Saturdays – from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of the study sessions
are for the Middle School Content Test unless otherwise
noted.
Nov. 19 -- Spearfish, Black Hills State University
Dec. 3 -- Aberdeen, Northern State University
Dec. 3 -- Madison, Dakota State University (Elementary
School Content Test)
Dec. 10 -- Rapid City (location to be announced)
Dec. 10 -- Watertown (location to be announced)
Dec. 17 -- Sioux Falls (location to be announced)
Jan. 14, 2006 -- Rapid City (location to be announced)
Feb. 4, 2006 -- Winner (location to be announced)
Feb. 11, 2006 -- Sioux Falls (location to be announced)
April 1, 2006 -- Sioux Falls (location to be announced)
Special education teachers who are planning to take a Praxis
II test can get a free study guide. Guides were purchased
for the Elementary School and Middle School Content Tests
and will be distributed to district special education directors
and/or educational cooperatives.
The department will host informational sessions via the
Digital Dakota Network (DDN). These sessions will offer a
forum for teachers to get answers to specific questions.
Dates and locations will be announced.
In addition, districts can use their Title II dollars to pay
for the cost of taking the test, mileage to and from the
study sessions and/or testing site.
For more information on the issue of highly qualified
special education teachers, visit
Special
Education Programs online and click on “SPED HOUSSE
Rules” and “FAQ Sped HOUSSE Rules.” Or call our office at
(605) 773-3678.
Kids for Katrina Relief raises big bucks
So far, South Dakota schools have raised $24,061 through the
Department of Education’s Kids for Katrina Relief
fund-raising initiative. The money will go to Louisiana
schools most impacted by the storm. (Money continues to come
in.)
“Immediately following Katrina, we were getting calls from
schools wanting to help the teachers and students in
Louisiana and Mississippi,” said Dr. Rick Melmer, secretary
of the South Dakota Department of Education. “After talking
with our counterparts in the affected areas, we created Kids
for Katrina Relief, so that our schools could be certain
their dollars would go directly to Louisiana’s schools,
teachers and students.”
The money raised through Kids for Katrina Relief will go to
a fund set up by Louisiana’s Superintendent of Education
Cecil J. Picard. The fund matches monetary donations with
the needs of each school system affected by the storm.
Launched in mid-September, Kids for Katrina Relief ran
throughout October. Participating schools used a variety
of activities, ranging from bake sales to penny drives, to
raise funds.
Participating schools/districts (as of Nov. 7) included the
following:
Bison Elementary School
Castlewood Ministerial Association and School District
Central High School, Aberdeen
DeSmet School District
Geddes School District
Hill City School District
Hitchcock-Tulare Elementary School
Hot Springs School District
Hoven Elementary School
Hurley School District
Lead-Deadwood
Lead-Deadwood Elementary School
Lead-Deadwood High & Middle Schools
Madison
Madison Elementary Schools (Lincoln and Washington)
Madison Middle School
Meade School District
Mitchell
G.B. Rogers Elementary
L.B. Williams Elementary
Longfellow Elementary
Mitchell Middle School
Mt. Vernon High School (Student Council)
Rapid City
Grandview Elementary
Pinedale Elementary School
Southwest Middle School
Sanborn Central School District
Sioux Valley School District (FCCLA Chapter)
Wagner School District
Webster School District
In addition to the schools listed above, a number of schools
ran their own fund-raising efforts and sent the dollars to a
charitable organization or directly to a particular school.
“We want to congratulate all of the schools out there that
raised funds or collected supplies for the schools affected
by Katrina,” Melmer said. “We know that there were many
efforts, beyond our initiative, going on. All of these
students and teachers should be extremely proud of their
efforts.”
NAEP results show South Dakota above national average
Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress
were released Oct. 19, and South Dakota students
consistently achieved scores that were among the top 10
highest scores in the country.
