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This Week at TransACT (December 1, 2008)

New partnership with Lingo Systems raises the bar on custom translations in the education industry

To continue to provide the best education and services possible to English Language Learner families, TransACT has partnered with Lingo Systems to offer subscribers improved custom translation services. TransACT chose Lingo over other translation providers because of Lingo's commitment to provide TransACT subscribers with exceptionally accurate and professional translations, stringent quality control, up to 50% faster delivery timelines and significant cost savings.

TransACT subscribers seeking custom translations may fill out this quote request form. Subscribers receive the additional benefit of 10% off their first project with Lingo. Current Lingo customers may receive 5% off ALL custom translation projects through the end of the year. To claim the discount, simply enter TA08 in the promo code field of your quote request.

 

This Week at TransACT (November 17, 2008)

More paper work for special education?

As part on our ongoing to commitment to keeping you informed about the issues that impact Education, we'd like to draw your attention to a recent article in EdWeek that identifies new data the Feds will be requiring states to collect from school districts as "indicators" regarding the services and effectiveness of special education.  The new requirements will  significantly increase the amount of data districts are collecting and reporting to their state.  It appears school districts must prepare for changes in what, how, and when special education data is collected. Read the entire article here.

 

This Week at TransACT (November 3, 2008)

Going to the Fall Georgia TESOL conference?

TransACT President/CEO Rick Passovoy will be hosting a special general session for TransACT users at the Fall Georgia TESOL conference. Come to the session, meet the president and learn more great ways to get even more from your TransACT subscription!

 

This Week at TransACT (October 27, 2008)

November eNewsletter: Election Time!

Will our next president share your views on education? How will your compliance ability be impacted by TransACT’s new relationship with Brustein and Manasevit? How can you stay up to date with the latest news from the US DOE? These answers and more can be found in the November eNewsletter.

Click here to read the November eNewsletter.

Click here to view our eNewsletter archive.

 

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Announces Final Regulations to Strengthen No Child Left Behind

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced final regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind (NCLB), focusing on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates and improved parental notification for Supplemental Education Services and public school choice. The Secretary made the announcement while speaking to educators, state and local policymakers and business leaders at South Carolina Educational Television in Columbia, S.C. Read complete article.

Join a live webcast with Margaret Spellings

On Thursday, October 30, at 1:00 pm ET, officials from the U.S. Department of Education will participate in a live webcast to discuss the regulations. This webcast will be interactive; viewers may ask questions via email prior to and during the live event. You may access the webcast here.

 

This Week at TransACT (October 20, 2008)

School Districts Reap Benefits as TransACT Secures Counsel of Brustein and Manasevit

School districts that subscribe to TransACT parent notices may now expect a higher level of compliance guidance and capability. This fall, TransACT announced a new relationship with the federal education law firm of Brustein and Manasevit. The firm is nationally recognized for providing legal advice and guidance regarding federal education programs such as No Child Left Behind and IDEIA/IDEA. Acting as legal counsel for TransACT, Brustein and Manasevit will provide pertinent updates regarding congressional and departmental actions that effect education. The law firm will also be the source of legal review for TransACT's parent notice collections. How will this impact you? Find out now.

 

This Week at TransACT (October 13, 2008)

Success Story

Success Story: Alabama State Department of Education

How the Alabama State Department of Education ensures that each district gets the resources they need, regardless of their size.


Read Alabama's success story.

 


This Week at TransACT (September 29, 2008)

October eNewsletter: How you can improve student achievement with parent communication

Do you want to improve parent involvement? This eNewsletter contains 12 expert tips to get you started. You'll also learn the surprising financial reward of parent involvement, find three ways to access new TransACT trainings and discover a new way to get more from your TransACT subscription.

Click here to read the October eNewsletter.

Click here to view our eNewsletter archive.

 

This Week at TransACT (September 8, 2008)

September eNewsletter: How you can improve student achievement with parent communication

How can you improve student achievement through parent communication? What do Obama and McCain have to say about NCLB? How can you get more value out of your current TransACT® Parent Notifications subscription? The answers to these questions may be found in this eNewsletter. You can also find an article resource library, the secret to VIP access to TransACT and what to do if your role has changed this year. Forward this email for a chance to win a Starbuck's gift card.

Click here to read the September eNewsletter.

Click here to view our eNewsletter archive.

 

This Week at TransACT (August 11, 2008)

TransACT presents a new website and logo!

