IDAHO RECEIVES $1.3 MILLION GRANT FOR YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION

The Idaho State Department of Education has been awarded a $1.29 million grant over the next three years to begin the Idaho Lives Project, a collaboration among the state, the Idaho Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN-Idaho) and other partner organizations to reduce the prevalence of suicide among youth ages 10-24 in Idaho.

Today, Idaho ranks among the top five states for teen suicides and in the top ten states for overall suicides. Because of Idaho’s rural geography, many students and families have faced barriers in accessing prevention and mental health services.

“This is a unique opportunity for our state and local communities. The tragedy of suicide is beyond measure, and unfortunately, Idaho is not immune to this tragedy. With the right knowledge and support, suicide is the most preventable form of death,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “Through this grant, the State Department of Education as well as state and local partners will work together to equip our schools and communities with the training and resources necessary to prevent teen suicide now and in the future.”

Over the next three years, the Idaho Lives Project will reach an estimated 31,000 individuals in schools and communities across Idaho, including students in elementary and middle grades, entire school communities and all sub-groups of the population.  An advisory board will select a total of 30-42 school communities to participate in this project based upon need, interest and readiness to benefit.

Specifically, the project will focus on training school staff and community adults in effectively responding to at-risk youth, equipping students to reach out to trusted adults when peers exhibit suicidal tendencies, and fostering local resources to connect at-risk youth with mental health providers.

“Implementing the Idaho Lives Project with the curriculum ‘Sources of Strength’ is going to be a significant boost to the suicide prevention efforts for the youth in Idaho,” said Jeni Griffin, Executive Director of SPAN-Idaho. “With this grant, Idaho can address youth suicide with a program proven to reduce suicide in our youth as well as giving them key tools as protective factors for them as adults. SPAN Idaho is pleased to be a part of this collaborative project.”

The Idaho Lives Project will evaluate and document strategies used so effective practices can be shared across the state.

The Project is federally funded by the State and Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Grant awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support states and tribes in developing and implementing suicide prevention strategies.

For more information about the Idaho Lives Project, please contact Matt McCarter at the Idaho State Department of Education at mamccarter@sde.idaho or (208) 332-6961, or contact Jeni Griffin at SPAN-Idaho at jgriffin@spanidaho.org or (208) 860-1703.

GRANTS FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS NOW AVAILABLE

The State Department of Education will award $1.5 million in grants to fund afterschool programs across the state for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year. Now is the time for school districts and other organizations to apply. 

The funding is available through the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, which is designed to provide academic enrichment opportunities, art, music, recreation, sports, drug and violence prevention and youth development activities to students during non-school hours.  The State Department of Education currently funds 93 afterschool centers throughout Idaho, which serve a total of 6,128 Idaho youth daily.

“Afterschool programs funded through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program in Idaho have a long history of supporting the academic success of students outside of the school day,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “These programs are ideal settings to help better prepare students for the new, more rigorous Idaho Core Standards and give them the support and guidance they need to graduate from high school prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce.”

School districts, municipalities, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations and private corporations are eligible for these grants. Successful applicants will receive funding for up to five years.

Those considering applying for funding are strongly encouraged to attend a Bidder’s Workshop. The following workshops are open to any interested party: 

• Monday, November 4: Moscow, Best Western Plus, 1516 Pullman Road
• Thursday, November 14: Twin Falls, Canyon Ridge High School, 300 N College Road, Room 301 
• Friday, November 15: Idaho Falls, Compass Academy Facility, 955 Garfield Street
• Tuesday, November 19: New Plymouth High School Library, 207 S Plymouth Avenue 
• Wednesday, November 20: Boise, Dennis Technical Education Center, 8201 W Victory Road

All workshops will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. All workshops are free. Visit our website to register for the workshops or to download the grant application. Participants are expected to download and review the application prior to the workshop. Grant applications are due January 31, 2014.

If you need more information please contact Camille McCashland, Program Specialist, at (208) 332-6960.

STUDENTS CAN APPLY NOW FOR IDAHO SCIENCE & AEROSPACE SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Idaho’s high school juniors can apply now to take part in Idaho’s Science and Aerospace Scholars Program. This will be the fifth year of this innovative program!

Through this competitive program, students from across Idaho take an engaging online course in space exploration and learn a broad range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills aligned with Idaho’s content standards. Based on their performance in this course, students are then selected to participate in a weeklong, all-expenses-paid, residential Summer Academy at Boise State University and NASA Ames Research Center in California.

“Now in its fifth year, more and more Idaho students are seeing the great benefit of the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said. “Through a blend of digital and face-to-face learning, Idaho’s high school juniors are able to gain a deeper understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and hands-on experience working with experts in these fields.”

Each year, nearly 200 students take the rigorous online course, developed by Idaho Digital Learning Academy and NASA Johnson Space Center, and then take part in Capstone Celebrations at different sites across the state. Based on their work in the course, about half of these students go on to be selected to participate in the Summer Academy held at Boise State University and at the NASA Ames Research Center in California.

The Idaho State Department of Education with the support of NASA Aerospace Scholars, along with Idaho business, industry, and education partners, have teamed up to provide this exciting opportunity for Idaho high school juniors over the years.

Superintendent Luna and astronaut and Boise State Distinguished Educator-in-Residence Barbara Morgan originally created the program in 2009 by working together to provide seed money from the State Department of Education and in-kind donations from partner organizations. For the past three years, the program was funded through a $1.2 million grant from NASA. Superintendent Luna has requested $500,000 next year to continue this program.

If you know of any high school juniors who have a passion for STEM subjects, please urge them to apply for this outstanding program. The application deadline is December 9, 2013. To apply, download the application and instructions.

If you have questions during the application process, please contact Peter Kavouras at (208) 332-6975 or pgkavouras@sde.idaho.gov.

Superintendent Luna Sees Sugar Salem High's Technology Pilot in Action Today

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna visited Sugar Salem High School this morning, spending nearly three hours visiting classrooms and talking with school board members, students and teachers.

Sugar Salem is one of 11 schools that was selected earlier this year to participate in the Idaho Technology Pilot Program, which the Legislature established in 2013.

The goal is for these schools to utilize $3 million in state funding to pilot innovative technologies that, if successful, might later be duplicated in every school across the state to give Idaho teachers the tools they need to help raise academic achievement.

Sugar Salem was awarded $454,783.20 to integrate laptop technology in the high school grades. Through a one-to-one laptop initiative with HP 4440s notebook computers and a wireless network, this pilot project will create a New Generation Learning Environment with learning opportunities both in the classroom and beyond the walls of the classroom.

Sugar Salem High has already made significant progress in a short amount of time.

“What you see at every classroom that we visited today, and I’m sure it is happening in all classrooms, is students that are heavily engaged in learning. They are engaged in problem solving, they are creating work, and the classrooms are very interactive. There is a high level of learning going on here,” Superintendent Luna said.

Students using technology as they study Hamlet.

Mr. Edwards, a senior English teacher, said teaching with the technology is "so much fun, it's not really a job."

