November 2009 ES Meeting Compilation

(A compilation of questions and answers from the all ES meeting this month)

Any questions not answered are either addressed in the next ES agenda, were in the last compilation, or are too specific for this and need to be asked individually of your ES Advisor or at a Webex training.

 

ES Specific Info:

What are RAF forms?

http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/reimbapproval.pdf

 

As per the page http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/highschool/Courseinfo/typingreq.htm

students can test out of typing. How do we do this?

This is not linked to our website, but only to CWCS. As for all school documents, please be sure you are using your school's ES Resources pages, which for your school is: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/highschool/Courseinfo/indexiem.htm .  You will not find a section entitled "Typing Requirement".

 

Do you want us to retrieve the Learning Styles forms from the parents and keep them?

You need to keep the scoring card in their file.  IF the parents/students wish a copy of that, do make one for them to keep as well.  The whole folder is for them to keep.

 

How do we make sure that we are getting credit for our time on the Learning Styles training.

Keep working through the online training.  We will give you the specific requirements for the hours in the January agenda.

 

How much time should we allow for our December Meeting? 

The December meeting will be the normal 2 hours. Please be polite and arrive at your meeting so that you are ready to start at the appointed time--otherwise you cause the meeting to have to run late.

 

WebEx Training: It is difficult to watch the videos in a group. Could they be watched at home and then discussed at the meetings?

These trainings meet some of the main components of the NCLB PG requirements, but you do not earn PG credit unless this is watched in a group--sorry, this is out of our hands.

 

When will the HQT SMEs not be used for the school?

When all of our ESs each have all of their NCLB certifications, or the Federal NCLB law is changed to not require this--whichever happens first.

 

When are the NCLB certification requirements really due to be complete?

The time is now; we make our first report on this in late December.

 

Should ESs who have HOUSSE NCLB certification be concerned that HOUSSE might not be accepted in the future?

No.  It was instituted to exempt qualified veteran teachers from the new teacher requirements. If anyone qualifies under HOUSSE, and hasn't taken advantage of this opportunity, you need to contact Linette Harris ASAP!!

 

Will we still have Webex curriculum training videos after the WASC accreditation?

Yes, curriculum training is a requirement of the Federal NCLB PG.

 

Can the teacher of record drop down list be alphabetized by last name, not first name (on the report card). 

Sorry, but it comes from our database files and at this time, it is not possible, as that is how it was created.

 

Speaking of FRED buttons, if the HH button is still there, does that indicate a problem with that family's HH form or is the office just working on these?

Thanks for alerting me that there might be a glitch.  It was identified and fixed.

 

Can IEM turn off the FRED reminders that we have late LRs or other items over vacations days?  It affects morale, is very stressful, and ESs were under the impression that the vacation days did not count as days late.

No.  First, "Vacation days" are student vacation days, not ES days.  You as the ES have the flexibility to work on days/take days off on your choosing, as long as your work in completed on time. If a record is late, it is late no matter what day it is, until it is in.  If you are not working that day, then you do not need to look in FRED to see if you have late records. Next, yes it is true that the "late days" only count school calendar dates, not weekend or holiday periods. 

 

 Educational Info (POs, Curriculum, Vendors, LRs, etc )

The SME name that has been inserted does not always match the name of the SME instructor.

That is correct.  It is your job to select the correct name on the report card line.

 

Vendor list: is it possible to add “search by location” to the vendor list in WEBfiles?

Start your find, then type the name of a city, and complete your find.

 

Could the 'denied' vendors be separated out of the vendor search?

No.  They are there so that you will not submit them for approval again, once they have been denied.

 

Why do we have curriculum trainings on textbooks used in the public schools? One of the main reasons why parents homeschool  is to get away from the textbooks.  The teacher’s manuals are not parent friendly and all of the components are expensive. 