Valuable feedback from customers inspired the TransACT team to build a better website. With faster navigation, a sleek new design, and enhanced functionality, we aim to provide the tools you need for successful school-to-home communication. These improvements are an essential component of our commitment to ensuring you have the confidence, knowledge and support to meet your compliance and communication demands.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the new design. Tell us what you think!

 

This Week at TransACT (July 28, 2008)

August eNewsletter: 3 timely tips for starting the school year right!

What tips and tricks do you need to know to start the school year right? How can you ensure all families feel welcomed at your schools? What is the best way to get VIP access to the TransACT® Parent Notices?

The answers to these questions may be found in this eNewsletter. You can also find an article resource library, two chances for a free cup of Starbucks coffee and the secret to communicating with your Chinese-speaking families.

Click here to read the August eNewsletter.

Click here to view our eNewsletter archive.

 

This Week at TransACT (July 7, 2008)

Success Story: Clovis Unified School District

Click here to read how Clovis Unified School District provides each school with professionally translated parent notifications without compromising quality or ideals, even in a time of extreme budget crisis.

Your online collections have been updated! Recent enhancements include:

NCLB Parent Notification collection, for Comprehensive All Language subscribers: Added Chinese NCLB translations

GenEd Parent Notification collection: Posted the following revised document under School Administration- Enrollment of Undocumented Students

 

This Week at TransACT (June 30, 2008)

June eNewsletter: 5 parent notices most often sent home by districts nation wide.

What parent letters were sent home most often? What did the most successful school administrators do to improve parent involvement? What was the biggest issue facing districts across the country?

The answers to these questions may be found in this eNewsletter. Also look for new translation announcements, the secret to successful implementation and two chances to win a Starbucks gift card.

Click here to read the June eNewsletter.

Click here to view our eNewsletter archive.

 

New TransACT® Academy dates added for September!

Now you can attend the two-day TransACT Academy workshop this fall. Over the course of the training, you will be equipped with the tools to fully implement and train others on the TransACT system in your region. Not only that, you'll leave the Academy as a TransACT® Certified Trainer. The TransACT Academy is challenging, fun and incredibly worthwhile. View academy details.

Your online collections have been updated!
We're working hard to update your collections to meet the latest parent communication requirements. Recent revisions include:

GenEd Parent Notification Collection - Free & Reduced Price Meals revised documents:

* IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR 2008-2009 - REVIEW IMMEDIATELY, TANF Version:

1. TANF - Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals
2. TANF - Letter to Households
3. TANF - Letter of Verification Results
4. TANF - Notice of Eligibility, Attachment 2
5. TANF - Notice of Denied Eligibility, Attachment 3
6. TANF - Temporary Approval Expiring, Attachment 4

* Generic Version:

1. GEN - Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals
2. GEN - Letter to Households
3. GEN - Letter of Verification Results
4. GEN - Notice of Eligibility, Attachment 2
5. GEN - Notice of Denied Eligibility, Attachment 3
6. GEN - Temporary Approval Expiring, Attachment 4

Updated Document Titles for the following documents:

  • Old Title: School Nurse Letter, Because We Care
    New Title: Student Health Letter, Because We Care - Version A (GenEd – Health and Medical)
  • Old Title: NCLB-B1 - NCLB-B1 - Home Language Survey
    New Title: NCLB-B1a - Home Language Survey
  • Old Title: Home Language Survey
    New Title: Home Language Survey - Version A (GenEd – School Administration)
  • Old Title: NCLB-F5 - School-Parent Compact
    New Title: NCLB-F5a - School-Parent Compact

Posted the following New Documents (English Only at this time):

  • NCLB-B1b - Home Language Survey
  • Home Language Survey - Version B (GenEd – School Administration)
  • NCLB-F5b - School-Parent Compact
  • Sec504-C8 - Section 504 Invitation To Manifestation Determination
  • School Event Invitation (GenEd – School Administration)
  • Student Race and Ethnicity Reporting (GenEd – School Administration)
  • Student Health Letter, Because We Care - Version B (GenEd – Health and Medical)

This Week at TransACT (June 23, 2008)

Chinese translations just published!