When Sugar Salem first launched its pilot project this fall, district superintendent Alan Dunn invited all parents to a meeting about the new technology. About 60 parents showed up, and district staff were on hand to explain the new technology, how it would be integrated, and answer any questions.

After the meeting, a group of parents offered to form a committee to help with implementation throughout the school year. They meet regularly to hear parent concerns, gather suggestions and help communicate with the school administration about the technology pilot program.

"We believe this will be a benefit to us,” Superintendent Alan Dun said. “I don't believe test scores will rise dramatically. The biggest issue for us is that we're preparing students for some things that aren't testable.”

Jared Jenks, High School Principal, said, “The pros outweigh the challenges we have had. Discipline problems? I’ve had zero.”

How are teachers in Sugar Salem using the new technology?

One English teacher utilizes Canvas, a free software, so students can turn in their assignments electronically. The teacher marks the assignments up through Canvas and grades them. Then, he records a video message to the student about the assignment, so the student has immediate feedback from the teacher.

Sugar Salem English teacher demonstrating Canvas software to grade papers and give students immediate feedback.

The new technology also is saving teachers time. Student Matthew Chandler said, “Our teachers don’t have to schedule time for computer labs because we have our own computers.”

These are just a few of the examples Superintendent Luna saw on his brief visit to Sugar Salem High School.

“Here at Sugar Salem, it is a great example of what we hope to see in every high school around the state, sooner rather than later,” Superintendent Luna said after his visit.

Sugar Salem also was one of the first high schools connected to wireless connectivity through the new statewide contract. As of today, 14 schools have hardware installed for wireless infrastructure and four are fully connected.

At Beutler Middle, Students Use iPads To Stay Engaged in Every Class

On Thursday, at Beutler Middle School, music students were finding new ways to identify notes. It didn’t require the teacher to stand in the front of the room and point out the notes to them.

Instead, every student had their own iPad. They could open up an app, sing into the device, and it would tell them which notes they were missing. Each student received immediate feedback and worked to self-correct next time they sang. The teacher was on hand to help each student individually along the way.

Students use SmartMusic app to master note identification.

Beutler Middle fully implemented a one-to-one ratio of iPads to students and teachers this year through the Idaho Technology Pilot Program. It was one of 11 schools selected this summer to participate in the pilot program.

Through this program, schools received state funding to pilot innovative technologies that, if successful, might later be duplicated in every school across the state to give Idaho teachers the tools they need to help raise academic achievement.

Beutler Middle received $138,718.74 to implement the iPad technology across all grades, which it believes will help students reach grade-level proficiency on the new Idaho Core Standards, participate in digital coursework, and prepare for dual credit opportunities once they are in high school.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna visited the school in Dayton on Thursday afternoon to talk with teachers, students and school administrators about how the technology pilot is working.

“This school district, the West Side School District, is a unique district in that it really has been a leader for many years in the use of technology to expand opportunities for students,” Superintendent Luna said. “They are a leader in distance learning. They are a leader in virtual education. So it’s not only interesting, but it’s exciting to see how they continue to lead the state in making sure that students living here in their district have opportunities to learn at the highest levels and from great educators.”

Educators at Beutler Middle School have fully embraced the new technology, finding innovative ways to integrate the technology and keeps students engaged in every subject area.

In science class, the teacher used an interactive app to help students better understand mitosis. Rather than just looking at pictures in a textbook, students can see how it actually occurs and watch it over and over again, if necessary.

7th grade student using the mitosis app in science class.

In language arts, students use the iPad to improve their writing skills with daily prompts.

Students use the technology in history class to research current events and then quiz each other about them.

So far, students had nothing but great things to say about the new devices.  “You can do a lot more things on it, like look things up to help on projects. It helps a lot!” one student told Superintendent Luna before he left.

Districts Work to Expand Advanced Opportunities for Students

Yesterday, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna visited the small, rural West Side School District, not far from the Utah border. With fewer than 700 students, West Side faces the same challenges any rural district might face: recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers or accessing advanced opportunities for students, to name some.

But years ago, the district found a solution. Under the leadership of former district superintendent Melvin Beutler, West Side tapped into the Utah Education Network and began piping in dual credit (or concurrent credit) courses to its students. Soon, kids in the town of Dayton were graduating high school with college credits under their belt. Some even graduated with an associate’s degree.

Today, their success continues under the district’s current leadership, and it fueled progress across the state.

Based on West Side’s success and growing demand across the state, Idaho implemented the Idaho Education Network, modeled after Utah’s program, to provide high-speed broadband intranet as well as video-teleconferencing equipment to every public high school and public institution of higher education in Idaho.

Through the IEN, students in any school – no matter its location or geographic barriers – can not only learn from the great teachers they have right there on site but also from any other great teacher available across the state of Idaho or at Idaho’s colleges and universities.

And the state now helps them in this effort.

Through the Dual Credit for Early Completers Program, which passed the Idaho Legislature in 2011 and was expanded in 2013, the state will pay for high school students to earn up to 36 college or professional-technical credits.

Superintendent Luna was in the Kimberly School District this morning, nearly 200 miles from the West Side School, but with many of the same challenges.

In Kimberly, they are taking advantage of the pioneering efforts of the West Side School District and the programs the state now offers as a result.

Last year, nearly a dozen students in Kimberly participated in the Dual Credit for Early Completers Program. So far, eight students are taking advantage of the program this year.

Jericho Schroeder is one of those students. Even though she is just a high school student, she will earn her associates degree from the College of Southern Idaho in two weeks.

Jericho Schroeder is a student at Kimberly High and just two weeks shy of earning her associates degree.

After she graduates from high school, she hopes to go on and become a doctor.

NATION’S REPORT CARD RESULTS INDICATE HOW IDAHO STUDENTS MIGHT PERFORM AGAINST HIGHER STANDARDS

The most recent results of the Nation’s Report Card provide a good indicator of how Idaho students will perform in 2015 when they are first measured against the higher and more rigorous Idaho Core Standards. 

Currently, the Nation’s Report Card is the only assessment that compares student achievement from state to state. It measures a sample size of students in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8 every two years and compares this data among states. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna serves on the National Assessment Governing Board that oversees this assessment.

Because 45 states worked together to develop and then voluntarily adopt common academic standards in mathematics and English language arts, states soon will be able to better compare student achievement results in the future at not only a state but also a district and even a school level. 

“In education, we use data to make the best possible decisions for Idaho students and their future. The Nation’s Report is no different. This data provides a good indicator for us to show parents, students, teachers, and the public how Idaho students might perform when first measured against the higher, more rigorous Idaho Core Standards in 2015,” Superintendent Luna said. 

The results show that approximately 30 percent to 40 percent of Idaho students will be performing on grade level in reading and mathematics against the higher academic standards. 

These are similar to results other states, such as Kentucky and New York, saw the first time they measured students against higher standards. Kentucky now has tested students for two years and has already seen positive results from implementing higher standards. In 2010, only 34 percent of Kentucky students graduated prepared for college or career. Now, 54 percent are graduating prepared, a significant increase in the number of students who now do not need to take remedial courses once they go on to postsecondary. 

