Friday, October 4, 2024
Welcome to the ConnectEd Bulletin Board!
This is the place to find opportunities for further professional development, grant and awards opportunities, and much more!
- Pertussis in Wisconsin Schools
- 2025 Education Commission of the States (ECS) Award Nominations Now Open
- Cybersecurity Awareness & Keeping Kids Safe Online Month
- Military-Connected Prospective Student Information Session and Campus Tour
- Wisconsin Council on Special Education Public Forum
- Sign up for the Wisconsin Great Apple Crunch!
- Opioid Prevention Grant
- Special Education Conference
- Building the Heart of Successful Schools Conference Scholarships Available
- Educational Equity Fall Institute
- PBS Wisconsin Education’s ‘Wisconsin Biographies’ collection welcomes Roberto Hernández
- New Career Pathway Maps Released
- Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program Update
- 2024-25 Transition Readiness Grant Awards
- Transition Planning Training for Newly Licensed Teachers
- Coming Soon - Wisconsin Arts Celebration Project 2024
- Anti-Human Trafficking Webinars for School Staff 2024-25
- We've Moved! Update Your DPI Contacts
- Forward Exam Results Available for Districts
- Division for Learning Support Leadership Conference
- Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted Education Annual Conference
- DPI Focuses on Growth-Based Mindset in Updated Student Performance Level Descriptors for Standardized Assessments
Pertussis in Wisconsin Schools
The Department of Health Services Bureau of Communicable Diseases continues to report Pertussis is increasing nationwide and that Wisconsin has reported cases in 49 counties as of September 20, 2024. Therefore, Wisconsin school districts can expect to be seeing cases of pertussis along with other respiratory infections (influenza, COVID, RSV) along with “the common cold” this fall, winter, and possibly the entire 2024-25 school year. In an effort to support the health and safety of students, staff, and community members, while balancing attendance concerns, the Department of Public Instruction has posted Pertussis in Wisconsin Schools information.
2025 Education Commission of the States (ECS) Award Nominations Now Open
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) shares this opportunity and encourages you to submit a nomination for one or both of these important national awards!
Do you know an education-focused individual, and/or organization that has earned your respect and appreciation? ECS Commissioners have special, priority access to nominations for the 2025 ECS Awards. Please take some time to submit a nomination for one of our annual awards!
- James Bryant Conant Award. Named for the co-founder of Education Commission of the States and former president of Harvard University, the Conant Award celebrates an outstanding individual’s contribution to American education.
- Education Commission of the States Corporate Award. The Corporate Award recognizes a corporation or foundation that demonstrates a sustained commitment to improving public education in the United States.
To submit a nomination, please complete this form and follow its instructions. The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 11. Email any questions to ECSAwards@ecs.org. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2025 National Forum on Education Policy in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Cybersecurity Awareness & Keeping Kids Safe Online Month
In today's digital age, it's crucial to equip children with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world safely. By understanding the potential risks and learning how to protect themselves, children can become responsible digital citizens and enjoy the benefits of technology without compromising their security.
- Equip students with the skills to navigate the digital world safely by teaching them about online privacy, responsible social media use, and the dangers of cyberbullying.
- Foster digital literacy in classrooms to empower students to critically evaluate online information, recognize misinformation, and protect their personal data.
- Create a supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable discussing online safety concerns and seeking help when needed.
- Helpful resources: Wisconsin DPI’s Keeping Kids Safe Online K-12 Contest, K-8 Cybersecurity Lessons, and Cyber Career Profiles
- Return to top
Military-Connected Prospective Student Information Session and Campus Tour
Monday, November 4, 12:30-3:15pm
Union South, 1308 W Dayton St
Madison, WI
For the first time, our office is partnering with UW-Madison Campus and Visitor Relations to host a military-connected student visit day. This will be an excellent opportunity for military children in the state of Wisconsin to learn more about UW-Madison and how to fund their academic dreams.We want all prospective students to have the opportunity to discover how UW-Madison supports military-connected Badgers.
During this visit, attendees will receive a 45-minute information session from the UW-Madison Admissions office covering the college application process, timeline, and requirements. Afterward, University Veteran Services will present a 30-minute overview of military education benefits, including state and federal GI Bill benefits, and our role in the benefit application and certification processes. The visit will end with a guided tour of campus. This information session targets high school and adult learners, so military children across the state will be eagerly welcomed! RSVP here, or more information, inquire via email.
