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May 13, 2020
WHAT'S INSIDE
Charter Schools Illinois Educator Survey
Curriculum & Instruction Illinois Report Card
Educator Effectiveness ISBE Board Meetings
Elevating Educators Nutrition Programs
Funding & Disbursements Truants’ Alternative & Optional Education Program
Grant Accountability and Transparency Act In Brief
Dear Colleagues:
We have answered more of your frequently asked questions about English Learners on our website.
This updated guidance includes information about the ACCESS test, Title III grants, licensure,
assessment and placement of students, curriculum, and testing for the Seal of Biliteracy. You can
access the new FAQ here (/Documents/EL-Remote-Learning-FAQ-5-11-20.pdf).
While we’re on the topic of multilingual students, I want to congratulate the 100 West Aurora High
seniors who earned the Seal of Biliteracy, plus another 68 who earned Commendations toward
biliteracy this year. Those credentials were earned in seven different languages (Arabic, French, Kamtok, Persian Farsi, Spanish, Swahili,
Vietnamese), and 10 trilingual students earned Seals in two different languages! You can view a video honoring these amazing students here
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIu_2NnhSLY).
I’d like to alert you to some upcoming opportunities to learn more about meeting the needs of our youngest students. The Erikson Institute is
offering three free webinars this month: one on social-emotional learning focusing on relationships as regulators (tomorrow at 3 p.m., register
here (https://erikson-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uXp21nkySmubP6GQzOqvHQ)); one for teachers of emergent bilinguals (pre-k
through 3rd grade) offering supports for distance learning (May 21 at 3 p.m., register here (https://erikson-
edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_agzReFD8RnecOq-aiO5Qtw)); and one for family care providers, regarding developmentally appropriate
technology (May 28 at 6 p.m., register here (https://erikson-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pwjEHvBLQ-uXTEUWcOPIJg)). Additionally, the
Director of Illinois Virtual School is hosting a free webinar on how to facilitate online discussions with remote learners in grades 6-12 (May 15 at
1 p.m., registerhere (https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VtIk_CSHRH-pyRL29iqZ7g)).
At the other end of the spectrum, May is Older Americans Month, and the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) is encouraging all Illinoisans to
“Make Your Mark” in the lives of our older adults. Delivering a meal, writing a letter, or just a simple phone call to check-in will certainly bring a
smile to anyone’s face.
Today in Illinois, people 85 years of age and older is the fastest growing segment of the older population, and by 2030, individuals 65 years of
age and older will comprise almost 25 percent of Illinois’s population. Members of this age group, along with individuals with underlying medical
conditions, are among those most at risk for health complications related to COVID-19. Wearing a mask in public continues to be one of the
best ways to protect the health of our older community members.For more information on how you can Make Your Mark, and for programs and services available to assist older adults in Illinois, visit
www.illinois.gov/aging (http://www.illinois.gov/aging) or contact the state’s Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 (hearing impaired call 888-206-
1327) or by email aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov (mailto:aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov).
Today I want to give the royal treatment to the Queen Bee School District in Glendale Heights. Queen Bee is a Tier 1 district where 38 percent
of the students are English Learners, and 49 different languages are spoken. As of late April, the district had achieved a 90 percent
participation rate and 80 percent assignment turn-in rate for remote learning. They’re also providing remote social services, using the first 10
minutes of connection to speak to a parent and the remainder of the time to video chat with the student. Keep up the great work!
Sincerely,
Carmen
DATES AND DEADLINES
Please note this is not a complete list of events, meetings, and deadlines. For more events and details, visit the ISBE Calendar page
(https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ISBE-Meetings.aspx).
