Embedded Files
Ron Gallagher
IU1 Curriculum Department
IU1 Curriculum Department
Buy 9 full PD days and get one free.
Save the Dates
Save the Dates
Legislation Day at IU1. Friday, February 20, 2026 - 9:00am to 1:00pm
PA School Code Updates
PA School Code Updates
Implementation Guide for PA School Code
School code updates webinar for educational leaders; hosted by PAIU with Amy Lena; January 23, 2026 @ 2:00pm or January 28, 2026 @ 9:00am; flyer & registration
Legal Updates for Education Leaders PAIU - Professional Learning
School Safety and Security Conference, March 12-13, 2026 at the Penn Stater (Info and registration)
Brian Campbell Updates
Brian Campbell Updates
State Board Meeting:
The administration is planning on opening the math and ELA standards at the same time.
Regulatory process is 18 months. An additional 2 years to create standards and approve.
2028 may have standards in front of you. A year of implementation. 2030 at the earliest to start new Math and ELA standards
PDE Content Updates
PDE Content Updates
Megan Clementi
Demo OTT PSSA Math Grade 3 Question 13
Structured Literacy Updates
Structured Literacy Updates
Structured Literacy Updates January 2026
The link below was sent out to all Districts for Structured Literacy Updates passed under the new budget.
Structured Literacy Updates Communication
By 3/31/2026, all LEAs must report current curricula to PDE.
By 2027-2028, all school entities must adopt the approved curriculum and train educators in evidenced-based reading practices.
Universal K-3 reading screening 3x per year using PDE-approved tools
Reading deficiency notification and intervention plans required for identified students
ACT 135 to ACT 47
Survey is coming out about what resources and programs the district is using for ELA, Brian Gasper believes it is K-3 only. Should be an easy survey, similar to SurveyMonkey. Be on the lookout for the email to your district Superintendent.
Recommended to start putting a literacy team together and looking at current situation, including screenings, resources, MTSS/Interventions in grades K-3.
CP Tip Jar
CP Tip Jar
Upcoming Due Dates
Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program: February 15
Educator Effectiveness Annual Report: February 28
Comprehensive Plans and State Reports (Phase 1): March 31
K-12 Guidance Plan (Phase 3): March 31
PVAAS Updates
PVAAS Updates
PDE SAS Updates
PDE SAS Updates
Arts and PE standards are still in review stage(2/3 of the way done). No dates yet for approval and implementation. Last updated in 2002.
Free ACT 45 AI training in the PDESAS Courses (30 hours).
Under Assessment Center, Districts can now build the Assessments from an leadership standpoint to share with the teachers.
CDT/Firefly Updates
CDT/Firefly Updates
Group Performance Report just released
Group Performance (Reporting Services >> Group Results >> Group Performance)
Average Scale Score – Provides the average scale score for a selected group of students by subject. Includes the option to display average scores by Reporting Category and averages across test events/seasons for the same group.
Student Scale Score – Charts the scale scores for each student in a group by subject or Reporting Category. Includes the option to chart the scale scores across test events/seasons for the same group.
Group Instructional Supports – Provides a customizable list of Instructional Supports by Reporting Category for each student within a group.
West 3 Regional Meeting and Information
West 3 Regional Meeting and Information
West 3 Regional Meeting
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Moon Area High School, 8353 University Blvd, Moon Township, PA 15108
Session: Act 93—What Leaders Need to Know Now with Executive Director Dr. Eric Eshbach and Director of HR Vangie Unti
Key policy updates, recent trends, and case implications impacting Act 93 agreements
Practical strategies, contract-language “watch-outs,” and best-practice recommendations
Aligning recruitment/retention with Act 93 in today’s labor market
Interactive Q&A with real-world scenarios
Host: Dr. Julie Moore • Breakfast Sponsor: K12 Coalition
Register: West III Principals Meet-Up – Winter
Spring/Winter Book Study (30 Act 45 Hours)
Text: Thrive Through the Five by Jill Siler
PDE-approved, open to all educational leaders. Practical strategies for navigating the toughest 5% of the job—and thriving through it.
Start: February 2, 2026 (Spring 2026 Learning Leader Book Study, co-sponsored by PA Principals & PA EDGE)
Questions: Dr. Beth Haldeman (haldeman@paprincipals.org)
Register: REGISTER HERE
The Summit • August 2–4, 2026 (Save the Date)
Locations: Renaissance Allentown Hotel & Parkland High School
Call for Presenters: CALL FOR PRESENTERS — Pennsylvania Summit26 for Educational Leaders
IU1 STEM Pathways
IU1 STEM Pathways
2026-2027 OpenSciEd Pricing for Kits and Professional Development
PA STEELS
PA STEELS
We are excited to announce the return of the Statewide STEELS Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for the 2025-2026 school year.
