January 2017 Newsletter
State Updates Iowa School Report Card
The Iowa Department of Education (IDE) plans to release the updated 2016 Iowa School Report Card to the public this month. In addition to updating data to include 2015-16 school year data, the IDE added two measures for closing the achievement gap. These additional measures compare: (1) the proficiency rates of minority (non-white) students in each school to white students within the same school ; and (2) the proficiency rates of minority students in each school to the white student state average. More information on the Iowa School Report Card is located here. Iowa Postsecondary Readiness Reports
On January 17, the Iowa Department of Education will release reports to the public providing postsecondary enrollment patterns, remedial course-taking rates, and postsecondary retention and award rates that can be connected to every public high school in Iowa for the graduating class of 2010. Supporting documentation for the report is located here. Reports by school will be available starting January 17 at http://educateiowa.gov/postsecondaryreadiness. Infinite Campus Security Updates
Infinite Campus pushed an update over the winter break. After entering your username and password into Infinite Campus, your browser will prompt you to set an 'Account Security Email' and 'Current Password' (your district email account and district password). A step-by-step guide to updating your Infinite Campus account with your email address is located here. Continuous Improvement Updates
The December continuous improvement newsletter reflects on the last year’s work and opportunities awaiting in 2017. |
Iowa Assessment
The Iowa Assessment tests will be given to students in grades three through eleven (3-11) from Monday, April 3 – Friday, April 14. The test date for high schools is Wednesday, April 5. Please see the Critical Iowa Assessment Information booklet for information about testing. A KITE module, IA Assessment: Bldg Admins & Test Coords 16-17, is also available at https://dmschools.mindtickle.com/login in the Data and Assessment in DMPS folder. This module takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The Critical Iowa Assessment Information booklet will be referenced throughout the KITE module. Additionally, a KITE Module, Iowa Assessment: Teachers and Staff, will be available the first of February as a resource for building leaders to use to train staff. If you currently have a staff training plan that works for your building, you are not required to use the module. An optional, in-person training for Building Administrators and Testing Coordinators new to administering the Iowa Assessment will be on Tuesday, February 28 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at the Dean Operations Center, 1917 Dean Avenue, in room 112 East. If you have any questions, contact Cindy Slinger at 242-8127 or Kim Martorano at 242-8505. |
UPCOMING DATES
December 12 - January 31: Grades K-9: Winter MAP testing
January 5 - February 10: Grades K-3: Winter FAST testing January 18: Grades K-8: Grades posted deadline |
January 20: Grades 9-12: Grades posted deadline
January 30 - March 10: Grade 4: NAEP (selected schools only) January 30 - March 10: Grade 8: NAEP (excludes Hoyt) |
WAIT. WHAT?
Dear Data Diva, I enjoy planning for the future. By making a plan, I know what I need to do to stay on track. Students should be making a plan for their high school careers, but having them fill out a paper form, filing the forms and then trying to keep the forms up to date seems like a very large and time consuming task. It does not allow the students to monitor their own plans. Is there anything that would make it easier on the students, parents and staff? Something that can be monitored easily by students would be wonderful. --Prudent Polly
Dear Prudent Polly,
Infinite Campus gives students access to the Multi-year Academic Planner (MYAP). MYAP is completely online. Students are able to create a four year plan based on the path they want to take. Students and their parents will be able to see the plan all year long and at certain times throughout the year the student will be able to make adjustments as needed. The MYAP also helps schools with the course requests for the next year AND gives the buildings the ability to run course projection reports for 4 years into the future, which will help with staffing numbers. The MYAP will follow the student if they transfer from one DMPS building to another.
As Always,
Data Diva
Dear Prudent Polly,
Infinite Campus gives students access to the Multi-year Academic Planner (MYAP). MYAP is completely online. Students are able to create a four year plan based on the path they want to take. Students and their parents will be able to see the plan all year long and at certain times throughout the year the student will be able to make adjustments as needed. The MYAP also helps schools with the course requests for the next year AND gives the buildings the ability to run course projection reports for 4 years into the future, which will help with staffing numbers. The MYAP will follow the student if they transfer from one DMPS building to another.
As Always,
Data Diva
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