The “Traditional Textbook” is just one of the educational approaches that Education Specialists are to know about and know how to order.  There is a lot to know about the program features of the California Edition textbooks and their ordering and pricing information, and access to this information is difficult to obtain in our school model.  The Curriculum Department gets requests fairly regularly from parents and Education Specialists who want to see these programs, know more about them, and know how to order them.  Many parents prefer to use the California Edition textbooks, particularly if they are university bound or if they think there might be a chance their child will be going back into their local public school.  The school felt it would be good to lay a foundation of trainings emphasizing this educational approach (Traditional Textbook), then emphasize the homeschool favorites going forward, since the “homeschool favorites” is one area that parents and Education Specialists already have an easier time finding information.   In the meantime, the parents’ websites for Grades K-5, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/gencurres/curric/elemK-5.dwt,  and Grades 6-12, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/gencurres/curric/secon6-12.dwt,  post many of the homeschool favorites. Lastly, if at any time you are wanting information about a particular curriculum, you can email the Curriculum Department for help with your questions or for recommendations for a “homeschool favorite”, curriculum@ieminc.org.

 

Are "Adult Ed" and "Job Core"  and Juvenile Hall  considered to be "dual enrollment.

Yes, those programs are all their own public school and a student cannot be enrolled in any of those programs and our school at the same time.

 

What if a child is taking 1 class from a private school or another school?

That typically is not a problem, but do check with your advisor to be sure.

 

How do we know if a vendor or potential vendor is a private school?

Typically this is determined by our vendor relations department in the vendor approval process.  Sometimes one "section" of a school will be approved for usage by our students, and another full day program denied.  Watch vendor notes carefully, and know what your students are doing!  Go for a visit to the class if you do not feel you are getting the full story from the parent.  Most of the vendors want to work with us ethically, and they need to know if a parent is not being honest with either/both of us!

 

What do we do if we think parents are lying about dual enrollment?

Contact your advisor immediately for help.  They are all experienced with this!

 

We have students who are enrolled in tutorials and co-op classes. They are not R4 “schools” and do not meet daily. Would they be considered dual enrollment?

Probably not, but do contact your advisor if in doubt.

 

Why is Radio Shack a vendor if we cannot use them to buy computers?

Radio Shack used to be our main supplier of electronic and other science kits for science classes.  If you don't need their products, don't use them.  Computers on the other hand must be purchased by "bid"  processes.

 

Do we get extra money when parents purchase state adopted curriculum like traditional schools get?

No. Charter School funding is set up in a block grant that is the same ADA for all charter schools statewide (not the same as regular public school).  We do not get all of the categorical funding (at this point in the budget crisis, neither do the regular schools  get many of these programs they used to get), nor do we get the increase/decrease in funding due to the cost of living in a geographic area. Receiving 100% of our funding is also related to our school accountability (which we why we spend so much time training on proper completion of our accountability paperwork). Bottom line:  It doesn't matter for ADA purposes which educational materials you purchase with IF, but how you complete your rollsheets/portfolios/etc.

 

How are ESs to know when GEAs are set up and ready to enroll students?

Watch the Parent Listserve emails.

 

Can we create a service PO broken into months on the same PO instead of making separate PO’s for each session?

Yes, that is how we prefer it.  On one line, "choose 5 months ....." on one PO.

 

Can the office investigate potentially questionable vendors and add to vendor notes or create a watch list so ESs have a heads up before doing a PO?

Yes, they do this everyday!  In order to investigate, you need to communicate any issues you hear about to your ES Advisor, who starts this ball rolling. You are our eyes and ears in the field and we RELY on you for this!

 

High School Credits: Do all the standards have to be met to get credit for a course?

For specific situations, contact your advisor.

 

Are the key words “meet” or “be working towards” the standards?

You select the standards each LR period that the students worked on--you can state if they met or mastered them if you wish as a part of your evaluation of the student work.

 

If a class is listed under Special Interests on the RC, but the standards are under Life Skills, where should we put the LR narrative?

List the class where you will find the standards to select on the LR.  You can still count it in a different area on the RC.

 

If a student is using a history curriculum that spans eras, must we stick to one grade level for a LR period or for a semester?

You may pick one grade level per semester to stick with.

 

If a primary student is studying world history and the standards are in the upper grades, should we not mark any standards?

Use the closest grade level.

 

Art samples often do not match the grade level standards. May we go to other grade levels to find a matching standard?