May Employment Information System (EIS) 2020 – Salary, Benefits, Days Absent, Evaluations, Removing
14 Missing Positions & Data Quality Webinar
(https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7447123503251294224)
May Deadline to submit Special Education DCFS Youth-in-Care Verification to IWAS
15
May Deadline to submit Educator Effectiveness Grade Range Feedback Survey
15 (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=hv5kA8ZJ9Eq1LDNameV30QQ53mBiUxpNoyfmYnNTYYhUQVpWMDRWNzAzQU1ONVRSODUx
WlVUNlU4Ti4u)
May FY 2021 Truants' Alternative and Optional Education Program (TAOEP) RFP Webinar
18 (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6370047410506381067)
May Illinois State Board of Education meeting
20 (https://www.isbe.net/Lists/ISBECalendar/DisplayForm.aspx?ID=4488)
May Deadline to submit CTE Educator Pathway Grant applications (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Career-
22 Technical-Education.aspx)
May Deadline to submit 2020-21 Student Advisory Council applications
29 (https://www.isbe.net/studentvoices)
May Deadline to complete the Illinois Educator Survey
31 (https://uisits.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7X3cbKDu7VnbjRb)
June Deadline to review EBF Preliminary FY 2021 Data (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ebfdistribution.aspx)
1
June Deadline to submit Illinois Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel nominations
5 (https://isbe.submittable.com/submit)
June Deadline to submit TAEOP Request for Proposals in IWAS
26
COVID-19 – IN CASE YOU MISSED ITEach week, this section will contain a list of the resources and information posted to the COVID-19 webpage (/Pages/covid19.aspx) over
the past week. Please continue to check the COVID-19 webpage (/Pages/covid19.aspx) on a daily basis for the newest updates and
information.
Messages from the State Superintendent
Message from State Superintendent Dr. Carmen I. Ayala (/Documents/Message-05-11-2020.pdf) - May 11
Message from State Superintendent Dr. Carmen I. Ayala (/Documents/Message-05-8-20.pdf) - May 8
General Guidance
ISBE Guidance for Schools and Districts (/Documents/FAQ-5-8-20.pdf) – May 8
DCFS/ISBE Joint Guidance on Student Wellness Checks (/Documents/DCFS-ISBE-Student-Wellness-Visit.pdf) – May 6
Summer School Guidance for Schools and Districts (/Documents/Summer-School-2020-Guidance.pdf) – May 6
Governor’s Office- Restore Illinois: A Public Health Approach to Safely Reopen our State
(https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/sfc/servlet.shepherd/document/download/069t000000BadS0AAJ?operationContext=S1) - May 5
Special Education
Special Education FAQ (/Documents/SPED-FAQ-05-08-20.pdf) - May 8
Multilingual Education
English Learner and English Learner Services During Remote Learning FAQ (/Documents/EL-Remote-Learning-FAQ-5-11-20.pdf)
- May 11
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CHARTER SCHOOLS
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PUBLIC ACT 101-0291 REQUIRES PARENT MEMBER AND TRAINING FOR CHARTER BOARDS
Public Act 101-0291, which became effective on Jan. 1, 2020, creates new requirements for all charter boards or governing bodies to be
completed by Jan. 1, 2021.These changes include:
Each board or governing body must include a member who is a parent/guardian of a current student enrolled at the charter school.
Each voting member of the charter board or governing body must complete required annual professional development leadership training.
Information about the new requirements and the authorized training providers can be found in PA 101 0291
(http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=101-0291&GA=101).
Please email any questions to charter@isbe.net (mailto:charter@isbe.net).
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
DRIVE-UP WI-FI HOT SPOTS
In order to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois agencies have worked collaboratively to provide this map/list of Drive-Up
Wi-Fi Hotspots throughout the state of Illinois (http://illinois.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?
id=23e8046edd2940bc8ad3ad1725e47cd0). We encourage you to help us enhance this map by submitting your school district’s Wi-Fi hotspots
via a brief survey (https://arcg.is/1LufGK).
Please contact Samantha Leav at sleav@isbe.net (mailto:sleav@isbe.net) with questions regarding the map or survey.EW
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EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS
SEEKING FEEDBACK ON ENDORSEMENT APPLICATION PROCESS
ISBE is exploring potential changes to endorsement grade spans to streamline the current endorsement application process for educators,
provide districts with greater flexibility when hiring, and alleviate unnecessary preparation regulations for institutions of higher education. We
have met with several stakeholder groups over the last few months to obtain feedback on condensing and revising the existing early childhood,
elementary, middle grade, secondary, and special endorsement grade spans. Ultimately, we would like to have one grade range associated
with each endorsement.
We need your feedback! We are particularly interested in your thoughts regarding the proper grade range for kindergarten and the value of
middle grade preparation programs. Please take this short survey (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=hv5kA8ZJ9Eq1LDNameV30QQ53mBiUxpNoyfmYnNTYYhUQVpWMDRWNzAzQU1ONVRSODUxWlVUNlU4Ti4u) on or before Friday,
May 15. We value your feedback and perspective.