“The NAEP offers a national picture of how our students
compare with students across the country,” said Gov. Mike
Rounds, “and, once again, South Dakota students outperformed
their peers. We were especially pleased to see improvement
in our Native American students’ scores.”
Commonly referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” the NAEP
tests a random sample of fourth- and eighth-grade students
in reading and mathematics. The test is given every two
years in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and
Department of Defense schools.
Math scores improve
In the area of math, South Dakota’s scores improved over
2003, the first time the NAEP was given in South Dakota.
With an average scaled score of 242, the state’s fourth-grade
students had the fifth highest math score in the nation, sharing
that honor with five other states. South Dakota’s score was up
from 237 in 2003. The scores of South Dakota’s Native American
students – the state’s largest minority group – also improved
from 217 in 2003 to 221 in 2005.
With an average scaled score of 287, the state’s eighth-grade
students had the third highest math score in the nation, a
distinction shared by two other states. The score was up from
285 in 2003. Nationally, the eighth-grade average was 278. The
math scores of the state’s Native American eighth-graders rose
from 255 in 2003 to 260 in 2005.
Reading scores stayed level
Reading scores for South Dakota students remained steady or
decreased slightly, which follows the national trend.
In grade four, South Dakota’s average reading scaled score was
222, the same score attained in 2003. This was the seventh
highest score nationally. The national average was 217, up from
216 in 2003. The average score for South Dakota’s Native
American students rose four points, from 197 in 2003 to 201 in
2005.
At an average scaled score of 269, South Dakota’s eighth-grade
students had the fourth highest reading score in the nation, a
place shared with three other states. The national average was
260 in 2005, down from 261 in 2003. South Dakota’s Native
American students also followed the trend, with scores dropping
one point from 246 in 2003 to 245 in 2005.
Score gaps continue
“When considering these results, it’s also important to look
at the gap between the scores of groups of students,” said Dr.
Rick Melmer, secretary of the South Dakota Department of
Education. “Certainly we’re pleased with the improved scores of
our Native American students, but we’ve got to continue to close
the gap between their scores and those of the general student
population.”
Another “gap” area that deserves attention is the difference
between the scores of students eligible for the free lunch
program and those not eligible for the program. Participation in
the free and reduced lunch program is an indicator of poverty.
In 2005, the gaps between these two groups in both subjects and
both grade levels range from 15 to 20 points.
“The link between poverty and achievement is not a new issue,”
Melmer said. “These students need and deserve the attention
necessary to bring them up to higher levels of achievement.”
For more information related to NAEP, visit
www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
Online tools provide in-depth Dakota STEP data
Two online tools provide data that allows educators to
examine Dakota STEP scores. The Dakota STEP, or State Test
of Educational Progress, is given every year to students in
grades 3-8 and 11. It consists of both Norm Reference Test (NRT)
questions and Criterion Reference Test (CRT) questions. The
CRT portion of the test relates specifically to South
Dakota’s content standards in reading and math.
Dakota STEP Standards Report Web Site
The Dakota STEP Standards Report Web Site provides
information from the CRT section of the Dakota STEP.
Report information can be broken out into reading and math
standards at the district, building, classroom and student
levels. Using this data, educators can evaluate how entire
classrooms as well as individual students fared on each and
every standard covered on the test. They can use this
information to adjust instruction accordingly.
The data on the Dakota STEP Standards Report Web Site should NOT
be compared to the data reported on the State Report Card,
required under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The data included in
the Standards Report Web Site is for ALL students tested, while
the NCLB Report Card includes only those students who meet the
definition of a “full academic year.”
Login and passwords for the Dakota STEP Standards Report Web
Site will be released to your school’s testing coordinator.
Please see your testing coordinator to get this information.
You can access the data on the Dakota STEP Standards Report Web
site by going to
doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/crt/. At this URL, the department
also will provide updates, information on available trainings,
and answers to frequently asked questions.
For more information about the site, please contact Gay Pickner,
assessment director, at (605) 280-3613 or
gay.pickner@state.sd.us.