Superintendent Luna has said as Idaho raises its academic standards, we should anticipate fewer students will reach grade-level proficiency in the first few years. This trend will not be new. The state saw similar results when it first administered the ISAT in 2003. 

“It is not because our students woke up one day and were not as smart as they were the day before. It is because our students are working to meet a higher bar, learning at a higher level, and that is a good thing for every child and for their future,” Superintendent Luna said. 

Idaho voluntarily adopted the Common Core State Standards as Idaho’s Core Standards in mathematics and English language arts and literacy in 2011 to ensure every Idaho student graduates from high school ready to go on to postsecondary education or the workforce without the need for remediation. 

The Idaho Core Standards are higher than Idaho’s previous academic standards in these subject areas and comparable with any other state or any other country in the world to make sure every student graduates from high school prepared for postsecondary education or the workforce. 

The standards now are being taught across grades K-12 in Idaho’s public schools. All students will first be tested against these higher standards in Spring 2015. 

Until the first test is administered, the 2013 results of the Nation’s Report Card can serve as a good indicator of how Idaho’s students might perform against the higher standards because the Nation’s Report Card has worked to measure academic achievement among all state standards through different question types, including open-ended and constructed response. 

The Nation’s Report Card reports different levels of student achievement results. The “Basic” level of student achievement is equivalent to what Idaho reports as grade level, or “proficient,” on our statewide assessment, the ISAT. 

Because Idaho raised its academic standards, NAEP’s “Proficient” level is more telling. This score more accurately reflect how Idaho students will likely perform when the state first administers the new test aligned to Idaho Core Standards. 

Here are the results for Idaho students scoring Proficient or above on the 2013 Nation’s Report Card: 

• In fourth grade mathematics, 40 percent of Idaho students scored at or above Proficient. Nationwide, 42 percent of students scored at or above Proficient. 
• In fourth grade reading, 33 percent of Idaho students scored at or above Proficient. These results are similar to those reported in 2011. Nationwide, 35 percent of students scored at or above Proficient. 
• In eighth grade mathematics, 36 percent of Idaho students scored at or above Proficient. These results are similar to those reported in 2011. Nationwide, 35 percent of students scored at or above Proficient. 
• In eight grade reading, 38 percent of Idaho students scored at or above Proficient. Nationwide, 36 percent of students scored at or above Proficient. 

“I applaud Idaho’s eighth grade students for continuing to outpace their peers across the nation in reading and mathematics,” Superintendent Luna said. “It is clear our investments in the Idaho Reading and Math Initiatives and the hard work of Idaho’s teachers are paying dividends to help in better preparing Idaho students for higher levels of reading and mathematics, especially when compared to their peers across the country.” 

Eighth grade students scored an average 286 in mathematics, higher than the national average of 284. In reading, eighth graders scored an average 270, higher than the national average of 266. In addition, Idaho increased the percent of students scoring Proficient or above in reading on the Nation’s Report Card from 34 percent in 2011 to 38 percent in 2013. 

Idaho’s new assessment in Spring 2015 will replace the ISAT and provide a new baseline of data for Idaho students and teachers going forward. Once we know where Idaho students stand against the new, higher standards, Idaho’s teachers can help students rise to meet this new challenge. 

“We know Idaho students and teachers are ready to meet this challenge. It will not happen overnight, but we will reach the goal of every child graduating from high school prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce,” Superintendent Luna said. “We have had standards in place since 2002. Each time we raise academic standards, Idaho teachers make sure students meet the goals we have set for them, and we know we will see the same success as we implement the new Idaho Core Standards.” 

For more information on the results of the 2013 Nation’s Report Card, please visit http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/naep/IdahoResults.htm or http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/. 

SUPERINTENDENT LUNA ENCOURAGES SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION TO VOICE ITS SUPPORT FOR HIGHER STANDARDS

The following are Superintendent Luna’s prepared remarks to the Idaho School Boards Association at its annual conference on November 7, 2013.

Thank you for inviting me to be here today. You play a vital leadership role in your school districts and your communities. Your leadership is evident now more than ever.

Your Executive Director Karen Echeverria has gained the respect and trust of legislators and policy makers. Last legislative session, Karen’s efforts, and the leadership of your executive committee, played the key role in passing critical legislation securing for elected school boards the tools they need to manage the affairs of their local schools. You are well served and well represented by Karen and her staff.

Your participation in the Task Force for Improving Education was also critical. Two months ago, a statewide Task Force of education stakeholders published 20 recommendations for how Idaho can improve its public education system to ensure every child graduates from high school prepared to pursue their dreams. I support and strongly endorse all 20 recommendations, from restoring operational funds to increasing dual credit and AP opportunities for all high students, and from phasing in a career ladder to upgrades in technology for all students. All of these recommendations are vital, and together, they create a comprehensive plan for improving our schools.

I could talk passionately about each one, but today I will focus my remarks on just one the 20 recommendations. That is the Task Force’s endorsement of the Idaho Core Standards.

In 2011, Idaho voluntarily adopted these higher academic standards in math and English language arts to raise the bar for Idaho students. This year, $20 million is being spent to provide the professional development and assistance in implementing the standards. Professional development must be ongoing and increase next year and forward.

Now, why adopt higher standards? Right, we have a higher graduation rate at about 90%. We also see that more than 90% of our students are proficient in reading, and more than 80% are proficient in math while they are in grades K-12. Yet, just three months later, of those students who go on to education after high school, nearly half of them have to take remedial courses once they get there.

If more than 90% are proficient in reading and more than 80% are proficient in math before they graduate, then it is obvious our standards are too low. We have to raise our standards.

In today’s world, we know the vast majority of students must have a degree or certificate in order to
reach their goals and pursue their dreams. Because of this, we have to prepare our students to go on to postsecondary education, whether that is community college, a four-year college, or vo-tech.

Our goal cannot just be that we want our students to be successful in school. We must do all we can to make sure that they are successful outside of school, when they graduate and go on to the real world where they will live and work. By raising our standards, we can better prepare students while they are IN school, rather than trying to remediate students after they graduate. By then, more often than not, it is too late.

So why did we choose to adopt common standards with other states? Before most states decided to adopt common standards in math and English language arts, we had 50 states with 50 different standards. Some set high math standards and reported that 70% of their students were on grade level. Others set low standards and reported that 85% of their students were on grade level. The perception is that the state with the low standards is doing better, but that is not necessarily the case. Having common standards will give us reliable data and the ability to learn from each other and make sure our children are truly being prepared for the competitive world they will live in as adults.

This began as a state-led effort, and it remains a state led effort today. State participation is voluntary and remains voluntary today. Idaho did not receive any federal funds to participate, and we will not lose any federal dollars if we walk away from the Common Core Standards tomorrow. Idaho is collecting the same amount of data we were collecting before we adopted these standards, and if we walk away from these standards tomorrow, we will still collect the same amount of data. Idaho has had core standards in math and English language arts for over 10 years, and just as those standards did not require or force districts to use a specific curriculum or textbook or lesson plans, the same is true off these new higher standards.

