• Secretary's Column
• TCAP: Round II runs through Aug. 22
• Federal grant to address teacher compensation
• AYP expected by mid-August
• DVDs help educators understand Native students
• Technology standards approved
• Writing assessment moved to spring
• South Dakota commits to 21st century skills
• Hot Topic
• Upcoming Events

Secretary's Column

Thoughts from a 6^th grader

As Secretary of Education, I get letters and e-mails from all types of constituents across our state. For this article, I have reprinted one of the more unique letters that I received recently. I didn’t get a return address with this letter, so I decided to do a public response for JP’s benefit.

Dear JP:

Thanks for your letter. It is always nice to hear from one of our customers. My guess is that you would be able to find many of your friends that would agree with your desire for “less school.” By the end of the school year, there may be a few teachers that would agree with you as well!

If you weren’t in school, you probably would have stronger bodies. However, you would have weaker minds. Which is more important? As for riding bikes, swimming and playing outside, I can think of about five months out of our year when that would be a challenge. During the winter months, we could probably open our gymnasiums for you, but the teachers would then expect you to stop by the classroom to pick up some homework.

The last part of your letter makes it sound like school is really boring. But, it doesn’t have to be. There are many learning activities that can be fun and educational at the same time. Our teachers try to make learning fun, but actually fun is what you should have AFTER you have learned all day at school.

Your letter has given me something to think about, but my decision has been made. We will have school again starting this fall. You don’t realize it now, but you need it. You’ll be in school for about 1,000 hours this year, but you’ll have about 2,000 hours outside of school for fun and games. Thanks for your feedback, and good luck in 6th grade!

Rick Melmer
Secretary of Education

The second round of applications for Teacher Compensation Assistance Funds for the 2007-08 school year is now open. All applications must be submitted online by Aug. 22, 5 p.m. (CDT).

Any public school district that did not apply last spring or did not get approved for funding during TCAP: Round I is eligible to apply. Applications will be reviewed by the TCAP Oversight Board, which will make recommendations to the South Dakota Board of Education. The Board of Education will make a final decision at its Sept. 24-25 meeting.

Reminder: The funds for this application period are for the 2007-08 school year. In November, all public school districts will need to apply for funds for the 2008-09 school year. From that point forward, applications will be made annually in November.

Any questions regarding TCAP should be directed to Wade Pogany, Department of Education, at (605) 773-3282 or wade.pogany@state.sd.us.

AYP expected by mid-August

Public school districts can expect to receive their adequate yearly progress determinations for 2006-07 in mid-August. The determinations are based on student scores on the spring 2007 Dakota STEP. Districts currently are reviewing their preliminary determinations and student data files to clean up any reporting errors. Districts must make any changes to their student data files by Aug. 8, 5 p.m. (CDT).

“For the past several years, we have offered districts the opportunity to review preliminary determinations,” said Education Secretary Rick Melmer. “The purpose of this process is to uncover and clean up any data reporting errors prior to releasing official AYP determinations and putting the information online in mid-August.”

Annual measurable objective, or AMO, targets for reading have gone up this year. For grades 3-8, the reading goal is 82 percent proficient, compared to last year’s 78 percent. At grade 11, the reading goal is 72 percent proficient, compared to last year’s 66 percent. AMO targets slowly increase as the year 2013-2014 approaches, by which time the federal law calls for 100 percent proficiency. Math AMO targets remain the same as last year.

Questions regarding AYP determinations and student data clean-up can be directed to the department’s Data Collection office.

DVDs help educators understand Native students

Native American students make up nearly 11 percent of the student population in South Dakota’s public schools. Unfortunately, these students often lag behind their peers when it comes to student performance.

“One of things we are trying to do at the state level is to help educators better understand the Native American students they serve,” said Keith Moore, director of Indian education at the South Dakota Department of Education. “If educators have a basic knowledge and understanding of Dakota, Lakota and Nakota culture, they can create a school environment where students feel comfortable, safe, accepted, and are better able to learn.”

Working with South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the department has created a two-part DVD series that provides a historical and cultural perspective of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota people. The department hopes that schools will use the DVDs as a basis for staff training. Some educators may choose to use pieces of the series in their classrooms as well.

• The first DVD, “Oceti Sakowin: The People of the Seven Council Fires,” presents a broad overview of the history and culture of South Dakota’s Dakota, Lakota and Nakota people. It runs about one hour.

• The second DVD, “Native American Education: Bridging the Gap,” is a 22-minute show that focuses on specific issues related to the education of our Native American students.

A DVD packet was mailed to each superintendent and school principal in late July. That resource, coupled with online resources (located at www.sdpb.org/learning/index.asp),  could be used as a springboard for discussion at in-service trainings, workshops and meetings.

For more information, contact Keith Moore at (605) 773-6118 or keith.moore@state.sd.us. 

Technology standards approved

Beginning in 2008-09, South Dakota will have K-12 educational technology standards for the first time. The South Dakota Board of Education approved the proposed standards at its July meeting.

The new standards focus on a technological way of thinking, rather than simply the use of computers. They are designed to be integrated into the instruction of other content areas, not as stand-alone items.

Under No Child Left Behind, students are required to be technology literate by the end of 8th grade. South Dakota plans to implement an assessment for all 8th grade students in 2009. To view the new standards, go to http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/. 