This year, we are offering two distinct tracks. Please review the dates and times below.
2025-2026 PLC Schedule
STEELS Teacher PLC Sessions
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
January 22, 2026
March 19, 2026
May 27, 2026
STEELS Administrator PLC Sessions
Time: 8:30 am - 10:00 am
February 19, 2026
April 8, 2026
June 4, 2026
How to Join
PLC Sessions are FREE for all attendees and will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive meeting links and communications, all attendees must register at the link below. A unique Zoom link will be sent to registrants approximately one week before each session.
Register Here: https://forms.gle/ZgEY8VciVGsogRVp9
District Data Clinic: Connecting Data, Instruction, and Opportunity
District Data Clinic: Connecting Data, Instruction, and Opportunity
College Board AP
College Board AP
Quarterbacks of Life
Quarterbacks of Life
New Career Standards
New Career Standards
SAVE THE DATE STATEWIDE TRAINING (Act 48)
Title: “Skills That Matter: Employability and the New CEW Standards”
Target Audience: School teams (Administrators, Principals, Counselors, Teachers across grade levels)
Course Description: Join PDE’s Career Readiness Advisor as she highlights the newly revised Career Education and Work standards and how to integrate and transition from the current standards with best practices, application, resources, and instructional strategies across content areas. Work ahead of the timeline through an innovative approach to artifacts and student engagement to support career portfolios and the Career Standards benchmark in the Future Ready PA Index. (Resource: State Board Revised CEW Standards link)
Registration PaTTAN webinar:
Feb 5th Session (3 to 4:15 pm):
Feb 6th Session (10 to 11:15 am):
Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist (Social Studies Updates)
Classrooms Without Borders 2025-26 IU1 Sessions (grant info).pdfWe are pleased to offer the following sessions for the IU1 professional development calendar. These offerings are designed to engage educators in meaningful, inquiry-based learning that integrates historical understanding with practical classroom strategies.
*All sessions will be held at IU1 Central Office (One Intermediate Unit Drive, Coal Center, PA 15423) from 9am-3pm*
*Meets Act 70 School Requirement
***Next Session will be held on Thursday, January 29th***
**$$ Grant stipend for schools for upcoming sessions $$**
The American Battlefield History Field Trip Grant Program is designed to help offset the cost of K-12 field trips to sites related to the Revolutionary War, War or 1812, and the American Civil War. Approved applicants can receive up to $3,000 in funding for their field trip. Funds can be applied to transportation to and from the site(s), guide fees, and admissions to the historic sites. We do not provide funding for first-class accommodations, souvenirs, or overnight stays/accommodations. (Please visit our History Field Trip Grant Program page for more information).
If you are seeking additional resources or any information related to enhancing your existing social studies curriculum, please contact:
Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist
Phone: 724-938-3241 ext. #405
Email: jordan.lozosky@iu1.org
Jordan Lozosky, Curriculum Specialist: Gifted, Induction & Other Updates
Gifted Updates
Gifted Updates
NEW!! To Register for the Gifted Email listserv - IU1 Gifted Listserv Sign-Up Link
This is intended to create email lists for various interests/grade levels regarding gifted education and student opportunities. Please feel free to forward to colleagues that might want to be included.
Regular Ed Teacher slide deck -Slide Deck Link (it will force them to make a copy. That way they can make changes to the slides.)
gifted bootcamp REVISED.pdfIU1 Gifted Bootcamp
Our Gifted Bootcamp will be held here at Central Office on January 27th, 2026 from 9am-2pm
Where? Allegheny Intermediate Unit
When? March 12th from 8am to 3:30pm
Join educators, administrators, and leaders from across Western Pennsylvania for a full day of professional learning dedicated to advancing gifted education. The Western PA Gifted Regional Day offers engaging keynote sessions, practical workshops, and collaborative networking opportunities designed to strengthen our shared commitment to meeting the needs of gifted learners.
This year’s theme, “Beyond Labels: Cultivating Talent in Every Learner,” emphasizes moving past identification alone to embrace the development of potential in diverse and dynamic ways. Sessions will highlight effective instructional strategies, equity and access considerations, social-emotional learning supports, and innovative practices that help gifted students thrive.
Whether you are new to gifted education or an experienced practitioner, this conference provides the tools, inspiration, and connections needed to support the growth of gifted learners across all grade levels.