I have visited several schools across the state in recent weeks, from Sugar-Salem to Cottonwood, from Deary to Coeur d’Alene, from St. Maries to West Side and more. Every school is now implementing these higher standards. What I have seen has been nothing short of amazing: students are engaged in problem solving. They are using critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems, problems we know they will face when they get to the workforce. These standards will have a real effect on how well-prepared our students are for life after high school.

Idaho is three years into what will be a five-year transition to these standards. I can already see the positive impacts in our classrooms. These standards will be more difficult for Idaho's students; there's no doubt about it. But they will be better for our students, and for the future of our state.

The Common Core also has been a unifying event in education in Idaho. The Standards are supported by teachers and administrators, from K-12 to higher education. The business community has united in their very outward and vocal support. Local chambers of commerce and many local school boards have expressed their support.

Tomorrow, you will have the opportunity to add your collective voice in support of these new, higher, clearer standards. I encourage you to do so. Your strong support will be critical and key go forward.

Thank you again for being here today, and thank you for being involved. Thank you for your leadership. It’s your leadership and your voice at the local level that is critical as we embark on implementation of the Task Force recommendations and moving our education system forward.

SUPERINTENDENT LUNA ANNOUNCES IDAHO TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today a Coeur d’Alene high school teacher has been honored as the 2014 Idaho Teacher of the Year.

Jamie Esler, a science teacher at Lake City High School, was named the 2014 Idaho Teacher of the Year in a surprise announcement at his school Friday morning. When his name was announced, students at Lake City High erupted in “We love Esler!” chants.

“I am honored Jamie Esler will be representing the State of Idaho as our state’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year,” Superintendent Luna said. “Even though he is young in his career, Esler has been recognized as an outstanding teacher because he strives every day to make sure his students are not only learning about science but learning to how to apply those concepts in the real world.”

This is the third consecutive year a teacher from Coeur d’Alene has won this prestigious award, selected by a statewide committee of representatives.

As Idaho Teacher of the Year, Esler will receive $1,000 from the Idaho State Department of Education, an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and go on to represent Idaho as a nominee for the National Teacher of the Year.

In accepting the award Friday morning, Esler thanked his fellow teachers and colleagues at Lake City High who he said support him every day. He also addressed the students at Lake City High: “We can teach until we’re blue in the face. We can give things back to you on time. We can give you the best lessons we have got, but ultimately, your success is up to you. Keep that in mind.”

The Idaho Teacher of the Year program began in 1959 and has become one of the most prestigious honors in the state for teachers. The program focuses public attention on excellence in teaching that has a real impact on the students of Idaho. Every year, school districts and charter schools across Idaho have the opportunity to nominate one teacher for the Idaho Teacher of the Year. A state selection committee representing teachers, education leaders, parents and legislators from across the state select the Idaho Teacher of the Year from among the nominations.

To learn more about the Idaho Teacher of the Year program, visit http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/teacher_of_year/.

About Idaho’s 2014 Teacher of the Year: Jamie Esler

Jamie Esler is a science teacher at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene. He has been a science teacher for five years. Though early in his career, he has clearly demonstrated his passion for education. He strives every day to make sure the students in his classroom are not only learning about science but that they are engaged and that they know how these science concepts apply in the real world.

Esler has been recognized by his local school district for his talents. He was named a Rookie of the Year teacher when he first began. Last May, he was named Coeur d’Alene’s Teacher of the Year. But according to his colleagues, his skills as an effective educator are apparent as soon as you walk into his classroom.

One person said anyone would be “absolutely blow away” by his skill and ability to captivate and engage students. Why? At the heart of it, is the fact that Mr. Esler uses real-world examples in reinforce the lessons he is teaching in his classroom. He takes his students outside so they can see science in action.

On one project, Mr. Esler’s students collected water quality data and uploaded it onto a public database. They used the Idaho Education Network to communicate with other schools in this region about their results. Students also put their writing skills to work in science class, blogging about what they found.

Mr. Esler also finds ways to extend the school year for his students. For example, when he travels during the summer, he keeps a blog and posts videos so his students can track his travels and take “virtual field trips” with him. This continues to bring learning to life for every child in his classroom throughout the summer months.

Mr. Esler also embraces technology in his classroom. He recognizes that students in the 21^st Century know technology and use it every day. But as a teacher, he emphasizes that students must learn to use technology responsibly. He shows students how technology can be used to address many environmental and scientific challenges we are facing in the world today, such as access to clean drinking water or the development of renewable energy sources.

As Idaho’s Teacher of the Year, and our state’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year, Mr. Esler says he will work to inspire students and teachers to make better use of technology in the classroom and outside of the classroom as they learn about science and the natural world.  It is clear he has already accomplished this within his own classroom. I know I am excited to learn from what Mr. Esler has learned and share his best practices with the rest of the state. 

It’s the Final Week of the Idaho Math Cup!

It’s down to the wire. Just one week is left of the Idaho Math Cup!

The Idaho Math Cup is an annual tradition in Idaho where students from across the state spend the month of November competing to work on the most complex math problems through Think Through Math.

The winning class is awarded the coveted Idaho Math Cup. Other classroom and individual prizes also are up for grabs to recognize the hard work of all Idaho students.

Think Through Math is part of the Idaho Math Initiative, which began in 2008. The state has contracted with Think Through Math, a web-based, interactive tutoring program, to provide supplemental mathematics to students in grades 3-12 both in the classroom and outside the school day. Think Through Math has an incentive program built in so as students solve more math problems, they earn points and can win prizes or turn their points into donations for charity.

Even though students are out of school on a holiday break during this final week, we always see lots of activity! Whether at home or at school, Idaho students are serious about completing their math lessons.

Many classes across Idaho are still in the running. Here are the Top 10 as of today:

• The Math Lab 7 class of Rocky Mountain Middle School, Bonneville Joint School District  
• Mrs. Werner’s class, Joplin Elementary, Meridian School District
• Mr. Walker’s class of River Valley Elementary, Meridian School District
• The Homeroom class of Twin Lakes Elementary, Lakeland Joint School District
• The Gothard’s Multiplication Class of Ustick Elementary, Meridian School District
• The 6B class of White Pine Elementary, Boise School District
• The C. Brenner class of Prospect Elementary, Meridian School District
• The Mrs. Troy class of Highlands Elementary, Boise School District
• Mr. Lavin’s class of Pepper Ridge Elementary, Meridian School District
• The Homeroom 2 class of Twin Lakes Elementary, Lakeland Joint School District

But remember, anyone still has a chance to win!

Here are the other prizes available for classrooms and students:

• Idaho Math Cup Runner Up Winners: Second and third place will be based on the highest average of lessons completed plus lessons passed per enrolled student.
• Gurus of Giving: Be the class that donates the most THINK points per enrolled student to any TTM featured charity during the contest time frame.
• Evening and Weekend Warriors: Be the class that completes and passes the most lessons per enrolled student during after school hour and weekend hours.
• Holiday Heroes: Be the class that completes and passes the most lessons per enrolled student over the Thanksgiving break (November 28 through December 1).