Now you can communicate the requirements of No Child Left Behind to Chinese-speaking families. New translations have just been added the the TransACT NCLB Parent Notification collection. View details»

This Week at TransACT (June 2, 2008)

Your online collections have been updated!
Recent updates include:

GenEd Parent Notification Collection:

  • Document Details added for the following notices: Emergency Early Dismissal Form, English Language Development Program, - Exit Letter, TX Reading Diagnosis Notification to Parents
  • School Administration document revised: Enrollment of Undocumented Students

Section 504 101

Just published!
Special Edition Newsletter: Section 504 101
Newly published special edition newsletter from TransACT helps staff understand basic Section 504 principles.
Download the PDF


This Week at TransACT (May 29, 2008)

May eNewsletter: 7 Documents You Need to complete your start-of-year packets

It’s already time to prepare for the next school year. Do you know what annual parent notifications to include in your welcome packets? Read seven of TransACT’s recommendations.

Also in this issue: The secret to successful implementation, templates for email information to staff and two chances to win a Starbucks card!

Read the May eNewsletter
View our eNewsletter archive



This Week at TransACT (May 19, 2008)

Your online collections have been updated! We’re working hard to ensure you meet ever changing parent communication requirements. Recent updates include:

NCLB Parent Notification Collection:

  • Chinese now available: You can now purchase the NCLB collection in Chinese.

GenEd Parent Notification Collection:

  • New Korean translations.

New USDOE guidance posted - NCLB Act and Regulations:

  • OELA: policy letter: Notice of proposed interpretations of TItle III provisions
iPOD Red

Elizabeth Tanner of Smithfield, NC wins and iPod Shuffle!
The winner of our most recent iPod shuffle drawing is Elizabeth Tanner of Smithfield, NC. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Would you like to be entered in a TransACT prize drawing? Watch our upcoming eNewsletters for drawing announcements. If you do not currently receive our eNewsletters, you can join the mailing list by using the form located in the top right of this page.


This Week at TransACT (May 5, 2008)

Success Story

Success Story: Georgia Department of Education
The Georgia Department of Education not only leads the charge in providing its districts with access to high quality, multi-lingual parent notices necessary for legal compliance, but also demonstrates how such an extensive resource can be disseminated effectively across the state.

Learn more about how GA leads the nation in student improvement through increased parent involvement.


This Week at TransACT (April 29, 2008)

April eNewsletter: The Grants and Funding Issue

Do you need more money? Funding all of your programs is difficult business. This issue of the TransACT eNewsletter will direct you to grants and funding sources to help you meet your parent notification needs.

Also included; Section 504 Compliance Collection deal only for current subscribers, California budget cuts and Georgia’s great success.
Read the April eNewsletter
View our eNewsletter archive

Your online collections have been updated! To view the new document, log-in to your subscription then look in the National Resources folder.

New USDOE Guidelines:

  • NCLB Act and Regulation: Proposed Title I Amendments

This Week at TransACT (April 21, 2008)

Your online collections have been updated! Recent updates include:

GenEd Parent Notification Collection:

  • New Japanese translations. (Korean coming soon.)
  • School Administration: Document details for the Residency Affidavit updated

New USDOE guidance posted:

  • USDOE policy letter: Differentiated Accountability

This Week at TransACT (April 14, 2008)

Limited-time pro-rated offer only for current subscribers
To make adding the Section 504 Compliance Collection to your subscription easier, we’re offering a pro-rated special to our current subscribers. Add the collection before May 31st and you’ll won’t pay full retail price, simply a reduced pro-rated amount.

To request your special pricing, call us at 425.977.2100. This offer ends May 31st, 2008.


This Week at TransACT (April 7, 2008)

Are you attending the NAFEPA Conference in Washington D.C. next week?
TransACT CEO Rick Passovoy and Regional Sales Manager Greg Heaston and will be attending the NAFEPA conference April 13th through April 16th. Stop by the TransACT booth for the opportunity to ask questions, make comments, just say hi, or most importantly, enter a drawing to win an iPod shuffle!

Stop by and see us at booth #24 anytime during the conference.


Success story! Success Story: Duval County Public Schools
“We trust that TransACT will always provide us with documents that are professionally translated and are updated, as needed, to stay in compliance with a variety of legal requirements,” said ESOL Supervisor Brenda Trimble of Duval County Public Schools. This success story highlights how Duval has used TransACT letters to ensure compliance with parent notification requirements for over ten years.

Learn more about how Duval reaches every family.


New Publication! New Publication: Avoid common Title I audit findings
TransACTs most recent publication demonstrates how our online parent notification collections help school, districts and states avoid common Title I audit findings.

Download a pdf to learn how we can help you.


