TransACT Blog

"Parent Notifications Summary, Checklist & Timelines" is a resource to help educators identify the important parent notification distribution, timelines, and responsibilities. This document is provided to TransACT ParentNotices customers with an active subscription to the ESEA (ESSA) ParentNotices Collection. In August of 2018, this resource was updated with a new title and guidance.

As part of our commitment to provide school district administrators with resources and guidance on federal program compliance and administration, we regularly publish blogs featuring guest writers. We are honored to feature a co-written article between TransACT Executive Director of Federal Compliance and State Relationships, Dr. Holbrook, and his former colleague Keja Nokomis Whiteman, 

an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians discussing the importance of incorporating cultural history to support positive learning outcomes for Native Americans. 

I was motivated to initiate the writing of this blog when I saw a news story via Politico about the return of the remains of four Native American children from the graveyard associated with the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, one of the boarding schools that were part of past attempts to forcibly assimilate Native Americans into the dominant American culture. The mortality rate for Native American students at this school was approximately 2%. The school operated from 1879 through 1918 and over that time period housed about 10,000 students.

There are several points throughout the school year where parent communication is required by law, but it can be difficult to keep track of the dates or specific circumstances which warrant required or recommended parent communication.

States, school districts and charter networks who subscribe to TransACT ParentNotices' ESSA  have a helpful resource to help them keep track of these timelines and requirements: "ACCT-A3 - ESEA Stakeholder Notifications Summary, Checklist & Timelines"

The beginning of the school year is a very busy time for school district staff, especially those working in the front office of schools. Enrolling new students can be a time consuming process. The multitude of forms to be completed and information to be loaded into student information systems can consume enormous amounts of time. This can take the focus off of other important student related issues. One such issue is students that are newly experiencing homelessness, who became homeless over the summer. These students may be eligible for services, but may not receive those services if they are not identified.

The National Council of State Title III Directors (NCSTIIID) has opened registration for a special meeting. This National Special Meeting will be held November 14, 2018 in Santa Fe, New Mexico in collaboration with La Cosecha. The NCSTIIID typically only meets face-to-face with members once annually.

Back in February I wrote about the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos’, proposed reorganization of the U.S. Department of Education (USED) that would eliminate the USED’s Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA). Since then, a group of 18 EL advocacy organizations and members of the U.S. Congress have written letters in opposition to the elimination of OELA.

The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has published notice in the Federal Register that it is receiving applications for Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFECs). Funding for SFECs is authorized under Title IV, Part E of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This is the first time this funding will be awarded under ESSA.

If you have been following the situation with regard to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, you'll know:

The National Council of State Title III Directors (NCSTIIID) will host its Spring Webinar on May 10, 2018 from 11:30 am - 1:00pm Eastern Time. Those interested are invited to join to learn how State Title I and Title III Directors are collaborating at the national level to meet the needs of English Learners (ELs). The meeting will include information about the EL Newcomer Toolkit from USED, updates on NCSTIIID activities, and what is happening at the federal level.

On Wednesday March 21, 2018 the U.S. Congress released the text of its $1.3 trillion FY2018 Omnibus Spending Bill. If passed by both the House and the Senate and signed by the President, this bill will fund the government for the remainder of the current fiscal year (until October 1, 2018). The Government is currently operating on its fifth CR (Continuing Resolution, a temporary government funding bill). If Congress fails to pass this bill by midnight on... read more at 21CCLC.com.