Keep up the great work in this final week!

Recent PISA Results Show Need for Idaho Core Standards

Results from a recent international assessment of 15-year-olds across the globe shows that there has been no measurable change in how U.S. students are performing in math, science or reading literacy.

However, according to the same report, the United States is expected to become more competitive soon as more states fully implement the higher, more rigorous Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English language arts.

PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment, is administered every three years to a random sample of students in the United States and more than 30 other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries throughout the world. PISA just released its results from the 2012 assessment.

This assessment not only measures students’ content knowledge in reading, science and mathematics, but the test also measures other cross-curricular skills, such as problem solving.

In 2012, more than 6,000 randomly selected 15-year-old students chosen from 161 randomly selected schools in the United States took the PISA. No Idaho schools were selected to participate.

According to the 2012 results, students in the United States performed below average in mathematics among the 34 countries tested. U.S. students scored close to the average in reading and science.

Across all subject areas, American students’ performance has remained stagnant, not showing a change in performance over time.

Still, student from the United States excelled in some areas. In mathematics, for example, students demonstrated they could read data directly from a table or diagram or use a formula to calculate answers well.

However, they struggled in applying mathematics in a real-world situation.

But the report highlights how students in the United States will likely make progress in the coming years. The new Common Core State Standards are expected to address the weaknesses the PISA found.

The PISA report states, “It may be that U.S. students seldom work on well-crafted tasks that situate algebra, proportional relationships and rational numbers within authentic contexts. More generally, perhaps the application problems that most students encounter today are the worst of all worlds: fake applications that strive to make the mathematics curriculum more palatable, yet do no justice either to modeling or to the pure mathematics involved. Providing students with the necessary ‘opportunity to learn’ will therefore be necessary in order to develop the skills in students that allow them to make frequent and productive use of mathematics in their work and life.”

The new Common Core State Standards, known as Idaho Core Standards in Idaho, emphasize critical-thinking and problem-solving skills as well as teaching students how to apply the lessons they learn in real-world situations. Therefore, through these standards, students in many states across the United States are expected to become more competitive with students in other countries in the near future.

Here are some other highlights from the PISA report:

• PISA was able to break out scores from some states with larger groups of students tested. In the United States, Massachusetts continued to rank as a top performer with its average scores ranking above the OECD average in all three subject areas. 

• PISA reported that while the U.S. spends more per student than most countries, this has not translated into better academic performance. For example, students in the Slovak Republic perform at the same level as students in the United States, even though that country spends about half of what the United States spends on average per student.

Read the full report of how students in the United States performed.

Superintendent Luna Releases Statement on Tragic School Bus Accident

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna released the following statement today after the tragic news that an Idaho student died as a result of a school bus accident in Canyon County:

“Today is a sad day for Idaho. Our children are our most cherished treasure. As a father and grandfather, my heart and prayers go out to this child’s family, loved ones, the Kuna School District and the entire Kuna community.”

Kuna School District Superintendent Wendy Johnson sent a letter home to parents and families today.

“All of our schools have implemented a plan for responding to this sad event and have focused on helping our students maintain regular learning and every day activities,” she wrote. “Teachers were provided resources for how to talk about this situation with their students, and we have included the information in this letter. All of our busses will have student services personnel riding along with students today so that if students are worried or have questions, they will have an adult they can talk to on their ride home.”

If children or family in the Kuna School District need assistance, they are encouraged to contact their school directly.

If you are interested in helping, Melanie DeLashmutt is coordinating volunteer efforts and can be reached at mdelashmutt@kunaschools.org.

For more information and updates, please visit the Kuna School District website.

Meridian Student Wins Holiday Card Contest

A fourth-grade student at Eliza Hart Spalding STEM Academy in Meridian has won the 2013 Holiday Card Contest, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today.

In her submission, Rachel Acuna colorfully depicted Santa Claus leaving presents under the Christmas tree.

Rachel Acuna, a 4th grader in Meridian, won the Holiday Card Contest.

Her artwork will be featured on the State Department of Education’s holiday greeting card this year, which is sent to schools, districts and others across the state. She also will receive a certificate and copies of the greeting card to share with her friends and family members.

“We at the State Department of Education look forward to the Holiday Card Contest each year because it highlights the talents of Idaho’s students while also celebrating the importance of arts in education,” Superintendent Luna said. “We received many great entries from across the state, but ultimately, Rachel’s artwork was selected as the grand prize winner, which we now will share across the state. Congratulations Rachel! You have shown an incredible talent at such a young age. Keep up the great work!”

Superintendent Luna also awarded the following grade-level winners across the state: 

• Kindergarten: Scarlett Stone, Pioneer School of the Arts, Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian)
• 1st Grade: Kate McDougall, Whitman Elementary School, Lewiston School District
• 2nd Grade: Jessy Wilson, Fruitland Elementary School, Fruitland School District
• 3rd Grade: Lila Hess, Hagerman Elementary School, Hagerman School District
• 4th Grade (and Grand Prize Winner): Rachel Acuna, Eliza Hart Spalding STEM Academy, Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian)
• 5th Grade: Matthew Mallory, Silver Sage Elementary School, Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian)
• 6th Grade: Reid Uptmar, Prairie Elementary School, Cottonwood Joint School District

Congratulations to all the winners!  Each student will receive a certificate of recognition.

Check out all the 2013 Holiday Card Contest winning entries on our website.

STATE OFFERS GRANTS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICIES

Schools can now apply for up to $20,000 in grant funding to help promote healthy school environments.

Idaho received a federal Team Nutrition Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2012 and 2013. With this funding, the state will award 20 schools up to $1,000 each to use in developing and implementing an active and effective school wellness policy.

Research shows healthy students are better prepared to learn while in school. One effective way for schools to promote a healthy school environment is by establishing a wellness policy, which is a comprehensive plan to help improve the overall health and nutrition of students.

The wellness policy addresses health, nutrition and physical activity both in school and through partnering with the community.

Local school districts, public charter schools and private schools that participate in the USDA’s National School Lunch Program are eligible to apply for the School Wellness Mini-Grant. Priority will be given to schools with an active school wellness committee or school health advisory council.

Visit our website to learn more about the mini-grants or to download a copy of the grant application. If you have questions, please contact Dianne Esplin, Child Nutrition Coordinator, at (208) 332-6827.

The deadline to mail or e-mail applications to the Idaho State Department of Education is 5 p.m. MST on Tuesday, January 7, 2014.

DEPARTMENT HIRES CALDWELL PRINCIPAL AS DIRECTOR OF CERTIFICATION

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today that Taylor Raney, a Caldwell principal, has been named the new Director of Certification and Professional Standards at the Idaho State Department of Education.

In this role, Raney will oversee all educator licensure and certification in the State of Idaho as well as the Professional Standards Commission.