This Week at TransACT (March 31, 2008)

March eNewsletter: The Audit Assistance Issue
Are you ready for a federal audit? “Audits are happening and will continue to happen,” said Phil Rosenfelt of the U.S. Department of Education during a speech at the NASTID conference last February. "The Secretary of Education has indicated an interest in more effective parent notification leading to more participation." This eNewletter includes valuable information to help you prepare for federal and local monitoring.

Also in this issue: Read about the great success of Duval County Public Schools, Puyallup School District's smart approach to district-wide TransACT awareness and how Polk County Public Schools keeps their ELL families involved.

Read the March eNewsletter.

Poster Win a “Welcome to Our School” poster!
Would you like to win one of TransACT's highly sought-after Welcome to Our School poster? Simply use this form to refer your Section 504 Coordinator to us and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a poster. Winners are drawn weekly!




This Week at TransACT (March 10, 2008)

Are you certain you are meeting all the parent notification requirements of Section 504?
New Section 504 Compliance Collection demonstrations dates have been added. This demo will show you how to use TransACT documents to meet requirements for non-discrimination notices, initial student screening, accurately determining student eligibility, evaluation and re-evaluation procedures, thorough accommodation plans and parent permissions. Click on the button below to view the dates and time available.

Register for a FREE Section 504 Compliance demonstration

Your online collection has been updated!
Additional guidance documents posted:

  • USDOE Guidance: Targeted Assistance Programs - Funds for HQT - 2003
  • USDOE Guidance: Targeted Assistance Programs - AYP - 2004
  • NCLB Guidance: Title I - Fiscal Issues
  • NCLB Guidance: ACCT-C3 - Office of English Language Acquisition - Fiscal Q & A 2006
  • OCR Policy Letter: Access to Accelerated Programs - 12/2007
  • Section 504 Guidance: UI: Beyond the Classroom - Section 504 Violations

iPod Maria Crenshaw of Richmond, VA wins and iPod shuffle!
The winner of our most recent iPod shuffle drawing for demonstration attendees is Maria Crenshaw of Richmond, VA. Congratulations Maria!


This Week at TransACT (February 18, 2008)

Success story! Success Story: The Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has teamed with the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) and TransACT Communications, Inc. to provide a consistent statewide solution for parent notification requirements. The statewide subscription option provides a solution for all included districts at a fraction of the cost of individual plans.

Read about Pennsylvania's smart partnerships.


Are you attending the ESOL conference in Georgia next week?
TransACT Executive Director of Customer Operations, Monica Munar, is hosting special training sessions at the 7th Annual ESOL Conference at Kennesaw State University.

A TransACT subscription is provided free to all Georgia school districts through the Georgia Department of Education. These conference trainings will show users how to access their free translations online in addition to sharing best practice tips for navigating the site successfully.

Sessions will be held twice daily on both February 26th & 27th in room 210 at the KSU Center. Sessions start at 1:00pm and 2:15pm and run for 45 minutes. Sessions are limited to 24 participants, so be sure to arrive on time to ensure you get a computer station.

Not yet registered for the conference? No worries. There's still room for the February 26th sessions. February 27 is completely full and no longer accepting registrations.


This Week at TransACT (February 11, 2008)

iPod Joan Fitton is the winner of our iPod shuffle!
The winner of our iPod shuffle drawing is Joan Fitton of Worcester, MA. Thanks to all our current subscribers who filled out a two-question survey regarding audits. Your input will help us improve our collections and serve you better.

Additional documents posted in National Resources (NCLB Accountability & Compliance):

  • Teacher Compensation: Two reports examining the issue of teacher compensation were released by a nonpartisan research and educational institute, The Center for American Progress. The reports examine differential compensation for teachers in eight states and issues that must be addressed to move away from the current teacher compensation system that is predominately based upon the single salary schedule. The reports are found in National Resources in the District and School Leadership folder under Teacher Compensation.
  • National Assessment of Title I: Final Report: As part of NCLB, the Congress mandated a National Assessment of Title I to evaluate the implementation and impact of the program. The law specifically requires a longitudinal study of Title I schools to examine the implementation and impact of the Title I. Read the results from the study in the Final Report and the Summary of Key Findings which were revised January, 2008 and are posted under NCLB in the Title I folder.

This Week at TransACT (January 21, 2008)

Additional USDOE guidance documents posted:

  • NCLB Guidance: Title I - Reading First (Guidance Papers)
  • NCLB Guidance: Title I - Early Reading First (Guidance Papers)
  • NCLB Guidance: Title III - Assessment and Accountability for Recently Arrived and Former LEP Students (Guidance Papers)
  • USDOE: Highly Qualified Teachers (Policy Letters)

This Week at TransACT (December 14, 2007)

Section 504 apple Focus on Section 504: TransACT winter eNewsletter now available
The winter edition of the TransACT eNewsletter is available online. We've packed this edition with helpful Section 504 information. Click here to read more about how Section 504 requirements apply to you and common district compliance failures.