Wisconsin Council on Special Education Public Forum
Wisconsin DPI asks school districts to share the following with their school communities.
The State Superintendent’s Council on Special Education is pleased to announce its annual Public Forum to obtain broad-based input on special education. The purpose for this forum is to gather input from families, school administrators, educators, community representatives, and others, on the unique challenges and successes of special education in Wisconsin. The Public Forum will take place remotely through Zoom.
The Public Forum will be on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. Public Forum Fliers in English and Spanish include additional information and links to submit online comments. Click on this link to register to attend this public forum.
If you cannot attend the live forum, you may also submit comments online between October 2 and 11 in English and Spanish.
Sign up for the Wisconsin Great Apple Crunch!
Celebrate National Farm to School Month this October by crunching into locally and regionally grown apples on Thursday, October 10! All early care centers, family day care home providers, schools, and other organizations are invited to participate. Register your organization at the UW Healthy Eating & Active Living webpage and receive helpful Crunch resources. Visit the Apple Crunch Facebook page to get updates and see photos from last year’s Crunch.
Opioid Prevention Grant
Any public school district, tribal school, private school, independent (2r and 2x) charter school, or consortia may apply for an opioid prevention grant. The focus is on grants that will support new or existing substance use prevention programs supplemented with knowledge and skills specific to opioid prevention and unintentional fentanyl exposure. Funding priorities will be projects that address substance use prevention policy and opioid prevention messaging, evidence-based substance use prevention curriculum, or programs with a clear description of how this will be enhanced with opioid prevention knowledge and skills. The equitable geographic distribution of funds will also be considered. Up to $50,000 per grant, depending upon enrollment and type of organization will be allocated. Applications are due to DPI by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16. For more information and recorded webinar, visit the DPI Opioid Prevention Grant webpage.
Special Education Conference
The CESA 11 EdEvents Special Education Conference 2024 will be held from November 14-15, 2024, at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells, WI. Keynote speakers include Mills Rodgers, a national speaker on topics related to educational equity of diverse populations, and Kate Swensen, founder of Finding Cooper’s Voice. This year, the DPI Special Education Team will also have a number of sectional presentations on topics including Act 20 and special education, working collaboratively in special education, College and Career Ready IEPs at a Glance, Behavior as a Form of Communication, Functional Behavioral Assessment, Developmental Language Disorder, and DPI updates. Link to registration and more information.
Building the Heart of Successful Schools Conference Scholarships Available
Scholarship applications are now available for registration for the in-person conference on December 5, 2024. This scholarship application will be available until 8 a.m. on October 31, 2024, or until the maximum number of applications have been received. All applicants will be notified of their application status in early November. Additional information on the Building the Heart of Successful Schools Conference can be found on the WISH Center website.
Educational Equity Fall Institute
Thursday, October 24th
Please join The Network for a transformative virtual day dedicated to learning and unlearning the complexities surrounding systemic changes to address racial disproportionality. We will begin our morning with Menominee Educator and Leader, Kaméwanukiw Paula Rabideaux, who will lead us in grounding through ancestral homage and wisdom. This will set the foundation for understanding and honoring Indigenous knowledge as we engage with the day's learning.
Next, staff from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will provide an overview of racial disproportionality in education, offering key insights into how it impacts students and systems in our state. Dr. Maxine McKinney de Royston and ananda de oliveira mirilli will then guide participants in identifying how inequities show up within their schools and districts, encouraging deep reflection and collaborative problem-solving.
Participants will explore the concept of systemic change in education, gaining clarity on their own roles in initiating and sustaining meaningful transformation. They will also be introduced to the Theory of Change, a powerful framework for mapping out the short- and long-term actions necessary to achieve sustainable equity practices.
Participation in the Educational Equity Network's Fall Institute is completely FREE and funded through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Register to attend now!
PBS Wisconsin Education’s ‘Wisconsin Biographies’ collection welcomes Roberto Hernández
PBS Wisconsin Education recently added a new story to the Wisconsin Biographies collection. Roberto Hernández: Working for La Comunidad shares the story of Roberto Hernández, who became an activist for better educational opportunities for his fellow Latino students in Milwaukee.
New Career Pathway Maps Released
Beth Kaminski, State Career Pathways Director, has released two new career pathway maps and two revised career pathway maps:
- Non-Direct Patient Care (NEW!)
- Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (NEW!)
- Advanced Manufacturing (revised)
- Business Administration (revised)
In creating or revising pathways, Beth reaches out to employers, educators, economic and workforce development partners from across the state and within each region to ensure that the career pathways reflect their needs. The first page of each “pathway map” shows the jobs that are available in the pathway, depending on level of education. The subsequent pages of the map are for individual districts to list the academic courses, dual-credit courses, work-based learning, industry-recognized credentials, and CTSOs available through their high school.
Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program Update
Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program is ramping up for its second year of support for novice special educators through the local CESAs around the state. By using a three-prong approach involving “just in time” professional learning, coaching sessions, and support networking opportunities, the induction program aims to support first- or second-year special educators and special educators holding a license with stipulations (LWS). If your district has hired new or LWS special educators this year, they are eligible to receive induction support. In addition, any new teachers who participated in the induction program in 2023-24, are eligible for continued coaching and/or support network opportunities in 2024-25. CESAs are currently accepting nominations and registration for participation. Contact your local CESA special education leadership for more information. Click here to learn more about Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program.
2024-25 Transition Readiness Grant Awards
The DPI is excited to announce the Transition Readiness Grant (TRG) Awards for the 2024-25 school year. School districts and charter schools under Wis. Stat. 118.40(2r) and (2x) were eligible to compete for funding that supports evidence-based practices related to the successful transition from high school for students with Individualized Education Programs. The $1.5 million fund will support:
- Transportation options (including contracted services or vehicle purchases),
- Competitive Integrated Employment Training (CIE) Programs,
- Post-secondary tuition or supports for students, and
- Transition Training for Staff Members.
For a full list of awards, visit the TRG webpage.
Transition Planning Training for Newly Licensed Teachers
The Transition Improvement Grant will be hosting two in person training opportunities for newly licensed special education teachers. This free training will be hosted on October 15, 2024, at CESA 2 in Whitewater, WI, or on October 17, 2024, at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Stevens Point, WI.
The training is open to any educator new to transition including administrators. Training objectives include:
- Demonstrate ability to write compliant Postsecondary Transition Plans (PTPs)
- Ability to use tools within the PTP
- application to increase efficiency during the PTP writing process
- Increased ability to engage families in transition planning
- Build awareness of PTP resources and supports
Registration is open through October 10, 2024. Further details on the training and a link to register can be found on the event flier. Questions can be directed to Jenny Jacobs at jjacobs@cesa7.org.
Coming Soon - Wisconsin Arts Celebration Project 2024
The Wisconsin Arts Celebration Project (WACP) began in 2023 as a collaborative project between the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin Arts Board created to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wisconsin Arts Board. The project offers FREE music, lesson plans, and materials created by Wisconsin artists and educators to Wisconsin schools, communities, and libraries. The project continues in 2024 with MORE collaborations, connections and opportunities!
The 2024 WACP will center on the theme of “Curiosity”. As Sir Ken Robinson once said, "If teachers can keep the flame of curiosity burning in children, then pretty much everything else will follow from that. Curiosity is the engine of achievement." This year's project will launch on this website around October 18, 2024. Below are the artists and educators contributing to this year's project. We are grateful to each of them!
To learn more and to see a list of our contributing artists and educators, head to the website.
Anti-Human Trafficking Webinars for School Staff 2024-25
The Department of Children and Families, in partnership with DPI, will again provide free learning opportunities in the 2024-25 school year. Click here to view a flier of the trainings with registration. The two sessions are:
- ‘It Happens Here’ Facilitation Guide & Lessons: Training for School Staff & Other Professionals Supporting Anti-Trafficking
- It Happens Here’ Documentary Community Screening & Discussion
We've Moved! Update Your DPI Contacts
As of August 5th, the DPI is now located within the Tommy G. Thompson Building, a few short blocks away from our previous location at GEF-3. Our new address is:
201 West Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone numbers and email addresses for DPI colleagues will remain the same.
Forward Exam Results Available for Districts
School District administrators should have already received access to the 2023-24 Forward Exam results through the DRC INSIGHT Portal. We’ve prepared resources for you and your teams to communicate these changes to your staff and the communities you serve on our Forward Exam Data and Results. Paper ISRs will be mailed to districts in late August. Schools and districts should share ISRs with families and can use the vendor reports for planning purposes. Assessment results will be available later this summer in the secure DPI WISEdash for Districts portal, and publicly available in the WISEdash Public Portal in early fall. WISEdash provides comprehensive, quality assured, and official reporting used for report cards, school and district improvement planning, and public information.