“We are proud to have Taylor Raney join the Department and help us in our efforts to recognize and reward highly effective teaching across Idaho so we can ensure all students graduate from high school prepared for the world that awaits them,” Superintendent Luna said. “Taylor Raney has a proven track record of leadership in the Caldwell School District. As a member of the Professional Standards Commission, he also understands the importance of professional conduct in the teaching profession and the critical work the Commission does every day to help improve the craft of teaching. He will be a great addition to our team at the State Department of Education.”

Christina Linder previously served as the Department’s Director of Certification and Professional Standards. She left the Department earlier this week after she was named associate dean of Idaho State University’s College of Education.

“I am happy for Christina and the opportunity she will have to put into practice the policies she has helped enact at the Department, including enhanced teacher preparation programs,” Superintendent Luna said. “Idaho’s teachers and students have benefited because of Christina Linder’s efforts to improve teacher quality. Luckily, Idaho’s up-and-coming teachers will still enjoy her influence at Idaho State University.”

Raney has served as the principal at Wilson Elementary School in Caldwell since 2008. During this time, he also has served on the Professional Standards Commission, representing elementary school principals.

While in Caldwell, Raney took on roles as the District Testing Coordinator and gained experience as part of the Caldwell Academy of Leadership and a leader in professional development efforts across the district. Prior to joining the Caldwell School District, Raney worked as a teacher in the Boise School District.

Raney earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho, and master’s degrees in educational leadership and curriculum and instruction from Northwest Nazarene University. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in educational administration.

“I am excited about this opportunity to work for all students and teachers in Idaho,” Raney said. “In my new role at the State Department of Education, I will work to build on the progress the state has already made by striving for high standards for certification and professional practice for educators in our state.” 

Raney has been married for more than ten years to Meghan and is the proud father of two daughters. He will begin his new position as Director of Certification and Professional Standards at the State Department of Education on December 23. 

LAKELAND TEACHER WINS $25,000 AWARD IN SURPRISE ASSEMBLY

A high school teacher in Spirit Lake was awarded the prestigious 2013 Milken Educator Award for Idaho in a surprise assembly Friday morning.

Katie Graupman, an English teacher at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake, showed up at work Friday just like any other day. At 9 a.m., she went to the gym with her students to participate in a schoolwide assembly to celebrate her school’s excellent academic track record. Or so she thought…

During the assembly, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and Dr. Jane Foley of the Milken Family Foundation unexpectedly announced that Graupman had been named Idaho’s 2013 Milken Educator – and was being awarded $25,000 as part of this prestigious award.

Known as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Award was conceived by Lowell Milken to attract, retain and motivate outstanding talent to the teaching profession. Since 1987, the Milken Family Foundation has devoted more than $136 million in funding to the Milken Educator Awards, including over $64 million in individual Awards to nearly 2,600 recipients plus powerful professional development opportunities and networking with leading education stakeholders.

Graupman is now one of 15 educators in Idaho who have received the prestigious Milken Educator Award since Idaho joined the Milken program in 2003.

“I am proud that Katie Graupman will recognize Idaho as our 2013 Milken Educator. She is praised by her colleagues as an outstanding educator with a strong work ethic who sets high standards to make sure every student masters the knowledge they need before graduating from high school,” Superintendent Luna said. “I also want to thank the Milken Family Foundation for its continued support of Idaho’s educators and educators throughout the country.”

Graupman was selected for this award for her innovation, leadership and ability to raise academic achievement. She has taught for 10 years. At Timberlake High, her students have made great strides academically, increasing their scores on the ISAT and writing assessments each year.

Students gave Graupman a standing ovation as she worked her way to the podium to accept the award Friday morning.

“Thank you for the job I get to do every day,” she told her students. “Thank you for being the reason I get up and come to work every day.”

Superintendent Luna was joined by Idaho State Senator John Goedde, Lakeland Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Ranells and other dignitaries at the schoolwide assembly today to help recognize and reward Katie Graupman.

About Katie Graupman

Katie Graupman is the English language arts and journalism teacher at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake. She is a proud graduate of the University of Idaho, and has been teaching for 10 years.

One thing is clear: Mrs. Graupman is beloved by her colleagues. Here are just some of the ways her colleagues described her in nominating her for this award: innovative, a leader, a mentor, courageous. According to her friends and colleagues, if you need something done, you simply ask Mrs. Graupman. She has a great work ethic and her vision is to work until you get the results you are looking for. And she gets results! Last year, 98% of Mrs. Graupman’s students were proficient on the ISAT, up from just 90% last year. Here students also made great progress in writing: 76% of students scored proficient on writing assessments last year and now 92% of students are scoring proficient.

Mrs. Graupman sets very high standards to make sure every student has the knowledge they need to walk across the stage at graduation and be successful.

“If something is good for kids, she is unafraid to change the system, even if the change affects her,” said Dr. Mary Ann Ranells, the Lakeland School District Superintendent.

About the Milken Family Foundation

The Milken Family Foundation was established in 1982 to discover and advance inventive and effective ways of helping people help themselves and those around them lead productive and satisfying lives. The Foundation advances this mission primarily through its work in education and medical research. For more information about the Milken Family Foundation, please visit www.mff.org.  

8 SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROJECT

Eight Idaho schools have been selected to participate in the initial phase of the Idaho Lives Project, a partnership between the Idaho State Department of Education and the Suicide Prevention Action Network of Idaho (SPAN Idaho) to reduce the prevalence of suicide among youth ages 10-24 in Idaho.

Today, Idaho ranks among the top ten states for teen suicides and overall suicides. Because of Idaho’s rural geography, many students and families have faced barriers in accessing prevention and mental health services.

“The tragedy of suicide is beyond measure, and unfortunately, Idaho is not immune to this tragedy. With the right training, knowledge and support, suicide is preventable. I appreciate these eight schools participating in this project, and I look forward to working with them to find the best ways we as a state and as local communities can prevent youth suicide today and in the future,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said.

A total of 18 schools applied to implement the program; eight were selected after a blind review process based on their need and readiness to benefit.  The selected schools are:

• Priest River Lamanna High School, Priest River
• Lapwai Middle School- High School, Lapwai
• Parma High School, Parma
• Parma Middle School, Parma   
• Nampa High School, Nampa
• Silver Creek Alternative High School, Hailey
• Salmon Middle School- High School, Salmon
• Teton High School, Driggs

These eight schools will receive extensive support, training services and $3,000 in funding to implement Sources of Strength, an evidence-based suicide prevention program that utilizes the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture to ultimately prevent suicide, bullying and substance abuse.

In addition, the Idaho Lives Project will work directly with the communities surrounding these schools to focus on training mental health providers and other stakeholders to prevent and respond to suicide crises.

“We very much look forward to formal training and programs to help us emphasize to students the power of positive relationships with adults and peers,” said Sharma Thornton, counselor at Silver Creek Alternative High School, one of the selected schools. “We are also excited to gain better experience and training our students on how to maximize their strengths, better use existing school resources, and to maximize community resources.  The entire staff and student body at Silver Creek will benefit from this program.”

