January 13, 2021: Updates and Resources

Arizona Department of Education Updates and Resources

OIE Parent and Caregiver Survey

The Office of Indian Education (OIE) is seeking feedback from Native American parents and caregivers on the OIE strategic plan. The presentation includes information about the OIE strategic plan and a link to the survey. Read the presentation and access the survey HERE.

Diverse Texts – Creating a More Inclusive Curriculum Webinar

As part of this webinar, participants will learn how to use the ADE Diverse Texts guidance to help you to create a more inclusive curriculum in your secondary ELA Classroom, and how to start a conversation in your classroom, school, and district. Educators have a responsibility to diversify the representation in the texts that students read in their classrooms. There is a world of diverse texts available that will give a broader viewpoint of the world as well as allow for and celebrate greater representation. Each of the books in the Diverse Texts Guidance chart feature protagonists and characters that are a part of underrepresented groups. There are also non-fiction texts that represent diverse voices and diverse perspectives of history. Additionally, there are resources to help educators diversify their curriculum.

Please feel free to review the guidance beforehand as we will be spending time with it during this webinar: https://www.azed.gov/standards-practices/secondary-literacy-middlehs (under the blue bar that says "Diverse Texts"). Participants will earn 1-hour of PD credit for attending this webinar. Zoom link will be individually emailed to registrants on the day of the webinar.

There are five dates for the webinar. Each start at 3:00 PM (MST) Register HERE.

• January 21, 2021
• January 27, 2021
• February 2, 2021
• February 17, 2021
• March 4, 2021

COVID-19 Updates and Resources

ADHS and COVID-19 Vaccine

The Arizona Department of Education is communicating the most current vaccine information from the Arizona Department of Health Services directly with Superintendents and charter leaders. Read more about vaccine resources for educators and school leaders on our website. 

Resources and Update from OIE Partners and Stakeholders

Arizona State Museum: American Indian Boarding Schools A Two-Part Series

Tuesday, January 19, 2021, 4:00 p.m. MST: "American Indian Boarding School Stories: Presence, Absence, Silence, and Ghosts" with Dr. K. Tsianina Lomawaima (Mvskoke/Creek Nation, not enrolled), retired professor, former faculty at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University

Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 4:00 p.m. MST: "Three Generations of the American Indian Boarding School Experience" with Dr. Evangeline Parsons-Yazzie (Diné), professor emerita of Navajo at Northern Arizona University

This series is made possible through a partnership with Arizona Humanities. Learn more and register HERE.

For Local Education Agencies: Apply for Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Connect

Verizon Innovative Learning Schools (VILS) is evolving to meet a critical demand and will provide hotspots and monthly data plans for students without reliable home internet access, along with timely, relevant professional development opportunities for teachers. For school districts with existing 1:1 device programs, the barrier to student success is often access to a reliable high-speed connection at home. The VILS Connect model provides mobile hotspots with data access, professional development for teachers, and opportunities for collaboration with other educators. (Individual schools may not apply. Applications must come as a group of 2-12 schools within one district or charter network.)

Schools receive:

• Hotspots with 30 GB LTE monthly data plan* for two years for students with demonstrated need
• Access to virtual professional development for all teachers
• Financial support for a VILS Liaison who will provide instructional coaching to teachers ($5,000-$8,500 depending on school size)

For a district to apply on behalf of a group of 2-12 middle and/or high schools, participating schools should have:

• Existing 1:1 device programs
• At least a 65% free and reduced-price lunch rate 
• Ability to assess and document the need for hotspots by individual students
• Ability to filter content through hotspots
• Interest in and commitment to professional learning and coaching for teachers
• Ability to inventory, track, and replace hotspots as needed

Applications are now open! Applications must be submitted by a district and can include 2-12 schools. This is a two-year program, with an option to extend to four years. Apply by March 12, 2021, for delivery of hotspots as early as Summer 2021.