ELEVATING EDUCATORS
LIFE CHANGER OF THE YEAR CAPSTONE AWARD
Nominations are now open for the Life Changer of the Year -- The 2019-20 Capstone Award. This award is for school district employees who
will be retiring at the end of this academic year. This year is especially hard for those individuals who are retiring. After many years of students
being an important part of their lives, it feels so empty -- no good-byes, no closure on a life dedicated to education and the love of teaching.
Please consider nominating a special person who has dedicated his/her life to the educational field. Guidelines and a link for nominating
someone for the award are now available (http://app.lifechangeroftheyear.com/nominate.cfm) .
ILLINOIS TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND THOSE WHO EXCEL NOMINATIONS
Nominations are still being accepted for Illinois Teacher of the Year and Those Who Excel categories until June 5. We recognize that during
this uncertain time there maybe limitations to meeting the June 5 deadline for some schools; we hope this deadline will not need to be pushed
back. However, if the need exists, we will be flexible with that deadline. If you plan on nominating someone and foresee an issue with the June
5 deadline, please contact Jeff Seiler at jseiler@isbe.net (mailto:jseiler@isbe.net). Nominations can be submitted through the new online portal
found in both the Teacher of the Year (/Pages/teacher-of-the-year.aspx) and Those Who Excel (/Pages/Those-who-excel.aspx) webpages.
You can also spread the word about the awards by sharing our Teacher of the Year video (https://vimeo.com/375524493)on social media
with the hashtag #ElevatingEducators.
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FUNDING & DISBURSEMENTS
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CLAIM DATA FOR 2019-20 SCHOOL YEAR CAN NOW BE ENTERED IN PTCRS
Please visit our updated Transportation website (/Pages/Funding-and-Disbursements-Transportation-Programs.aspx) for the following new
resources to assist you in completing your 2019-20 claim in the Pupil Transportation Claim Reimbursement System (PTCRS).
2019-20 Transportation Claim Overview – COVID-19 Statement (/Documents/2019-20-Transportation-Claim-COVID-19-Overview.pdf)
Pupil Transportation Claim Reimbursement System User Guide (/Documents/PTCRS-User-Guide.pdf)
Student Transportation Reimbursement Claim Instructions (/Documents/pupil_reimburse_instruct.pdf)Depreciation Instructions Student Transportation (/Documents/PTCRS-Depreciation-Claim-Instructions.pdf)
Mileage and Cost Allocation Worksheet (/_layouts/Download.aspx?SourceUrl=/Documents/pupil-trans-mile-cost-alloc-wksht.xlsm)
Estimated Student Transportation Claim Completion Worksheet (/_layouts/Download.aspx?SourceUrl=/Documents/Estimated-Trans-
Claim-Reimb-Tool.xlsm)
Important Change to Note:
2019-20 Transportation Claim Overview – COVID-19 Statement (/Documents/2019-20-Transportation-Claim-COVID-19-Overview.pdf)
Reminders:
Criminal Gang Safety Hazard System is Open
105 ILCS 5/29-3 provides that each school board may provide free transportation and may receive reimbursement from the State
Superintendent of Education for the busing of any student who resides less than 1½ miles from the school they attend when conditions
are such that walking either to or from that school for attendance or to or from a pickup point or bus stop constitutes a serious hazard to
the safety of the student due to a course or pattern of criminal gang activity, as defined in Section 10 of the Illinois Street Gang Terrorism
Omnibus Prevention Act (740 ILCS 147/10). It provides that a school board may provide free transportation in such cases, but does not
mandate such transportation. It also provides that this transportation shall not be provided if adequate transportation for the public is
available.
Criminal Gang Safety Hazard Guidelines (/Documents/Criminal-Gang-Act-Safety-Hazard-Guidelines.pdf)
Criminal Gang Safety Hazard Instructions (/Documents/Trans-Safety-Hazard-System-instructions.pdf)
Department of Children and Family Services Youth-in-Care.
Federal changes were made to provisions under Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires that greater educational
stability be provided for students in foster care. Foster care students must remain in their school of origin if it is determined to be in their
best interest. The determination is made via collaboration with Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the district(s)
involved based on a variety of factors. Additional costs for transportation should not be a factor to move a student out of his/her original
school of origin.