The Idaho Lives Project is made possible by the State and Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Grant awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support states and tribes in developing and implementing suicide prevention strategies.

The state was awarded $1.29 million over three years to implement the Idaho Lives Project. This is just the first phase. In the 2014-2015 school year, the Idaho Lives Project will select an additional 10-14 schools to begin implementing Sources of Strength.

For more information about the Idaho Lives Project, please contact Matt McCarter at the Idaho State Department of Education at mamccarter@sde.idaho.gov or (208) 332-6961, or contact Jeni Griffin at SPAN Idaho at jgriffin@spanidaho.org or (208) 860-1703.

IDAHO TEACHERS SELECTED FOR PRESIDENTIAL TEACHING AWARD

Two teachers from the rural Genesee School District in north-central Idaho were selected for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This award is the nation’s highest honor for U.S. mathematics and science teachers for grades K–12.

Tauna Johnson was selected for the science award, and Donna Wommack was selected for the mathematics award. They are among just 102 teachers selected nationally for this award.

“Congratulations to both of these talented teachers! We know the most important factor in a student’s academic success once they arrive at school is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Wommack represent the hard-working, innovative science and mathematics teachers we have across Idaho. I am proud they have received this recognition at the national level,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said.

Wendy Moore, Superintendent of the Genesee School District said, “Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Wommack are very deserving of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science. Mrs. Johnson has been with Genesee School District for 24 years, and Mrs. Wommack has been at Genesee 18 years.  Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Wommack both showcase exemplary teaching strategies in their classroom, and it has resulted in high student achievement. Genesee School District is fortunate to have such teachers as part of our outstanding educational team.”

The PAEMST award is given annually to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level.

Teachers who are selected as PAEMST awardees receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion as well as a trip to Washington, DC, for a series of recognition events, professional development activities and an awards ceremony.

Each year, the award alternates between teachers teaching kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. On December 20, 2013, President Obama announced these 2012 awardees who teach K-6 grades.

SUPERINTENDENT LUNA REACTS TO STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna released the following statement after the Governor’s State of the State and Budget Address on Monday:

“Today, Governor Otter set a positive tone for this Legislative Session, making it clear education is his top priority. I am pleased he made the implementation of our Task Force recommendations a priority and demonstrated his continued support for the Idaho Core Standards. My only concern is that the Governor's budget proposes reducing overall teacher compensation in order to help schools pay the light bill. I cannot support that. I believe we have the funding and the plan to accomplish both, and I will fight to ensure we continue to improve teacher compensation this year and in the future.”

Legislature to Host Common Core Forum

The chairs of the Senate and House Education Committees, Senator John Goedde and Representative Reed DeMordaunt, announced today their plans to bring Idahoans together for a serious discussion on Common Core. 

“In an effort to be transparent, we want to allow the public to share questions and concerns regarding Idaho Common Core,” Senator Goedde explained.

The Forum will take place on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Senate West Wing (WW02) of the State Capitol.

Participants must submit their questions in advance. Questions are to be emailed or sent to the House Education Secretary. Email address: hedu@house.idaho.gov Physical address: EW49, Routing Code 38, State Capitol, Boise, ID 83720-0038

All questions must be submitted by Friday, January 17, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.

Chairman DeMordaunt said, “It is critical that questions regarding the Idaho Common Core are submitted in advance so that they can be thoroughly researched.”

A formal panel of educators, Department of Education personnel and others, both proponents and opponents, will be a part of the panel and the research process.  They, in turn, will then prepare answers regarding the Idaho Common Core Standards.

The Forum will be structured so that the audience can see every question presented on a screen and then those questions will be answered by the panelists.  No questions will be taken from the audience on the day of the Common Core Forum. However, the Forum proceedings will be available online.

The Idaho Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort that established a single set of educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English language arts and mathematics.  These English language arts and mathematics standards represent a set of expectations for student knowledge and skills that high school graduates need to master to succeed in college and careers.

Response to Sen. Thayn's Press Release on the Smarter Balanced Assessment

The following is the Idaho State Department of Education’s response to Sen. Thayn’s latest concerns regarding the implementation of the Idaho Core Standards, specifically the Smarter Balanced Assessment. The Department responses are in red.

SBAC is a form of extreme testing requiring up to 8 hours (7 hours for 3rd graders). The Idaho Department of Education says Idaho needs to have a nationwide test to be able to compare Idaho students with students across the nation. This comparison can be done by testing a random sample of 1,000 students in grades 4 and 8 at much less cost and time requirements.

A better form of measurement does take additional time. For years, educators and parents have demanded more than a multiple choice test. In order to administer that, it takes additional time. The actual estimates of time are about 6 hours for students in grades 3-8 and 7 hours for students in high school. This time still represents less than 1% of a student’s instructional time during the school year. Students will not be spending this time choosing a, b, or c. Instead, they will be solving complex problems, writing essays and showing their work.
As State Superintendent, I do not believe it is enough for us to know if a random sample of our students are succeeding and getting the education they deserve. We owe it to our students and parents to know how every student is doing. If they are struggling, we need to get them immediate assistance. If they are excelling, we should provide advanced opportunities.

The SBAC test does not provide immediate feedback needed to help the classroom teacher formulate instruction. The main purpose of the test is to give data to statisticians. The main purpose of tests should be to help teachers and parents. SBAC sees to be a tool for policy makers to monitor, control, and manipulate teachers, students, and parents. Test should have immediate feedback. SBAC does not.

Idaho will gain immediate feedback from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, something we do not currently get from the ISAT. Other states have already signed contracts to have results returned within 5 days of the end of testing. Idaho could do the same with the vendor it chooses to administer Smarter Balanced. In partnering with other states, we are not only gaining an end-of-the-year assessment to replace the ISAT, but Idaho’s teachers are also helping develop what we call formative and interim assessments. These are assessment tools teachers can use in the classroom to monitor students’ progress throughout the school year and provide immediate feedback to students and parents. In addition, the end-of-the-year test will provide more information at the end of the year about how our students are performing than we, as policymakers or parents, received in the past. We will receive better reports, and since our students are finally being measured against college- and career-ready standards, we will truly know if they are on a path to be ready for college or career.

The Idaho State Department of Education is not able to guarantee that pornographic passages or agenda-driven questions will not be on the SBAC.

Idaho will be able to guard against this. First, Idaho educators are involved in the development of Smarter Balanced items. To date, more than 50 Idaho teachers are involved in writing test questions. Second, the Idaho State Department of Education can request to review the entire item pool at any time to ensure we are comfortable with the test questions. Idaho has the same ability to review all questions and assessment items as we did with the ISAT. Third, this is why Idaho conducted a pilot of the Smarter Balanced assessment in Spring 2013 and is conducting a field test in Spring 2014. We are testing the test questions before they become fully operational. Some of the other states who have decided to not be part of Smarter Balanced or PARCC are purchasing off-the-shelf tests, like ACT and SAT, over which these states have no control over the test development process or content of test questions.