NCLB data via DDN Campus or SIMS Net
Data on each student that takes the Dakota STEP continues to
be available via the DDN Campus or SIMS Net. This data was
initially given to superintendents in July 2005 with a
school’s/district’s preliminary adequate yearly progress
determination. Educators can still access this data via DDN
Campus or SIMS Net.
Below is a reminder of how to access NCLB data via these three
programs: SIMS Net, DDN Campus and Campus 2005. For each, you
will need an id and password.
To access this data via SIMS Net, pull up SIMS Net and follow
these steps:
1. Click on the plus sign (+) next to NCLB.
2. Click on “NCLB Student Data Extract.”
3. Select the year you want data for under “Reporting Year” and
click “Generate Report.”
To access this data via DDN Campus, pull up DDN Campus and
follow these steps:
1. Click on “Reports” in the bar under the URL box.
2. Click on “NCLB Student Data.”
3. Select the year you want data for under “Reporting Year” and
click “Generate Report.”
4. Click “Open.” A file will open in Excel with the data you
need.
To access this data via Campus 2005, pull up Campus 2005 and
follow these steps:
1. Click on the plus sign (+) next to “SD State Reporting.”
2. Click on “NCLB Student Data.”
3. Select the year you want data for under “Reporting Year” and
click “Generate Report.”
4. Click “Open.” A file will open in Excel with the data you
need.
Outstanding educators recognized
Two South Dakota educators recently were recognized for
their efforts in the classroom.
Robert Cook, a teacher at Central High School in Rapid City,
received a $25,000 Milken Family Foundation National
Educator Award. Gov. Mike Rounds and Education Secretary
Rick Melmer presented the award Nov. 1 at a surprise
announcement at the school.
Barbara Dowling, an early childhood teacher at Hawthorne
Elementary in Sioux Falls, was named South Dakota’s Teacher
of the Year for 2006. Dowling also was made aware of the
honor at a surprise announcement at her school on Oct. 27.
Among his many accomplishments, Cook was instrumental in
developing Central High School’s Lakolkiciyapi Room, an
experimental classroom for at-risk 9th-grade students.
Approximately 70 percent of the students served in this
program are Native American. Cook incorporates Native
American culture and history into the classroom and makes it
relevant for all students.
Described by one of his colleagues as a “breath of fresh
air,” Cook is credited with engaging his students and
connecting with their families, positively impacting student
achievement and drop-out rates, and providing “inspiration
for all ages.”
In addition to the cash award, Cook will receive an
all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate
in a professional development conference in May 2006.
In making the presentation to Dowling, Melmer noted that
Dowling’s “passion for teaching radiates through her
dedication, her kindness, her patience, and her respect for
all students.”
Dowling has taught for 11 years in the Sioux Falls School
District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and
speech therapy from South Dakota State University. She also
holds three master’s degrees in special education,
speech/language pathology, and educational technology.
Dowling will be honored at a formal celebration in Pierre
during the 2006 Legislature. She will represent South Dakota
in the 2006 National Teacher of the Year competition.
2006 School Health Profiles coming your way
Watch your mail for the 2006 School Health Profiles
Survey. The Coordinated School Health Program sends the
survey out annually to a random selection of principals and
health teachers.
The survey is designed to provide data regarding school
health policy, curriculum coordination and content,
professional preparation experiences, and more. Surveys are
completed at both the elementary and secondary levels.
Coordinated School Health uses the data to plan and
implement school health programs at the state level. Should
you be selected to complete the survey, we would appreciate
your taking time to complete it. Thanks!
American Education Week coming up
American Education Week is Nov. 13-19. First observed in
1921, the weeklong event celebrates America’s public
education system. It also provides schools with an
opportunity to recognize teachers and administrators for
their hard work and dedication to students. The National
Education Association and American Legion were the original
sponsors of the event.
Schools across the nation will participate in a variety of
activities – most of them easy to plan and implement.