Districts that have made student best interest determinations that require transportation of a foster care student to his/her school of origin
and incur additional costs for providing such transportation may seek reimbursement of 50 percent of the actual cost from DCFS. To
qualify for this reimbursement, districts must complete the DCFS Transportation Invoice form
(https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/aboutus/notices/Documents/CFS_906-8_Youth_in_Care_Transportation_Reimbursement_Invoice.xls) and
submit it to:
Department of Children and Family Services
Office of Education and Transition Services
406 E Monroe St., Sta. 23
Springfield, IL 62701
Attention: Molly Uhe-Edmonds, DCFS Deputy Director of Education and Transition Services
Questions regarding the DCFS Transportation Invoice may be directed to Molly Uhe-Edmonds at Molly.Uhe@illinois.gov
(mailto:Molly.Uhe@illinois.gov). The deadline to submit all transportation invoices to DCFS for reimbursement is June 15, 2020. Payment
of 50 percent of the approved costs will be vouchered by ISBE on or before Aug. 31, 2020. The remaining 50 percent of additional costs
not covered by DCFS are claimable on the district's 2019-20 Pupil Transportation Claim due to ISBE on or before Aug. 15, 2020.
Per statute, the Annual Pupil Transportation Reimbursement claim is due to ISBE on or before Aug. 15.If you have questions regarding PTCRS, please contact Christine Kolaz at ckolaz@isbe.net (mailto:ckolaz@isbe.net).
SPECIAL EDUCATION DCFS YOUTH-IN-CARE VERIFICATION NOW AVAILABLE
Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) enrollment calculations must account for and deduct DCFS youth-in-care (YIC) who participate in the state’s
Special Education Individual Orphanage (Section 14-7.03) and Regular Education Orphanage (Section 18-3) programs. Districts receive full
state funding for these students through a separate claim process.
ISBE is requesting that all districts submit final DCFS YIC who are special education students enrolled in the district on or before March 1,
2020, for approval in I-Star by Friday, May 15. The School Code statutes for both orphanage programs require that districts submit claims to
ISBE on or before June 15. However, that claim deadline is too late for ISBE to verify and deduct the special education DCFS YIC students
from each district’s EBF enrollment in time to complete fiscal year 2021 EBF calculations.
In order to assist districts in the same manner as last year, ISBE has made available a list of each district’s DCFS YIC in the EBF enrollment
verification tool to meet the May 15 deadline. Districts are now able to download a list of possible special education YIC students to review,
determine if they are special education, and enter them into I-Star with the appropriate Fund Code of E or F. To download this list of possible
special education YIC students, perform the following steps:
1. Log in to IWAS.
2. Select “Student Information System” from My Systems.
3. Select “Evidence-Based Funding” from the menu on the left side of the screen.
4. The EBF Review screen will be displayed. You will see a link below the enrollment counts: “Download a List of Possible Special Education
Youth-in-Care Students,” along with additional information.
5. Click the link to start the download of an Excel document that contains the list of possible special education youth-in-care students.
Depending on your browser, the download may start immediately in the lower left corner of your browser window or may prompt you for a
location to save the download.
6. If no students are identified in this group, a message will be displayed to indicate that no students were found and no further action is
required.
Districts that submit a special education orphanage approval record with a begin date on or before March 1 in I-Star by May 15 will be able to
submit a claim by June 15 as normal. Students submitted after May 15 will not be claimable for special education orphanage; however, their
enrollment will be included in the district’s EBF enrollment count if they were active on October 1 or March 1. Districts may enter an approval
record in I-Star and make a claim by June 15 for students who have a begin date of March 2 through the end of the school year and were
submitted after May 15. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work to ensure that all Illinois students get the resources they deserve
for academic excellence and postsecondary success.
Districts should work with their staff who enter I-Star students or their special education joint agreement partner, as appropriate. Each district is
responsible for ensuring that all DCFS YIC who are special education students are entered in I-Star.
Questions pertaining to the operation of I-Star should be directed to Harrisburg Project at support@hbug.k12.il.us
(mailto:support@hbug.k12.il.us) or phone (800) 635-5274. Questions pertaining to special education student approvals can be directed to
Jamie Johnson at jjohnson@isbe.net (mailto:jjohnson@isbe.net).
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GRANT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT
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FY 2021 GRANT PRE-QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
The ISBE GATA Department would like to remind grantees of the following requirements needed to apply for grant funds in the 2020-21 school
year:FY 2021 ICQ
All grantees must complete and submit the FY 2021 Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ).