In the past, the statewide writing assessment has been administered in the fall. Beginning with the 2007-08 school year, the testing window for this assessment will be moved to the spring.

In addition to the change in date, schools will see changes to the assessment itself. The Department of Education has issued a Request for Proposals to develop a new statewide paper-pencil writing test. The test will be administered to two, possibly three, grade levels, which have yet to be determined.

The department is reviewing RFPs now and expects to award a contract this fall. Questions about the statewide writing assessment can be directed to Carla Leingang, Department of Education, at (605) 773-8196.

South Dakota commits to 21st century skills

This summer, South Dakota became the fifth state to join the Partnership for 21st Century Skills’ State Leadership Initiative. The national initiative promotes the teaching and learning of 21st century skills.

“Today’s workplace requires a set of skills that is different from just 20 years ago,” explained Dr. Rick Melmer, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education. “Through this initiative, we hope to infuse the teaching of these skills into our curricula so that young people leave our schools with the skills they need to be productive workers, citizens and leaders in the 21st century.”

Twenty-first century skills have been defined by business leaders as those skills necessary for young people to live and work in today’s highly competitive, global economy. They include skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication and technology literacy, collaboration, financial literacy, global awareness, personal responsibility, and leadership.

The national Partnership for 21st Century Skills has developed a model that organizes these skills within five key areas: core subjects, 21st century content, learning and thinking skills, information and communications technology literacy, and life skills.

Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, commended South Dakota for prioritizing the 21st century learning outcomes its students need to become successful citizens in today’s society. “South Dakota is already a nationally recognized leader in technology access, use and capacity throughout its public education system,” he said. “We’re looking forward to working with the state’s education, business and public policy leaders to create a comprehensive framework for 21st century learning outcomes.”

As part of its involvement in the Partnership, South Dakota has created a P21 Advisory Council. This group of business leaders and policy makers will advise state education leaders on the effectiveness of South Dakota’s education system, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level. The council will use the 2010 Education Initiative as a starting point for assessing the state’s efforts related to 21st century skills.

“Under the 2010 Education plan, schools have begun to implement a number of strategies – laptop initiatives, senior projects, personal learning plans – aimed at improving 21st century skills,” Melmer said. “With the help of the P21 Advisory Council and the national Partnership, we think we’ll be able to advance the teaching of 21st century skills even further.”

Four other states – Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia and Wisconsin – belong to the Partnership’s State Leadership Initiative.

The Partnership’s member organizations include business leaders such as Apple, Cisco Systems, Ford Motor Company, Microsoft Corporation, Texas Instruments and Verizon.

For more information about the national movement, visit www.21stcenturyskills.org. 

edCAST: Tune in for ideas, information

The department is launching a new tool to communicate with schools. It’s called “edCAST,” and it’s available via our homepage at www.doe.sd.gov. 

Similar to a mini radio program, edCAST will “broadcast” ideas and information about education in South Dakota. The target audience includes school administrators and teachers, but anyone can listen.

Our first featured edCAST is with Keith Moore, the Department of Education’s director of Indian education. (Click here to listen.) Down the road, we hope to interview school leaders and teachers who are out in the field doing what you do best: leading our schools and educating our children. Our plan is to highlight best practices, successful strategies and programs, and interesting people in the education field.

If you’ve got an idea for an edCAST topic or an interesting person to interview, please e-mail Mary Stadick Smith at mary.stadicksmith@state.sd.us. 

Upcoming Events

For a more complete list of professional development opportunities, visit www.southdakotapd.com.

• Plan now to attend Indian Education Conference
• Turning would-be dropouts into graduates
• Payne to speak at Head Start Conference

Plan now to attend Indian Education Conference

This year’s Indian Education Conference will take place Sept. 19-21 in Rapid City. All school administrators, board members and teachers are invited to attend. Each year, the conference covers issues related to the education of South Dakota’s Native American youth. Keynote speakers and state and local experts offer perspective, information and ideas. Watch future issues of Education Online for details!

Turning would-be dropouts into graduates

In 2009, South Dakota’s compulsory school attendance age increases from 16 to 18. The Juvenile Justice Symposium III, Sept. 27-28, will offer practical ideas and assistance for professionals who will be helping would-be dropouts become high school graduates. The event will take place at the Ramkota in Pierre.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “Community Partnerships that Keep Kids in School.” Participants will hear from experts in truancy prevention, diversion programs, model court practices, and systems of care that encourage graduation of at-risk youth. Session topics include: “What works with tough kids,” “Implementing compulsory school attendance law – successes and lessons learned,” “Positive behavior interventions and supports,” and more.

The event is convened by the South Dakota Council of Juvenile Services. For information, call South Dakota Voices for Children at (605) 367-9667.

Payne to speak at Head Start Conference

The 2007 Region VIII Head Start Conference, slated for Oct. 17-19 in Rapid City, will feature keynote speaker Ruby K. Payne. Payne, who is an expert on the mindsets of economic classes and on crossing social-economic lines for love, work, education, and social change. She has written and co-authored more than a dozen books, including “A Framework for Understanding Poverty.” Information about the entire conference can be found at www.sdheadstart.org.

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