SBAC has no process to lodge a complaint or modify the test. When this issue has been brought up to the Idaho Department of Education, the Department indicates that we can get out at any time. I suggest that this is the time. The American people have long enjoyed due process and checks and balances in their public institutions. SBAC has no due process procedures in place.

As a governing state in a state-led consortium, Idaho is a voting member and helps create policies and processes just like this. If someone has a concern with a question on the assessment, they can lodge that complaint with the Idaho State Department of Education. The Department can take that complaint to the full Consortium and work with other states to address it. This is actually more control than Idaho has over most of the other tests it administers, such as the SAT, which is fully developed and controlled by the College Board.

SBAC creates a multi-state testing system. SBAC shifts decisions from state level to a multi-state level and will further alienate parents and make it harder for legislators, teachers, and parents to impact public policy threatening state control over a wide range of education issues.
The test process has two unacceptable and dangerous characteristics.
SBAC using a technique called ‘close reading.’ Close Reading means that a passage is given as a prompt for writing. The student can only use the information in the prompt in the writing. No outside information can be used. This could be potentially harmful and discriminatory to young and vulnerable students, especially, those students who do not agree with the assumptions of the prompt. The prompt may be asking a student to defend a belief that they morally or politically do not agree with. This could be used to identify student with certain acceptable or non-acceptable belief systems.

Idaho is addressing this in multiple ways to ensure all test questions are fair to students. First, Idaho teachers are involved in the development of test questions and writing prompts. Second, Idaho has the ability to review all test questions before they are administered to Idaho students. Third, Idaho participated in the pilot test in Spring 2013 and will conduct a field test in Spring 2014. Through these opportunities, we are fully vetting all test questions and writing prompts to ensure they are valid, fair and reliable for students in our state. It is important to note that all writing prompts will be aligned to the Idaho Core Standards. The goal of the Idaho Core Standards is to emphasize critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Through these writing prompts, students will be asked to show evidence to support a position, but not to defend a belief. (A sample performance task is attached for your information.)

Anecdotal stories indicate that in doing a math problem, a student may get more credit for working the problem using an approved process but getting the wrong answer while a student that uses a non-approved process to get the correct answer could receive a lower grade than a student that got the wrong answer but used the approved process. This would discriminate against any student who was not taught in an “approved system” such as home schooled children or children taught in private schools.

First, there is no “approved process” for understanding mathematics. Second, the way scoring works is that students will receive some credit for showing mathematical reasoning skills, but most credit will be given for obtaining the correct answer. If home school or private school students choose to take the Smarter Balanced assessment, they will be expected to use mathematical reasoning skills, just like students who attend public schools. However, students who attend home school or private schools are not required to take the Smarter Balanced assessment.

Cost of the test has not been determined. Because there is some hand grading, the cost could be much more that the current system of testing. Costs have not yet been discussed.
The costs of the Smarter Balanced assessment have been discussed for more than a year now. The most recent cost analysis shows that Idaho will spend approximately the same to administer the Smarter

Balanced assessment as it has spent in the past to administer the ISAT, yet we will be gaining much better assessment tools through Smarter Balanced. While Idaho has worked with other states to develop the test questions, we will be going out to bid to determine the vendor that will ultimately administer the test in Idaho. Ultimately, this is Idaho’s statewide test. The RFP process will determine the cost (and timeline for returning scores to students and parents), but we anticipate it will be close to the estimates we have seen for more than a year.

Finally, data is a big concern. I have before me a draft of a bill that says data “shall not be transferred to any federal, state, or local agency or other organization/entity outside of the state of Idaho, with the following exceptions.” Then exception iii says: “A student registers, for or takes a national or multistate assessment.” Translation is if a student takes the SBAC test, the state of Idaho can transmit individual student data to the federal government! I do not think the state of Idaho should store individual student data. The state should only receive aggregate data from school districts. The data should be kept at the district level and the state perform audit to assure accurate record keeping.

In September, the states of the Smarter Balanced Consortium approved a data privacy policy that reaffirms each member state will retain control of student data generated by the assessment system. Student-level data will not be shared with the federal government.

Alternatives should be developed to replace the SBAC for the 2014-2015 school year that could include:

• Limit a longer test to only the 4th and 8th grades
• This would not collect the data that parents, students and teachers deserve on how their students are performing academically throughout the student’s academic career. In addition, reducing the grades tested to 4th and 8th grades would violate federal law passed in 2001.
• Use the SAT in high school. This would give an indication of how Idaho students compare with other students nationwide.
• SAT is not aligned to Idaho Core Standards. In addition, Idaho has no control over this assessment. The College Board controls the development of this assessment. We believe it is important to administer to Idaho high school students because it remains a critical exam for students to take to go on to postsecondary education; however, for statewide accountability purposes, we prefer to administer an assessment in which teachers have helped develop the assessment questions.
• Consider what other states are using that have already withdrawn from SBAC.
• The states that have withdrawn from Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, to date, largely did so because of costs. Those states were spending less money than Idaho on assessments; Smarter Balanced was not a cost neutral solution for them as it is for Idaho. In addition, those states are currently trying to develop or purchase an assessment that is aligned with Common Core State Standards but have yet to come up with a test that is able to provide all the tools we will receive through Smarter Balanced. For example, Utah will now only be able to administer a multiple choice test. Alabama will also be spending nearly double the cost per student for the state’s new assessment system than Idaho will be spending. Right now, Smarter Balanced remains the most effective solution for Idaho students and teachers.
• Bring back the ISAT but design it for the new standards and use it only in specific grades.
• This would be the most expensive option for Idaho. If Idaho tries to develop an assessment on its own, we will not realize the economies of scale we have realized through the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. With our resources, we will end up with a multiple choice test that looks the same as the previous ISAT and does not truly measure students’ deeper, critical thinking and problem solving skills. In addition, students should be assessed as they progress through the educational system to ensure academic gaps are addressed and strengths are recognized.

SCHOOLS CAN APPLY NOW FOR FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GRANTS

Idaho elementary schools can apply now to implement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2014-2015 school year.

The goals of the program are to increase students’ consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, to expand the variety of fruits and vegetables that children experience, to positively impact their present and future health, and to create healthier school environments by providing healthier choices for students.  FFVP schools are required to provide free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks throughout the school day.

In order to be eligible for the FFVP, schools must meet the following criteria:

• Be an elementary school (eligible students are pre-K through 6th grade),
• Operate the National School Lunch Program,
• Have more than 50 percent of students eligible for free/reduced priced meals, and
• Submit a complete application.

Elementary schools with the highest free and reduced-price enrollment will be given priority during the selection process. Schools are awarded between $50.00 and $75.00 per student for the school year in order to purchase fresh fruit and vegetable snacks.

For more information on the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program requirements or for a copy of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant Application, please visit our Child Nutrition Programs website, or contact the Department’s Child Nutrition Programs at (208) 332-6820.

FFVP applications must be mailed or e-mailed by Wednesday, April 30, 2014.