Yes, but only if you are doing the graduation required VAPA course--otherwise, it is not necessary.

 

For portfolios, what is the minimum number of courses required?

K-8th: 5 growth areas per semester. HS:  25 credits worth of courses. If the students are doing more subject areas, it should be listed in their LRs, standards checked, and a sample provided for the portfolio. You are not meeting the minimum, you are documenting all student learning.

 

If student work is short answer only, do we need to copy the questions from the text and attach?

That would be a good idea.  Use the rule of thumb that a non-educationally trained auditor must know from looking what student work the sample is showing.

 

For students taking Sign Language, are photos of student doing different signs with captions of what they mean acceptable?

Yes.  The student should do the written caption.

 

Is it appropriate for a picture portfolio sample for a student to write…”I’m learning……in this picture.”

Not appropriate--that is LR info, not an actual "assignment".

 

If a student writes an essay about their experiences in PE, can they mention a team they played on? Can they mention their coaches name in the essay? Can they mention some of the things they learned if it isn't the sole point of their essay? If the student did any of these things and they're not acceptable, is it okay to just scratch that part of the essay out? Or do we need to require the student to rewrite the entire essay?

Rule of thumb:  The state doesn't pay ADA for outside sports activities. Is your sample showing a school activity or an outside activity parents anywhere would pay for on their own no matter what school they are enrolled in?

 

Does every sample have to match a standard? Or, should samples match the LR narrative?

If you are submitting a student work sample to support the LR information, then why would a standard not be selected to match that work sample (unless it is a subject with no standards)? This sounds like the ES has more work to do on their LRs. Remember your Global picture session at the August All ES Meeting this year--all accountability paperwork ties together!

 

Assessment Info (Scantron, Writing assignment, state assessments, etc):

If a parent wants to waive the STAR test when is that form due by?

Prior to the first date of the testing window (check school calendar).

 

Please give a description of what is in the Summative Math EOC so that we can explain it to our families.  We’d also like to know why this test must be chosen especially if the student is currently taking geometry (took Alg. 2 last year)  Is this a state requirement or are we doing this to try to improve our math scores etc?

The Blueprints for Summative Math are on the CDE website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/blueprints.asp and the ETS rule for taking it is on the above attachment.  Hopefully, this will be helpful.

 

CAHSEE PREP Questions:

What does “chronic pattern” mean in this instance?
11th and 12th grade students who have not yet passed the CAHSEE are required to receive ongoing CAHSEE intervention.  Each ES is to communicate their students’ intervention to Fina who tracks their intervention and runs dated reports.  As students pass both sections of the CAHSEE, those students’ names are removed from her report.  If Fina runs the report and the ES has not communicated the student’s intervention, it leaves a blank on the report for that student.  ESs who have blanks for several students on two or more reports are showing a “chronic pattern” of not providing and/or communicating to Fina their student’s CAHSEE intervention.      

 

Could we have a list of recommended CAHSEE resources in order of value?
The intervention needs to be determined based on the student’s performance level, learning style, availability of a computer/Internet, Instructional Funds (if no grant money is available), then re-evaluated and changed based on the student’s progress (or lack of progress).  The ES needs to use their professional judgment based on these factors, cost, the strengths, and the weaknesses of each CAHSEE intervention program.   I like the Measuring Up CAHSEE Prep program, but the Diagnostics come bundled and are expensive to purchase.  This product may not cover skills low enough for some students.  If you don’t let the student write in them, you would only need to purchase the Diagnostics once.  I also like Revolution Prep, but it requires a computer/Internet.  ALEKS is inexpensive and a good starting placed for CAHSEE intervention, but also requires a computer/Internet.  Students can start immediately using the free trial, then see if they even like the program.  Some ESs have told me they like the Barrons and Princeton Review CAHSEE Prep materials from Borders or Barnes and Noble.  They are relatively inexpensive.

   

What resources would meet the expectations of our requirement to provide extra help? 

