NCLB Scanning Service Update

The NCLB Scanning Service of the Southeast Comprehensive
Center (SECC) currently features U.S. Department of Education
guidance on topics related to requirements of the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)—Saving and Creating Jobs and Reforming Education

Notice on Civil Rights Obligations Applicable to the Distribution of Funds Under the ARRA of 2009

State and Local Implementation NCLB, Volume VI—Targeting and Uses of Federal Education Funds

For more information on resources or to view all listings, visit the
NCLB Scanning Service.

Reminder—Online Survey of SECC Electronic Publications

In March 2009, we invited readers of SECC electronic publications to provide their feedback in an online survey. We are still interested in knowing what you think of these publications. Your feedback is very important to us and will help us ensure that future issues meet your needs. If you haven’t done so already, please provide your feedback in our SECC Electronic Publications Survey, which should take about 10 minutes to complete. We appreciate your time!

If you haven’t done so already, please provide your feedback in our SECC Electronic Publications Survey, which should take about 10 minutes to complete. We appreciate your time!

Thank you,
Lisa Raphael and Jack Lumbley,
SEDL Research and Evaluation program

 

Highlights of State Work

Alabama

Response to Intervention (RtI) Activities

On March 25, 2009, SECC program associates Ada Muoneke, Dale Lewis , and Mary Lou Meadows met with the Alabama RtI Committee for a walk-through of the RtI training session for the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). Members of the LEA Support Roundtable, Instructional Services Division Steering Committee, and various sections within the ALSDE participated in the training session, which was held April 17 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel.

LEA Support Roundtable Meeting

The LEA Support Roundtable met on March 20 at the Lurleen B. Wallace Building in Montgomery. Special guest Robin Jarvis, SECC program manager, provided a brief overview of the center’s work. In addition, roundtable members discussed the Governor’s Dropout Prevention Summit, Leadership Success Academy, EDUCATE Alabama, school improvement, the Rewards and Interventions Committee, and standard two (teaching and learning) of the Alabama Quality Teaching Standards. Also, Dr. Tommy Bice of the ALSDE gave a steering committee report. Meadows, SECC Alabama state liaison, serves as a member of the roundtable, which meets monthly.

Plan of Work Meeting

On March 18, SECC staff members Jarvis and Meadows met with Dr. Tommy Bice, Dr. Deann Stone, and Sherrill Parris of the ALSDE. The group reviewed the work that was completed by the SECC in year 4 and discussed new and continuing projects for year 5.

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Activities

SECC program associates Meadows, Chris Ferguson, and Sally Wade participated in a conference call with the Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII) and the SES staff from the ALSDE on March 5. During the meeting, they discussed the Alabama/CII SES Outreach Project, which helps school districts work with community- and faith-based organizations to reach parents with information and guidance about tutoring services. These organizations provide written information to parents in their homes and in community settings, conduct workshops for parents, and meet privately with parents in guidance sessions.

In addition, Reatha Owens of the CII gave a brief overview of the Alabama outreach project, which seems to have been successful in the three counties where it was implemented. Alabama and the CII plan to expand the project next year to other counties in the state. The SECC’s Ferguson noted that the outreach project ties into the SES work that the center is doing in Alabama. Consequently, she suggested that the ALSDE list the top 10 things to consider in getting the SES process started based on knowledge gained from the outreach project. She also indicated that this information could be incorporated into the Web site that the SECC is helping the ALSDE to develop. The SECC agreed to partner with the CII and the ALSDE to integrate their SES efforts.

Georgia

Thinking Maps® Evaluation Plan

On April 7–8, 2009, SECC program associates Erin McCann and Glenda Copeland worked with the School and Leader Quality group of the Georgia Department of Education (GDE) to continue the design of a comprehensive evaluation plan for implementation of Thinking Maps strategies. The GDE will implement Thinking Maps in 27 of its schools during the 2009–2010 school year.

Work Sessions for Statewide Literacy Plan

During March and April, SECC program associates Ramona Chauvin and Kathleen Theodore met with the Georgia Literacy Task Force Professional Learning Subgroup. In addition to reading/English language arts representatives Mary Stout, Kimberly Jeffcoat, and Jeffrey Dillard, the subgroup includes GDE staff from the areas of mathematics and science. On March 13, Chauvin and Theodore worked with Jeffcoat on revising content to provide full citations of references listed in all draft documents. They also met with subgroup members during a 3-day writing and editing retreat on April 6–8.

Active Literacy Workshops

In April, Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, attended the Active Literacy workshops with the School and Leader Quality group of the GDE. These workshops—conducted by Heidi Hayes Jacobs— provided GDE staff with tools for working with schools that have been designated as needing improvement.