IU1 Induction 2025-26 Schedule and Registration Links.pdf2025-26 Induction Schedule
2025-26 Induction Schedule
*Participants must register on the hyperlinks on the flyer through Learning Stream.
PASCL (Student Centered Learning Book Study)
PASCL (Student Centered Learning Book Study)
Join educators from all over the state, as 16 other IUs are involved and will be participating concurrently in this book study discussion!
All K-12 Educators & Administrators are Welcome to Join!
Details: Join us this Spring for a dynamic virtual book study of The Shift to Student-Led by Catlin Tucker and Katie Novak. Together, we'll explore practical strategies to transform classrooms into student-centered learning environments that foster agency, engagement, and deeper learning. Through four interactive Wednesday evening sessions (6:30-7:15 PM in February and March), you'll reflect on the reading, exchange ideas with educators across the state, and leave each session inspired to make meaningful shifts in your practice. Don't miss this chance to connect, collaborate, and grow!
8 Act 48 hours upon completion of book study
IU1 participants must purchase their own copy of the book.
Meeting 1: Wednesday, February 11, 6:30-7:15pm
Meeting 2: Wednesday, February 25, 6:30-7:15pm
Meeting 3: Wednesday, March 11, 6:30-7:15pm
Meeting 4: Wednesday, March 25, 6:30-7:15pm
8 Act 48 hours upon completion of book study
Contact Jordan Lozosky with questions: jordan.lozosky@iu1.org
HPE Flyer March 24 2026 Training.pdfHealth & Physical Education Training at IU1
Health & Physical Education Training at IU1
Teachers will be able to collaborate with fellow educators in planning and practicing the outcomes in a mini lesson setting. Teachers will gain access to ideas of how to include activities in both health and physical education classes. Teachers will leave the training with experience in implementing both health literacy skills and physical literacy components in their classes.
Date: March 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 am-2:00 pm
Lunch: (On Your Own)
Facilitator: PDE and SHAPE PA (Nick Slotterback)
(You Must Register for Act 48 & Attendance Records)
Face-to-Face & Virtual Training Event
Location: Intermediate Unit 1 Face-to-Face or Join Us Via Zoom
Zoom Link: Will Be Emailed the Day Before the Event
Contact Information: jordan.lozosky@iu1.org
Emily Hughes, STEM Coordinator
Emily Hughes, STEM Coordinator
IU1 STEM Pathways provides:
Rental of OpenSciEd material kits (.1 and .2 kits for 3-5, all kits for 6-8)
OpenSciEd certified training and support opportunities for Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Need more info?
Need more info?
From Kits to Classrooms: An Introductory Look at OpenSciEd
The webinar will provide an introductory look at OpenSciEd and explore how OpenSciEd brings real-world phenomena and problem solving to classrooms.
Zoom links will be sent the day before.
FREE K-12 ELS Curriculum PD 🐻
FREE K-12 ELS Curriculum PD 🐻
Join Julie Travaglini from the Allegheny Land Trust, for a Project WILD workshop. Participants will be immersed in wildlife-based conservation and environmental education lessons that foster responsible actions towards wildlife aligned with PA STEELS Standards.
Act 48 hours and lunch are provided. Participants will receive the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide.
David Dunham and Tracey Czajkowski
ELA Curriculum Specialists
9th Grade Curriculum Writing at the IU
Ninth‑grade teachers from participating districts are actively engaged in the curriculum writing process. Curriculum is being intentionally developed for each district and aligned to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards, including Anchors and Eligible Content. The work emphasizes high‑interest text sets and meaningful stories across a wide range of genres to build background knowledge and strengthen student engagement and comprehension.
Scientifically based best practices serve as the foundation of the curriculum. Instructional components such as mentor sentences, robust vocabulary instruction, varied levels of questioning, and differentiated strategies are thoughtfully embedded, well scaffolded, and shared to support effective, high‑quality instruction.
Literacy Love:
Literacy Love:
Reading & Writing Beside Our Students
Reading & Writing Beside Our Students
Join educators for a day of collaboration, creativity, and innovation in teaching and learning at the 2026 WPCTE Conference, co-sponsored by the Education Department at Saint Vincent College, featuring keynote speaker Penny Kittle. A bestselling author and renowned literacy educator, Kittle inspires joyful, student centered reading and writing through choice, authentic texts, and practical strategies from books such as Book Love and Write Beside Them.
Deadline is March 1st
Deadline is March 1st
The Deadline For Free Books For Read Across America Day is February 12th, 2026.