One important result of these improvements is that current Forward assessment results in ELA and mathematics are not comparable to previous year results. This is similar to what happened when assessment or standards changes were made in 2012-13 with the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exams, 2014-15 with the Badger Exam, and in 2015-16 with the Forward Exam (as well as in 2018-19 and 2021-22 in science and social studies, respectively, to reflect updated standards in those disciplines).
We have developed a few resources to help communicate these changes and make them understandable. Several resources are available on the Forward Exam Data and Results webpage. These resources may be helpful for your planning and can assist in answering questions you may receive regarding recent updates to the Forward Exam English language arts and mathematics test designs, as well as the standard setting conducted in June.
Click here to read more about the standard-setting process and Forward Exam improvements.
For more information, please contact Phil Olsen, Assistant Director, Office of Educational Accountability at DPIOSAmail@dpi.wi.gov.
Division for Learning Support Leadership Conference
This year, the 40th Annual State Superintendent's Conference on Special Education and Pupil Services Leadership will be an in-person event. It will be a one-day conference on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at the Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Our keynote speakers will be Julie Weatherly and Rebecka Peterson. View the Registration Flyer here. Registration is now available here. The cost is $110 per person. Unfortunately, payments will need to be made by check or ACH this year. No credit card payments are accepted. Please determine with your business office if the fee will be paid by ACH or direct deposit prior to registering. Registration will close on Sunday, October 6, 2024. Lodging information is available on our website. Please note the cut-off date for the room block is Sunday, September 15, 2024.
This year we are coordinating our conference with the WCASS fall conference. The WCASS conference will be held on October 17-18, 2024, at the Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. You will need to register separately for both conferences. Please contact Brianna Scott at brianna.scott@dpi.wi.gov with any questions.
Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted Education Annual Conference
October 7-8, 2024
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted’s annual conference is for teachers, parents, administrators, counselors, coordinators, college students and more! WATG’s Annual Conference is a great opportunity to expand your connections and to find the information you need to help meet the needs of gifted and talented youth. Classroom teachers, administrators, G/T coordinators and resource teachers, college professors, parents, and college students can all benefit from the sessions and learning at this event.
For more information or to register, visit the WATG web site.
DPI Focuses on Growth-Based Mindset in Updated Student Performance Level Descriptors for Standardized Assessments
Following months of extensive engagement with internal and external education partners, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is updating terminology used to describe performance levels on required statewide standardized assessments. The updated terms are intended to foster conversations promoting student potential and growth at every level. Read the press release.
A handout with more detail regarding the update can be found on the DPI’s website. Information on the Wisconsin Student Assessment System can also be found on the DPI’s website.
State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly delivers 2024 State of Education Address via Wisconsin DPI
On Thursday, September 26, Dr. Jill Underly delivered the 2024 State of Education Address at the Wisconsin State Capitol. During her remarks, Dr. Underly renewed her call for increased investment and opportunity in public education and emphasized the importance of student belonging.
State of Education Address Press Coverage
- State Superintendent Jill Underly: Wisconsin has 'more than enough money' to fund public schools (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- State superintendent asks for more school funding as fight continues over frozen literacy cash (TMJ4)
- Wisconsin superintendent calls on Legislature to increase special education funding (Wisconsin Public Radio)
- State superintendent highlights the need for belonging in State of Education address (WKOW)
- State Superintendent Jill Underly: Wisconsin has 'more than enough money' to fund public school (Post Crescent)
State education roundtable focuses on cybersecurity via Sun Prairie Star
White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. joined State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly at the Sun Prairie Public Library Wednesday morning, for a roundtable discussion with Wisconsin education leaders to share available resources to help schools and libraries protect themselves from increasing cyber attacks.
Events in Milwaukee, Lac du Flambeau recall treatment of Indigenous kids in boarding schools via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mark Denning acknowledges he doesn't know a lot about the history of a now defunct Milwaukee area girls asylum. But he's hoping more people become aware of its grim history, and the history of other places like it.
With pandemic aid expiring, Wisconsin school districts turn to referendums via WKOW
Wisconsin’s school districts need to make commitments by Monday for the nearly $1.5 billion in pandemic aid the federal government awarded them in the last round of support.