Louisiana

Parental Involvement Technical Assistance

The SECC is providing ongoing technical assistance to the Parental Involvement (Title I, Part A) staff at the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE). On April 6, 2009, SECC program associates Sally Wade, Chris Ferguson, and Darlene Morgan Brown, SECC Louisiana state liaison, met with LDE staff and Angelor Johnson of the Louisiana Parent Information and Resource Center. During the meeting, they created an action plan for development of a statewide parental involvement plan and made progress on developing training to support schools and districts. A follow-up meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 12.

Distinguished Educator Program CBAM Training

On April 6–7, Ed Tobia, SECC program associate, conducted session three of a four session professional learning opportunity for the distinguished educators (DEs) in Louisiana. On day 1, the educators addressed turning around low-performing schools (using the stages of concern and innovation configurations to understand the change process). On day 2, they focused on understanding and developing trust, commitment, and a spirit of collaboration. During the sessions, the DEs prepared to enter the school system by using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) to develop action plans to begin work with districts. They also received a wealth of research-based resources for turning around chronically low-performing schools. Session four is slated to be held in early June 2009.

Mathematics Framework and Professional Development

SECC state liaison Brown met with LDE staff Carolyn Sessions, Standards and Curriculum Projects coordinator; Teri Roberts, Numeracy Division; and Jean May-Brett, Math Science Partnership Program coordinator, on March 26 in Baton Rouge. They discussed development of a framework for a grade 5 mathematics course and a series of training sessions. The group completed a timeline for completing the work and identified committee members. Committee work sessions are scheduled on June 2–5, and a pilot district has been identified. The first multiday training session will occur in July, with two to four sessions conducted during the school year. The SECC is providing support for this project by facilitating collaboration and coordinating meeting arrangements.

Achievement Outcomes and Professional Development to
Address English Language Learners

On March 20, SECC staff members Brown, Gail Del Greco, and Ramona Chauvin met with LDE staff representing several divisions—Migrant; Title III; Title I, Part A; Professional Development; Accountability and Assessment; and Literacy and Numeracy. The group discussed the resetting and notification of Annual Measurable Achievement Outcomes (AMAOs) and professional development opportunities in the area of English language learners (ELLs) and developed an action plan to address these topics. SECC staff also participated in a conference call between WestEd and the LDE, which focused on recommendations of AMAO options. On April 22, the LDE hosted a meeting in New Orleans of Title III, English Language Acquisition grant recipients to share the proposed changes in the AMAOs for Title III districts and for the state. Under Title III, state education agencies shall hold subgrantees accountable for meeting AMAOs and must make annual determinations regarding each district’s performance on AMAOs. The SECC supported the LDE in this endeavor by coordinating meeting arrangements.

School Improvement Plan Revision Committee Meeting

More than 60 participants attended the second large group meeting of the LDE school improvement plan revision committee on March 19. Subcommittees provided brief updates of their work; identified commonalities and areas of overlap; aligned work efforts; identified implications of recommendations as they relate to NCLB, state law, and best practice; and determined their next steps. The SECC’s Tobia facilitated this committee meeting, and state liaison Brown continued to provide support to the subcommittees. All subcommittees were scheduled to submit their recommendations to the school improvement unit by April 30.

Mississippi

RtI Work Session and Meetings

Carrying a consistent RtI message across the state and increasing public awareness of key RtI topics are the chief goals of Mississippi’s newly created RtI Speakers Bureau. On March 3, 2009, personnel from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) participated in the second work session for this project, which was facilitated by Debra Meibaum, SECC Mississippi state liaison. During the session, participants completed a revised draft of the public awareness presentation and finalized the activities and notes section of their assigned tasks. A walk-through of the presentation was held on April 28. In addition, Meibaum participated in RtI Coordinating Council meetings on March 10 and 24.

RtI Funding Subcommittee Meeting

On March 10, state liaison Meibaum met with members of the MDE’s RtI funding subcommittee to discuss the implementation plan for developing an RtI funding guide and acquiring an external consultant to assist with the process. The group met with the selected consultant via conference call on March 30 to discuss the assistance needed for this project.

Webinar on Fiscal Stimulus Education Funds

The SECC hosted the Brustein & Manasevit Webinar on the Fiscal Stimulus Education Funds at the MDE on March 13. The purpose of the Webinar—facilitated by Meibaum—was to provide an overview of the stimulus legislation and its impact on federal programs, including Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Attendees discussed obligation periods, maintenance of effort, supplanting, and related issues.