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, invites your school or other literacy project to apply for FREE books for Read Across America Day. During the past year, LEF has distributed over 3,000,000 books to schools all across the country for Read Across America Day and other literacy projects.
Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Books are free. Educators only pay shipping, handling, and administrative fees totaling $0.88 cents per book.
Orders must be received by February 12th, 2026.
Please share this information with your fellow educators!
Free Books for Read Across America Day: Order Form at www.lefbooks.org/reading_resource_project/
David Dunham CSI
Upcoming Workshops: Needs Assessment and Plan Review
Needs Assessment Workshops: Using Needs Assessment to Drive Meaningful School Improvement
This interactive workshop will support school leaders in strengthening their needs assessment practices as a foundation for effective school improvement. Participants will be placed into differentiated learning experiences based on prior experience and readiness.
Some participants will join Introduction to Needs Assessments to build a strong foundation in the needs assessment process, including the Essential Practices for Schools, structured approaches to root cause analysis, and a practical framework for writing clear, actionable priority statements.
Others will join Level Up Your Needs Assessment to deepen their practice by analyzing their current School Improvement Plan through a logic model, identifying the implementation stage of existing strategies, exploring how needs shift across stages, and mapping next steps to support development of the 2026–27 SIP.
Across both experiences, participants will strengthen their ability to use needs assessment as a strategic tool to align data, decisions, and implementation.
Workshops will be held at the following IUs from 9:00-3:00. Information provided during registration will help to determine groups. Click the link to register!
SIP Reviews!
Collaborate to conduct a review of your SIP that will increase the likelihood of your plan being approved upon submission. Workshops will be differentiated based on attendees and will be held at the following IUs from 9:00-3:00:
Allegheny IU3- Thursday, May 7
Luzerne IU18- Tuesday, June 9
Chester County IU24- Friday, June 12
Beaver Valley IU27- Wednesday, June 17
Details and registration information coming soon!
David Dunham ESL/ELD - English Language Development
New 5-Year ACCESS Score Report
PDE has developed a new report that allows LEAs to look up ACCESS scores from previous LEAs for newly enrolling students as soon as the SASID is assigned to their LEA. Only scores from ACCESS tests taken in PA are available. There is no way to look up scores from other states.
This report will help to reduce the need to wait for previous districts to forward records when students move.
To access the report:
Create an account on MyPDESuite (https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/mypdesuite)
Get permission to access the PIMS v2 reports from your local PIMS Administrator
This will give you access to the EL folder
In the EL Folder, scroll through the reports to find the EL Student 5 Year Access History
Enter the required student and district information and select your preferred format for the report (Excel, HTML, PDF, etc.)
Again, the student you are trying to access will also need to be on your LEA’s student template to use the report. Please consult with your local PIMS Administrator if you have questions.
ACCESS Testing Reminders
ACCESS testing is right around the corner. You or your test coordinator should have received several emails from DRC concerning WIDA ACCESS test setup opening, annual technology updates, data corrections window, and technology webinars. Those emails are attached for reference.
If you missed the material ordering window, which closed in November, you will need to order testing materials for new students using the Additional Materials Ordering functionality in the WIDA AMS. You can access this during the testing window in WIDA AMS
Professional Learning
Please consider attending a PDE open virtual office hours. You can find the schedule and links to the meetings on the EL Portal on SAS.
Please also ensure that your staff are aware of the professional-learning opportunities offered by PDE. Educators can choose from self-paced virtual modules, live virtual sessions, and in-person activities. Act 48 credit is available for most offerings on the Portal.
Please feel free to contact a member of the EL team at PDE with any questions or concerns – Bob Measel (romeasel@pa.gov) or Julia Puza (jpuza@pa.gov).
Morgan North, Career Readiness Coordinator
Morgan North, Career Readiness Coordinator
STEM Business & Educator Roundtable Discussions
STEM Business & Educator Roundtable Discussions
Meeting Dates
Thursday, January 22nd 2026 - Greene and Fayette County 1-3PM
Link to register: January 22nd - Greene and Fayette County
STEELS to Skills: Connecting Classrooms to Careers brings educators, schools, and local business professionals together to power career-connected STEM learning. This collaborative experience focuses on the new Pennsylvania Career & Personal Finance and PA STEELS standards, helping participants identify essential future-ready skills and design engaging STEM experiences rooted in real-world workplace expectations. Together, we will build strong partnerships that expand student exposure to STEM pathways and ensure learning is relevant, rigorous, and aligned with today’s workforce demands.
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