The ICQ is in the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/%20ISBE). ISBE will not approve FY 2021 grant applications nor
will awards be made without the FY 2021 ICQ. For reference, the portal provides access to prior year ICQ responses.
FY 2021 Organizational Risk Assessment
Prior to applying for FY 2021 grants, all grantees must complete and submit the Organizational Risk Assessment. The Organizational Risk
Assessment is in the IWAS system under Active Grants. Results will apply to all FY 2021 ISBE grants. Grant-specific assessments will be
included in each FY 2021 grant application and results from these two risk assessments will generate the Programmatic Risk Conditions.
ISBE will not approve FY 2021 grant applications nor will awards be made without a completed Organizational Risk Assessment.
SAM.gov
All grantees must maintain an active DUNS number and registration with the federal System for Award Management (SAM). SAM
registrations must be renewed annually. ISBE encourages all grantees to review their account status on the SAM website
(https://www.sam.gov/SAM/) and to renew at least eight weeks prior to expiration. Expired or invalid SAM accounts will delay the ISBE
grant application process. ISBE will not approve FY 2021 grant applications nor will awards be made to grantees with expired SAM
accounts. Renewal assistance is available through the Federal Service Desk at (866) 606-8220. There is no cost for support services or to
use SAM.gov.
If you have any other questions regarding these requirements, please direct them to GATA@isbe.net (mailto:GATA@isbe.net).
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ILLINOIS EDUCATOR SURVEY
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REQUEST TO COMPLETE THE ILLINOIS EDUCATOR SURVEY
The Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Principals Association, Illinois Association of School Administrators,
and the Illinois State Board of Education request the feedback of Illinois’ teachers and administrators to better understand your needs as
educators and employees during remote learning and the anticipated transition back to in-person school. We would like your perspectives on
what students need now and in the fall to be best set up for success. We know you have a lot on your plate. If you have a few minutes, please
share your lessons learned with us and tell us how we can support you and your students – from technology, to PPE, to professional
development. Please complete the Illinois Educator Survey (https://uisits.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7X3cbKDu7VnbjRb) by May 31. Your
responses will be anonymous.
ILLINOIS REPORT CARD
2020 REPORT CARD UPDATE
ISBE is producing and releasing the 2020 Report Card in the same manner as last year, but with some data collection modifications due to the
suspension of in-person instruction.
As previously mentioned, this year’s Report Card will not include assessment data due to the suspension of in-person instruction. Detailed
information regarding other data submissions and verifications will be available next week in the Report Card Rundown.
The Report Card Rundown is a short monthly newsletter consisting of data system openings/closings, reminders, webinars, and key
information regarding the Report Card. In order to subscribe, visit www.isbe.net/reportcard (http://www.isbe.net/reportcard) and click
“subscribe.” If you have already subscribed previously, you do not need to re-subscribe. Please note district superintendents, principals, and
ROE superintendents/ISC directors will automatically receive the Rundown without subscribing. All issues will also be posted
atwww.isbe.net/reportcard (http://www.isbe.net/reportcard).We also ask that all district and school administrators ensure their contact information in ISBE’s Entity Profile System (EPS) is accurate and
current, in light of any staff or administration changes occurring in the upcoming months. This will help to ensure all administrators are receiving
any direct communications sent by ISBE. Any updates to contact information in EPS can be made via IWAS. View additional guidance
regarding updating information in EPS (/Documents/eps-guidelines.pdf).
UPCOMING WEBINAR: EIS 2020 – SALARY, BENEFITS, DAYS ABSENT, EVALUATIONS, REMOVING MISSING POSITIONS &
DATA QUALITY
Data Strategies and Analytics staff are hosting a webinar from 10-11:30 a.m. on May 14. The webinar will cover all Employment Information
System (EIS) Salary and Days Absent data for 2020 along with correcting Missing Positions. The webinar will also provide detailed instruction
on how to identify and correct EIS Missing Position records and submitting Educator Evaluations. There will be a Q&A period at the end of the
webinar. Registration is now available (https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7447123503251294224).
ISBE BOARD MEETINGS
MAY 20 VIRTUAL BOARD MEETING
ISBE’s next Board meeting will be held virtually at 10 a.m. on May 20. Click the “Listen In” livestreaming link that will be available at
www.isbe.net (http://www.isbe.net) homepage on the day of the meeting to listen.
Individuals who wish to sign up for public participation must complete the sign-up form (/Pages/Illinois-State-Board-of-Education-
Calendar.aspx), which will be available on from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on the day of the meeting. Once you have completed the form, follow the
below link to participate.