Examples of previous year’s activities, shared by the
National Education Association, are listed below.
• A middle-school art class made vanity license plates for
American Education Week. The plates were posted in school
hallways.
• A contest was held to design a school flag.
• Students gave teachers a “pat on the back” by filling in
anonymous compliment sheets.
• Guests from the business community read to elementary
students.
• Ice cream bars were given to students and teachers because
“school is cool.”
• Parents were invited to have lunch with their children in
the school cafeteria.
• Students gave their high school a “hug” by holding hands
and encircling the building. The math department had
measured average arm spans and the building’s circumference
in advance, and had calculated that there would be enough
students to surround the school.
Use one of the examples above to generate awareness and
support in your community, or create your own program. Above
all, take time to celebrate your achievements!
Upcoming Events
For a more complete list of professional development
opportunities, visit
www.southdakotapd.com.
• Crosswalk trainings for CTE teachers scheduled
• Tech Prep and HSTW/MMGW conference set for December
• Rollout sessions cover new science standards
Crosswalk trainings for CTE teachers scheduled
By April of 2006, all of the state’s career and
technical education (CTE) teachers are required to have
their crosswalks completed and syllabi on file with the
department’s Office of Career and Technical Education.
Two upcoming workshops will train teachers in the crosswalk
process and give them time to develop or update their course
syllabi. The workshops are slated for Nov. 8 in Rapid City
and Jan. 31 in Mitchell.
The goal of the statewide Crosswalk Project is to provide a
standards-based curriculum for CTE programs that includes
technical standards, academic standards and employability
standards. By going through the crosswalks process, CTE
teachers will:
• develop instructional strategies that meet the learning
needs of all students;
• identify areas within the curriculum where academic,
technical and transferable work skills need to be enhanced
and integrated;
• meet Perkins accountability;
• assist schools in meeting state-adopted academic
standards;
• help schools meet the requirements of No Child Left
Behind.
Teachers can register for the workshop online at
www.southdakotapd.com
or by downloading the form at
doe.sd.gov/octe/training/ and faxing or mailing it to
the South Dakota Department of Education, Office of Career
and Technical Education, 700 Governor’s Drive, Pierre, SD
57501. Fax: (605) 773-4236.
Tech Prep and HSTW/MMGW conference set for
December
Plan to attend the 2005 Tech Prep and High Schools
That Work/Making Middle Grades Work conference Dec. 1-3. The
event will be held at the Oaks Hotel and Convention Center
in Sioux Falls. Conference fee is $75.
Participants will attend focus sessions with topics such as
“Linking Classrooms to Career Fairs,” “The Ten Commandments
of Student Success,” and “Of Course It Doesn’t Make Sense!
This is Math!” They also will have opportunities to
participate in roundtable discussions with topics such as
“Workforce 2010,” “Family Finance Curriculum,” “The Layered
Look Is In” and more.
One graduate credit has been arranged through Northern State
University. Cost is $59.
For more information, contact Steven Rounds at (605)
773-7006,
steven.rounds@state.sd.us, or Marsha Kucker at (605)
367-7680, mkucker@edec.org.
Rollout sessions cover new science standards
Learn all about South Dakota’s new science
standards at a series of “rollout” sessions beginning in
December. The sessions are designed to introduce K-12
science teachers to the new state standards.
The first session in the three-part series will address Life
Science. These sessions will be held Dec. 12 in Aberdeen
(Ramada Inn), Dec. 14 in Sioux Falls (Ramada Inn) and Dec.
16 in Rapid City (Holiday Inn Civic Center). The sessions
will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants will study the
new Life Science standards in-depth and receive free,
standards-based lessons and activities.
The second session in the series, which will address
Physical Science, will be held in January. The third session
in the series, addressing Earth and Space, will take place
in February. Participants who attend each session in the
three-part series are eligible for graduate credit.
Registration is available through
southdakotapd.com. |