 Start with any of the CAHSEE Prep list of vendors and products and those provided by the California Department of Education (CDE).  Realistically, many of these students will most likely use a variety of resources from the CAHSEE Prep list of vendors in order to pass.  Because the stakes are so high, you will want to come at them as much as possible through different venues.  Provide tutoring for them whenever possible, or enroll them into a CP math class.  Give them an online resource such as ALEKS/Revolution Prep/Ascend Education, and supplement with hardcopy work in a weak skill area.  If they are closer to passing, provide them with a CAHSEE Prep workbook.  Many have lower math skill weaknesses, so consider doing a diagnostic in California Fast Forward Math, then assigning targeted strand lessons.  You will need to frequently monitor their progress, then use your professional judgment, all the while maximizing the student’s IF through careful spending in other areas of their program. 

 

If we have provided the student with a CAHSEE workbook, is that adequate or should more resources be provided?
Providing a workbook may satisfy Fina’s intervention report, but it may not be in the best interests of the student.  Not passing the CAHSEE will have a direct negative effect on your student’s future after high school.  It is serious business for them and for our school. 
As an ES working within the guidelines of parent choice, you  have an obligation to see that the student is making as much progress as is possible and you need to provide CAHSEE Prep quickly and hit it hard.  One of your first hurdles will be to find where the skills gaps are and then find a product that the student will be motivated to learn through.  Because time is not on your side, I would be prepared to provide more than one avenue/curriculum for CAHSEE Prep until the student settles into one of them.  If you feel that a resource is not giving results, then you need to change to another product quickly.  Many of these students have lower skill gaps, so I would not use a product that didn’t have a diagnostic to provide targeted skill instruction (unless the student was close to passing).  Students further from passing don’t have time to spend on lessons to skills they already know.  (See also previous answer).   

 

In regards to the CAHSEE intervention, we know to email Fina with our intervention for all 11th and 12th graders that haven’t passed or we don’t know if they haven’t passed the CAHSEE. Do we do this just once? She runs a report each month and it makes it sound like we need to email her each month?

You only need to email me once for each student.  You should be sending me updated information for new students only each month.  If you do not have a new student then you do not need to email me. 

 

Guidance Info:

For item 4a do we need to go back to old high school report cards and change the teacher of record name or just this and future semesters?

No.  This is for a new state report that starts this month. Prior years are over.

 

2 ES’s have middle school students taking Algebra 1 NOT FOR CREDIT and would like to do this without a SME. Is this possible?

No.  It is a legal requirement that Algebra 1 have a HQT, regardless of the grade level the course is taken.

 

If a parent refuses SST or IEP but the student is way below grade level, what is our responsibility?

A parent has the right to refuse, but you need to show (on LRs) that you have recommended it and it was refused. Then you need to be sure to offer course modifications as you feel would be helpful for the student.

 

What do we do with a High School student that enrolls in our school now (Nov.) and the prior school refuses to give credit for work thus far? How do we calculate credits?

This is very typical.  The student must continue with the same courses, then at the end of the semester, the ES (SME) can award full semester credits. Any course they do not continue, they then lose all credits earned from the prior school.

 

What do we do if the student is enrolled in a US History course and the parent doesn’t want to use a textbook?  Say that they want to do a novel or research approach?

That is totally acceptable, but will require more diligence on the part of the ES to keep track of the standards met and those they need to let the parent know still need to be addressed. For specific help, as always contact your Advisor.

 

Do students currently taking Algebra II need to take the summative math EOC this year (they will not complete Algebra 2 until the end of the school year)? 

They can take Algebra II first this year and Summative Math next year. 

 

How do we get rid of or change an EOC test if it isn't correct?

Contact Fina at assessmentclerk@ieminc.org .

 

Parent Specific Info:

How many parents are allowed in the parent curriculum workshops?  Our group thinks that there will be an interest in Discovery Education streaming- can another workshop be added if the first one fills quickly?

If it is one that Shelley writes/presents, then she can usually open up another session if the first one fills up.

The January parent workshop is a history workshop that will include this vendor’s product features as one resource that can be used for history. I don’t want parents to be disappointed thinking they will be getting an in-depth training on how to use Discovery Education streaming.

Can the Parent Curriculum workshops be recorded?

Yes, they are and are posted on their curriculum page.