Public Participation: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/708857797 (https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/708857797)
Dial in: (786) 535-3211.
Access Code: 708-857-797.
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NUTRITION PROGRAMS
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USDA EXTENDS LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY TRIENNIAL ASSESSMENT DEADLINE
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) requires all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School
Breakfast Program to complete a triennial assessment of their Local School Wellness Policy at least once every three years. Triennial
assessments must determine, for each participating school under its jurisdiction, 1) compliance with the wellness policy, 2) how the wellness
policy compares to model wellness policies, and 3) progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.
Due to school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recognizes
the increased challenges schools may face in completing the required triennial assessment of their Local School Wellness Policy. As a result,
FNS has established a nationwide waiver for schools unable to meet the originally determined deadline.
Previous guidance under the HHFKA required schools to complete their first triennial assessment by June 30. Under the nationwide waiver,
FNS has provided a new deadline of June 30, 2021. Sponsors intending to utilize the waiver must complete this short survey
(https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=hv5kA8ZJ9Eq1LDNameV30YN4UE7KFCBIk6YNbUZgVP1UOFdTMVk3UzY2MUtDRkM1OVk2QktBWEUwWC4u) no later than June
30. Schools that are on track to complete their first triennial assessment by the original deadline are encouraged to do so.More information and resources on Local School Wellness Policies can be found on the ISBE School Nutrition page (/Pages/Local-School- Nutrition-Wellness-Policy.aspx). Any questions can be directed to Beth Tanner of the Illinois State Board of Education Nutrition Department at etanner@isbe.net (mailto:etanner@isbe.net). PANDEMIC EBT APPLICATION AVAILABLE The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) made the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) applications available for families (https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/) on May 1. P-EBT is a new special benefit that can help families buy food for their school age children who would normally receive National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-priced meals when schools are in session. All families with school-age children who attend schools approved for Community Eligibility Provision are eligible for the benefits as they receive NSLP meals at no charge. Families that currently receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits. These additional P-EBT benefits will be loaded into Illinois LINK EBT accounts along with regular SNAP benefits. Families that do not currently receive SNAP benefits but do have children who receive NSLP free or reduced-priced meals will need to apply directly with IDHS. The fastest way for families to receive benefits is to complete the application for P-EBT that is available online (https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/).(Click “Apply for Benefits” at the link.) A paper application in English (http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/12/documents/Forms/IL444- 5235.pdf) and Spanish (http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/12/documents/Forms/IL444-5235S.pdf) is also available and can be submitted as an attachment by email to DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov (mailto:DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov). IDHS created a flyer (http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/Brochures/4980.pdf) to help families with the application process. We are asking NSLP sponsors to share this flyer with their families. A Spanish version of the flyer (http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/Brochures/4980S.pdf) is also available. Please remind your school communities that families can participate in both P-EBT and any meal distribution program that is currently available at their school. They do not have to choose one or the other, as these programs operate independent of each other. ISBE is working in partnership with IDHS to ensure that this validation is available for all NSLP sponsors, both public and nonpublic. Thank you to all the schools that participate in the NSLP for submitting data by the April 17 deadline. We are asking that you please continue to verify that count, so that all families that are eligible can access the additional financial support provided by P-EBT. Instructions for this crucial verification can be found online (/Documents/P-EBT-collection.pdf). If NSLP sponsors need assistance with the data submission/update, please email the ISBE Nutrition Department at cnp@isbe.net (mailto:cnp@isbe.net). If families need technical assistance with the application, please direct them via email to IDHS at DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov (mailto:DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov). PAID LUNCH EQUITY TOOL AVAILABLE FOR SY 2020-21 The Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Calculator for School Year 2020-21 (/Pages/Nutrition-Resource-Management.aspx) is available online under the PLE section, along with U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidance and an exemption form. PLE is a requirement under Section 205 of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 for all schools with pricing programs that participate in National School Lunch Program. The purpose of PLE is to increase paid meal prices to be more equal with funds brought in from free and reduced-price meal reimbursements. PLE EXEMPTION: Any School Food Authority (SFA) with a positive or zero balance in its nonprofit school food service account as of Dec. 31, 2019, is exempt from PLE pricing requirements found at 7 CFR 210.14(e) for school year 2020-21. SFAs that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school food service account as of Dec. 31, 2019, must follow PLE requirements when establishing their prices for paid lunches in SY 2020-21. Read the USDA’s full PLE: Guidance for School Year 2020-21 (/Documents/PLE-Guidance-SY-20-21.pdf).