Dropout Prevention Survey Results and Focus Groups

During March, Dr. Sheril Smith, MDE director of Dropout Prevention, and SECC staff Erin McCann and Debra Meibaum conducted four focus groups across the state of Mississippi. Focus group questions were based on results of a survey that was administered in February 2009 to all district dropout prevention coordinators. The questions delved deeply into the perceived challenges and strengths in developing and implementing district dropout prevention plans. The results and focus group data were used to inform activity planning for the state’s Dropout Prevention Conference on April 16.

Coaches Academy Evaluation Planning Meeting

SECC staff members McCann and Meibaum held a Mississippi Coaches Academy planning meeting with Paula Means and Katrina Merriwether of the MDE’s Office of Leadership and Professional Development on March 17. The group discussed development of evaluation tools for program implementation during Fall 2008 and design of an evaluation plan for the upcoming year of program activities. The plan will address the effectiveness of the program with respect to attaining its desired short- and long-term outcomes.

Dropout Prevention Staff Training

On March 20, SECC staff provided a professional development session for college coaches and community organizers for the MDE’s Office of Dropout Prevention. The session was designed to deepen the background knowledge of the participants in effective strategies for dropout prevention and prepare them to assist school districts in refining their dropout prevention plans. A follow-up meeting for participants was held April 8 to finalize preparation for the technical assistance on refining dropout prevention plans that were provided to school district personnel on April 16.

Online Professional Development

On March 30, state liaison Meibaum provided technical assistance to MDE staff members Katrina Merriwether and Connie Ratcliff regarding online professional development. They discussed facilitator standards and indicators (including baseline criteria for facilitator accountability), implementation timelines, and next steps. A follow-up meeting is scheduled on June 22.

South Carolina

Services for Palmetto Priority Schools

Palmetto Priority Schools have been designated to receive intensive services by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE). David Rawlinson of the SCDE and his staff are responsible for providing direct services to schools that have not made expected progress. He has requested SECC support for building the capacity of SCDE interventionists as they plan and deliver training sessions to district and school leadership in priority schools and districts during the 2009–2010 school year. On April 9, 2009, Sandra Lindsay, SECC South Carolina liaison, met with Rawlinson and Beth Howard at the SCDE to determine the content and timeline for delivery of these support services.

Statewide RtI Meeting

In conjunction with the SECC, the South Carolina RtI State Leadership Team is planning an initial statewide awareness meeting. District teams will include the district superintendent or assistant superintendent, Title I director, special education director, and a principal. Dale Lewis, SECC program associate, is working with Pam Huxford, SCDE RtI coordinator, to develop the agenda and handle meeting logistics for the June 9 meeting, which will be held at the Brookland Conference Center in Columbia.

Curriculum Review Project

During April, the SECC continued work with the SCDE on development of the state’s Standards Support System (S3), which includes multiple tools and resources to assist teachers in effectively using the state’s academic standards. Dr. Valerie Harrison, deputy superintendent for the Division of Standards and Learning, and Robin Rivers, interim director for the Office of Academic Standards, are the lead staff at the SCDE who made the request for SECC assistance in this project.

The S3 design provides for coordination of development work, dissemination of quality support documents, and professional development that supports the implementation of the standards in every classroom or instructional settings. During April, SECC content experts—Camille Chapman and Concepcion Molina (mathematics), Ramona Chauvin (English language arts), and Glenda Copeland (social studies) continued to conduct reviews of the S3 curriculum project.

 

Calendar of Events

 

Southeast Comprehensive Center Spotlight A publication of SEDL's Southeast Comprehensive Center
Wesley A. Hoover, PhD, SEDL President and CEO Robin Jarvis, PhD, SECC Program Manager Chris Times, MBA, SECC Communications Associate and Publication Editor Alabama State Liaison: Lou Meadows (lou.meadows@sedl.org) Georgia State Liaison: Glenda Copeland (glenda.copeland@sedl.org) Louisiana State Liaison: Darlene Brown (darlene.brown@sedl.org) Mississippi State Liaison: Debra Meibaum (debra.meibaum@sedl.org) South Carolina State Liaison: Sandra Lindsay (slindsay@mailbox.sc.edu)
The Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC) is one of 16 regional centers established by the U.S. Department of Education. The primary goal of the regional centers is to build the capacity of the state education agencies and statewide systems of support to implement NCLB. Links to the other regional centers, the content centers, and the U.S. Department of Education may be found on the SECC Web site (secc.sedl.org).
SEDL 4700 Mueller Blvd. Austin, TX 78723 800-476-6861, www.sedl.org	SOUTHEAST COMPREHENSIVE CENTER at SEDL 3501 N. Causeway Blvd., Suite 700 Metairie, LA 70002 800-644-8671, secc.sedl.org
The contents of this publication were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The contents do not, however, necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and one should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

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