Also in this edition, read about helpful site usage tips, adding a pass-through link to your district intranet, professional development opportunities and more.




This Week at TransACT (December 10, 2007)

Additional accountability and compliance guidance documents posted under the Section 504 Compliance Collection:

  • Regulations: CFR - Equal Access to Public School Facilities for the Boy Scouts of America Final Regulations
  • Resources: OCR Finding - Access to Services by LEP Students - Denver Public Schools, Sample Nondiscrimination Policy - Virginia Beach City Public Schools
  • Guidance Papers: OCR Memo - Compliance with Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001, USDOE - Student Placement, Section 504, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, OCR - Deaf Student Education Services, Revised Assurance of Compliance - Civil Rights Certificate Form

This Week at TransACT (December 5, 2008)

success story! Success Story: The Kentucky Department of Education
The Kentucky Department of Education has teamed with TransACT to provide consistent parent notifications across the state with no room for compliance failure. The statewide subscription option provides a solution for all included districts at a fraction of the cost of individual plans.

Read more about Kentucky's great success.


More changes have been made to our parent notification collections. Updates are as follow:

  • The entire Section 504 Compliance Collection is now available in Spanish.
  • PDF files have been adjusted to ensure that district names may be viewed at all times.
  • Collections have been customized per request for Mississippi and Minnesota, as well as for Boston Public Schools.

This Week at TransACT (November 26, 2007)

Are we in your area this week?
Members of the TransACT team will be present at two conferences this week. Are you attending either of these conferences? If so, stop by. We’d love to see you.

Louisville, Kentucky: Talk to us in person at the SETESOL 2007 Regional Conference. Come hear our Executive Director of Customer Operations Monica Munar present: Breaking Language Barriers and Building Bridges: Communicate with Parents by using TransACT this Friday (11/30) from 9:00am to 9:45am in the Clubhouse Room. Maureen Keithley, Kentucky Department of Education Title III - LEP/Immigrant Consultant will co-present.

Tampa, Florida: Meet TransACT President/CEO Rick Passovoy at the AESA Annual Conference this week in Tampa, Florida. Rick will be leading a workshop with Dick Moody, Director of Business Services for AESA showcasing ActPoint Roadmaps. Join this workshop Friday (11/30) at 10:45 in room 9.


This Week at TransACT (November 12, 2007)

New Section 504 webinar options added
You've heard about the release of our new Section 504 Compliance Collection. Do you also know that online demonstrations are available for you to preview the collection and learn more about how Section 504 requirements affect your district?
Learn more


This Week at TransACT (November 5, 2007)

Section 504 Compliance collection just released!
Our latest subscription add-on provides you with the forms, notices and letters you need to communicate Section 504 requirements and processes with staff and parents. This collection of parent notifications is available in English and Spanish.

Click here to read more or to add Section 504 compliance assurance to your subscription.


This Week at TransACT (October 29, 2007)

Additional USDOE guidance documents posted:

  • NCLB Guidance: Title I - Modified Academic Achievement Standards 07/2007 (Guidance Papers
  • USDOE: Summary - Final Regulations on Modified Achievement Standards 05/2007 (Policy Letters)

This Week at TransACT (October 22, 2007)

New translations and revisions have been posted to the parent notification collections!

Revisions and additions to TransACT IDEA 2004 and NCLB Parent Notifications:

  • IDEA-B4 - Invitation to Manifestation Determination Review - Rev. 08/2007
  • NCLB-C4 - District Not Making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Letter to Parents - Rev. 06/2007

New translations for TransACT NCLB Parent Notifications:
(Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Arabic and Hmong)

  • NCLB-C5 - District Improvement Plan Meeting, Invitation to Participate
  • NCLB-C9 - Meeting Notice: Parent and Community Comment on School Restructuring Plan
  • NCLB-C10 - Notice to Parents: Options During Restructuring
  • NCLB-D7 - Change in District Status as Supplemental Educational Services Provider

This Week at TransACT (October 8, 2007)

Revisions and additions to TransACT NCLB Parent Notifications:

  • Revised document details for the following documents: NCLB-A5 and NCLB-A6