To be considered for the exemption for SY 2020-21, SFAs will need to submit the SY 2020-21 Exemption Form (/Documents/PLE-
Exemption-Form-SY-20-21.pdf), which includes instructions. Please scan the completed and signed form and email it to
pleexemption@isbe.net (mailto:pleexemption@isbe.net). Be sure to maintain a copy for your records.
For additional questions, please reach out to the Resource Management team at cnp@isbe.net (mailto:cnp@isbe.net).
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TRUANTS’ ALTERNATIVE & OPTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
N
FY 2021 TAOEP RFP APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE IN IWAS
Note: Entities that were part of Cohort 19 or Cohort 20 (initial year of three-year cycle) should NOT use this system. You will receive a separate
notice for the opening of the TAOEP Continuation grant that should be completed for continued funding.
Section 2-3.66 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.66] authorizes the State Board of Education to provide grants for the establishment of
Truants' Alternative and Optional Education Programs (TAOEP). The grant may serve students with attendance problems and dropouts up to
and including those who are 21 years of age. Programs may provide truancy prevention and intervention services to students and their parents
and/or serve as part-time or full-time options to regular school attendance. These services can help students remain on track to graduate from
high school ready for college and career.
The TAOEP Request for Proposals (RFP) will not include an allocation. However, the application must include the itemized budget information
with the total funds requested. Applicants approved for funding will be required to submit an amended application that will include the agency
approved allocation and Notice of State Award and Grant Agreement pages.
Allocations are preliminary, and payment under this grant is subject to passage of a sufficient appropriation by the Illinois General Assembly or
sufficient appropriation by the U.S. Congress for federal programs. Obligations of the State Board of Education will cease immediately without
further obligation should the agency fail to receive sufficient state, federal, or other funds for this program.
The deadline for submitting the TAOEP RFP application via IWAS is 4 p.m. on June 26. Please make sure that your approval groups are
properly assigned through IWAS to access and transmit your application. A technical assistance webinar
(https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6370047410506381067) will be held at 1:30 p.m. on May 18. Technical assistance on items not
covered by the instructions and procedures may be obtained by contacting Brian Houser in the ROE-ISC Department at bhouser@isbe.net
(mailto:bhouser@isbe.net)or by phone at (217) 785-9998.
IN BRIEF
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
National Board has released a new brief (https://www.nbpts.org/CovidTeacherLeadership/) that shines a light on the extraordinary
leadership National Board Certified Teachers are exhibiting and provides suggestions for policy and system leaders to support teacher
leaders -- and all teachers -- right now and in the long term.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
GENYOUth is providing grants of up to $3,000 per school to supply much-needed resources for meal distribution and delivery efforts to
get food to students during COVID-19. GENYOUth specializes in a range of national initiatives including Fuel Up to Play 60 in partnership
with National Dairy Council and the NFL. More information about their COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding opportunity is
available at https://covid-19.genyouthnow.org (https://covid-19.genyouthnow.org/)SCHOOL RECOGNITION
Congratulations to the Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, Illinois’ K-12 recipient of the 2020 U.S. Department of Education Green
Ribbon designation! The honor is given to schools for their commitment to healthy, safe, and sustainable learning environments. The
Joseph Sears School is one of only 39 nationwide honored for their innovative efforts to address the three “pillars” of the program:
reducing environmental impact and utility costs, improving health and wellness, and ensuring effective sustainability education.
STUDENT RECOGNITION
Congratulations to the 23 Illinois students named as semifinalists in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
(https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2020/semifinalists.pdf)! The program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of the
country’s most distinguished graduating seniors. Up to 161 students are chosen annually from among outstanding seniors to become U.S.
Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. A total of 621 semifinalists have been selected from
across the country. These semifinalists form the pool from which the 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be chosen. The scholars will be
announced in early May. For more information, visit the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program webpage
(https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/index.html).
FEATURED CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Learn more and apply for the below career opportunities at ISBE!
Special Education Private Facility Per Diem Rate Setting (/Lists/ISBECareers/CareerDisplayForm.aspx?ID=412)
View all open positions at ISBE (/Pages/Careers-at-ISBE.aspx).You can also read
